Writing Workshops at DragonCon

This year is the first year that Aaron Allston and I will be teaching writing at DragonCon in Atlanta, over the Labor Day weekend.

Aaron and I have put together 12 hours of writing workshops. You can buy a pass for the whole of them, or pick them up ala carte during the convention. (The pass is less expensive, of course.) The above link will provide you information about signing up for the courses, but the descriptions are:

Seminar 1: Before You Write a Single Word. New York Times Bestselling author Michael A. Stackpole walks you through the basics of setting yourself up for success. From developing good core habits, working past simple, career killing mistakes and setting up writer’s critiquing groups, to acquiring the physical tools needed to start writing; Mike covers it all. You’re about to start on the most difficult and exhilarating journey of your life, and this seminar will show you what to pack and what skills you’ll need to develop to get to the end.

Seminar 2: Genres, Licensed Universes, and FanFic New York Times bestselling author Aaron Allston talks about the challenges of writing for genre markets, including determining whether you’re suited to a market, dealing with license holders, re-inventing wheels, and meeting fan expectations.

Seminar 3: The Rules of Writing. New York Times Bestselling author Michael A. Stackpole presents the Rules of Writing. These are the insider tips and tricks that you’d pick up in the first five years of your writing career, all presented here in an hour. Gleaned from personal experience and the experience of writers dating back to the 1930s, these tricks will cut three years out of your development as a writer.

Seminar 4: Providing the Experience New York Times bestselling author Aaron Allston discusses three closely-related elements of fiction: Point of View (the “camera” of your story), Emotion (how the story makes the characters and readers feel), and Description (how the author’s descriptive techniques define the reader’s experience).

Seminar 5: Characterization. Characters are king in literature and New York Times Bestselling author Michael A. Stackpole brings you a toolbox full of techniques to create compelling and memorable characters. Readers read for and remember characters, and after this course, yours will be unforgettable, which will keep them coming back for more.

Seminar 6: Style and Mood New York Times bestselling author Aaron Allston talks about establishing and sustaining the tone of a novel – how to switch from technique to technique, like a pitcher switching from a curve ball to a fastball, in order to make the readers experience exactly what you want them to.

Seminar 7: Plotting. New York Times Bestselling author Michael A. Stackpole unravels the mysteries of creating compelling plots. A novel is a huge undertaking, written over weeks or months, and the plot has to hold it all together. From creating an outline to maintaining flexibility, this seminar gives you the insider knowledge that will separate you from all of your peers.

Seminar 8: Plot Analysis. New York Times bestselling author Aaron Allston adds to your writers’ toolkit with methods to analyze, strengthen, and repair plots. He describes the four basic components of a plot (scenes, themes, points, and arcs), the types of functions that scenes perform (and how to detect when a scene is doing nothing for your story), and methods to break down a story to discover whether all its plot components are sound.

Seminar 9: 21 Days to a Novel. New York Times Bestselling author Michael A. Stackpole presents his three week program for preparing yourself to write a novel. This set of 21 exercises is broken down to give you everything from character creation to world building, practical plotting devices, dialogue development and character voice creation tools. This program is a practical, kick-in-the-pants place to start your career.

Seminar 10: Edit to perfection. So, you’ve got your pile of 100,000 words. What now? New York Times Bestselling author Michael A. Stackpole guides you through the intricacies of actually editing your novel. He’ll cover those tough questions, like what needs to be trimmed, where do things need to be tightened, and what to do when characters are present, but just not engaged in the story. He’ll even provide that key bit of advice so you know when your book is done, and ready to send in to an editor.

Seminar 11: Showing Off Your Manuscript New York Times bestselling author Aaron Allston discusses ways to put your fiction before the eyes of others, including advance readers, workshoppers, editors, and agents. We’ll also talk about the hazards of showing off your manuscript, including submission mistakes, hurtful reviews, and loss of creative energy.

Seminar 12: Writing Careers in the Post-Paper Era. New York Times Bestselling author Michael A. Stackpole—the first author to offer fiction on the iPhone/iPod Touch through Apple’s Appstore—gives you an up to date look at the digital revolution and explains how you can profit and develop your career. Mike’s watched his Internet income from writing double every year for the past three years, with the trend accelerating in 2009. If you intend to have a career in writing, this scouting report and practical action plan for the future is a must.

This is as good an education in the practical art of writing as you’ll find anywhere, covering all the vital subjects that will move you from the slush pile into the published pile. Come to the convention, learn during the day, enjoy the fruit of the convention at night and make the last weekend of the summer, the first weekend of your writing career.