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. Personal Experience Writing (and Selling)
   
2. Principles of Writing Poetry…Well
   
3. Fiction Writing Techniques That Will Help You Get Published
   
4. Eight-Step Editing
   
5. Getting the Word Out: Or, how to get noticed by the media (and maybe even get published, too)
   
6. How to Develop a Speaking Ministry
   
7. Writing the Stories of Life: Nonfiction Writing Intensive

Note: 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. Personal Experience Writing (and Selling) - Ginger Kolbaba

In my almost 15 years of working in the publishing industry, I’ve seen thousands of personal experience stories come across my desk. And I’ve rejected thousands. (Notice my personal experience writing here…)

In this continuing class you’ll learn:

• what makes for an interesting, saleable personal experience story;
• why a majority get rejected;
• how you can craft a personal experience piece to involve, educate, help, and change readers;
• the variety  of possible formats, including books, articles, devotionals, blogs, anthologies;
• the importance of thinking beyond the limited markets for autobiographies and memoirs;
• how to write your own (first person) and other peoples’ (third person) stories;
• how to ghostwrite;
• how to use and reuse the same personal experience;
• what magazine and book editors are looking for in personal experience accounts.

You’ll even have to chance to practice what you’re learning through writing and brainstorming exercises.

Note: This class open to writers of all levels, but would be especially good for beginner/intermediate writers.

2. Principles of Writing Poetry…Well – D. S. Martin

Beauty is not merely in the eye of the beholder; quality in poetry is not merely a matter of taste. In this workshop you’ll learn to discern what is needed for well-written poetry, and how to apply these principles to significantly improve the quality of your own writing — both poetry and prose! You’ll be enabled to write your own poetry as part of the workshop, and be able to give and receive feedback with the class.

Together we will go through the principles of what makes poetry good, and you’ll be given plenty of opportunities to put these principles into practice. You are encouraged to bring a laptop computer (if you have one) in order to better facilitate the sharing of work as a group. You may want to write rough drafts for several poems ahead of time; do not, however, bring poems (for this purpose) which you would be unwilling to significantly revise because you consider them to be complete.

This class will be an interactive format. The instructor will lead the discussion of poems-in-progress, but all will be encouraged to share feedback.

Participants are encouraged to bring as many of the following items as possible along with them, as inspiration for potential poems:

1. A photo of a friend or family member in a place that has special memories (bring several)
2. A picture of a painting that speaks to you
3. A selected scripture passage that resonates for you (an entire Bible would help)
4. A favourite poem from a famous poet
5. A favourite non-fiction book (preferably well marked up!)
6. A list of your favourite places
7. The name of someone you love, and a list of things he/she does well
8. Other items that would be of unique inspiration to you.

(All but #5 might be able to be saved to your laptop)

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

3. Techniques for Writing Fiction That Will Sell - Michelle Buckman

As a writer of fiction, whether you write for children, teens or adults, whether for the Christian or mainstream markets, you know the importance of word choice, description, action and point of view. Perfecting and combining techniques that target these essential skills in such a way that they create movement and emotional reaction result in a book your readers can’t put down. In a series of classes that build on one another with vivid examples and hands-on exercises, you will work toward a final scene-writing exercise that will send you home with a new appreciation for making the most of every sentence in every scene.

• Point of View (POV): This all-important component of writing will be discussed at both the beginning and end of this continuing class. POV not only determines the nature of the story, but is also integral to what details are included, what is “shown,” and how the plot and characters are developed.

• Take Show versus Tell to a new level as you write your way to the difference between sentences that are simply active, as opposed to scenes that actively involve the reader and create reactions. By emotionally gripping the reader, your story will engross readers through the last page.

• The Right Details: Why do some characters and scenes live forever in our minds? Because they were created with details that brought them to life with vividness that not only made them seem real, but also connected them to something in our psyche. Knowing what to include and what to exclude creates memorable characters and stories. Exercises reinforce examples.

• Taking the Right Details and examining how those details are woven into the action of the story reveals how Active Descriptions can morph static paragraphs into purposeful movement within your story.

• As all these techniques are brought together, you will analyze what POV you should be using to maximize the effect in your story, and how that POV is wrapped into all aspects of your story, from the broad spectrum of plot to exact word choice in every sentence.

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

4. Eight-Step Editing - Jim Taylor

Whether you’re a novice or a seasoned editor, a would-be writer or a supervisor of others’ writing, this course will help you make your words work better. Using a step-by-step process, the program identifies the most common factors that create obstacles for readers. It not only helps recognize the problems, it shows quick and simple techniques for fixing them. 

• Professional editors tend to make these corrections intuitively. Eight-Step Editing helps them ensure they haven’t overlooked some crucial readability factor in their zeal to track down spelling or punctuation inconsistencies. 
• Novice editors often suffer from paralysis. Eight-Step Editing gives them a starting point that doesn’t depend on subjective assessments of a manuscript’s worth. 
• Freelance writers and authors can use the Eight-Step process to improve their own materials before submission, enhancing their chances of acceptance. 
• Business writers, often trapped in traditional formulas from the filing cabinet, will benefit from a fresh vision for writing prose that can persuade and motivate. 
• Supervisors and administrators who approve their subordinates’ letters and reports will understand better what to look for. 

Eight-Step Editing concentrates on readability, not rules; on communicating, not correctness. The program teaches principles backed up with exercises, and includes an 88-page reference booklet. Those who have taken the Eight-Step program find themselves referring to its simple principles for years afterwards.

Note: This class open to writers of all levels.

5. Getting the Word Out: or, how to get noticed by the media (and maybe even get published, too) - John Longhurst

Whether you're a freelance writer wanting to get articles published, a staff member of a non-profit organization who needs to get a message out, or an author wanting to promote a book, the media is one of the main ways to reach the largest number of people. But getting noticed by the media isn’t easy; despite the 24/7 news universe, there are many people and organizations competing for the media’s attention and time. How can you attract the attention of editors and news directors? And how can working with the media enhance your other communication strategies?
 
This course will provide valuable tips about how to catch the interest of editors. Through it you will learn how to write a good press release, who to send it to, when to send it, and what the media are looking for, along with other news writing and promotional tips.
 
Through the course you will learn:  

• What the media is looking for
• Rules the media live by
• What is news?
• The importance of timeliness
• About the local angle
• How to write and send a press release
• How to create social media press releases
• News writing tips
• Interview tips
• About op-ed submissions (opinion columns) and PSAs (public service announcements)
• How to create a communications plan to publicize your book, cause or organization

Note: Course participants are invited to submit a sample press release or article for review by the instructor. The release or article should be about your organization's cause, your book, or a freelance article you hope to interest an editor to buy/publish. The instructor will critique the releases or articles, return them to you during the class, and show how your work can be improved during the class discussions. Submit your item by June 4 to writecanada@rogers.com. Write "Getting the Word Out" in the subject line.
 
Note: This class is open to writers of all levels.

6. How to Develop a Speaking Ministry – Sheila Wray Gregoire

Do you feel called to speak? Or do you write, but have been told you need to develop a speaking platform?

In this class, we’ll focus on the mechanics of developing a talk as well as the marketing that goes into generating those first bookings. First, we’ll look at how to craft a life-changing talk. We’ll learn how to how to tell your story effectively, and how to inspire change. Another class will focus on anecdotes: how do you choose them, how do you tell them well, and how do you incorporate humour? Even those who don’t think they’re funny will learn how to make an audience laugh!

Then we’ll move into the marketing aspect: how do you generate bookings? We’ll examine how to generate word of mouth, and how to identify possible audiences. The class will then focus on some technical aspects of the speaking life: how do you record yourself, and use those recordings to generate bookings? We’ll learn how to create products from your speaking that can grow your income as well as your speaking business. And we’ll talk about what marketing materials you need to move forward.

The class will provide students with opportunities to share their own anecdotes, critique each other, and develop their skills. This class offers a practical look at how to launch a speaking ministry, taught by an author whose speaking is quickly drowning out her typing!

Note: This class open to people of all levels.

7. Writing the Stories of Life: Nonfiction Writing Intensive* ** - Audrey Dorsch

Is it true that nonfiction life stories (i.e., biographies, autobiographies, true-experience stories) should use fiction techniques? Why? How do you do that without falsifying the story? How do you fit a life into 90,000 words? How do you decide what information to include and what to omit? How do you make the reader care about the person or events you’re writing about? Is it true that the best place to start is at the beginning?

If you’ve been asking questions like these, this intensive may be for you. It’s the place to get first-hand feedback on your work, getting insights and support from writers who are working in the same genre.

This class will be a small-group interactive format with 12 people.***

The instructor will lead the way, direct comments, and provide instruction. The primary instruction will be the mutual discussion of manuscripts written by class participants. Each participant will submit a manuscript of up to 3,000 words (book chapter, or nonfiction article such as profile or life-experience story) by May 20. Those pieces will be circulated to other participants by email before the conference. You are expected to print, read, and prepare comments on each manuscript before arriving at the conference.

(*This class is not suitable for beginners. It is targeted to advanced writers with several periodical publishing credits, a book manuscript near completion, or a published or contracted book.)

(**Pre-Registration & advance manuscript submission required. )

(***We now have 9 registrants for this class. We have room for three more people. Sign up soon!

Notes:

1. Register early to increase your chances of securing a place. Conference organizers retain the final decision about admission to the class. You may be asked to submit a sample of your writing before you are approved for this class.

2. Manuscripts may be autobiographical, biographical, life stories or memoir. If it is a book chapter, include a one-page chapter outline or synopsis of the book.

3. An extra fee of $25 is required for this class due to increased costs of small-group instruction.

4. Each registrant will receive an e-mail packet of each other’s work before the conference. Read each file, critique it and prepare comments before arriving at the conference.

5. We prefer that you do the editing electronically by using the track changes function in Microsoft Word. Use Word’s insert comments function under the Insert menu to record your own observations. If you do not know how to use Track Changes, you may do your editing on the hard copy.

6. Print all the files and bring them with you to the conference. (Use the setting “Highlight changes in the printed document” when you print them so that the changes and the comments show.)

7. Each participant will receive the printed copies with the comments made by the other participants, so that he/she can take the manuscripts home after the conference and further study the comments.