What do your characters really want—and what’s keeping them from getting it? In a fresh twist on the protagonist/antagonist, or conflict, model of analyzing a story’s structure, coauthors Kay Ellington and Barbara Brannon help you tighten and focus your plot, create a persuasive synopsis, and craft your one-sentence “elevator speech.” This workshop is for anyone with a novel, memoir, or short story far enough along in development to consider submission—or writers who want to plan ahead for success.

​

Handout 1

Handout 2

Handout 3

Over the years Kay and I have worked with hundreds of writers who struggle to get there—wherever “there” is—to achieve their fondest goals through their writing.

And we’ve also participated in many seminars and workshops aimed at teaching writers to do better.

So has the main character of our novel, Dee Bennett-Kaufmann, “Dr. Dee” to her students. She’s full of doubts about whether anything she teaches sticks. She’s seen the rigid rules-based approach on one hand, and the ethereal, philosophical approach on the other. But what really works? Everything she believes about the craft of writing is put to the test when she has to choose between a prestigious summer fellowship that will allow her to finish her book, and going home to look after her aging mother, who’s just been in a mysterious car wreck.

Well, one thing Dr. Dee taught us during the years we were creating her was that everything begins with a spark of inspiration.

New publishing technologies and a fast-changing industry have opened up scores of options for aspiring and established authors—while it’s harder than ever to attract an agent or a traditional publisher. Learn how writers of all levels can take advantage of self-publishing—to test the waters, produce a chapbook or artist’s book, promote your work, or meet your larger publishing goals. Veteran publisher and teacher Barbara Brannon covers the major players and how they work, terms and steps you should know, and costs and revenue you can expect from each approach.

We writers work in the world of words. (Pardon the alliteration.) So why should we have to know about pesky numbers like ISBN, eISBN, EAN, SAN, BISAC, discount rate, royalty percentage, returns allowance, and the like? Book publishing veteran and teacher Barbara Brannon demystifies how physical and ebooks are priced, paid for, and tracked—and how authors can maximize their own sales income. Useful information for any writer seeking to work with an agent or publisher; essential for those considering self-publishing.

Ever wonder what really goes through an editor’s (or agent’s) mind when he opens the e-mail or package with your submission? Which factors almost guarantee an editor will toss it aside within five minutes—and which will compel her to read on? Editor and publisher Barbara Brannon and coauthor Kay Ellington guide writers to craft a submission that’ll get the attention of the pros. Come prepared with a draft of your first chapter, synopsis, and cover letter to get the most out of this hands-on workshop.

This workshop, first presented at Women Writing the West 2019 during San Antonio’s 300th anniversary celebration, looks at the myriad ways we can incorporate the authentic stories of the Western past in our writing.

Using prompts & historical documents and artifacts, we’ll look at practical techniques for researching sources, tapping family memories, verifying facts, and weaving history into any genre — as well as being attuned for that moment from the past that sparks our next story. 

If you’ve followed trends in book publishing—and self-publishing—chances are you’re heard the term “metadata.” It’s hardly a new concept, but in today’s digital world of bookselling, it’s one of the most crucial. As distributors and ebook platforms refine their industry practices, requirements for book identifiers, cover images, descriptions, and marketing information change as well. Veteran publisher Barbara Brannon guides you through 5 steps to keep your book from being left behind. For small-press publishers, self-publishers, and publicists, as well as authors who want to see how the sausage is made.

What do your characters really want—and what’s keeping them from getting it? In a fresh twist on the protagonist/antagonist, or conflict, model of analyzing a story’s structure, coauthors Kay Ellington and Barbara Brannon help you tighten and focus your plot, create a persuasive synopsis, and craft your one-sentence “elevator speech.” This workshop is for anyone with a novel, memoir, or short story far enough along in development to consider submission—or writers who want to plan ahead for success.

​

HANDOUT: BOOK MARKETING TEMPLATE