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I'm delighted to announce that on Saturday, November 21, I'll be teaching two writing workshops as a fundraiser for Park Slope United Methodist Church​. One will be in the morning (9 a.m.-12 p.m.) and one in the afternoon (2-5 p.m.) at the church in Park Slope, Brooklyn. Each one is $50, and all proceeds go to PSUMC. (This will be the first public debut of some material from my new book, The Magic Words, and I'm excited about that.)

"So You Want to Write a Book?" (9-12): In this workshop for beginning writers, or even people with just an idea for a book, "We’ll talk about practical techniques for starting and sustaining a novel-length narrative, including questions to ask, story dynamics to explore, and tips and tricks for getting the work done. A brief overview of revision and submission practices and publication options will be provided at the end."

To sign up: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/so-you-want-to-write-a-book-tickets-18955014960

"A Master Class in Character" (2-5): "What makes a character come alive on the page? What details should you include, or not include? Do characters have to be likeable or relateable? If you want a character to be relateable, how do you make that happen? In this workshop for novelists, we’ll explore the many dimensions and mysteries of characterization, and discuss ways to create believable, compelling fictional people."

To sign up: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-master-class-in-character-tickets-18955102221

It would be great to see you there! If you have any questions, leave 'em in the comments. Thank you for your interest.

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In our continuing effort to keep you inspired we’d like to tell you about this really fun online course that will walk you through the steps necessary to take your character illustrations to the next level.

In this class Matt Kaufenberg will take you through his process of illustrating a character, starting with the concept, then moving into Illustrator to create the shapes, and finally, rendering it in Photoshop.

What You’ll Learn

• Finding Inspiration
• Character Concepts
• Building the Foundation in Illustrator
• Rendering in Photoshop
• Color Adjustment and Texture

Click here to learn more about this class >>

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Hello fellow illustrators!

 

As promised last Friday, we are now in full effect taking Illustration Friday to the next level. The natural evolution of a fun weekly illustration challenge based on ideas is a deeper focus on the art of idea generation itself.

We’re starting small, with a stream of consciousness word list that one might create while brainstorming for this week’s topic of POINTY or any other of our weekly topics. I encourage you to make your own first, perhaps compare it to this list or even email yours to us if you’d like us to consider sharing it in a future blog post.

You will notice that in my own personal word process below I try to let my mind freely linger in one area for a while until some other interesting pathway offers itself up, or not. Sometimes you’ll need to give it a gentle nudge, or step away for a minute. The randomness itself is where the magic can sometimes happen. This process is pretty much guaranteed to take your mind to surprising places. This list took only a few minutes to create, but it could go on and on with further exploration.

As things progress, we’ll be adding a LOT more features to share a variety of approaches to generating good ideas, as described in last week’s 5-minute video, so stay tuned…

SAMPLE WORD LIST

 

TOPIC: POINTY

 

 

pointy angle triangle mountain range mountaintop skyline pointy hat dunce cap witch’s hat pointing finger pointing out pointing at you/me/… what’s the point pointless

round obtuse sharp sharp (smart) pokey knife kitchen knife cut stab poke sword lance joust medieval weapons mace

vampire teeth wolf teeth shark teek/fin surfboard fingernails starfish star crescent moon thumbtack nail hammer and nail staple staple gun railroad stake king/queen crown, etc.

 Want even more inspiration? Check out the entries that have been submitted so far for this week’s topic.

Have fun!

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While making notes for Salli’s upcoming class – BUILD A FREELANCE ILLUSTRATION BUSINESS – she realized that one topic was worthy of it’s own session: Creative Playgrounds, which Salli and her brother/business partner Nate Padavick believe can energize your career. What IS a Creative Playground and why are they so important? Join us for the FREE webinar August 10th at 4:00 EST (or watch any time after the live class).

Take it from Albert Einstein “Play is the highest form of research.”

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In preparation for her awesome upcoming online workshop Building a Freelance Illustration Business, Illustrator Salli Swindell decided to reach out and get some thoughts from other artists. The question was “What’s one piece of advice you would share with other illustrators?” This is testament to the fact that Salli is doing her best to make the workshop as useful and helpful as possible, and she has graciously shared the results with Illustration Friday!

Meet 20 artists below and read what they have to say! Also be sure to check out Salli’s educational and inspiring online workshop: Building a Freelance Illustration Business here.

Coming soon: Part 2 – Advice from art directors.

Thanks to Salli Swindell and all the artists who shared their thoughts. Be sure to check out Salli’s upcoming 3-Day online workshop: Building a Freelance Illustration Business.

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Are you a designer, illustrator or creative doodler? Have you ever wondered how you could turn your talents into a business? This three-day workshop will help you create a plan for leveraging your creativity into a successful freelance business.

Run by Sally S. Swindell and Nate Padavick (illustrators and co-founders of They Draw and Cook) this course will give you an inside look at how two artists have built a successful design & illustration studio by fostering a community of artists that empower each other to grow their businesses.

Join Salli and Nate for (3) hour-long sessions to learn how you can leverage community & online content to build a successful freelance business around your creative skills.

Click here for more info >>

 

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Many of my readers have expressed interest in my next Write for Magazines e-course — the query writing class that has helped students break into GRIT, Spirituality & Health, Cottage Living, Woman’s Day, Washington Parent, Pizza Today, and more.

(BTW, if you want to read a prospectus I wrote on the history of the class, its rocky start, and how it succeeded despite freebie-grabbers, boundary-pushers, and complainers — not to mention why I don’t want my students to get an article assignment — email me at [email protected] and I’ll shoot you a copy as an attachment. I think it’s delightful, and I’m not biased at all.)

I’ve been going crazy trying to find a good time to run the next session. I haven’t run Write for Magazines since June 2014 — and writers keep asking about it and signing up for my waitlist, so I know there’s a ton of interest — but I teach so many other classes that it’s hard to find an available time slot.

But I have one now! The next Write for Magazines will run from June 8 – July 17, following the schedule you can find on the website. The course includes two free live Q&A sessions and two motivational emails per week during the whole course, for both the Premium and Basic versions.

And here’s where it gets interesting: When I run the Premium version of Write for Magazines, which includes full e-mail support, I normally limit it to 10 students because, well, it’s very labor intensive for me. I want to make sure I have enough time and energy to give my students the attention they deserve.

But here’s the thing: I won’t be running Write for Magazines again until 2016. Also, I’ve pretty much cleared my plate of work for June and July, so I have more time than usual. So I’ve decided to buckle down, get ready for a crazy month — and accept 30 Premium students this time around.

I tried this experiment last year and the Premium version filled up in just a few days because I hadn’t run it in so long. So if you’re interested in taking advantage of email support from a veteran freelance writer with 18 years’ experience, you’ll want to jump into this class now. (Do it before I change my mind! I must be crazy to do this again.

Of course, there’s also the less-expensive Basic version of the e-course with no email support — you still get the free calls and the motivational emails — and I can accept an infinite number of Basic class students, so there’s room for you, your friends, and your frenemies!

If you sign up for either version of the class before 11:59 pm EDT on Friday, April 24 (that’s this Friday!), you’ll get a free copy of my new e-book Commit: How to Blast Through Problems & Reach Your Goals Through Massive Action, which sells for $7.99. I like to get people on board early just so I know how many to expect. I’m impatient that way! (If you already have the book, I’ll send you a different one of my choice.)

To read more about the class, check out the schedule, see testimonials from ecstatic students, and download the FAQ (which I HIGHLY recommend you read), here’s the link:

http://www.therenegadewriter.com/new-renegade-writer-classes/#linda

If you sign up and your PayPal address is different from the address where you would like to receive your gift e-book and the e-course lessons, please email me and let me know!

Thanks for hanging on through this long and detailed message. I’m really excited about being able to teach Write for Magazines (even if it’s only once) this year — and to working with you!

Linda

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Wake Tech Adobe InDesign Class Starring with Bob Ostrom

I will be teaching an Adobe InDesign Class at Wake Tech in Cary on the Western campus starting Wednesday 1/28/2015. This class is a beginner level course. It runs Monday and Wednesday evenings from 6:30 until 9:30 PM. Class sign ups have been extended until the day the class begins 1/28/15. I have been teaching this program for a little over 5 years now and it’s definitely one of my favorites. Learning InDesign has been a total game changer for me. I highly recommend this class for anyone who is considering a career in design, layout or publishing. Many of the student I have taught have gone on to very promising careers as a result of having completed this course. A hand full have actually picked up jobs before the course was even finished. The general consensus among the students I stay in touch with is most wish they hadn’t waited so long to take the class.

 

Wondering if InDesign is right for you?

InDesign – For Layout and design, InDesign is king. This program is sometimes overlooked by artists who use Photoshop or Illustrator because those programs get them by. If you’re tired of just getting by InDesign is a must. This program is hands down the best layout program in the Adobe creative suite and it is the industry standard for layout and design. I highly recommend all artists learn this program so they can have a complete understanding of the design process. InDesign is used by most printers with very few exceptions.  If you are thinking about a career in design, layout, print or publishing this program is a must.

Here is a little snippet from the Wake Tech site describing the course:

Adobe InDesign CC is a versatile publishing application that gives you pixel-perfect control over design, layout, and typography. Learn how to create elegant and engaging pages for brochures, posters, magazines, newspapers, and eBooks. Use responsive design tools to easily develop layouts that look great on a variety of page sizes, medium orientations, and digital devices.

For questions please contact Dustin Gurley at [email protected] or by phone at 919-866-5822. Check out our blog at http://ncce.waketech.edu

So there you have it. If you are interested in signing up you have until Wednesday January 28th.

The post Adobe InDesign Class – Raleigh NC Area appeared first on Bob Ostrom Studio - 919-809-6178.

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I am teaching an online class through the Loft Literary Center beginning on February 2, 2015. Here is the description:

Many consider ages 8–12, “the middle grades,” to be a golden age for readers. Their novels include classics like Charlotte’s Web, the Ramona series, and the earliest adventures of Harry Potter. Most Newbery winners also fall into this category. In this class, we will explore some of the qualities that make a book a hit with young readers, with an emphasis on developing a character-driven story. Topics covered include creating a main character kids want to chase through the pages of a novel, avoiding stereotypes and cliches, and being attentive to the inner life of a middle grade novel. Participants will have an opportunity to share their work and get feedback from their peers as well as from the teaching artist.

And here are answers to commonly asked questions:

• The class is completely online and mostly asynchronous. We do have weekly live chats to check in but the meat of the class is in the online readings and discussion forums. (We use the Moodle platform, but don’t worry if that doesn’t mean anything to you.)
• There is a chance to share works in progress with the rest of the class; you also get private feedback from me on about 10 pages of writing.
• The class is listed as “intermediate” primarily because of the expectation that writers are familiar with (if not steeped in) middle grade books, but if you have not read a lot you can catch up by familiarizing yourself with at least some of the following books. Most are Newberry medalists or honorees, so look on that bookshelf if your bookstore or library has one! These are not assigned class readings, but I use them as examples throughout the class (this is a partial list):
  • Ramona Quimby, Age 8 (and others in the Ramona series) – Beverly Cleary
  • Bud, not Buddy – Christopher Paul Curtis
  • Harriet the Spy – Louise Fitzhugh
  • The Giver – Lois Lowry
  • Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH – Robert C. O’Brien
  • Hatchet – Gary Paulsen
  • From the Mixed Up Files of Basil E. Frankweiler – E. L. Konigsberg
  • The Westing Game – Ellen Raskin
  • Holes – Louis Sachar
  • Maniac Magee – Jerry Spinelli
  • When You Reach Me – Rebecca Stead
  • Charlotte’s Web – E.B.White

  We also all read one recent book recommended and voted on by the class, and I try to get the author to join us for a chat.

Sign up for the class here! I hope to see you there.

• https://www.loft.org/classes/detail/?loft_product_id=96091

Filed under: Miscellaneous Tagged: classes, learn with gern, loft literary center, middle grade

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Attention teachers!

Illustration Friday was recently featured on The Art of Ed, a super useful and inspiring blog for art teachers all over the world! We’re very excited about this because we hear from educators all the time that they regularly use IFriday as a teaching tool in their classrooms.

The best part of The Art of Ed’s post is that they offer a variety of ideas on just how you too can use Illustration Friday’s weekly topic challenge as a creative prompt for your students, no matter the age or skill level.

We’re all about inspiring people to create, so please do check out their post if you’re a teacher looking for some creative ideas on bringing Illustration Friday to your classroom as well!

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I can’t believe it is actually January. You may have noticed I redid the header of my site. I am hoping for a clearer visual experience for you that is easier to navigate, instead of having so much come at you all at once.

So…announcey announcey!

Announcing new certification programs to check out, including one for kids. Now is the time to treat yourself and start the year with new study and what you always want to learn.

That link is here.

There’s the usual core classes, including the famous, fabulous EMPATH SKILLS class to help direct your sensitivity, and not have it overload you.

There’s the new class, Wild Worlds Within, that allows you to sketch, play, and write to get in touch with your feelings and life but in a fun way. No more serious big lesson healing for us! That link is here.

So head on over to the CATALOG and sign up. January classes start on the 23rd.

If you are a newsletter subscriber and a past student you will be receiving a FREQUENT FLYER STUDENT WING REWARDS card with deep discounts/rewards on classes for every five classes you take. That’s cool, huh? They go out this week so check your email box. Make sure you are signed up over here.

Hope I see you in class, in the meantime, make sure you are learning with fun!

Fairy blessings,

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Wow, time flies. We’re already into our second week of #Inktober and I’ve seen some really amazing art out there. I’ve been a little bummed that my deadlines have kept me from fully diving into the fray. I figured I’d try and post at least a couple of drawings for the #Inktobers so I don’t feel like a total spectator. It’s looking like I’ll probably have to go the 5k route with the nondigital stuff this year. In case you have no idea what I’m talking about here’s a link that will tell you ever thing you need to know about #INKTOBER. Oh and by the way, make sure you check out the galleries from previous years on Mr. Jake Parker’s site. You’ll be glad you did, his work is amazing. 

 

Digi-Inktober

If on the other hand if you’re into Illustrator and digital inking I’ve got some fun stuff to show you. I’ve been working on putting together some new classes for the BobTeachesArt.com site and the first one is going to focus on how to create great line art using Photoshop and Illustrator, the main focus being on illustrator of course. This will be a soup to nuts course starting right from the beginning and working our way through all the tools you’ll need to know to make things happen. This is one I’ve been planning to get out there for some time now and have had many requests for it. If you think you might be interested or know someone else who is here’s your link! 

 

Ok Inktober fans that’s it for now see you all again next week.

The post #Inktober and New Illustrator Courses appeared first on Bob Ostrom Studio - 919-809-6178.

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Hey guys,

This week is going to have to be a short post. Lots of deadlines to take care of and not a lot of time for writing. I did want to mention one thing however and that was that last Friday on the Drawn by Success Friday Hangouts, Carlos and I got together with licensing expert Tara Reed. It was a great interview where Tara shared a little bit about the new program she’s starting. If you’ve ever thought about licensing your art then this program is for you.

I should mention that the link below is an affiliate link and as you know I hardly ever do affiliates. Please keep in mind that I only stand behind what I think will benefit my readers. My philosophy on learning and teaching is if you want to learn something always seek out the best you can possibly afford. I believe teachers who are also working professionals with a proven track record in their chosen field are the best to learn from after all, they are successful for a reason. Tara Reed is one of those people. She is an excellent teacher and a wealth of knowledge. If you are not subscribed to her blog stop what you are doing right now, head over there and check it out you’ll be happy you did.

The post Art Licensing Academy Course with Artist Tara Reed appeared first on Bob Ostrom Studio - 919-809-6178.

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If you’re a member of my email list, you may know I’ve been hemming and hawing about whether and when to run a final Write for Magazines session for 2014. (And if you’re NOT a member, you should jump on there and grab a couple delightful free e-books for writers!)

(For those of you who don’t know, Write for Magazines is an e-course on how to develop a salable article idea and write and send a killer query letter. This course has helped writers land in a multitude of top-notch publications, including Woman’s Day, Black Health, Rhode Island Home & Design, Cottage Living, Pizza Today, Spirituality & Health, Flight Journal, and more.)

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about Write for Magazines lately…I’m sure you could smell the wood burning from wherever you are. Eight weeks was too long, so a while back I changed it to four weeks. But really, some lessons are just harder than others and students need more time to do them.

So here’s what I did: The class will now run from June 1 – July 6, following the schedule below. As you can see, the lessons on setting pre-interviews, doing those interviews, and writing the body and conclusion of the query now get one full week each. The easier lessons get half a week as usual.

• Lesson 1: Generating Ideas: Sunday, June 1
• Lesson 2: Finding 5 Markets for Your Idea: Wednesday, June 4
• Lesson 3: Finding the Correct Editors at Your 5 Markets: Sunday, June 8
• Lesson 4: Setting Up Interviews: Wednesday, June 11
• Lesson 5: Doing Interviews: Wednesday, June 18
• Lesson 6: Writing the Title and Lede: Wednesday, June 25
• Lesson 7: Writing the Body and Conclusion: Sunday, June 29
• Lesson 8: Getting Your Query Out the Door: Sunday, July 6
• CLASS ENDS: Wednesday, July 9 at 5 pm EDT

And here’s where it gets interesting: I always run the Basic version of the course (with the lessons and motivational emails but no email support), and sometimes I also run the Premium version with full email support — where I critique your assignments and answer your questions about the lessons.

When I run the Premium version of Write for Magazines, I normally limit it to 10 students because, well, it’s very labor intensive for me. I want to make sure I have enough time and energy to give my students the attention they deserve.

But here’s the thing: I won’t be running Write for Magazines again until 2015. Also, I’ve pretty much cleared my plate of work for June, so I have more time than usual. So I’ve decided to buckle down, get ready for a crazy month — and accept 30 Premium students this time around.

I expect this will fill up fast, so if you’re interested in taking advantage of email support from a veteran freelance writer with 17 years’ experience — be ready to jump into the class when registration opens. (Do it before I change my mind! I must be crazy.

Registration for Write for Magazines will run from 10 am EDT on Monday, May 12 to 5 pm EDT Friday, May 30. I’ll shoot out an email to my mailing list members when it’s open, or you can just check in on the Write for Magazines e-course page at that time and the sign-up buttons should be all ready for you. (You can also download the class FAQ from that page, which I encourage you to do…just keep in mind that the schedule is different from what is listed there.)

If you sign up for either version of the class before 11:59 pm EDT on Sunday, May 18, you’ll get a free copy of my e-book Write Your Way Out of the Rat Race…And Step Into a Career You Love, which sells for $4.99. I like to get people on board early just so I know how many to expect. I’m impatient that way! (If you already have the book, I’ll send you a different one of my choice.)

In the meantime, I wrote up a prospectus of Write for Magazines — a document that tells you about the class’s rocky start (including naysayers, freebie-grabbers, and complainers), the philosophy that drove me to create the class even though apparently no one would pay for it, the snafus that cropped up over the years as I taught the class, why the class doesn’t have a forum or email group, and why I don’t want my students to get an article assignment.

This is just the fun story of Write for Magazines and how it’s developed over the years as my situation and the writing world has changed.

If you’d like a copy to read in the spare moments of your day (you must be procrastinating on something, right? :), send an email to me at [email protected] and let me know…I’ll shoot it off to you as an attachment.

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Lots of Changes

Things are looking a little different here…

I spent my Sunday playing on the computer rearranging, assessing, playing with my websites, and cuddling dogs in my jammies.

It seemed the Empath classes really wanted their own place, and didn’t want to be confused with the fairy/nature classes. Ha ha! So, they get their own school. Seriously, I have fairy students who love the whole Nature healing thing, and then I have my Sensitive students, who think the whole fairy thing is a little crazy. So, this makes sense. Each needs their own place to land here.

For January, I’m making Fairy Online School a little more accessible and more “self-serve.” I’ll still be available once a week for each class to answer questions, and talk about your lovely homework, but it’s more a no-pressure, have fun kind of thing. There’s two start dates, each on a Friday, for your convenience. So, if you finally want to learn about flower essences, or commune with Nature, tackle those empathic skills, or dive into animal communication, this is the place. Some classes will be retired. So sad. And some regrouped, but the student favorites will remain.

I am not doing any readings anymore. Sad too. I’m focusing more on the writing and teaching others how to communicate themselves.

Fairy deck

I’m working on new books in the HELP! I’M SENSITIVE series and the Fairy Deck, finally! Here’s a teeny little peek.

I’ve used some of the cards for my 2013 Calendar, and I really think it’s time for the cards to be, well, cards! So, if you see me on Facebook, do encourage me to finish them! I’m hoping for an early Spring launch, but we will see how that plays out with all the other creative projects I tackle at once (creative ADD).

I’ve been working diligently on my Story/Design Studio site also. I’ve been having a blast learning about video editing and storytelling used for teaching. PURE BLISS! Okay, maybe some of the program learning has been a little frustrating and filled with curse words, but the challenge of learning has been very, very fun.

Cyber Monday Through Wednesday Sale!

I want to thank all my new followers from Pinterest! My little quiz, Are you a sensitive, is practically going viral! For all of you, and my loyal friends and students, I give you Cyber Monday through Wednesday sale on classes! Sign up for January classes now at a whopping $25 off. It’s my thank you to you and to entice you to try out Empath or Fairy School. Yay! Go here to Empath School, here to Fairy Online School to sign up right away before the sale ends! These are crazy cool prices.

Take the Poll

I’m curious what YOU want to see birthed from Fairy Online or Empath School for 2014. Take the poll! I was considering creating a storytelling your life course also with all the cool skills I learned and can share with you. Would you be interested in that? What changes do you want or need? I’d love to hear from you!

Take Our Poll

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Sign up for July CORE classes — Animal Mediumship OR Fairy Beginner Fairy Healing class OR Talking to Angels and Guides OR Care of the Sensitive in Nature class — for all EARLY BIRD SPECIAL RATES.

Sign up for the only new class COLOR HEALING at early bird rates also!

And check out only 2 spaces left for the Animal Communication Mentorship Program.

GO HERE TO THE CATALOG TO SIGN UP & SAVE on the class you want.

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Dear Teachers and Librarians,

The fabulous folks at Viking Children's Books and Penguin Young Readers Group, are playing host to me  for a week long, cross country tea party to celebrate the publication of TEA REX! I'll be stopping in for tea and biscuits (and books) in Raleigh, New York, Chicago and Los Angeles, before coming back home  for the terrific TEA REX launch party at Changing Hands Bookstore on April 13!

 

And, as one good turn deserves another, I would like to play host to your class- for a tea party in my studio!

A virtual tea party...  which includes:

*A classroom Skype visit with me (and REX) over tea

*A copy of TEA REX

* Tea and Cookies for everyone!

To enter your class for a chance to win, kindly R.S.V.P. by leaving a comment below before midnight (PST) April 14, 2013.

And please spread the word by inviting a friend to do the same!

One winning entry will be randomly chosen  on April 15.

Cheers!

 

 

 

 

 

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I'm pleased to announce that Writers Digest University and I will again be offering an online, eight-week version of my Plot Master Class, starting later this spring!

Goodness, what a clogged sentence. To detangle it, with elements in order of importance:

• Plot Master Class:  An extremely in-depth course on the elements of plotting, including purpose, stakes, structure, subplots, and pacing. The goal is to help you understand the point of your novel, how your plot can and should serve that point, and what revisions you need to do to make that plot as tight and powerful as possible. (My book Second Sight goes into some of this, but the class covers it in much greater depth and detail, and also reflects various revisions in my own thinking on plot since I wrote the book.)
• Online:  You'll read lectures and complete associated exercises interrogating your manuscript and its plot, with the opportunity to ask as many questions of me as you'd like in the online discussions.
• Eight-week: I've taught this class as a one-day workshop at various locations around the country; this course distributes those lessons over eight weeks, allowing participants more time to absorb the material and complete the exercises.
• Starting later this spring:  March 14, to be precise, with homework to be completed before the course begins.
• Writers Digest University and I:  I developed the materials, and Writers Digest University offers the online setting.
• Again:  The current session of the course started in November and is coming to an end now; I've really enjoyed it, and the participants say it's been useful to them!

The most common question I get about this course is "Do I have to have a completed draft of a manuscript?" My instinct is that it will be most useful to people who have completed a first draft of a manuscript and are ready to dig back into it, see what they have, and start polishing it up. (After all, the first exercise is to make an in-depth outline of your current book, and later exercises involve analyzing said outline.) But I've heard from a few past students that they took the course without a completed draft, and it helped them figure out where they wanted to take their books.

If you're interested, please check out the full course description and register here. Any other questions on the course, I'm happy to answer in the comments. Thank you!

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If you’re confused about how Twitter and LinkedIn can help you earn more as a freelancer, you’ll want to take part in the Boot Camp from Carol Tice of the Freelance Writers Den, How To use Social Media to Get Freelance Writing Gigs. Here are the details:

Session 1: Overview. I’ll be joining Carol for a baseline training in what social media is all about. We’ll cover what platforms to use, how to behave, how to connect with prospects, what not to do, and how to market effectively. We’ll also cover local/regional social media and how it can be a promotional goldmine.

Session 2: LinkedIn. This platform is the phone book big companies and publications use to find freelancers. Learn how to get found, make an impression, and get hired through LI.

Session 3: Twitter. The hosts will take you step by step through how to create your profile, grab attention, and get gigs — all in 140 characters.

Session 4: Review of students’ LinkedIn & Twitter profiles & activity. Carol is going to critique students’ social media profiles, tweets and LinkedIn status updates in an interactive session that will offer practical, real-time tips for how to market effectively on these platforms.

Right now the cost for non-Den members is just $97 until January 1. After the New year, the price goes up to $197, which is what these Boot Camps normally cost. So if you’re interested, sign up today by clicking on the banner there on the upper left of this post!

I look forward to helping you kick freelance butt in 2013!

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Hi, Renegades!

You may have been putting off signing up for my Write for Magazines 4-week e-course that’s helped students break into magazines like Woman’s Day, Redbook, Weight Watchers, Writer’s Digest, GRIT, Spirituality & Health, E: The Environmental Magazine, Today’s Parent, Black Health, Women’s Health, Blue Water Sailing, Pizza Today, Graduating Engineer, and more.

The time to sign up is now, because after the January 3 session, I’ll be raising my prices. Other experienced e-course instructors have been telling me I’m charging way too little for the value I offer!

Right now, the Basic version of Write for Magazines with no e-mail support is Pay What You Want, with a minimum of just $30. The Premium class with full e-mail support and assignment critiques is $240. Both versions include two 45-minute group calls where I’ll tell you what to expect, provide motivation, and answer your questions.

If you’re interested in the Premium course, act now — I limit membership to 12 students and I expect it to fill up even faster than usual this time since I’m raising my prices soon. I keep the numbers low in this version of the class because I offer very detailed assignment critiques and can only handle so many!

Let’s get going on your freelance writing goals in 2013!

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Hi, Renegades!

Just a quick reminder that my next Write for Magazines 8-week e-course starts this coming Monday, September 3.

This is the course that’s helped writers break into Yankee, Spirituality & Health, Woman’s Day, E: The Environmental Magazine, Washington Parent, Blue Water Sailing, GRIT, and more.

The course will show you how to generate a salable idea, find the perfect markets for it, and craft and send a killer query letter.

For this session I’m offering only the Basic version (with no email support) because I’ll be on vacation for two weeks during the session. The good news? The Basic version is Pay What You Want, with a minimum of just $30. That’s less than $4 per lesson!

Want to boost your freelance writing career? Check out the testimonials, download the FAQ, get more details, and sign up on the Write for Magazines page.

Thanks, and I look forward to helping you break into freelance writing — and earn more!

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Writers have been asking when Carol Tice and I are going to offer another Audit of our two popular e-courses: Freelance Writers Blast Off and 4-Week J-School.

So we decided to offer the Audits again right now, until August 21.

We normally charge $97 for these classes, but for this session we’re letting you pay whatever you want (with a minimum of $30). (Crazy, I know!)

Here’s a little more detail on what you’ll get:

4-Week J-School

Do you feel you’re earning less than you should because you didn’t go to journalism school — but you don’t want to shell out $30k to attend?

We heard you — and that’s why we created a course that will help you become a more confident writer – fast – and earn big as a freelancer.

• Week one: Story Ideas That Sell. You’ll leave this audio with dozens of strategies and sources for finding story ideas and slanting them to fit specific publications.
• Week two: Newsgathering 101. Watch the webinar as we review writer’s websites and demonstrate the features that make sites attract great clients and want to hire you.
• Week three: Article writing intensive. In this 1-hour webinar presentation, Carol and I share all our best tips for delivering well-written pieces your editor will love.
• Week four: Journalism ethics 101. Worried about getting sued? Don’t know if you’re writing things that could get you in trouble? We go over what you need to know in dealing with sources, quotes, and citing existing materials.

What you’ll get with the 4-Week J-School:

• Each week for 4 weeks, you’ll get a new recording covering all the journalism basics, from finding story ideas to interviewing sources, writing a compelling article and avoiding getting sued
• More than 40 pages of worksheets, tips, and resource links to reinforce your training
• Complete transcripts of each live event
• Bonus 1-hour podcast: Query letters and letters of introduction
• The option to join the Freelance Writers Den separately and use our exclusive mentoring forum to post homework, get feedback — and get your questions answered. (We’ve got the Den open to new members for this Audit enrollment period.)

Freelance Writers Blast Off

Learn how to match your talents and life experience to lucrative writing assignments.

Discover how to find good-paying clients, pitch them, and get the gig.

Study at your own pace.

Skyrocket your income.

• Week one: Matching interests to markets. Listen in as we coach more than a dozen writers
• Week two: Elements of an excellent writer website. Watch as we review writer’s websites and demonstrate the features that make sites attract great clients and want to hire you.
• Week three: All about markets. In this 1-hour webinar, we discuss all of the types of writing gigs available, and the differences between various publication and website types.
• Week four: Smart marketing. In this 1-hour webinar, you’ll get a primer on all of the marketing strategies that get good results, and co
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Hi, Renegades! I just wanted to brag on a couple of offerings for writers I have going on right now:

Learn how to make more money doing what you love.

I just completed my new e-book—The Renegade Writer’s Ultimate Guide to Marketing Your Freelance Writing: 27 Riffs from the Renegade Writer Blog on How to Earn More Money Doing What You Love.

For under $5, you’ll get an e-book that’s chock full of the marketing tips that have helped me land assignments from Family Circle, WebMD, Health, Inc., Redbook, Parenting, and USA Weekend. You’ll learn:

• The little extras that will make an editor love your query.
• How to impress an editor with your credentials — even if you have no clips.
• How to market your writing without having to send query letters. (And why I haven’t sent a query since 2010!)
• What editors and clients wish you knew about connecting with them on social media.
• How to sell more articles by being yourself.
• The top mistakes writers make that doom their article ideas.
• How to leverage client compliments to get more work.
• How to land more assignments by sneaking around the writer’s guidelines.
• Using your superpower as a writer to get editors and clients to say YES.
• And much more!

Want to learn how to sell more of your writing? Spring a fiver for The Renegade Writer’s Guide to Marketing Your Freelance Writing and start putting the tips to work today!

Break into magazines—or crack your favorite market—with a kick-ass query.

The next session of my 8-week Write for Magazines e-course starts on Monday, June 18—that’s just over a week from now!

Last week I got an e-mail from a student in my last session. She sent her pitch to the Boston Globe and got an acceptance in 6 minutes. I think that’s a record!

In this 8-week course I’ll show you how to generate a salable idea, find the best markets for it, and write and send a query letter that will knock editors’ socks off.

And if you don’t need e-mail support, the Basic version of my e-course is Pay What You Want — yes, whatever you want — with a minimum of just $30. That’s under $4 per info-packed lesson!

Interested in landing more freelance assignments? Visit the Write for Magazines page, read the testimonials, download the FAQ — and sign up!

Get free Renegade Writer e-books!

See that new Free E-Books tab at the top of the page? I always gave away my 10 Queries That Rocked e-book to writers who join my mailing list. Now I’m also offering a free copy of my e-book Editors Unleashed: Magazine Editors Growl About Their Writer Peeves, where I interviewed 10 editors — some at major magazines — about what pisses them off and how you can become an editor’s go-to writer.

I used to sell this e-book for $6.95, but now I’m offering it gratis.

If you sign up for the mailing list, you’ll also get exclusive access to list-only contests, announcements of new free teleclasses for writers, and special offers on my e-cour

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