WRITERS’ WORKSHOP

For Aspiring &/or Struggling Writers

                   Featured Author/Leader:  

John DeDakis

CNN Senior Copy Editor

“The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer”

Author, “Fast Track” (Mystery-Suspense/set in Wisconsin)

10 a.m. to 5 p.m.  Saturday, Oct. 9, 2010

Location:  North Branch Library

1552 Kane Street

La Crosse, Wisconsin

10-11:00am: "From Journalist to Novelist (Or How I Learned to Start Making it Up)."

Think you're too busy to write a novel? Veteran CNN editor John DeDakis traces the arc of his 40-year career -- from getting tear gassed covering an anti-Vietnam War riot on the University of Wisconsin campus in 1970 to his current job as a Senior Copy Editor on CNN's "The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer" in Washington, D.C. and how it all led to a parallel career as a published novelist, manuscript editor, and speaker. 

11:15am-12:15pm:  How to Write a Novel 

A practical 15-point plan that takes you from the mere germ of an idea all the way through the creative process, with an eye on getting a finished book into the hands of potential fans. We'll discuss how to transform the nub of an idea into a book-length project, populated with interesting characters, a twisty-turny plot, snappy dialogue, and an interesting setting. We'll also look at strategies for finding an agent and marketing the finished product. 

1:30-3:00pm: Buffing and Polishing 

You've finally finished your manuscript and now you're ready to tell Oprah all about it. Not so fast. The best writing is REwriting. In this writing lab, you'll learn practical ways to put your writing on a flab-burning diet so that your copy is tight, trim and hot -- and all without even having to step onto a treadmill. 

3:15-4:15pm: Getting an Agent.....and Getting Noticed 

Writing's the easy part. The hard part is stepping out of your solitary comfort zone and trying to convince someone else that they should read your book. In this session you'll learn how to attract an agent and how to market yourself using strategies that are tailored to your personality. 

$90 for entire workshop (includes complimentary copy of “Fast Track”)

or:

$25 for each session 

Make checks payable to:

Kathy Foust

2813 Lakeshore Dr.

La Crosse, WI 54603

Contact Information:

(608) 782-3265

kmf22u.centurytel.net