Don’t Fear Writing the Synopsis
September 18, 2021 by marianne h donley in category Ages 2 Perfection Online Class, Online Classes tagged as Aged to Perfection Online Class, Becky martinez, creativity and promotion, online writing class, synopsis
Presented by: Becky Martinez
Date: October 1 – 31, 2021
Pricing: A2P Member fee: $15
Non-A2P Member fee: $30
About the Workshop:
Let’s face it–writing a synopsis and query letter can often be more difficult than writing the book itself. However, it doesn’t have to be.
By putting your own personal creativity into writing the synopsis, you can come up with a “pitch” for your book that can not only help open the doors with publishers and agents, but provide a beginning for writing the promotional material for the book itself.
But how do you start to write that synopsis? How do you use it to pitch your book? Help is on the way. Learn the elements that should be included in a good synopsis from one page to a fully detailed synopsis. Find out how to describe your story and characters in a way that will have editors and agents asking for more.
About the Presenter:
Becky Martinez, who writes fiction as Rebecca Grace, has focused on writing almost every day for the past 45 years. She is a former broadcast journalist who spent 30 years in TV newsrooms and nearly ten years in public relations. For the past 15 years she has also been writing fiction and non-fiction books as well as teaching writing classes, coaching aspiring writers, and giving presentations on writing.
She is published in non-fiction as well as fiction. Her non-fiction books include a book on pitching coming from Savvy Authors, as well as a published series on creative writing, the Let’s Write A Story series: Seven Ways to Plot, The Plotting Circle, and Creating Memorable Characters written with her frequent co-author Sue Viders. Their latest book, Creating Great Villains is coming soon from Savvy Authors.
She has also been published in mystery, romance, and romantic suspense fiction with The Wild Rose Press and Wings e-Press. She is currently writing a sequel to her TWRP book, Blues at 11:00.
The Inner Mind of a Computer Geek
September 17, 2021 by marianne h donley in category Ages 2 Perfection Online Class, Online Classes tagged as Aged to Perfection Online Class, Computer Geeks, J.T. Evans, Online Class, writing
Presented by: J.T. Evans
Date: October 1 – 31, 2021
Pricing: A2P Member fee: $15
Non-A2P Member fee: $30
About the Workshop:
Arthur C. Clarke’s third law states, “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” This means that the minds of the people who create “sufficiently advanced technology” are equally magical. In this course, I’ll delve into what motivates me as a computer technologist to continue to work in my field after an active career of over twenty-five years.
I’ll also touch upon the various technical fields in which I have expertise to provide insight into how things are done, why are they are done that way, and how mistakes can be made to reduce the security stance of a computer or network. I’ll also cover how criminal enterprises are leveraging technology to increase their revenue and reach. The flip side of the coin—what information security professionals are doing to put a stop to these nefarious activities—will also be taught as part of this class. Lastly, I’ll explore some futurist thoughts into what magic may pour forth from near-future technological advancements.
About the Presenter:
J.T. Evans started creating software for his grandfather’s business in 1980 at the tender age of seven using a TSR-80 from Radio Shack. In the intervening decades, he’s seen a world of change in technological leaps, and pervasiveness of computing in everyday life. Even trying to keep up with the latest and greatest advancements keeps J.T. busy, but he does his best because his career success in computing requires rapid shifts and constant learning.
Taking on the challenges of constant learning, J.T. has worked in a wide variety of computer-based jobs. Most of his professional career, he’s been a software engineer. However, he’s also worked as a Windows system administrator, Linux system administrator, systems engineer, support technician for various technologies, deep support troubleshooter, information security engineer, database administrator, system architect, and probably a few more fancy titles that have been forgotten to the ages. In a nutshell, if there’s a computer-based job out there in the world, J.T. has touched upon it at some level.
J.T’s first two novels in his Modern Mythology series from WordFire Press GRIFFIN’S FEATHER and VIPER’S BANE are out now.
Using Small Conflicts To Move a Story Along
August 18, 2021 by marianne h donley in category Ages 2 Perfection Online Class, Online Classes tagged as Aged to Perfection Online Class, Mary Marvella, pantsers, plotters, Sagging Middles
Presented by: Mary Marvella
Date: September 1 – 30, 2021
Pricing: A2P Member fee: $15
Non-A2P Member fee: $30
About the Workshop:
“Using Small Conflicts To Move a Story Along” will involve ways to cure sagging middles in any story.
Writers who don’t plot can find themselves painted into a corner or wondering what to do next. Even plotters sometimes find a story seems to be going nowhere. Sometimes the problems are solved, but the book needs to be longer. OOPS!
So what can we do about that? Students and I will share ways to make scenes more meaningful and give characters problems that fit the situation and make those characters stronger for the new problems.
I will give lessons/lectures about why stories need conflicts, small and large, internal and external, to keep excitement going and readers reading.
Students will select slow scenes from their projects or create them so we can pump life into them with small or large rocks. I will give examples of problems based on the stories. We will brainstorm and share scenes on the loop each week.
About the Presenter:
Mary Marvella has been a storyteller for as long as she can remember. The arrival of the book mobile was as exciting as hearing the music of the ice cream truck. As a child of the South, she inherited the storytelling gene from her parents and her grandmamas.
Retired from teaching classic works of the masters, Mary plays let’s pretend with her characters. She has published 10 novels, 1 book on editing, and a collection of Christmas stories.
Mary tutors, and coaches writers when she isn’t working on projects as a freelance editor. She has always been a grammar geek who loved soaking up new knowledge and reading everything, including labels on cereal boxes.
1 0 Read moreWriter Wellness: A Writer’s Path to Health and Creativity
July 18, 2021 by marianne h donley in category Ages 2 Perfection Online Class, Online Classes tagged as Aged to Perfection, Aged to Perfection Online Class, August Online Class, creativity, Joy Held, Writer's Wellness
Presented by: Joy Held
Date: August 1 – 31, 2021
Pricing: A2P Member fee: $15
Non-A2P Member fee: $30
About the Workshop:
Good self-care is the new multi-vitamin! Writers should still take a multi-vitamin, and Writer Wellness is a complimentary plan to help you stay on target for writing and life. WW is a lifestyle technique for anyone who loves to create with activities to stimulate creativity and health by encouraging regular journal writing, exercise, relaxation, good nutrition, and creative play. Regardless of style, genre, or writing goals, Writer Wellness is the perfect writer’s companion.
The workshop will offer one to three activities per key area (journaling, fitness, relaxation, nutrition, and creative play) for participants to try then respond to discussion prompts posted in the course. This interactive workshop will present ideas any writer can put into practice, tweak, and maintain throughout a writing career with the goal of better health and expanded creativity for many years. Discover the Writer Wellness Warrior in you and be well, write well!
About the Presenter:
Joy E. Held, A.A.S., B.A., M.F.A. is an author, freelance editor, educator, Yoga Alliance Registered yoga and meditation teacher, college English professor, certified Journal to the Self facilitator, and workshop presenter with over 500 articles published in trade magazines, newspapers, and literary journals. Her historical romance novel Message to Love was published in 2010 by The Wild Rose Press. Her nonfiction book Writer Wellness: A Writer’s Path to Health and Creativity, third edition is available from Headline Books, Inc. Joy is a member of Romance Writers of America, Hearts Through History Romance Writers, Northeast Ohio RWA. She holds degrees in education, journalism, and an M.F.A. in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University.
http://www.joyeheld.com
http://facebook.com/joy.e.held
http://twitter.com/Joy_E_Held
http://www.writerwellness.wordpress.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/joy-held-4703b187/
Old Friends–Making Your Characters Memorable
July 17, 2021 by marianne h donley in category Ages 2 Perfection Online Class, Online Classes tagged as Aged to Perfection, Aged to Perfection Online Class, August Online Class, Character development, Kathy Otten
Presented by: Kathy Otten
Date: August 1 – 31, 2021
Pricing: A2P Member fee: $15
Non-A2P Member fee: $30
About the Workshop:
In this workshop we’ll delve deep into your character’s psyche. We’ll look beyond eye and hair color to dig deep into each character’s motivation, frustration, and fear. We’ll look at how fear and frustration create the motivation that can drives your character toward their goal or away from it. Then with some creative thinking and writing exercises, we’ll explore ways to weave it all together into a story filled with memorable characters your reader will remember long after they close your book. I hope you will join me.
About the Presenter:
Kathy Otten is the author of multiple historical romance novels, novellas, and short stories. Her most recent short story, Heart of Ash, was released in January 2021. She is currently in the first draft stage of her next historical romance and has a YA novel on the back burner. She teaches fiction writing and is a workshop presenter and developmental editor. Kathy has been married for 38 years and has three grown children and one grandchild. She enjoys taking long walks with her dog and reading e-books while on the treadmill. You can email Kathy at kathy@kathyotten.com
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