For Writers
All-New Virtual Writing Classes!
In addition to being a published author, I’m a long-time writing teacher and book coach! I’ve taught lots of popular classes at major conferences such as SCBWI, Storymakers, WriteOnCon, and AWP. I’ve been a mentor for #PitchWars and #WeNeedDiverseBooks, and the authors I’ve mentored have gone on to sign with agents, land publishing deals with major publishers, and win awards for their writing. My own books have been critically acclaimed and received or been finalists for several awards.
As a teacher, I am particularly known for breaking down complicated topics into easy, doable pieces. I’ve been wanting to offer online classes for several years so that I had the freedom to deliver a more personalized experience (including giving feedback and workshop activities to help students better grasp the subject matter) than is possible in a conference setting. I hope you’ll join me!
I’ve scheduled my first two writing classes for the year, and plan to schedule more throughout the year soon—including a four-week intensive on descriptive writing that will help you make your prose shine, deepen your characterization, and create worlds readers feel they’ve truly visited.
All of my classes will have a workshop and feedback portion, in addition to the class instruction, and you’ll be able to access recordings and notes from the class later as well.
If you want to be notified about future class offerings, make sure to sign up for my newsletter:
For my first two classes, I’m offering a special introductory rate—so if you’re interested, be sure to sign up, because future classes will cost more!
Classes I’m Currently Offering:
“Plotting the Quiet Novel”
When: February 16th at 5pm Pacific time/8pm Eastern time
Where: Zoom
Whether you’re a plotter who outlines before you write or a pantser who strengthens as you revise, studying plot structure is one of the best things an aspiring author can do—and there’s no shortage of talented writers teaching wonderful methods for creating your novel’s plot. Most plot structures, though, are aimed at plot-driven stories where action, suspense, or romance take center stage. But what if your book is the kind best described as “quiet” or “character-driven”? What if the crucial action takes place inside your protagonist’s head? How can you make conventional plot structures work if your book is less “hero’s journey” and more “coming of age”? This is the class for you!
Get tickets here.
“Poetic, Not Purple!”
When: March 14th at 4pm Pacific time/7pm Eastern time
Where: Zoom
There are two elements that nearly all successful, award-winning books have: Strong plots and beautiful writing. There are dozens of plotting classes to help you with the former, but what if you struggle more with the latter? In this class, we’ll break down what elevates prose from everyday to amazing, covering techniques to build stronger sentences and create the kind of immersive, lyrical wordsmithing that draws readers in deep and doesn’t let them go—WITHOUT our work drifting into the realm of “purple prose.”
Get tickets here.
