Janice's Library: December 2010

Monday, December 20, 2010

PLODDING OR PLOTTING?

****Permission to forward granted and encouraged****
OUTREACH INTERNATIONAL is pleased to announce our CAMPUS online workshop/class
for the month of January

PLODDING OR PLOTTING?
Instructor: Gail Gaymer Martin
DATES: January 4 through 22, 2011
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: January 3rd 2011
Cost: $20 members, $25 non members
FMI: http://www.oirw.net/campus/currentcourselist.htm

COURSE DESCRIPTION
This class will cover techniques that will result in a story that moves and
flows rather than plodding along.

Part I will define story and explore how story connects with the reader. Styles
of plotting will be explained, then Plotting and Pacing will be defined with
explanation on layering the plot and showing growth and change of the
characters. Looking at plotting as a Three-Act Play, the Act I will be as to
the purpose it serves, proper use of backstory and hooking the reader and ending
Act .

Part II will explore what the author must accomplish in Act II. It will cover
reader expectation, purpose, conflicts, deepening the stakes, and emphasis on
pacing by using scene and sequel and positioning plot points. Plot hooks will
also be covered.

Part III will cover techniques to avoid the sagging middle in Act II and the
major setback. Act III will cover the purpose this act and resolving all major
issues with tips on ways to leave the reader with a memorable story.

Posting Schedule:
This workshop will be a three-part class with each part emailed on Monday: Jan
4, Jan 22, and Jan. 18. To allow all class members a chance to read the
material, Thursday of each week will open comments and questions. Send your last
comments or questions no later than Saturday noon. Saturday evening will close
the discussion. Sunday will be a non-class day.

PRESENTER BIO
Award-winning author, Gail Gaymer Martin, writes women's fiction, romance and
romantic suspense for Steeple Hill and Barbour Publishing. Beginning to write
fiction in 1997, she sold her first novel in 1998 and now has signed forty-four
fiction contracts with three million books in print. Gail's books have been
honored with seven national awards, including the Romantic Times Reviewers
Choice. She is the author of Writing the Christian Romance released by Writers
Digest. She is a keynote speaker and workshop presenter across the U.S. She has
a Bachelor's and Master's degree from Wayne State University in Detroit. Before
writing, she worked as a high school English and public speaking teacher,
licensed guidance counselor and finally an adjunct instructor of English and
public speaking at Davenport University. Visit her web site at
www.gailmartin.com and her blog on Writing Fiction Right at
www.writingright-martin.blogspot.com

CAMPUS workshops encompass the RESEARCH, CRAFT and BUSINESS aspects of writing.
The workshops are conducted via email only, no real-time or live chats, on a
private list. Participants will be subbed to the list for the month of the
workshop then unsubscribed when it's over. Each workshop includes lectures and Q
& A sessions. You don't have to be an RWA member to take these workshops; they
are open to everyone with email capability who wishes to participate.

ON RECEIPT OF YOUR PAYMENT AND REGISTRATION FORM YOU WILL RECEIVE AN EMAIL
CONFIRMING THAT YOU HAVE BEEN REGISTERED FOR THE WORKSHOP. IF YOU DO NOT RECEIVE
A CONFIRMATION EMAIL, YOU NEED TO CONTACT THE APPROPRIATE WORKSHOP CO-ORDINATOR
BEFORE THE WORKSHOP BEGINS.

CAMPUS REFUND POLICY—
No refunds will be given for withdrawing from a workshop. In the event a
workshop is canceled by the instructor CAMPUS offers the option of taking
another workshop or the return of payment check. In the event the class member
misses the cutoff date for a workshop, the payment check will be returned or
another workshop can be selected.

Check out the OUTREACH INTERNATIONAL website at http://www.oirw.net/, WHERE you
can find out more about becoming a member of OUTREACH INTERNATIONAL ROMANCE
WRITERS Chapter.

****Permission to forward granted and encouraged****

Saturday, December 18, 2010

the End of the Aztec Calendar theme

Permission to forward

Moongypsy Press is proud to announce our first anniversary contest.

The theme for this year's contest is the End of the Aztec Calendar using Romance, Sci-Fi, Paranormal, or Historical genres.

The first place winner in each genre in the Novel class (80K or more words) will be published by Moongypsy Press in Ebook and Print formats.

Moongypsy Press will publish the first place winner in each genre of the short story class (50 K or less) in an anthology in both Ebook and Print formats.

Deadline for all entries is January 25, 2011, midnight PST

TO ENTER:

Electronically submit the first 30 pages to MGPFB@... along with a cover letter including word count, genre, and the following personal information:

Name (and pseudonym, if applicable)
Mailing address
Phone number
E-mail address
Web address (if available)

Judges:

Foery MacDonell, CEO Moongypsy Press, Author of Laird of the Mist, The Rhythm to Your Rhyme, and The Fool's Journey.

Tabitha Shay, member of the Oklahoma Writer's Federation, Inc., Author of Witch's Moon. Author of Montana Men under pen Jayden Chelcee

Diana Rubino, Sr. Acquisitions Editor at Moongypsy Press, Author of One Too Many Times and many historical novels.

Becky Eastman, Director of Marketing, Promotions, and Reviews

Friday, December 17, 2010

Best of the Web Page

Hi,

We are now actively taking nominations for the DigiCon best of the web page:

For the Best of the Web page nominations:

1. It may be any item of value to an author so long as it's free and/or in the public domain or with a free use license for copyright items
2. A URL for link-back
3. A title as you would like it to appear on the page (if it's yours)
4. A short description of no more than 300 words (preferred)
5. A graphic - jpg only
6. The name of the individual/organiza tion hosting, offering or owning the item with contact information.

To clarify - the nomination can be anything - from freeware to cheat sheets to auto critters, dictionaries, submittal tracking - everything.

We are also taking nominations for services and items that are not free - meaning things like Super Notecard or Lino post it notes at Liniot.com (which is free and subscription based) as is Evernote, and MindMiester

Please send nominations directly to me at digicon@savvyauthor s. Please include your name with the nomination as well as your relationship to the nomination if any.

Nominations are due by February 1, 2011.

****Permission to Forward Granted****

Sharon

Break Free From the Slush Pile

\\***** Permission to Forward Granted and Encouraged *****//

The Fantasy, Futuristic and Paranormal Chapter of RWA Presents

Break Free From the Slush Pile -- Presented By CJ Lyons, MD

January 3, 2011 through January 17, 2011

http://www.romance-ffp.com/event.cfm?EventID=157

Join award-winning medical suspense author CJ Lyons as she explains the secrets
to successful pitching, tips to engage an editor or agent through your query
letter, and reveals the creation of a high concept.

CJ has received requests for manuscripts every time she pitched. She'll help you
feel more comfortable during your pitch session and more confident with your
pitch. This highly interactive workshop will help you polish your query letter,
create a pitch, and prepare you for meeting an agent or editor.

WHERE: This workshop will be conducted via a Yahoo! email loop. Email
invitations will be sent 48 hours prior to the beginning of the workshop.

HOW: Just register for the workshop and complete the payment process via PayPal.
The cost is $15.00 for FFnP members and $20.00 for non-FFnP members. If you are
a member of FFnP be sure you are logged into the website before you register to
get the member price. Payment is due at time of registration.

REGISTRATION: http://www.romance-ffp.com/event.cfm?EventID=157

WHO: As a pediatric ER doctor, CJ Lyons has lived the life she writes about.
In addition to being an award-winning medical suspense author, CJ is a
nationally known presenter and keynote speaker.

Her first novel, LIFELINES (Berkley, March 2008), received praise as a
"breathtakingly fast-paced medical thriller" from Publishers Weekly, was
reviewed favorably by the Baltimore Sun and Newsday, named a Top Pick by
Romantic Times Book Review Magazine, and became a National Bestseller. Her
award-winning, critically acclaimed Angels of Mercy series (LIFELINES, WARNING
SIGNS, and URGENT CARE) is available now and the series finale, CRITICAL
CONDITION, hits stores November, 2010. Her newest project is as co-author of a
new suspense series with Erin Brockovich. To learn more about CJ and her work,
go to www.cjlyons.net.

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Workshops at Savvy Writer