Writing workshops for the fragile ego

Like most writers I know, I’m a little insecure about my writing. A part of me worries that I’ve been writing drivel all these years and that one of these days, people are going to find me out.

So, I study the craft in hopes that I will improve, and grow. Problem is, I’m an intuitive writer, a seat-of-the-pants writer. I’m no good at analyzing my own work or methods. And I’m a terrible judge of what I’ve written.

So I read books on writing, read blogs on writing and take writing workshops in hopes that some of what I learn will filter down into my subconscious, where the “boys in the basement” can do the heavy lifting when needed.

My next workshop is in April. I’m going back to Lincoln City for an in-person workshop organized by WMG Publishing and taught by Kristine Kathryn Rusch. I’m very excited about this workshop for several reasons:

1. I will learn something new. This one, How to Write Fantasy in all Forms, will be an intensive writing workshop on the various techniques used in the fantasy genre. I write fantasies as well as mysteries and sometimes, I merge the two genres. I know I will leave with some good short stories and a dozen ideas for novels and other short stories. Kristine Rusch is a great instructor and she always inspires me to do some of my best writing.

Many of the WMG workshops have migrated online, and I have to admit that I like the online format a lot. One of the recent workshops I’ve taken was Writing with Depth, one of the best writing workshops I’ve ever taken. So, yeah, online workshops rock. But there are serious advantages to an in-person workshop that aren’t available online. For instance:

2. I will be surrounded by like-minded students, about 25 of them, many of whom I’ve met before in other WMG workshops. I learn almost as much from my fellow students as I do from the instructors. These are all professional writers who want to improve their craft. My kind of people. The informal chats, the lunches, the laughing, the sharing of resources, tips, experiences, the discovery of new friends… that’s hard to get with an online workshop.

3. The workshop will be held at the WMG offices in Lincoln City, Oregon. The WMG staff make themselves available to the students for advice on promotion, audio books, cover design… anything and everything to do with professional publishing. It’s an extremely valuable “perk.”

4. And finally, did I mention that the workshop takes place in Lincoln City, Oregon? Right on the coast? Every time I go there for a workshop, I stay at the Historic Anchor Inn, which is a two-minute walk from the beach. The Anchor is a funky little hotel with a seaside theme and wonderful staff. Every time I go there, I’m welcomed with a hug and a smile. I mean, can you beat that?

These WMG workshops are hard work. Hard work. And yet, I always feel refreshed and recharged after one of them. And I always leave feeling that maybe, just maybe, I am a real writer.

How about you, fellow writers? Any favourite workshops you like to attend?

You can find Marcelle here: web | facebook | twitter

STORY TIME

Photo by Sean Pavone Dreamstime.com

     A friend of mine told me that when she was a little girl, her parents would see a motion picture every Saturday night. When they returned home, she would snuggle between them and say, “Tell me the story.” Her parents told her about the stars who portrayed the characters, how the plot unfolded, and the location where the action took place. After their narrative came to the end, she would say, “That was pretty good. Now tell me the story the way you want it to happen.”

     Writers are like my friend. We listen to stories, watch people as they pass, eavesdrop on conversations, and store memories good and bad for future use. We think about the premise, a story line, the foibles of each character, sometimes an ending that will surprise us as well as our characters but an ending that is true, plausible and inevitable while keeping in mind that an ending based on fact may be unbelievable on the page.

     Our job is to create a story for our readers that will let them relate to characters that are, funny, sad, desperate, and cruel—characters motivated to walk down the path we’ve set for them to accomplish their fictional reality. An ending that will make the reader think—Yes. That’s the way it had to happen.

     People have been telling tales since the days our ancestors sat around their camp fires and elaborated on the hunt, the wild beasts they challenged or another clan they would conquer. Stories told verbally—legends, fairy tales, folklore are passed from generation to generation—each adding their own spin. Tales are told and endure. Tales of Big Foot, the Fountain of Youth, King Arthur, Robin Hood, Romulus and Remus, Romeo and Juliet and William Tell. Legends—a starting place for folklore—incorporates history, culture and particular societies. Narratives in the Western world include children’s rhymes and ghost stories and religions all begin with the premise of a greater power before they take different paths.

     What stories do you remember being told by your parents, grandparents, and friends? How many do we share?

Bests,

Elise

Fantasy and Shadows

Where does a book come from? Who knows? To write a book takes a combination of hard work, heavy thought, ruthless determination and a little magic. To sell a book takes all of the above and a healthy serving of luck, which is why when we writers do sell one we crow as proudly as new parents.

When said book is a bit of a stretch and takes you in directions you never dreamed, that just makes it the sweeter.

My Gothic hommage INHERITANCE OF SHADOWS is being released by Carina on 12 March. Frankly, I doubted I would ever finish it, and seriously never believed it would sell. It’s set in the indefinite present, may or may not have paranormal elements and the hero and heroine… oh, but I’m telling you too much.

It’s funny – I have loved traditional Gothic romances all my life, but have never cared much for high fantasy. I certainly never intended to write any, but… In INHERITANCE OF SHADOWS the heroine Aurora has come to Merrywood, the estate of her late father’s friend, to attend a convention honoring her late father’s books. She never knew her father and was raised with little or no knowledge of him. He wrote a series of high fantasy novels that have spawned a rabid fandom, intellectual debate and a series of fan-based conventions. He also committed suicide in front of her when she was barely three years old. Or did he? That is another mystery she must solve.

Things at the convention go wildly awry; first of all, Aurora’s former love shows up, intending to write a book about her father – the very thing that broke them up in the first place. Aurora begins having strange dreams where she is taking part in ceremonies her father wrote about. His friend, her host, and his colleagues are annoyingly possessive of her. The conventioneers regard her as a-not-quite-human icon, the essence of the books come to life. And she is not the only being from the books seemingly come to life; creatures from the books begin to materialize, creatures that appear to be real and not just costumed conventioneers. Aurora realizes that not only her sanity, but her very life may be in danger… but by then it is too late to leave. She must find out if the fantastic world her father created is totally and truly imaginary.

During editorial conferences (some call them editorial combat) with my wonderful editor Mallory Braus we both found that the idea of a snippet of one of Aurora’s father’s books at the beginning of each chapter would set the mood of that chapter wonderfully. I had wanted to do this from the beginning, but had not mentioned it because (1) I didn’t think it would sell and (2) I had no idea of or inclination towards writing high fantasy. However, with Mallory’s enthusiastic urging I tried, and was astonished when the varied stories of the non-human creatures of my imaginary world flowed easily from my fingertips. So easily, in fact, that some of these chapter head ‘snippets’ were two and three pages long!

After a lot of internal debate – and urging from both Mallory and my trusted beta readers to go ahead and write the seven book series – I agreed to rein in the snippets to a reasonable length instead of completely eliminating them. However, the idea of taking on the series – seven books in an unfamiliar genre!!! – is a bit daunting. I am much more comfortable with my good old-fashioned Gothics, cozy mysteries and a romance every now and then. As I should be. After all, one most intelligent and perspicacious reviewer said I was the obvious successor to Phyllis A. Whitney and Victoria Holt!

I’d like to know your opinion. INHERITANCE OF SHADOWS is being released by Carina Press on March 12, so let me hear what you think.

Janis Susan May