Winter 2007 Workshops at Writers & Books

The Business of Writing

Editing in Word!

• SA7-B01
• 2 Thursdays 7–9 p.m.
• May 10 through 17
• $56 W&B members / $59 General Public
• Instructor: Ruth E. Thaler Carter

Two hands-on sessions on the basics of using Microsoft Word to proofread and edit documents, with a focus on Find / Search and Replace, Track Changes, and formatting functions. Plan to provide the instructor with a document that you want to edit, to ensure that techniques relate to what you need to learn. Handouts will include proofreading and editing samples, along with tips on grammar, usage, proofreading and editing techniques, and more.

Register Online

Getting Started as a Freelance Writer

• SA7-B102
• 2 Thursdays , 7 - 9 pm
• June 21–28
• $56 W&B members / $59 general public
• Instructor: Ruth E. Thaler-Carter

You need more than writing skills and a computer to be a successful freelancer. You also need business sense, knowledge of the market, and a firm grasp of the tricks of the trade. Ruth E. Thaler-Carter will share her 25-plus years of experience in this tough but highly rewarding arena, working from her booklet, Get Paid to Write! Getting Started as a Freelance Writer.

Register online

Paths to Publication

• SA7-B103
• Saturday, 10 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
• May 12
• $35 W&B members / $39 general public
• Instructor: Steven Huff

How does book publication really work? How should I approach a publisher? Should I look for an agent first? What about copyrights, permissions, and royalties? How will I know a good publisher if I see one? If I sign a contract, am I signing away my rights to my own work? Are there hidden pitfalls and problems that I haven’t yet imagined? How long does the process take? Should I consider self-publication? Steven Huff brings his years of publishing experience to this class. There will also be advice for those just starting to send their work to magazines.

Register online

The Technical Writing Project

• SA7-B104
• Three Saturdays, 9 a.m.–1 p.m.
• May 5–May 19
• $79 W&B members / $85 general public
• Instructor: Judith E. Shenouda

Learn the process for starting, executing, and completing a technical writing project. Using a workshop format, participants will experience how a technical writer plans, develops, and distributes a technical publication. Participants will learn to appreciate the role of the technical writer as a member of a project team and the value the technical writer brings to a company’s success. Business owner Judith E. Shenouda will draw from 21 years of experience delivering communications solutions—including technical publications—to corporate and business clients.

Register online

Straight from the Editor’s Desk

• SA7–B105
• One Saturday 10 a.m.–noon
• May 5
• $35 W&B members / $37 general public
• Instructor: Robbi Hess

Spend two hours with the editor of Byline Magazine. Topics covered will include how to craft a winning query letter, how to break into magazines, targeting your submission to the correct department. There will be handouts and ample time for questions from students on how to jump-start their freelance careers.

Register online

My Thoughts Exactly: Writing the Opinion Column

• SA7-B106
• 2 Wednesdays, 6–8 p.m.
• June 6 through 13
• $45 W&B members / $52 general public
• Instructor: Robbi Hess

Are you the kind of person who has an opinion on almost everything? Do you have knowledge in a particular area of study or field of interest that you would like to impart to the masses? If so, this may be the perfect class for you. Columns are everywhere: newspapers, magazines, on line, etc. Students will learn to brainstorm their topics, hone their writing, and approach markets. This course will also be useful for those planning to begin a web log.

Register online

Magazine Writing

• SA7-B107
• 3 Wednesdays, 6–8 p.m.
• June 20 through July 11 (no class July 4)
• $56 W&B members / $59 general public
• Instructor: Robbi Hess

Writing creative non-fiction articles—the kind of articles that fill newsstand magazines—can be lucrative if you know how to break into the market. This workshop will cover such topics as targeting audience, tracking down ideas, crafting great hooks, and filling your article with style and substance. Whether your passion is fly-fishing, computers, or collecting mushrooms, the instructor will show you how to take those first steps toward publication.

Register online

Query Letters That Open Doors

• WA7-B108
• One Saturday, 10 a.m. – noon
• May 19
• $32 W&B members / $37 general public
• Instructor: Judith Lemoncelli

Your skill at writing succinct and compelling query letters may mean the difference between a busy writing life and one of languishing at your word processor. How do freelancers "break in" and get those magazine assignments? How do first-time novelists grab the attention of an agent? The answer to both questions: by sending well-honed queries to the right person. In this interactive workshop, Judith Lemoncelli shows you how to grab the attention of an editor or agent by crafting a query letter that opens doors.

Register online

So You Want to Start A Small Press?

• WA7-B05
• Two Mondays, 7–9 p.m.
• April 16 through 23
• $45 W&B members / $52 general public
• Instructor: Steven Huff

Publishing is risky business—and very rewarding! More and more, as big corporations and the profit motive dominate mainstream book publishing, small presses are quietly bringing some of the best poetry, fiction, and non-fiction to readers. And there are new technologies that can produce books cheaper and quicker. The instructor, with many years experience in both publishing and the retail book business, will detail the basic tasks, the traumas, and the excitement of small press book publishing.

How to register

Register online

Introduction to Copyright for Writers

• SA7-B109
• One Saturday 10 a.m.–noon
• May 19
• $20 W&B members / $25 general public
• Instructor: Brad Salai

Most writers rarely think about the legal aspects of their art. Yet a copyrighted work is an “Intellectual Property”—just as much as much a legal property as the ground your house is sitting on. Attorney Brad Salai, of Harter, Secrest & Emery, LLP, will discuss copyrights, permissions, contracts, and other issues of legal importance to writers. Bring your questions and concerns. Don’t miss this important seminar.

Register online