My Workshops

I love teaching writing workshops. I do so alone or with my partner-in-crime, Emily McKay. We’ve taught together for nearly fifteen years and are known for thought-provoking workshops that are educational and entertaining. Here are the workshops I currently offer:

BIGGER THAN BOTOX – This workshop will unveil three levels of revisions that will take your book from an unhealthy, flabby mess, to a thing of beauty your editor will want to clutch to her chest while singing Etta James’s At Last. *Presented at RWA National, Toronto RWA, Austin RWA, San Antonio RWA

CHARACTER PLOTTING – Our workshop will present three tiers of worksheets that will guide a writer through brainstorming, character development, and character-driven plotting. Our worksheets will help writers reveal character growth and keep their focus on the developing relationship between the hero and heroine. *Presented at RWA National, Austin RWA, on-line RWA chapters

WHEN WRITER GOT HER GROOVE BACK – how to increase your productivity and enthusiasm. *Presented at RWA National

EXTREME MAKEOVER: TAKE YOUR CHARACTERS FROM DRAB TO FAB – This workshop will give a writer the tools she needs to craft a character, paying particular focus to character types, character goals, character growth, and conflict (both internal and external). Showing tried and true methods for creating characters that readers love and that grow and change so they deserve their happy ending. *Presented at RWA National & Houston RWA chapter

FINDING EMO (AKA Feelings, Whoa, Whoa, Whoa, Feelings) – This workshop will show writers how they can add authentic emotion to every page of their book using proven techniques (with examples) so that the end result will not only garner attention from agents and editors, but just might get you that coveted “call.” *Presented at Austin RWA, New Jersey RWA Conference

MAKING GMC WORK FOR YOU – You’re familiar with all the basics, but how do you really apply all those acronyms? This workshop will go deep with hands-on assistance to show you how to build your story our of your character’s emotional journeys. We’ll pay special attention to the character arc and how it relates to theme and the developing romance. Using the three elements to create 3-dimensional characters with believable character arcs and page-turning plots *Presented at Knoxville RWA, Nashville RWA, misc on-line sites

Craft Resources 

I’ve always been a bit of a craft junkie. When I first started writing, I did an enormous amount of research on the craft of writing and I believe I’ve read every article on the Internet as well as numerous books (not to mention all the tapes/CDs I have from writing conferences). So because there are simply not enough writing articles out there, you’ll find some of my own below as well as my list of must-haves for every romance writer’s how-to library. 

General writing books
Writing the Breakout Novel by Donald Maass
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
Writing From the Inside Out by Dennis Palumbo
Self-editing for fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King
38 Most Common Fiction Writing Mistakes by Jack Bickham

Plotting books
GMC: Goal, Motivation and Conflict by Debra Dixon
Scene & Structure by Jack Bickham
Techniques of the Selling Writer by Dwight V. Swain

Characterization books
The Complete Guide to Heroes & Heroines by Tami Cowden, et. al.
What Type Am I? by Renee Baron
Creating Character Emotions by Ann Hood

Some of the webpages I found useful in my education were:
Alicia Rasley
Vicki Hinze
Stephanie Bond
RWA

Articles by Robyn

Labels…Shmabels…
How to Plot a Character Driven Book in 3 Easy Steps
The Strength of Your Book
Give me a “G”
The Reader’s Secret Decoder Ring
Setting Goals
Professional Jealousy
Coping with Rejection
Is Your Writing a Hobby or a Job?
Motivation
Are You Ready to Get Published?
The Three “D’s” of Success
Writing Better
My Top 5 Writing Tips
Goal Setting For Writers
Emotions