Blog Archives

Creating a Living Setting

Settings are more than time and place, or a location to plop down your book’s characters.  A setting can be a living, breathing entity whether it’s a small town or a brand new world. Settings limit or expand possibilities for your characters, are a catalyst for change, act as a pain trigger, or provide comfort. The possibilities are endless.

Bestselling, award-winning author Jeannie Moon will take you through the intricacies of creating a setting that will transport your readers to a world of your creation and make them want to return again and again.

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Beyond Stretch Marks and Hot Flashes: Writing the Seasoned Romance

Romance readers are growing older and so are the heroes and heroines in the genre they love. This workshop will take you through the ins and outs of writing a seasoned romance from the physical realities of age to the subtleties of the older mindset. See how publishers are starting to embrace romances with more mature characters.

Topics covered will include both craft and marketing, so authors can explore issues surrounding age, including:

  • The concept of love being ageless
  • How intimacy between older characters can be sexy and fun
  • The myth of eternal youth (and why we don’t need it)
  • Tropes that work well with seasoned romance
  • How to envision and pitch your book in a changing market
  • Fighting ageism in the industry

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The Layered Heroine

Just as women have evolved over the decades, so have the romance heroines with whom they identify. No longer content to be rescued or domesticated, the modern romance heroine is made up of many different layers. In this class, attendees will be presented with examples of flat heroines and using techniques that incorporate backstory, internal and external conflict, speech, physical attributes, age, and outside influences, build a multifaceted woman ready to embark on her own journey and find happily ever after on her terms.

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Running on Empty

One of Jeannie’s most popular workshops, Running on Empty will cultivate a positive mindset and get attendees ready to write. 

Part inspirational talk and part down-and-dirty methods, this class will inspire participants to find the best method to get off the hamster wheel and reduce time-related stress. Using examples from popular methodologies, Jeannie helps participants learn how to establish a routine, understand the difference between a true plan and a to-do list,

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NaNoWriMo: Setting Your Pace and Reaching Your Goals

This customizable workshop will focus on preparing writers for National Novel Writing Month. Using the NaNo website, planning and organizational tools, and a buddy approach, novices and experienced writers will be ready to attack the annual November challenge and have a 50,000 word draft done in 30 days.

Jeannie has completed NaNoWriMo seven times as of 2022. She is all set for 2023. Her bestselling, award-winning novel Then Came You came out of her very first NaNoWriMo.

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