Write Here in Ephraim

What are you doing on March 9th? Aside from celebrating my birthday a day late, of course ...

Want to come hang out with me and several of my fantastic author friends at a writers conference at Snow College? What if I told you it's free?

The popular WRITE HERE IN EPHRAIM conference- Saturday, March 9, 2013
in the Humanities Building and Huntsman Library on
Snow College Campus in Ephraim, Utah, located
between 100 North and Center Street.
(Parking lot on north side of Center Street at 200 E.)

My classes are highlighted in red ... because I'm vain and this is my blog ... I'm teaching lots of times, so check them all out!

 

7:30-8:15 AM – Registration – get your name in the drawing for door prizes, get a nametag, and let us know where you’re from!
8:15-9:00 a.m.  first breakout
ROOM - AUTHOR - CLASS
173 A - Cox - Put Emotion in your Book to put Readers on your Hook
164 - Jefferies - Story Structure
163 - Hoover - Pacing
161 - Kelly, Martin - Playwriting
114 A - Pinkston - Historical Fiction
102 - Japanese Club students: Pack, Trevino, Tuchawer - Manga/Anime
122 - Adair - Once Upon A Time: How to Write a Great Beginning
147 - Palmer - Structure, Scene and Sequel
144 - Young - Query
142 - Hogan - Self Publishing-(1 of 2 hour class)

9:10-9:55 a.m.  second breakout
ROOM - AUTHOR - CLASS
173 A - Cox - Publishing Bloopers – Do Make These Mistakes
164 - Jefferies/Inman - Martial Arts Fighting Scenes in your Writing, Beyond just using Pepper Spray
163 - Justesen - Creating Engaging Characters
161 - Kelly, Martin - Playwriting
114 A - Herbert - Bare Your Soul and Get Published - Creative Nonfiction122 - Adair - Skeletons in the Spotlight – 5 new ways to write family history
147 - Stephens - Discovery Outline

144 - Young - Creating Audio Books
142 - Hogan - Self Publishing-(2 of 2 hour class)

10:05-10:50 a.m.  third breakout
ROOM - AUTHOR - CLASS
173 A - Hansen/King - Social Media, Web Design, and Networking… Oh My!
164 - Low - Neurowriting: 32,000 words in 6 days
163 - Justesen - Creating Engaging Characters
161 - Kelly, Carla - Blending Fact and Fiction
114 A - Pinkston - Writing Cozy Mysteries122 - Adair - Noah’s Story Arc-How to Use Conflict to Build a Water Tight Plot
147 - Brooks - Children’s Picture Books and Illustration
144 - Lofthouse - Finding Time to Write/Balancing Writing and Life
142 - Savage - Motives in YA and MG Fiction

11:00-11:45 a.m.   fourth breakout
ROOM - AUTHOR - CLASS
173 A - Cox - If He Can Do It, So Can I: How Busy People Write
164 - Jefferies - Master Chapter Outline
163 - Justesen - Romance
161 - Kelly, Carla - Blending Fact and Fiction
114 A - Forman - Flash Fiction: the Kingly Elements of Style122 - Adair - Raising Your Internet Profile – for people who haven’t built an online presence
147 - Palmer - Structure Scene and Sequel
144 - Keogh - Self Publish the Right Way
142 - Lofthouse - Writing Great Short Stories

NOON-12:15  - auditorium - door prizes (15 minutes)
FIRST PAGE SHRED runs from 12:40 - 1:25 PM in the Snow College auditorium, but first go get your food, then come back to watch, listen, and eat! (Yes, you may eat in the Snow College Library - EXCEPT by the computers.) 
WHAT'S A FIRST PAGE SHRED? Take the first page of a manuscript and read it aloud. Then ask professionally published authors to critique it: What works? What doesn’t? Why or why not? Whether they’re looking at your page or giving feedback on someone else’s, this panel is a real eye-opener.
Each attendee is invited to submit the first page of their story anonymously for a random drawing to be “shredded.”
PARTICIPATING AUTHORS: Angie Lofthouse, J. Scott Savage, Tristi Pinkston, Michael Young, Dene Low, Sonja Herbert

12:15-1:30 PM LUNCH BREAK
WHERE TO FIND FOOD:
The Snow College BISTRO will be conveniently open in the college library right next to the auditorium, with delicious sandwiches, flavorful ice cream, and many other choices.
There are also food establishments along or near Main Street:
Los Amigos (behind South Towne Theater): 3 East 700 South
McDonald’s: 451 South Main
Sno Cap Lanes: 605 South Main
Kent’s deli: 475 South Main
Snow Dragon: 413 South Main
Roy’s Pizza: 81 South Main
Malena’s Mexican: 61 South Main
Hometown Philly Cheese Steak: 27 North Main
Satisfied Ewe Café: 350 North Main
Little Caesar’s Pizza: 462 North Main

AUTHOR BOOKSTORE OPEN IN LIBRARY 
1:30-2:15 p.m.   5th breakout
ROOM - AUTHOR - CLASS
173 A - Cox - Marketing Your Book – It Starts Before Your Story is Finished
164 - Jefferies - Story Structure
163 - Hathaway - First Things First
161 - Hoover - How to Become an Idea Factory (1 of 2)
114 A - Herbert - Personal History/Memoir
102 - Japanese Club students: Pack, Trevino, Tuchawer - Manga/Anime
122 - Adair - Once Upon a Time-How to Write a Great Beginning
147 - Brooks - Children’s Picture Books and Illustration
144 - Young - Playwriting
142 - Savage - Query
Auditorium - Pinkston - Writing Cozy Mysteries

2:25-3:10 p.m.  6th breakout
ROOM - AUTHOR - CLASS
173 A - Cox - If He Can Do it, So Can I: How Busy People Write
164 - Jefferies/Inman - Martial Arts Fighting Scenes in your Writing, Beyond just using Pepper Spray
163 - Hathaway - Discovering Your Creative Type
161 - Hoover - How to Become an Idea Factory (2 of 2)
114 A - Keogh - Branding and Marketing 101
102 - Allen/Moore - Romance
122 - Adair - Using Family History in Fiction
147 - Stephens - Discovery Outlining
144 -  - Young - Create Audio Books
142 - Low - Neurowriting: 32,000 words in 6 days
 Auditorium - Pinkston - Editing

3:20-4:05 p.m.  7th breakout
ROOM - AUTHOR - CLASS
173 A - Cox - Publishing Bloopers – Do Make These Mistakes
164 - Jefferies - Master Chapter Outline
163 - Hathaway - Discovering Your Creative Type
161 - Forman - Flash Fiction: The Kingly Elements of Style
114 A - Keogh - Nonfiction
102 - Allen/Moore - Romance
122 - Adair - Noah’s Story Arc-How to Use Conflict to Build a Water Tight Plot
147 - Hansen/King - Social Media, Web Design, and Networking… Oh My!
142 - Savage - Motives in YA and MG fiction
Auditorium - Pinkston - Writing Journals for Posterity

4:15 p.m.  
Auditorium -  door prizes
4:30 p.m. 
Auditorium - publisher panel
We welcome TM Publishers, Covenant Communications and Jolly Fish Press, who have courteously agreed to come and answer your questions! Don't miss this invaluable chance to delve into a publisher's mind and find out everything you've ever wanted to know!

5:00 p.m.
BOOKSTORE and VISIT with AUTHORS. Snow College Library and Write Here in Ephraim Conference both close at 6:00 p.m.

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CLASS DESCRIPTIONS

Alphabetical listing of WRITE HERE IN EPHRAIM classes (updated as information is made available)
Bare your Soul and Get Published – Creative Nonfiction – SONJA HERBERT
In this class, you will learn how to write short personal stories for publications like Chicken Soup for the Soul and A Cup of Comfort. The information given in this course will make it easy for you to become a published author.
You will learn:
1. How to research the market
2. How to come up with ideas that you can develop into a story
3. How to shape your ideas so they will fit the guidelines for the publication you have chosen
4. How to brainstorm your original ideas
5. How to outline
6. How to refresh your memory and recall details
7. How to revise and polish your story, and
8. How to submit your story

Blending Fact and Fiction – CARLA KELLY
“What? You mean I have to stop researching and start writing?”  Simple tips to nourish your inner historian and write believably about the past. Carla will discuss how a thorough knowledge of your historical subject can help you write with authority and avoid the deadly information dump. This knowledge will honor Cleo, the muse of history. It also is a path through the murky, Byzantine world of national and international publishing. Come with questions.

Branding and Marketing 101 – ABEL KEOGH
You don’t have to spend a lot of time marketing yourself and your book to be successful. This class you’ll learn the best thing you can do to sell more books as well as cover basic marketing for writers so you can get discovered by readers and help drive sales of your books and build your brand.

Children’s Picture Books and Illustration – MIKEY BROOKS
If you’ve always wanted to write a picture book but were unsure where to start, this class if for you. Find out the first steps in creating fun picture books with author/illustrator Mikey Brooks. You’ll learn the 3 genres of picture books, the 5 plots of storytelling, and how to craft a storyboard.

Create Audio Books – MICHAEL YOUNG
What's even better than seeing your words in print? Hearing them come to life in an audio book. Recording your own audio books is something that can be done even with the limited schedule and budget. Come learn what kind of recording equipment you need, how to make the best recording you can, and how to distribute your audio masterpiece.

Creating Engaging Characters –HEATHER  JUSTESEN
Great characters are the center to almost all great stories. Discover techniques how to make your characters more engaging to the reader so they’ll love—or love to hate—the people who drive your story. 

Discovering Your Creative Type – CHAS HATHAWAY
Everyone is creative. It's not a matter of giftedness, but a matter of biology. The confusion comes because people have different ways of thinking and functioning creatively.
In this class we'll discuss the two most basic types of creativity: Improvisation and Organization. By learning where you stand on the improvisational/organizational spectrum, you'll be better enabled to harness your creative ideas, overcome writer’s block, and be proactive in your efforts to write, revise, and market your book.

Discovery Outlining – BERIN STEPHENS
Striking a balance between discovery writing and outlining when plotting your story.

Finding Time to Write/Balancing Writing and Life – ANGIE LOFTHOUSE
We all have many good things vying for our attention every day. Here are some ideas on how to make writing a priority without sacrificing other importent parts of our lives. Also, tips on avoiding writers block and making the most of the time we have.

First Page Shred – Angie Lofthouse, J. Scott Savage, Tristi Pinkston, Michael Young, Dene Low, Sonja HerbertTake the first page of a manuscript and read it aloud. Then ask published authors to critique it: What works? What doesn’t? Why or why not?Attendees are encouraged to bring an anonymous first page of their work-in-progress for random selection for this panel.
First Things First – CHAS HATHAWAY
When your family and your relationship with God come first in your life, you're empowered to become the writer you're hoping to be. Dreams don't have to come at the expense of the most important things in your life. Actually, those most important things are the fire that launches you into the fulfillment of your dreams.

Flash Fiction: the Kingly Elements of Style – SCOTT FORMANFlash fiction is just like any other well-written fiction, it just happens in 300 words instead of 300 pages. The call for clarity and conciseness in Strunk & White's Elements of Style and the requirement of a tool box accompanied with work hard in Stephen King's On Writing will be our guide as we learn about and create flash-errifficfiction...

Historical Fiction – TRISTI PINKSTON
Why does fiction play such an important role in understanding history, and how can we as authors bring to life the important events of by-gone eras for readers of today without sounding like an eighth-grade textbook? You will learn why historical fiction is such an important genre and learn how to write it like a pro. 

How to Become an Idea Factory (2 parts) – KAREN E. HOOVER
The most common question asked writers is "How do you come up with your ideas?" Orson Scott Card says “Everybody walks past a thousand story ideas every day.  The good writers are the ones who see five or six of them.  Most people don’t see any.” This class teaches you how to pay attention and see the seeds of ideas that are threaded through our lives.

If He Can Do It, So Can I: How Busy People Write – CLINT COXHow to get your story out on paper, while staying on task and resuming normal life activities. Ripped up card board and cut up two by fours. Writers Block. 

Manga/Anime – SNOW COLLEGE JAPANESE CLUB STUDENTS: Pack, Trevino, Tuchawar

Marketing Your Book – It Starts Before Your Story is Finished – CLINT COX
Marketing your book starts while you are writing it. Find out how to set your book in motion before it is even published.

Martial Arts Fight Scenes in your Writing, beyond just using Pepper Spray – C. MICHELLE JEFFERIES/PENDRAGON INMAN
A hands-on Martial Arts fighting class
Ever wondered how to describe a fight scene? How to get your heroine out of a choke hold? What certain weapons look like, or are used? This is the class for you. Taught by C. Michelle Jefferies, red belt in Tang Soo Do, and Pendragon Inman, black belt in Shaolin Kung Fu, we will be physically stepping out the actions so come prepared to move and have fun. Wear something you can move around in. Sweats not required, but not pencil skirts and heels. Loose clothing is recommended.

Master Chapter Outline – C. MICHELLE JEFFERIES
Tired of making it to the middle of the novel you're writing and having no idea where to go next? This Master Chapter Outline class will show you a quick easy way to formulate a plan for your novel that is easy to use and modify in case of a new streak of brilliance.

Motives in YA and MG Fiction – J. SCOTT SAVAGE
Motives. Your protagonist is driven by them. Your antagonist needs a better one than, “because he’s a bad guy.” They can take a sidekick from funny to memorable. And the lack of motives, or weak motives, can crush the life out of a story. But the motives of a young adult girl are very different from those of  a middle grade boy. Learn why motives are key, how contracting motives can up the tension of your novel, why early reader, middle grade, and young adult motives are much different from each other, and much more.  

Neurowriting: 32,000 words in 6 days – DENE LOW
This presentation will be a segment of my seminar/workshop on my neurowriting system that helped me write 32,000 words in six days. The system uses ancient principles of writing explained by the latest discoveries in neurology (yes, the ancients really did know what they were talking about, but they didn't know why) combined into a practical system that works for novices or experienced writers to make them more efficient and innovative writers.

Noah’s Story Arc-How to Use Conflict to Build a Watertight Plot – LIZ ADAIR
Les Edgerton writes: “When the trouble is gone the story is over.” In this class Liz helps the class understand how use conflict to craft a tight, well-plotted narrative, one that makes the reader stick with the story until the last page,  and one that will stick with the reader long after he’s closed the book.

Nonfiction 101 – ABEL KEOGH
Did you know that non-fiction sells better than fiction? It does. Whether it be cookbooks, self help, social and behavioral issues, there are thousands of non-fiction possibilities you can write about. The best part? You’re an expert in something so why not turn your hobby, passion, or interests into a non-fiction book. This class will talk about how to find your non-fiction niche so you can discover what non-fiction works you could write.

Pacing – KAREN E. HOOVER How many times have you heard the phrase, “Pace yourself?” The term is probably most familiar to runners. In a distance race, the one who goes too fast will run out of energy long before they reach the finish line. Adversely, if a runner goes too slow they’ll be lucky if they ever finish. It works much the same with writing. This class shows how you can use pacing to rope your readers in tight and pull them from page one to the end in the perfect race to the finish.

Personal History/Memoir – SONJA HERBERT
How to Write Your Autobiography and Make it Come Alive!
In this class, you will learn how to help you remember,
How to pick the memories that have the most impact,
How to sort and order your memories,
How to impose order upon your memories by finding and using a specific theme throughout your writing, and
How to use creative non-fiction writing to make your autobiography shine.

Playwrighting – MARTIN KELLY
Learn how to advance dramatic action in a script, which also happens to be one of the best strategies for writers of other genres. See how character motivation is key to involving your audience, as well as focusing on the necessity of every character having an objective. For characters to function in a working plot, each one needs at least one goal and the chance to confront obstacles, which may be presented by other characters, events, or physical challenges (just to name a few.) What kinds of tactics do your characters use to reach for their goals? Do your characters have energy? Do they have expectations?
From this class you will take away essential knowledge of the six elements of tragedy as enumerated by Aristotle, and see how they also apply to melodrama or comedy. You will learn the realities of staging a script, approaching producing organizations, and how to locate playwrighting competitions.

Playwrighting – MICHAEL YOUNG
The play’s the thing…
Ever thought about writing a play? Come listen to a veteran actor and playwright reveal the secrets about what will have your audiences on their feet and not throwing produce. Learn about the different types and structures of plays, what makes your story right for a play instead of another medium, and much more.
Publisher Panel – Covenant Communications, Jolly Fish Press

Publishing Bloopers – Don't Make These Mistakes – CLINT COX
Do not get sucked into a bad deal. Vital things that you should look for and expect. How to get what you want out of your book deal. Yes, you can negotiate with the publisher BEFORE you sign the contract. Start up costs with the publisher verses costs of doing it all on your own. Contracts.

Put Emotion in your Book to put Readers on your Hook – CLINT COX
Making your book stand out. If readers are not emotionally connected to your story and you as a writer they'll never finish your book.

Query – J. SCOTT SAVAGE
Queries are the bane of an author’s existence and the key to open that elusive door behind which wait agents, publishers, and offers. It’s simple really. All you have to do is whittle your entire novel, life story, reason for seeking the agent or publisher, and perhaps a witty bon mot into a single page of text. Okay, so it’s a total pain in the rear that sometimes seems harder than writing the novel itself. But it doesn’t have to be quite as bad as, say, having a tooth pulled. Learn some basic rules that will help your next query letter shine.

Query – MICHAEL YOUNG
Coming this summer…the next epic, steam-punk, romance-action-comedy from world-famous author (Insert your name here). You have only seconds to make an impression, and you don’t even have the luxury of a blockbuster soundtrack for your trailer. What do you say when every word could be the difference between the dreaded pile of slush and a mountain of success? Learn how to craft sleek, powerful queries that impress, without having to resort to “special effects”.

Raising Your Internet Profile – for people who haven’t built an online presence – LIZ ADAIR
Liz teaches this class using layman’s language. It’s for people who haven’t yet begun to establish an internet profile and covers both the why and the how-to, answering such questions as: Why should someone who isn’t published have a profile? How do you get set up for a blog or for a Facebook page? How do you leave a comment?  Why should you comment? How do you get people to read your blog?  How can you tell if anyone is visiting your blog? What do you write about?  How often are you supposed to blog?  The list is longer than that, but you get the idea.

Self Publish the Right Way – ABEL KEOGH
Thanks to the proliferation of e-readers and online e-book sellers, reaching readers around the globe has never been easier.  However, self publishing a book that people will want to buy is a lot of work and involves more than having a good story to tell. This class will cover the nuts and bolts of self publishing so you can decide if this is the right path for your next book.

Self Publishing-(2 hour class) – CINDY HOGAN
          Stress-Free Countdown to self-publishing. Learn what to do the year before publishing as well get hands-on practice doing what needs to be done with things like back-blurbs, choosing categories on Amazon, getting reviews and what to do with them, using Amazon to get to #1, writing a description of your book, making a rocking cover and what you should put on it, learning what front matter should be in your book, getting your book on store shelves, using Smashwords, learning where you should publish your books, etc.

Skeletons in the Spotlight – 5 new ways to write family history – LIZ ADAIR
Liz introduces five new ways to think about writing personal and family history.  Perhaps one of them will be the spark that gets you started on the story no one else can write. (These ways include poetry, blogging, fiction, randomizing, and using photos to induce stream of consciousness.)

Social Media, Web Design, and Networking…Oh My! – DARREN HANSEN/DAVID P. KING
Now more than ever, building a platform or setting up an online presence has become an essential step to establishing yourself as an author - even before you finish that first book - but it's easy to get lost in the sea of social media outlets that flood the Internet. Which ones should you use? How should you use them? How often? Here we'll discuss the best social media sites for writers, explain how best to use them and how to give your presence a visual appeal that will invite web hoppers to visit your sites often - and we have crullers (while they last).

Story Structure – C. MICHELLE JEFFERIES
Writing a book is like making muffins. You need certain things to get the recipe right, then comes the fun part in adding your own flair to the basics. This class teaches the basics of Story structure as created by Larry Brooks.

Structure, Scene and Sequel – KATE PALMER
Learn how to hook your readers and keep them reading. Writing with Jack M. Bickham’s scene and sequel technique provides show not tell action. You will learn how to juggle cause and effect to prolong your character’s struggle, move the plot forward, and keep readers worrying until the end.

Using Family History in Fiction – LIZ ADAIR
Liz shows how she and other writers have mined their family history in writing fiction. She talks about guidelines, possibilities, and how writing family history as fiction can often free someone to write the story they have inside but can’t seem to get down on paper.

You Had Me at Once Upon A Time: How to Write a Great Beginning – LIZ ADAIR
Liz shows why it’s so necessary to have a good first paragraph and then offers the class techniques in crafting a beginning that will grab the reader and compel him to read on.

Writing Journals for Posterity – TRISTI PINKSTON
Your journal may be the single most important legacy you leave for your posterity. What should you include? How much detail should you give? How can you put it together to be truly useful to those who come after you? This class will discuss all these important elements and more. 

Writing Cozy Mysteries – TRISTI PINKSTON
What differentiates a "cozy" from other kinds of mystery novels, and how can you create a story that will intrigue, entertain, and keep your readers guessing? Learn about the importance of characterization, planting red herrings, and tying everything up at the end with a satisfying bow.

Writing Great Short Stories – ANGIE LOFTHOUSE
Short stories are different beasts from novels, though they contain the same elements. We'll discuss the what, how, why, where and when of short fiction. From someone who has published over a dozen short stories and been a short fiction editor for many years.