Writing Workshops

Have you ever said aloud or to yourself: "I would like to write a book" or "I would like to write for magazines" but thought you weren't able or weren't qualified?

Writing is a craft that can be learned.

I've been studying the craft of writing as a career since 1993 when I started my first writing course, Breaking Into Print from Long Ridge Writers Group. It's taken me a lot of time and hard work to learn what I know about the craft and also the aspects of the publishing business I know. 2001 to 2003, I can't say I remember a lot of life outside of this computer during those years because I was immersed in beginning my own journey into the the world of the published.

When the staff of Long Story Short School of Writing announced they were looking for qualified instructors, I was hesitant at first. I've always done what I could to help new writers I met through the net or real life, but many times I would get so distracted with other things and couldn't follow through as much as I would have liked with each of them. That's when it dawned on me that running workshops might remedy that problem.

In my lessons I try to address the biggest obstacles to beginning writers and introduce them to what will come as they begin their writing business. I chose to teach Character Building and Novel Building because those are the areas I've focused on and thrived in - the areas I think I can help others the most. I've worked hard to create lessons both benificial and comfortable for students.

If you or someone you know would like to start living their dream and start writing for publication, please visit http://www.lsswritingschool.com/. My courses, Soul Building, Novel Building 101, and Novel Building 102 are three among many available at the school.

I hope you will give me and the other instructors the chance to help you begin your writing career.

T.C.

Novel Building: 101

Beginning to End and Beyond

Instructor: T.C. McMullen

Workshop Duration: 8 Weeks

Email Course using Microsoft Word files

Workshop Syllabus:

Writing a novel seems to be everyone’s dream but many die on the vine within the first few chapters and are tossed aside to never be seen again. Novel writing is a skill that can be taught. The mid novel hurdles can be overcome. In Novel Building 101, T.C. McMullen will help you get started with your story from generating your idea into a strong novel backbone to writing the first chapter. Students will receive tip sheets along with personalized lessons and interaction through email with the instructor. This enables the instructor to comment directly on each student’s work file to better communicate the skills in each lesson. Those who complete the course will receive an ebook of writing tips.

Lesson 1: Discovering the Tale: two weeks

Week One, Step One:

In this lesson, students will learn steps to planning their tale from exploring the tale’s purpose to grasping an idea of its intended market audience.

Week Two, Step Two:

This week students will learn basic plot designs and develop the best plot combination for their story. They will create an outline of important scenes they see happening in their story from the beginning to the end.

Lesson 2: Creating the Cast: two weeks

In this lesson, students will create detailed character outlines for their main characters (antagonist and protagonist) using character developing forms provided by the instructor. Secondary characters will also be developed to surround the main characters. Each character’s purpose and need will be assessed.

Lesson 3: Creating the Set: two weeks

This lesson, students will explore the settings needed for their story from season to geographical area, type of home and style of room/car etc. Using the outline from Lesson one, they will assign sets to their scenes.

Lesson 4: Where to Begin: two weeks

This lesson, the student with instructor’s help will choose a scene to begin and write a first chapter for the instructor to fully edit and steer in the right direction.

Objectives: In this course, students will learn where to begin with their novel and finish an outline as well as a first chapter.

Prerequisite: A student willing to learn and work hard on in depth projects.

Email course

Workshop Duration: 8 Weeks, - contact instructor for start dates. (This class can be taken in two parts at $75 each. See Novel Writing 102.)

Tuition: $75

Soul Building:

The Breathing Fictional Character

Instructor: T.C. McMullen

Workshop Duration: 4 weeks

Workshop Syllabus:

Learn to create living, breathing, feeling fictional beings capable of reaching from the pages to grab your readers by their throats and have them hanging on to every page for more.

Week One: Name Power

Much is in a name, we hear one, and we develop an opinion about the person. Choosing one is important in fiction for this reason. You will learn how to use a name to strengthen character personality, where to find names, and how to put names together with genres and stories.

Week Two: Create History

We all have history. So must your fictional soul. Start in the beginning. Create and learn everything about your character from their childhood and school years to their deep dark secrets.

Week Three: Learn Perception:

Learn how to create a character who sees the world (or their world) from a different angle than you do and keep them real. Learn how to view, hear, smell and touch everything through their eyes and how to empathize with them even if you don’t always agree.

Week Four: The Interview

The last lesson is to answer the questions of a basic interview for each individual character and keep them true to themselves. Learn how to "think" like your character and fully bring them to life.

Objective:

This course will teach you how to build imaginary characters so strong they take on a life of their own, ready to whisper to you their tales.

Prerequisite: Students must be devoted individuals with the desire and imagination to create strong fiction

Workshop Duration: 4 Weeks

Class start: every other week

Tuition: $75

Private Mentoring: $35

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If you have any questions at all about the courses described here or about Long Story Short School of Writing, please don't hesitate to email T.C.

tcmcauthor(a)hotmail.com

Student Testimonials

Soul Building: The Breathing Fictional Character - with T.C. McMullen was a wonderful class for me to take because T.C.’s methods helped flush out the areas that I needed to concentrate on to build believable characters. I found this class to be especially beneficial because I was just beginning my novel so the timing was perfect. I was able to apply her lessons and exercises to my novel killing two birds with one stone. Her challenging exercises gave me much food for thought. She took me where I never expected to go but I’m glad I did take her path, which revealed how little I knew beforehand and helped me to advance along in a constructive manner. Thanks to her lessons I’m more comfortable with writing my novel now and I’m actually making waves with it too. T.C. was great with giving me feedback as I went along. I’m really glad that I took this class.

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T.C. McMullen * P.O. Box 122 * Loretto, PA 15940