BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
PRODID:-//Craft Talks - ECPv6.15.20//NONSGML v1.0//EN
CALSCALE:GREGORIAN
METHOD:PUBLISH
X-WR-CALNAME:Craft Talks
X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://writingcraft.com
X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Craft Talks
REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H
X-Robots-Tag:noindex
X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H
BEGIN:VTIMEZONE
TZID:America/New_York
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20240310T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20241103T060000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20250309T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20251102T060000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20260308T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20261101T060000
END:STANDARD
END:VTIMEZONE
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250828T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250918T120000
DTSTAMP:20260507T145642
CREATED:20250805T203513Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250819T232947Z
UID:10000049-1756378800-1758196800@writingcraft.com
SUMMARY:FREE WEBINAR | Weekly Meetup: Working Through The Artist's Way 
DESCRIPTION:Creativity calls for intention and connection. Let’s show up together.\n\n\n\nfor All Writers and Creative Types \n\n\n\nYou’ve probably heard of The Artist’s Way—maybe it’s on your shelf\, maybe you’ve cracked it open once or twice\, maybe you’ve promised yourself you’ll return to it “someday.” Well\, here’s your chance! We’re gathering for a chill\, no-cost\, weekly meetup to work through the first four chapters. That’s it. No grand declarations. Just four weeks of showing up for one hour on Zoom to be writers in community. \n\n\n\nWe’ll talk about morning pages (whether you’re doing them or just dodging them)\, artist dates (how to make them happen and where you might take yourself)\, and the strange\, wonderful ways creativity starts to wake up when we give it a little room. \n\n\n\nWe’ll ask questions. Share ideas. Probably write a little.  \n\n\n\nIt’s not a class\, not a critique group\, not therapy—just people committing (again or for the first time) to bringing writing and creativity back into their routine. You don’t even need to consider yourself “a writer.” If you’re drawn to the creative practice\, you’re welcome to join. \n\n\n\nWe recommend borrowing The Artist’s Way from your local library and reading the first chapter\, “Recovering a Sense of Safety\,” before our first meetup. If you’d prefer your own copy\, we suggest this edition: The Artist’s Way: 25th Anniversary Edition by Julia Cameron. There’s also a companion workbook—but it’s completely optional. One note: Julia Cameron talks a lot about spirituality and the idea of a creative force greater than ourselves. You don’t have to subscribe to that\, but if it’s a turnoff\, this might not be your jam. That said\, it’s free and friendly\, and you’re welcome to pop in and see how it feels. \n\n\n\nCan’t make every session? No worries—join us the following week. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIn this webinar\, you will:\n\n\n\n\nEXPLORE the first four chapters of The Artist’s Way\n\n\n\nBUILD momentum with weekly creative check-ins\n\n\n\nFIND support and CONNECTION with other writers and creative types\n\n\n\nDISCOVER practical ideas for tackling resistance\n\n\n\nWRITE together in a low-stakes space\n\n\n\nREFLECT on the link between creativity and habit\n\n\n\nBE INSPIRED to keep going—even after the four weeks are up\n\n\n\n\nThis webinar is ideal for those who:\n\n\n\n\nAre feeling stuck\, stalled\, or disconnected from their work\n\n\n\nWant to rebuild (or build) a sustainable creative habit\n\n\n\nAre curious about the practices of The Artist’s Way\n\n\n\nNeed a gentle nudge to reengage with morning pages or artist dates\n\n\n\nCrave creative conversation\n\n\n\nAre seeking inspiration\, not necessarily instruction\n\n\n\nWant to explore their ideas without the pressure or need for perfection\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\nSHARLA YATES is the program director of CRAFT TALKS\, a webinar series for writers on writing\, and the former director of education at the Creative Nonfiction Foundation\, where she led a robust weekly webinar series and online writing program. She currently teaches creative writing at the University of Pittsburgh and is a multi-genre writer and experienced instructor. \n\n\n\nSharla is the author of the poetry chapbook What I Would Say if We Were to Drown Tonight (Stranded Oak Press\, 2017). Her nonfiction essay “Address” was a finalist for the 2015 Columbia Journal Writing Contest and the 2016 Penelope Niven Creative Nonfiction Award and was published by Short Reads. She also co-hosts The Writers Bridge\, a free monthly platform-building series for writers\, alongside Allison K Williams. \n\n\n\nQuestions? Please email Info@writingcraft.com \n\n\n\n \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/free-weekly-meetup/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Webinars
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://writingcraft.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/MASTER-Event-Templates.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250903T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250903T163000
DTSTAMP:20260507T145642
CREATED:20250804T191918Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250828T145217Z
UID:10000047-1756911600-1756917000@writingcraft.com
SUMMARY:WEBINAR | Making the Personal Universal: Transform Your Essays with Research 
DESCRIPTION:Incorporating research can enliven our narratives\, add resonance to the stories we tell\, and make the personal universal.\n\n\n\nfor Creative Nonfiction\, Narrative Nonfiction \n\n\n\nAmy Shea’s powerful essay in the Massachusetts Review\, “Deaths of Disparity\,” weaves personal experience\, narrative\, and research into addiction and treatment to explore questions of human dignity. What makes this essay so effective\, and how can you figure out when\, how\, and how much research to include in your creative writing?  \n\n\n\nJoin Amy Shea as she pulls back the curtain on her process and deconstructs her long-form essay. We will explore why to include research\, how hard facts and cultural context can improve an essay\, considerations on how to format and present those facts\, the balance of critical and creative elements\, and how to enhance braided research and narrative through literary elements such as voice\, tone\, and register.  \n\n\n\nClass will include time for close reading of other examples and writing practice. \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 to identify when research can serve your story—and when it might distract\n\n\n\nEXPLORE ways to weave facts seamlessly into a narrative without losing emotional impact\n\n\n\nEXAMINE well-integrated research in creative nonfiction \n\n\n\nGAIN INSIGHT through a behind-the-scenes look at the presenter’s process and essay\n\n\n\nPRACTICE incorporating research into your own writing through guided exercises\n\n\n\n\nThis webinar is ideal for writers at any level who:\n\n\n\n\nWant to move beyond purely personal narratives\n\n\n\nAre interested in weaving research into essays without losing their creative voice\n\n\n\nAre ready to transition from short pieces to longer-form work\n\n\n\nWant to explore braiding multiple elements in a non-chronological structure\n\n\n\nEnjoy studying other writers’ processes to deepen and inspire their own practice\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\nAMY SHEA is an essayist and is the author of Too Poor to Die: The Hidden Realities of Dying in the Margins. Her work has appeared in The Missouri Review\, Pangyrus\, Portland Review\, The Massachusetts Review\, Spry Literary Journal\, Fat City Review\, From Glasgow to Saturn\, and the Journal of Sociology of Health & Illness. She works as the Writing Program Director for Mount Tamalpais College\, a free community college for the incarcerated people of San Quentin. \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/making-the-personal-universal/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Webinars
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://writingcraft.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Shea-Event-Templates.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250910T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250910T163000
DTSTAMP:20260507T145642
CREATED:20250809T204401Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250904T135516Z
UID:10000050-1757516400-1757521800@writingcraft.com
SUMMARY:WEBINAR | Hybrid Memoir: The Fine Art of Flexible Storytelling
DESCRIPTION:Stop worrying if your work falls into a particular category and just write your story.\n\n\n\nfor Memoir\, Essay\, Literary Journalism\, Hybrid \n\n\n\nMemoir\, essay\, lyric or informational? Just write! Learn how combining various nonfiction modes helps tell your story as best you can\, using the most advantageous tools.  \n\n\n\nWith examples ranging from Claudia Rankine to Joan Didion to Robin Wall Kimmerer\, we’ll explore how long and short\, familiar and uncommon forms might combine to create memorable work\, surprising work\, lively work\, and work that is eminently publishable.  \n\n\n\nWith prompts and friendly nudges\, this webinar will spark fresh ideas for memoirists starting something new and those stuck on a current project.  \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\nDISCOVER how memoirists break genre rules all the time\, and how doing so invigorates the work.\n\n\n\nEXPLORE the role of curiosity and improvisation in creating lively nonfiction. \n\n\n\nLEARN how unexpected approaches and points of view—what Emily Dickinson calls “telling it slant” —deepen your storytelling.\n\n\n\nFREE UP your style. \n\n\n\n\nThis webinar is ideal for writers at any level who:\n\n\n\n\nWorry that their writing is predictable and unremarkable\n\n\n\nFeel stuck\n\n\n\nAre adventurous\n\n\n\nAre willing to branch out into new approaches\n\n\n\nWould like their work to immediately capture the attention of editors\, agents\, and readers\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\nDinty W. Moore is the author of the memoirs Between Panic & Desire and To Hell With It\, and the writing guides Crafting the Personal Essay and The Mindful Writer\, among numerous other books. He has published essays and stories in Harper’s\, The New York Times Magazine\, Georgia Review\, Kenyon Review\, Ploughshares\, and elsewhere. He is founding editor of Brevity\, the journal of flash nonfiction\, and has taught nonfiction writing for more than 30 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/webinar-hybrid-memoir/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Webinars
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://writingcraft.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Moore.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250913T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250920T170000
DTSTAMP:20260507T145642
CREATED:20250805T172809Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250913T191110Z
UID:10000048-1757775600-1758387600@writingcraft.com
SUMMARY:SEMINAR | Master Your Memoir's Structure
DESCRIPTION:Learn how to build a structure that serves your themes and propels readers forward.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLive on Zoom | Saturdays\, September 13 & 20 @ 3:00-5:00 pm  EDT \n\n\n\nStructure is often the hardest part of writing a memoir. How do we decide what material is relevant? How do we find a container for our stories that will convey meaning? And how do we arrange our memories and experiences into a strong arc that keeps readers turning pages? \n\n\n\nThis 2-part seminar will give you hands-on tools for going from messy first draft to a clear\, compelling structure. We’ll address 3 key elements of memoir structure: scope (what belongs and what doesn’t)\, sequencing (how to arrange chapters and scenes)\, and container (i.e. braided\, associative\, chronological\, etc.).  \n\n\n\nIn Part 1\, you’ll learn how to distinguish between “story” and “situation\,” evaluate what material belongs and doesn’t\, and build your arc.  \n\n\n\nPart 2 will focus on finding the perfect container for your story\, sequencing your scenes\, and crafting strong transitions that guide readers from start to finish.  \n\n\n\nThrough hands-on exercises and published memoir examples\, you’ll leave with a structural blueprint and a clear roadmap for refining your memoir’s arc. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIn this insightful TWO-DAY live seminar\, you’ll learn to:\n\n\n\n\nIDENTIFY the scope of your memoir by finding the deeper “story” beneath the “situation” of your experiences.\n\n\n\nEXPLORE different memoir structures (using published memoirs as examples) and find the right fit for your story.\n\n\n\nLEARN HOW to strengthen your narrative arc\, and which scenes to expand\, cut\, or rearrange to build momentum and emotional resonance.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThis seminar is ideal for writers who:\n\n\n\n\nNeed help deciding what material belongs and doesn’t belong in their memoir\n\n\n\nHave a complete or near-complete draft of a memoir\, and need help shaping it into a compelling arc\n\n\n\nWant to explore different structural possibilities for their memoir\n\n\n\nWant to hone the structure of their manuscript before submitting it to agents and editors\n\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\nKatie Bannon is a writer\, editor\, and educator whose work has appeared in The Washington Post\, The Rumpus\, ELLE Magazine\, Narratively\, and more. Her memoir manuscript\, which charts her journey as a compulsive hair puller\, was a finalist for the Permafrost Nonfiction Book Prize. A graduate of GrubStreet’s Memoir Incubator\, she holds an MFA in creative nonfiction from Emerson College. She is a developmental editor who loves working with memoirists and essayists on how to write and revise their most vulnerable\, taboo stories. She teaches at GrubStreet and lives in Central Massachusetts with her partner and two cats. \n\n\n\nStudent Testimonials\n\n\n\n\n“Katie is the best writing instructor I have ever had. Her presentation was impeccable. She provided an abundance of ideas\, details\, examples\, and information. In fact\, the class was overflowing with information. I have nothing but praise for Katie and the class content.” \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n“Katie was an amazing instructor. She explained core concepts with clarity and ease\, provided excellent examples and writing samples\, and created a very supportive learning environment. The class truly exceeded my expectations!” \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n“Holy moly\, this was a superb class. Instructor was well-prepared with lots of valuable and well-organized information and ideas. I have already begun applying some of the tools from class to revise—and what a difference it’s making!” \n\n\n\n\n\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\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/master-your-memoir/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Seminars
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://writingcraft.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Event-Template-from-Canva-3.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250917T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250917T163000
DTSTAMP:20260507T145642
CREATED:20250818T205944Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250911T140818Z
UID:10000051-1758121200-1758126600@writingcraft.com
SUMMARY:WEBINAR | Stop Getting in Your Own Way: End Writing Self-Sabotage and Unlock Creative Flow
DESCRIPTION:If all the productivity tricks still leave you stuck\, it’s time to stop hacking and start honoring what truly works for you.\n\n\n\nFor all Writers \n\n\n\nWriters often pride themselves on working hard—but what if that hard work is actually self-sabotage in disguise? In this 90-minute live webinar\, we’ll uncover the subtle\, energy-draining ways self-sabotage shows up in the writing life. From perfectionism pretending to be productivity to rigid routines that keep you stuck\, you’ll learn how to spot the behaviors and beliefs that are quietly derailing your progress. We’ll also explore how to recognize when you’re working against your creative nature instead of flowing with it. \n\n\n\nThis isn’t just another list of writing hacks—it’s an opportunity to challenge the story you’ve been telling yourself about what it means to be a writer. If you’re ready to enter creative flow with more ease\, reconnect with your true motivations\, and create from a place of grounded confidence and joy\, this session is for you. Join us to stop spinning your wheels—and start writing the stories your heart was meant to tell. \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\nFIND OUT how self-sabotage masquerades as discipline or diligence\n\n\n\nDISCOVER the unconscious beliefs keeping you stuck in cycles of frustration\n\n\n\nIDENTIFY the inner patterns blocking your flow\, and how to break free from them\n\n\n\nLEARN practical\, soul-nourishing tools to rewire your mindset\, reclaim your creative energy\, and work with your unique creative operating system.\n\n\n\n\nThis webinar is appropriate for all skill levels\, but especially helpful for writers who feel burned out\, stuck\, or like they’re working hard but not making progress or finishing their projects. It’s ideal for writers who…\n\n\n\n\nSEEK to build a sustainable\, long-term creative practice\n\n\n\nSTRUGGLE to make progress despite hard work and dedication \n\n\n\nFEEL BURNED OUT or stuck \n\n\n\nMISS DEADLINES and don’t complete their projects \n\n\n\nHAVE TRIED all the productivity hacks but find nothing works\n\n\n\nFEAR that their greatest skill is procrastination   \n\n\n\nDISLIKE rigid structures and practices\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\nLisa Cooper Ellison is an author\, speaker\, trauma-informed writing coach\, and the host of the Writing Your Resilience podcast. She works and writes at the intersection of storytelling and healing\, combining her clinical training and writing expertise to help writers transform difficult experiences into art. Her essays and stories have been featured on Risk! and in The New York Times\, HuffPost\, Kenyon Review Online\, and The Loss of a Lifetime: Grieving Siblings Share Stories of Love\, Loss\, and Hope\, among others. \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/stop-getting-in-your-own-way/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Webinars
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://writingcraft.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/MASTER-Event-Templates-1.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250924T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250924T161500
DTSTAMP:20260507T145642
CREATED:20250820T200311Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250918T171501Z
UID:10000053-1758726000-1758730500@writingcraft.com
SUMMARY:WEBINAR | Best Beginnings: Announcing Yourself At The Start
DESCRIPTION:Sometimes the beginning is the first thing you write. Sometimes it’s the last. How do you know if your beginning is doing its best work for you? \n\n\n\nfor Fiction and Nonfiction \n\n\n\nA beginning plants seeds. A beginning announces voice and tone and mood. A beginning establishes the writer’s authority to tell the story or to offer the opinion that is coming. The way you start your essay\, your book\, or your Substack newsletter will determine just how many readers (and agents! and editors!) read on.  \n\n\n\nJoin us to explore the best among beginnings and to discover the very best in you.  \n\n\n\nIn this webinar\, we’ll take a good look at exquisite beginnings\, as well as a few that … might have been improved. We’ll spend some time learning from Janet Malcolm’s famous essay “Forty-one False Starts.” We’ll respond to prompts and writerly cascades that will both set new stories into motion and help redirect or reshape beginnings that already exist. \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\nCONSIDER the power of false starts in your writing process\n\n\n\nDISCOVER the key to best beginnings\n\n\n\nWRITE some brand new beginnings in response to given prompts\n\n\n\nLEARN to revise old beginnings in ways that will make your work feel brand new\n\n\n\n\nThis webinar is ideal for new and intermediate writers …\n\n\n\n\nCONTEMPLATING the start of a new work in progress\n\n\n\nUNDERTAKING their final revisions of a work in progress\n\n\n\nWho WISH to gain the attention of editors and agents\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\nBeth Kephart is the award-winning writer of three-dozen books in multiple genres\, an award-winning teacher of memoir\, and a paper artist. She is the author\, most recently\, of Wife|Daughter|Self: A Memoir in Essays\, My Life in Paper: Adventures in Ephemera\, and Tomorrow Will Bring Sunday’s News: A Philadelphia Story\, as well as a series of craft books. Find her art and her musings on language and life at her Substack\, The Hush and the Howl. \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/best-beginnings/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Webinars
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://writingcraft.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/MASTER-Event-Templates-2.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250930T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250930T140000
DTSTAMP:20260507T145642
CREATED:20250822T145811Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250825T194008Z
UID:10000054-1759237200-1759240800@writingcraft.com
SUMMARY:The Writers Bridge | Publicity 101 for Authors
DESCRIPTION:Finally understand what publicists know (and what your publisher isn’t telling you)\n\n\n\nSo you’ve written a book—congratulations! Now comes the fun part: convincing the world to actually read it. Our special guest\, professional publicist Shanetta McDonald\, will demystify the often-overwhelming world of book publicity\, starting with why press coverage still matters in our digital age and how it translates into actual readers and sales.  \n\n\n\nWe’ll break down the difference between what your publisher’s in-house team handles versus what external PR agencies do\, plus help you figure out what you can tackle yourself versus when it’s worth hiring help. You’ll learn how to build your own roadmap through the publicity maze\, with practical strategies that won’t break your budget. \n\n\n\nToday’s media landscape is brutal. Journalists are drowning in pitches (they only open about 45% of what hits their inbox)\, newsrooms are shrinking\, and news cycles move faster than a caffeinated hummingbird. But don’t panic—we’ll dive into the art of media pitching. Learn how to work with news cycles\, understand lead times\, and most importantly\, how to develop compelling media angles that transform your book from just another title into a newsworthy story that editors and producers want to cover. \n\n\n\nWhether you’re a debut author feeling lost or a seasoned writer looking to up your publicity game\, you’ll leave with a FREE book media launch timeline and checklist–so you’ll know exactly what to do and when to do it–and the confidence to give your book the launch it deserves. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nOur special guest \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nShanetta McDonald is the founder of The Giselle Agency\, a boutique PR agency dedicated to supporting women\, BIPOC\, and queer authors with intentional\, story- and mission-driven book launches. With over 16 years of experience\, she has spent her career challenging societal norms and shifting cultural conversations. Today\, she proudly focuses on amplifying the voices of those who need it most\, marginalized groups who are making a difference. \n\n\n\nShanetta’s own writing has been featured in Allure\, Refinery29\, HuffPost\, Essence\, and Well+Good\, where she explores themes of identity\, healing\, body image\, and belonging. \n\n\n\nJoin your hosts Allison K Williams (SEVEN DRAFTS)\, Sharla Yates (CRAFT TALKS) and our special guest for this lively\, funny hour of frank talk about Substack\, newsletters\, essays\, and building platform by doing what you love. \n\n\n\nFREE\, all welcome! Sign up to receive the Zoom link the day before. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nEnjoy past recorded sessions here\n\n\n\nClosed captioning is available. ✔All registrants receive the recording. ✔ \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nABOUT YOUR PRESENTERS\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAllison K Williams has edited and coached authors to publishing deals with Penguin Random House\, Knopf\, Mantle\, St. Martin’s Press\, and numerous small presses. An expert in author marketing and community building\, her platform includes the Brevity Blog (80k+ followers)\, Instagram (10k+)\, a mailing list (12k+)\, and Facebook (5k+)\, with publications in the New York Times and appearances on NPR and CBC. Her book\, Seven Drafts: Self-Edit Like a Pro from Blank Page to Book\, sold on proposal. She leads the Rebirth Your Book writing retreats and co-hosts The Writers Bridge. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSharla Yates is the author of the poetry chapbook What I Would Say if We Were to Drown Tonight\, published by Stranded Oak Press (2017). She hosts a webinar series\, CRAFT TALKS for writers on writing\, and co-hosts The Writers Bridge with Allison K Williams. Her nonfiction essay\, “Address” was a finalist for the 2015 Columbia Journal writing contest and the 2016 Penelope Niven Creative Nonfiction Award. She is the former Director of Education at the Creative Nonfiction Foundation and teaches creative writing at the University of Pittsburgh. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nQuestions? Please email Info@craft-talks.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\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLocation
URL:https://writingcraft.com/event/bridge-publicity-101/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Writers Bridge
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://writingcraft.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/TWB-logo-2023-1.png
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR