Online Class: "Show and Tell: An Interactive Workshop"

Hi all,

A few years ago, I'd taken an online synopses writing course (the blurb, short, and long synopsis) with Shannon Donnelly and had learned quite a bit from her... So, that's why I'm posting the information for Donnelly's April online class, "Show and Tell: An Interactive Workshop."

Hope you're all healthy and the writing is going well! :)

Take Care,

Michele

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Show and Tell: An Interactive Workshop
With Shannon Donnelly
April 13, 2009 – May 9, 2009

Enrollment Information at http://www.occrwa.org/onlineclassApr09.html

COST: $20 for OCC members, $30 for non-members
Enrollment deadline: April 12, 2009
If you have specific questions, email occrwaonlineclass@yahoo.com

ABOUT THE CLASS:

"Show, don't Tell" is a cliché that has almost lost its meaning. But "showing" and "telling" are both valuable tools for any writer. In this workshop, we'll use writing
examples to figure out the truth hidden in this tired phrase. The "telling" part of the workshop includes tips, tricks, and tech niques to help improve narrative and identify when it's time to tell your story. The "showing" part blends a set of exercises to strengthen an understanding of what makes a scene come to life.

TOPICS:
1) Telling: Use of the Narrative Voice
2) Showing to Pull a Reader into Your Scenes
3) Descriptions: How to Make them Vivid
4) Deep Viewpoint to Show a Character's Inner World
5) Time, Transitions & Word Count--where Telling Helps
6) Showing and Telling--Not Absolutes
7) Write to Your Strengths: When to Show, When to Tell

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR:
Award-winning author of romance novels, children's books, video games, and non-fiction books, Shannon's work has earned praise from Booklist and other reviewers, noting: "simply superb"..."wonderfully uplifting"....and "beautifully written." Her numerous awards for writing include past finalist in the RWA's RITA for Best Regency, winner of the Golden Heart Award, Grand Prize in the "Minute Maid Sensational Romance Writer" contest, (judged by Nora Roberts - which gave her a trip to Paris), the Laurel Wreath, Winter Rose, and multiple finalists in the Bookseller's Best, Orange Rose, Holt Medallion, Colorado ACE, and other contests. Shannon is a member of Los Angeles Romance Authors (LARA), Orange County Chapter (OCC) of RWA, East Valley Authors (EVA), and the Published Author Special Interest Chapter (PASIC).

She regularly teaches online workshops, including a class for UCLA, and has spoken at
RWA's National Conference, as well as at RWA chapter meeting s and other conferences.
She can be found online at www.shannondonnelly.com and www.myspace.com/randomfreshink.

Enrollment Information at http://www.occrwa.org/onlineclassApr09.html
COST: $20 for OCC members, $30 for non-members
Enrollment deadline: April 12, 2009

Coming in May – "Writing the Synopsis" with Camy Tang
Whether you've got a complete manuscript or you've just started one, this class will help you write a complete synopsis for your story. She will take you step by step so that by the end of the class you will have written a one-page synopsis, a 4-6 page synopsis, and also a more organic "character" synopsis.

For a full class roster, go to http://www.occrwa.org/onlineclasses.html. Check out our full 2009 list of workshops.

Want to be notified personally two weeks before each class? Be sure you're signed up for our Online Class Notices Yahoo Group! Sign up at the bottom of http://www.occrwa.org/onlineclasses.html or send a blank email to OCCRWAOnlineClassNotices-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

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Online Class: Layering a Story Concept

Hey everyone...

Just posting some information that may be of interest to you. It's a four-week online writing class, "Layering a Story Concept" with Sylvie Kurtz, and it begins March 16th.

Hope you're all doing well and the writing is going smoothly! :)

Take Care,

Michele

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Layering a Story Concept
With Sylvie Kurtz
March 16, 2009 – April 11, 2009

Enrollment Information at http://www.occrwa.org/onlineclassMar09.html

COST: $20 for OCC members, $30 for non-members
Enrollment deadline: March 14, 2009
If you have specific questions, email occrwaonlineclass@yahoo.com

ABOUT THE CLASS:

Use the seven elements of story concept to put together a blurb that is complete, conflict-filled and concise enough to use as a selling tool.

TOPICS:
1. Introduction
2. Story Concept
3. Flaw
4. Backstory
5. Redeeming Quality
6. Journey
7. Enabling Circumstance
8. Goal
9. Opponent
10. Ally
11. Ally's MO
12. Lifechanging Event
13. Jeopardy
14. Objective Line/Subjective Line
15. Blurb
16. Conclusion

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR:

Flying an eight hour solo cross-country in a Piper Arrow with only the airplane's crackling radio and a large bag of M & Ms for company, Sylvie Kurtz realized a pilot's life wasn't for her. The stories zooming in and out of her head proved more entertaining than the flight itself. Not a quitter, she finished her pilot's course, earning her commercial license and instrument rating. Since then, she's traded in her pilot's license for a keyboard, where she lets her imagination soar to create fictional adventures that explore the power of love and the thrill of suspense. Her first Harlequin Intrigue, One Texas Night, was a 1999 Romantic Times nominee for Best First Category Romance and a finalist for a Booksellers Best Award. Her Silhouette Special Edition, A Little Christmas Magic was a 2001 Readers' Choice Award Finalist and a Waldenbooks bestseller. Remembering Red Thunder was a 2002 Romantic Times Nominee for Best Intrigue. She was a 2005 and 2007 Romantic Times nominee for Lifetime Achievement for Series Romantic Adventure. Ms. Longshot has been optioned by Twin Star Entertainment as a
possible TV movie. She has written twenty novels. Visit her at http://www.sylviekurtz.com/

Enrollment Information at http://www.occrwa.org/onlineclassMar09.html
COST: $20 for OCC members, $30 for non-members
Enrollment deadline: March 14, 2009

Coming in April – "Show and Tell: an Interactive Workshop" with Shannon Donnelly
"Show, don't Tell" is a cliché that has almost lost its meaning. But "showing" and "telling" are both valuable tools for any writer. In this workshop, we'll use writing examples to figure out the truth hidden in this tired phrase.

For a full class roster, go to http://www.occrwa.org/onlineclasses.html. Check out our full 2009
list of workshops.

Want to be notified personally two weeks before each class? Be sure you're signed up for our Online Class Notices Yahoo Group! Sign up at the bottom of http://www.occrwa.org/onlineclasses.html or send a blank email to OCCRWAOnlineClassNotices-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

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PR Boot Camp: Everything You Need to Know to be Your Own Best Publicist

Hi everyone,

This October online class is a popular one and with good reason! Everyone I've talked to who has taken this class learned so much in this four-week boot camp...they're recommending it to anyone who will listen. Seriously. I've also taken this class (although I was in lurker mode because I was on a deadline), so I do know for a fact that she's helped many writers be their own publicist. :-)

Below is the information for this online class.

Take Care,

Michele


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PR Boot Camp:
Everything You Need to Know to be Your Own Best Publicist

With Louise Ahern October 13, 2008 – November 9, 2008
Enrollment Information: http://www.occrwa.org/onlineclassOct08.html

COST: $20 for OCC members, $30 for non-members
Enrollment deadline: October 11, 2008
If you have specific questions, email: occrwaonlineclass@yahoo.com

ABOUT THE CLASS:

Gone are the days when a good book was all an author needed to build her career. Today, authors need to master the art of self-promotion to build the buzz that leads to higher sales, new readers and a loyal audience. Not sure how to do that? Do you consider yourself a promotional weakling? Then boot camp is for you!

In this four-week online class, PR Drill Sgt. Louise Knott Ahern will whip you into the best PR shape you've ever been in.

Louise will teach you to approach book promotion in a new way. You'll learn to stop reinventing the PR wheel with each new book, and instead envision and develop long-term PR goals and high concept plans that sell YOU as much as your novels. Topics include goal-
setting, your author brand, your "PR personality" and the kind of PR campaign you need. Be prepared to work! Class participants will be asked to write (or rewrite) their biographies, complete a PR planning guide, craft sample press releases, identify an "expertise" and brainstorm ideas for freelance articles. By the end of the class, you'll be armed with tools you can use immediately to launch your own PR blitz.


ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR:

Louise Knott Ahern is an award-winning journalist with more than 12 years of experience as a reporter, editor and PR specialist in some of the biggest news markets in the country. When she's not chasing down freelance articles or working on her own novels, she coaches authors on how to master the media and promote their books. She's the instructor of the popular online classes "PR Boot Camp" and "Pitching the Press" and several live workshops, including, "20 Questions to a Killer PR Plan" and "How To Talk to a Reporter."

She's been published in the RWR and was for many years the content editor of the Orange County Chapter's award-winning newsletter, The Orange Blossom. Her clients have used her coaching to grab the attention of large and small media alike, including The Wall Street
Journal, the Florida Sun-Sentinel, and Wisconsin Public Radio. You can find her at
http://www.louiseknottahern.com or on her blog, http://www.weeziestories.blogspot.com.

Enrollment Information: http://www.occrwa.org/onlineclassOct08.html
COST: $20 for OCC members, $30 for non-members
Enrollment deadline: October 11, 2008

Online Class: Getting It Right With Your FBI Law Enforcement Hero/ Heroine

Here's the info for an April online class: "Getting It Right: Real-Life Detail For Your FBI Law Enforcement Hero/ Heroine." It's being taught by former FBI Special Agent and current PI and author Rae Monet. I thought some of you might be interest, so I pasted the workshop details below. And please feel free to pass along the information to any interested parties. Sounds like a fascinating class!

Hope your writing is going well!

Michele

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"Getting It Right: Real-Life Detail For Your FBI Law Enforcement Hero/ Heroine" with Rae Monet
April 14 , 2008- May 11, 2008

Enrollment Information: http://www.occrwa.org/onlineclassApr08.html

COST: $20 for OCC members, $30 for non-members

Enrollment deadline: April 12, 2008
If you have specific questions, email: occrwaonlineclass@yahoo.com


ABOUT THE CLASS:
Do you wonder what your law enforcement hero/heroine should act like? What type of equipment do they wear? What type of gun do they carry? What type of regulations laws and procedures bind them?

Rae Monet, former FBI Special Agent and current PI, will review the Federal Side of Law Enforcement with the History of the FBI, facts and figures, how to become an Special Agent, jurisdictional authority issues and statutes, talk about how FBI agents liaison with local law enforcement, evaluate your questions/scenarios, give you the day in the life of an FBI agent, and talk about equipment an agent would use, among many other subjects.

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR
Rae Monet is a multi-published, award winning, sensual romance author. She is a former Air Force NCOIC administration with the Office of Special Investigations, former FBI Agent, who worked Violent Crimes Major Offenders and the Cyber Squad. Rae has a BA, MA in business and is also a licensed PI in the state of California.

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Online Class: Legal Fiction with Amanda Brice

Hi All,

Just thought I'd pass along the info for this March online class. I've posted the description of the workshop below, and feel free to pass it along to your friends as well! The deadline for joining the class is Saturday, March 8th, so if you're interested...Get crackin' and sign up. :-)
Hope you're all doing well!

Michele

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OCC/RWA March Online Class

LEGAL FICTION
with Amanda Brice

March 10, 2008- April 6, 2008

Enrollment Information: http://www.occrwa.org/onlineclassMar08.html

COST: $20 for OCC members, $30 for non-members
Enrollment deadline: March, 8, 2008
Moderator: Gina Black at ginablack@gmail.com


WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION:
Do you know whether or not you can quote song lyrics in your manuscript? Are you wondering if you should trademark something from your high concept story?

Do you want to know how to protect your work and avoid infringing on other people's rights?

If you answered "Yes" to any of these questions, this is the class for you.

Developed by an intellectual property attorney who is also a fiction author, this workshop will lead you by the hand through the murky waters of legalese. Participants will learn the basics of copyrights, trademarks, and the laws of cyberspace. Topics will include:

** What is a copyright?
** What does copyright protect?
** Copyrightable subject matter
** Fair use
** Public domain
** Plagiarism
** Copyright and characters
** Song lyrics
** Digital copyright issues
** Special issues related to book trailers, website, etc.
** What is a trademark?
** How does one obtain a trademark registration?
** What does a trademark protect?
** Trademark and characters
** Trademark and titles/series/pen names
** Using trademarks in your writing
** First Amendment issues
** Slander and libel
** Basic publishing contract law

Students will be assigned some light case reading in addition to the posted lectures, but no previous legal background is required. (We promise!)

Disclaimer: As with any legal issues, you should always check with your own legal professional to verify you are in full compliance with the law. We are not responsible for any errors and omissions presented in the workshop materials or discussed in the online classroom.

Amanda will be donating her entire fee for teaching this course to the Romance Divas Scholarship Fund to help send a worthy aspiring author to RWA Nationals in San Francisco.

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR:
In her day job (under her real name), author Amanda Brice is an intellectual property attorney for a federal government agency in the Washington, DC area. Prior to her current position, Amanda worked on Capitol Hill for the House of Representatives' Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property, and in the General Counsel's Office of the U.S. Copyright Office. She holds a law degree from Arizona State University and an LL.M. in Intellectual Property from The George Washington University Law School.

Under her real name, she has published numerous law review and magazine articles on the topics of copyright, trademark, and cyberlaw, and writes adult and young adult chick lit and romantic comedy under her pen name Amanda Brice.

Check out her web site for more details on her upcoming titles at
www.amandabrice.com

LEGAL FICTION
with Amanda Brice

March 10, 2008- April 6, 2008

Enrollment Information: http://www.occrwa.org/onlineclassMar08.html

COST: $20 for OCC members, $30 for non-members
Enrollment deadline: March, 8, 2008
Moderator: Gina Black at ginablack@gmail.com


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Online Class with Judy Duarte: Matchmaking 101

Hey, I thought some of you might be interested in this online class called MATCHMAKING 101: A Yenta's Guide to Creating, Sustaining, and Overcoming Conflict.

The information on the class and the award-winning author, Judy Duarte, is below.

Happy Writing,

Michele

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OCC/RWA November Online Class

MATCHMAKING 101:
A Yenta's Guide to Creating, Sustaining, and Overcoming Conflict

November 12 to December 9
(4 weeks)

Instructor
JUDY DUARTE

Class info:
Judy Duarte, award winning author of 25 books, will share her method
of creating a compelling hero and heroine who must overcome all odds
to earn the right to fall in love and live happily ever after.

Learn how to handpick the perfect couple and develop backstories that
will provide a strong, believable conflict. By the end of the class,
you can expect to have the beginning of a solid synopsis that will
jumpstart your plot.

About the Instructor:
Judy's first book was released by Silhouette Special Edition in 2002.
Since then, her stories have touched the hearts of readers around the
world, winning her a National Reader's Choice Award in 2005.
Mulberry Park, Judy's first women's fiction novel and the book of her
heart, will be released in trade size by Kensington in April of 2008.

Enrollment Information:
Cost: OCC members $20 and Nonmembers $30
Enrollment deadline: November 10, 2007

For more infromation, see the website
http://www.occrwa.com/classes_november.htm
or e-mail online class moderator Lori Pyne at luv2write@gmail.com

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Online Class: And Then What Happened? Scene, Sequel and More with NYT Bestseller Jill Marie Landis

Hi guys,

I'm back to this blog after a summer vacation hiatus.

And as I've been hanging out with most of you, you know I've been alive and kickin'... I even met some of you at the RWA conference in Dallas (Hi Spyscribbler!), which was so cool! :-)

So, as I'm easing back into posting here (don't want to throw too much at you too soon, LOL), I have the information for a fantastic online class titled And Then What Happened? Scene, Sequel and More.

You can bet Jill Marie Landis has some great advice and suggestions to offer in this class!

Happy Writing,

Michele

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And Then What Happened? Scene, Sequel and More.
A four-week online class featuring
New York Times Bestseller Jill Marie Landis
September 10 – October 14

You have characters. You have a plot. You might even have a synopsis! You’ve written three terrific opening chapters. Now what? Now it dawns on you that sitting down day after day, keeping those pages rolling, isn’t for the faint of heart. Now you’re feeling stymied, panicky and overwhelmed. Sound familiar? Then join New York Times bestseller Jill Marie Landis for a four-week online class designed to help you push through to the end. She’ll help you increase productivity, tighten each scene for more impact, and make your scenes come alive with action and emotion.

About Jill
OCC member Jill Marie Landis is the New York Times bestselling author of more than 20 romance novels. Her work has received many distinguished awards, including RWA’s RITA, and has earned her a slot on the nation’s top bestselling lists. You can find her at www.jillmarielandis.com


Enrollment Information: http://www.occrwa.com/classes_September.htm
COST: $20 for OCC members $30 for non-members

Enrollment deadline: September 8th, 2007

For more information about this class, please click http://www.occrwa.com/classes_September.htm or e-mail moderator Marianne Donley at MHDonley@aol.com with any questions.

Online Class: Mauled Men, Drowned Dames, and Crispy Critters: A Body Disposal Primer for Writers

Hey, need help disposing of a body? (Ahem. In your story, of course.) Then, this just might be the class for you! Jeanne P. Adams, a postmortem expert, will be teaching OCC/RWA's July online class, Mauled Men, Drowned Dames, and Crispy Critters: A Body Disposal Primer for Writers.

It sounds like a really informative and interesting class! Okaaaay...I know. I sounded a little twisted there, didn't I? But aren't most writers...just a little? Yeah, I know you know I'm not alone. It's all in the name of fiction, folks. LOL.

Here's the information for the online class so you can sign up, too!

Happy Writing,

Michele

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Mauled Men, Drown Dames and Crispy Critters: A Body Disposal Primer for Writers
A four-week online class featuring:
Jeanne P. Adams
July 16, 2007 to Aug. 12, 2007

Dead bodies piling up in your books? Learn how to dispose of them the right way in this four-week online class featuring writer and postmortem expert Jeanne P. Adams. You’ll learn what happens to bodies after various causes of death, what really happens inside the morgue, information about real autopsies and all the facts about different kinds of funerals and the laws regarding body disposal.

Jeanne P. Adams is a multi-published non-fiction writer and marketing consultant with credits in magazines such as Forbes and Nature. She worked in the funeral business, both for a cemetery and several funeral homes, for 12 years. In her reading, she’s winced over a variety of mistakes dealing with the story’s dead guy (or gal.) An RWA Pro member and a 2006 Golden Heart Finalist, she’s actively seeking a home for both romantic suspense and paranormal manuscripts.

Enrollment Information: http://www.occrwa.com/classes_July.htm

COST: $20 for OCC members $30 for non-members

Enrollment deadline: July 14, 2007

For more information about this class, please click http://www.occrwa.com/classes_July.htm or e-mail moderator Lori Pyne at luv2write@gmail.com with any questions.