writer | educator | editor
“Making Light: Humor’s Serious Place in Children’s/Young Adult Literature” with Jay Whistler Jay dispels two myths: that humor is insignificant because it is lighthearted, and that you’ve either got it or you don’t. She’ll discuss the craft of humor and demonstrate how to purposefully write funnier. She’ll talk about how humor lies at the intersection…
Romance novels have given a whole different connotation to the word “desire,” but desire in literature doesn’t have anything to do with intimate relationships or lust. Without it, there is no character growth, no forward movement of plot, no obstacles to be overcome. In this workshop, we’ll do hands-on exercises to learn what the three…
Romance novels have given a whole different connotation to the word “desire,” but desire in literature doesn’t have anything to do with intimate relationships or lust. Without it, there is no character growth, no forward movement of plot, no obstacles to be overcome. In this workshop, we’ll do hands-on exercises to learn what the three…
Romance novels have given a whole different connotation to the word “desire,” but desire in literature doesn’t have anything to do with intimate relationships or lust. Without it, there is no character growth, no forward movement of plot, no obstacles to be overcome. In this workshop, we’ll do hands-on exercises to learn what the three…
Worlds with dragons, fairies, or tesseracts all need careful world building in order to create a realistic experience that pulls the reader in for the long haul. But the same elements that make for successful story in speculative fiction also apply to contemporary realistic fiction as well. We'll discuss the psychology and emotion of world…
So often, agents, editors, and well-meaning critique partners or beta readers provide vague feedback along the lines of “the voice on this piece doesn’t feel genuine,” or “this doesn’t strike the right tone,” without any specifics to back up their statements, as if knowledge of tone, mood, and voice is built into a writer’s DNA.…
Romance novels have given a whole different connotation to the word “desire,” but desire in literature doesn’t have anything to do with intimate relationships or lust. Without it, there is no character growth, no forward movement of plot, no obstacles to be overcome. In this workshop, we’ll do hands-on exercises to learn what the three…
We've all heard the "show, don't tell" admonition. But what exactly does it mean? And if you've already said your protagonist was afraid because she heard a scary noise under the bed, why isn't that enough? In this presentation, we'll learn the difference between showing and telling, see how to get deep into your characters'…
Terry Pratchett once said, "The first draft is just you telling yourself the story." But wouldn't it be great if you knew how to tell yourself the story and save a lot of time and hassle in the process? Maybe you're a pantser, or a plotter, or somewhere in the middle. But wherever you are, you…
Romance novels have given a whole different connotation to the word “desire,” but desire in literature doesn’t have anything to do with intimate relationships or lust. Instead, think of desire as the motivation, goals, wants, etc. Without it, there is no character growth, no forward movement of plot, no obstacles to be overcome. Struggling with…