July 6-31, 2009
"Knock 'em Dead: Writing Mystery & Suspense"
by Stephen D. Rogers
www.WriterUniv.com
Do you lie awake at night punching your pillow while you stew about that ex, that boss, that too-busy-to-even-send-a-form-rejection agent or editor? Wouldn't it be great to kill that person, throw suspicion on someone else, and then step forward to save the day? You can. And readers will pay to see how it all plays out.
(Note: While all characters and situations mentioned in class will be treated as fictional, students may elect to attend using an assumed name.)
By taking this course, you'll learn how to:
* Understand the different sub-genres
* Create the story tripod
* Develop a cast of characters
* Describe settings (macro and micro)
* Plant clues and red herrings
* Research the specifics
* Handle sex, language, and violence
* Produce an ending that sells your NEXT manuscript
Derringer winner Stephen D. Rogers is a member of Mystery Writers of America, Private Eye Writers of America, the Short Mystery Fiction Society, and Sisters in Crime. He has judged the Daphne duMaurier contest every year since 2004. Over 500 of his stories and poems have appeared in more than 200 publications, and the police have yet to come knocking at his door. Except at work, since he's the computer guy at a police department.
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July 6-31, 2009
"Magic, Monsters & Amour: Creating a Believable Paranormal, Fantasy or SF World"
by Marilynn Byerly
www.WriterUniv.com
Are vampires, fairies, and space aliens real? If you create the right background for your novel, they will be to your reader. Marilyn Byerly, lauded by reviewers for "building a world that combines both integrity and depth in an entertaining way," shows you how to develop a fantasy, science fiction, or paranormal world from scratch...how to invent creatures to populate it...and how to make your novel utterly believable. She'll teach you the ins and outs of research, fresh ways to use creatures like vampires, and the means to avoid various traps many authors have fallen into. Topics include:
* The three methods of world-building--their advantages and disadvantages
* World-building questions and resources
* What not to do in building your world
* How to create the perfect alien or magical character
* Putting your world-building on the page
* Avoiding SF hazards, magic messes, and info dumping
Marilynn Byerly's two passions are writing and teaching. She has taught writing, reviewed books, and published writing articles. Her articles have been used as course work for writing and publishing programs at several universities. Her romance, science fiction, fantasy, and suspense novels have won awards including the National Readers Choice Award, the Sapphire, the Affaire de Coeur, and the Write Touch.
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