September 8th – Heather MacAllister
Sunday, August 12th, 2007Who:
Main Meeting: WHRWA Author Heather MacAllister
Premeeting: Jo Anne Banker and Vicky Dreiling
What:
Main Meeting: Plotting from the Inside Out
Premeeting: THE GOLDEN RULE OF THE CONTEST CIRCUIT, or Judge Others As You Would Have Them Judge You – Part 1
When:
Saturday, September 8th, 2007
Where:
Memorial Drive Christian Church, 11750 Memorial Drive, Houston, 77024
More about this month’s program:
Heather will teach a plotting workshop based on Randy Ingermanson’s “Snowflake” method of novel design, but putting her own inimitable spin on it.
Do you know what your novel is about? Heather will work through the one sentence synopsis. Yes, a one sentence synopsis before we work through to a selling paragraph.
Not only will this help you conceptualize your novel, the results can be used in query letters, pitches, promotion material and with your editor and marketing department.
Heather MacAllister has published 41 books with Harlequin. Her award-winning romantic comedies have been translated into 25 languages and published in dozens of countries.When she’s not writing, Heather spends her time collecting vintage jewelry, watching fireworks displays and killing plants.
Premeeting – Judges Workshop
Forget the old parable of “Judge not, lest you be judged,” because if you enter onto the contest circuit, you can bet your ego you’ll be judged. Ever heard that the best defense is a good offense? Awareness of “good” and “poor” judging will help to keep you sane when an entry you were counting on to final so as to be seen by a targeted agent or editor comes back slaughtered by a less than wise or tactful judge.
Learn the ins and outs of judging, how to dissect a contest entry, fairly judge its pieces, and find positive things to say, while offering a worthwhile critique. Judging is also a great way to advance your own craft knowledge.
Join Vicky Dreiling and Jo Anne Banker for the first half of our contest judge’s training workshop, offered as an early morning presentation beginning at 8:15 AM on September 8th. Doors open at 8 o’clock.
Jo Anne Banker, as yet unpublished, is working on her third book, a contemporary targeted for Superromance. She is the president of West Houston RWA and a member of Bay Area and NW Houston Chapters of RWA. Jo Anne has contest experience from both ends of the spectrum. She has finaled in over one-third of the 19 contests she has entered with 3 manuscripts and one short story. She also was the Contest Coordinator for the NW Houston RWA Lone Star contest for four years and has judged in many other contests.
Vicky Dreiling is aiming for a dual career. Her “day job” in marketing came in handy at the recent national RWA conference. Her two-line elevator pitch at a workshop earned her a request for the full manuscript from an agent. In between business trips to New York, Paris, and London, she’s busily putting the finishing touches on her Regency-set historical. A former Emily contest coordinator and Golden Heart finalist, Vicky has judged the Emily for several years.
Tentative Schedule for September 8th:
8:00 – Open Doors – Sign in/coffee
8:15 to 9:15 – Early Morning Workshop: Judges Training, Part 1 with Jo Anne Banker and Vicki Dreiling
9:30 to 10:15 – Business meeting, PAL reviews, introductions
10:15 to 10:30 – Break
10:30 to 12:00 – Plotting from the Inside Out with Heather MacAllister
12:00 to 12:30 – Booksigning and Quickie Critiques
12:30 Adjourn to lunch
