Sharing a Couple of Things Today

The week has definitely gotten away from me, so today's blog post is going to be a quick one. 

First, I want to share the news that, due to popular demand, we're revving up the publication schedule for my back list and all the Dancing on Coals workshops, We'll be doing one workshop and one work of fiction every month until all the workshops and the books on my back list I can re-release are available. 

To that end, one of my most popular workshops is now available on Kindle. 

Why, Why, Why? Mastering Character Motivation is a writing craft workshop focused on helping you create strong, realistic motivation for the characters in your novels.

Motivation is one of the key elements of any novel. Strong, believable motivation can drive your story from page one to the final scene, while weak or unrealistic motivation can be the kiss of death. In this workshop, we discuss how to avoid clichéd and contrived motivations and how to build on your basic characterization to create characters that actively push your story forward. We also tackle that dreaded nemesis of so many writers—author intrusion. 

This is a great follow-up to Creating Characters with Character, our workshop on characterization, but can also stand alone, especially if you've already some preliminary work with your characters. This workshop has been presented in part at various writer’s conferences, including Romance Writers of America annual conference in Washington, D.C. (2009) and an excerpt from it was published as an article in RWA’s trade journal, Romance Writers Report.

I haven't decided which workshop will come next. I'm trying to decide between Plotting the Organic Way, Avoiding Author Intrusion, and Dodging the Dreaded Saggy Middle.  I'm going to be conducting a poll on the Dancing on Coals Facebook page on Friday, so please stop by and offer your opinion. 

Also, for those new here, I'm featuring one book every week from my back list of books still available for purchase. This week's Book of the Week is: 

Picture Perfect 

(originally published as Call Me Mom)  

You can read an excerpt here and also find buying information if you'd like to pick up a copy. 

I think that's it for today. Hope everyone has a fabulous week! 

Writing Powerhouse Scenes

Just a quick heads' up for those who are interested! I'll be teaching a workshop on Writing Powerhouse Scenes at Savvy Authors in January.

Today's market requires that writers keep scenes immediate so readers can be "in the moment" with the characters in your book. Yet writing scenes that happen in the moment is often difficult to do. Too often, we end up with scenes in which there's a delay between the action and the page, or with scenes in which the author resorts to "telling" to explain what just happened. 

In this workshop we'll talk about enhancing scene structure using its basic elements of goal, conflict and disaster in various ways that will keep the reader on the same page as the characters all the way through. The discussions and personalized feedback on your own work-in-progress will help you build powerhouse scenes that never leave the reader (or the editor) feeling left out -- even for a second!

WHEN:	Jan 3, 2011 - Jan 31, 2011
COST:	$15 for Premium Members $25 for Basic Members

For more information or to register, click here to visit Savvy Authors

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from the blog On My Mind Today

Creating Compelling Characters

It's that time again! Registration is open for March's workshop on creating compelling characters. March 2 - 27, 2009

Registration Fee: $40

CREATING COMPELLING CHARACTERS: From hero and heroine to protagonist and antagonist, from main characters to sidekicks and walk-ons, you'll learn the art and craft of breathing life into the people who walk the pages of your manuscript. Learn how to discover your characters' motivations and conflicts, and how to add those little touches that take characters from ordinary to extraordinary.

In this workshop you'll learn:

• How to discover what moves your characters
• How to learn what your characters value
• How to identify the conflicts your characters face
• How to conduct character interviews
• How to see the world through your characters' eyes so you can adequately portray that on the page.
• How to create a strong, interesting character arc

Workshops are conducted through Yahoo! Groups listservs, so discussions are delivered into your e-mail in-box. Each lesson contains an exercise geared to let you practice the tools of your craft on your own work in progress, and you'll get in-depth feedback on each exercise you submit. In addition, your registration fee entitles you to a 20-page in-depth critique of your actual manuscript. Email Sherry (sherry@dancingoncoals.com) for more information or click here to register. _______________________________

Copyright © 2009 Sherry Lewis