Conference Topics

Up to ten attendees submit pages of their manuscripts in advance to Kathy and to others who have signed up for the clinic. Prior to the conference, attendees critique/edit one another's work via e-mail. At the clinic, they discuss key points of each author's manuscript together (similar to a critique group). Kathy adds her professional input and gives each author a written critique to take home and review after the conference. Clinic can focus on fiction only, nonfiction only, or both. Best when offered in multiple sessions, either two or three in one day or on sequential days of a multiple-day conference or seminar.
*Especially beneficial for beginning and intermediate writers, fiction or nonfiction. Multiple sessions.

Authors submit pages of their manuscripts in advance to Kathy via mail or e-mail. At the conference, Kathy meets one-on-one with each author to provide personal, hands-on critiquing, editing, and consulting. For multiple-day conferences, writers can revise/rewrite their manuscripts, based on Kathy's input, then meet again to review the changes.
*Especially beneficial for beginning and intermediate writers, fiction or nonfiction. Single or multiple sessions (30 to 60 minutes each).

Polishing the "PUGS" (Punctuation, Usage, Grammar, and Spelling)

From her years as a professional freelance editor, Kathy shares the most common mistakes made by authors in the areas of punctuation, usage, grammar, and spelling.
*Suitable for all authors, beginner to advanced, fiction or nonfiction. 1-4 sessions.

Writing and Selling Church Play Scripts
Kathy discusses how to write, format, and market scripts for skits, sketches, monologues, one-acts, and full-length plays. When taught in several sessions, attendees write and perform their own creations.
*Suitable for all authors, beginner to advanced. 1-4 sessions.

Self-editing Your Manuscript
Ten stages of self-editing, from the overall picture down to the nitty-gritty. Includes organizational edit, structural edit, substantive edit, line edit, fine tune edit, and the final proofread. Workshop can focus on fiction and/or nonfiction separately, or both can be taught together.
*Suitable for all authors, beginner to advanced. 1-2 sessions.

Fine-tuning Your Fiction
How to make your short story, novel, play script, or screenplay irresistible to publishers/producers and readers/viewers. (The four workshops listed below can be presented individually or as an ongoing track.)
*Suitable for all fiction writers, beginner to advanced. 1-4 sessions

Preparing Your First Drafts
Creating and utilizing a plot outline, timeline, and character sketches. Research essentials. How and where to begin and end new chapters and sections. Introducing characters and settings. Seeking and incorporating suggestions from others.
*Especially beneficial for the beginning fiction writer. 1 session.

Refining Your Rough Draft
Addresses some of the most common fiction problems, including "Be Active, Not Passive," "Exposing Exposition," "Point of View," "Repetition and Redundancy," "Scene and Summary," "Settings," "Show, Don't Tell," and "Tighter Writing."
*Especially beneficial for the beginning or intermediate fiction writer. 1 session

Creating Consistent Characters
Using personality profiles to create realistic, believable characters. How to develop character growth and change without altering the characters' core personality traits.
*Especially beneficial for intermediate and advanced fiction writers. 1 session.

Crafting Complex Characters
Techniques to create characters that have their own unique "voices," making protagonists likable, showing character development, and creating interesting villains.
*Especially beneficial for advanced fiction writers. 1 session.

Proofread like a Professional
Learn how to proofread your own manuscript, or those of your critique partners, or the writing of paying clients, the way a pro does it.

What Can a Freelance Editor Do for Me?
Should you hire a freelance editor? If so, where can you find one, and how much will it cost? Learn how to choose the right editor for you, what to expect, the types and methods of editing, and much more. Discover how to get the most out of your experience with a freelance editor.

When Bad Things Happen to Good Sentences
A look at common writing problems--such as dangling or misplaced modifiers, ambiguous pronouns, delayed action, passive verbs, and negative structures--and how to fix them.

Typing without Pain
Does sitting at a computer for hours on end make your wrists tingle, your thumbs numb, your back tighten up, your legs cramp, your shoulders throb? Learn how posture, work habits, and specialized exercises can relieve those annoying aches and pains. If you haven't experienced those symptoms yet, this workshop will teach you how to avoid a repetitive-strain injury. Devices for preventing and relieving injuries are displayed and discussed. Free gift to all who attend!

How to Become a Freelance Editor/Proofreader
How one successful freelance editor started her business, and tips for those who'd like to give it a try.

Building Your Publishing Credits
Explore writing opportunities such as articles, play scripts, short stories, devotionals, and Sunday school curriculum, to hone your skills and develop a writing resume.
*For beginning writers.

The Passion of Self-publishing
Self-publishing can be a viable, successful alternative-under the right circumstances. This workshop analyzes various self-publishing options, the pros and cons of self-publishing, what to look for in a subsidy publisher, and how to make self-publishing work for you.
* Suitable for all authors.

Preparing for April 15: Tax Tips for Writers and Editors
Tips and guidelines for determining: (a) whether your writing and/or editing qualifies as a business or hobby for tax purposes, (b) what tax forms you'll need, and how to fill them out, (c) what counts as income, (d) what is and isn't a legitimate expense, (d) what to do if you have a loss, (e) making quarterly payments, and more.
* Suitable for all authors.

Writing with Both Sides of the Brain
Writing is done with the right side of the brain, the creative side (sometimes referred to as the heart). Rewriting, revising, editing, polishing, and proofreading use the left side of the brain, the analytical side. If you only use one side of your brain, your writing will either be creative but meandering and full of mistakes, or mechanically accurate but dry and dull. Learn when to use each side of the brain, and how to develop whichever is your weaker side, to end up with a powerful, whole-brain masterpiece.
* Suitable for all authors. (May be co-taught with published novelist Janice Thompson)

Ten Things a Writer Does Besides Write
Most people have a pretty glamorous mental image of what a professional book author does all day. If you think you'd like to write a book and get it published, first get a glimpse into some of the things a book author does besides write.

Where Do Story Ideas Come From?
How to think like a novelist in everyday life.
*For beginning and intermediate fiction writers

Touching Hearts, Changing Lives
Have you ever read something that really touched your life? God knew what you would need to read at that moment in your life. He also knows what He wants you to write, and He has called you at the perfect time so that His words through you can reach the people whose lives He wants to touch at their precise moment of need.

Encouragement for the Writer's Soul
Writing for publication can be disappointing and discouraging. After countless hours of learning and training, writing and rewriting, polishing and proofreading, pouring your soul onto the page, you bare your soul to agents and editors, and they reject your offering. How to succeed in this crazy industry through perseverance, faith, and confidence in the work God has given you to do.

Called to Write
In many ways, writers are like missionaries. They must go through extensive training, learn about other cultures, have moral and financial support, and willingly suffer adverse circumstances. They are also often misunderstood by others and sometimes rejected by the people they are trying to reach. But, like missionaries, writers must not give up on what God has called them to do.

Top Ten Myths of Becoming a Published Author
Five false encouragements (such as "Anyone can write a book") and five false discouragements ("Only full-time authors get published") followed by five truths, including "Writing is challenging," "Writing is life-changing," and "Writing is a calling." Optional video clip from an episode of the Frasier TV sitcom in which Roz decides to write a children's book.

PRIVATE CONSULTATIONS
Kathy is available for one-on-one consultations with authors at conferences
(usually 15 to 30 minutes each)

 

Click on the "Workshops Taught" link for a list of workshops, mentoring clinics,
tutorials, and keynote/plenary presentations Kathy has given.

Click here to E-MAIL KATHY about booking
a speaking or teaching engagement.