May 3-28, 2010
"Show Don't Tell: Say More With Less"
by Kris Kennedy
$30 at www.WriterUniv.com
Every writer knows the importance of "Show, Don't Tell," but what's the best way to achieve that? One of Kris Kennedy's favorite techniques is replacing backstory with implication, because writers don't need to spell everything out. "Trust the reader. She's smart. She'll pick things up." This class provides specific tools for saying more with less, such as focusing on here-and-now vs. there-and-then, specifics vs. generalizations, choosing the right details, and a variety of other techniques to create gripping books with a lively pace, deep characterization and compelling conflict. Concepts include:
* Creating tension on every page
* How conflict and pacing affect bestselling fiction
* Making readers ask questions, and making them worry
* How to imply back-story, viewpoint and more
* Using dialogue (or avoiding a conversation) to increase tension
* Intensifying the external world as a pacing tool
* The power of understatement, denial and emotion in the moment
After winning RWA's Golden Heart Award for Best Historical Novel and landing a two-book contract with Kensington, Kris Kennedy realized that in order to balance her love of craft with publisher deadlines and family, she needed some highly efficient writing techniques to call up the Muse. Some of those strategies include using "implication" to say more with less. Her latest book, The Irish Warrior, releases June 2010, followed by two more from Pocket Books.
May 3-28, 2010
"Deep Editing: The EDITS System, Rhetorical Devices and More"
by Margie Lawson
$30 at www.WriterUniv.com
Counseling psychologist Margie Lawson has developed innovative, psychologically-anchored editing systems and techniques that will show you how to write a page-turner. Deep Editing is not basic editing. It's post-graduate level editing. It's editing to hook the reader viscerally. In DEEP EDITING, participants will:
* Learn the EDITS system and take it deeper
* Learn the 25 rhetorical devices and practice using them
* Develop skills by using worksheets provided in each lecture
* Learn back story management, power lines, throw-away works
* Learn cliché twists, back loading, tautologies, and emotional hits
* Receive deep editing critiques from Margie on class assignments
* Develop a personal editing checklist from the master editing checklist
* Learn how to make your final editing past be your last pass
Psychotherapist, writer and international presenter Margie Lawson applied her psychological expertise to dissect over a thousand novels and analyze how authors write page-turners. A former university professor, Margie focuses her analytical skills on writing craft, developing innovative editing systems and deep editing techniques. Her deep editing tools are used by all writers, from newbie to multi-award winners. For more information, visit www.MargieLawson.com.
Showing posts with label show don't tell. Show all posts
Showing posts with label show don't tell. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
SHOW AND TELL—AN INTERACTIVE WORKSHOP
SHOW AND TELL—AN INTERACTIVE WORKSHOP
INSTRUCTOR: Shannon Donnelly
WHEN: Jan 5 to Jan 16 (6 lessons posted over two weeks)
COST: $15 for NEORWA members, $20 for nonmembers
REGISTRATION: www.neorwa.com for registration form and workshop details or
contact Kristine Thompson at thompos@ameritech.net
WORKSHOP: Show, don't Tell" is a cliché that has almost lost its meaning. But"showing" and "telling" are both valuable tools for any writer. In this workshop, we'll use writing examples to figure out the truth hidden in this tired phrase. The "telling" part of the workshop includes tips, tricks, and techniques tohelp improve narrative and identify when it's time to tell your story.
The "showing" part blends a set of exercises to strengthen an understandingof what makes a scene come to life.
Topics we'll cover:
1) Telling: Use of the Narrative Voice
2) Showing to Pull a Reader into Your Scenes
3) Descriptions: How to Make them Vivid
4) Deep Viewpoint to Show a Character's Inner World
5) Time, Transitions & Word Count--where Telling Helps
6) Showing and Telling--Not Absolutes
7) Write to Your Strengths: When to Show, When to Tell
ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR:Award-winning author of romance novels, children's books, video games, and non-fiction books, Shannon's work has earned praise from Booklist and other reviewers who have called her work: "simply superb"..."wonderfullyuplifting"....and "beautifully written." Her awards for writing include anomination for RWA's RITA for Best Regency, winning the RWA's Golden HeartAward, winning the Grand Prize in the "Minute Maid Sensational RomanceWriter" contest, (judged by Nora Roberts - which gave her a trip to Paris), and multiple finalists in the Bookseller's Best, Orange Rose, HoltMedallion, Colorado ACE, and other contests. Shannon is a member of LosAngeles Romance Authors, Orange County Chapter of RWA, East Valley Authors,and the Published Author Special Interest Chapter. She regularly teaches online workshops, has taught writing at UCLA, and has spoken at RWA's National Conference, as well as at RWA chapter meetings and other conferences.
She can be found online at ShannonDonnelly.com and atmyspace.com/randomfreshink.
INSTRUCTOR: Shannon Donnelly
WHEN: Jan 5 to Jan 16 (6 lessons posted over two weeks)
COST: $15 for NEORWA members, $20 for nonmembers
REGISTRATION: www.neorwa.com for registration form and workshop details or
contact Kristine Thompson at thompos@ameritech.net
WORKSHOP: Show, don't Tell" is a cliché that has almost lost its meaning. But"showing" and "telling" are both valuable tools for any writer. In this workshop, we'll use writing examples to figure out the truth hidden in this tired phrase. The "telling" part of the workshop includes tips, tricks, and techniques tohelp improve narrative and identify when it's time to tell your story.
The "showing" part blends a set of exercises to strengthen an understandingof what makes a scene come to life.
Topics we'll cover:
1) Telling: Use of the Narrative Voice
2) Showing to Pull a Reader into Your Scenes
3) Descriptions: How to Make them Vivid
4) Deep Viewpoint to Show a Character's Inner World
5) Time, Transitions & Word Count--where Telling Helps
6) Showing and Telling--Not Absolutes
7) Write to Your Strengths: When to Show, When to Tell
ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR:Award-winning author of romance novels, children's books, video games, and non-fiction books, Shannon's work has earned praise from Booklist and other reviewers who have called her work: "simply superb"..."wonderfullyuplifting"....and "beautifully written." Her awards for writing include anomination for RWA's RITA for Best Regency, winning the RWA's Golden HeartAward, winning the Grand Prize in the "Minute Maid Sensational RomanceWriter" contest, (judged by Nora Roberts - which gave her a trip to Paris), and multiple finalists in the Bookseller's Best, Orange Rose, HoltMedallion, Colorado ACE, and other contests. Shannon is a member of LosAngeles Romance Authors, Orange County Chapter of RWA, East Valley Authors,and the Published Author Special Interest Chapter. She regularly teaches online workshops, has taught writing at UCLA, and has spoken at RWA's National Conference, as well as at RWA chapter meetings and other conferences.
She can be found online at ShannonDonnelly.com and atmyspace.com/randomfreshink.
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