I’m first going to give the schedule, them describe some of the workshops following the schedule. Any questions, or if you would like to sign up, please e-mail me.
These workshops range over different skill levels and a few have limitations, so please read the descriptions following carefully and feel free to ask questions. We have tried to schedule some workshops close together to save on travel costs. All workshops are held on the Oregon Coast. All rooms are reserved for you automatically when you sign up, so need to worry about that either.
I will also have this schedule posted under the workshop tab and every-so-often I will talk in length about a certain workshop here. Feel free to pass this post along to anyone you feel might be interested.
———————— 2010 WORKSHOP SCHEDULE —————————–
——– February ———–
NOVEL WORKSHOP. Feb 20-23, 2010. (Starts at 7 PM on the 20th). Cost $200. Limited to 12. Room Rate $40.00
DENISE LITTLE SHORT STORY WORKSHOP. Feb. 25-28. (Starts 7PM on the 25th, ends noon on 28th). Cost $500. Room Rate $40.00
——— March ———-
MARKETING WORKSHOP. March 13-20 (Starts 7 PM on the 13th, ends late 20th). Cost $600. Limited to 14. Room Rate $40.00
———- April ———–
CHARACTER VOICES WORKSHOP. April 10-17 (Starts 7 PM on the 10th, ends late 17th). Cost $600. Limited to 14. Room Rate $40.00
———- May ————
MYSTERY WRITING WORKSHOP. May 15-22. (Starts 7 PM on the 15th, ends late 22nd). Cost $600. Limited to 20 Master Class Graduates Only. Room Rate $40.00
———- June ————
AGENT WORKSHOP. June 11-13. (Starts 7 PM on the 11th, ends noon 13th). Cost $300. Room Rate $50.00
NOVEL WORKSHOP. June 14-17. (Starts at 7 PM on the 14th). Cost $200. Limited to 12. Room Rate $50.00
MONEY MANAGEMENT FOR WRITERS. June 18-20 (Starts 7 PM on 18th, ends noon 20th). Cost $300. Room Rate $50.00
———- July ————
MYSTERY STRUCTURE. July 16-19. (Starts 7 PM on the 16th). Cost $300. Room Rate $60.00
PITCHES AND BLURBS. July 23-25 (Starts 7 PM on 23rd, ends noon 25th). Cost $300. Room Rate $60.00
———- September ————
FICTION CAREER WORKSHOP (Kris and Dean Show). Sept 11-12.(Starts 10 AM on the 11th, ends 5PM 12th). Cost $300. Room Rate $50.00. Workshop open to anyone at any level. A complete overview of the publishing industry from how to write a sellable story or novel to what happens in editor’s office and much more.
CHARACTER VOICES WORKSHOP. Sept.18-25 (Starts 7 PM on the 18th, ends late 25th). Cost $600. Limited to 14. Room Rate $50.00
———- October ————
NOVEL WORKSHOP. Oct 10-13. (Starts at 7 PM on the 10th). Cost $200. Limited to 12. Room Rate $40.00
NEW TECHNOLOGY. Oct. 14–16 (Starts 7 PM on 14th, ends noon 16th). Cost $300. Room Rate $40.00
MARKETING WORKSHOP. Oct 16-23 (Starts 7 PM on the 16th, ends late 23th). Cost $600. Limited to 14. Room Rate $40.00
—————————————-
—————————————-
DESCRIPTION OF THE 2010 WRITERS WORKSHOPS
——– February ———–
NOVEL WORKSHOP. Feb 20-23, 2010. (Starts at 7 PM on the 20th). Cost $200. Limited to 12. Room Rate $40.00
Taught by Dean Wesley Smith with feedback from New York editor John Douglas.
The novel workshops are at first, a standard critique weekend. Each writer must have a novel completed one month before the workshop. Each writer will send everyone one month ahead of time the first 50 pages, a short proposal, and a query letter addressed to an editor. Everyone will read those pages, as well as one or two people including Dean will read the full novel. After your critique, you will be required to fix anything wrong in the query letter, the proposal, and first 20 pages of the book, then before you leave at the end of three days, mail the story to five editors. So this is a writing and mailing workshop as well as a critique workshop.
——————–
DENISE LITTLE SHORT STORY WORKSHOP. Feb. 25-28. (Starts 7PM on the 25th, ends noon on 28th). Cost $500. Room Rate $40.00
Taught by Denise Little and Dean Wesley Smith.
Denise Little is the Executive Editor of Tekno Books, the packaging company that does a vast majority of the paperback and hardback anthologies, plus novels and other projects. You will be required to send a story in written to order before the workshop as well as write a second short story during the workshop. An intense but fun writing workshop.
——— March ———-
MARKETING WORKSHOP. March 13-20 (Starts 7 PM on the 13th, ends late 20th). Cost $600. Limited to 14. Room Rate $40.00
Taught by Kristine Kathryn Rusch and Dean Wesley Smith.
This workshop, flatly and simply, will give you all the tools you need to sell novels. You will learn how to write top proposals, top query letters, and all about agents, including how to hire one, when to fire one, and when and for what they are needed. We have done this three times before and everyone who attends says it is a critical workshop. It will jump you years ahead in selling novels. Very intense writing workshop. Open to all levels, but better if you have finished a novel and tried to sell it already.
———- April ———–
CHARACTER VOICES WORKSHOP. April 10-17 (Starts 7 PM on the 10th, ends late 17th). Cost $600. Limited to 14. Room Rate $40.00
Taught by Dean Wesley Smith and Kristine Kathryn Rusch.
In our modern world of publishing, if you can’t do distinctive character voice, you are at a huge disadvantage. If your readers having trouble telling your characters apart, if your work seems always flat and you’re getting form or short letter rejections, chances are your characters have no voice and this workshop is for you. A very intense week of writing. Open to all levels.
———- May ————
MYSTERY WRITING WORKSHOP. May 15-22. (Starts 7 PM on the 15th, ends late 22nd). Cost $600. Limited to 20. Room Rate $40.00
Open only to Master Class Graduates.
———- June ————
AGENT WORKSHOP. June 11-13. (Starts 7 PM on the 11th, ends noon 13th). Cost $300. Room Rate $50.00
Taught by Kristine Kathryn Rusch and Dean Wesley Smith
Everything you need to know about Agents. How to research one that would be right for you, how to interview an agent, how to know when your agent isn’t working for you, how to fire one, what to expect from an agent and when and why. This weekend workshop could save you years of mistakes. Trust me, Kris and I know this one from hard knocks. Open to all levels.
—————
NOVEL WORKSHOP. June 14-17. (Starts at 7 PM on the 14th). Cost $200. Limited to 12. Room Rate $50.00
(See details above. Same as February novel workshop.)
————————–
MONEY MANAGEMENT FOR WRITERS. June 18-20 (Starts 7 PM on 18th, ends noon 20th). Cost $300. Room Rate $50.00
Taught by Kristine Kathryn Rusch and Dean Wesley Smith
Pretty much the name of the workshop says it all. Everything a writer needs to know about money management, how money flows, how to make more of it and get different cash streams working for you from your fiction. Open to all levels.
———- July ————
MYSTERY STRUCTURE. July 16-19. (Starts 7 PM on the 16th). Cost $300. Room Rate $60.00
Taught by Dean Wesley Smith and Kristine Kathryn Rusch
The structure of all the different types of mystery stories and subgenres and how to write in them. Open to all levels.
———————
PITCHES AND BLURBS. July 23-25 (Starts 7 PM on 23rd, ends noon 25th). Cost $300. Room Rate $60.00
This is a critical workshop for those who can’t seem to describe their own work in one paragraph in an exciting and grabbing way. An intense writing weekend. You will leave knowing how to write pitches and blurbs. Open to all levels.
———- September ————
FICTION CAREER WORKSHOP (Kris and Dean Show). Sept 11-12, 2010.(Starts 10 AM on the 11th, ends 5PM 12th). Cost $300. Room Rate $50.00. Workshop open to anyone at any level. A complete overview of the publishing industry from how to write a sellable story or novel to what happens in editor’s office and much more. Open to all levels.
(I did an entire post about this workshop earlier in the year.)
———————
CHARACTER VOICES WORKSHOP. Sept.18-25, 2010 (Starts 7 PM on the 18th, ends late 25th). Cost $600. Limited to 14. Room Rate $50.00
(Same as Character Voices workshop above.)
———- October ————
NOVEL WORKSHOP. Oct 10-13, 2010. (Starts at 7 PM on the 10th). Cost $200. Limited to 12. Room Rate $40.00
(Same as Novel workshop in February)
————–
NEW TECHNOLOGY. Oct. 14–16, 2010 (Starts 7 PM on 14th, ends noon 16th). Cost $300. Room Rate $40.00
(Taught by a number of people, going into the ways writers can use Kindle, eBooks, POD and anything new by then to make money and sell more copies of their stories.) Open to all levels.
————-
MARKETING WORKSHOP. Oct 16-23, 2010 (Starts 7 PM on the 16th, ends late 23th). Cost $600. Limited to 14. Room Rate $40.00
(Same as Marketing workshop in March)
So many workshops! Not enough time and money!
I’m already working on my wife, trying to convince her to let me come out and do the short story and novel workshops back-to-back in February.
I might have to choose. And if I have to choose, I probably choose the novel workshop. But doing both would be awesome.
Huzzah! Wife’s approval secured!
Now, we just gotta make sure the money is there when it needs to be there.
Dean, do you still require that class tuition arrive — in check form — NLT 30 days prior to the event?
Hi Dean,
I agree with Brad. So many! All sounding most excellent. And (alas) definitely so little money.
Have you ever considered online workshops for any of the above subjects? (Or different ones?) Your prices are quite reasonable but sad to say, the same isn’t true for airfare . . .
Yes, I believe it. And I’m dying to come. The good news is, I’m now finding airfare for $400 instead of the $1,400 I’d seen before, so . . .
D.
I agree with Brad also. I’ve been wanting to do a Mystery so that workshop-the one you don’t need the Master Class for- would be good but the short story one with DENISE would be good as well as would the novel and character workshops.
One thing though do I understand you correctly that we have to do a story you tells us to do before the short story workshop begins? If so is that part of the workshop or is it part of the approval process?
Hi Dean,
Here’s another question for you. (LOL, no, please don’t run away, or bang head against wall . . .)
I’m not asking you to make the decision for me. I wouldn’t expect or want you to. But perhaps you can provide pros and cons to each that I’m not thinking of.
I’m always interested in improving my craft. To that end, the novel and short story and mystery workshops (etc. etc.) would be most excellent. Still tons for me to learn, needless to say.
That said, I know the business aspect is also VERY important. To that end, the seminars you’re offering on finding an agent, and writing excellent blurbs and pitches, and marketing, (etc. etc.) would also be incredibly beneficial.
Any comments on prioritizing?
Thanks much!
D.
Dean, Thanks much for elaborating!
D.
Two quick questions for ya Dean:
1)Under the description for the Marketing Workshop it says that covers. So if we take this workshop, do we need to do the one on agents as well? I’d been planning on attending both but if they cover the same material I’ll stick with just the Marketing workshop.
2) I thought the Character Voices workshop was only open to Master Class grads? If not I’m totally adding that to my list.
Thanks,
I went back and added in what is open to all levels of writers. Only the Mystery Workshop in May is limited to Master Class Grads only. Any questions, ask here or e-mail me directly.
Cheers
Dean
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On workshops that are limited, we like to have a deposit ahead of time, and then the balance 30 days or so out. Deposits can be small, say $100 or $200 depending on the workshop. Besides checks, we take credit cards and paypal.
Cheers
Dean
And note, even though I make all the reservations and such for the hotel rooms, you will have to pay for your hotel when you arrive. See the nightly rates for each workshop.
Cheers
Dean
Actually, one of the best things about these workshops is the networking and the other writers you meet face-to-face and spend time with them and their work. Throughout history there were always groups of writers who came up together in one form or another. One of the amazing things about these workshops is the fantastic group it has created which does work mostly on line, but it wouldn’t work without the face-to-face time first. Plus you get so much more from us in person than we could ever give in short posts like these.
Cheers
Dean
Also note that with each workshop there is an e-mail list started just for that workshop about three months ahead where writers attending can work out ride sharing from Portland, Oregon to the Oregon Coast, which is about a two hour drive. That helps save money as well and I got the best rates possible in this tourist town for the writers at the workshops and I list the hotel rates with each workshop listing to help in planning. (And all the rooms are two room suites. Try getting that for $40 per night anywhere else.) Doing everything we can to keep the costs reasonable. And, of course, if you haven’t been to the Oregon Coast, you haven’t seen one of the most beautiful places on the planet. Nasty weather at times, but still beautiful.
Cheers
Dean
The story ahead is part of the workshop for the Denise Little workshop in February.
Cheers
Dean
The most important craft-focused workshop we are doing is character voice workshop. 99% of all newer writers coming in and new professional writers don’t know how to do character voice in any real fashion, and yet in modern publishing it’s becoming a critically important aspect, more than it ever has been before.
But that said, every workshop we do is focused on business in one way or another. Purpose of the short story workshop with Denise is to get your work in front of one of the most important editors in short fiction, so that’s business. Sure you will learn some about short fiction and get a sense of why editors buy, but that’s business. Novel workshop isn’t to help you write or fix your book, but to teach you how to market your book correctly once you have it finished. Some craft, but not a lot.
In other words, all our workshops are focused in one fashion or another on business for newer professional writers.
And the Kris and Dean show in two weeks and next September is an overview workshop of publishing crammed down into two days.
Cheers
Dean
Marketing workshop covers agents pretty well, but the weekend covers it as well and adds to it some, but no reason to take them both. The agent workshop is on the schedule for people who have agents, as well as people in the position to find an agent. But marketing covers a bunch of that.
Character Voice workshop open to anyone. Only class closed to only Master Class grads is the Mystery Week workshop in May taught by Kris, who is currently up for both an Anthony Award and a Shamas Award and won the Ellery Queen Award already this year. But Character Voice is open and is an intense writing workshop. You’ll know the tricks, the methods, the techniques of creating memorable character voice when you leave that week.
However, because of the nature of the workshop, it is limited to 14 writers only. That’s why we scheduled two of them next year.
Cheers
Dean