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WOW! Women On Writing
Classes & Workshops
Spotlight: Literary Devices
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Writers,
During this busy time of year, most of us are operating at warp speed to get everything done. We know it's better to slow things down a bit, for our own sanity and to enjoy the season. As a writer, your story's pace can sometimes run away from you, too. And like life, slowing the pace down can create a more enjoyable experience for the reader.
Fortunately, you can use literary devices to solve pacing issues (and to create a multi-dimensional story). Author and instructor Gila Green is our resident queen of lit devices, and she's offering her writing workshop at the start of the New Year. Find out why so many students say they've increased their confidence and skills as writer from taking Gila's classes.
Literary Devices Writing Workshop starts Monday, January 7, 2013 and is limited to 10 students. This class is suitable for anyone working on a novel, short story, memoir, essay or life story. You'll go beyond the simile and metaphor and learn how to layer your writing with literary devices. Through short readings and in-class assignments, you will learn how to create suspense, tension, change the pace, deepen and control your writing through the use of devices from repetition to personification. Enrollment includes email support and feedback from the instructor, weekly assignments and critiques.
Past students of the course may sign up for Literary Devices Writing Workshop II, also starting on January 7, 2013.
In the article below, Gila explains how to use indirect writing when you want to create threatening, exciting, suspense-driven scenes. Find out what a left-branching sentence is, and why you want to know about it!
Also, be sure to check out our new 2013 class schedule, which is listed on our web site. Early January classes include How to Write Children's Picture Books and Get Published (Jan 5), Writing Your Novel from the Ground Up: The Early Draft (Jan 7), Creating and Building Your Author Online Presence (Jan 7), Time to Write (Jan 7), Write from Your Soul: Memoir Workshop (Jan 7), and many more!
Write On!
Marcia & Angela
Marcia & Angela Classroom Managers WOW! Classes & Workshops
[email protected] |
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Does Your Story Have a Case of Runaway Pace?
By Gila Green
Have you ever seen any of these comments in the margins of your work?
- Slow down
- Uneven
- Lacks climax
- Flat
If you answered "yes," you should immediately browse through your writer's toolbox of literary devices for pacing solutions--specifically, how to slow the pace down.
One device many writers threw out of their toolboxes long ago was indirect writing. Most of us were told by everyone from our high school English teachers to published writers in creative writing programs that direct writing is good writing and indirect writing is bad writing. That's often true. But completely eliminating indirect writing is also a surefire way for many writers to ruin the pace of their work. They write each line so directly that the story is over before it begins; there is never any time to savor the scene, in particular the climax or mini climaxes; there is no hair-standing-on-end time; and no goose-bumps-down-the-arms moments because the piece is just too, well, direct.
If slowing down the pace is a stumbling block for you, try indirect writing when you want to create threatening, exciting, suspense-driven scenes and most definitely when you approach mini climaxes or climaxes. One way to do this is with left-branching sentences.
What are left-branching sentences? Here's an example of what they are not. Often, the clearest method of written communication is subject-verb-object, with any details (clauses and sub-clauses) you want to throw in coming afterwards.
For example: Jennifer swallows the last copy of the code before she takes one final look at the gleaming diamond, reaches out her trembling fingers, turns the dial, waits for the click of the miniature door and locks the priceless jewel in the safe. This is a classic right-branching sentence. The sentence leans or branches out to the right and I'm sure you'd agree it is clear because I used the subject (Jennifer)-verb (swallows)-object (code) formula.
As the writer, I can move on without any fear of the editor's red pen. But wait. What if this sentence appears towards the climax of a story in any genre? Might a "yawn" or "anti-climax" comment show up in the margins? The answer is, yes.
Here's the same sentence when it is left-branching: Jennifer takes one final look at the gleaming diamond, reaches out her trembling fingers, turns the dial, waits for the click of the miniature door and locks the priceless jewel in the safe before she swallows the last copy of the code. This indirect or left-branching sentence builds tension and creates excitement because it slows down the pace of the story; I forced you to wait to find out what happened to that irreplaceable code.
The next time your pace is running away from you, lean those lines before the climax to the left and watch those glaring red editor's notes disappear.
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Literary Devices Writing Workshop
Instructor: Gila Green
Workshop Length: 8 Weeks Price: $175 Start Date: January 7, 2013 Limit 8-10 Students
Course Description: In this course we will go beyond the simile and metaphor and learn how to layer our writing with literary devices. Through short readings and in-class assignments, you will learn how to create suspense, tension, change the pace, deepen and control your writing through the use of devices from repetition to personification. This class is suitable for anyone working on a novel, short story, memoir, essay or life story.
Course objectives: - To add layers to your writing and take your work beyond a flat two-dimensional offering.
- To encourage you to expand your writer's toolbox beyond the simile and metaphor and become comfortable with repetition, juxtaposition, foreshadowing and more.
- To increase your confidence and skills as a writer.
- To understand the link between literary elements such as pace, tension and tone and literary devices.
Visit the Classroom Page for a complete listing of what you'll be learning week by week and instructor testimonials. Note: Students who have already completed Literary Devices may sign up for Literary Devices Writing Workshop II. About the Instructor: Gila Green grew up in Ottawa, Canada and moved to Israel in 1994. Her futuristic satire, King of the Class, will be released in spring 2013 (Now or Never Publishing). Her stories have appeared in tens of literary magazines in the U.S.A., Canada, Australia, Israel, and Hong Kong. Her short story collection, White Zion, is a finalist for the Doris Bakwin Award (Carolina Wren Press, 2008). Her stories have been short listed for WordSmitten's TenTen Fiction Contest (2008); The Walrus Literary Award (2006/7); the Eric Hoffer Best New Writing Award (2008) and the Ha'aretz Short Fiction Award (Tel Aviv, 2006). Gila has an MA in Creative Writing from Bar Ilan University (Israel) and a Bachelor of Journalism degree from Carleton University (Ottawa, Canada).
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Upcoming Classes & Workshops
Below are some classes and workshops that are starting soon. Click on the links to be taken to a full listing that includes a week-by-week curriculum, testimonials, instructor bio, and more. Keep in mind that most class sizes are limited, so the earlier you register the better.
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: [email protected] Enjoy!
Starts Every Friday (Self-Study Course) by Deana Riddle: Independent Publishing: How to Start Your Own Self-Publishing Business | $99 or $150 with 1 Hour Phone Consultation
Starts the First Tuesday of Every Month: (Next class: January 1) Introduction to the Craft of Screenwriting | 6 Weeks | $150 | Limit: 10 Students | Instructor: Christina Hamlett
Introduction to Playwriting | 6 Weeks | $175 | Limit: 10 Students | Instructor: Christina Hamlett
How to Write a TV Pilot | 4 Weeks | $150 | Limit: 10 Students | Instructor: Christina Hamlett
Starts the Third Friday of Every Month: (Next class: December 21) Get Paid to Write! Become a Freelance Writer | 8 Weeks | $150 | Limit: 15 Students | Instructor: Nicky LaMarco
Published in 90 Days | 12 Weeks | $299 | Limit: 10 Students | Instructor: Deana Riddle
January 5, 2013
How to Write Children's Picture Books and Get Published | 6 Weeks | $175 | Limit: 10 Students | Instructor: Lynne Garner
5 Picture Books in 5 Weeks (Advanced Course) | 6 Weeks | $175 | Limit: 10 Students | Instructor: Lynne Garner
How to Write a Hobby Based How to Book | 6 Weeks | $175 | Limit: 10 Students | Instructor: Lynne Garner
January 7, 2013
Writing Your Novel From the Ground Up: The Early Draft NEW! | 8 Weeks | $195 | Limit: 10 Students | Instructor: Diane O'Connell and Renate Reimann, PhD
Creating and Building Your Author Online Presence: Website Creation to Beyond Book Sales | 6 Weeks | $125 SALE! (New Year's Special! Normally $150) | Limit: 10 Students | Instructor: Karen Cioffi
No Matter How Busy You Are, You Can Still Find Time to Write! | 4 Weeks | $50 SALE! (New Year's Special of $75 off! Normally $125) | Limit: 25 Students | Instructor: Kelly L. Stone
Literary Devices Workshop | 8 Weeks | $175 | Limit: 10 Students | Instructor: Gila Green
Literary Devices Workshop II | 8 Weeks | $175 | Limit: 10 Students | Instructor: Gila Green
Write from Your Soul: Memoir Workshop | 6 Weeks | $249 | Limit: 10 Students | Instructor: Annette Fix
January 8, 2013
FREE TELESEMINAR: Show VS Tell and Overwriting in Children's Fiction NEW! | 4:00 pm PST, 5:00 pm MT, 6:00 pm CST, 7:00 pm EST | FREE | Instructor: Margo L. Dill
January 11, 2013
Memory Power! Crafting Fierce Flash Nonfiction NEW! | 5 Weeks | $175 | Limit: 10 Students | Instructor: Melanie Faith
January 14, 2013
How to Get the Right Literary Agent for Your Manuscript | 4 Weeks | $249 SALE! (New Year's Special! Normally $299) | Limit: 10 Students | Instructor: Annette Fix
January 22, 2013 Writing a Children's or Young Adult Novel NEW! | 4 Weeks | $100 | Limit: 20 Students | Instructor: Margo L. Dill February 4, 2013 Writing Nonfiction for Children and Young Adults NEW! | 8 Weeks | $175 SALE! (First Time Sale! Normally $200) | Limit: 20 Students | Instructor: Sue Bradford Edwards February 6, 2013 Bring Out the Story-Teller In You | 6 Weeks | $140 | Limit: 10 Students | Instructor: Karlyn Thayer February 18, 2013 Journey Through Life's Losses | 4 Weeks | $125 | Limit: 10 Students | Instructor: Alice J. Wisler February 20, 2013 The Unwilling Grammarian | 4 Weeks | $140 | Limit: 10 Students | Instructor: Karlyn Thayer March 4, 2013 Writing Your Novel From the Ground Up: The Final Draft NEW! | 8 Weeks | $195 | Limit: 10 Students | Instructor: Diane O'Connell and Renate Reimann, PhD Writing for Children: How to Get Started and Take Hold of Your Career | 4 Weeks | $75 SALE! (Sale! Normally $100) | Limit: 20 Students | Instructor: Margo L. Dill
Empower Your Muse, Empower Your Writing Self | 4 Weeks | $50 SALE! (Sale of $75 off! Normally $125) | Limit: 25 Students | Instructor: Kelly L. Stone March 22, 2013
Click here to see all of our upcoming workshops
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