Part 5 of our Worldbuilding Workshop series. Learn to build better worlds by working with veteran game designer Steven S. Long to create a new fantasy world at Gen Con.
Description:
We discuss this important subject and its potential impact on civilization. By the end of the panel we should have one or more religions (and/or mythologies) loosely fleshed out, enough for us to know what effect they’re likely to have on the world as a whole.
The final installment of our Worldbuilding Workshop. We’ll talk about writing stories in the world you created and discuss the next steps for our workshop world.
Description:
The final installment of our Worldbuilding Workshop. We’ll talk about writing stories in the world you created and discuss the next steps for our workshop world.
New York Times Bestselling author Michael A. Stackpole presents his three week program for preparing yourself to write a novel.
Description:
New York Times Bestselling author Michael A. Stackpole presents his three week program for preparing yourself to write a novel. This set of 21 exercises is broken down to give you everything from character creation to world building, practical plotting devices, dialogue development and character voice creation tools. This program is a practical, kick-in-the-pants place to start your career.
If Characters are king, these techniques teach you how to establish a dynasty. New York Times Bestselling author Michael A. Stackpole reveals the advanced techniques he uses for creating characters.
Description:
If Characters are king, these techniques will teach you how to establish a dynasty. New York Times Bestselling author Michael A. Stackpole reveals the advanced techniques he uses for creating characters of depth, intrigue and humanity, who manage to grow in realistic but seldom predictable ways. You’ll learn how to create the sort of characters that can carry whole sagas and keep readers locked in and waiting for each new book’s release.
Characters are king in literature and New York Times Bestselling author Michael A. Stackpole brings you a toolbox full of techniques to create compelling and memorable characters.
Description:
Characters are king in literature and New York Times Bestselling author Michael A. Stackpole brings you a toolbox full of techniques to create compelling and memorable characters. Readers read for and remember characters, and after this course, yours will be unforgettable, which will keep them coming back for more.
Learn to work with the material already in your story to make it stronger and more vibrant.
Description:
In writing, there are many different techniques that are rarely discussed together. Foreshadowing, parallel threads, theme, tone, character building, and more. In this seminar, these topics are discussed from the viewpoint of strengthening the story as a whole, taking a story that feels loose and directionless and working with the material that's already there to make it strong and vibrant.
Learn to effectively describe characters and settings without bogging down the pace of your prose.
Description:
W. H. Horner, a faculty mentor with Seton Hill University’s Writing Popular Fiction MFA program, will work through fundamental aspects of writing fiction. Attendance is limited. Handouts and worksheets will be provided. Attendees should bring a three-ring notebook and paper. One of the hardest and yet most rewarding tasks for a writer is bringing worlds to life. Readers need to experience the settings with as many senses as possible and be able to see and hear characters clearly in order to connect with them. However, the majority of readers don’t want pages upon pages of lifeless description, no matter how beautiful it might be. This workshop is designed to help writers bring their creations to life with vivid prose that doesn’t devolve into
travelogues or portraiture. Exercises will help attendees experiment with descriptive techniques.
Learn what makes dialogue effective and craft powerful examples of your own.
Description:
W. H. Horner, a faculty mentor with Seton Hill University’s Writing Popular Fiction MFA program, will work through fundamental aspects of writing fiction. Attendance is limited. Handouts and worksheets will be provided. Attendees should bring a three-ring notebook and paper. Dialogue is one of the best ways to move the plot forward while bringing characters to life. If it crackles with energy and instantly commands attention, good dialogue will stick with readers after they have put down the book or short story. While it’s easy to recognize, it’s not easy to create. W. H. Horner walks attendees through issues and techniques related to dialogue by analyzing some of the best examples in prose, film, and stage writing. Attendees will have a chance to craft dialogue of their own, trying out techniques and sharing with the group.
Writer's Craft: Fiction Fundamentals Focus Session: Point of View
Summary:
Learn about POV options and pitfalls and how to deepen readers’ engagement with your characters.
Description:
W. H. Horner, a faculty mentor with Seton Hill University’s Writing Popular Fiction MFA program, will work through fundamental aspects of writing fiction. Attendance is limited. Handouts and worksheets will be provided. Attendees should bring a three-ring notebook and paper. What is point of view? How can authors use POV choices to provide engaging reading experiences for their readers? All these questions and more will be answered in this focused workshop. W. H. Horner will walk attendees through a number of issues related to point of view, focusing on ways to deepen their engagement with their characters in order to give readers the intense experiences they crave. Writing exercises will include experimenting with various point of view techniques, making one’s writing reflect the point of view character’s attitudes and emotions, and recognizing problems in point of view execution.
Writer's Craft: Fiction Fundamentals Focus Session: Publication Pitfalls and Traps
Summary:
Learn about the submission process and what to avoid in your prose to increase your chances of publication.
Description:
W. H. Horner, a faculty mentor with Seton Hill University’s Writing Popular Fiction MFA program, will work through fundamental aspects of writing fiction. Handouts and worksheets will be provided. Attendees should bring a three-ring notebook and paper.
We all make mistakes, but editors, agents, and publishers want manuscripts that are as close to perfect as possible and with authors who communicate clearly and professionally. W. H. Horner has amassed a collection of mistakes and literary blunders from both beginning and established writers. The workshop deals with topics such as grammar, formatting, and style in manuscripts. Query and cover letters will also be covered, with a focus on professional presentation and tone. After the session, attendees should be able to spot pitfalls in their own work before submitting it for publication or direct sale.