Online Workshops
The Lowcountry RWA® chapter is very proud to announce our online workshop schedule for 2008!
For a list of 2008 classes, CLICK HERE
Courses are run on an email listserve and feature both craft and southern themes. The workshops are conducted via EMAIL only, no real-time or live chats. Participants will be subscribed to the listserve for the period of the workshop, then unsubscribed when it is over. Workshops are open to everyone with email capability who wish to participate, not just LRWA or RWA members.
However, to become a member of LRWA, CLICK HERE. (You must be an RWA® member to join LRWA.) Membership not required to attend the online workshops.
Workshop Fee: $16 US for All
PLEASE NOTE: ALL PAYMENTS MUST BE VIA CREDIT (OR PAYPAL ACCT) 
To Register:
STEP 1. Pay for your class via Paypal first (note: an actual Paypal account is NOT necessary, it works just like a credit card charge), then return to this page and continue to STEP 2.
INSTRUCTIONS: Click on the “Add to Cart” button below to pay via credit card or PayPal account. Write the name and month of the class for which you are paying and your e-mail address in the PayPal Comments box.
STEP 2. Fill out a registration form completely and Email it to the registrar.
Click here to for the registration form
REFUND POLICY: No refunds will be given for withdrawing from a workshop. In the event a workshop is cancelled by the instructor, you have the option of taking another workshop or the return of fee. In the event the class member misses the cutoff date for a workshop, the fee will be returned or another workshop can be selected.
DEADLINE FOR REGISTRATION IS 25TH OF THE PRECEDING MONTH. HOWEVER, LATE REGISTRATIONS MAY BE ACCEPTED AT THE DISCRETION OF THE CHAIRPERSON.
Questions? Click below to email our Online Workshop Chairperson
If you would like to join our Online Classes email info newsletter, CLICK HERE
Upcoming Online Workshops
August 2008 — Preparing Your Manuscript for The Agent of Your Dreams
Presented by Lois Winston
Dates:Aug 4-29
Deadline:
Course Description:
Even though there are people who will tell you there are no “rules” to writing romance, the truth is, there are rules. Not the kind of rules that say a hero and heroine must meet by a certain page but rules to good
writing. In this workshop award-winning author Lois Winston will cover these rules, touching on all the basics. The workshop gives a broad overview of everything from how to format a manuscript to self-editing tips. From understanding passive voice vs. passive verbs to showing vs. telling. From hooks to synopsis. From point of view to common grammar and punctuation errors. Knowing, understanding, and using these rules can work to a writer’s advantage.
Instructor Bio:
Award-winning author Lois Winton writes humorous, cross-genre, contemporary novels. She often draws upon her extensive experience as a crafts designer for much of her source material. Her first book, TALK GERTIE TO ME, a combination chick lit/hen lit/romantic comedy with a touch of the paranormal, was an April 2006 release from Dorchester Publishing. LOVE, LIES AND A DOUBLE SHOT OF DECEPTION, a mom-lit romantic suspense, will be a June 2007 release from Dorchester. Lois also contributed a short story to DREAMS & DESIRES a Feb. ‘07 Freya’s Bower romance anthology with net proceeds benefiting a shelter for battered women.
When not writing or designing, you can find Lois trudging through stacks of manuscripts as she hunts for diamonds in the slush piles for the Ashley Grayson Literary Agency. Visit Lois at www.loiswinston.com.
August 2008 — Behind the Scenes
Presented by Jacqui Jacoby
Dates: Aug 4-29
Deadline:
Course Description:
Coming
Instructor Bio:
Coming
September 2008 — Secondary Characters: The Good, the Bad and the Quirky
Presented by: Beth Cornelison
Dates: Sept: 5-29
Deadline: Sept 4
Course Description:
In this course, Beth Cornelison will define what a secondary character is, discuss the key functions and classifications of secondary characters, and show how the effective use of secondaries can support the main characters and enhance the main plot. Examples from popular romance books and movies will be used to illustrate each type of secondary character role. The workshop also discusses what to do when secondary characters try to steal the scene and how to set secondary characters up for their own books.
Instructor bio:
Three-time Golden Heart finalist, Beth Cornelison received her degree in Public Relations from the University of Georgia. She debuted with Silhouette Intimate Moments in April 2005 and her June 2006 release, IN PROTECTIVE CUSTODY, won the Golden Heart in 2001. In September she makes her hard cover debut with Five Star Expressions with CHASING A DREAM. Beth has served as the conference coordinator and contest coordinator for her local RWA chapter and has presented workshops to numerous conferences across the country. Mrs. Cornelison lives in Louisiana with her husband and son.
September 2008 — Writing Figuratively or Adding Impact by Using Figures of Speech
Presented by: Sarah Winn
Dates: Sept: 5-29
Deadline: Sept 4
Course Description:
This workshop covers the benefits and dangers of using figurative language in your writing. It is divided into twelve lessons:
Lesson 1. Introduction
Lesson 2. Metaphors
Lesson 3. The Power of Metaphors
Lesson 4. Similes, Personification, Allusion
Lesson 5. Metonymy, Antonomasia, Synecdoche, Euphemisms
Lesson 6. Figures of Speech in The Green Knight
Lesson 7. Figurative Language in Love Scenes
Lesson 8. The Hemingway Cliché
Lesson 9. Purple Prose
Lesson 10.Intended Humor
Lesson 11.Settings
Lesson 12.A Collection of Figures of Speech
Examples are used throughout the discussions, both from the instructor and from other authors’ work. Many of the examples are drawn from romance fiction, but several lectures are based on the work of the mainstream writers, Sue Monk Kidd, Iris Murdoch, and Ernest Hemingway.
Warning: graphic sexual terms are contained in the discussion of love scenes.
Instructor Bio:
To date, Sarah Winn has nine romances (books) to her credit. Sarah won the Eppie in 2003 for best electronically published historical romance and was a finalist in this contest in 2007 in the historical erotic romance category. Her latest book, For Old Time’s Sake, from Phaze Books, is her first contemporary novel set in her home state, North Carolina. Sarah is a long-time member of RWA and Heart of Carolina RW. She served as chapter newsletter editor for four years and has given a number of programs at monthly chapter meetings. “Writing Figuratively” is her first online workshop. You can read more about Sarah and her work at www.Sarahwinn.com.
October 2008 — The Contest Diva’s Guide to the Ins and Outs and Ups and Downs of Writing Contests
Presented by: Lois Winston
Dates: October: 6-29
Deadline: Sept 29
Course Description:
Drawing from her experiences as a multi-contest winner, contest judge, contest coordinator, and someone who sold as a result of a contest, award-winning author Lois will cover the pros and cons of entering contests, highlighting the advantages and disadvantages for the beginning writer, the intermediate writer, and those writers on the verge of publication. Lois will discuss the various types of writing contests and how to determine which contests are best to enter, based on the writer’s goals and expectations. She will cover everything from the financial to the emotional. From the need for a dynamic opening sentence to the chapter ending hook. From scores and feedback (or lack of it) to staying organized. From contest complaints to contest etiquette.
Instructor Bio:
Award-winning author Lois Winton writes humorous, cross-genre, contemporary novels. She often draws upon her extensive experience as a crafts designer for much of her source material. Her first book, TALK GERTIE TO ME, a combination chick lit/hen lit/romantic comedy with a touch of the paranormal, was an April 2006 release from Dorchester Publishing. LOVE, LIES AND A DOUBLE SHOT OF DECEPTION, a mom-lit romantic suspense, will be a June 2007 release from Dorchester. Lois also contributed a short story to DREAMS & DESIRES a Feb. ‘07 Freya’s Bower romance anthology with net proceeds benefiting a shelter for battered women.
When not writing or designing, you can find Lois trudging through stacks of manuscripts as she hunts for diamonds in the slush piles for the Ashley Grayson Literary Agency. Visit Lois at www.loiswinston.com.
October 2008 — The Horse’s Mouth: How to interview sources to get answers and ideas for your novels
Presented by: Kristin Hardy
POSTPONED UNTIL 2009
Dates: 2009— TBA
Deadline: TBA
Course Description:
Need information for the background or plot of a book? The answer is simpleinterview someone who actually lives or works in the field. Take a ridealong with the police or firefighters, tour the museum conservation lab, talk to the DA. Not only will you get answers to your questions, you’ll immerse yourself in the environment, understand this very different world, get the language right, and, in the case of tours, get visual cues for descriptions.
This workshop talks about how to determine what you need, what resources are available, how to initiate contact, and how to conduct the interview. It may seem a daunting task on the face of it, but if you know the process with all of the insider details, it is actually quite easy. If you want authenticity in your writing, talking to the people who live the life you’re talking about is the way to go.
Instructor Bio:
Kristin Hardy is a fourteen year veteran of journalism. She’s well versed in determining the correct source for a story and contacting them by e-mail/phone to get the accurate, detailed answers to her questions. To research her novels, Kristin has done a ridealong with a San Diego fire company, spent a day with a microbrewery brewmaster, toured the conservation laboratory of a major fine arts museum, watched maple sugar being made, interviewed everyone from U.S. Department of Agriculture officials to a World Cup ski champion.
A two-time RITA nominee, Kristin currently writes for Harlequin Blaze and Silhouette Special Edition. Her first novel, My Sexiest Mistake, won a National Readers’ Choice Award and was subsequently made into a movie by the Oxygen Network. She has won an RT Bookclub career achievement award for series romance, as well as an award for Best Special Edition of 2006. Her nineteenth book, Her Christmas Surprise, hits the shelves December 2007.
November 2008 — What a Character! Jump from Cookie Cutter to Great 3-Dimensional Characters in Your Writing!
Presented by: Terry Spear
Dates: Nov. 6-29
Deadline: Oct. 29
Course Description:
How many times have you heard how important it is to have 3-dimensional characters? That the publisher wants character-driven stories, not plot-driven? To show, not tell? But how easy is it to really write characters that come alive on the page? Some writers have a natural ability to concoct terrific characters who are full of life. Then there are the rest of us who need some help. In this workshop, Terry Spear will show the difference between average characterizations and those that will get noticed! In this online class, which features lectures, discussion, practical exercises, and handouts, she’ll teach students how to captivate readers with engaging characters.
Instructor Bio:
Terry Spear has published in many genres, including romantic suspense, contemporary, paranormal, and under the name Terry Lee Wilde, young adult paranormal and fantasy romances. She’s the author of Winning The Highlander’s Heart (Vintage), The Vampire…In My Dreams (Samhain)and the anthology shorts: Seducing The Huntress, Vampiric Calling, and Goddess In Training. Another novel, Heart of the Wolf, is due out Spring, 2008 (Sourcebooks). She also writes nonfiction for numerous genealogy, WWII, teen, and family magazines, and has had romantic fiction published in magazines. Currently, she’s working on her latest medieval adult novel, Accidental Highland Hero. Her website: www.terryspear.com
November 2008 — Is the Exploding Christian Inspirational Market a Good Fit for Me?
Presented by: Lyn Cote
Dates: Nov: 5-28
Deadline: Oct 29
Course Description:
Lyn Cote started writing her first book in 1984. By 1994 she’d written 2 historical novels and one contemporary romance and had been rejected by everyone in NYC. Then at a Midwest Fiction Writer’s conference in Minneapolis, Wendy McCurdy, then senior editor at Bantam told Lyn her voice fit the inspirational market. Lyn began investigating this newly revived market. At the 1995 RWA National Conference in Hawaii, Lyn met her first inspirational editor Karen Ball. This meeting sparked her first article in the RWR about this market in 1997 and updates in 1998 and 2005. Over the intervening years, Lyn has done a yearly market update in order to help keep her finger on the pulse of this rapidly changing and ever-expanding market and posted it on her website (www.LynCote.net) to help other aspiring authors. Lately, Lyn has been helping authors who are interested in switching to the inspirational market learn what is different about writing for this market, who is qualified and how to write for this market, especially learning to write the three thread plot.
Instructor Bio:
In 1996, Lyn Cote’s first inspirational historical manuscript was a finalist in the inspirational category in the RWA’s Golden Heart Contest. This became her first historical novel, Whispers of Love, in her “Blessed Assurance” series, which will be reissued October 2007 by the new Avon Inspire line. Most recently, Chloe, the first novel in Lyn’s “Women of Ivy Manor” historical series was a 2006 RWA Rita Award finalist for Best Inspirational, as well as a finalist for the Holt Medallion and the National Readers Choice Contest. Lyn also writes contemporary romance and romantic suspense for Love Inspired. Author of over twenty novels, Lyn lives in the lovely northwoods of Wisconsin with her husband and three cats. But she is quick to point out that she loves dogs, too. Visit her online at www.LynCote.net.