Attend any of these programs for writing tips and tricks and to get your creative juices flowing. All adults are welcome to attend, especially those submitting a story to our Write Michigan Short Story Contest.
Saturday, Sept. 21 – Wyoming Branch
Effective Platform Building for Novelists
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Building a platform means finding your audience and talking to them. Nonfiction writers can leverage their expertise, but how does a novelist build a platform, especially if they don’t have a book published yet? In this writer’s chat, industry veteran and bestselling novelist Janyre Tromp will talk through some effective strategies you can employ to build a platform at any point in your career.
Maximizing Suspense in Fiction
1:00 – 2:00 PM
Whether a book promises a page-turning whodunit, a hate-to-love romance or a well-timed comedic gag, narrative suspense is a key element of meeting the reader’s needs. Learn from speculative fiction writer Joel Armstrong how to define narrative suspense, identify different types and maximize tension through characterization, pacing and story structure.
What Does It Mean to Write Michigan?
2:30 – 3:30 PM
When we are attempting to describe or evoke memories of a certain place, learning to write with the senses — sight, sound, taste, smell and touch — helps writers of all forms create a strong sense of place. Learn from author Maryann Lesert as she offers examples of place-based writing and guides attendees through “writing with the senses” exercises.
Saturday, Oct. 12 – Cascade Twp. Branch
Immersive World Building: How to Craft a Real or Imaginary Setting that Sells
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
The best plot set with the best characters will fall short if placed in a boring white box, or worse, a chaotic, meaningless plane. Whether writing historical, speculative or contemporary fiction, the setting brings depth, emotion and meaning to your story. Journey with bestselling historical novelist and award-winning editor Janyre Tromp to discover the hows and whys behind a setting that sells.
Writing Theatrical Dialogue
1:00 – 2:00 PM
Learn the nuts and bolts of writing dialogue from author and playwright Susie Finkbeiner in this interactive and fun workshop. Writers of all genres are welcome, as the fundamentals of dialogue transfer well to all narrative forms.
Publishing Short Fiction
2:30 – 3:30 PM
Hear from Caitlin Horrocks, fiction writer and literary magazine editor, about the nuts and bolts of submitting stories to magazines, anthologies or contests and practice reading short fiction through an editor’s or judge’s eyes. What is within the writer’s control and what isn’t? What can writers do to get themselves as close to “yes” as possible?
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