WRITING THE PERFECT PITCH:

Presented by Kelly Beck via Zoom

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A good pitch must grab a reader's attention while conveying the character, plot, and stakes. Kelly will teach us her tricks to writing a pitch that will make readers pick up your book.

THE ART OF REVEALING BACKSTORY:

Presented by Jane K. Cleland via Zoom

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The people who populate your stories have a past, and that past dictates, or at the very least informs, their actions. Sharing backstory is tricky, though. Share too much information, or share it before readers care about your characters, and your readers will likely lose interest. To write a page-turner, every sentence must propel the story forward via incident or character interactions, and backstory takes us out of the action, slowing the pace. To reveal backstory effectively, you need to first assess which aspects should be revealed. Then you need to determine how best to share that information. You'll hear plenty of examples so that you will leave the webinar with actionable ideas you can put to work immediately in your own writing.​​

CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT:

Presented by Charlene Thomas via Zoom

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Get to know your characters well enough that they become real for your readers.

WRITING WITH AUTOCRIT, ATTICUS, AND SCRIVENER:

Presented by Sable Fox via Zoom

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Learn the basics of Scrivener, Atticus, and Autocrit and how to use them within drafting, editing, and publishing your novel.

WHY MARKETING MATTERS FROM DAY ONE:

Presented by Savannah Gilbo and Lacy Lifers - Pre-recorded

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Join us as we listen to 'Why Marketing Matters From Day One' from Savannah Gilbo's Podcast, Fiction Writing Made Easy. Following the podcast, a MARA member will lead a workshop to help members build their marketing toolbox.

WORLD BUILDING:

Presented by Brandon Sanderson - Pre-recorded

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Join us as we watch a lecture taught by Brandon Sanderson about World Building. While Sanderson is a fantasy author, this lecture applies to all genres of writing.

DEVELOPING YOUR AUTHOR BRAND:

Presented by Jane Friedman & Andrea Guevara - Pre-recorded

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Join us as we watch a presentation about developing your author brand while staying true to who you are. Following the video, a MARA member will lead a workshop to help members create their unique brand.

HOW TO SHOW, NOT TELL:

Presented by Haley Phelan

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One of the vaguest critiques can be, 'There's too much telling.' With dozens of examples, we will study what telling really means, why it can hinder your writing, how to fix it, and when telling is necessary in a story.

BUILDING AN OFFBEAT AND BESPOKE CAREER:

Presented by Sierra Simone

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Bestselling author Sierra Simone presents about how publishing can look different for everyone and how to build it into a career.

HOLIDAY PARTY