September 21, 2024

Creating a Living Setting

Settings are more than time or just a location to plop down your book’s characters. A setting can be a living, breathing entity, whether it’s a small town or a brand-new world. Settings limit or expand possibilities for your characters, are a catalyst for change, act as a pain trigger, or provide comfort. The possibilities are endless.

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This is a deep dive into the craft of using time and place to enhance the story’s depth and give readers a true sense of what your characters are experiencing.

October 12, 2024

Writing the Seasoned Romance

Romance readers are growing older, and so are the characters in the genre they love. This workshop will take you through the ins and outs of writing a seasoned romance, from the physical realities of age to the subtleties of the older mindset. See how publishers are starting to embrace romances with more mature characters.​

Topics covered will include both craft and marketing so authors can explore issues surrounding bringing their later-in-life romances to the page.

November 2, 2024

Realistic Characters

Have you ever wondered how to create characters your readers love and can’t get enough of? Discover why characters that reflect real people—be they seasoned, plus-sized, or the guy or girl next door—are key to building strong reader connections.

Explore traits that make a character genuine, relatable, and unforgettable; using tried and true archetypes coupled with tools meant to develop your strengths as an author, you can expand your audience and ensure that your books end up on the keeper shelf.