Each workshop is 6 weeks long and is limited to twelve people. (Again, it will take you about four hours per week to do each of these.) These are the starting dates of upcoming workshops.
All have openings at the moment. For sign-up and more information about each workshop, click the Online Workshop tab at the top of the page.
Starting June
Class #17… June 3rd … Cliffhangers
Class #18… June 4th … Pitches and Blurbs
Class #19… June 5th … Genre Structure
Class #20… June 6th … Openings
Class #21… June 7th … Idea to Story
Starting July
Class #22… July 8th … World Building
Class #23… July 9th … Plot Your Novel
Class #24… July 10th … Designing Book Covers
Class #25… July 11th … Designing Book Interiors
Class #26… July 12th … Essentials
Starting August
Class #27… August 5th … Ideas to Story
Class #28… August 6th … Openings
Class #29… August 7th … Genre Structure
Class #30… August 8th … Pitches and Blurbs
Class #31… August 9th …. Cliffhangers
Starting September
Class #32… Sept 2nd … Essentials
Class #33… Sept 3rd … Plot Your Novel
Class #34… Sept 4th … World Building
Class #35… Sept 5th … Designing Book Covers
Class #36… Sept 6th … Designing Book Interiors
Sign-up and more information under Online Workshops tab at the top of the page.
Worth the read. And that’s my opinion.
I’m glad you state this was your opinion, but I think you forgot to modify that word with “unbiased”.
“Unbiased”??? Nope, I am a major fan of my wife’s work. She’s a ton better than I am and in my opinion one of the most underrated writers working today. Even though she has walls and desks full of awards. And the novel Bleed Through is on her literary side of things, not sf or fantasy or mystery. Just fiction with a punch. I loved it. So not unbiased at all. (grin)
I’ve been following your blog for about a year and a half, but I’ve always been too shy to comment until now. Kris’s post really hit home for me. I hope you don’t mind if I re-post the comment I left over there.
I’ve been writing for twenty-three years, since I became a stay-at-home mom with my first baby and needed something to do during naptime
I’ve always loved reading and stories but had trouble finding the kind of fantasy with strong romantic subplots that I liked, so I decided to start writing the kind of novels I wanted to read. I finished my first novel, sent it off to an agent, and got the kind of nice rejection that made me think that maybe I would hit the target with my next novel. So I started writing my next novel, and froze up. Not only was it the kind of story I had trouble finding, I knew there was nothing like it in the bookstores. Instead of thinking there was an opening I could fill, I already had a sense that the lack of these kinds of stories meant that the people making the decisions didn’t think they were marketable. And the thought of trying to write to what someone else would deem marketable made me freeze up. I left a lot of novels unfinished while I tried to find something that felt “marketable,” but eventually I made the decision that I would stick to writing what I wanted to write and wait for the right opportunity to emerge.
And now that opportunity is here. Last week, that novel I started twenty-two years ago and didn’t finish because I just couldn’t make it fit the mold went live on Amazon and Smashwords (with more channels to come) and I have in my hands the proof copy of the CreateSpace edition. I’m just absolutely amazed that this is possible. I’m finishing up a bunch of those other old, abandoned projects that I loved but was afraid would never see the light of day, and working on some exciting new things (fantasy-western-romance, anyone?) Being free to write what we want, when we want, the way we want is the best thing that’s ever happened to writers.
It was this blog and The Business Rusch that first made me start thinking, Hey, *I* can do this! and that have kept me going through all the nerves and self-doubt. Thank you so much (and I’ve left a little thanks in the tip jar).
Kyra, thanks, that is a very cool story and I’m glad you are moving forward with this and having fun. It is amazing how it feels holding that book in your hands, isn’t it? Thanks a ton for the great comment and I hope you keep moving forward. Any questions on anything as you run up against it, feel free to ask here or e-mail me. I tend to have opinions on things. (grin)
aw, thanks
The advice from your blog has been tremendously helpful, and even if the letter of some of it isn’t really a fit for me, I take the spirit of it and apply it and it seems to work.
That was the most amazing feeling, taking that book out of the box it came in and holding it my hands. I always planned to do paperback but was a little afraid of the learning curve. But it really wasn’t that hard, and the book came out beautiful! Definitely worth doing, if just for the thrill of holding the actual book
Just came over from Kris’ blog – fantastic post. Couldn’t agree with it more.
Then again, I tend to agree with you guys on almost everything, because my gut feeling tells me you’re right on the mark.
As her post today is. Write what you want, no matter what your parents, kids, significant other, or whomever says. Tell them to go to hell, if need be.
Me? I only have a cat to worry about, and she doesn’t care, as long as I feed her and let her on my lap to take a snooze (and purr). 
Though my mother and niece know about my first novella series, they don’t know I’m continuing the writing, finished the first in another series, already on the 2nd book in that series. I’ll be moving into writing mysteries in a couple of months, going back to my first love. I’ve been reading mysteries on my Kindle this year like they’re going out of style.
Anyway, that post got me even more excited to write, write, write the 2nd in my series.
Yes, it’s a great post!
My current difficulty is some positive feedback I’m receiving. It’s easier to push back my sense of my own obscurity and write in spite of it. Or to ignore my own critical inner voice and write anyway. Mind you, that isn’t precisely easy. It takes effort, persistent effort, but I’ve gotten used to doing it.
The thing is, I’m accustomed to writing in my writer cave and wrestling with inner demons. I’m not at all used to blocking out praise while writing. And I need to learn how. Now! Because I’m finding it very distracting! Not that I’m getting waves of praise. Mostly I continue on in total obscurity. But even a little is throwing me off my center!
I need and want to focus on the story coming through me, telling it to the best of my ability, and not, not, NOT worrying about what my audience will think!