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Writing for Children and Youth at the University of Calgary
Writing for Children and Youth at the University of Calgary – May 21, 2024 Writing for children and youth is a rich and vibrant global market. Focus on writing fiction for readers aged 8 to 12 years. Examine the writing process from initial concept to finished work including turning ideas into stories, story structure, developing characters, creating outlines, and the importance of editing and revision. Students will explore market and publishing opportunities in this interactive and supportive online course. Register...
read moreThe Benefits of a Writing Coach
A professional writing coach is someone with whom you can consult, ask questions and receive constructive feedback. They act as a guide as you build your career as a professional writer. A coach can help you conquer a stumbling block, regain momentum or make a start on a new project. My program helps you progress as a writer. You decide what you want to work on during a personalized, one on one relationship. I can be your coach for just one month or we can establish a month-to-month arrangement, depending on your schedule and...
read moreWhat’s it all about? An excerpt from The Time Traveler’s Guide
“The Time Traveler’s Guide is a great resource for any writer wanting to improve their craft.” Chapter One: What is time travel? Time travel is defined as taking place when there is movement between specific points in time. This is achieved in the same way that objects and living things move through space. In fiction, this kind of travel is made possible by the use of a time machine, device, or method. While nothing is carved in stone, I tend to think that time travel involving machinery or some kind of technology should be...
read moreKonn Lavery’s Free Newsletter Exclusive Dark Fantasy Novel: World Mother Ascension
Today, my guest is Canadian author Konn Lavery. We had him on the blog last year for his novel, Crystal Moth Conspiracy. He talked about writing a prequel in that interview. This dark fantasy novel is it. Welcome back, Konn. Tell us about your new novel, World Mother Ascension. Thanks for having me, Simon! A quick one-sentence pitch would be: The last balancer of the Grove, Synarion, must stop the queen of vampires and her blood cult from summoning the apocalypse through Mother Nature’s wrathful twin sister, who claims Earth and its...
read moreWriting Workshops and Study Guides
Writing Workshops and Study Guides My writing guide entitled Where Do Ideas Come From? examines how my novels The Alchemist’s Portrait, The Sorcerer’s Letterbox, The Clone Conspiracy, The Emerald Curse, The Heretic’s Tomb, The Doomsday Mask, The Time Camera, and The Sphere of Septimus can be used to create workshops and creative writing exercises for the classroom. These include writing time travel stories, creating superheroes and comic books, inventing imaginary worlds and fantasy kingdoms, exploring fascinating historical...
read moreThe Stone of the Seer – Where Magic and Historical Fiction Collide
The Stone of the Seer is an exciting historical fantasy series of adventure novels for young adults, primarily set in the turbulent era of the English Civil War. “Magic and Historical Fiction Collide – This book combines historical fiction with a world of magic. It is set in the period of the English Civil War and incorporates magic, mystery and witch hunting. This book engages the reader with action and interesting characters. It is the first in a series and will leave the reader looking for book 2.” “Royal Blood: Book...
read moreCopywriting for Business
I offer a number of writer services for business. The way in which you communicate with your customers is a vital component of your business and well written content can be the difference between success and failure. I have extensive experience in writing for a wide range of industries and market segments. I offer a variety of copywriting services including website content, blogs and newsletters, social media including Facebook and X, brochures, direct mail, sales letters, press releases, newspaper and magazine advertising and more. Learn...
read moreLearn how to write effective and compelling historical fiction
Historical fiction combines the events of the past with characters and stories from the writer’s imagination. This course examines the art of writing historical fiction and the need to fully immerse yourself in a particular time period to make your storytelling more believable. Learn how to write effective, authentic and appealing historical fiction and how to turn your ideas into compelling stories. Understand what defines historical fiction and different historical time periods, create believable settings and plausible characters and learn...
read moreWhat’s it all about? An excerpt from The Time Traveler’s Guide
“The Time Traveler’s Guide is a great resource for any writer wanting to improve their craft.” Chapter One: What is time travel? Time travel is defined as taking place when there is movement between specific points in time. This is achieved in the same way that objects and living things move through space. In fiction, this kind of travel is made possible by the use of a time machine, device, or method. While nothing is carved in stone, I tend to think that time travel involving machinery or some kind of technology should be...
read moreHow to Write Great Stories for Children and Young Adults
The Writing for Children and Young Adults course focuses on writing for children aged 8 to 14 years. However some of the material also covers older and younger age groups. Learn how to write effective, authentic, and appealing fiction for children and young adults and how to turn your ideas into compelling stories. The course explores the writing process from initial concept to finished work including story structure, developing plausible characters and dialogue, the creation of outlines and the importance of research, editing and...
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