Workshops
Workshop Descriptions for 2012 Write2Ignite! Conference
That they may set their hope in God…” – Psalm 78:7
Carol Baldwin
- Crafting Characters that Connect
This class will focus on basic principles involved in writing strong and compelling 3-dimensional characters. We will first look at some mentor novels to analyze the elements that make up a successful character. Following that, participants will be engaged in a variety of writing activities and exercises related to character development.
- Using Life Experiences to Inform Your Writing
Join authors, Joyce Moyer Hostetter and Carol Baldwin, in sensory and hands-on writing activities that will invigorate your writing. Bring a notebook and pen, your memories, and your imagination. Joyce and Carol will help you tap into memories that will springboard into all types of writing!
Robbie Boman
- Marketing Your Book
This session includes 35 real-life tips to promote your book in today’s murky economy; move your finished product into stores; schedule signings with often reluctant store managers; and last but not least, what really works at signings, appearances, and book talks. The workshop stresses hands-on “meeting people and moving books,” with minimal emphasis on technology. It’s a strategic overview for passionate authors with manuscripts in hand (or in their heads!) who ponder their next step — in this world of diminishing bookstores.
Terry Burns
- It’s Not My Job to Sell Your Manuscript!
WHAT? I thought that WAS the agent’s job? Actually Terry says it works much better if his clients consider it OUR job to pitch and sell. In this program he walks the author through his ‘team approach’ to representing his clients and the close way his client group works not only with him but with one another.
- Too Shy to Pitch and Promote
Too shy to do the things you need to do to be successful as a writer? Terry is painfully shy, yet he was able to be a very visible chamber of commerce manager for nearly 30 years and is a popular speaker and workshop presenter. The workshop can teach a writer how to design and implement a “public persona” that can bring success in this area, whether the writer is indeed very shy, or whether they aren’t but need to give thought to how they need to present themselves.
Carol Crane
- Writing from Prior Knowledge and Personal Journaling
In this session author Carol Crane will show you how to conduct interviews, do research and use your five senses and information you already know to write more effectively. Carol will also demonstrate how to write winning fiction using her Pyramid Structure.
- The Alphabet Model for Picture Books
In this workshop author Carol Crane demonstrates how to set up a grid for writing nonfiction rhyming picture books using the alphabet as inspiration. Carol has effectively used this model in dozens of popular nonfiction geography books about the 50 States and other countries outside the USA. We will also explore how this same model can be applied to other children’s genre.
Linda Gilden
- Writing Devotions for Students
This workshop led by Linda Gilden includes both instruction and hands on exercises. The session covers different types of devotions and offers markets that are looking for devotions for students of various ages.
Joyce Hostetter
- Telling the Truth Through Fiction
Christian authors have the opportunity to address real life struggles and universal truth through the dilemmas of fictional characters. We do not need to sugarcoat reality. In this workshop we’ll consider our unique but joyful challenge: to tell stories that are truthful, wholesome, and life-giving even though our characters are flawed. Joyce Moyer Hostetter will lead us in exploring what it means to use our faith experiences to write authentic stories for the Christian or general market.
- The Joyful Search for Authentic Stories
Joyce Moyer Hostetter used to be afraid of research. But that was before she realized what a treasure hunt it is. In this workshop she addresses the research intimidation factor and shares some of her favorite methods for digging up stories. She discusses library, internet, and archival research, travel and museums, consulting primary documents and best of all – making use of experts who are eager to help. Participants beware: research is addictive!
- Using Life Experiences to Inform Your Writing
Join authors, Joyce Moyer Hostetter and Carol Baldwin, in sensory and hands-on writing activities that will invigorate your writing. Bring a notebook and pen, your memories, and your imagination. Joyce and Carol will help you tap into memories that will springboard into all types of writing!
Nancy Lohr:
- Plot: Novel Versus Short Story
Unlike free T-shirts, when it comes to plot, one size does not fit all. How do you know if you have plotted a novel or a short story? And does it matter? This workshop will compare the two types of narratives, identifying similarities, noting differences, and looking at critical elements necessary to succeed at one or the other.
- Biographies for Children
Do you have a hero you’d like to share with children? Biography is the genre for you, and while it is a familiar form, there are some unique elements to master. We will discuss a topics specific to biographies including research and the inherent tension between fact and fiction.
Joanna Lutz
- Make Your Manuscript Stand Out!
Want to write a manuscript no editor can resist? Find out how to recognize and avoid common mistakes. Learn to make your story capture an editor’s fancy, so he can’t wait to publish it. Taught by a magazine editor who has read thousands of manuscripts and had to reject many, but also discovered gems by previously unpublished writers. Emphasis: magazine writing.
- Writing Winning Beginnings (and Endings)
Less than 10 seconds. That’s how long you have to capture your reader’s attention. Make the most of it! This workshop will explore various types of leads and how to make them work for you. We’ll also discuss how to recognize the right time to wrap up your piece. Bring the first page of your manuscript for an optional in-class critique (writers’ names will be kept anonymous). Emphasis: magazine writing.
Kay Mortimer
- Tax Tips for Writers
In this workshop, students will learn the basics of what they need to know, first of all, to identify whether or not they have a legitimate business with their writing. If so, they will then learn how to keep required records and which items are tax deductible for their business. We will also address how to treat one’s writing (for tax purposes) if it is merely a hobby. This information applies to all writers, including beginners, in all fields and all genres.
Kim Peterson
- Kids Want to Know: Writing for Children’s Magazines
A major rule of writing: know your market! In this workshop, learn how to study a magazine and tailor your work to the specific publication.
- The Language of Children’s Picture Books
Picture books foster language development and stimulate the imagination. Launch a child’s love of books and awaken the joy of discovery by using words, sentence structure, and figures of speech to write picture books children will treasure
- Let’s Play! Writing Activities, Rebus Stories and Puzzles
Young readers like to play and learn, and magazines offer great opportunities to break into their markets. The traditional short story can be a tough sell in a flooded marketplace. So create fun activities, write a visual rebus, and devise puzzles that entertain and teach. Learn how, here!
Cheryl Reid
- Write a Song – Change a Life!
What’s not to love about thinking like a kid again? Grab your imagination and rhyming dictionary, and join me in a fun session that explores writing song lyrics for children. Kids enjoy singing, so let’s give them exciting songs about God—songs that will make a difference in their lives. ! I’ll share tips on how to impart biblical truth and a Christian world-view into songs kids (and adults) will love to sing.
Gloria Repp
- Filling a Need: First Chapter Books
Have you ever wondered how a child makes the leap from easy-readers to full-length chapter books? Parents and teachers welcome first chapter books, and writing for this niche market can be rewarding. Topics include story-structure principles, vocabulary and syntax restrictions, and age-appropriate themes.
- Take Control: Classic Story Structure
Whether or not you like to outline your fiction, this session will help you mine the riches of classic story structure and enhance your current work-in-progress.
Handout: “Story Milestones, Step by Step”
Bill Reeves
- Contracts, Contracts, Contracts:
For most writers, dealing with the contractual portion of the publishing deal is one of the most daunting. Join Bill as he walks you through the contract portion, giving advice on such topics as:
- Deal point negotiation
- Long form vs short form agreements
- Key points in a contract
- What royalty should I expect?
- Intellectual property protection
- Self-Publishing Compared to Traditional Publishing:
With the ever growing array of self-publishing options, and the diminishing influence of publishers to launch new authors, many authors are left wondering which road to take. Join Bill as he walks through the pros and cons of both self and traditional publishing. Also included in this seminar will be a general outline of Christian publishers who focus on children’s publishing.
Mitzi Smith
- Breathing Life into Characters
Characters are the glue holding a book together. How do you bring a character to life on the page? In this workshop we will explore techniques and do simple exercises used by other published authors to breathe life into a flat character. A handout providing tips, other resources, and brainstorming exercises will be provided.
- A Great Catch: Hook
How do you hook your reader? For a writer, the opening line is often the most difficult. This workshop will reveal ways authors can we convince the reader to keep reading. We will explore techniques used by best-selling authors to grab your reader’s attention from page one. A detailed handout will be provided along with time for hands-on participation.
- A Strong Sense of Place: Enhancing Your Story with Settings
A place is just a place, but every story has one. In this workshop Mitzi will share how to avoid the common pitfall of ignoring setting by creating a strong sense of place through unique details and character emotions. Topics will include setting as character, relationship to place, landscaping, and the details that make the difference.
