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WOW! Women On Writing
Classes & Workshops
Spotlight: Bring Out the Story-Teller in You!
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Greetings!
Did you know that writing a short story can be as simple as painting by numbers? In the article below, Karlyn Thayer shares a technique that you can put to use right away in your own short stories! Karlyn Thayer is one of our most accomplished instructors. She's been teaching for over 20 years! She's been an instructor for Writer's Digest since 1994 (and still is), and for WOW ! for the past year. We're honored to have her. If you're interested in writing short stories, check out her class Bring Out the Story-Teller in You, which starts August 10th. Spaces are starting to fill up, so enroll today ensure your spot. She also teaches a fun grammar class for WOW ! called The Unwilling Grammarian, which starts on August 24th. On another note, Kelly L. Stone, author of four books (three on writing instruction), has generously offered the first five people that enroll in her class, Empower Your Muse, Empower Your Writing Self, a free copy of one of her books (your choice)! That's on top of the class and the extra free critique she's offering! The class starts August 8th and will definitely inspire your muse and recharge your writing! Also, be sure to check out all of our upcoming classes in the section below. We have a brand new poetry editing class, World into Word: The Art of Editing Poetry, by Melanie Faith that starts this Friday, August 5th. Happy writing! Angela & Marcia  Angela & Marcia Classroom Managers WOW! Classes & Workshops
classroom@wow-womenonwriting.com
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Writing a Short Story is...as Simple as One-Two-Three!
By Karlyn Thayer
Did you have a paint-by-number kit when you were a kid? It was easy to create a beautiful painting by filling in each numbered space on the canvas with the correct color.
Believe it or not, you can create a short story the same way. Well, maybe it's not quite that easy, but with the technique you'll learn in Bring Out the Story-Teller in You, you'll find a step-by-step method to produce a well-structured and satisfying story.
The secret is in planning the story structure by following a basic outline, shown in the course. Now wait, don't run screaming from the room just because I used the word "outline." I'm not referring to the old school method of Roman numerals and big letters and little letters. I'm suggesting a brief outline that requires a little thought and will produce great results--with no Roman numerals or letters at all!
Good fictional stories all have certain structural elements in common. We don't necessarily see those elements when we read for pleasure, but a bit of study reveals the similarities found in the stories we love, from Cinderella to War and Peace. One of those similarities is an alternating pattern of story events--a success for the main character alternated with a set-back. The pattern of success/set-back, success/set-back appears in book after book throughout history. All the writer needs to do is plug in the appropriate events.
Writing a story really is that easy, if you get started off correctly. A standard short story will have a series of two or three success/set-back incidents, where a novel will have dozens, even hundreds, depending on the length of the novel.
Whether the incidents number two or three or hundreds, the pattern remains the same: the main character does something right (success), and then something occurs to create a problem (set-back). Here's an example:
A solution to the problem hit Claire like a brick. All she had to do was invite Tate to Annie's party, as her date. Using her mom's computer, she composed and printed out an invitation, sealed it in an envelope and stamped it. A short walk took her to the mailbox on the corner. (success) However, when she read the sign on the mailbox, she realized she'd just missed the four-thirty postal pickup. If she mailed the invitation now, Tate wouldn't receive it in time. (set-back) She would need to think of another way to deliver the envelope.
Whether Claire manages to lure Tate to the party is not important here. What is important is the story-writing method. Bring Out the Story-Teller in You breaks down that method in an easy-to-follow manner, not unlike painting by numbers. Give it a try!
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Bring Out the Story-Teller in  You
Workshop Length: 6 Weeks
Price: $140
Start Date: August 10, 2011
Limit 10 Students
Course Description: This class teaches story-writing from the idea of thinking before writing. Emphasizes correct story structure. Topics covered include: the value of an outline or synopsis; bringing characters to life; building a plot; viewpoint and mechanics; and keeping the action and conflict going.
Visit the Classroom Page for a complete listing and what you'll be learning week by week. 
About the instructor: Many different roads have led to publishing success for Karlyn Thayer. Her published literary stories include "From the Halls of Montezuma to Manhattan," which was nominated for the Pushcart Literary prize.
While most of Karlyn's publishing success has been in the field of romance, she enjoys writing in other genres, including science fiction, horror and humor. Her short stories have been published in Stories and Letters Digest, Shahrazad Literary Magazine, Romance Writer's Report, Best Friends Magazine, Chinook and Orpheus Romance (an electronic publication), among others. She has written many novellas, among them, Love With French Fries, Fighting For Love, Under Castle Peak, Aspen Holiday, and Stardust Nights, which have appeared in Five Great Romances, Love Treasures and World's Greatest Love Stories.
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Upcoming Classes & Workshops
All the classes operate online--whether through email, website, chat room, or group listserv, depending on the instructor's preferences--so you do not need to be present at any particular time (unless a phone chat is scheduled and arranged with your instructor). You can work at your own pace in the comfort of your own home. If you have any questions, please reply to this email or email us at: classroom@wow-womenonwriting.com Enjoy!
August 5
World Into Word: The Art of Editing Poetry New! | 5 Weeks | $165 | Limit: 8-10 Students
August 8
Empower Your Muse, Empower Your Writing Self | 4 Weeks | $125 | Limit: 25 Students
August 10
Bring Out the Story-Teller in You | 6 Weeks | $140 | Limit: 10 Students
August 19
Freelance Writing: Querying and Writing Non-Fiction Articles New! | 5 Weeks | $125 | Limit: 20 Students
August 20
Get Paid to Write: Become a Freelance Writer | 8 Weeks | $150 | Limit: 15 Students
August 22
How to Get the RIGHT Agent for Your Manuscript | 4 Weeks | $299 | Limit: 10 Students
August 24
The Unwilling Grammarian | 4 Weeks | $140 | Limit: 10 Students
August 29
Write From Your Soul: Memoir Workshop | 6 Weeks | $249 | Limit: 10 Students
August 30
Blogging 101 | 5 Weeks | $125 | Limit: 20 Students
August 31
Independent Publishing: The Definitive Course On Achieving Self-Publishing Excellence and Profitability New! | 6 Weeks | $175 | Limit: 10 Students
September 3
How to Write a Craft Book New! | 5 Weeks | $175 | Limit: 15 Students
September 5
Literary Devices: Fiction Writing Workshop New! | 8 Weeks | $175 | Limit: 8-10 Students
Introduction to the Craft of Screenwriting | 6 Weeks | $150 | Limit: 10 Students
Introduction to Playwriting | 6 Weeks | $175 | Limit: 10 Students
September 6
Mastering Point of View (POV) | 8 Weeks | $150 | Limit: 15 Students
September 12
Creating an Effective Book Business Plan | 4 Weeks | $125 | Limit: 15 Students
September 14
Social Networking for Writers: Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and More! | 4 Weeks | $100 | Limit: 20 Students
October 28
Intro to Book Reviewing | 4 Weeks | $100 | Limit: 16 Students
Click here to see all of our upcoming workshops |
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