The Adventure Begins!

Okay, so I didn't quite make my goal of getting this book online by October 31 of this year. One thing I've learned about goals is that it's unproductive to spend time on regrets, Wouldas, shouldas and couldas can eat a person alive. 

So yesterday I uploaded my first work of fiction onto Amazon and thus begins the real adventure into self-publishing. Earlier this year, I put up one of my workshops for writers and that's been selling pretty well so far. My next project will be to get another workshop on Amazon. But my first love is writing fiction, so in my head this is where it really starts to count.

Oh, I know I'm a bit late coming to the indie dance, but I'm here now and that's what matters, right? Not only is this the first work of fiction I'm publishing on my own, it is literally my first work of fiction. It's the book that started it all when I got an offer from a publisher back in 1993. No Place for Secrets is the book that launched my publishing career 20 years ago, so it will always have a special place in my heart.

In an effort to figure out the world of independent publishing, I've spent time researching and reading what others who've gone this route have already learned. I've weighed the pros and cons of every choice and then I've tried not to agonize over the choices I've made. I thought about changing up the titles, but after brainstorming new titles for several weeks, I finally decided to stick with the original ones. I found a slew of titles I liked, but none that worked for good old Fred, Doc, Enos, and Margaret.

Over the past few weeks, I read through the manuscript again and made some minor revisions. I thought about updating the story and making it more current, but at the request of readers I opted to leave Fred and his friends in the mid-1990s where they belong. In fact, other than shaving off a few of the rough edges I found in my writing style, I left the story alone.

So it's up there on Amazon and now it's time to step back and let the story do the work. If this series is new to you, I hope you'll give Fred and the good folks of Cutler a try. If you're one of the many readers who considers these characters friends, I hope you'll enjoy going back to visit them as much as I did.

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

The Selling Synopsis

February 2 - 27, 2009

Registration Fee: $40 (includes critique)

For more information, or to register, go to DancingOnCoals

THE SELLING SYNOPSIS: A synopsis is one of the most valuable tools in your writer’s toolbox, but to write a successful one, we need to shift gears and forget almost everything we've learned about writing a great novel. Learn how to show editors and agents that you can put together a compelling story filled with sympathetic characters. That you understand motivation and know how to work with and layer conflict.

In this workshop you'll learn:

How to format your synopsis

How to decide what to include and what to leave out

How to write a functional query letter

How to establish conflict

How to present motivation

How to pace your synopsis to keep the editor hooked

Finding the Groove

Soooo. I was going to have all this time on my hands after my term as president of RWA ended on November 1. That was the plan. I even signed up for NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) as a way to get myself back in the groove. (See the little word counter bar up at the top of my blog.) I got a good start on NaNo, too. But then I'd agreed to teach a Master Class at WriterUniv for the first two weeks of November, and I really wanted to give the people who signed up for the workshop the time, attention, and energy they deserved for their registration fee. And I'd agreed to judge contest entries for a couple of RWA chapters, and my own writing ground to a halt so I could meet my other obligations. Don't worry, I told myself repeatedly. You'll have plenty of time to write once the workshop is over and the contest entries are sent back. That was the plan! But then the copy edits arrived for my next book, and I really, really wanted to get it done and back to my editor before my December 1 deadline. So I told myself, don't worry. You'll have plenty of time to write once the copy edits are done. That was the plan! Today, everything was finished. My manuscript was back on my editor's desk, the contest entries had all been returned, the workshop was finished. Nothing to keep me from writing now ... right? Well, except that I really did want to get my workshop website updated and back in working order. I stopped teaching online while I served on the RWA board, but I'm ready to get back to it in January, and I really needed to get the website up and running again. I think it's all ready to go now. We'll be back in business on January 5, starting with one of my personal favorite workshops on Motivation. If you're interested, check out the schedule at Dancing On Coals. Most of the workshops I offer are four weeks long, and all of them include a critique of pages from your manuscript. I've played around ad nauseum with the registration forms and payment options pages, and I think they're all working. If you run into a problem, please let me know! So now, tomorrow, I should be able to write ... right?

Mastering Scene & Sequel

Just a quick heads up that I'll be teaching a course on Mastering Scene & Sequel at WriterUniv.com in a couple of weeks. Come and check it out! November 3-15, 2008 MASTER CLASS: "Mastering Scene & Sequel" by Sherry Lewis Registration $55 at www.WriterUniv.com/ Prerequisite: Must have a completed manuscript ready to submit You've heard about scene and sequel, and the idea of using it makes sense -- but can you use scene and sequel and still maintain the fluid style of writing you prefer? Will using scene and sequel box you in, or can you still fly by the seat of your pants? Learn how to use scene and sequel to create powerful scenes while maintaining your own artistic integrity. By taking this course you'll learn how to: * Identify the anatomy of scene and sequel * Use scene/sequel structure to build tension and highlight conflict * Use it to drive your story from scene to scene * Create hooks that keep the reader turning pages * Make characterization, motivation & conflict work together powerfully * Decide what to include and leave out of your manuscript * Avoid wandering off your story's path * Tailor scene-sequel to fit your writing style and unique story Sherry Lewis is an award-winning, bestselling author, writing teacher and writing coach for both published and aspiring writers. She has been using scene and sequel techniques in her own work since 1992, and teaching it to others around the country and online for more than 15 years. Read more about her at www.sherrylewisbooks.com.