 |
|
 |
|
Paranormal Romance * Romantic Suspense * SF Romance *SF Adventure Home * About Marilynn * Books * Articles * Short Stories *Workshops |
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
“Keeping the Reader Reading the First Chapter”
A Writing Course
given by
Marilynn Byerly
Drawing a reader into the first chapter of your novel is more than an exciting beginning, more than a “cute meet,” more than a sexy hero and a feisty heroine. Step by step, I’ll show you the craft needed to draw the reader into your novel and make her eager to keep reading. To get the most out of this course, you should already have a good idea about the plot and characters in your novel.
COURSE SYLLABUS Course work, articles, and questions will be given through a Yahoogroups' listserv. Your assignments will remain private between you and Marilynn, though. WEEK ONE: You will receive an article on planning the first chapter.
Questions: Ask Marilynn questions on the group listserv or privately.
Assignment: Answer a series of questions to figure out where your novel will begin, its first hook, and the hero and heroine's emotional and plot goals. The assignment is optional and will be turned into Marilynn, not shared on the listserv. WEEK TWO: Optional: Turn in last week's assignment for feedback.
You will receive a second article on fleshing out those goals and characters.
Questions: Ask Marilynn questions on the group listserv or privately.
Assignment: Write the first scene or scenes of your novel that show the characters' goals, etc. The assignment is optional and will be turned into Marilynn, not shared on the listserv. WEEK THREE: Optional: Turn in your first chapter or that first scene or scenes. The assignment is optional and will be turned into Marilynn, not shared on the listserv.
Questions: Ask Marilynn questions on the group listserv or privately. WEEK FOUR: Marilynn will return your chapter with a critique.
You will receive a summation of the information.
Questions: Ask Marilynn questions on the group listserv or privately.
Marilynn's Teaching Biography: Marilynn Byerly's two passions are writing and teaching. With a BA and MA in English with an emphasis on fictional structure and literary analysis, she has taught writing, judged numerous national and regional writing contests, reviewed books, and written articles on writing which have appeared in trade publications, national magazines, and writing websites. She also has acted as a book doctor for established authors and a NY Times bestseller.
Her romance, fantasy, and suspense novels, and short stories have won major awards including the National Readers Choice Award, the Sapphire, and the Write Touch. She has also been named an outstanding achiever in romance by a major romance magazine.
What qualifies Marilynn to teach this topic? "From the first page, I was immediately swept into the time and place of the story, and I wasn’t released until the last word." -- a review of Marilynn’s STAR-CROSSED from Ivy Quill.
Many of Marilynn's reviews praise her ability to draw the reader into a story and keep them there. As a teacher, she can show you how to do it, too.
Marilynn's Online Writing Workshops
The Big Question: How to Create a Powerful Novel from a Few Ideas and One Big Question
Worldbuilding Course: Creating a Believable Paranormal, Fantasy, or SF World.
Writing in the Moment: How to get your voice, viewpoint, and craft so perfect that you disappear and your story comes alive.
The Blurb: Mother of All Promotions How to write a blurb -- that pithy description of your novel in a query letter, the short "elevator pitch" used at a writer's conference, the log line for online promotion, and the all important back cover copy for a published novel. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|