ST ORRES, Gualala
ABROAD WRITERS’ CONFERENCE has been offering Full-Length Manuscripts Edit & Critique Workshops for Six years. This highly successful workshop has helped numerous writers get their manuscripts published.
This December, we’re planning on holding a special Full or Partial Manuscript Retreat at St. Orres in Gualala, California. We will be accepting both Fiction & Non-Fiction Manuscripts with no page limit.
What makes this event different from our normal workshop?
– The conference will focus specifically on Full Manuscripts. We will not be offering single chapter workshops, just completed work.
Daily Schedule
– 8:00 – 12:00 Daily morning workshops with Jacquelyn Mitchard or Connie May Fowler. Each day, one participant will receive a 4 1/2 hour critique of manuscript from instructor and participants in workshop. Prior to arrival, all participant in workshop must read, edit and write a critique of all participants manuscripts. Workshops will have a maximum of 8 attendees.
– 2:30 – 6:30 Afternoon Craftwork with Guest Authors will be teaching a series of Craft workshops. Workshops various topics such as:Time Present and Time Past in Visual Settings, Tension within a story, Dialogue, Plot, Narrative Structure and Writing about Politics.
-6:30 – 7:30 Readings & Panel Discussions
-7:30 Dinner
– All participants will submit information to Literary Agent, Jeff Kleinman prior to arrival:
– Query letter
– One-page single-spaced synopsis
– First 20 pages of manuscript, doublespaced, times roman 12, 1” margins.
At Retreat:
Jeff Kleinman will have, One on One with each participants. They will discuss their manuscript and the possibility of representation. If not with Jeff, whom he would recommend.
– Afternoons are devoted to writing and exploration. St Orres is located on the coast in Mendocino County. This uniquely crafted Russian style hotel is a California landmark. The owner built this magical hotel in the redwoods 45 years ago. magnificent location is rich in wildlife and natural beauty. From your cabin in the woods, you’ll experience the pleasure of being in
one of the most beautiful locations in California.
INSTRUCTORS:
CONNIE MAY FOWLER – Full Manuscript Edit & Critique
JACQUELYN MITCHARD – Full Manuscript Edit & Critique
GUEST AUTHORS:
ETHEL ROHAN – The Art of Tension
Tension is anticipation. Who are the main and secondary characters? What do they need and want? Why do they need and want what they do? How do they go about achieving their desires? What’s in their way? Will they succeed or fail? Story collapses without tension and conflict. There have to be burning motivations, high stakes, and mounting obstacles. In class, we will dissect a sampling of stories and zero in on tension in particular to study the various and most compelling ways it is achieved.
GABRIELLE SELZ – Visual Element of Setting/Time and Space in a Story
AGENT: JEFF KLEINMAN of Folio Literary Management
Books Jeff Kleinman is looking for:
- Books with a distinctive, special voice.
- Books with a very unique premise, “I haven’t seen this before”.
- Upmarket/literary suspense/thrillers. Psychological suspense stories with unique concepts and strong writing.
- Escape stories that take us totally out of our world and into another.
- History has always been a passion, so I’m on the lookout for something that brings the past to life.
A great story can allow you to enter other people’s thoughts and lives – and, when you close the book with a sigh, transform you: maybe you’re a little more grateful, or a little kinder, or a little wiser. I love books that inspire me to become better, smarter, more present. This has been the case with many of the books I’ve represented, and it’s something I seek in new projects. I believe strongly that books can make a difference. Good writing and smart ideas can change our world.
Dining Room
You must be logged in to post a comment.