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Starting in the Right Place: Where Does the Story Begin?

March 18, 2022 by in category Ages 2 Perfection Online Class, Online Classes tagged as

Starting in the Right Place: Where Does the Story Begin?

Presented by: Beth Daniels, aka Beth Henderson, J.B. Dane, Nied Darnell

Date: April 1 – 30, 2022 (one month)

Pricing: A2P Member fee: $15

Non-A2P Member fee: $30

About the Workshop:

I have a friend who is a NYT bestselling author. Even after 70 some titles, she still says when she starts writing it is always in the wrong place. She doesn’t get to the point where her story actually begins until Chapter Two. Which means she has to not only kill Chapter One, but make sure anything of importance that did get mentioned in Chapter One shifts to a better location.


The problem is a common one. I have a story that I’ve written the opening scene to three times and it was only that final time out that the story finally started in the right spot.


However, every wrong spot I begin means I’m narrowing in on the right spot.


How do you know the right spot from the wrong spot though? Ahh, that can be tricky. But there are “flags” to look for that help distinguish the right start from the wrong start.


Help you hit the spot that will snag a reader’s attention – and editors are among the first readers you want to snag, aren’t they?


In four weeks, we’ll pin down what is the best spot to start your story and come up with a template to judge future manuscripts by as well. Under the microscope will be characters’ motivation, identifying backstory and too much backstory, action, and more!

About the Presenter:

Beth Daniels lends the expertise she gained as a professional novelist with 30+ years and over 35 published novels, plus novellas and short stories to her list of achievements. Add in a BA in History and a MA in English Composition and Rhetoric with an Emphasis in Creative Writing, over a dozen years as a composition instructor at the college level, numerous online genre fiction writing workshops at various RWA online chapters, and the stats add up. She knows her onions and can maneuver her way through nearly any genre or subgenre birthed. She is one of the founders of the writing group The Bards of Bardstown and a past president of the Louisville, KY, Sisters in Crime chapter. Currently she writes The Raven Tales, an urban fantasy PI mystery comedy series, as J.B. Dane and standalone historical romantic mysteries, contemporary romantic suspense, and cozy paranormal mystery as Beth Henderson. Find her at www.4TaleTellers.com or Facebook.com/Beth Daniels or @BethDaniels1 on Twitter.

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Character Goals

February 23, 2022 by in category Ages 2 Perfection Online Class, Online Classes tagged as , , , ,

Character Goals

Presented by: Jen Bokal

Date: March 12, 2022 9AM PT

Pricing: A2P Member fee: No Charge

Non-A2P Member fee: $10

About the Workshop:

To many writers, a novel plan is akin to a soul-killing outline learned in grammar school, complete with Roman Numerals and indentations. Yet, to sit down at a computer and begin working without any intention—other than to write a novel—often ends up with an unfinished manuscript and a frustrated author. This workshop with help to develop characters and their goals, along with exploring how they can reach those goals in a dramatic and engaging fashion.

About the Presenter:

Jennifer D. Bokal penned her first book at age eight. An early lover of the written word, she decided to follow her passion and become a full-time writer. From then on, she didn’t look back. She earned a master of arts in creative writing from Wilkes University and became a member of the Romance Writers of America and International Thriller Writers. She has authored several short stories, novellas and poems. Winner of the Sexy Scribbler in 2015, Jennifer is the author of 16 novels/novellas. Included in her titles are the Ancient World Historical series the Champions of Rome and the Harlequin Romantic Suspense series, Rocky Mountain Justice and the connected series, Rocky Mountain Justice: Wyoming Nights. She is also the author of Coltons Secret History, Book 3 in the Coltons of Kansas series and Coltons Internal Affair, Book 9 in the Coltons of Grave Gulch series—also from Harlequin Romantic Suspense. Happily married to her own Alpha Male for more than 25 years, she enjoys writing stories that explore the wonders of love. Jen and her manly husband live in upstate New York with their three beautiful daughters, two very spoiled dogs, and a kitten that aspires to one day become a Chihuahua.

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From Heart to Page to Print: A Primer Guide to Book Publishing

February 18, 2022 by in category Ages 2 Perfection Online Class, Online Classes tagged as , , , , ,

From Heart to Page to Print: A Primer Guide to Book Publishing

Presented by: Savannah J. Frierson

Date: March 1 – 31, 2022 (one month)

Pricing: A2P Member fee: $15

Non-A2P Member fee: $30

 About the Workshop:

This publishing primer course will introduce processes of writing, paths to market, and prices (and costs) of publishing. Though this workshop is geared toward beginners, this can also be a great refresher course for seasoned authors, or for authors who are interested in hybrid publishing and what that can entail. The course will guide participants along the paths of publishing—from the beginning with a single idea to the end when the idea has become a book gone to market. We will discuss topics such as: how to get started with writing the book project; pre-market preparations and plans (i.e., editing, researching, publishing); and the investments involved with the publishing path chosen.

About the Presenter:

Savannah J. Frierson is a USA TODAY best-selling author, editor, proofreader, and publishing consultant with nearly 20 years of experience in the publishing industry. As an author, Savannah crafts full, happily-ever-afters for readers who believe transcendent romances are worth the wait. As a book publishing professional, Savannah has worked with Big Five publishers, independent publishers, and individual clients. She aims to make the publishing experience a little less overwhelming for clients regardless of where they are in their publishing journeys.

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The Bethlehem Writers Roundtable 2022 Short Story Award

February 13, 2022 by in category Contests, From a Cabin in the Woods by Members of Bethlehem Writers Group, Writing Contest tagged as , , , ,

A bird on a tree branch

The 2022 Short Story Award opened January 1, 2022. 

Contest Deadline is March 31, 2022.

The theme is An Element of Mystery (broadly interpreted).

BWG is seeking never-published short stories of 2,000 words or fewer. 

First Place will receive $250 and publication in their upcoming anthology: An Element of Mystery: Sweet, Funny, and Strange Tales of Intrigue or in Bethlehem Writers Roundtable.

The final judge of the 2022 Short Story Award is New York Times best-selling author Kate Carlisle. You can read Katie’s interview here.

Here is the link for more information on the 2022 Short Story Award.


Books from Bethlehem Writers Group, LLC

Bethlehem Writers Group, LLC

The Bethlehem Writers Group, LLC (BWG), founded in 2006, is a community of mutually supportive, fiction and nonfiction authors based in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The members are as different from each other as their stories, spanning a range of genres including: children’s, fantasy, humor, inspiration, literary, memoir, mystery, paranormal, romance, science fiction, women’s fiction, and young adult.

See the schedule of meetings and events here.


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The 2022 Book Buyers Best Contest

February 8, 2022 by in category Contests, Published Contest tagged as , , ,

The 2022 Orange County Romance Writer’s Book Buyer’s Best (BBB) Contest is open for published writers of traditional or indie romances, in novel-length or novella-length, and in print or e-novel format. Entries must have been published during 2021.

Non-refundable entry fee: $25 for OCRW members; $35 for entrants who are not OCRW members. We have nine categories. The contest is open now and closes on March 31, 2022. We invite you to submit to our contest (and tell your published writer friends about it, too).

Even if you’re not entering one of your books into the contest, you’re invited to be one of our judges. It’s a fun experience to be introduced to the writing of published authors you don’t know. Follow this link to learn about contest categories and rules, entry form and fee, past winners, and call for judges: http://ocromancewriters.org/contests/book-buyers-best/

Please email us if you have any further questions at bbbcontest@ocromancewriters.org.

Thanks, Nancy Brashear and Cathleen Armstrong, BBB Coordinators

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