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WOW! Women On Writing Classes & Workshops
Expand your horizons this summer!
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Greetings!
Summer is the perfect time to learn something new or work on your craft. Remember summer school? It was a chance to take an extra class and learn something new. Enhance your writing skills and expand your pocketbook. Summer should be fun, and so should summer writing! We have a fabulous selection of classes and instructors lined up for you. Over the past few years, we've received a tremendous amount of requests for classes, and we've listened. Some of you requested help with fiction writing, poetry, freelancing, screenwriting, landing a literary agent, or book proposal writing, so we handpicked professional instructors, who are friends of WOW !, and asked them to participate in our classroom. All of these ladies are fantastic mentors and are here to help you reach your writing goals.  How the courses work: All of the courses operate online--whether through email, website, chat room, or listserv, depending on the instructor's preferences--and are taught one-on-one with the instructor. The flexibility of the platform allows students to complete assignments on their own time and work at their own pace in the comfort of their own home. It's a wonderful experience and an excellent way to further develop your skills, boost your income, or to try your hand at something completely new! Below are the courses we have coming up, listed by date. Be sure to enroll early for guaranteed placement. Some of the instructors only take 8-10 students per course, so make sure you look at the requirements. Enjoy!
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Last week to register!
POETIC PASSION: IMAGE, STORY, LINE, & LANGUAGE
INSTRUCTOR: Melanie Faith
START DATE: Friday, July 3, 2009
DURATION: 4 weeks
COURSE DESCRIPTION: Ever wonder why some poems fall flat while others hum with the kind of energy and fire that draw us nearer as readers? In this 4-week, workshop-style class, we will focus on four key elements in crafting a successful poem. We will delve into several poetic examples, noticing how literary techniques shine within the poems. A weekly assignment from our springboard text, The Poet's Companion, and thematically-linked prompts will be the next steps in enhancing poetic skills. The instructor will provide a helpful weekly critique of each student's submitted poem, offering suggestions as well as positive feedback on elements which work well. This class is meant to inspire your own poetic Muse--from strengthening your knowledge of literary techniques to providing a bridge for sparking your own life-breathing, imaginative poems from pen to printed page.
WEEKS AT A GLANCE:
Week 1: Focus on Image
Week 2: Focus on Story
Week 3: Focus on Line
Week 4: Focus on Language
 ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR: MELANIE FAITH is a poet, educator, and photographer who holds an MFA in Poetry from Queens University of Charlotte, NC. In addition to her current poetry chapbook, Bright, Burning Fuse, which was a finalist in the 2008 Keyhole Magazine Chapbook contest and was published by Etched Press in Dec. 2008, she is the author of Restless: Relative Poems (published by Foothills Publishing in 2003). Her poems and landscape and architectural photography recently appeared or will appear in Newport Review, MO: Writings From The River (Montana State University, Spring '09 issue), The Broken Plate (Ball State University, April '09 issue), Shape of a Box (Dec. '08), The Binnacle (University of Maine), Mademoiselle's Fingertips, Emprise Review and The Iguana Review. She has been a small-town newspaper journalist, an ESL classroom teacher for international students, and (currently) a literature and writing tutor at a private high school in rural Pennsylvania. In addition to writing two novels seeking representation, her articles about creative writing appeared in RWR (Dec. '08) and will be published in The Writer (Nov. '09) and Writers' Journal.
COST: $100, which includes one-on-one support and critiques through email. LIMIT: 8-10 STUDENTS. Early registration is recommended.
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New! HOW TO GET THE RIGHT AGENT FOR YOUR MANUSCRIPT
INSTRUCTOR: Annette Fix
START DATE: Monday, July 27, 2009
DURATION: 3 weeks
COURSE DESCRIPTION: Are you looking for the perfect agent to represent your manuscript
but not sure where to start? Have you sent out queries and received
rejection letters? If you haven't had agents request a partial or full
read of your manuscript, you need help targeting the right agent and
honing your pitch and query letter.
This
class is for writers who want to find an agent who will fall in love
with their manuscript and be excited to present their work to major
publishers. Querying is not a numbers game. Mass submissions = mass
rejections. Without the proper approach, your manuscript will never
have the opportunity to be read by an agent.
By the end of this course, you will know how to target the right
agent for your material and leave with a list of agents who are signing
and selling in your genre. You will develop your "elevator pitch" and
learn valuable in-person pitching techniques. You will complete the
course with a query letter that showcases your voice and the tone of
your book, and lifts your query out of the slush pile.
WEEKS AT A GLANCE:
Week
1: Determine your genre and begin researching appropriate agents using
instructor's techniques. Includes instruction about where and how to
target agents currently representing and selling manuscripts in your
genre. (No, it's not the Writer's Market, Guide to Literary Agents, or
Jeff Herman's Book.)
Week
2: Develop your pitch capsule. Learn to effectively pitch your book in
less than 1 minute. Practice delivering your pitch during the Week 2
chat session. Continue researching appropriate agents.
Week
3: Craft your query letter. Discover the dos and don'ts of query letter
content and how to make your query stand out. Continue researching
appropriate agents.
Final Monday: Wrap-party chat and query submission day.
 ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR: Most of you know Annette Fix as the Senior Editor of WOW!. She is also the author of The Break-Up Diet: A Memoir, a finalist in the memoir category for ForeWord Magazine's
2009 Book of the Year. Her memoir was recently optioned for development
as a cable television series. When doing the agent query shuffle, she
discovered her specific technique and was signed by a top NY agent
within one month of sending her e-query. Annette speaks at writer's
conferences about how to get the right agent, and provides freelance
services that include comprehensive editing and manuscript analysis.
COST: $165 (reduced from $299 for WOW! subscribers!), which includes access to a private Google Group, support and
feedback from your instructor, weekly assignments, a weekly one-hour
chat, and FREE valuable query samples from agents in the publishing
industry. LIMIT: 10 STUDENTS. Early registration is recommended.
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New! SEE YOU AT THE MOVIES: AN INTRODUCTION TO SCREENWRITING
INSTRUCTOR: Christina Hamlett
START DATE: Ongoing, One-on-One Instruction!
DURATION: 6 weeks
COURSE DESCRIPTION: This 6-week class provides an overview of the techniques and formatting
requirements to develop an original screenplay. The lectures and
assignments cover character development, dialogue, genre, structure,
pacing, budget, and marketability. All materials submitted are
critiqued by a professional screenplay consultant and learners are free
to ask as many questions as they'd like about how to turn a story idea
into a commercial, pitch-ready script.
WEEKS AT A GLANCE:
Week 1: Recognizing the differences between movies, books, and plays.
ASSIGNMENT: A short essay in which you will identify a favorite film
and (1) discuss why it works and (2) whether it would or would not work
as a novel or stage play.
Week 2: Divide and Conquer--A discussion of the formulaic nature of screenwriting and how it can make your writing easier.
ASSIGNMENT: Watch a film of any type and break it down into each of the
four acts discussed in lecture.
Week 3: Formatting--The basics of writing a script for the screen.
ASSIGNMENT: Write a two page original scene in standard screenplay format.
Week 4: Titles, log lines, synopses, and target audiences.
ASSIGNMENT: Come up with a title, a log line, a 500-word synopsis, and
identify who your movie would appeal to...and why.
Week 5: Film treatments.
ASSIGNMENT: Write a treatment of your movie not to exceed 1000 words.
Week 6: Hooking an Audience & Not Letting Them Go
ASSIGNMENT: Submission of the first 10 pages of your own script.
 ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR: Former actress/director Christina Hamlett is a professional script
consultant and ghostwriter whose credits to date include 26 books (3 of
which are on the craft of screenwriting), 128 plays, 5 optioned
features, and hundreds of articles/interviews that appear in trade
publications throughout the world. She is also the screenwriting editor
of Writers Journal, and has conducted workshops on scripts and the
performing arts for over 30 years.
COST: $150, which includes one-on-one support and critiques through email.
With the exception of two assignments that need to be sent via U.S.
mail, all content and critiques are exchanged by email.
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BECOME A FREELANCE WRITER!
YOUR COMPLETE GUIDE TO FREELANCE WRITING BASICS
INSTRUCTOR: Nicole LaMarco
START DATE: Monday, August 10, 2009
DURATION: 10 weeks
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This class is for beginning freelance writers
or for those who are interested in becoming freelance writers. It
includes all of the basics of freelance writing: overviews of the
different fields in freelance writing, what is needed to begin, how to
store ideas, where to get ideas, how much you should make, where to
find clients, and how to get clients.
In this
class, I am your writing mentor through every lesson and every
assignment. Make some extra money with your writing or create your own
full-time freelance career! Learn from my personal stories,
information, resources, goals, activities, lessons, and assignments.
This class will provide the you with the structure and guidance you
need to receive compensation for your writing. A certification will be given to those who
pass the entire class.
WEEKS AT A GLANCE:
Week 1: Let's Get Started!
This is the introduction to my class. I will outline the goals of this class. You will receive my email address so you can contact me with any questions you may have throughout the class. I'll also discuss what it takes to become a successful freelance writer.
Assignment: Assess why you want to become a writer, how well you can work on your own, and the importance of business skills in freelance work.
Week 2: Choosing a Writing Field
You will get my ebook on the different fields of freelance writing to study. I will talk about the most lucrative freelance writing careers and how the economy is changing the world of freelancing. I will also discuss the importance of choosing a freelance writing niche.
Assignment: Choose your freelance writing niche.
Week 3: Creating Your Portfolio
Every writer needs a portfolio. This is especially important for those just starting out. I will show you how to put together a portfolio even if you don't have any clips. I will also show you how to store your work and stay organized.
Assignment: Put together a portfolio.
Week 4: Yes, You Need a Resume
I'll teach you how to write an eye-catching resume that will include all of your skills, experience, and education. I will give you a freelance writing template to help you create your own resume.
Assignment: Create your writing resume.
Week 5: Bagging Your First Client
At this point, you will be ready to obtain your first client! I will show you how to market and promote your services in the freelance industry. I will also teach you how to stand out from the competition, where to get clients, and how to find potential clients.
Assignment: Obtain your first client.
Week 6: Money Making Writer
This lesson will discuss how much money most writers and editors make in their respective fields. I will help you figure out how much money you want to make, and how you can calculate your hourly rate.
Assignment: Calculate your hourly rate and set up a fee schedule.
Week 7: At Home and at Work
I will help you find your own office space in your home, and you will learn how to let your family know when to leave you alone so you can work. You will get tips on setting up a home office, eliminating distractions, and discussing working from home with family and friends.
Assignment: Have a discussion with family and set up a home office.
Week 8: Bookkeeping 101 for Writers
Tax time can seem difficult for the self-employed, but it is actually really easy. I will discuss how important record keeping is, how to stay in a budget, and how to file taxes. A tax expert will be available to answer your questions!
Assignment: The assignment will be how to keep a space for tax purposes in the office and how to store records.
Week 9: Writing Resources
I'll guide you to the greatest resources for writers on the web: blogs, websites, forums, and more. You'll see where I get my writing gigs and I will even give you links to places where I currently work so you can apply for a writing job! I will also give you links to the best writing resource books out there so you can add them to your bookcase.
Week 10: You're a Writer!
You are now a writer and you need to get used to saying it. I will teach you about maintaining a good clientele, keeping resumes up to date, making more money, setting goals, and more. You are ready to go it alone.
 ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR: Nicole LaMarco has been a full-time freelance writer for 8 years. She
specializes in ghostwriting and copywriting. She enjoys helping other
newbie writers find success with her website and ezine, Writing Pays, as well as with her email class Become a Freelance Writer.
COST:
$150, which includes email support and feedback from your instructor, weekly assignments, and a FREE ebook, Paying Markets for Writers, (valued at $19.95). Paying Markets for Writers contains direct links to over 1,000 paying publications online! Limit: 25 students. Early registration is recommended.
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HOW TO WRITE A NONFICTION BOOK PROPOSAL THAT SELLS
INSTRUCTOR: Andrea Campbell
START DATE: Monday, September 7, 2009
DURATION: 8 weeks
COURSE DESCRIPTION: Let me show you through my intense, 8-week-long workshop how to get a nonfiction book proposal ready for publishers. This is your opportunity to gain a serious business advantage over other writers who will try to wing it. And even if your first book doesn't sell, you will have the skills and the template to apply to other ideas and other projects. You may even come up with more ideas for more books as you work through this course.
And my workshop is different. I keep the classes small so you receive a lot of individual attention; class size is limited to 10 students. In addition, you will have e-mail feedback on all assignments. Another thing I do in my workshops is to have weekly chat sessions. Yes, every Thursday night, we will meet online to ask questions, discuss the lesson plans, and talk about additional information or details that you might have missed. Chats are an important tool for learning (and camaraderie) and why shouldn't we work together to leverage our knowledge? And to make it worth your while, you will also receive additional materials to help illustrate important points from the lesson plans or that you can use to aid you in staying abreast of what is happening in the publishing industry.
This course is for intermediate level students. Try to clear your plate of other things that may distract you and be prepared to work hard. If you want results, you will get them but this class involves work and preparation week after week.
In this class, you can expect to learn:
- If your idea is a good one
- The essential ingredients of a book proposal
- What the format and overall look of the actual proposal should be
- How to write your proposal letters and the best markets for your book
- Why you must exploit your "intellectual capital"
- The nuts and bolts of the nonfiction book publishing industry
By the end of class, students will have a marketable, nonfiction book proposal package ready to send out to agents, including a query letter, along with the confidence to market his/her product.
WEEKS AT A GLANCE:
Week 1: Introduction and Your Idea or Concept, Book Proposal Overview, Titles & Categories
Week 2: Your Idea Sculpted, The Market (& Your Audience), About the Author
Week 3: Marketing Tone; About the Book, and the Competition
Week 4: Table of Contents, The Outline, Organization & Structure, Chapter Summaries
Week 5: Production Details, Promotion, Selling Points, Media, Information Sources
Week 6: Sample Chapters & Creative Nonfiction
Week 7: Agents, Editors, Query letters, Cover Letters, Appendix
Week 8: Format, Packaging Tips, Success or Return, Ethics, Final Tips & Goals
 ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR: Andrea Campbell is the author of twelve traditionally published nonfiction books on a variety of topics including forensic science, criminal law, primatology and entertaining using interactive games, among others. Her latest book is the 2nd edition of Legal Ease: A Guide to Criminal Law, Evidence and Procedure, which has just been updated and fashioned into a college law textbook. Her next book, a historical-biography about the world's first detective, will be out in January 2010 with Overlook Press.
Andrea is a member of several professional organizations and stays current with book business. Her classes always offer students much more than they thought they'd get. One of her students recently got a "very good deal," and, according to Publisher's Lunch, a $100,000-plus book contract.
COST: $379, which includes access to a private Yahoo! Group, a weekly 1 hour chat, a weekly critique and assessments/corrections done by the instructor.
LIMIT: 10 STUDENTS. Early registration is recommended.
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CREATING A CHARACTER SKETCH
INSTRUCTOR: Janie Sullivan
START DATE: Ongoing, One-on-One instruction!
DURATION: 3 weeks
COURSE DESCRIPTION: Developing a character sketch for each character in the story is essential to the success of the story. The writer needs to know who the characters are, what they are thinking, and why they do the things they do in order to make them believable to the reader. This course will teach writers how to develop their characters so their readers will identify with them--whether or not they like them.
WEEKS AT A GLANCE:
Week 1: Review character sketches, analyze the elements, and determine why they do or do not work.
Week 2: Develop a character sketch and share it with classmates for constructive critique.
Week 3: Set the character in a short story for possible submission to a contest or magazine for publication.
 ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR: I have been teaching online at the undergraduate level since 2004. I also teach faculty in the art of online teaching. I wrote and taught the entire curriculum for a 21-course certificate in Online Teaching Strategies and am currently working on a book of the same title. I have been writing since I was 16 and have published articles in newspapers, magazines, and journals. I won a writing contest with my character sketch at WritingForMoney.com. I currently write online for eHow.com, Suite101.com, and HubPages.com.
COST: $125, which includes access to a private blog group, email support and feedback from your instructor.
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We hope you are excited about these new classes!WOW ! Women On Writing ensures that our instructors will work with you one-on-one. In most cases you will receive emailed course materials and assignments, or for those with groups, you will be able to download course materials. Your instructor will give you assignments and personal feedback, and guide you through a charted course of learning. Our instructors are wonderful ladies who go above and beyond to help you achieve your writing goals. If you have any questions, or would like to suggest a course topic you are interested in, we'd love your feedback. Email us at: classroom@wow-womenonwriting.com. We'll be updating our classroom page periodically with new classes and workshops, so please check back often. Write on!
Warmest,
Angela, Marcia & Team WOW!
WOW! Women On Writing
Invest in yourself, write now.
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