Writing Workshops for Adults and Teens
Free Writing Workshops for Age 16 and older take place in the Adult & Teen Workshops Tent. Each workshop is 55 minutes in length.
No pre-registration required.
10:00: How to Catch and Keep a Reader, With Eva Langston
In a world where so much is vying for our attention, writers have to hook agents, editors, and readers in the very first page…and keep them engaged as the story progresses. In this workshop, you will learn (and practice!) how to craft a novel or short story that captures a reader’s attention: from the initial premise and first few pages until the very end. The Writer’s Center instructor Eva Langston also will discuss how to avoid the “mushy middle” and what techniques will keep readers turning pages.
11:00: Get Published: The Guide to Submissions, With Hildie S. Block
Want to get published? Here’s the trick. If you want to win the lottery, you need to buy a ticket. If you want to get published, you need to send out materials to lit mags, agents, and publishers. Again and again. This session, led by Hildie S. Block, will show you ways to send out more (and to where), be smart about it, toughen your skin and get published! You also will set achievable goals, make plans, and share resources.
12:00: Making Wildly Imaginative Characters Through Anthropomorphism, With Robert St. John
Artists, writers, storytellers, and mythmakers have been imagining animals and natural objects as characters since the dawn of time—not to better understand the nature of animals and objects, but to understand the behavior of humans. In this workshop led by Robert St. John, you will look at character creation through anthropomorphism, and how to use it to bring wildly unbelievable characters into believable life in your fantastical stories, whether for comedy, science fiction, fantasy, horror or a mixture of all of those.
1:00: How to Publish and Distribute Your Book, With Alan Abrams
Learn all about publishing your book from start to finish. Founder of Sligo Creek Publishing Alan Abrams will share the entire process – from formatting your manuscript and creating a book cover to obtaining an ISBN, registering your manuscript with the Copyright Office and using a print-on-demand service. The workshop will include a hand-out with detailed instructions and commentary.
2:00: Artifacts: The Craft of Descriptive Writing, With Caroline Bock
Prompt: Artifacts. Imagine life as a catalogue, the main character as an archivist of that imagined (or true) life. Led by novelist Caroline Bock, this workshop will explore how the objects of our life define a story. Dive into details that make descriptive writing vivid and memorable. Start a new work or two of flash fiction/creative non-fiction with guided prompts.
3:00: Songwriting, With Jay Keating
Whether you are a musician, a poet, or a seasoned songwriter, this workshop will help you get started and complete songs you love. Jay Keating, President of the Songwriters Association of Washington, will help you understand various song structures, lyric styles, and musicality that drives successful songs. If you have a song in progress, bring it to work on! Together, we’ll explore the songwriting process and craft.
4:00: The Polished Proposal: Crafting a Nonfiction Book Proposal That Gets Attention, With Dr. Sherri M. Williams
Nonfiction authors seeking to get a book contract need to distinguish themselves from among a crowd of writers. Dr. Sherri M. Williams, a journalism and media studies professor who teaches at American University, will help you focus your pitch on what makes your book distinct. Sharpen your book proposal from a synopsis of the book down to the chapter descriptions. Dr. Williams will also share tips that she used to obtain two book contracts. Leave with a plan to start and finish a polished book proposal.