Progress . . .

GREAT SMOKIES WRITING PROGRAM CLASS Critique workshop (forty pages worth) for those with a novel in progress -- just begun, partway there, or finished and in need of polish. Beginning February 18, 10 meetings, Wednesdays from 6-8:30 pm at the Thomas Wolfe House in Asheville. More info HERE. FORTY PAGES

This workshop is aimed at those writers with a work in progress, almost completed, or completed but in need of a final polishing. Each student will submit forty pages of work for discussion and critique by the class and close editing with written comments by the instructor. We will focus on the effective use of key techniques such as creating an intriguing opening line and a compelling first chapter, creating a likable and/or engaging protagonist, weaving in back story in small, manageable doses, setting up a dilemma that begs to be resolved -- in general, producing a page-turner. We will attempt to weed out the mistakes that mark the amateur writer and turn each student into a discerning editor of his own work. The goal will be to polish those forty pages till they are ready to catch the attention of an agent, an editor, a publisher and make them ask for more. The text will be the highly acclaimed Don't Sabotage Your Submission by career manuscript editor Chris Roerden (Bella Rosa books --ISBN 978-1-933523-31-6.)

March 27-29 DAHLONEGA (GEORGIA) LITERARY FESTIVAL. I will be a featured author. INFO HERE May 31 - June 6 JOHN C. CAMPBELL FOLK SCHOOL - A Practical Guide to Writing Popular Fiction i'll be leading a class for all levels in the nuts and bolts of writing fiction for publication. Details HERE.