events calendar

Note: Unless otherwise noted, all seminars cost $30 and run 3 to 4 hours. Seating is limited. Student handouts, coffee, tea and light snacks provided on site. For seminar descriptions, scroll down or click on any seminar title below.

2009

Note: No WTW seminar in December. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

2010

Seminar Descriptions

Writing Dialect -- The old wisdom on writing dialect is a paradox: "Until you know how to write it well, don't write it at all." In this class you'll learn to write dialect like a master, which is to say you'll learn to think your way through it. Includes a comprehensive list of suggested words and spellings to use when writing dialect as well as rationale for and against using phonetic spelling, how much is too much, etc.

Creating Realistic Characters -- What causes the reader to immediately recognize a character type? What makes the individual character stand out from other, even similar characters? Why should "cardboard" or "flat" characters' dialogue be more colorful than that of more important characters? Here you'll learn to assign the character traits, quirks, and idiosyncracies that enable your characters to come to life for your reader! Includes a list of character traits.

Point of View & Narrative Voice -- We will define Point of View once and for all and clarify Narrative Voice. A lot of strong narrative tips in this one, including the natural tense for narrative, what other instructors really mean when they say "Show, don't tell," and how to immediately recognize (and repair) "passive" constructions. All of this directly from the world's best professional freelance editor... well, according to my editing clients. :-)

The Art of Observation, for Writers -- The ability to write intimately is essential to enabling your reader to see what you're seeing, hear what you're hearing, etc. Observation, the ability to sense beyond the societal, physical and emotional masks with which we all contend, is essential to that intimacy. Special focus on enhancing the physical and emotional senses. Relaxation exercise included. Attendees should expect to have their writing spirit revived.

Writing Realistic Dialogue -- Learn various techniques that enable you to further suspend the reader's sense of disbelief through the use of realistic, non-linear dialogue and its nuances. Learn the natural give-and-take flow of dialogue, how to convey the emotions of the characters and manipulate the emotions of the reader.

Writing Poetry I & II -- Our focus is on poetic techniques that are characteristic of all well-written poetry, no matter the sub-genre. The poet's task is to relate the poem itself and convey the spirit of the poem. Topics include the use of meter or not; the use and purpose of particular line lengths and line breaks; purposeful word choice; stanza use and construction; end and internal rhyme, either, or neither; definitions of free verse, blank verse, and various traditional forms; the use of punctuation in poetry; and the nuances of our beautiful language.

Writing Electric Narrative -- Learn to create mental movies; use narrative as an adjunct to dialogue; set scene and tone;, the use of action verbs, adjectives and adverbs; using narrative as quasi-dialogue; and common snags in writing narrative.

Conveying Emotion Through Dialogue -- Learn to convey the emotions of the characters and subliminally manipulate the mood and emotions of the reader through the intimate nuances of the language itself as well as dialogue and punctuation. Includes a limited discussion of narrative, the sounds of letters and words as they relate to conveying emotion, spontaneity, and four in-depth, specific techniques for conveying emotion through punctuation and sentence structure.