10% Discount on Writing Workshops

In case you've been biding your time, waiting to take a writing workshop when the price comes down and you can get a good deal, your time has come.

Use coupon code ED9A when you register, and you can take 10% off any 2009 writing workshop at Writers Online Workshops, the online writing school of Writer's Digest.

Here are the upcoming workshops I'm teaching:

Essentials of Romance Writing, April 9 - May 20, 2009
Description: Do you yearn to write a romantic story? If so, you need to know what sets romance writing apart from other types of fiction. This course explores why romance is the same, yet different. Some essential components of romance are unique to the genre, while some romance requirements are identical to those of any good fiction story. Neither Stephen King nor Tom Clancy could sit down and write a romance unless he first familiarized himself with the specific factors that create a successful romance. This workshop will help you to understand those specific factors that make up the specialized world of romantic fiction.

In this course you will:

* Learn how the hero of an action novel differs from the hero of a romantic novel
* Master the tricky business of putting your hero and heroine together and keeping them together-yet-apart until the story's close
* Create the sexual tension that will have your readers turning the pages late into the night
* Discover conventions must be followed and what rules can be broken for readers to embrace your work

The workshop will consist of six one-week sessions. Each session will include online lectures and associated textbook reading assignments, along with a writing assignment to be submitted to the instructor for private review. In addition, work will be posted each session for group review and feedback. Throughout the workshop you will be able to participate in asynchronous lecture discussion and be encouraged to take advantage of ongoing informal discussions and posted self-directed writing and creativity exercises.


Essentials of Mystery Writing, April 23 - June 3, 2009
Description: Do you love reading a good mystery? Have you always wanted to write one? During the Essentials of Mystery Writing workshop, you’ll have the choice of creating a brand new mystery story from scratch or working with a story you already have in progress.

In this course you will:

* Learn how to construct a compelling mystery plot
* Develop fascinating characters
* Plant clues
* Keep your readers turning the pages, eager to find out what will happen next

The workshop will consist of six one-week sessions. Each session will include online lectures and associated textbook reading assignments, along with a writing assignment to be submitted to the instructor for private review. In addition, work will be posted each session for group review and feedback. Throughout the workshop you will be able to participate in asynchronous lecture discussion and be encouraged to take advantage of ongoing informal discussions and posted self-directed writing and creativity exercises.


Writing the Novel Proposal, April 23 - July 29, 2009
Description: Congratulations! For months, maybe years, you've worked diligently to craft well-rounded characters, map out every plot point and intricate sub-plot. You've researched your setting and made sure every detail is accurate. You've written and revised and revised some more and now—finally—your novel is finished. After you've taken a well-deserved break and toasted your accomplishment, it's time to find a home for your masterpiece. But just how, exactly, do you go about finding an agent or editor, and—even more important—getting one of them to say "yes"? If your goal is commercial publication, you need to know how to approach the market the way successful novelists do—with a professionally presented novel proposal.

At the conclusion of this workshop you will have developed a proposal package to submit to agents or editors—including query/cover letter and synopsis. You will also revise and polish the opening chapters of your novel (up to 12,000 words) with your instructor's feedback. In addition, you'll identify appropriate potential editors and agents to send your proposal when you're finished.

This workshop will consist of seven two-week sessions. Each session will include online lectures and associated textbook reading assignments, along with a writing assignment specifically related to your novel, which will be submitted to the instructor for private review at the end of the first week of the session. During the second week of each session, work will be posted for group critique. Throughout the workshop you will be able to participate in asynchronous lecture discussion and group critique sessions, and encouraged to take advantage of ongoing informal discussions and posted self-directed writing exercises. (2.8 CEUs)

Please note: This workshop is ONLY for students with completed novel manuscripts; it is specifically intended to help you market your finished novel with the goal of commercial publication.

For more information, or to register, go here: http://www.writersonlineworkshops.com/retail/courses.aspx?r=writing-the-novel-proposal

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Hope to see you in one or all!

Liz