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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251004T130000
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SUMMARY:WEBINAR | Beyond Description: Creating Powerful\, Realistic Characters in Fiction and Memoir
DESCRIPTION:The most powerful characters on the page are complex and multi-layered\, and they both surprise and convince readers with (and within!) their reality.\n\n\n\nfor Fiction and Memoir \n\n\n\nNovelists create characters from nothing\, who must feel as real as anyone we’ve met. Memoirists must pack a lifetime of knowledge into selected details to show readers the people they engaged with\, as those people truly are. But too often\, writers default to physical description—characters pausing in front of conveniently reflective surfaces—or narrating our own judgements of the people we know\, rather than allowing readers to make those discoveries themselves. As an actor\, playwright\, and director\, Allison K Williams has explored character creation inside and out. \n\n\n\nIn this special 2-hour (Saturday) webinar\, you’ll learn how to use tools from theatre to analyze your own text and create stronger characters on the page. With examples from fiction and memoir\, we’ll examine how objectives\, passions\, and foibles drive characters and deepen their dramatic impact; how qualities of movement are expressed in verbs and adverbs; the difference between high-context dialogue and “stuff I needed the reader to know so I made a character say it”; and even dive into how punctuation can shape a character’s emotion in a scene. \n\n\n\nYou’ll raise your craft level and gain a tool kit to help you present all your characters\, real or fictional\, as fully rounded beings\, regardless of their word count\, and make each one memorable and worthy of their time on the page.  \n\n\n\nIn-class writing time and live editing will give you a chance to apply this to your writing right away. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThis is a TWO-HOUR class\, with 20 minutes of writing time in the middle.\n\n\n\n\n45 minutes – Learn the tools of character analysis\, and key writing techniques to show character on the page\n\n\n\n10 minutes – Q&A to fully understand and apply the information.\n\n\n\n20 minutes – Revise a scene that introduces one of your key characters to heighten the character’s impact on the page and more skillfully show who they are\, what they want and why they matter. Allison will continue taking questions in the chat. \n\n\n\nOPTIONAL: volunteer for live-editing and upload your scene as a Word doc or docx to a Google Drive (link will be provided in class\, no pages will be accepted before they are called for).\n\n\n\n40 minutes – Allison will live-edit pages shared on screen\, noting where the writer is succeeding and what revisions could make the prose even more effective. During live edits\, she’ll call out specific techniques and tips for everyone to apply to their own work\, right away. \n\n\n\n10 minutes – Q&A and planning your writing from here.\n\n\n\n\nThis webinar will cover\n\n\n\n\nHOW the interplay of passion and foible creates conflict and tension within and between characters\n\n\n\nThe “CHARACTER ZERO” of Commedia Dell’ Arte and how it relates to modern prose\n\n\n\nSHOWING villainous\, abusive\, narcissistic and harmful behavior in ways that allow the reader to judge—and why moments of “good” give evil more impact\n\n\n\nWORLDBUILDING through character action and dialogue\n\n\n\nWHEN\, HOW\, and WHY to use adverbs (hint: “in a _____ tone” is needlessly verbose! Bring on the adverbs!)\n\n\n\nThe ACTOR’S TECHNIQUE for bringing to life the most minor of characters—and how to use it in writing.\n\n\n\nOBJECTIVES and OBSTACLES\, and how they make characters active in every scene.\n\n\n\n\nThis webinar is ideal for\n\n\n\n\nNovelists with a large cast of characters who need distinction; or only a few characters who must hold the reader’s attention throughout the book\n\n\n\nMemoirists who want to write vivid characters without getting lost in their own emotional past experience\n\n\n\nCreative writing students and graduates of MFA programs who want to expand their writing craft with conscious practice.\n\n\n\nDevelopmental editors who want to grow their knowledge of characterization in prose and better communicate that knowledge to their author clients.\n\n\n\n“Plotters” struggling with bringing a character dossier to life on the page \n\n\n\n“Pantsers” who need to fill in background and personality without info-dumping\n\n\n\nWriters hearing feedback that their characters blend together\, or are too “black-and-white” and need more depth\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAll registrants receive the recording. ✔ \n\n\n\nClosed captioning is available. ✔ \n\n\n\nABOUT YOUR PRESENTER\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAllison K Williams is the author of Seven Drafts: Self-Edit Like a Pro From Blank Page to Book. She has edited and coached writers to Big Five and literary/university publishing deals and the New York Times and USA Today bestsellers lists. She’s guided essayists and humorists to publication in media including the New Yorker\, Time\, the Guardian\, the New York Times\, McSweeney’s\, Refinery29\, Hippocampus\, the Belladonna and TED Talks. As Social Media Editor for Brevity\, she inspires thousands of writers with weekly blogs on craft and the writing life. \n\n\n\nBefore turning to writing and editing fulltime\, Allison was a classically-trained actor. With a BA in Theatre and an MFA in Playwriting\, she has acted and directed with American Stage\, The Kentucky Shakespeare Festival\, Eckerd College\, Western Michigan University\, and many more. Her plays for young actors have been noted by Dramatics Magazine as top-ten most produced worldwide\, and her multi-character solo show TRUE STORY won Best of Fringe at the London Fringe Festival and toured the USA and Canada. \n\n\n\nQuestions? Please email Info@writingcraft.com \n\n\n\nFULL REFUNDS ARE AVAILABLE before the replay is sent out. For a refund\, EMAIL us at info@WritingCraft.com. Canceling your Zoom invite will not initiate this process. \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\n\n\nLocation
URL:https://writingcraft.com/event/beyond-description/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Webinars
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251008T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251008T160000
DTSTAMP:20260507T134744
CREATED:20250910T003113Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251002T114808Z
UID:10000057-1759935600-1759939200@writingcraft.com
SUMMARY:WEBINAR | Personal Essays for Mainstream Media: the Form\, the Market & What Editors Want
DESCRIPTION:Pitching and writing short personal essays for commercial media means answering Why you? and Why now? right up front! \n\n\n\nfor Creative Nonfiction and Personal Essay \n\n\n\nLearn the nuts and bolts of the 750- to 1\,500-word personal experience essays commonly found in popular\, mainstream publications\, ranging from the Boston Globe Magazine “Connections\,” The New York Times “Modern Love\,” HuffPost Personal\, and special-topics publications like travel (Yankee\, Afar)\, food (Bon Appétit)\, parenting (Motherwell)\, and other niche interests\, lifestyles\, and hobbies.  \n\n\n\nLearn how to craft essays that are straightforward\, direct\, and to the point; that focus on a poignant personal transformation; that have a strong “I” voice narrator from the start; and that provide the reader with some universal takeaway or lesson. We’ll also make sure your essays answer the “why now? ” question by showing how to make your essays timely\, topical\, and responsive to newsworthy events\, anniversaries\, and seasons—which editors love.  \n\n\n\nThis webinar will NOT focus on experimental\, lyrical\, or literary essays. \n\n\n\nCan’t make it live? No worries—a replay will be available to all registrants. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIn this webinar\, you will:\n\n\n\n\nUNDERSTAND the form\, structure\, and marketplace for mainstream essays.\n\n\n\nAVOID the top mistakes that writers of these essays make.\n\n\n\nDISCOVER how to craft personal experiences into short essays.\n\n\n\n\nThis webinar is ideal for writers at any level who:\n\n\n\n\nwant to publish in mainstream outlets\n\n\n\nstruggle finding a clear focus and takeaway for their essays\n\n\n\nwant to turn their personal experiences into marketable narratives\n\n\n\n\nClosed captioning is available. ✔All registrants receive the recording. ✔ \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nABOUT YOUR PRESENTER\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nETHAN GILSDORF is a writer\, teacher\, performer\, and the author of the Fantasy Freaks and Gaming Geeks. His work has appeared in the New York Times\, Washington Post\, Esquire\, Wired\, Salon\, O the Oprah Magazine\, Brevity\, Electric Literature\, Poetry\, The Southern Review\, among other publications\, and named “Notable” by The Best American Essays. He teaches workshops in essay\, creative nonfiction and memoir at GrubStreet in Boston\, where he leads the Essay Incubator program\,  and at LitArts RI. He is also on the faculty of the Solstice MFA Program at Lasell University. \n\n\n\nQuestions? Please email Info@writingcraft.com \n\n\n\nFULL REFUNDS ARE AVAILABLE before the replay is sent out. For a refund\, EMAIL us at info@WritingCraft.com. Canceling your Zoom invite will not initiate this process. \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\n\n\nLocation
URL:https://writingcraft.com/event/personal-essays-for-mainstream/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Webinars
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251015T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251015T163000
DTSTAMP:20260507T134744
CREATED:20250915T185718Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251009T153008Z
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SUMMARY:WEBINAR | Micro Memoirs: Writing Tiny True Stories
DESCRIPTION:Can you write a powerful\, true story in less than 300 words? Learn how to write emotionally resonant\, attention-grabbing micro memoirs. \n\n\n\nFor Creative Nonfiction\, Personal Essay and Memoir \n\n\n\nMicro memoirs (a sub-genre of flash creative nonfiction) are true stories from one’s life written with power and brevity. Generally defined as 300 words or less\, these tiny essays pack a powerful punch! With a limited word count\, every word matters. Through writing micros\, you’ll learn to distill what’s most important\, focus on a single experience\, and rely on images and sensory details to make your work pop on the page—work that can help your scenes\, essays\, and manuscripts\, too. \n\n\n\nDuring this online generative webinar\, participants will look at examples of evocative micro memoirs and explore what makes them effective. They’ll learn how to create a lasting emotional impact on readers with just a few words by using precise sensory details\, poetic devices\, and metaphor. At the end\, Bethany will provide three writing prompts as optional homework to jumpstart your writing! \n\n\n\nCan’t make it live? No worries—a replay will be available to all registrants. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIn this webinar\, you will:\n\n\n\n\nEXPLORE the six key elements of a successful micro memoir.\n\n\n\nDISCOVER how to create emotional resonance so readers keep thinking about your piece long after they read it.\n\n\n\nGET TIPS for writing engaging and powerful micro memoirs that editors and readers will love.\n\n\n\nEXPLORE how compression\, sensory details\, and lyricism increase the impact of your writing.\n\n\n\n\nThis webinar is ideal for writers who want to…\n\n\n\n\nExplore the possibilities of tiny prose\n\n\n\nImmediately capture the attention of editors and readers\n\n\n\nIncrease the impact and emotional resonance within all their writing\n\n\n\nLearn how to use compression and sensory details to make their work come alive\n\n\n\nExplore a form that can be written in liminal moments\, in the midst of life’s busyness\n\n\n\n\nClosed captioning is available. ✔All registrants receive the recording. ✔ \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nABOUT YOUR PRESENTER\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBethany Jarmul is an Appalachian writer\, poet\, writing coach\, and workshop instructor. She’s the author of a poetry collection\, Lightning Is a Mother\, and a memoir\, Take Me Home. Her work has been published in more than 100 literary magazines including Rattle\, Brevity\, and Chestnut Review. Her writing was selected for Best Spiritual Literature and Best Small Fictions and nominated for the Pushcart Prize and The Best of the Net.  \n\n\n\nQuestions? Please email Info@writingcraft.com \n\n\n\nFULL REFUNDS ARE AVAILABLE before the replay is sent out. For a refund\, EMAIL us at info@WritingCraft.com. Canceling your Zoom invite will not initiate this process. \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\n\n\nLocation
URL:https://writingcraft.com/event/micro-memoirs/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Webinars
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251022T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251022T163000
DTSTAMP:20260507T134744
CREATED:20250915T195237Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251103T193955Z
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SUMMARY:WEBINAR | Writing the Hermit Crab Essay: Telling Your Story in Borrowed Forms 
DESCRIPTION:Learn to write and revise a Hermit Crab essay from the teacher who coined the term\, and have fun generating new and surprising work!\n\n\n\nFor Creative Nonfiction\, Personal Essay and Memoir \n\n\n\nThe “Hermit Crab” essay\, Brenda Miller writes in Tell It Slant\, borrows a form that already exists in the world to tell a personal story. Like the hermit crab creatures themselves\, these essays need a found shell to contain their vulnerable underbellies.  \n\n\n\nIn this webinar\, Brenda Miller will show how you can find your own shells and use them to coax out material that otherwise might not have found its way. She will provide powerful examples and guide you in a fun and inspiring writing practice to generate new and unexpected material. She will also describe revision approaches and submission strategies for these innovative essays. \n\n\n\nCan’t make it live? No worries—a replay will be available to all registrants. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIn this webinar\, you will:\n\n\n\n\nLEARN how to identify and use the Hermit Crab essay form in your own work. \n\n\n\nDISCOVER how to select compelling “shells” for Hermit Crab essays.\n\n\n\nSTUDY the relationship between form and content. \n\n\n\nPRACTICE writing techniques that coax out new material by working within borrowed forms.\n\n\n\nLEARN specific revision strategies for refining Hermit Crab essays. \n\n\n\n\nThis webinar is ideal for writers who…\n\n\n\n\nNeed a little “spark” in their writing practice\n\n\n\nWant to explore and experiment with new forms\n\n\n\nFind themselves challenged in writing difficult material.\n\n\n\n\nClosed captioning is available. ✔All registrants receive the recording. ✔ \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nABOUT YOUR PRESENTER\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBrenda Miller is the author of six essay collections\, most recently A Braided Heart: Essays on Writing and Form (University of Michigan Press\, 2021). Her book of collaborative essays with Julie Marie Wade\, Telephone: Essays in Two Voices\, won the Cleveland State Poetry Center Award for an essay collection and was published in 2021. She co-authored Tell It Slant: Creating\, Refining\, and Publishing Creative Nonfiction  (Third Edition 2019) and The Pen and The Bell: Mindful Writing in a Busy World. Her poetry chapbook\, The Daughters of Elderly Women\, received the 2020 Floating Bridge Press Chapbook Award. Her work has received seven Pushcart Prizes. She is a Professor Emerita at Western Washington University\, where she taught creative writing for 25 years. \n\n\n\nQuestions? Please email Info@writingcraft.com \n\n\n\nFULL REFUNDS ARE AVAILABLE before the replay is sent out. For a refund\, EMAIL us at info@WritingCraft.com. Canceling your Zoom invite will not initiate this process. \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\n\n\nLocation
URL:https://writingcraft.com/event/writing-the-hermit-crab-essay/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Webinars
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251030T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251030T153000
DTSTAMP:20260507T134744
CREATED:20250919T205751Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251103T193949Z
UID:10000060-1761832800-1761838200@writingcraft.com
SUMMARY:WEBINAR | Navigating Literary Magazines:  Great markets for YOUR work
DESCRIPTION:Feeling overwhelmed by the landscape of literary magazines? Join us in this fun and lively session for answers to your lit mag questions.\n\n\n\nFor All Writers \n\n\n\nThe landscape of literary magazines can be overwhelming. With over 6\,000 journals currently on the market\, writers often struggle with finding the best and most appropriate magazines for their projects. In this lively and informative talk\, we will look at the tools available to writers to narrow down the market and discuss ways to find journals specifically suited to their interests.  \n\n\n\nAre contests good to enter? How do you determine a credible writing contest?  \n\n\n\nWhat are things to look for in deciding whether to submit to a newer lit mag?  \n\n\n\nShould writers pay submission fees?  \n\n\n\nWhat do rejection letters really mean?  \n\n\n\nAnd so much more!  \n\n\n\nGain empowerment to find exciting journals and submit your work for publication. Can’t make it live? No worries—a replay will be available to all registrants. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIn this webinar\, you will:\n\n\n\n\nLEARN best practices for success in lit mag publishing and writing contests\n\n\n\nDISCOVER ways to narrow the market and target those journals most suitable for your work\n\n\n\nFIND new resources to help you with lit mag publishing\n\n\n\nGET inspired and empowered to send your writing into the world\n\n\n\nASK any questions you have about lit mag publishing \n\n\n\n\nThis webinar is ideal for writers of all genres who are seeking successful strategies for submitting their work for publication.\n\n\n\nClosed captioning is available. ✔All registrants receive the recording. ✔ \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nABOUT YOUR PRESENTER\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBecky Tuch is a fiction and nonfiction writer based in Pennsylvania. Her short stories have been honored with awards from Moment Magazine\, Briar Cliff Review\, Glimmer Train as well as fellowships from The MacDowell Colony and elsewhere. Additional work has appeared in Atticus Review\, Gulf Coast\, Post Road\, McSweeney’s Internet Tendency\, and other publications. She is the creator of Lit Mag News\, a Substack dedicated to demystifying the world of literary magazines. \n\n\n\nQuestions? Please email Info@writingcraft.com \n\n\n\nFULL REFUNDS ARE AVAILABLE before the replay is sent out. For a refund\, EMAIL us at info@WritingCraft.com. Canceling your Zoom invite will not initiate this process. \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\n\n\nLocation
URL:https://writingcraft.com/event/navigating-literary-magazines/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Webinars
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