Contact Me for fees and scheduling information for on-location or online workshops.

Upcoming Schedule

October, 2008
Charter Oak Romance Writers
Online Workshop: Deconstructing Emotion

January, 2009
Lowcountry RWA
Online Workshop: 12 Easy Steps to Breaking In

April 15, 2009, 7 p.m.
Greater Detroit Romance Writers
Royal Oak Community Center
Royal Oak, Michigan
Workshop: 12 Easy Steps to Breaking In

May, 2009
RWA Mystery/Suspense Chapter-KOD COFFIN/Killer Instincts Class
Online Workshop: Deconstructing Emotion

Workshop Topics

12 Easy Steps to Breaking In
Tips and tactics for breaking in to a major publishing house-from thinking big and mapping your marketing plan to working with an editor pre-sale and keeping the sales coming post-break in. Topics include dreaming big, planning like a pro, working smart, developing hot ideas, balancing art and business, putting waiting time on your side, tapping into your inner promotional diva, and the all-important “secret” to selling. Everything the on-the-brink author needs to know about targeting and marketing your work in the competitive romance biz!

 

Blurbing 101
Learn to blurb with discipline, and practice until perfect! If you’ve ever wondered how to break down your complicated story into its most basic-and most marketable-elements, this workshop is for you. Any story, no matter the length and complexity, can be distilled to one marketable paragraph. We live in a sound bite culture. A blurb is your book’s sound bite. The class begins with a hook-and-blurb boot camp-basic information followed by more advanced material designed to help you understand the marketable elements in your own story and provide you with a blueprint to put them on the page. This is succeeded by a series of exercises, culminating with interactive blurbing and critiquing. (Critiquing is offered for online classes only. On-location classes include short in-workshop exercises and multiple examples of critique break-downs for attendees to use to practice on their own.) By the time this class is over, you will have 100 succinct and saleable words to pitch your story!

 

Color Me Blogging
Want to bring more traffic to your website by adding a blog? Or not quite ready for a website but want to start building your name and attracting an audience with a blog alone? This workshop explains how to launch a blog if you’ve never had one—or take your current blog to an all-new level. Presentation includes blog basics such as platforms and design, pros and cons of solo blogging and group blogging, blogging ethics and etiquette, and the all-important question of writing and content. Also included: tips for marketing and promoting on your blog, creating traffic-building interest, developing your unique blogging style, time management for blogging, setting your blogging boundaries, and beating bloggers’ block. This interactive class includes hands-on blogging with the instructor and your classmates as built-in support!

 

Deconstructing Emotion: The Art of Pouring Feelings onto the Page
From characterization and setting to conflict and pacing, it’s all about the emotion. What IS emotion? How do you identify just the right feeling for your character at just the right time? What are the words that evoke emotion? How do you weave them through your work with just the right balance? How can you imbue every aspect of your plot with the soul-stirring, sensational feeling that makes it a page-turner? Take your story from flat road going nowhere to roller-coaster ride of tension and passion with these concrete strategies for exploring and layering realistic emotion onto every page.

Raves

“I attended your 12 Easy Steps workshop in Dallas and not only were you entertaining and engaging, but you really, really knew your stuff!”
-Candis

“Your workshop at RWA was fantastic! Thanks for your helpful and inspirational information.”
-Pam

“I just wanted to take a moment to say thanks! The class was fantastic. I did not realize there was so much to blogging and all that can be done with it - what a great tool. The lessons were most helpful and very informative.”
-Connie

“I really enjoyed your presentation. I’m at a point in my writing career where it would be very easy to give up. It gave me just the kick in the butt I needed.”
-Becky

“I took your class on writing blurbs. The techniques I learned (while having fun-you’re an awesome teacher) have been a major help.”
-Sandy

“Your workshop was wonderful. Your enthusiasm and professionalism came through. It’s tough to be one of the last workshops offered, especially as people are getting together for dinner. I postponed my dinner arrangements because the title of your workshop intrigued me. You didn’t let me down. You had so much information packed into your allotted time it was amazing. I came away totally fired up.”
-Kathy

“Just a quick thank you for your workshop. I learned so much and enjoyed the workshop you taught. I can’t wait to put your advice to good use!”
-Alley

“I wanted to email you to let you know how much I enjoyed your workshop. You are so motivating and just what I needed to hear regarding my outlook on my writing. Since listening to your workshop, I realize how badly I want my dream. Thanks so much for all your helpful hints and advice and for being such a great inspiration.”
-Toni

“I’ve listened to your RWA workshop about Emotion three or four or five times. It is so awesome!!!”
-Anne Marie

“I went to your workshop at the last Dallas National conference. It was amazing! I still have the handouts and I use some of your motivational strategies with my critique partners and chapter all the time.”
-Mary Beth