2011 Continuing Classes

These classes are each six hours long, two hours per day. Choose one of these classes and attend all six sessions. A continuing class provides an in-depth, comprehensive look at one area of writing, editing or publishing. You should attend the same continuing class for all six sessions; otherwise, you will pick up fragmented information.

1. Reaching Readers with Successful Freelance Articles

2. What Hollywood Knows that Writers Need to Know

3. Polishing Your Gems: Editing and Self-Editing for Fiction, Nonfiction, and Creative Nonfiction

4. Proposals: The Who, What, When, Why, and a Little About the How

5. Time Management for Creative People

6. Six Things Authors Need to Know 

Coming Soon: If you're a visual person who prefers to see everything on one page, you can see or print a PDF of our planning chart with all classes and workshops listed on it.

1. Reaching Readers with Successful Freelance Articles – Bill Fledderus, Lisa Hall-Wilson, Marcy Kennedy

Writing for magazines, websites, and other publications is great work, but doing it successfully requires training and organization. This six-part course looks at how to be successful as a freelance writer, whether or not payment is a major concern. If you're a beginning writer who is more interested in writing book-length non-fiction, you'll still find the content and techniques covered in this class provide useful building blocks for working on longer projects.

The first three sessions, by Lisa Hall-Wilson and Marcy Kennedy, will discuss how to break into freelance writing in a variety of markets including magazines, newspapers, websites, and non-profit organizations in genres such as articles, columns, book reviews, SEO (search engine optimized) content, and more. Learn how to research possible markets using guidebooks, sample copies, and publication guidelines, how to properly shape an idea, and how to write a killer query to hook an editor. Lisa and Marcy will also share how being professional, networking, and learning to take criticism helped them go from being unpublished to having full-time freelance careers in less than a year.

The last three sessions, by Bill Fledderus, will examine writing from the angles of what publications need and what editors are looking for. These three sessions will discuss core elements of writing non-fiction including topic, angle, structure, diction, style, and voice.

All six sessions will also welcome questions and discussion about the specific interests and needs of session participants. All of us, from beginners to already published writers, can learn from each other how to do a better job at reaching readers – so please join us!

Note: This class is recommended for beginning/intermediate writers who want to write for magazines, newspapers, ministries, the internet, etc. Learning how to write good shorter pieces that reach readers effectively is also an important skill for those who are interested in writing non-fiction books.

2. What Hollywood Knows that Writers Need to Know – Sean Gaffney

• Finding Your Story: The choice of what story to tell is the most important decision you will make as a writer. In this class, we will discuss personal and marketplace factors you should consider as you choose your story. Don't waste valuable time and energy – choose the right story from the get-go.
  

• Structuring the Well Told Tale, Hollywood Style: If you've been to the movies lately, you'll know that Hollywood does something extremely well. They know how to tell good stories. In this session, we will breakdown the “Hollywood formula” and learn what Hollywood does that's so successful. Then we'll discover the Hollywood Beat Sheet for you to apply to your own story so as to make your project work from beginning, through the middle, to the end. We will also look at the Theology of Story.

• It's All About Character: Why do some literary and cinematic characters seem real while others fall flat? How can we create 3-D characters? This course will break down the essential elements of a great character and enable you to develop unforgettable characters for your stories.

• The Essentials of Great Dialogue: Do you find yourself wishing your dialogue was a little spicier and a little less contrived and drab? Dialogue can make or break a story. This course will teach eight essentials of great dialogue and twelve tools you can apply to make your dialogue sharp.

• Visual Writing and Deeper Meanings: Do you want to take your story to the next level and really make it great? In this session we will discover how to construct more complex visual imagery so as to portray deeper levels of meaning through your stories. We will also look at the seven levels of meaning in story, and how theme interacts with the other elements of storytelling.

• Set-ups and Pay-offs: The best stories are the ones that weave subtle hints and clues into the story, and then pay off those clues as the story unfolds. But clunky set-ups and lousy pay-offs can keep your story from ever being published. Learn how to master the fine art of set ups and pay offs.

Note: This class is open to writers of all levels who are interested in writing fiction, including novels and short stories, as well as plays or screenplays. It would also be useful for non-fiction writers who want to incorporate story techniques to "show, not tell."

3. Polishing Your Gems: Editing and Self-Editing for Fiction, Nonfiction, and Creative Nonfiction - Kathryn Dean

Are you an aspiring or already practising editor? Are you a writer who wants to learn how to edit your own work, to make it stronger and closer to publication-ready when you submit it? Have you already done plenty of revision work but want to know how the professionals edit?

This 6-hour continuing class will give you the tools you need to make substantive and detailed changes to fiction, nonfiction, and creative nonfiction prose.

Topics covered include:

• putting everything in the right order;
• improving characterization, dialogue, and plot;
• smoothing out stylistic bumps;
• ditching grammatical glitches.

You’ll have the chance to edit sample manuscripts and exercises on the spot.  (Bring your laptop if you want to do electronic edits on the second and third days.)

Note: This class is open to writers and editors of all levels.

4. Proposals: The Who, What, When, Why, and a Little About the How – Sandra Bishop 

You’ve written your book, and now you have to create a proposal, that indispensable blueprint for sending your book into orbit.  We’ll cover this topic from every angle and dish on why a proposal can sell your book’s message and garner an agent and then a book deal with a royalty publisher…or send your masterpiece to the reject pile.
 
Just who uses them, what do the winning ones look like, and why won’t your book be taken seriously without one? What should you make sure to put in a proposal and what should be left out? Do non-fiction and fiction proposals differ? (Yes.) Are most agents inundated with poorly-written proposals? (Yes.) Should you give market comparisons for other books that will compete with your book? (Yes.) Is a writer guaranteed to be taken more seriously if the proposal is top-notch? (Yes.) 

Sandra Bishop, ACFW’s 2010 “Agent of the Year,” has reviewed many proposals and knows what a great proposal looks like. She has also sent more than a few proposals to the reject pile in her years as an agent at MacGregor Literary.

5. Time Management for Creative People – Harold Taylor

• Time management basics: Time management vs. organization. Common time management myths. Basic time management principles and strategies that will help you get organized and gain control of your time. An explanation of efficiency vs. effectiveness. Time management laws and principles.

• Setting goals and determining priorities: Developing a mission statement, goals and personal policies and maintaining balance in your life. The extrapolation technique of determining the necessity of goals. Characteristics of achievable goals. The application of the 80/20 Rule to your life and work. The chunk method of scheduling.

• The power of planning and scheduling: The “To Do” list myth. The principles of scheduling. Minimizing distractions and external interruptions. The 90-minute rule. Coordinating your planner with a follow-up file. Managing email, telephone calls, voice mail, drop-in visitors and meetings.

• Getting things done: Controlling yourself and reducing internal interruptions. Maintaining focus, saying “no,” avoiding procrastination, perfectionism and other self-imposed timewasters. Your biological clock. Maintaining balance in your life.

• Coping with stress: Meeting the challenges of this digital age of speed. Handling rush jobs, unrealistic deadlines and crises. Distinguishing between the important and the urgent. The Priority Grid. Measuring the stress in your life. Common sources of stress and ways of reducing their impact.

• Strategies for the future: Technology: the good, the bad & the ugly. Making time for creativity. Holistic time management. The time management checklist. Behavioral vs. mechanical ideas. Developing an action plan.

Note: This class is open to attendees from all levels.

6. Six Things Authors Need to Know – Grace Fox

The content of this class focuses on topics vital to book authors, so participants need to have a book either in print now or scheduled for release in 2011 or 2012.

• How to market your book: Marketing is largely the author’s responsibility. Some authors delve in; others find it daunting. This class makes marketing manageable by presenting numerous ideas with practical suggestions for implementing them. Participants should bring their published book(s) so the class can brainstorm marketing ideas.

• How to do effective media interviews: Learn how to prepare a media packet and write effective interview questions. Discover tips for on-camera effectiveness. Role-play to practice interview skills.

• How to build your brand: What’s the big deal about brands? Learn why they’re important and how to develop them. Participants should bring their business cards and professional brochures.

• How to develop your speaking platform: Discuss behind-the-scenes business elements including one-sheets, speaker agreements, newsletters, and book table sales. Learn how to write value statements for talks and organize an effective presentation. Participants should bring a copy of the speaking agreement they use.

• How to face your demons: Many writers struggle with self-doubt, writer’s block, and disappointment due to rejection. Learn strategies for keeping one’s focus and vitality even when the journey’s arduous.

• How to learn from others: A panel discussion reveals insights gleaned from other writers’ journeys including their failures, successes, and aha moments.

Note: This class is recommended for authors in the advanced/professional levels.