McAllister Coaching - Writing Coaching & Consulting

Winter/Spring 2017

All-Day Writing Workshops

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Creative Breakout!

an all-day workshop for writers
who want to get in touch
with their creative genius

Sunday, February 7, 2017

Tired of writing the same old way?

Chained to a project you can’t seem to finish?

Having trouble getting started on your first book?

Dying to try new kinds of writing?

In a writer’s block you can’t seem to get out of?

Dreaming of mixing writing with other media you love?

Want good company and a day of fun?

This workshop will be held at Bruce McAllister’s home in Old Town Orange, California (Orange County), near the 55, 22 and 5 freeways. The workshop will run from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. with a break for a dutch lunch in Old Town. Workshop fee: $95. To reserve a space or for questions contact Bruce through his website’s Contact form.

Bruce McAllister's short stories, poetry and mixed-media work have been published in national magazines, literary quarterlies, “year's best” anthologies and college textbooks over the past four decades. His stories have been widely translated, reviewed in the national and international media, and won or been a finalist for awards like the National Endowment for the Arts, Glimmer Train, Narrative, New Letters, the Shirley Jackson Award, the Hugo and the Nebula. He is the author of three novels, was trained in art early on, has published and taught experimental fiction and “mixed media” art, and has facilitated creativity workshops like this one for writers at all points in their careers.

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Winter/Spring 2014

All-Day Writing Workshops

1.

Sunday, March 9, 2014

ADVANCED FICTION WORKSHOP

Advanced Craft Techniques to Empower Every Fiction Writer and Delight Every Reader

Fee: $120. Maximum enrollment: 6

* * *

2.

Sunday, April 6, 2014

THE VERY BEST PUBLISHING STRATEGIES FOR TODAY'S WRITER

How to Maneuver the Minefield of Bad Advice and Internet Myths--and Get Your Book, Article or Short Story to Readers

Fee: $90. Maximum enrollment: 10

* * *

3.

Sunday, May 18, 2014

ADVANCED FICTION WORKSHOP (repeat)

Advanced Craft Techniques to Empower Every Fiction Writer and Delight Every Reader

Fee: $120. Maximum enrollment: 6

Package discounts: Anyone registering for all three workshops will receive a $30 discount; anyone registering for two, $20.

All workshops will run from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. with lunch (dutch) ordered in to allow more workshop time. All workshops will be held at BruceMcAllister's home in Old Town Orange (Orange County), California--close to the 5, 22, 91 and 55 freeways. To register, contact Bruce through his website’s Contact form.

*why short story writers are such happy people--and should be
*writing as play (or: why having fun is important)
*boosting your creativity
*storytelling secrets
*creating characters who live and breathe--and tell their own stories
*characters that don't move and stories that won't finish (or start) and other easy-to-fix writer's-blocks
*the magic of point of view
*shaping your stories artfully
*chronological writers and writing from the inside out writers (which are you?)
*idea stories versus character stories
*genre fiction versus literary fiction
*flash fiction and sudden fiction--the art of short-shorts and why you should write them
*the endless market for short stories and how to navigate it when you're starting out
*why successful short story writers don't care about money
*short story submission mechanics and guerilla strategies
*turning rejection letters into rewarding editor-writer relationships
*the best books and magazines for fiction writers--and how to use them
*craft exercises that writers keep secret
*why book publishers like short story writers
*why short stories lead to novels
*turning short stories into novels
*cannibalizing failed novels for great short stories
*how short story writing changes lives

This workshop will meet at Bruce McAllister’s home in Orange, California (Orange County), just off the 55, 22 and 5 freeways (for Inland Empire residents, at the 55/91 fork). It will run from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. with a break for a group lunch (dutch) in Old Town Orange. Fee: $95. Maximum enrollment: 10. For registration and more information contact Bruce through his website’s Contact form.

Bruce McAllister's short stories have been published in national magazines, literary quarterlies, year's best anthologies and college textbooks for the past four decades. His stories have been widely translated, reviewed in the national and international media, and won or been a finalist for awards. He is the author of two novels, Humanity Prime and Dream Baby, with a third scheduled for late 2012; and of the short-story collection, The Girl Who Loved Animals and Other Stories. He has edited literary quarterlies, edited or co-edited short-fiction anthologies for major publishers and small presses, and served on national fiction-award juries. For twenty years he helped establish and direct creative and professional writing programs at a private university in southern California, where he taught all levels of fiction writing. He holds an MFA in fiction writing from UC Irvine.

In an era when the traditional publishing model for books is changing, and there are so few slots within that model for books by “debut” authors, it’s easy for new authors to imagine that everything is now about promotional “platform,” social media, Twitter and other promotional tactics; that the book no longer really matters. Recent research, however, has shown that what has always been true in publishing is true even now--that all of those promotional efforts on behalf of either traditionally published or self-published books cannot matter unless the book “product” is excellent, and that an excellent book will find its way regardless. No book, novel or non-fiction book, can be excellent--as any successful author, agent or publisher will tell you--unless it comes from an authentic place in its author…from that author’s heart. That is, unless it’s “true” to that author. Join us for an all-day workshop this summer on how you can make sure your first, second or third book is indeed as “true” to you as it needs to be to make magic for itself and for you in these chaotic publishing times.

l. Making Your Novel True to You:
Dialoguing with the Deep Genius Inside
Sunday, July 29 2012

2. Making Your Non-Fiction Book True to You
What Do You Know/What Have You Lived
That the World Needs Most?
Sunday, August 5, 2012

Workshops will meet at Bruce McAllister's home in Orange, California (Orange County), just off the 55, 22 and 5 freeways (for Inland Empire residents, at the 55/91 fork). They will run from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. with a break for a group lunch in Old Town Orange.

Workshop facilitator Bruce McAllister is a multi-genre writer whose second novel Dream Baby was called a “stunning tour de force” by Publishers Weekly and whose new novel, The Village Sang to the Sea: A Memoir of Magic, will be appear later this year. His short fiction has been published in national magazines, literary quarterlies, “year's best” anthologies and college textbooks and been a finalist for national awards. He has written non-fiction articles on popular science, education, sports and writing craft for Life, International Wildlife, The Writer and other magazines, newspapers and books. He is a writing coach who specializes in novels and non-fiction books of all kinds, including both literary and genre novels, memoirs, and popular and scholarly non-fiction books. His clients have been nominated for both the Pulitzer and National Book awards as well as other awards. For twenty-five years he helped establish and direct creative and professional writing programs at the University of Redlands in southern California and while there taught all levels and forms of fiction and non-fiction. He holds a BA from the Claremont Colleges and an MFA in fiction writing from the University of California at Irvine.

l. Saturday, June 5, 2010 HOW TO WRITE A PUBLISHABLE NOVEL IN 2010
Secrets No Writer's Conference Will Tell You

2. Saturday, June 26, 2010 HOW TO LAND A LITERARY AGENT
Insider Tips from the Pros

Both workshops will meet at Bruce McAllister's home in Costa Mesa, California, just off the 55 and 405 Freeways near the beach. They will run from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. with a break for group lunch. Fee: $80. Maximum enrollment: 10. For registration and information contact Bruce through his website’s Contact form.

WHY SHORT STORY WRITERS ARE STILL SUCH HAPPY PEOPLE:
WRITING AND PUBLISHING THE SHORT STORY
An All-Day Workshop in the Rewards of Short Story Writing
with
BRUCE MCALLISTER
Saturday, June 6, 2009, 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m.

Topics:
*why short story writers are such happy people--and should be
*writing as play (or: why having fun is important)
*boosting your creativity
*storytelling secrets
*creating characters who live and breathe--and tell their own stories
*characters that don't move and stories that won't finish (or start) and other easy-to-fix writer's-blocks
*the magic of point of view
*shaping your stories artfully
*chronological writers and writing from the inside out writers (which are you?)
*idea stories versus character stories
*genre fiction versus literary fiction
*flash fiction and sudden fiction--the art of short-shorts and why you should write them
*the endless market for short stories and how to navigate it when you're starting out
*why successful short story writers don't care about money
*short story submission mechanics and guerilla strategies
*turning rejection letters into rewarding editor-writer relationships
*the best books and magazines for fiction writers--and how to use them
*craft exercises that writers keep secret
*why book publishers like short story writers
*why short stories lead to novels
*turning short stories into novels
*cannibalizing failed novels for great short stories
*how short story writing changes lives

BRUCE MCALLISTER's short stories have been published in national magazines, literary quarterlies, year's best anthologies and college textbooks for the past three decades. His stories have been widely translated , reviewed in the national and international media, and won or been a finalist for a number of awards. He is the author of two novels, Humanity Prime and Dream Baby, and of the short-story collection, The Girl Who Loved Animals and Other Stories. He has edited literary quarterlies, co-edited anthologies for major publishers, been a contributing editor to literary quarterlies, and served on national fiction-award juries; and is an author finder for three New York literary agencies. For twenty years he helped establish and direct creative and professional writing programs at the University of Redlands, and while there taught all levels of fiction writing. He holds an MFA in fiction writing from UC Irvine.

The workshop will run from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. with a break for group lunch. Fee: $85. Maximum enrollment: 8. For registration and information contact Bruce McAllister at 909.730.1238, www.mcallistercoaching.com, or bruce@mcallistercoaching.com.

WRITING FANTASY, SCIENCE FICTION AND HORROR
a writing workshop for novelists and short story writers
Sunday, April 26 2009

BRUCE MCALLISTER's fantasy, science fiction and horror short stories have been published in national magazines, literary quarterlies, theme anthologies (like Joyce Carol Oates American Gothic), year's best anthologies (like The Best American Short Stories 2007 and The Year's Best Fantasy and The Year's Best Science Fiction series) and college textbooks for the past forty years. His stories have been widely translated, reviewed in the national and international media, and received or been nominated for awards, including the Hugo and Nebula. He is the author of two novels, Humanity Prime, and Dream Baby, and of the short-story collection, The Girl Who Loved Animals and Other Stories. He has edited or co-edited literary quarterlies and anthologies and served on national fiction-award juries. For twenty years he helped establish and direct creative and professional writing programs at the University of Redlands, and while there taught all levels of fiction writing as well as fantasy and science fiction. He holds an MFA in fiction writing from UC Irvine, and is a writing coach and book and screenplay consultant.

The workshop will run from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. with a break for group lunch. Fee: $85. Maximum enrollment: 8. For registration and information contact Bruce through his website’s Contact form.

A workshop in choosing the novel that's completely right and true to you, getting It written within life's demands, and using the guerilla tactics a very tight book marketplace demands for finding a publisher

MEMOIR, BIOGRAPHY, SELF-HELP, PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT, INSPIRATIONAL, TRAVEL, HISTORY, SCIENCE&TECHNOLOGY, BUSINESS...AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT ISN'T FICTION: WRITING AND PUBLISHING YOUR NON-FICTION BOOK IN 2009

A workshop for writers of non-fiction books of all kinds--getting started, determining audiences, writing them, and deciding on the best publication routes

All workshops will run from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. with an hour+ break for group lunch and will be held at Bruce McAllister's home in Costa Mesa, California (freeway close and ten minutes from the beach). Fee: $85. Maximum enrollment: 10. For details and registration contact Bruce McAllister at 909.730.1238, bruce@mcallistercoaching.com or www.mcallistercoaching.com

WHY SHORT STORY WRITERS ARE SUCH HAPPY PEOPLE:
WRITING SHORT STORIES AND GETTING THEM PUBLISHED IN 2008

*why short story writers are such happy people--and should be
*writing as play (or: why having fun is important)
*boosting your creativity
*the "creative journal": cure for any writer's block and secret to writing discipline
*effortless writing: "the creative journal," "automatic writing,"
"flash fiction" and prose poetry
*storytelling secrets
*creating characters who live and breathe--and tell their own stories
*characters that don’t move and stories that won’t finish (or start) and other easy-to-fix writer’s-blocks
*the magic of point of view
*shaping your stories artfully
*”chronological writers” and “writing from the inside out” writers (which are you?)
*”idea stories” versus “character stories”
*”genre fiction” versus “literary fiction”
*the endless market for short stories and how to navigate it when you’re starting out
*why successful short story writers don’t care about money
*short story submission mechanics and guerilla strategies
*turning rejection letters into rewarding editor-writer relationships
*the best books and magazines for fiction writers-- and how to use them
*craft exercises that writers keep secret
*why book publishers like short story writers
*why short stories lead to novels
*turning short stories into novels
*cannibalizing failed novels for great short stories
*how short story writing changes lives

BRUCE MCALLISTER’s short stories have been published in national magazines, literary quarterlies, “year’s best” anthologies and college textbooks for the past three decades. His stories have been widely translated , reviewed in the national and international media, and nominated for awards. He is the author of two novels, Humanity Prime and Dream Baby, and of the short-story collection, The Girl Who Loved Animals and Other Stories (Golden Gryphon Books, Fall 2007). He has edited literary quarterlies, co-edited short story anthologies, and served on national fiction-award juries; has received a National Endowment for the Arts writing fellowship; and is an “author finder” for three New York literary agencies. For twenty years he helped establish and direct creative and professional writing programs at the University of Redlands in southern California, and while there taught all levels of fiction writing. He holds an MFA in fiction writing from University of California at Irvine and has been called “the Inland Empire’s premier writing coach and consultant to new and established book and screenplay writers” by southern California's Inland Empire magazine.

The workshop will run from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. with a break for group lunch. Fee: $80. Maximum enrollment: 14. For registration and information contact Bruce through his website’s Contact form.

DISCOVERING ALL THOSE NOVELS INSIDE YOU--
AND GETTING ONE WRITTEN BEFORE THE NEXT MILLENNIUM

An All-Day Workshop in Inner Exploration, Choosing the Novel That's Right and True for You, and Getting It Written This Year

--Why write a novel all (the many reasons human beings do it)
--Why there are more great novel ideas in you than you think there are
--Why proof of this can change how you feel about yourself and any novel you’re working on
--How to get those great novels out—and have fun doing it
--Why having more than one great novel to choose from before you start your first (or second or third or fourth) novel can be magic
--Why having more than one great novel to choose from can help solve writer’s blocks even with a novel-in-progress
--Why many writers work on more than one novel at a time
--How the publishing world categorizes novels and how to use this for your own purposes
--How to cannibalize a novel you’re not happy with for (l) publishable short stories and (2) a new novel that will make you
happier—and how common this is for writers to do
--The many ways writers get their novels written
--How to use friends, family members and fellow writers to help you get your novel written—and written well (and still speak to you afterward)
--Today's novel market and the guerilla tactics you'll need to negotiate it
--How to approach agents and publishers when you're novel is ready (and how to know when your novel is)

l. Saturday, February 9, 2008
DISCOVERING ALL THOSE NOVELS INSIDE YOU--AND GETTING ONE WRITTEN TOO
A Workshop in Inner Exploration, Choosing the Novel That's Right and Truest for You, and Getting It Written Before the Next Millennium

2. Saturday, March 29, 2008
WHY SHORT STORY WRITERS ARE SUCH HAPPY PEOPLE--2008 EDITION
A Workshop in Short Story Writing and Its Satisfactions

3. Saturday, May 17, 2008
WRITING AND PUBLISHING YOUR NON-FICTION BOOK
A Workshop in Deciding What Non-Fiction Book to Write, How Best to Write It, and How to Get It Published

All workshops will run from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. with an hour+ break for group lunch. Fee: $80. Maximum enrollment: 14. For details and registration contact Bruce through his website’s Contact form.

1.
Why Short Story Writers Are Happy People:
Writing and Publishing the Short Story
Saturday, January 20 2007

2.
The New Thriller Market: Finding the Right Thriller in You
Saturday, February 17 2007

3.
Writing and Publishing Your Non-Fiction Book in 2007
Saturday, March 17 2007

5.
Writing and Selling Fantasy, Science Fiction and Horror
Saturday, May 12 2007

All workshops will run from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. with an hour+ break for group lunch. Fee: $85. Maximum enrollment: 14. For details and registration contact Bruce through his website’s Contact form.

*how the publishing world categorizes non-fiction books--and why
*which categories sell best--and why
*identifying your book's category
*the crafts of the various categories: how to write self-help, personal development, inspirational, memoir, travel, humor, true crime, New Age, "serious," professional/scholarly, "creative" and other categories
*style and "voice" in non-fiction
*structuring your book
* your book's audience
*getting your non-fiction book finished (or started)
*the art of the query letter, the "query proposal," and the full book proposal
*getting agents interested--or bypassing them if you don’t need them
*why smaller publishers are often better
*agent and publisher "blind spots"--how to identify them, why they exist, how to maneuver them
*guerilla tactics for navigating the "system"--and winning
*the new avenues of book publication
*why self-publishing works so well for some books
*how to ensure a winning self-published book

BRUCE MCALLISTER taught workshops in professional and commercial non-fiction at the University of Redlands for over twenty years, and while there helped establish and direct a writing program with both "creative writing" and "professional writing" tracks, a communications program, and a careers-in-writing internship program. His articles on popular science, sports, education, and writing craft have appeared in Life, International Wildlife, The Writer, The Writer's Handbook, newspapers, technical and scientific publications, and other publications. He is an “agent finder” for new and established authors of non-fiction books and novels; has consulted for writers on film and TV projects; and has been a writer, editor and consultant on books nominated for the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award. He is a specialist in the many kinds of publishing open to book writers today, and he has been called “the Inland Empire’s premier writing coach, editorial consultant and agent liaison” by Inland Empire magazine.

The workshop will run from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. with a break for group lunch. Fee: $85. Maximum enrollment: 14. For registration and information contact Bruce through his website’s Contact form.

WHY SHORT STORY WRITERS ARE
SUCH HAPPY PEOPLE: WRITING AND PUBLISHING
THE SHORT STORY

*why short story writers are such happy people--and should be
*writing as play (or: why having fun is important)
*boosting your creativity
*storytelling secrets
*creating characters who live and breathe--and tell their own stories
*characters that don’t move and stories that won’t finish (or start)
and other easy-to-fix writer’s-blocks
*the magic of point of view
*shaping your stories artfully
*”chronological writers” and “writing from the inside out”
writers (which are you?)
*”idea stories” versus “character stories”
*”genre fiction” versus “literary fiction”
*”flash fiction” and “sudden fiction”--the art of short-shorts and why you should write them
*the endless market for short stories and how to navigate it when you’re starting out
*why successful short story writers don’t care about money
*short story submission mechanics and guerilla strategies
*turning rejection letters into rewarding editor-writer relationships
*the best books and magazines for fiction writers-- and how to use them
*craft exercises that writers keep secret
*why book publishers like short story writers
*why short stories lead to novels
*turning short stories into novels
*cannibalizing failed novels for great short stories
*how short story writing changes lives

BRUCE MCALLISTER’s short stories have been published in national magazines, literary quarterlies, “year’s best” anthologies and college textbooks for the past three decades. His stories have been widely translated , reviewed in the national and international media, and nominated for awards. He is the author of two novels, Humanity Prime and Dream Baby, and of a forthconing short-story colection, The Girl Who Loved Animals and Other Stories (Golden Gryphon Books, Fall 2007). He has edited literary quarterlies, co-edited anthologies, and served on national fiction-award juries; and is an “author finder” for three New York literary agencies. For twenty years he helped establish and direct creative and professional writing programs at the University of Redlands, and while there taught all levels of fiction writing. He holds an MFA in fiction writing from UC Irvine and has been called “the Inland Empire’s premier writing coach and consultant to new and established book and screenplay writers” by Inland Empire magazine.

DISCOVERING THE MOST PUBLISHABLE NOVEL IN YOU
A Workshop That Matches You to the Novel Marketplace

*the new novel marketplace
*what novel categories agents look for and why
*what the terms "literary, "mainstream"
and "genre" really mean
*what novel categories sell best for publishers
*how to discover quickly the five or six
novels in you waiting to be written
*how to write for the marketplace while
being completely true to yourself
*novel craft: believable characters, character arcs,
Point of View, the Shakespeare Quotient,
pacing and superstructure
*turning short stories into novels
*using the worlds you know to launch your novel
*the power of combining "genres"
*the power of "hero patterns"
*guerilla tactics for landing an agent--
or finding a publisher without one
*the new avenues of publishing

WORKSHOP FOR FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION WRITERS
The Craft, the Joy, and the Marketplace

*sense of wonder
*creating imaginary worlds
*creating believable characters
*redeeming cliches and stereotypes
*how science fiction and fantasy differ--
and how they don't
*short story versus novel craft
*she power of "hero patterns"
*fantasy writing in a Harry Potter world
*science fiction's new face
*print and online book and magazine markets
*agents and editors: the tactics

LET THAT NOVEL OUT
Proven Techniques for Jumpstarting and Finishing Your Novel

*why write a novel at all?
*how to discover those great novel ideas in you
*how to choose the novel idea that’s right for you and for the
current novel marketplace
*how to jump-start your novel if it won’t start on its own
*how to get it moving if it stops
*how to cure any writer’s block (all can be cured)
*how to find the time and space to write
*what a “fiction-craft apprenticeship “ is and how to design
one tailored to you
*the elements of pace
*how to create believable, engaging characters with
"character arcs" and make them tell your story
*myths about novelists and how they work
*the four most common ways to write a novel
*turning short stories into novels
*using the worlds you know to launch a novel
*myths about agents and publishers/truths about
agents and publishers
*a novelist’s best tools
*the best strategies for breaking into the novel marketplace

PUBLISHING YOUR NON-FICTION BOOK IN 2006
Categories, Craft, and the New Avenues of Publication

*how the publishing world categorizes non-fiction
books--and why
*which categories sell best--and why
*identifying your book's category and ensuring
the match
*the crafts of the categories: how to write self-help,
inspirational, memoir, travel, humor, true crime,
New Age, "serious," professional/scholarly, "creative"
and other categories
*style and "voice" in non-fiction
*structuring your book
*remembering your book's audience
*getting your non-fiction book finished (or started!)
*the art of the query letter, the "query proposal,"
and the full book proposal
*getting agents interested--or bypassing them
*why smaller publishers are often better
*agent and publisher "blind spots"--how to identify them,
why they exist, how to maneuver them
*guerilla tactics for navigating the "system"--and winning
*the new avenues of book publication

* * * * * *

All workshops will run from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. with an hour + break for lunch. Fee: $75. Maximum enrollment: 14. For details and registration contact Bruce through his website’s Contact form.

BRUCE MCALLISTER taught workshops in the writing of fiction, poetry, non-fiction and screenplays at the University of Redlands for over twenty years, and while there helped establish and direct the creative writing program, communications program and careers-in-writing internship program. He is a novelist and short story writer whose fiction has been published in national magazines, literary quarterlies, college texts and “year’s best” anthologies, and has been widely translated. His non-fiction articles have appeared in Life, International Wildlife, The Writer, The Writer's Handbook, newspapers, technical and scientific publications, and elsewhere. His novel Dream Baby, called a "tour de force--one of the most memorable chronicles of the Vietnam war" by Publisher's Weekly, was a finalist for the Hugo and Nebula awards and the recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts writing fellowship. He has edited international fiction and poetry anthologies and literary quarterlies and been a judge for national literary awards. He is an “agent finder” for authors of books and screenplays; has consulted for writers on film and TV projects; and has been a writer, editor and consultant on books nominated for the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award. He has been called “the Inland Empire’s premier writing coach, editorial consultant and agent liaison” by Inland Empire magazine.

Topics: TV and film today, myths both, turning your idea into a story and your story into a script, the three-act structure and its alternatives, character and story arcs, breaking in (those first spec scripts), the perfect query letter, the perfect pitch, production companies as an agent alternative, getting and firing agents, comedies and dramas, screenwriting software, the best screencraft books, when the gurus are right and when they're wrong, conferences and competitions, coverage and analysis services, writing workshops and courses, adapting fiction to film.

MIKE AJAKWE has for fifteen years written and produced for shows like Entertainment Tonight, Martin, Sister Sister, Soul Food, The Brothers Garcia, Steve Harvey's Big Time and the new UPN hit show Eve. He recently sold a feature script to Artisan Pictures. The winner of a l995 Emmy for his work the E! Channel show Talk Soup, he is also an award-winning playwright, stage director and producer whose work has received two NAACP Theater Awards and whose plays have been reprinted in a variety of "year's best" anthologies. From 2000 to 2003 he was the TV Instructor for the Guy Alexander Hanks and Marvin H. Miller TV and Screenwriting Fellowship Program at USC, from which his students have gone on to write for TV series like ER, The Division, and many others. He is a l987 honors graduate of the University of Redlands, where he majored in English and Political Science and interned on the Paramount lot at both Cheers and Entertainment Tonight. He lives in Los Angeles.

*boosting your creativity
*storytelling secrets
*creating characters that live
*the magic of point of view
*shaping your stories artfully
*”idea stories” versus “character stories”
*genre fiction versus literary fiction
*characters that don’t move and stories that won’t finish and other writer’s-block cures
*the vast market for short stories
*submission mechanics and strategies
*turning rejection letters into editor-writer relationships
*the best books and magazines for fiction writers and how to use them to learn your craft
*why short story writers get their novels published
*how short story writing can change your life

III. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 11 2004

WRITING AND PUBLISHING YOUR SHORT STORIES
(repeat)

IV. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 11 2004 AND SATURDAY, JANUARY 29 2005

GETTING THAT NOVEL WRITTEN IN 2005

Topics:

*why write a novel?
*how to discover those great novel ideas in you
*how to choose the novel idea that’s right for you and for the current novel marketplace
*how to jump-start your novel if it won’t start on its own
*how to get it moving if it stops
*how to cure any writer’s block (because all can be cured)
*how to find the time and space to write
*what a “fiction-craft apprenticeship “ is and how to design one tailored to you
*the elements of pace
*how to create engaging characters and make them tell your story
*myths about novelists and how they work
*the four most common ways to write a novel
*how to turn a good short story into a novel
*myths about agents and publishers/truths about agents and publishers
*a novelist’s best tools
*the best strategies for breaking into the novel marketplace

Writing and Selling the Non-Fiction Book

Writing Your Autobiography

Writing and Selling Magazine Articles

Grantwriting Workshop

Writing and Selling Screenplays

Scholarly and Scientific Books: A Workshop

Thesis and Dissertation Workshop

Writing to Heal: Make It a Habit

Writing and Marketing Fantasy and Science Fiction

Young Writers Write: Fantasy and Science Fiction