One Day Intensives March 17, 2012

April 26, 2023

MWW is offering One-Day Intensive Sessions!

March 17, 2012 at Ball State Alumni Center, 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

On Saturday, March 17, two returning favorite MWW faculty members join us for encore workshops that feature each one in a cozy full-day session. Make this a St. Patrick’s Day dedicated to improving your writing! These special intensive sessions will be held at at the Ball State Alumni Center, (Muncie, IN) from 9 am to 2:30 pm. Just 20 participants will be able to attend the session of their choice at a cost of $125 (includes a brown bag lunch so the work continues to flow).

REGISTER HERE!

Romance Writing

“Once Upon A Time…Writing Your First Novel” with multi-published author SHIRLEY JUMP. Have you ever wanted to write a short story or novel? Wondered what it took to get from “Once upon a time” to “The End”? This session will help you: [1] decide whether an idea is “big” enough to encompass a novel; [2] create characters; [3] decide on character goals, motivations and conflicts; [4] develop a story arc; [5] create scenes and sequels; [6] polish your manuscript; [7] discover resources for getting published. At the end of this session, you will have a good basic knowledge of how to write a story, and you’ll understand what encompasses a strong plot. [Note: this session is for any fiction writer!]

In 2009, Shirley captivated MWW with her banquet keynote describing how she “quit” writing only days later to receive one of many contracts which brought her to the New York Times bestseller list. She’s published 35+ books, from romantic comedy to romance with recipes to YA with zombies, and has worked for three publishing houses.

A powerhouse of insider publishing information, Shirley will share the secrets she’s learned in her career in this intensive session. She’s currently teaching a popular online course called “Taking A Book From Good To Sold” and is ready to help writers, at whatever stage, in their writing journeys.

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Shirley Jump spends her days writing women’s fiction and romantic comedies (One Day to Find a Husband, July 2012) to feed her shoe addiction and avoid cleaning the toilets. As AJ Whitten (www.ajwhitten.com), she and her daughter also write horror young adult novels for Houghton Mifflin’s Graphia imprint (The Cellar, May 2011). She cleverly finds writing time by feeding her kids junk food, allowing them to dress in the clothes they find on the floor and encouraging the dogs to double as vacuum cleaners. Visit her website at www.shirleyjump.com or read recipes and life adventures at www.shirleyjump.blogspot.com.

WRITING PICTURE BOOKS with PETER J. WELLING

“You must write for children in the same way as you do for adults, only better.” Maxim Gorky

In this session, we will attempt to give you the ways to accomplish that dictum. We start with the blank page and an idea and move to 32 pages of glorious writing for kids. Along the way we will discuss the following: How many words? Which words? If you’re not writing tales of Mister Stickman, where do you get pictures? Do you need an Agent? Which publishers are best? Who sends the limo to pick you up for your book signings? How do you autograph an ebook? How do you submit your manuscript? Do you need a lawyer to protect your intellectual property? Why is the number three important to picture book writers? How many trips to the mailbox do you have to make before you get a contract? Here’s my first writing tip: Bring pen, paper and your sense of humor on March 17.

Peter J. Welling is a native Hoosier Hoosier and taught his popular Writing for Children session at the 2005 Midwest Writers Workshop. He received a degree in English from IUSB (1977) and received the Award of Excellence his senior year. He is the recipient of the IUSB College of Arts & Sciences Distinguished Alumnus Award (2003). Peter has served as an Adjunct Faculty member at IUPUI Continuing Ed and received the Indiana University Continuing Studies Teaching Excellence Award (2005). He is the author/illustrator of six pictures books and illustrator of The Kvetch Who Stole Hanukkah which will be receiving recognition from Storytelling World Awards in spring, 2012. Peter wrote two police novels which were published in London under the pseudonym Steve Garcia. He has also illustrated two novels by Katherine Black. Peter and his wife have four sons, three and a half daughters in law, and five grandkids.

Picture Books (Illustrated and Authored)