
Winter Workshops will be held at the Writers' Cottage (317 NW Gilman Blvd, Space #8, Issaquah, WA 98027)
Write Your Story - 8 Week Series - Fiction Course
Instructor: Pam Binder
Part 1: Tuesdays January 8, to February 26, 2019
Time: 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.
Location: Writers Cottage - 371 NW Gilman Village, Space 8, Issaquah, WA 98027
Cost: $225.00 - $325.00 for nonmembers
Description: Pam Binder’s 8-week course will concentrate on how to develop your plot, the key scenes needed in the first third of your novel, the importance of a strong point of view, how to develop your characters, and write with emotion. Pam will also discuss how to write a synopsis and how to prepare your manuscript for entry into writing contests. In addition to writing lectures and writing exercises, Pam offers consultation time and weekly scene reviews. This course is for beginning and intermediate writers who are interested in writing their first draft. Part 1 is required for those students interested in taking Pam's Part 2 & 3 series.
The Art of the Personal Essay - 5 week series - Nonfiction Course
Instructor: William Kenower
Date: Wednesdays January 9, to February 6, 2019
Time: 9:30 a.m. - Noon
Location: Writers Cottage - 317 NW Gilman Village, Space 8, Issaquah, WA 98027
Cost: $200.00 - $300.00 for nonmembers
Description: The personal essay is a unique blend of storytelling, lessons, and poetry. Not quite memoir, not quite self-help, it is a form that lends itself to blogs, essays for magazines, or opinions for newspapers. In this workshop we’ll look at the structural foundation of the personal essay, as well as learn some simple tools to help authors use their life experiences as limitless source material. Most importantly, we’ll dig into how best to offer readers lessons without being dogmatic or obvious, so that our essays can be both entertaining and inspiring.
Fearless Writing Workshop - 1 day - Nonfiction Course
Instructor: William Kenower
Date: January 26, 2019
Time: 9:30 a.m. - Noon
Location: Writers Cottage - 317 NW Gilman Village, Space 8, Issaquah, WA 98027
Cost: $75.00 - $100.00 for nonmembers
Description: Learning the craft is only the beginning of a writer’s journey. Most of the obstacles both beginning and experienced author’s face have less to do with finding a compelling opening or creating believable characters and more to do the many emotional challenges inherent in sharing our work with other people. In this half-day workshop we will shine a light on some of the dark questions about talent, intelligence, time, and money that haunt many writers. We will also provide tools to keep our attention where it needs to be to write what we most want to write.
Write Your Story - 10 Week Series - Fiction Course
Instructor: Pam Binder
Part 2 & 3: Tuesdays March 5, to May 7, 2019
Time: 6:30 to 9:30 pm
Location: Writers Cottage - 317 NW Gilman Village, Space 8, Issaquah, WA 98027
Cost: $275.00 - $375.00 for nonmembers
Description: Pam Binder's 10 week course concentrates on the novel's sagging middle as well as developing a page-turning ending. Part 2 & 3 will deepen the author's understanding of the important scenes needed in Act 2 and Act 3, review of point of view, how to strengthen dialogue, your novel's subtext, the action and reaction scenes, and discuss publishing trends and marketing. Pam will also discuss how to write a synopsis and how to prepare your manuscript for entry into writing contests and/or to submit to agents and editors. In addition to writing lectures and writing exercises, Pam offers consultation time and weekly scene reviews.
Make $$ Writing - One Day - Marketing Course
Instructor: Terry Persun
Date: May 4, 2019
Time: 9:00 - Noon.
Location: Writers Cottage - 371 NW Gilman Village, Space 8, Issaquah, WA 98027
Cost: $75.00 - $100.00 for nonmembers
Description: There are magazines, newsletters, websites, and newspapers that cover literally every subject you can imagine. These venues need material daily to continue publishing. Think of the magazines you read and love, and the subjects you know and understand, and start putting the two together. Whether your interest is in craft-making and fiber products, or electronics and software there are general and niche markets that need content. This session will discuss the details required to enter into the market of writing for the many publications and websites looking for content: which ones should you approach, what do they need, how do you contact them, and how much do they pay.
Get published, stay published - One Day - Marketing Course
Instructor: Terry Persun
Date: May 4, 2019
Time: 1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Location: Writers Cottage - 371 NW Gilman Village, Space 8, Issaquah, WA 98027
Cost: $75.00 - $100.00 for nonmembers
Description: This discussion will include several ideas on how to organize your writings and why it is important to stay focused on your career as much as your writing. The class will also cover how to stay motivated to write and how to continue to produce. Finally, we’ll talk about six specific things that will help you stay in the game.
Poetry Workshop and Discussion: Breaking Down the Boundaries - One Day
Instructor: Terry Persun
Date: May 25, 2019
Time: 9:00 - Noon.
Location: Writers Cottage - 371 NW Gilman Village, Space 8, Issaquah, WA 98027
Cost: $75.00 - $100.00 for nonmembers
Description: With the belief that everyone should write poetry, we’ll touch on everything from the sounds of poems to their shapes, meanings, and metaphors. We’ll talk about the effects of standard punctuation and changing point of views, line lengths and stanza breaks. With fewer rules and more options than novel writing, poetry should be considered the ultimate in creativity, exploration, and experimentation.