Making Historical Writing Real
Do you have an awesome idea for a piece of historical fiction, but it’s set in ancient Rome and your only knowledge of the period is based solely on the movie “Gladiator” or Monty Python’s “Life of Brian?” How about if you have a killer idea for a medieval story, but the brutality of “Braveheart”…
Read MoreBuilding Oceans & Waterworlds
Our global ocean defines our world and makes life possible, and our search for life elsewhere is based on the premise that this will hold true on other worlds as well. But how and why is the ocean so important to life on Earth, and will other living worlds also need oceans? In this Knowledge…
Read MoreCreating a Strong Romantic Arc
Join us and learn how to create a compelling love story that showcases a heartfelt, emotional connection between your main characters. In this course, you’ll learn about the classic beats to every romantic story arc, and you’ll gain insights on how to make the arc unique to your own story. We’ll also discuss internal and…
Read MoreSubmitting to Agents and Query Workshop
Are you ready to pursue traditional publishing with a Big 4 or other publisher that requires agented submissions? In this workshop, author Sylvia Liu will walk you through the querying process (how to find agents in your genre using research tools like Publisher’s Marketplace, pitch contests, conferences, and more) and the elements of a successful…
Read MoreWriting Flash Fiction
In a world where attention spans are shrinking, novels are formatted to fit the screens of our handheld devices, and our daily witticisms are limited to 140 characters, it’s no surprise that the Flash Fiction story format has taken off. As Dorothy Parker once said, “Brevity is the soul of Flash fiction.” Just kidding, she…
Read MoreBuilding Tension
Nothing keeps a reader turning pages like tension! In this workshop, we’ll consider how writers can effectively build tension in their writing. Together, we’ll discuss the elements of tension, from cliff hangers to pacing and character motivations to story stakes. We’ll dissect some high-tension examples from published stories and participate in several writing exercises in…
Read MoreHow to Jump from Fanfiction to Original Fiction
Join speculative fiction author (and occasional fanfiction writer) Cassandra Rose Clarke for a discussion of how fan fiction can help you develop your skills as a writer—not just craft skills, but also publication-specific skills, such as engaging with an audience and dealing with rejection and bad reviews. We’ll talk about how to make the leap…
Read MoreSubmit Your Work to Magazines, Journals, and Publishers
You’ve crafted your writing; now it’s time to get it published! From formatting to researching markets, tracking your submissions to keeping a positive attitude, we’ll dive deep into the basics of submissions to the vast world of literary journals and magazines. Don’t let the fear of rejection–or an unfamiliarity with the process–get in your way.…
Read MoreThe Snowflake Plotting Method
Do you want to write a novel, but you’re stuck figuring out how to start? Or maybe you already have a great synopsis–but how do you convert that into ninety-thousand words? In this workshop, we’ll explore a near-effortless way to take a simple idea and build it into a story of any length and genre,…
Read MoreTwenty Ways to Immediately Improve Your Writing
In this seminar we’ll explore twenty (or more) proven methods to improve your writing. Many authors struggle with the same issues, often without knowing why they struggle. We all want to produce tighter, meaningful, more exciting prose, but how do we do it? Learning these twenty guidelines is a great step toward creating material that…
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