2010 Classes & WorkshopsWriters'
League of Texas Classes and Workshops feature a variety of topics taught by outstanding
instructors. Open to members and nonmembers, the series offers something of interest
for all writers - from novice to professional. Check out the list and register
now. Coming in October! The
First WLT Fall Writing Seminar 9 AM. to 4 PM, Friday, Oct. 15 Palmer
Events Center, Austin $199 Members / $269 Nonmembers
Areas of InterestSelect
your area of interest and click to learn about classes and workshops designed
to follow that track. Check back often for more workshops. More classes and workshops will be added,
so check back often for updates. Announcements will also be sent to members through
the League's Footnotes e-newsletter and by
e-mail. Contact the office if you wish
to be added to the subscription list. Writers' League of Texas classes and workshops
are open to the public. LocationAll classes and
workshops are held at the WLT Office, 611 S. Congress Ave, Suite 130, Austin,
TX, unless otherwise stated. RegistrationRegister
online with credit card, Paypal or Google Checkout. For more information,
call 512.499.8914. If you have a disability that requires access accommodations
and you wish to attend one of our workshops or classes, please contact
the WLT office at least 48 hours prior to the program date. Refund
PolicyA refund is offered only if the event is cancelled. Discounts
on WorkshopsOur classes, workshops, and conferences are open to the public,
but members receive special discounts. To join the League, visit the membership
page. Discounts vary depending upon the cost of the class, workshop, retreat or
conference, yet the bottom line is "you can pay for your membership via the
savings offered."
The
Craft of Writing | Saturdays,
September 11, October 2, November 13, and December 4, 2010 9 AM - Noon |

Greg
Garrett |
Nailing
Down Your Narrative: Successful Storytelling with Greg Garrett
Location:
Writers' League Office, 611 S. Congress Ave, Suite 130, AustinWriter
and teacher Greg Garrett returns to the Writers' League this fall to lead
a class on the fundamental elements of narrative, discussing tools that can be
used by fiction, nonfiction, and dramatic writers alike. You will consider concrete
ways writers evoke emotion, delineate strong characters, build powerful plots,
and write stirring scenes. The class will include exercises designed to enhance
your mastery of these concepts. Outside of class, interested students will have
the opportunity to form and participate in small-group discussions of their work
in progress. The takeaways of the course:
Creating stronger setting How
to use emotion effectively How
to create compelling characters
How to create tension in dramatic scenes. The
mechanics of dialogue and how to make it believable
Greg
Garrett is the author of a dozen acclaimed books of fiction, memoir, and
nonfiction, among them the novels Free Bird (named by Publishers Weekly
and the Rocky Mountain News as among the best first fiction of 2002) and
Shame, and a new literary study of the Harry Potter phenomenon, One
Fine Potion. Greg is an award-winning Professor of English at Baylor University
whose students have published short stories and novels and had TV and feature
film scripts produced. He is a past winner of the Pirate's Alley William Faulkner
Prize for Fiction and a member of the Texas Institute of Letters. Greg lives in
Austin with his sons Jake and Chandler.
$ 199
members / $259 nonmembers Register
online with credit card, Paypal or Google checkout. Deadline for registration
is September 9. | Saturday,
September 18, 2010 10 AM to 4 PM |

Robert
Leleux |
Finding
the Story of Your Life: A Memoir Writing Workshop with Robert Leleux
Location:
Writers' League Office, 611 S. Congress Ave, Suite 130, AustinIn
this workshop, we will explore the uses of childhood and memory as catalysts of
creative nonfiction. Through writing exercises and short reading selections, we
will explore such questions as, "How can we transform life into literature?"
"How can we recreate experience on the page, while staying true to the past?" The
takeaways of the course: How
to "discover" the real story of your life How
to "recreate" scenes and dialogue from your past that are honest and
truthful How
to add humor and poignancy to your story How
to finish, finish, finish your book
By
the end of this workshop, each participant will discover new insights about their
craft and themselves. Participants should bring pens, paper, and a brief passage
(no more than one page) from a favorite piece of literature. Who
Should Attend this Workshop?
Aspiring memoirists of all skill and experience levels. Anyone
who is interested in discovering something new about themselves through writing. Anyone
who is interested in creating something beautiful, poignant, and/or funny from
their past experiences.
Texas
native Robert Leleux is the author of The Memoirs of a Beautiful Boy
(St. Martin's Press, 2008). His essays and articles have appeared in publications
such as the New York Times, the New York Times Magazine, and the
Texas Observer, for which he writes the Tex in the City column.
$99
members / $159 nonmembers Register
online with credit card, Paypal or Google checkout. Deadline for registration
is September 16. | Saturday,
September 25, 2010 10 AM to 4 PM |

Kathy
Allen-Weber 
Ann
McCutchan |
Choosing
the Writing Life II: New Tools for Art and Practice with Kathy Allen-Weber
and Ann McCutchan Location: Writers' League Office, 611
S. Congress Ave, Suite 130, AustinAs a sequel to their sold-out
workshop in 2009, Ann McCutchan and Kathy Allen-Weber are presenting
a second, all-new 6-hour intensive to help writers build awareness, commitment
and practice in their writing lives. This inspiring medley of lectures, discussions,
and exercises is designed for both beginning and established writers, and promises
participants a thoughtful, invigorating boost, just in time for fall projects.
Attendees from last year are welcome; this workshop incorporates some of the ideas
presented in Choosing the Writing Life I, but contains new concepts, materials,
and activities. Bring writing tools, an inquiring mind, and a playful spirit.
Who Should Attend?
Both experienced and beginning writers Both
nonfiction and fiction writers Anyone
interested in establishing a commitment and practice in their writing lives
With more than four decades combined
experience as professional writers and popular, results-oriented workshop leaders,
McCutchan and Allen-Weber specialize in offering fresh, insightful, practical
approaches to creating a best life as a writer.
Kathleen Allen-Weber, M.A., Ph.D., L.P.C., practiced
psychotherapy at the Center for Relational Care in Austin before establishing
a private practice. A published writer, editor, and translator, as well as a former
professor of English and French, she has long been attuned to the psychological
dynamics of the writing process. Ann
McCutchan is the author of three books, including The Muse That Sings:
Composers Speak About the Creative Process and Circular Breathing: Meditations
From a Musical Life. A former journalist and editor, she has taught creative
writing at Cornell University and the University of Wyoming, where she was founding
director of the MFA program. She currently teaches at the University of North
Texas and is prose editor of the American Literary Review.
$99
members / $169 nonmembers Register
online with credit card, Paypal or Google checkout. Deadline for registration
is September 23. | Saturday,
November 6, 2010 9 AM - Noon |

Amanda
Eyre Ward |
How
Do I Structure My Novel? with Amanda Eyre WardLocation:
Writers' League Office, 611 S. Congress Ave, Suite 130, AustinSome
writers begin writing on page one and find that their novel or nonfiction narrative
comes out beautifully structured, one chapter following perfectly after another.
This class is for everyone else.
You might have an idea
for a novel or nonfiction book, or you might have 600 pages. But if you're wondering
about how to structure your project, to make it as compelling as possible, this
class is for you.
The class will cover:
The
three-act structure. You can use it or not, but it's a wonderful guide. How
to lay out your novel, making a plan before you begin. When
to throw away your plan, and let the characters lead you. How
to make your first page - and the pages along the way - sing.
Please
bring a one-page description of your novel-in-progress and a copy of your favorite
novel.
The class will include both lecture and class discussion. Each
class member will receive a personal critique of his/her novel outline and tips
on how to best structure the work-in-progress.
Amanda Eyre Ward wrote
her first novel, Sleep Toward Heaven, in a Writers' League class. She received
an MFA from the University of Montana and has published three novels (Sleep Toward
Heaven, How to Be Lost, Forgive Me) and a collection of short stories
(Love Stories in This Town). Her work has been optioned for film and television,
chosen as a Target Bookmarked pick, and published in 15 countries. Amanda's new
novel, Close Your Eyes, will be published by Random House in 2011. She
is still figuring out how to structure it correctly.
$49
members / $109 nonmembers Register
online with credit card, Paypal or Google checkout. Deadline for registration
is November 4. | Wednesday,
December 8, 2010 6 to 9 PM |

John
Pipkin |
Writing
the Successful Query Letter and Synopsis for Fiction: An Online Class with
John Pipkin This online class is designed to teach you how
to write a concise, interesting, one-page synopsis of your novel or non-fiction
book and how to compose a pitch-perfect query letter that will attract the attention
of an agent. Whether you are just starting to write your book or have already
finished writing, this class will help you see how the synopsis and query can
not only help you sell your manuscript but can also help you develop and polish
your work. The class will be held via webinar, where students will be able to
hear the instructor lecture and will be able to ask questions via the online chat
option.
By the end of class, each student will walk
away with the following: the
elements of a good synopsis the
tools necessary to write a successful query letter an
understanding of what agents are looking for in the synopsis and query insights
into how the synopsis and query can help you develop, edit, and polish your manuscript
If
you wish, prior to the class, each student will have the option to prepare a synopsis
and query letter to edit and use during the class. Please note that this exercise
is NOT MANDATORY. The instructor will make pertinent handouts available for those
students wishing to prepare something prior to the class. Students will not be
required to share work or critique work in class, although students are always
welcome to share portions of their work if they wish to do so. The synopsis
portion of the class will cover: ways
to include relevant information about plot, character, theme, and setting the
proper format, content, length, tone, and style strategies
for getting and holding the reader's attention common
mistakes and pitfalls and how to avoid them
The
query letter portion of the class will cover: models
for successful letters
strategies
for assigning the correct genre to your work choosing
the right vocabulary to describe your project establishing
an interesting and confident voice common
mistakes and how to avoid them when writing the query
Writers
at any level and at any stage in the writing process Writers
preparing to find an agent or publisher Writers
wanting to improve their own promotional writing skills Fiction
writers or narrative nonfiction only
***PLEASE
NOTE THAT THE INSTRUCTOR WILL NOT CRITIQUE INDIVIDUAL QUERY LETTERS OR SYNOPSES.
John
Pipkin's first novel, Woodsburner, was published to national acclaim
by Nan A. Talese/Doubleday in April 2009. Woodsburner won the New York
Center for Fiction First Novel Prize, the Massachusetts Center for the Book Novel
Prize, and the Texas Institute of Letters Stephen Turner Prize for First Novel.
John will be the Dobie Paisano Fellow for the spring of 2011. He recently sold
his second novel to Doubleday based on just a query and synopsis. John received
his Ph.D. in British Literature from Rice University in 1997 and was an Assistant
Professor of Humanities and Rhetoric at Boston University, before working as an
editor and content specialist in educational publishing. He is the former Executive
Director of the Writers' League of Texas.
$49
members / $109 nonmembers Register
online with credit card, Paypal or Google checkout. Deadline for registration
is December 6. | The
Business of Writing | Saturday,
October 30, 2010 10 AM to 4 PM | 
Eric
Butterman | Landing
Freelance Gigs: How to Succeed in a Tight Market with Eric ButtermanLocation:
Writers' League Office, 611 S. Congress Ave, Suite 130, AustinWith publishing
companies laying off workers, freelance writers offer them a cheaper alternative--yep,
you might actually make MORE money. In this course, you'll learn pitching from
actual pitches which sold for $1,000 or more, and we'll write pitches together
and analyze them for a better chance at landing the assignment. I'll also show
you how following up on the phone could double your writing business. The
takeaways of the course: - How to write a pitch efficiently
- How
to utilize the phone follow-up to improve your chances to sell
- How to
organize interviews and writing time to get your work done faster
- How
to turn one assignment with a client into many
The sad truth is the
success of a freelance writer isn't usually just based on quality of work or marketing.
It's often about who's the most organized, has a clear plan for future goals and
understands how to best execute it. We'll look at how to make the most of literally
every hour you devote to your freelancing career. This covers everything from
finding the balance between pleasing clients and getting new ones to creating
a "career map" which will allow you to see where you want to be a year
from now. Change can come fast--if you're moving in the right direction! Who
should attend:
- Writers interested in finding out how to develop
a freelance career
- Experienced freelance writers seeking ways to develop
their career
- Writers who want to build their platform through freelance
writing
Eric Butterman is a freelance writer and teacher who's
written for more than 50 publications, including Glamour and ESPN.com.
His articles have allowed him to do everything from chat with Venus Williams about
her killer serve to find out that Action Film Director John Woo would actually
love to direct a musical. His students have credited his courses with helping
them sell an article for as much as $4,000 and make four-figure deals before the
course was even over. Eric concentrates on using actual pitches that sold as examples
and taking you through an understanding of every step that goes into succeeding
in writing--including negotiating deals and how to turn one assignment into many.
He's been a freelance instructor for Writer's Market, JournalismJobs.com
and Ed2010.com. In addition, he's lectured
at NYU and Harvard. $99
members / $159 nonmembers Register
online with credit card, Paypal or Google checkout. Deadline for registration
is October 28. | Houston
Classes The Writers' League of Texas is pleased to announce that it is
sponsoring two classes at Rice University's Susanne M. Glasscock School of Continuing
Studies on Saturday, September 25, and WLT members get a discount on registration. Each
class runs from 9 AM to 2 PM and includes continental breakfast and boxed lunch.
Fee for Writers' League of Texas members: $140 (a discount of $10!) To
register, click "register" on the course description page. To get your
WLT discount, select the Writers' League of Texas in the list of co-sponsoring
institutions on the registration form. Questions? Contact Carolee
Schenk or call 713.348.4803. | Saturday,
Sept. 25, 2010 9 AM to 2 PM Presented by Rice University's Glasscock
School in Houston | |
|
Song
of Yourself: Advanced Memoir Workshop with Author Robert Leleux
Writing
about yourself and your personal history can be incredibly difficult. In this
advanced memoir workshop, author Robert Leleux will help writers focus
on re-energizing a work in progress and will gain new perspectives to get back
on track. Leleux is author of The Memoirs of a Beautiful Boy. His essays
and articles have appeared in the New York Times, the New York Times
Magazine and the Texas Observer, for which he writes the "Tex
in the City" column. For
more details, click here Register
for Song of Yourself: Advanced Memoir Workshop To
register, click "register" on the course description page. To get your
WLT discount, select the Writers' League of Texas in the list of co-sponsoring
institutions on the registration form. Fee for Writers' League of Texas members:
$140 (a discount of $10!) |

Cyndi
Hughes |
The
Publishing Path: Finding a Home for Your Book with WLT Executive Director
Cyndi Hughes
Whether you are just starting a book or have
finally completed a manuscript, you will need to know the options available for
publishing. This class will guide writers along the publishing path and share
some practical, easy-to-follow steps that can lead to finding a home for your
book. The class will cover everything from self-publishing versus traditional
publishing to getting an agent and working with publishers. For
more details, click here Register
for The Publishing Path: Finding a Home for Your Book To
register, click "register" on the course description page. To get your
WLT discount, select the Writers' League of Texas in the list of co-sponsoring
institutions on the registration form. Fee for Writers' League of Texas members:
$140 (a discount of $10!) |
Archive of previous workshops
|