So I thought I would try out Save The Cat, and hope I could glean something for my writing. The Save the Cat! movement started a book by Blake Snyder: Save the Cat!: The Last Book on Screenwriting You’ll Ever Need. The basic premise is that the hero of the story must make viewers like him and root for him.

The software is based on the structure discussed in the Save the Cat! Books and has the boards, beat sheets, and loglines sections. With over 3.25 hours of exclusive, original video production, this brand new Save the Cat! Online Storytelling Course teaches you how to plot a hero’s transformation.

Sadly I’m not a video learner, and the videos average at about 30-45 minutes long. I confess I skipped through the videos to get to the worksheets where the same information is laid out in print.

All of the examples were big Hollywood blockbusters rather than independent films, which I would have liked to have seen more of

The layout, structure and stages of the course were well set out and presented. The pace at which it was presented was steady and clear. I’m sure screen writers and video learners will get a lot from it.

And I’ve learned how important is to plot, and not be such a pantser.

Thanks to Justin Brown for his help with this one.

Here are a few tips:

1. Marketing isn’t a dirty word. Chances are that if you’ve written something, you want people to read it or hear it. It doesn’t have to be about making money. Marketing should be a fundamental part of your plan to develop your writing carer.
2. Have a website. It’s the first place people will come to find out about you. Make it clear who you are, what you do, the work you’ve done, and how people can get in touch. Have extracts of your work, links to buy your books, videos of your performances, and reviews or endorsements.
3. Get active on social media – but don’t try to do everything. Commit to a couple of platforms and post consistently and regularly. Make sure it’s not all promotional – connect with others, join conversations, and share posts. Aim for 70% engagement and 30% promotion.
4. Write for other blogs or magazines about things that are tangentially related to your work. Written historical fiction – position yourself as an expert on that period of history? Overcome adversity? Maybe people want to read about that. Not everything has to be overtly about pushing your book.
5. Think about building a writer brand, and see your work and performances as part of that. Don’t just pop up when you’ve got a book to plug, but see individual activities as part of the bigger campaign.

Why do writers need to join critique or writing groups?

The answer is simple. Some writers are natural-born writers; however, most of us need a lot of help.

Critique partners help you learn and grow. They ponder over your manuscript for character weaknesses, gaps in the plot, and grammar errors. Their work is invaluable. They push you to be a better writer.

The ideal critique group is made up of writers who are on the same writing level and write in the same genre. Constructive criticism and positive feedback should be the rule of the day. Be kind, but be honest. You should never gloss over poor writing. This is unfair to the other writer. Respect your critique partners. Respect is a two-way street.

Benefits of critique groups:  accountability, bonding, brainstorming, craft, editing, grammar, encouragement, listening skills, inspiration, motivation, learning, and friendship.

Like any relationship, critique groups take on their own character. Select your critique partners with care. Pick a group you’re comfortable with. Set guidelines and stick to them. Be accountable to the process and each other. Everyone has an opinion. You should not change your style of writing, because someone else thinks they know better. It is your story.

Critique groups evolve over time. You can outgrow each other. Perhaps it is time to move on. Be grateful for what you’ve learned. You may decide on a writing partner rather than a group next time. Choose a writing partner whose skills and schedule work well for you.

Writing groups are essential for all levels of writing. A writing group or chapter is networking at its best. A small writing group may foster closer friendships, while a large writing chapter may have more advanced writers for role models. Bottom line–We learn the craft, and we help each other.

Presentations, classes, workshops, and conferences help us learn the craft. Veteran writers who have achieved recognition far and wide can show us how they accomplished their writing goals. We are inspired by their success.

Writing chapters offer classes and workshops that teach us how to improve our craft. We learn by doing. A writer can never take too many classes or attend too many workshops. We can never learn enough about writing.

Writing conferences are great sources of education and networking. Whatever your weakness—characterization, dialogue, point of view, or plot—you can find a program to improve your skills.

Networking at a conference helps make new friends. Be bold. Smile and speak to other attendees. Spending time with other writers can make us better writers.

I attend writing conferences as often as I can. I enjoy meeting new authors, agents, and editors. I hope to see you at a writing conference and talk about that jewel of a book you want to polish and publish soon.

Georgia Stories on My Mind

Come visit Georgia within these pages as you read heartwarming stories shaped by local traditions and legends. The characters live life to the fullest through joys and hardships. Inhale the essence of Georgia’s revitalized small town squares while eating hand- scooped ice cream on a park bench. Each town has its own magic. Sometimes the most real things in life are things we cannot see but those that deeply touch us, as the folks in these tales learn. Share smiles and shed tears as you travel the curving road of life with these Georgia characters. Are you ready for an unforgettable experience of hope, faith, trust, reconciliation, and love?

Out now on Touch Not the Cat Books.

About the Author, Jackie Rod

Jackie Rod is a fiction writer, loving wife of a legal beagle, and mother of three children who has blessed her with seven fantastic grandchildren. After Jackie retired from teaching, her love of words and stories led her to begin writing fiction. Reading and traveling enrich her life and she jumps at the opportunity to teach a workshop or attend a writing conference. She belongs to five writing chapters/groups. Jackie’s work can be found in twelve published books on Amazon, in several Metro Atlanta libraries, and independent bookstores.

Moving Pieces‘ work is about finding the stories that reside in the body, and allowing them the space to breathe and be with freedom. Founder and director Charlie Blowers has a background in physical theatre and arts and somatic psychotherapy, and through her work explores the relationship between wellbeing and theatre. The goal of Charlie and co-director Jose is to support wellbeing and mental health as well as create theatre with a compelling narrative.

Their approach uses body based approaches emerging from neuroscience, many of which stabilise the nervous system and support self regulation. Through mask work, mindfulness, Feldenkrais method, storytelling and improvisation, participants are invited to bring their awareness to their experience, notice the subtle shifts in the body as it responds to its surroundings, and bring forth the stories that are held in the body. As Charlie explains, ‘sometimes our thoughts hold our body prisoner.’ Moving Pieces aim to liberate the body and the stories within. It’s an opportunity to process many of the feelings that often go unnoticed; or are pushed away so as not to notice them.

Through mask work I’m struck how much time we spend pretending to be someone else. Improvisation makes me reflect on the structures and ideas that stop us truly presenting ourselves to the world. Slow flowing movement is a welcome reprieve from the fast paced and frenetic pace of life.

Open to artists, mental health professionals, anyone with mental health challenges or those who simply want to explore personal story in a creative way, Moving Pieces offers a distinctive approach to exploring the body, building resilience and devising theatre.

11am

Petit Miracle Hub, First floor, West 12 Shopping Centre, Shepherd’s Bush, London, W12 8PP

Book here

We tend to put creativity in one box, and communication in other. Play on one side, and business somewhere else. When we’re earning a living from our writing, writing for business, engaging with corporate clients, there’s something about the involvement of transactions, and well, money, that sucks the life out of words and takes away all creativity.

It doesn’t have to be this way. All communication should evoke some kind of reaction, be it educative, informative, entertainment or emotion. This can’t happen unless there’s a bit of passion behind the words. A bit of creativity. Some life. It can be so easy to stick to the same formulas and language, yet this not only doesn’t benefit the client in the long run, it makes your working life a little bit dull.

What can we learn from creative writing for business writing? How can exercises usually reserved for fiction and poetry help our business writing? At this workshop we will use creative writing techniques like poetry and storytelling to apply to a business communications context.

Part of Petit Miracle Hub, a retail and business incubation project – created by Londoners for Londoners – and a haven for aspiring entrepreneurs needing access to the retail market.

Come along to the Scout Hut on Forge Lane at 11am on Tuesday 12th September and get stuck in!

For more details see below.

Canterbury Christ Church University World Mental Health Day Writing Competition 2017

This year Canterbury Christ Church University is celebrating World Mental Health Day by raising awareness around emotional and mental health through various events and workshops being run throughout the day.

The university works to include and promote fairness and respect for all, which includes recognising the emotional and mental needs of individuals.

The University invites poems on the theme of “Magic moments” or short stories about “Working on Mental Health”.

This competition is free to enter and open to students, staff and the community in which the university works within.  We hope that this competition enables people to think about emotional health and wellbeing and looking after oneself.

Judges

Poetry: Professor Doug MacInnes, Luigi Marchini

Prose: Janet Lloyd, Michelle Crowther

Prizes will be donated by the University bookshop

Deadline

September 15th 2017

Poems: 60 lines max.

Short stories: 3500 words max.

Entries should be sent

to:

worldmentalhealthday@canterbury.ac.uk

Please read the terms and conditions before entering.

The tool we used was simple. A line drawn across the page and plotted with events or experiences. But simple doesn’t mean ineffective. Looking at the things we choose to put down and the emotions and words that surround them tell a great deal about what sticks in our minds and what we focus on.

Mixing storytelling with neuroscience, we worked through exercises that explored names and labels, habits and attitudes, events and experiences. Like directors, we reviewed the script that we live by every day. As editors we explored what to keep and what to drop. Like designers we storyboarded a plan for the next chapter.  There’s also wider practical applications. The tool can be used to map out a presentation and selecting the most important messages to be taken. Seeing the plot of a book and charting the emotional ups and downs within it shows how the reader might experience it – and whether more or less drama is needed.

Stories are ultimately about connection – connection with others and ourselves. Through the words we use and the framework we place them in those connections can be more empowering, strengthening and enlivening. Seeing where we have been can help us work out where we are going – and if it’s the destination that we want. It’s all about knowing the kind of story you are telling and exploring whose story it is – your story. All from a line on a page.