ONLINE CLASSES/WORKSHOPS:

SPONSOR:  Heart of Dixie Romance Writers Of America

TITLE:  Fat Free Writing or How to Avoid Wordiness in the Editing Stage

DATES:  August 17 – 31, 2011

INSTRUCTOR:  The Grammar Divas: Annie Oortman & Darlene Buchholz

DESCRIPTION:  Wordy sentences and unnecessary phrases clutter writing, turning an otherwise good manuscript into an overweight tome. Cut the fat and enhance your chances of garnering an editor’s attention. The Grammar Divas demonstrate techniques to identify and correct common author mistakes. Discover how to identify which words add meaning to a sentence and which just take up space. Learn alternatives to wordy, verbose, overstated, or pompous phrases. Devise strategies to help you write precisely what you mean every time.

DEADLINE:

FMI:  http://www.heartofdixie.org/workshop.html

SPONSOR: Outreach International Chapter RWA (OIRWA)

TITLE:  Killer Openings

DATES:  August 1st – 31st, 2011

INSTRUCTOR:  Alexa Bourne

DESCRIPTION:  This course teaches the importance of a good opening and gain a better understanding of what makes a “killer opening.” Students will study examples of good and bad openings and discuss why they do or don’t work. Students will also submit their own opening lines/paragraphs/pages and receive a critique.

DEADLINE: July 27, 2011

FMI: http://www.oirwa.com/?page_id=63

SPONSOR:  Outreach International Chapter RWA (OIRWA)

TITLE:  More Than Word: Getting the most from Scrivener for Mac

DATES:  August 1st – 31st, 2011

INSTRUCTOR:  Gwen Hernandez

DESCRIPTION:  Scrivener’s greatest strength is its flexibility. This class will teach you how to customize your projects for the way you write. You’ll also learn simple but powerful tools for organizing, visualizing, revising, and sharing your work. Topics include: Customization: Labels, full screen, binder, templates; Working with files: splitting and merging, grouping, snapshots, split screen, advanced searches, collections, keywords; Helpful tidbits: tracking progress, evaluating word frequency, compiling, printing synopses. REQUIREMENTS: A MAC, Scrivener for MAC software and a basic working knowledge of Scrivener 1.x or better. Scrivener 2.x upgrade required for most topics.

DEADLINE:  July 27, 2011

FMI:  http://www.oirwa.com/?page_id=63

SPONSOR:  Northeast Ohio RWA (NEORWA)

TITLE:  JOURNEY STEPS: TAKING THE TRAIN TO SOMEWHERE

DATES:  August 1 – 26, 2011

INSTRUCTOR:  Susan Meier

DESCRIPTION:  This course helps you to determine where to place your major plot points. Topics included the “magic formula for plotting; the Could, Might, Must and Should List; daily events, logical next steps, twists, turns, subplots, explanation of plot threads versus  subplot, and trick for writing an “edge-of-the-seat” read.

DEADLINE: July 31, 2011

FMI:  http://www.neorwa.com/index.php/Workshops/Workshops

SPONSOR:  Florida Romance Writers

TITLE:  From Concept to Synopsis

DATES:  August 8 – 22, 2011

INSTRUCTOR:  Marcia King-Gamble

DESCRIPTION:  This workshop will get you writing. It covers how to generate ideas when the idea well has dried up. Then once you get a firm grip around your plot you’ll put together the dreaded synopsis. By the time you’re through you will have written a query and a synopsis.

FMI:  http://www.frwriters.org/workshops.html

ALL DAY WORKSHOPS:

SPONSOR:  Heart of Dixie Romance Writers Of America

TITLE: Putting On Your Game Face: How to Play Well With The Media

DATE:  September 10, 2011

TIME:  9:30AM – 3:30 PM

LOCATION:  Huntsville-Madison County Public Library, 915 Monroe Street, Huntsville, AL 35801

INSTRUCTOR:  Romantic Times Magazine Review Coordinator Stephanie Klose & RT Magazine Web Editor Morgan Doremus

DESCRIPTION: This workshop discusses the ins and outs of media promotion. It provides behind the scenes glimpses of the workings of RT Magazine, how their reviews are created, and the importance of the non-review content of the magazine. Presenters will also discuss pitching your books for review to various review avenues, how to establish professional contacts, how to handle interviews, and how to present yourself to all manner of media.

DEADLINE: September 3, 2011

FMI:  http://www.heartofdixie.org/workshop.html

CONTESTS:

SPONSOR:  Chick Lit Writers of the World RWA

TITLE:  Get Your Stiletto in the Door Contest

ELIGIBILITY:  Unpublished; open to RWA and non-RWA members

FORMAT: Electronic entries

SUBMIT:  Submit one (1) Electronic Entry of no more than the FIRST 5,000 words of your manuscript (judged) and one (1) Electronic Synopsis of no more than 500 words (not judged) in the same document.

DEADLINE:  Midnight, EST, Sept. 6, 2011

FMI:  http://chicklitwriters.com/stilettocontest/

SPONSOR: New England Chapterof RWA (NECRWA)

TITLE:  First Kiss Contest 2011

ELIGIBILITY: Unpublished in book-length fiction

FORMAT: Entry should be 10 pages maximum plus 1 set-up page. Use standard manuscript format,
double-spaced, 1-inch margins top and bottom.

SUBMIT:  Send us the scene from your book where your couple first kisses. The scene should convey the emotion and romantic conflict between the characters, sparkle with creative dialogue, description and
characterization, and move the story forward.

DEADLINE:  October 1st, 2011

FMI:  http://necrwa.org/kisscontest.html

SPONSOR:  Oklahoma Romance Writers of America – (OKRWA)

TITLE:  Finally a Bride Contest

ELIGIBILITY:  Authors who have never been published in novel length romantic fiction (novel length is over 40,000 words). Only manuscripts that have finaled but not won an RWA sponsored contest are eligible.

FORMAT: Electronic entries

SUBMIT:  First 30 pages – No Synopsis in first round

DEADLINE:  September 2nd, 2011

FMI:  http://www.okrwa.com/fab/fab_index.htm

SPONSOR:  East Valley Authors

TITLE:  2011 Annual Query Contest

ELIGIBILITY:  RWA members  who are not members of the East Valley Authors chapter. Writers who have not published or been contracted in book-length fiction (40,000 words or more) in the last five years may enter.

FORMAT: Electronic

SUBMIT:  One-page query letter, a synopsis (no more than 5 pages), and an writing sample of the first 5 pages of the manuscript (not to be used for judging purposes).

DEADLINE:  September 15, 2011

FMI:  http://eastvalleyauthors.com/contest/

BEACH RETREAT:

SPONSOR:  Low Country Romance Writers

TITLE:   LRWA BEACH BOUND RETREAT 2011

DESCRIPTION: Various packages and options. See link below

DATES:  Various weeks, October 21 – November 12, 2011

LOCATION:  Isle of Palms, South Carolina

FEES:  Varies, see link below for more information

DEADLINE TO REGISTER:  July 31, 2011
FMI:  http://lowcountryrwa.com/retreat/

WRITERS’ CORNER: June 22, 2011

ONLINE CLASSES/WORKSHOPS:

SPONSOR:  Outreach International Romance Writers

TITLE:  What Comes After The First 3 Chapters Blues: Dealing With The Middle Of Your Story

DATES:  July 1-28, 2011

INSTRUCTOR:  Beth Daniels

DESCRIPTION:  This course helps you figure out the middle of the story when you know how it begins and ends. Instead of writer’s block you come up with a middle that will have readers/editors wanting to keep turning the pages. REQUIREMENT: students must have at least three chapters (or 45 to 50 pages) of a story written or have a detailed, written plan/plot of how the story opens on through approximately the first 50 pages.

DEADLINE:  June 28, 2011

FMI:  http://www.oirwa.com/?page_id=63

SPONSOR:  Outreach International Romance Writers

TITLE:  ROCK HARD BUT WITH A HEART OF GOLD

DATES:  July 1 – 15, 2011

INSTRUCTOR:  Caridad Pinero

DESCRIPTION:  This course offers tips on creating rock hard alpha heroes and how to balance their rough exteriors with a heart of gold. It reviews the needs of such alpha heroes, namely, kick butt heroines who are strong enough to handle the most powerful man. It includes a review of the two archetypes with examples of such characters from popular fiction.

DEADLINE: June 28, 2011

FMI:  http://www.oirwa.com/?page_id=63

SPONSOR:  Lowcountry Romance Writers

TITLE:  Use-of-Force Workshop

DATES:  July 8 – 29, 2011

INSTRUCTOR:  Rory Miller

DESCRIPTION:  This course provides information on Use of Force as it is taught to Police Academy officers. You will learn: what constitutes a threat; how officers are taught to discern when force is appropriate and how much to use; how the constant possibility of a dangerous situation affects every other aspect of the job.

DEADLINE:  July 6, 2011

FMI:  http://lowcountryrwa.com/online-workshops/#JUL

SPONSOR:  Lowcountry Romance Writers

TITLE:  M&Ms for Characters—Motivation and Milieu

DATES:  July 8 – 29, 2011

INSTRUCTOR:  Sharon Mignerey

DESCRIPTION:  This workshop looks at motivation from the perspective of your protagonist’s history, comfort, and emotional connection. Motivation is key to having characters move through a story in a way that feels natural and organic. Motivation includes the big “why” that drives the story question and the little “why” that focuses on what a character wants in this scene right now. Of all the techniques to build well-rounded characters, these two provide the necessary fodder to create unforgettable characters.

DEADLINE:  July 6, 2011

FMI:  http://lowcountryrwa.com/online-workshops/#JUL

SPONSOR:  Lowcountry Romance Writers

TITLE:  Urban Fantasy Workshop

DATES:  July 8 – 29, 2011

INSTRUCTOR:  Pat Hauldren

DESCRIPTION:  This class defines Urban Fantasy and explores the markets available and how each market expects different aspects of the same genre. It also studies the current publications in the genre, including adult, YA, and children’s subgenres, and compares your own manuscripts to these. Throughout the class you work on improving our manuscripts to meet market needs.

DEADLINE:  July 6. 2011

FMI:  http://lowcountryrwa.com/online-workshops/#JUL

SPONSOR:  Carolina Romance Writers

TITLE:  From Homeroom to Last Bell: The Hero’s Journey in YA Fiction

DATES:  October 3 – 28, 2011

INSTRUCTOR:  Linda Gerber & Jennifer McAndrews

DESCRIPTION:  This workshop explores the commonalities of teen heroes whether they are jocks, burnouts, geeks, or chavs. They can each fill a character archetype found within the YA heroine’s journey. Learn to identify the twelve basic steps of the journey, the routes teens tend to take, and the archetypes met along the way.

DEADLINE:  October 3, 2011

FMI:  http://www.carolinaromancewriters.com/october11.

SPONSOR:  Carolina Romance Writers

TITLE:  OMG, I *heart* it: Writing the YA teens will love

DATES:  September 5 – 30, 2011

INSTRUCTOR:  Suzanne Lazear

DESCRIPTION:  This class explores what teens expect out of a YA novel and how to write the YA story you want to tell in a way that appeals to teens. In this hands-on class, we’ll work on the mechanics of writing YA and how it differs from writing for adults including creating realistic dialogue, characters, worlds, and plots teens can relate to, tone and pacing, and other differences and avoiding common YA pitfalls.

DEADLINE:  September 5, 2011

FMI:  http://www.carolinaromancewriters.com/september11.htm

SPONSOR:  Northeast Ohio Romance Writers

TITLE:  Secrets Of A Contest Diva: Making Writing Contests Work For You

DATES:  July 4 – 15, 2011

INSTRUCTOR:  Gemma Halliday

DESCRIPTION:  This workshop provides helps for you to do your best in contests. We’ll be going to go tips and tricks for making your manuscript rise to the top in writing contests. Where to enter your specific manuscripts, what judges look for, and how to maximize a contest final and turn it into a sale!

DEADLINE: July 3, 2011

FMI:  http://neorwa.com/index.php/Workshops/Workshops

SPONSOR:  Celtic Hearts Romance Writers

TITLE:  Historical Angles: Writing Historical Fiction

DATES:  July 1 – 29, 2011

INSTRUCTOR:  Beth Daniels, aka Beth Henderson, JB Dane

DESCRIPTION:  This workshop looks at every angle from which a historical novel can be written and branches into the research necessary, the creation of believable characters, settings, details, and looks at some of the practitioners. Some of the diversifications include: a historical personage as the main character; fictional characters working with historical personages; and fictional characters within a real historical event or merely within a historical period/society. There are also the distinctions between brutal depictions of war, a view from the other side, the many faces of historical romance, the historical setting in mystery, and alternative history in fantasy and science fiction.

FMI:  http://www.celtichearts.org/workshops.html

SPONSOR:  Celtic Hearts Romance Writers

TITLE:  Viking Age Britain

DATES: July 12 – August 9, 2011

INSTRUCTOR:  Sharron Gunn

DESCRIPTION:  The course explores Viking Age Britain: Scotland, Ireland and the north of England. It examines the society and culture of the period—battling and feuding, farming and feasting, the role of women, societal laws and honor. Sagas such as the Orkneyinga will be used to illustrate the Viking Age. Historical accuracy was not the purpose of the sagas; they were great entertainment and contain wonderful information about Norse life a thousand years ago.

FMI:    http://www.celtichearts.org/workshops.html

SPONSOR:  Celtic Hearts Romance Writers

TITLE:  All About POV (Point of View)

DATES:  August 1 – 29, 2011

INSTRUCTOR:  Cindy Causey

DESCRIPTION: The workshop discusses all elements of POV: different kinds of POV; changing POV–when and how; organizing scenes for POV before you write; tips and pitfalls for conveying POV character’s actions, thoughts and characteristics; tips and pitfalls for conveying non-POV character’s actions, thoughts and characteristics; miscellaneous tips and tricks.

FMI:  http://www.celtichearts.org/workshops.html

SPONSOR:  Yosemite Romance Writers

TITLE:  Call of the Wild: wolf lore, truths and myths every writer should know

DATES:  July 11-29, 2011

INSTRUCTOR:  Eva Gordon

DESCRIPTION:  This workshop is for writers interested in writing about wolves and werewolves but want more background on the basic biology and behavior of real wolves. Writers will learn why the wolf evolved from admired archetype to savage, evil nemesis of man. The course will include original interviews of a few famous werewolves and the workshop will end with the students creating their own myths based on their created shifter characters.

FMI: http://www.yosemiteromancewriters.com/id33.html

ONE DAY WORKSHOP:

SPONSOR:  Northeast Ohio Romance Writers

TITLE:  Book-in-a-Day with

DATES:  August 6th, 2011

TIME:  8:30 a.m – 4:00 p.m

LOCATION:  Holiday Inn Select, 15471 Royalton Road, Strongsville, Ohio

INSTRUCTOR:  Debra Dixon

DESCRIPTION:  Debra Dixon’s successful book GMC: GOAL, MOTIVATION AND CONFLICT began as a popular interactive workshop. Combined with the Hero’s Journey, this full day Book-in-a-Day workshop provides the tools any writer needs to pull a book together.

DEADLINE:  August 1, 2011

FMI:  http://neorwa.com/index.php/Events/DebraDixonWorkshop

CONTESTS:

SPONSOR:  Utah RWA

TITLE: 19^th Annual Heart of the West Writing Contest

ELIGIBILITY:  Published and unpublished authors

FORMAT:  Electronic submissions; rtf file

SUBMIT: First 20 pages of UNPUBLISHED, COMPLETED ms

DEADLINE:  July 15, 2011

FMI:  Krisseev; rules and entry form: http://www.utahrwa.com/howcontest.html

SPONSOR:  Rose City Romance Writers

TITLE:  Golden Rose Contest

ELIGIBILITY:  All writers of romantic fiction (RWA and non-RWA members), unpublished in book-length (40,000 words or more) in the last three (3) years and any member of RWA who is not eligible to join RWA-PAN.

FORMAT: Electronic. Doc or rtf file.

SUBMIT:  First 50 pages of completed ms. Optional synopsis not judged.

DEADLINE:  August 1, 2011 midnight PDT

FMI:  http://www.rosecityromancewriters.com/contest.html

SPONSOR: Colorado Romance Writers

TITLE:  The Heart of the Rockies — DEADLINE EXTENDED!

ELIGIBILITY:  Unpublished

FORMAT:  Electronic only

SUBMIT:  First two chapters and a 1-5 page synopsis, 35 pages total max.

DEADLINE:  June 30, 2011

FMI:  www.coloradoromancewriters.com

SPONSOR:  SpacecoasT Authors of Romance

TITLE:  Launching a Star

ELIGIBILITY:  Unpublished

FORMAT:  Electronic

SUBMIT: First twenty-five pages of your manuscript – no synopsis.

OPEN FOR ENTRIES:  July 1, 2011

DEADLINE:  August 25, 2011

FMI:  http://www.authorsofromance.com/contest/

SPONSOR:  Music City Romance Writers

TITLE:  Melody of Love

ELIGIBILITY:  Not published in category entered (see rules for specifics)

FORMAT: Electronic

SUBMIT:  First 25 pages max

DEADLINE:  September 1, 2011

FMI:  http://www.mcrw.com/index.php/2010-melody-of-love-contest/

CONFERENCES:

SPONSOR:  New Jersey Romance Writers

TITLE: Put Your Heart In A Book Conference  “Empower Your Muse

DESCRIPTION:

DATES: October 21-22, 2011

LOCATION:   Renaissance Woodbridge Hotel, Iselin, NJ

FEES: NJRW Member: $190.00; Non-NJRW Member: $210.00

DEADLINE TO REGISTER:  September 15, 2011

FMI:  http://njromancewriters.org/index.php?/conference/put_your_heart_in_a_book_conference/

SPONSOR:  Desert Rose Romance Writers

TITLE:  Desert Dreams Conference: Registration Open

KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Allison Brennan

DESCRIPTION: First 50 paid registrants for conference will be placed in a drawing. Ten will win a spot sitting next to an editor or agent at the Saturday luncheon. This allows one-on-one time with an editor/agent in addition to the appointment included with registration.

DATES:  April 27-29, 2012

LOCATION:  Chaparrel Suites, Scottsdale, AZ

FEES:  RWA early registration (through December 31, 2011) is $215. Non-RWA early registration (through December 31, 2011) is $235. Prices increase $20 on January 1, 2012.

DEADLINE TO REGISTER:  March 15, 2012
FMI: http://www.desertroserwa.org/conferences/Phoenix-Romance-Writers-Conferences.php

PROMOTION OPPORTUNITY:

SPONSOR:  Greater Seattle Romance Writers

EVENT:  Emerald City Writers’ Conference

DATES:  October 28 – 30, 2011

WHAT’S NEEDED:  We’re collecting books, pens, and other fun items for Goody Bags to be given to conference attendees. In addition to these traditional promotional items, we also welcome gift baskets and/or gift items that can be given away as door prizes or used in our raffles.

FMI: You can mail your Goody Bag items to either of the following addresses:
Laura Navarre
11320 Lakeside Avenue NE
Seattle, WA 98125
OR
Debby Lee
20121 Shamon Ct.
Centralia, WA 98531

Barbara Samuel’s article on characterization in this month’s newsletter prompted some questions for discussion:

What tricks and tips do you have for creating depth of character?

Who are some characters in fiction you have loved reading, and can you pinpoint why you love them so much?

Take a crack at these questions, or ask your own!

I believe most authors consider revision an excruciating process. I know I do. But I think what most of us who slave day after day on our key boards don’t realize is that good writing comes from bad writing.

We labor over stories in fast paced frenzy and get caught up with, I’ve got to get this done. But we forget that our story, our first drafts are simply scaffolds, an early look at a shape and style to come.

Walk down the street in any major city and you will see buildings under construction. Sometimes the scaffolds are ugly red ladder-like structures holding up the bare essence of a building, you can barely see what will be there. Sometimes you can make out the shape of a building. Scaffolds, like the first few drafts of our novels are just that, the beginnings of an unfolding piece of art. And it isn’t that you don’t take those drafts seriously, you do. But it’s unfinished work. Pure and Simple. You have to be willing to change it, to fashion it, to edit it.

The editing process begins when you finish a first draft. Don’t spend a lot of time on the first few drafts.. Just get the story down no matter how ugly the writing appears to be. Don’t correct anything. Once it is written, let it rest. And you can rest too. You’ve worked hard after all!

How long should you leave it alone? The time frame isn’t important, but what is important is getting away from it long enough to be able to see the work differently. So if you go back a few hours later and you can’t see too many reasons to change anything, it’s best to leave the story alone for a while more. Sometimes it takes a year, sometimes a week. It really depends on the story and the author and their willingness to make changes.

Editing takes place in stages. Start by looking at phrases, words, sentences or paragraphs that don’t bring meaning to the story. Every word has to be chosen for a reason. Look at verbs, nouns and adverbs. Eliminate those. You rarely need adverbs and adjectives if nouns and verbs are strong enough. Use the strongest verbs possible considering the setting and the characters involved.. Stroll is a better verb than walk. Leap is better than jump. Well you get the idea.
Make sure characters are complex, believable, look at everything about them, their names how they talk, react, and dress. Make sure it all rings true and especially look at how they fit into a scene. It should feel natural, like they belong there. A well-plotted story can fall apart if the characters are not well developed.
And speaking of plot, make sure your story line makes sense. Draw a line and use plot points to high light major arch points, those events that are linked together that drive the story forward. Look at how characters interact. Do they help to unfold the plot? Every movement, every word, every look coming from your character must bring meaning to the story. If it doesn’t, eliminate it.

Colored markers work quite well for looking at grammar issues, plot issues and character issues. Develop a chart. For instance when looking at words, designate red for nouns, blue for verbs, pink for adjectives, purple for adverbs. Look for all the pinks and purples. Those are the words to eliminate.

When the work is the best you can make it can be, take it to a workshop and let other writers look it over. Listen to what they say about it. Writing is subjective so not every topic will appeal to every person. A good critique partner will be able to comment on your writing. Try to find someone you respect and trust. How do you do that? Join a writer’s group in your area.Ask published authors, take courses. Check out your library, nearby colleges and universities. Remember not every writer’s group works for anyone. I went through four or five before I found the right one.

Be open to change. Writers grow over time and sometimes making a bad piece of writing into a good piece of writing is all about changing yourself. And that’s the joy that comes from revising, seeing your work as the best it can possibly be.

Linda Bilodeau, who writes from her home in Florida, has published three novels and is working on a fourth. She is a student in the MFA program at Spalding University in Louisville Ky. Visit her website at www.lindabilodeau.com.