Planning Your Novel Workshop

Presented by Janice Hardy. Sponsored by Up In Cumming Writer's group.

In this half-day workshop, you’ll take your novel idea and develop it into a working plan or outline to guide you through the month (and beyond). Whether you're a plotter, puzzler, or a pantser, you'll learn techniques to flesh out your story and craft the right turning points to keep you focused and writing.
 
The workshop will break your story down to an easy-to-develop beginning, middle, and ending, structure, and help you find the right pieces you need to hit your daily word count goals. Determine your scene-advancing goals, find the stakes to motivate your characters, and create story worlds and people you can't wait to spend time with. With hands-on exercises, you’ll brainstorm and plan your novel in class, either solo or in groups (your choice). Bring your laptop and notebooks and get ready to work!

When: Saturday, September 26, 2015

Where: Holiday Inn Express, Cumming, GA (870 Buford Highway)

Time: 10am to 3pm, with a break for lunch.

Cost:
On-line Registration: $89;
At the Door: $99.

Cost includes the book: Planning Your Novel: Ideas and Structure, by Janice Hardy. Upon registration, you'll receive a sample copy of "Developing Your Idea."  
 
Janice Hardy is the author of The Shifter, Blue Fire, and Darkfall from Balzer+Bray/Harper Collins. She’s also the founder of Fiction University, a site dedicated to helping writers improve their craft, and the author of Planning Your Novel: Ideas and Structure, a self-guided workshop for planning or revising a novel. For more information, please visit her website, www.JaniceHardy.com or her writing site, Fiction-University.com.

To Register

On-line Registration $89.00 USD Registration $99.00 USD

November is National Novel Writing Month, where over 300,000 participants world-wide commit to writing 50,000 words in the month of November. Now is the time to start planning your novel. October is the unofficial "get ready for NaNo" month, where writers plot out their novels and plan how they'll achieve those 50,000 words come November. To make the most of your November writing, make the most of your October planning. To participate in National Novel Writing Month, visit www.nanowrimo.org to register.

You do not need to register for National Novel Writing Month to participate in the Planning Your Novel Workshop.

For more information, please email upincummingwriters@gmail.com

 

this is ridiculous...

I spend the entire day fighting to keep my eyes open and even fall asleep for a few minutes while on a float in the pool but just can't sleep when night falls. Right now I'm tossing and turning (actually I'm writing this blog but you know what I mean) and I just can't stop my mind from churning. I've come up with this whole new script for the TV show Law and Order:  SVU but still nothing new for the screenplay. Even earlier today I started writing an outline for an eBook on forgiveness and I keep returning to another eBook for writers. A whole lotta stuff about writing new projects but not a word written on the project most dear to my heart. Can you say arrrrrge?!!!!!          

I was really close. So most of you know that I'm single and I've recently started actively meeting guys from on-line sites (yes mom, I'm being careful). I received a phone call from one guy and we talked about the screenplay. I got so interested in my screenplay again that I was excited to get to the page but I procrastinated and lost my ambition. This same guy had inspired an idea for a book project that I plan to work on during this Novembers www.nanowrimo.org event where thousands of aspiring writers commit to writing a 50,000 word novel in thirty days. I've done it two years now (won one - of course winning consists of just reaching the goal and receiving a certificate of completion but hey, how many other people can say they've written a 50k word novel in a month?) Of course my novel is no where near finished even at 50,000 words and it's still in its first draft. But my point is that I seemed to have found a muse and I haven't even meet him face to face yet. I'm not even sure romance will bloom but I like being inspired. Now if only he'll call again. Maybe then I can actually get a couple of pages written on the screenplay. ARRRRRGE!!!!!           

On a side note, a good friend of mine recently inherited the original Crossroads guitar of Eric Clapton from a co-worker along with other very valuable guitars.  Amazing. Simply amazing. I can't wait to set my eyes on that guitar. Think maybe I might be able to touch the guitar of who some people say is god? Tune in next time.....

 

Writers Block

So I've given my screenplay thus far to a few friends who have read it, made a few comments and gave it an overall good review but now I'm paralyzed with writer's block. I've never had that happen before. I've always been eager to get comments on my work so I'm beside myself. I spent two weeks house sitting and didn't get a lick of work done. I'm home now and actually opened the file but closed it immediately. Guess I have some issues to work out before I can tackle it again. Maybe I'll go back to the interview process and chat it up with my character.           

Other news on the writing home front: I've designed several writing classes, workshops and retreats. Now I just have to find a venue, market each of them and get a backbone to actually teach them. I'm also designing an ebook from one of the classes.          

On the home front, a very dear friend has invited me to spend a week in Vegas with him (he lives there) and I've accepted his offer. I'll be spending a week there next month. I know, no one goes to Vegas in the heat of August but who goes to Vegas and spends it outdoors? I'll be hopping from one air conditioned atmosphere to another. 21 anyone? (It'll be my first chance to gamble. Any hints for a first timer?)

Slacker

So I've been a royal slacker the last few weeks. My intention to make a huge dent in my screenplay while I was house sitting has gone to the wayside.  I've been feeling run down ever since my bout with food poisoning a little over a week ago. I know it's because I haven't been eating and sleeping properly but I just haven't had much of an appetite. My stomach has been so sensitive for so many years now that most food is not even appealing anymore. But my plan is to get a scene or two written today. My reign over this new environment ends late next week so I plan to have several new scenes written if we don't get swamped with work. My boss has a birthday this week so we may take it easy and celebrate for a day or two which will give me a little extra time to write. Now just to A.A.T.S. (apply a** to seat). Off I go. (I got a new writing pen in the mail today, so I'm off to experiment with my new toy.)           

TTFN

 

Hippo Birdie Witches Two Bill

Hippo Birdie Two Ewes          
Hippo Birdie Two Ewes          
Hippo Birdie Two Bill          
Hippo Birdie Two Ewes          

Aunt Mavin Mors          

(big three six today)          

love ya

Wow, it's been awhile...

Well, a lot has happened in the last two weeks. My roommate moved out so I'm in the process of reorganizing my office and reclaiming my writing space. I wrote up a letter for a marketing campaign for our business and the return already has been 15% so we've been busy busy busy and we expect to get even busier with the start of the new quarter. Friends have gone out of town and have asked me to house sit (or more preciously kitty-sit) but the first full day they were gone I was hit with another bout of food poisoning. "But I'm feeling muuuuuch better now." (Tell me where I reference that from and you win todays grand prize.)          

So I'm settling in to the big house with the big tv that's calling my name, with the exercise equipment that's appealing, a dsl high speed connection that's addictive and all the other distractions and I keep reminding myself I have a screenplay to write. But tonight I have a date. First one in awhile and the first one I'm meeting from craigslist. Wish me luck.          

I've finally decided how to go about introducing the romantic interest in the first third of the screenplay. Originally he didn't have a very big part at all until about half way through but it's better that it be a little more established by that point. Of course Mattie is fit to be tied. He didn't necessarily profess his profound love for her while he was drunk, just the next morning after he had passed out. While he was drunk though, he did make an ass of himself and totally disrespected her. But now they're suspicious of each other. He's not sure that she's an assassin but assumes that she is. He's a cop who may not have total loyalty to his family at heart. His father, who is Mattie's contact, doesn't trust him and Mattie is beginning to understand why. Fun. Fun. Fun.          

It's a holiday week and business will be slow for a couple of days, so I plan to roll out several more scenes before my friends return from vacation. I'm shooting for completion but we'll see. Gotta go get ready for my date.          

TTFN

 

Just a little chatter...

Well, I decided that I'm going to get out there and meet people. I posted a personal ad on craigslist.com and got a myspace.com listing http://www.myspace.com/jazzyjynx.  Within two hours I had 10 emails (two of which were jerks). Just 16 hours later, I've received over 30 emails and I'm chatting up a storm. I just emailed a guy from NY who is relocating here. I figured he could use a friend to show him around when he gets here. Don't worry mom, I'm being careful.          

But doing the work I do, I don't get to meet very many people. When I worked in retail, I used to meet a lot of people. I was able to get over being shy whenever there was a counter between me and the customer. I'm not as shy as I used to be but I'm still nervous about talking to people, everyone wonders what it is you want from them. Here in Atlanta, a lot of people are suspicious. Are they like that everywhere? I think I just need to move out to the country.          

Working in retail, I've realized, I had a lot of guys flirting with me all the time. It's been years since I had that kind of attention, kind of deflates a girls ego a bit, but getting 34 emails in one day has really put a little bounce in my step. Now all I have to do is limit the addictive on-line behavior and encourage the writing o' the screenplay. It's a lonely job but someone's got to do it.          

So how was Father's Day for everyone. Happy Wishes go out to all you fathers out there and especially to my step-father who gave me (and my brother) a wonderful compliment this morning and to my brother whose helping to raise his fiancées daughter. And to my Dad, where ever he is, Happy Daddy's Day, love you and miss you.          

XOXOXO