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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250607T140000
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SUMMARY:2-DAY SEMINAR | The Quest for Clarity: The Blueprint Method to Structure Your Nonfiction Book or Memoir
DESCRIPTION:Writing a nonfiction book or memoir with authority requires command over your material and your ideas. Learn how to focus on what matters most so you’re prepared to craft a compelling book proposal.\n\n\n\nNarrative Nonfiction and Memoir \n\n\n\nLive on Zoom | Saturdays\, June 7 & 14 @ 2:00-4:00 pm  EDT \n\n\n\nEven before you write a proposal\, distilling a book’s core is an essential first step in understanding what you’re writing about\, how you’re telling the story\, and who that story is for. These foundational structural elements help capture the attention of agents and publishers. \n\n\n\nIn this two-session course\, you will complete a mini-blueprint to help you clarify and strengthen several key aspects of your book’s structure. You’ll learn how to articulate why your book is needed and why you’re the right person to write it\, define its central point\, and craft a compelling killer sentence or early logline. \n\n\n\nYou’ll also develop book jacket copy\, brainstorm multiple draft titles and subtitles\, and determine your book’s dominant style—whether it’s an exposé\, a reinterpretation of history\, a memoir focused on family\, trauma\, or something else. In addition\, you’ll identify the structural “container” for your book\, such as a collective or chronological narrative\, and create (or make a good start) on an outline for the book that conveys a sense of momentum from one chapter to the next. It’s a summary of the story’s logic. \n\n\n\nParticipants will complete most or all of the mini-blueprint before our second class\, and we’ll review selected examples of participant work to highlight what’s working well and why\, along with common pitfalls to avoid. You will gain a much deeper understanding of your book—bringing you one step closer to writing a strong commercial nonfiction book proposal. \n\n\n\nRead more about Amy’s take on this topic here. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIn this insightful four-hour live seminar\, you’ll learn to:\n\n\n\n\nDISCOVER the elements of a blueprint that will help organize your research and ideas and nail the thesis of your book.\n\n\n\nACTIVATE the blueprint’s tools to uncover your ‘why\,’ the point of your book\, and your ideal reader.\n\n\n\nDRAFT an outcome-based outline that begins to reveal your chapter flow.\n\n\n\nEXPLORE the power of drafting titles\, jacket copy\, and other succinct elements that reveal your book’s purpose and focus.\n\n\n\nUNLOCK your book’s sense of urgency\, timeliness\, and undeniability.\n\n\n\n\nCan’t make the first session? No worries. We’ll send you the replay by Wednesday! \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThis seminar is ideal for writers who have a rough idea for a nonfiction book and no idea how to develop it\, as well as writers who have already produced many words but don’t know how to continue and have no discernible structure or outline.\n\n\n\nFor writers planning a memoir\, this seminar will help you find the focal points for your story and define its emotional center.\n\n\n\nClosed captioning is available. ✔All registrants receive the recording. ✔ \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nABOUT YOUR instructor\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAmy L. Bernstein is a professional nonfiction book coach helping subject-matter experts and memoirists to develop sellable manuscripts. Amy’s reputation as a results-oriented coach is growing\, as senior literary agents and publishers send authors needing direction and polish her way. She is a former award-winning journalist\, executive speechwriter\, and communications director in the George W. Bush and Obama Administrations. Amy is also a published author\, poet\, and essayist. Her new nonfiction book\, Wrangling the Doubt Monster: Fighting Fears\, Finding Inspiration\, was short-listed for the Eric Hoffer Grand Prize and won first place as best book of self-help and inspiration from BookFest 2025. \n\n\n\nTestimonials from past students:\n\n\n\n“I love your enthusiasm\, your clarity\, your compassion\, and your humor! Great presentation. And it didn’t feel rushed at all. I look forward to the recording.” \n\n\n\n“It’s like you got inside my head and told me everything that I’ve been wondering about for the past 6 months. Thank you Amy!” \n\n\n\n“Thank you for the Master Class on how to write a book proposal for a nonfiction book. The class was absolutely first-rate! Your approach really helped take the edge off the process for a first- time book writer.”  \n\n\n\n“Amy Bernstein is a wizard. I entered her workshop with a proverbial problem – something was missing from my writing. Within 30 minutes of her instruction\, the words came. Don’t walk to her workshop\, run!” \n\n\n\nTHE FINE PRINT \n\n\n\nWe understand that life can get in the way of your plans. We want you to be able to get the most out of your course\, and our refund policy is designed to balance your need for flexibility with our deadlines and obligations to our teachers. \n\n\n\nBefore the class\, you may request a full refund. \n\n\n\nPlease keep in mind that no refunds or credits will be issued after class begins. \n\n\n\nQuestions? Please email Info@writingcraft.com \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRegistration Info\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nEvent Organizer\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLocation
URL:https://writingcraft.com/event/seminar-the-quest/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Seminars
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250628T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250628T170000
DTSTAMP:20260517T132747
CREATED:20250522T143647Z
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SUMMARY:SEMINAR |The Self-Editor’s Toolkit: 10 Tools\, Tips and Techniques to Develop Your Memoir or Personal Essay
DESCRIPTION:The triumph of finishing a draft is soon overtaken by wondering\, Now what do I do? Get the practical and creative tools you need to deepen and polish your work to its greatest potential.\n\n\n\nNonfiction and Memoir \n\n\n\nLive on Zoom | Saturday\, June 28 @ 2:00-5:00 pm  EDT \n\n\n\nAfter the joy of creating comes the picky process of self-scrutinizing\, taking stock\, and tuning up–essential steps in the writing process. Shifting from generative to reflective mode can be tough\, but there are simple\, straightforward methods to refresh your perspective and gain entry into what’s already on the page.  \n\n\n\nIn this three-hour seminar\, learn 10 techniques that creatively (and sometimes stealthily) re-engage you with the work\, including scaffolding\, housekeeping\, reverse outlining\, perhapsing\, tic lists\, set design\, flow checks\, and runway time. You’ll practice some of these methods live\, then pick from the toolbox to build a personalized action plan for revising your work that suits your writing style. \n\n\n\nUsing big-picture inventories and line-level search-and-destroy tactics\, deep conceptual inquiries and thoughtful worksheets\, you’ll gain greater clarity about how to refine language\, structure\, characterization\, and more\, and a new enthusiasm for self-editing. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIn this insightful Three-hour live seminar\, you’ll learn to:\n\n\n\n\nAPPROACH your work with fresh perspectives\n\n\n\nCLARIFY your aims for the work \n\n\n\nAPPLY simple techniques and inventories that instantly elevate your prose \n\n\n\nBRING more dimension and depth to your work \n\n\n\nPLAN a clear and understandable revision process for your draft\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThis seminar is ideal for writers who want to refine\, strengthen\, and deepen existing CNF and memoir drafts.\n\n\n\nClosed captioning is available. ✔All registrants receive the recording. ✔ \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nABOUT YOUR Instructor\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLise Funderburg studied at Reed College and the Columbia University School of Journalism. Her work has appeared in The New York Times\, Threepenny Review\, Philadelphia Inquirer\, National Geographic\, Salon\, The Nation\, More\, and The Chattahoochee Review. \n\n\n\nHer latest book is Apple\, Tree: Writers on Their Parents (University of Nebraska Press\, 2019)\, a collection of all-new work by 25 writers\, which Publishers Weekly deemed a “sparkling anthology” in its starred review. Her previous book was Pig Candy: Taking My Father South\, Taking My Father Home (Free Press\, 2008)\, which was chosen as the Drexel University Freshman Read in 2012. Pig Candy fits into several genres—including narrative nonfiction\, memoir\, travelogue\, and biography—but essentially\, it’s a book about life\, death\, and barbecue. \n\n\n\nTestimonials from past students:\n\n\n\n“Great job of presenting new strategies to keep me writing!” \n\n\n\n“Very well organized and illuminating.” \n\n\n\n“I really\, really felt comfortable with Lise as a person guiding us…she was so relatable\, warm\, and committed to offering helpful advice.” \n\n\n\n“Lise helped me find my voice when I dove into writing to process some difficult and painful life experiences. She patiently walked me through early drafts that read more like diary entries than memoir\, and through her wise counsel\, I found a road map to give voice to my experience and rediscover the joy of writing.” \n\n\n\n“She created a wonderful roadmap to follow!”“THANK YOU!!! Loved this very thoughtful\, inspirational\, and informative presentation.” \n\n\n\nTHE FINE PRINT \n\n\n\nWe understand that life can get in the way of your plans. We want you to be able to get the most out of your course\, and our refund policy is designed to balance your need for flexibility with our deadlines and obligations to our teachers. \n\n\n\nBefore the class\, you may request a full refund. \n\n\n\nPlease keep in mind that no refunds or credits will be issued after class begins. \n\n\n\nQuestions? Please email Info@writingcraft.com \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRegistration Info\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nEvent Organizer\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLocation
URL:https://writingcraft.com/event/the-self-editors-toolkit/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Seminars
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