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February 25 – Mary Buckham – Synopsis-Writing Intensive Program – all day workshop
MASTERING THE SHORT SYNOPSIS: For Those Who Hate to Write Them
This is a workshop for those who hate to write the 1-2 page synopsis, but want to understand what makes them a selling tool in a writer’s arsenal. Writing a short synopsis doesn’t need to be painful. Learn what editors and agents look for in a well-crafted synopsis and what makes them groan. Templates will help you examine your plots and see how they are translated into selling synopses. This workshop with examples and templates that you can use time and again should have you looking, thinking and writing the short synopsis in a whole new way.
Lectures with 9 templates for you to analyze and extract the key components from your manuscript that an editor/agent needs to see to determine if the story is worth their time and attention.
Great for writers who:
*Have never written a synopsis and don’t know where to turn
*Want to plot-proof their novel
*Lets you ask is everything in your story that needs to be in your story
*Want a faster way to master the short synopsis time and time again
Participants should watch the movie PRETTY WOMAN before the workshop as we’ll use that story line as an example on how to fill in the templates. The templates work for any genre of fiction but by having the group watching the same movie the explanations will be easier to grasp.
Workshop Fee includes:
• 8-Hour Workshop
• Beverage Service
• Lunch
• Afternoon coffee and snacks
Bio:
Mary Buckham is an award-winning romantic-suspense author who, before becoming published in book-length fiction was a freelance article writer, selling hundreds of articles to local, regional, and national publications. In addition, she’s the co-author of the very successful BREAK INTO FICTION: 11 Steps to Building a Story That Sells from Adams Media [June 2009]. Mary is a sought-after speaker and writing craft teacher for both online and in live presentations throughout the United States and Canada and is the co-founder of www.WriterUniv.com, an online venue where writers of all genres learn the craft of writing. Be sure to visit www.BreakIntoFiction.com
Workshop Location: The Sheraton on Barber Lane in Milpitas (directions)
Time: Check-in begins at 8:30am. Class runs 9am-4pm, with a one hour lunch and a fifteen minute break.
Sign up:
Cost for SVRWA, SFARWA, BDRWA, and MBRWA members: $65
Cost for non-members: $75
No walk-ins will be allowed. Registration for this workshop will close February 11th, 2012.
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Pay by Check:
SVRWA
Kelly Dugan
970 Corte Madera Ave. #811
Sunnyvale, CA 94085
PayPal:
Regular meeting information:
***The information below is for regular meetings–not for the February meeting!
How to attend:
Members:
Silicon Valley chapter members…please fill out the meeting reservation form below. Make sure to select the correct meeting you plan to attend. The normal meeting cost for SVRWA members is $25 (special or longer meetings may be more).
Non-members:
Are you new to the area, new to writing, new to RWA or just ready to discover what a writing chapter is all about? We love guests! Reserve your guest spot at the meeting, or pop in for an on the spot introduction! If reserving, fill out the form below and choose the option for “guest.” The normal meeting cost for guests is $30 (special or longer meetings may be more).
Note:
You must be 18 years of age or older to attend meetings, conferences and other events sponsored by SVRWA.
Payment:
Meeting payment is collected at the registration table on the day of the meeting.
Cancellation Policy:
We are billed by the hotel for the initial headcount we give them (they set up the chairs and portion food). Anyone who RSVPs to attend a meeting and then does not come is still expected to pay. Cancellations must occur within 12 hours of the meeting. If you do not cancel, you WILL be charged. To cancel, please fill out the form below and choose “cancellation.”
Please note: If the form above did not render correctly in your browser, you can fill out the form here.
Meeting Overview:
(unless noted otherwise above – for example, all day workshops will differ from the below)
Registration begins at 8:00am. From 8:00am to 12:00pm enjoy the camaraderie of fellow authors as well as a breakfast buffet. We will have the usual activities, the book raffle, sharing news, chocolate, and the like. Also, the room will remain open from 12-1pm, if members want to catch up with each other, and questions for the speaker(s) sometimes continue past 12pm.
Our usual meeting schedule is:
8:00am – Registration begins (registration is open until 9am)
8:15am – Buffet breakfast begins
8:30 – 9:30 – Magic Bulldozer is in session, composed of either two 30 minute critiques or one 60 minute critique.
9:30 – 10:00 – Break, President’s update, good news/chocolate, socializing and book raffle.
10:15 – Speaker begins
Starting July 2011, chapter monthly meeting registration will be $25 for SVRWA members and $30 for guests. This includes a buffet breakfast. In the event of a longer workshop, or full day event, prices may be higher. If the price is higher, it will be included in the speaker description at top.
Due to rising hotel-related costs, the SVRWA can no longer offer members from other Bay Area RWA chapters registration at SVRWA chapter member costs. Non chapter members will be expected to pay the $30 guest fee. Anyone who RSVPs to attend a meeting and then does not come is still expected to pay. Cancellations must occur within 12 hours of the meeting. Guests are always welcome, as are walk-ins the morning of the meeting, however, we cannot guarantee there will be enough food if you have not RSVP’d at least 4 days ahead of time.
The meeting food is wonderful, as is the company and we sincerely regret that rising costs have made it necessary to establish these policies. But we need good stewardship of the chapter treasury and must take measures to keep it healthy!
*** On occasion, speakers will hold longer workshops – these will usually be announced in a notice that goes out from the Membership Chair and in the Newsletter.
Directions to our meeting venue are below.
Please note: This is our USUAL meeting place. Please see the workshop details to see if we are meeting somewhere else for the month. This will sometimes occur with half day or all day workshops. If there is no note about another location, we will be at the Sheraton.
Sheraton
1801 Barber Ln
Milpitas, CA 95035
Phone: (408) 943-0600
Future Meetings – information and speaker bios here.
Past Meetings – information and speaker bios here.
