Find
the Courage to Answer God's Call (three 40 - 60 minute sessions)
Abraham
Lincoln credited the beginning of the war to end slavery to the
writing of one book: Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe.
Did she know, while working on her book, what would happen as a
result that the 5,000 books in the first print-run would be gone
in a week; that at the end of the first year, 300,000 copies of
the book would have been sold? Or did she know only that this was
a story she needed to tell?
Throughout
history, in the lives of Noah, Abraham and Sarah, Moses, Gideon,
Deborah, Mary, Paul and so many others, we see God calling individuals
to step out in faith for him. He doesn't give a map; He just says
"Go" or "Come" or sometimes "Stay."
One step at a time.
God
has created each of us in His image and has given us the gifts and
talents that are perfect for us. But whether our gifts and talents
are few or many, if we nurture them and use them in obedience, God
will cause amazing things to happen through us. If we ignore them,
or misuse them, we're not only disobeying him, but hiding our salt
and light from those in need of our help.
What
is the call on your life? Have you taken the first step yet? Are
you nearing the end of one journey and wondering what comes next?
Or have you reached what seems to be a dead end and you're wondering
if you took the wrong path? (Buy
this set of 3 CDs)
Find
Your Role in the Body of Christ (three 40
- 60 min. sessions)
Being
a writer is a lot of things - a habit, a calling, a privilege, a
responsibility, a joy, sometimes a pain... The list goes on. But
Christian who feel called to write also need to put their writing
into the context of who they are in Christ, understand the role
of writers in the Body of Christ, see how their writing relates
to their spiritual gifts, and develop a plan for growing their abilities.
Born
to Write (three 40-60 min. sessions)
N.
J. shares the story of the long journey that led her from being
a shy child whose biggest joy was reading and making up stories
(and whose grade 11 English teacher told her parents to talk her
out of trying to become a teacher) to successful teacher, author,
speaker, and founder of The Word Guild. At the same time, she encourages
listeners to look for God's leading in their lives.
How
Faith Influences Your Writing (three
40-60 min. sessions)
As Christians, whether we are writers or not, our first priority
is to be in touch with God and be obedient to him. If we lose track
of that first priority, we are like a ships without a rudder and
may go into all sorts of dead-ends or get caught up in activity
for the sake of activity or go off on needless tangents. So how
do we, in the busy, often frustrating life of writers, stay true
to our first priority - to have a close relationship with God?
All
day sessions or 6 two-hour sessions)
Get to Know
the Writer in You
Whether you’re a raw beginner or have some experience, you
need to reflect on what you would like to get out of writing,
examine what it means to be a writer, and plan for your future.
This practical session breaks down the complex subject of “being
a writer” into ABCs and helps you see how to make your desire
to write a reality. Lots of handouts to take with you.
Recycling Your Personal Experiences
I had dropped my husband at the airport and stopped to
buy groceries. As I got out of the car, my keys fell down a grate
in the parking lot. There I was, with three children under the
age of four and no keys to my car or my house. What to do? Write
about it, of course! Many people begin writing because they have
a story to share. This class will help you decide which of your
stories are worth sharing, how to write them, and what to do with
them once they are written.
Fiction: An
Intensive-Care Clinic
"I could write better than that!" Recognize
the feeling? Want to find out if you're right? Or perhaps, like
Snoopy, you keep repeating, "It was a dark and stormy night,"
but can't decide what should come next. In this workshop we will
examine fiction from its skeleton and inner parts—characters,
conflict, and structure—to the muscles and flesh—theme,
technique, and revision. We will then talk about that elusive
oxygen—passion—that fills you with the desire to write
and brings your work to life.
So You Want
to Write a Book...Everything You Need to Know about Book
Publishing
You just got a great idea and you know it needs to be a book.
Or perhaps other people have told you that you should write the
story of your life or a how-to book on what you know. But how
do you decide if your idea is really worth all the work and effort
of a book? And what do you do next? This workshop will give you
an insider's overview of the book publishing industry and help
you figure out your next steps.
Writing
Workshops or Single Presentations (1 - 2 hours, or as practicums
if given a longer time.)
Ten Keys to Discovering the Writer in You
A short version of "Get to Know the Writer in You."
Novel Writing from A to Z
Do you begin with the characters or the plot? Write out
every scene in advance or simply sit down and go wherever your
muse takes you? Consciously put in metaphors and foreshadowing,
or just hope someone somewhere will see more in your words than
you ever dreamed possible? We will discuss these topics and more
as we work through a novel's development from original concept
to completed form.
Taking the Mystery Out of Mystery Writing
Learn what the different genres of mysteries are; how
to do research on police, PI’s, and forensics; how to create
well-rounded protagonists and villains; how to formulate plots
so that you can create interesting red herrings while still giving
good clues; and how to create suspense and keep the readers guessing.
Creating Characters That Live On
The key to good fiction is the people. How do you decide
which characters are right for a short story and which are worthy
of a book? Make your main characters three-dimensional? Keep your
supporting characters from being wooden or stereotypical? Allow
your characters to "be" without letting them take over?
Bring a character you are developing to the workshop.
Plotting Your
Novel
Can you summarize your story in one sentence? Do you have
conflict, style, pacing, and compelling characters? Do you know
how to create suspense? How to make people care enough to read on?
And if you are successful in writing one book, how do you allow
for sequels?
Whose Point
of View Is It This Time?
It ought to be easy, right. The story is about John,
so I’ll use John’s point of view. Or maybe it would
be better if I told it from Gracie’s point of view, because
she’s more objective way. But then, neither of them sees
everything, so maybe I should tell it from my point of view! Learn
how to decide which POV is right for your story.
Writing Dialogue
That Grabs
It’s not enough to have your characters simply talk
to each other the way you and I might talk. Dialogue has to accomplish
three purposes. It has to reveal character, advance the plot,
and flow smoothly, like a river, drawing you in deeper and deeper,
pulling you along like a compelling tide. Learn how to accomplish
these goals.
What to Do When
the Editor Says. "Show, Don't Tell!"
The most common problem new writers have is telling the
reader what they are trying to say rather than letting the reader
figure out it. This workshop will help you understand what the
editor means and edit your writing to avoid this trap.
What
to Do With a Great Idea and Where to Find Another One
Some people have more ideas than they know what to do with; others
have only a few ideas they carefully keep to themselves. This
workshop will help you recognize good ideas and prepare to use
them so they aren't wasted.
Letting the
Whole World Know
Writing is only one aspect of a writer’s life. By
becoming a “professional” writer, one enters the world
of publishing, press kits, agents, interviews, reviewers, syndication,
speaking appearances, critiquing, and judging others. Nancy shares
what she has learned as a magazine editor, freelance writer, columnist,
book author, co-publisher, and speaker.
Q and A on Marketing Your Work and Getting Published
How do you move from dreamer to published writer? It helps
a lot to understand the publishing process - how to approach an
editor, how to write a query letter or proposal, how to present
yourself as a professional, and how to become someone editors look
forward to seeing again. No question is too dumb to ask!
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