Online Class Schedule

To register for a workshop, send an email to mwvrwa@gmail.com with your name (specify if your PayPal name is different from your writing name), the workshop(s) you are registering for, and the e-mail address you would like to use for the Yahoo Group.

Late enrollments may sometimes be possible. Email if you have questions.

Then pay with the Paypal button provided by the course description.

Just before the workshop starts, you'll receive an invitation to join the Yahoo Group.

Four-week workshops are $25 (or $20 for MWV RWA chapter members).
Two-week workshops are $15 (or $10 for chapter members).

We have a great selection of workshops this year:

Past Workshops:

January: Ann Schroeder, "Writing Evocative Fiction" (will be offered again next year!)
February: workshop cancelled
March: Delilah Marvelle, "Building Hot Sex Scenes"
April: Patricia Tanner, "What An Editor Wants"
May: Jessie Verino, "Fundamentals of World Building"
June: CJ Lyons, "Break Free From the Slushpile"

Upcoming Workshops:

No Matter How Busy You Are, You Can Find TIME TO WRITE!
July 1-31, 2009 (4 weeks - $20/$25)
Instructor: Kelly L. Stone

Each week will include 2-3 "lectures" by instructor that stimulates a discussion among participants. Each lesson ends with one formal exercise that participants will be asked to do and report out on the following week. Each exercise builds on the last in terms of helping participants incorporate writing time into their lives. It is suggested but not required that participants have a copy of TIME TO WRITE available when taking the course.

Week I: Finding Time to Write
Discusses a writer's innate "Burning Desire to Write" and various ways to generate motivation to make a change in one's life to accomodate writing. Participants will volunteer the obstacles that currently keep them from writing. Students will do an exercise called the 24 Hour Time Budget that allows them to pinpoint small pockets of time that they can fit writing in, which also helps them see where they may be sabatoging their writing efforts by putting writing last on their priority list.
Week 2: Seven Professional Writing Schedules
Students will report out on their time budgets and any insights they gained from the exercise. Next they learn about seven writing schedules used by professional writers, including national bestsellers like Sabrina Jeffries, Steve Berry, Pamela Morsi, Beverly Barton, Eloisa James, CJ Lyons, and others. Students will learn how the schedules work and by using their time budget from the previous week, choose one of the schedules and commit to using it for a week.
Week 3: Your Writing Action Plan
Students will report out on how their writing schedule went for that week. Next they learn how to further capitalize on the writing schedule by making a writing action plan. Students learn about the importance of pre-planning as a way to efficiently use the writing schedule. Based on the chosen schedule, participants will set at least one writing goal, ojective, and mini action step. Students learn about quotas and how to incorporate quotas into their writing to meet their goals. Students will use their schedules and work toward their chosen goal for the week.
Week 4: Dealing with Distractions and Resistance to Writing
Students will report out on the exercise from the previous week. Next we cover ways to deal with various intrusions to the writing schedule, including working around children and other family members, dealing with e-mail, internet, nosy neighbors, etc. Students learn ways to exercise self-discipline to overcome their own resistance to writing, and ways that the professionals write even when they don't feel like it.

Kelly L Stone holds a master's degree in counseling and is a licensed therapist. She always wanted to be a writer, though, and when she got tired of putting her dream on the back burner she buckled down and started a successful writing career while holding down a full time job. She then wrote Time To Write (Adams Media, January, 2008) to show other aspiring writers how to do it, too. Her novel, Grave Secret (Mundania Press, September, 2007) was called "powerful" and "well written" by Romantic Times Book Reviews. Her third book, Thinking Write: The Secret to Freeing Your Creative Mind (Adams Media, coming October, 2009) demonstrates how to use the power of your subconscious mind for maximum writing creativity. Kelly's work has also appeared in numerous Chicken Soup for the Soul and Cup of Comfort anthologies, as well as Family Circle magazine, Writer's Digest, Cat Fancy, and others.

Regular Enrollment ($25):

MWV Member Enrollment ($20):

Building Cohesiveness in Your Novel
August 10-21, 2009 (2-week intensive - $20/$25)
Instructor: Karen Wiesner

This workshop is an intensive two-week capsulated version of Karen Wiesner's Writer's Digest book, FROM FIRST DRAFT TO FINISHED NOVEL (A Writer's Guide to Cohesive Story Building). The workshop will take you through the process of using a Story Plan Checklist to build cohesiveness into your novel, and will help you design your synopsis. At the end of the workshop, Karen will provide attendees with a consolidated file containing all the lessons, in addition to the Q&A covered in the class. The class will also remain open for an additional week in which Karen will answer final questions.

Regular Enrollment ($25):

MWV Member Enrollment ($20):

A PR Primer: Promoting Yourself Before--and Just After--the "Call"
September 14-25, 2009 (2 weeks - $10/$15)
Instructor: Marcia James

Author promotion can be a daunting task when faced during the hectic days after "The Call." Prior to publication, there are many things you can do to become PR savvy. The more you know about marketing yourself--especially the nuts and bolts of available promotional options--the less intimidating it will be. Author and PR consultant Marcia James will offer tips on establishing your pen name before The Call; making the best PR choices based on your book, your budget, your time, and your personality; and thinking outside the heart-shaped PR box to find niche markets. Workshop attendees will receive the latest version of Marcia's 200-page Promotional Options file in addition to the workshop lessons.

Regular Enrollment ($15):

MWV Member Enrollment ($10):

Making History Come Alive In Your Work
October 1-31, 2009 (4 weeks - $20/$25)
Instructor: Jackie Ivie

Historical…..
Cabriolet or Phaeton….
Silk or Flax…
Crinoline or Panniers…
Caravel or Frigate…
Tar or Pitch…
Tallow or Oil…
Barbed Wire or Poles…

So many options, so much data, so much…FUN!

If you're writing/have written/are planning to write a Historical Romance, you might already have your research down to a science, but would you like to know how to find those facts that give your readers shivers? Want to bring history alive? Want to be able to write so your reader is breathing the same air as the heroine?

Multi-award winning and critically acclaimed author and self-proclaimed history nut Jackie Ivie will share some of her secrets and some of her not-so-secret methods of placing that historical novel firmly in the past with these lectures and assignments:
The opening (Historical Romance is the stuff of life!).
The Sub-genre and setting. Pick one - or morph some - and then stay true.
The absolutes and not-so-absolutes of historical accuracy.
The data. Where to find it and what to look for.
The melding of romance with history.

Jackie Ivie has been writing historical romance books for over 27 years now, with no end in sight Since being published with Kensington Publishing - Zebra Historical Romance line in 2004, her novels have won or placed in 17 romance contests, including Best First Book (Beacon Award, LADY OF THE KNIGHT) and Best Heroine (Anne Bonny - THE KNIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS).. Her books have been critically acclaimed, earning over 38 Reviews awards, and have received raves such as this one from Front Street Reviews: "A Knight Well Spent by Jackie Ivie is a heart pounding, mouth watering, finger licking fantastic read for all Historical Romance lovers. If you miss this one you have missed one of the Yummiest books of the century."

Jackie is a native Utahan, who attended the University of Utah on a full scholarship for Fine Arts. Jackie has dabbled in drawing and painting, plays five instruments, raised four children, and worked as a manager for the US Postal Service, but her absolute favorite pastime is history and writing romance set in history.

Jackie hones her craft in the great state of Alaska, where she lives with her husband, assorted pets, and their youngest daughter, who is the only thing left between them and an empty nest. Jackie's fifth book A KNIGHT WELL SPENT was published in October 2008. Her next one - ONCE UPON A KNIGHT - is due out in fall of 2009. Jackie is at work on her next "knight" book, but you never know what plot or setting might happen!

Regular Enrollment ($25):

MWV Member Enrollment ($20):

The "W" Plot...or The Other White Meat for Plotters
November 2-27, 2009 (4 weeks - $20/$25)
Instructor: Karen Docter

A Plotting Workshop by Award-Winning Author, Karen Docter.

One of the staples of any writers group conversations is the plot. It's integral to every novel, holds everything together. It's the vehicle that carries readers from page one to "The End". It's one of the scariest things an author faces when s/he decides, hey, I want to write a novel!

How many of us have made this decision, then stared at that blank page or computer screen without a clue how to proceed? What about those of us who write by the seat of our pants, the pantsers? Do we dare risk scaring off our muse by [shudder] plotting our story? How do the mega-plotters, the overachievers, know when it's time to stop and just put pen to paper?

Join four-time Golden Heart® finalist and Daphne du Maurier winner Karen Docter as she shares the "W" plotting technique she's used successfully for more than 12 years.

Karen analyzes the movie "Romancing the Stone" to show how the technique works, discussing the detailed plot points for the main characters including the villain. Throughout this workshop, you'll uncover the skeleton of your own novel. Whatever your genre, not only will you have the tools you need to finish plotting your story using the "W", you'll know how to use it to write the synopsis we all love to hate...all without writing one word of the novel.

If you've already started your novel, that's okay. It's never too late to apply the principles of the "W" to your developing story. Have you run into a wall? Don't know where to go next? Has the story gone flat? Use the technique to pull apart the elements of your story so you can plug the holes, work through/over/around walls that loom in your path, and get moving on your story once again.

This is a hands-on-your-own-book workshop designed for the novice or the experienced writer.

Karen Docter won the Category (Series) Romantic Mystery Suspense unpublished division of the 2005 Daphne du Maurier Award. She's a four-time Golden Heart ® finalist and a charter member of RWA® PRO® and The Golden Network ®. Also a member of Colorado Romance Writers, From the Heart, and Kiss of Death chapters, she is currently writing single title romantic suspense. In addition to her thirty-year business background, she holds a L.A. degree and a B.A. in Technical Journalism. To foster literacy, she's been a speaker at local Jr./High schools, tutored composition and reading classes, and taught college level English. She regularly judges several writing contests every year, including RWA's® Golden Heart® Contest.

The "W" for plotting combines the best of practicality and creativity. This step-by-step plan encourages writers to explore their characters and what happens between them. I highly recommend it to both beginning and advanced writers. The workshop is well worth the time. - Jane Choate, Published Author

Recently I attended Karen Docter's Plotting "W" Workshop, skeptical because I'm an In-the Mist-writer. But let's face it sometimes In-the Mist writers get derailed due to fog. Karen's "W" workshop lets you chart a course from beginning to middle to end, not only for your protagonists, but for your antagonists as well. Whether you prefer the most comprehensive roadmap to detail your plot or just the highlights so your muse has its say, Karen shows us an effective way to keep one's story on track, saving months of time and preventing tossed pages. - Donnell Ann Bell, Award Winning Author, www.donnellannbell.com

One of the most valuable seminars I've attended. Whether you're a beginning writer or a seasoned professional, a plotter or a panster, this workshop is for you. Karen shows you how to plot your book to avoid those dreaded dead ends or the constant rewriting that often comes when you don't plan ahead. And yet this method doesn't stifle your creative muse by trying to plot out every scene in advance. I've attended numerous workshops and this was one of the very best! - Robin Searle, Award Winning Author

The "W" plotting method is logical, fast, and inspiring. - Janie Van Der Schouw, Published Author

Karen Docter's THE "W" PLOT helped me, a pantser, really make the most of my plotting time. I was able to streamline my thoughts, come up with a plan and synopsis, and stimulate my creativity. The "W" is a straightforward, simple, and concise way to plot your books. I won't plot again without it! - Renee Hagar, Contest Finalist & Workshop Presenter

When I finished writing my third book, I had only 130 pages. At that time, I was lucky to attend Karen Docter's "W" workshop. I am a pantser and enjoy letting my characters write the story, but I needed more. After I successfully used the method, I was able to find my story weaknesses and expand it to a full-length novel. Now, I use the "W" at the beginning of the story. I still let my characters write the story, but now I know where they're going. Don't skip this step and end up with only 130 pages like I did. It's also easy to brainstorm points of the "W" with your critique group. It will enrich your story and up the conflict. Karen's made the method very simple for anyone to use. - Louise Suit, "Panster" Author

Karen Docter's "W" workshop was a true eye-opener for me. Plotting, for me, seemed to curb both my enthusiasm and my creativity, but seeing the simplicity of the "W" in action changed the ease with which I now plot. It also is a fantastic check on your work once you are done. Definitely worth the time! - Kally Jo Surbeck, Award Winning Published Author

Anyone who has ever wanted to tell a story and is dying to get it down on paper will find guidance in The "W" Plot. The plotting technique is clear, immediate and relevant to help get the writer from that first blank page to finally being able to write "The End." - Mary Webster, Author

I highly recommend Karen's presentation of the "W" plotting system as a planning technique. This system can be used by new writers as well as by authors with more experience. It is used to plot the arc of each character so that their stories are intricately interwoven. It can also be used to find the flaws in a completed work. Each character's part of the plot has the peaks and valleys it takes to provide an exciting story and to reach the character's story goal, thus eliminating the sagging middle of the book and other problems writers encounter. I find it works well for stories of any type. The system works as presented or can be used in addition to other techniques the writer finds most comfortable in planning their work in progress. Carrying the "W" points into the diagram also lends itself to ease in creating a comprehensive synopsis. - Grace Larralde, "Plotting" Author

Regular Enrollment ($25):

MWV Member Enrollment ($20):

December 2009 (No online class held this month.)

Coming in 2010:

Jenn Stark, "Pump It Up: Personal Branding Express"
Ann Schroeder, "Writing Evocative Fiction"

and more!

last updated 5/20/09 dbw