July Mini-Edition: Workshops & Simple Joys
Workshops on world-building, parenting, and marketing + the small things getting me through the heat of summer
Greetings writers & readers,
First off, welcome new subscribers! This particular edition of the newsletter is a little different from my standard one; I want to give you a heads up on the workshops I have planned for August. I am in the wonderful (but slightly stressful!) position of teaching three workshops in the same week. All different! All interesting! All online! And all emblematic of what this newsletter is all about.
{If you’re patient with me describing each of them to you, you’ll then be rewarded with a list of my go-to books, recipes, and simple joys right now (and you don’t want to miss the chickens)!}
Books:
Grub Street Inc. has asked me to revisit two classes this month. The first is “Part of Your World: Character-Focused World-building in YA”. I love this class because we talk about how character building is world-building through voice, language, and point-of-view. We do writing exercises, read cool openings to YA novels, and share LOTS of book recs. Applicable to any genre of YA (and even for other age groups, though our focus will be on young adult stylings).
Marketing:
If you haven’t caught my Marketing for Writers seminar yet, here’s another online opportunity, this time through Maine Writer’s and Publisher’s Alliance. “Marketing for Writers: A Business Seminar” is a slightly longer version of my usual class. We’ll talk marketing at all levels of publishing, and have extra time to dig into personal marketing and the nuts-and-bolts of being a working writer.
More:
“Writing Like a Parent, Parenting Like a Writer” is near and dear to my heart because as a parent/writer, writer/parent myself, I can say with full authority: this sh!t is HARD. Especially with everything 2020 has thrown at us, demanding every last ounce of our parenting patience (and, when I’d argue, stories are needed most). How do we hold onto our sense of creative self? We’ll draw inspiration from other writers who’ve tackled these issues, share our own experiences, and brainstorm with (and commiserate and cheer on!) one another.
Upcoming Virtual Workshops:
Registration required unless otherwise noted!
Aug 6 (10AM): Speculative Fiction Variety Hour* - FREE! (email me for link)
*actually 90 minutes of exploring topics in speculative fiction, genre, and writingAug 7 (10:30AM): Part of Your World: Character-Focused World-building in YA
Aug 8 (9:30AM): Marketing for Writers: A Business Seminar
Aug 15 (10:30AM): Writing Like a Parent, Parenting Like a Writer
Need some one-on-one marketing a/o manuscript attention? I’m still doing consults!
ICYMI: Recent Newsletters
A few of my favorite things: Simple Joys
Finding bits of time to write
The view out my kitchen window: wind-tossed shadows; stained-glass green leaves; dappled light
Summer heat lightning in New England
Sweet and spicy Lemongrass & Ginger iced tea from Pukka
Listening to Becoming as read by Michelle Obama herself
The poetry of re-reading This is How You Lose the Time War
Wandering through dark, hypnotic stories in The Decameron Project
The zing of a fresh picked raspberry
A tiny, perfect Salted-Caramel Chocolate Pretzel Cupcake from One Bite Bakery
The new Babysitters Club tv show
New episodes of Queer Eye
These fresh Blueberry Crumb Bars from Smitten Kitchen
The delicious simplicity of this Five-Herb Grilled Chicken & Herb Aioli recipe
Adding brown butter and sprinkles to Rice Krispie Treats
My picky eater kid eating a full serving of plain tofu
Our one, tenacious sunflower
Keep reaching out and helping one another. Wear a mask. Support #BlackLivesMatter. Always happy to boost any projects, resources, or new books you’re working on!
All the best,
~Allison
Writer & Marketing Coach
Keep Writing, Keep Connecting! Twitter | Facebook | Newsletter | Website
Allison has happily made books her life’s work. She spent four years marketing and publicizing academic titles at The MIT Press before she went to work for Wellesley Books as a children’s bookseller and event coordinator. She is now living her dream: putting her B.A. in Creative Writing to good use as a novelist and as a writing/marketing coach for authors. She enjoys science fiction, cupcakes, and a hot cup of tea.