Writer Wednesday: My Fave Workshops

I've taken my fair share of writing workshops over the years. A few didn't really strike a chord while others I've taken over and over and over again because they're packed with great information and lessons.

Many of my writing friends are also big fans of classes and workshops, online and off. After all, we want to be the best writers we can be and that requires continually growing and learning.

Here is a listing of my favorite workshops - those that I take more than once. I'll add to this list as I find more faves:

* Anything Margie Lawson teaches: Defeat Self-Defeating Behaviors, Empowering Characters' Emotions, Writing Body Language and Dialogue Cues Like a Psychologist, Deep Edits...they're all amazing! I've taken almost all of them multiple times and will go back for more. Margie offers certain classes online and others in "person". If I haven't already taken a class, I like to buy the lecture packet first then read through it, get the info in my brain so that when it's homework and discussion time I can really focus. Click here for her lecture packets page. Current schedule is here. Visit her website for all of the details.

* "Growing Your Audience" with Ann Charles and Jacquie Rogers - This is a new-to-me class. I'm taking it now (next week is the last week). It's all about figuring out what the term "target audience" means and figuring out your target audience and finding ways to reach and interact with them. What I love most is the "thinking outside of the box" component of the lessons. I have a four page list of target audience members and creative ways I can reach them. Ann and Jacquie are very responsive and answer questions in a timely fashion. I love this class! Here's the link to Ann's workshop page.

* "Writing a Hot Sex Scene" with Delilah Marvelle - I don't even know if Delilah still teaches this workshop. If not, too bad for you! This workshop was amazing - partly because there were only a handful of us in it so our scenes got some very special attention from Delilah (in my case that meant lots of blue ink - she didn't use red. Thank you, Delilah.)

* "Story Mastery" with Michael Hauge - An amazing workshop that addresses plotting, story components, blurb writing and character development. Mr. Hauge works with novelists, screenwriters, filmmakers, speakers and corporate leaders. If you ever have the chance to hear him speak or take one of his classes, run - don't walk! His website has some great articles also.

* "After the First Three Chapters Blues" with Beth Henderson - A great workshop that addresses plotting, specifically how to get over the hump that hits after the first few chapters. I'll definitely be taking this one again. Come prepared with a newer, recently read book in your genre for "dissecting" purposes. I fell behind with this assignment and never got back on track.

* "The 'W' Plot...or The Other White Meat for Plotters" with Karen Docter - This class teaches a specific plotting technique . (I sense a pattern here...Are you figuring out my writing weakness?) I use this technique with each book I write. This is a hands-on-your-book class so come prepared.

Have you taken a writing-changing class? Please share! Leave the class title, instructor's name and basic description in the comments.

Thanks for joining me today at Armchair Heroines ~

Tiffany