Writing the Romantic Novella
August 19, 2022 by marianne h donley in category Ages 2 Perfection Online Class, Online Classes tagged as Craft, development, Pacing, romance novella, writing
Writing the Romantic Novella
Presented by: Catherine Chant
Date: September 12 – 23, 2022 (two week)
Pricing: A2P Member fee: $10
Non-A2P Member fee: $25
About the Workshop:
In this workshop you will learn what a novella is, how it’s more than word count that separates it from a novel, and how to successfully craft one of your own. Lesson topics include: Scope and Pacing, Character Development, Conflict, Plot, and Format. At the end of the workshop, you will have a brief outline of a novella you can start working on this year, a list of prospective publishers to submit your work to, and some tips for self-publishing your novella at Amazon, if you prefer to go the indie route.
About the Presenter:
Catherine Chant is a Romance Writers of America (RWA) Golden Heart® finalist. She writes rock ‘n’ roll romantic fiction and stories with paranormal twists for young adults. Her young adult rock ‘n’ roll time travel series is available now at your favorite online bookseller and her popular workshop “Grow a Book: Turning Your Story Idea Into a Workable Plot” is now available as an ebook and audio book. She teaches several online workshops for writers throughout the year. You can learn more at her website: http://www.catherinechant.com
Fan Service and Reader Engagement
August 18, 2022 by marianne h donley in category Ages 2 Perfection Online Class, Online Classes
Fan Service and Reader Engagement
Presented by: Jen Graybeal
Date: September 10, 2022 10AM PT
Pricing: A2P Member fee: FREE
Non-A2P Member fee: $10
About the Workshop:
Easter eggs, Tik Toks, and Groups… Oh my! There’s much more to marketing than social media. In this session we will talk about the many ways to engage readers without exhausting yourself.
About the Presenter:
Jen Graybeal (she/her) is a book coach, freelance editor, and author cheerleader working exclusively with romance authors. Her encouraging feedback, creative approach to problem solving, and gently-applied tough love inspires clients to take their books and business to the next level. She has a degree in English, an ever-expanding TBR, and a furball assistant that is usually on her lap. Visit her website for client testimonials at www.jengraybeal.com or follow her on Instagram: @JenTheEditor.
A Book About Macaroni and Cheese
August 15, 2022 by Renae Wrich in category Writing tagged as ChildrensLit, MacaroniAndCheese, OriginStory, writerslife, writing inspirationSo, I wrote a book about macaroni and cheese. It wasn’t something I ever planned to do, but like all happy accidents in life, I sure am glad it happened the way it did.
While writing has always been a passion of mine, and a muscle that I frequently flex during my day job, it wasn’t until a daycare pick-up one fateful afternoon in 2019 that propelled me on the path of writing a children’s book.
One sunny afternoon, I picked the kiddos up from school and asked them what sounded good for dinner. They immediately responded with what I already knew they would say, “Mac and cheese, please, please, please”. I turned the words over in my head the whole seven-minutes it took for us to get home.
I decided to give into their demands that day and make a box of macaroni and cheese, because it had been AT LEAST three days since they’d last had it [Insert parenting eye-roll].
I kid you not… In the time it took me to make a box of macaroni and cheese, I had scribbled out a children’s book.
I can still picture it in all its felt-tip marker and wide ruled notebook glory. I read it to my kids while they shoveled the orange noodles into their mouths; giving me nods of approval.
It didn’t come as a total surprise that a random lightening bolt of inspiration had struck me. After all, I’d been creative writing and plotting storylines on paper and in my head for years. I just had never guessed that it would come in the form of a children’s book, much less a children’s book about macaroni and cheese. Yet, here we are!
That’s the origin story of my book, which just celebrated its two-year birthday last month.
The absolute best part of having a book about macaroni and cheese is when I get a picture or Snapchat from my little Mac and Cheese Army out there. I had a friend reach out and tell me that her three-year-old accurately explained that they were having “elbow noodles” for dinner. These moments always serve as a good reminder to listen to those random lightening bolts of inspiration, especially since my little Mac and Cheese Army demands more.
Neetu Malik: August Featured Author
August 14, 2022 by Neetu Malik in category Featured Author of the Month tagged as Featured Author of the Month, Neetu Malik, Poet's Day, poetry
Neetu Malik’s poetry is an expression of life’s rhythms and the beat of the human spirit. She draws upon diverse multicultural experiences and observations across three continents in which she has lived. She has contributed to The Australia Times Poetry Magazine, October Hill Magazine, Prachya Review, among others. Her poems have appeared in The Poetic Bond Anthology V and VI published by Willowdown Books, UK, NY Literary Magazine’s Tears Anthology and Poetic Imagination Anthology (Canada).
Her poem, “Soaring Flames”, was awarded First-Place by the NY Literary Magazine (2017). She has also been nominated for the Pushcart Prize, 2019 for her poem “Sacred Figs” published by Kallisto Gaia Press in their Ocotillo Review in May, 2018.
Neetu lives in Pennsylvania, USA.
You can find Neetu’s poetry in these volumes.
Hover on the cover for buy links. Click on the cover for more information.
Putting Words to Paper by Ralph Hieb
August 13, 2022 by Bethlehem Writers Group in category From a Cabin in the Woods by Members of Bethlehem Writers Group
The reason I write is for my pleasure. The joy of putting thoughts from my head down on paper is thrilling, especially if it is in a story that is enjoyable.
I can take a scene of combatants and put that heat of battle into the mind of the reader. They can imagine every swing of a sword or the sudden blast as a gun spews its lethal venom at an adversary. When done right, you can smell the odor of spent powder. Maybe the fragrant scent of a flower as it sends out its invitation to a pollinating insect. The mind can smell what the mind imagines. A powerful tool for me to utilize.
The images that can be placed on a sheet of paper have no limits. I can find myself, in the form of my characters, sailing a ship on the high seas or flying through the depths of space. Sometimes being lowered by rope to explore uncharted caverns in the Earth’s crust. There are times I would think that the story is a memoir of times when I was existing in another realm.
There are scenes that can describe sweet flowers blooming in a meadow on a mountain, the warmth of the sun with its brightness making the world magical. Or the chill of wandering through a forest with tall trees, their branches blocking the sun from reaching the ground, the dampness of rotting vegetation seeping to the very bones of a person. These places are hard to find but easy to come across with a description from the vision in my mind.
You might think that these are strange thoughts coming from a person who generally writes paranormal. However, not all the tales I have written contain ghosts, vampires, werewolves, or the other creatures that might go bump in the night. Sometimes I do dream of having a log cabin in the mountains situated at the edge of a lake with good fishing. These dreams need to find a home on paper along with the Dennison’s of dark imagination.
There are also times I sit down to write, and the words or ideas refuse to come to the surface of my thoughts. These are times I write just to scribble. These are things that make no sense whatsoever. It is only to keep my fingers on the keyboard and stop me from checking my social media accounts, going through my e-mail, or browsing stories that the news media thinks are important. These are times when only playing on the keyboard will, hopefully, bring ideas forth.
So, there you have it. My thoughts on writing putting words or ideas down for not only myself to enjoy, but, I hope, for others to see the visions laid out on paper or electronic device for them to imagine along with me.
Ralph’s Books
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