Online Workshops

Thank you for visiting the Red River Romance Writers online workshops!

All classes are conducted through a Yahoo Group.

To enroll --
(1) send payment through PayPal to treasurer@redriverromancewriters.com
and
(2) send an email to treasurer@redriverromancewriters.com with your name, email address to be used for the class, PayPal receipt number, and month and name of workshop.

Or send a check and registration information to:

RRRW
P. O. Box 4822
Wichita Falls, TX 76308

No admission to the class until fee and information are received.

Have questions or would like more information? Send an email to our workshop coordinator .

February 2010 --

Join us for a two-week intensive workshop Feb. 1-14.

Price: RRRW Members - $15; Non-members - $20

"The Xtremely Productive Writer" with Kara Lennox

Do you wish you could write more? Does life get in the way? Do you frequently miss deadlines? Does your manuscript languish for weeks at a time, withering from lack of attention? Do you look at writers who write three, four, five or more books a year and figure they must be superhuman?

In this two-week intensive class, you will learn how to identify the things that interfere with your productivity and keep you from writing. Then we'll discuss strategies for writing more without compromising quality or neglecting the rest of your life. This workshop includes some hands-on homework and exercises to get your hands onto that keyboard right away, and keep you writing on into the rest of the year. In addition to presenting ten "lectures," Kara Lennox will address students' individual questions and unique situations and provide as much feedback as time allows. A lively give-and-take among students is also encouraged.

Bio
Kara Lennox (a.k.a. Karen Leabo) has written more than 50 contemporary romance novels for Harlequin/Silhouette and Bantam Loveswept. Since her first novel was released in 1989, her books frequently appear on romance bestseller lists. She is currently working on a romantic suspense trilogy, "Project Justice," for Harlequin Superromance, to be published in 2011. Kara's books have finaled in several romance industry contests including the National Readers' Choice Awards, the Holt Medallion competition, and the RITA. Her Harlequin American Romance PLAIN JANE'S PLAN won a Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice award.

May 2010 --

Join us for a one-week intensive workshop May 16-22.

Price: RRRW Members - $15; Non-members - $20

"Storyboarding" with Shayla Black (aka Shelley Bradley)

Hate blinking cursors or rewriting? Have a very time-pressed schedule? To avoid all of those and maintain sanity in the middle of deadlines and challenging books requires a little more pre-plotting than Ready with some characters, Set with an opening scene, Go!

Storyboarding for the Story Challenged uses different formats (and thus, different parts of your brain) to help you construct your plot. Part visual, part analytical, this method of storyboarding allows you to plot the skeleton of a story or put all the story flesh on its bones, right down to the last freckle or drop of sweat.

The storyboarding method also allows you to:
a) write a quick, concise sysnopsis that enables you to more accurately state what your book will be about when it’s finished
b) find plot holes
c) determine if you’ve dropped threads, characters, props or themes
d) know your characters, the story and how motivation ties in before you ever start writing
e) and lots more!!

Bio
Shayla Black (aka Shelley Bradley) is the national bestselling author of 25+ sizzling contemporary, erotic, paranormal, and historical romances for multiple print and electronic publishers. She lives in Texas with her husband, munchkin, and one very spoiled cat. In her “free” time, she enjoys reality TV, reading and listening to an eclectic blend of music.

Shayla has won or placed in over a dozen writing contests, including Passionate Ink’s Passionate Plume, Colorado Romance Writers Award of Excellence, and the National Reader’s Choice Awards. Romantic Times has awarded her Top Picks, a KISS Hero Award and a nomination for Best Erotic Romance of 2007.

A writing risk-taker, Shayla enjoys tackling writing challenges with every book.

August 2010 --

Join us for a four-week workshop August 9 - September 6.

Price: RRRW Members - $20; Non-members - $25

"Social Networking for Unpublished and Published Authors" with Beth Barany

You may think that social networking as an author is only for published authors. But actually, authors at all stages of their career can use the tools of Twitter, Facebook and blogging (and more!)

If you only learn and implement a few important strategies, you will find that social networking can fit into your busy life, and help grow your career.

In this class, learn how to:

• Get clear on the purpose of your online presence
• Set your user profiles on Facebook, Twitter, and Plaxo based on your purpose
• Build your base of friends/fans/followers
• Craft useful and effective content aligned with your purpose
• Use your social networking time effectively
• Create a plan for change, as your career changes

You will receive three short lessons a week for four weeks -- short how-to's and action steps you will be able to implement immediately.

Bio
Beth Barany, a certified creativity coach, coaches, consults and teaches writers and those who want to write. She offers workshops, e-courses, and products to support writers who want to enjoy the writing process AND get their books done. As a service to the writing community, Beth offers free support via her blog, Writer's Fun Zone, www.writersfunzone.com, and her site, www.bethbarany.com

After working in journalism for 15 years, and teaching ESL in the US and France, Beth switched her writing focus to fiction, and now writes young adult fantasy. Her young adult fantasy novel, THE DRAGON STONE, is under consideration by agents and editors. Beth is a contributing author to the anthology, WRITING ROMANCE.

On her off-hours, Beth enjoys walking, the outdoors, gardening, watching movies, and reading. Beth is married to singer/song-writer and high school physics teacher, Ezra Barany.

September 2010 --

Join us for a two-week workshop Sept. 6-19.

Price: RRRW Members - $15; Non-members - $20

"Yes, You Can Quit Your Day Job" with Kara Lennox

Do you dream of working at home every day, sitting at your computer in your sweats communing with your muse? It's not an impossible dream no matter what your situation. With some careful planning and a lot of self-discipline, you, too, can look forward to Monday morning as a stay-at-home writer--even if you haven't yet sold your first book. In this workshop, we'll discuss making the transition to self-employment while addressing all financial obligations and family/societal expectations.

Bio
Bestselling author Kara Lennox, also known as Karen Leabo, left the corporate rat race more than twenty years ago and hasn't ever regretted it. As a full time writer she has penned more than 60 contemporary novels of romance and romantic suspense for Harlequin/Silhouette and Bantam Loveswept. Her books have finaled in several romance industry contests including the RITA, and she has received an RT Book Club Reviewers' Choice Award. Currently she is writing for Harlequin Superromance, and her three-book romantic suspense series "Project Justice" is slated for publication in early 2011.

November 2010 --

Join us for a four-week intensive workshop November 1-30.

Price: RRRW Members - $20; Non-members - $25

"Creating Compelling Characters" with Lori Wilde

For a novel to be successful it must be peopled with compelling characters. A character can be three dimensional and yet still be too passive or indecisive to create a satisfying reading experience. Active characters make for active stories. Think about the memorable characters you remember. More than likely they came alive through great passion and strong emotions: lust, envy, pride, greed, love, hate, fear, joy, vanity, hope, doubt. This course strives to teach you everything you’ll need to know about creating compelling characters that leap off the page and live on in the minds of your readers.

Topics Covered:
1) Building the bones
2) Through the characters eyes
3) The character arc
4) Fleshing out characters
5) Characters in action
6) Heroes, villains, allies and enemies
7) Character transformation

Bio
Lori Wilde has sold fifty-two novels to four major New York Publishing houses. She holds a bachelors degree in nursing from Texas Christian University and a certificate in forensics. She volunteers as a sexual assault first responder for Freedom House, a shelter for battered women. She has also served as the RWA National conference workshop chair and PAN retreat chair.

She is an instructor for a company who provides online community education to over 1500 colleges and universities. Lori is a past RITA finalist and has four times been nominated for Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice Award. She’s won the Colorado Award of Excellence, the Wisconsin Write Touch Award, The Lories, The More Than Maggie, the Golden Quill, The Laurel Wreath and The BestBooks of 2006 Book Award.

Her books have been translated into 22 languages and excerpted in Cosmopolitan, Redbook, Complete Woman, and featured in All You and Quick and Simple magazines. She’s appeared numerous times on the Waldenbook’s bestseller list, The Barnes and Noble bestseller list, Bookscan Top 40 and Ingram’s Top 50. She lives in Texas with her husband, Bill.

Keep checking back. More workshops to come in 2011.