Those Who Forget the Past: Using Backstory to Enhance Your Novel
January 18, 2023 by marianne h donley in category Ages 2 Perfection Online Class, Events, Online Classes tagged as Aged to Perfection Online Class, Cynthia Owens, Online Class, Writing Backstory
Presented by: Cynthia Owens
Date: February 1 – 28, 2023 (one month)
Registration Closes: February 15, 2023
Pricing: A2P Member fee: $20
Non-A2P Member fee: $30
About the Workshop:
In Those Who Forget History: Using Backstory to Enhance Your Novel, students will examine how to use backstory effectively to enhance their stories using elements of a character’s past.
We will cover:
• What is Backstory?
• Flashbacks and How to Use Them,
• The Five Ws of Backstory—Who, What, Where, When and Why—of a character’s past.
• Prologues—how to use a prologue to provide backstory.
• Dialogue—how to manipulate your readers by using a character’s dialogue to hint at backstory.
• Weaving—how to weave backstory into your story.
• Inner Thought—revealing your character’s backstory through inner thought.
• What Do They Want?—how your character’s backstory can affect his goals.
• The New Way to Plot: Using backstory to plot your novel
Included in the workshop is a workbook with assignments, checklists, and more.
About the Presenter:
I believe I was destined to be interested in history. One of my distant ancestors, Thomas Aubert, reportedly sailed up the St. Lawrence River to discover Canada some 26 years before Jacques Cartier’s 1534 voyage. Another relative was a 17thCentury “King’s Girl,” one of a group of young unmarried girls sent to New France (now the province of Quebec) as brides for the habitants (settlers) there.
My passion for reading made me long to write books like the ones I enjoyed, and I tried penning sequels to my favorite Nancy Drew mysteries. Later, fancying myself a female version of Andrew Lloyd Weber, I drafted a musical set in Paris during WWII.
A former journalist and lifelong Celtophile, I enjoyed a previous career as a reporter/editor for a small chain of community newspapers before returning to my first love, romantic fiction. My stories usually include an Irish setting, hero or heroine, and sometimes all three.
0 1 Read moreWhat Are Your Top 2 Questions by Kitty Bucholtz
November 9, 2022 by Kitty Bucholtz in category It's Worth It by Kitty Bucholtz, Writing tagged as finish your book, It's Worth It, Kitty Bucholtz, Online Class, writing, writing life
I’m so excited! After 2 1/2 years of working on it, I’m almost ready to launch my new Finish Your Book program — yay!! You may know that I’m a big believer in the idea that we can write books that change the world, whether it’s making a reader’s day better or changing how people think. So I want to help all the writers I can to write and finish more books. AND to do so with more peace and joy.
Before I launch Finish Your Book on December 1, I want to make sure that I’m not missing anything important. Can you do me a favor and answer a 2-question survey? I’d really appreciate it! And you’d be helping other writers, too!
Here’s the link to the Google Form.
Look for me on Facebook Live and YouTube Live over the next three weeks where I’ll be talking about my WHOLE PATH System to writing, finishing, and getting your books out into the world. I’ll also be teaching a free Master Class at the end of November explaining the WHOLE PATH System. It’s going to be a great new year for all of us! Here’s to writing and publishing more books!
0 0 Read moreCharacter Goals
February 23, 2022 by marianne h donley in category Ages 2 Perfection Online Class, Online Classes tagged as Aged to Perfection Online Class, characters, Online Class, Planning, writing
Character Goals
Presented by: Jen Bokal
Date: March 12, 2022 9AM PT
Pricing: A2P Member fee: No Charge
Non-A2P Member fee: $10
About the Workshop:
To many writers, a novel plan is akin to a soul-killing outline learned in grammar school, complete with Roman Numerals and indentations. Yet, to sit down at a computer and begin working without any intention—other than to write a novel—often ends up with an unfinished manuscript and a frustrated author. This workshop with help to develop characters and their goals, along with exploring how they can reach those goals in a dramatic and engaging fashion.
About the Presenter:
Jennifer D. Bokal penned her first book at age eight. An early lover of the written word, she decided to follow her passion and become a full-time writer. From then on, she didn’t look back. She earned a master of arts in creative writing from Wilkes University and became a member of the Romance Writers of America and International Thriller Writers. She has authored several short stories, novellas and poems. Winner of the Sexy Scribbler in 2015, Jennifer is the author of 16 novels/novellas. Included in her titles are the Ancient World Historical series the Champions of Rome and the Harlequin Romantic Suspense series, Rocky Mountain Justice and the connected series, Rocky Mountain Justice: Wyoming Nights. She is also the author of Coltons Secret History, Book 3 in the Coltons of Kansas series and Coltons Internal Affair, Book 9 in the Coltons of Grave Gulch series—also from Harlequin Romantic Suspense. Happily married to her own Alpha Male for more than 25 years, she enjoys writing stories that explore the wonders of love. Jen and her manly husband live in upstate New York with their three beautiful daughters, two very spoiled dogs, and a kitten that aspires to one day become a Chihuahua.
0 0 Read moreFrom Heart to Page to Print: A Primer Guide to Book Publishing
February 18, 2022 by marianne h donley in category Ages 2 Perfection Online Class, Online Classes tagged as Aged to Perfection Online Class, Marketing, Online Class, Planning, publishing, writing
From Heart to Page to Print: A Primer Guide to Book Publishing
Presented by: Savannah J. Frierson
Date: March 1 – 31, 2022 (one month)
Pricing: A2P Member fee: $15
Non-A2P Member fee: $30
About the Workshop:
This publishing primer course will introduce processes of writing, paths to market, and prices (and costs) of publishing. Though this workshop is geared toward beginners, this can also be a great refresher course for seasoned authors, or for authors who are interested in hybrid publishing and what that can entail. The course will guide participants along the paths of publishing—from the beginning with a single idea to the end when the idea has become a book gone to market. We will discuss topics such as: how to get started with writing the book project; pre-market preparations and plans (i.e., editing, researching, publishing); and the investments involved with the publishing path chosen.
About the Presenter:
Savannah J. Frierson is a USA TODAY best-selling author, editor, proofreader, and publishing consultant with nearly 20 years of experience in the publishing industry. As an author, Savannah crafts full, happily-ever-afters for readers who believe transcendent romances are worth the wait. As a book publishing professional, Savannah has worked with Big Five publishers, independent publishers, and individual clients. She aims to make the publishing experience a little less overwhelming for clients regardless of where they are in their publishing journeys.
0 0 Read moreThe 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.
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