Online Classes
Wordsmith Academy Resources
Online
No Matter What Aspect of the Writing World You’re Looking to Learn About . . . We’ve Got a Class for That! (and if we don’t, we will soon)
Wordsmith Academy online self-paced classes can be purchased individually to be watched in your own time. We offer long form multi-module courses on writing craft, publishing, and marketing, along with shorter singular specialty classes covering varied subject matter from the writing world—all taught by industry professionals who bring their experience to the online classroom!
Courses & Classes
This novel writing course developed and taught by author and professional writer, Andrew Buckley, is designed to help those who are thinking of writing a novel, have started writing a novel, want to start a novel, or are just looking for something really awesome and inspiring to kick them in the creative rear end!
Andrew Buckley
Author & Wordsmith Academy Co-Founder
Trident Media Group literary agent Mark Gottlieb’s class is an intensive on hook and query letter writing, also known as the elevator pitch. The class will lend participants a feel for comfortable public speaking in the fashion of selling a book idea to an agent, editor or publisher. Rarely is such an industry insider craft shared.
Mark Gottlieb
Trident Media Group Literary Agent
MASTERCLASS
Building the Puzzle: The Basics of Building Your TV Spec Script
Duration: 1.5 hours
Cost: $20 USD
So, you want to get into TV writing, and someone told you to write a “spec” script. That’s great! Now, all you have to do is figure out what that is . . . and everything else. The world of TV writing can be pretty daunting. TV veteran Brian Bradley is here to help with a masterclass that aims to demystify the development process and get you ready to write a spec of your very own. Using the concept of “building a puzzle”, he will walk you through a sane and orderly creative system that will help you write a sample script that celebrates your unique voice and gets you noticed!
Brian Bradley
Television Writer and Producer
Do you want consistent, steady sales and your book planted firmly at the top of Amazon bestseller lists? I’ll teach you how to optimize your book’s sales potential using author central, KDP, and Amazon Marketing accounts. I’ll show you how to boost your book to the top of Amazon search results, troubleshoot what marketing elements aren’t working for you, and teach you how to lead new readers from first glance—to clicking “buy”.
Rachel Huffmire
Author & Book Marketer
MASTERCLASS
Unsolicited No More!: Literary Representation in Film & Television
Duration: 1.5 hours
Cost: $20 USD
How do you get around this well-worn gatekeeper response: “we don’t accept unsolicited material”? Literary representation is one way! In this masterclass, you’ll learn the differences between agents, managers, and lawyers and how each one can help you along your artistic journey. You’ll also receive tips on approaching potential reps and how to choose the right one for you. Most importantly, you’ll become familiar with the concept of “industry empathy” as well as how to sell your skills and material, with or without representation.
Tiegen Kosiak
Film/TV/Digital Content Producer
Good stories are filled with amazing images that draw readers in, but how do writers accomplish this rich imagery? How do writers create characters and story worlds that seem real? Through vivid language! In this class, we’ll go on a world-building adventure and explore two of the most important components of writing with impact: show vs. tell.
Oksana Marafioti
Author
MASTERCLASS
You Wrote a Book. Now What? – Self-Publishing vs. Traditional
Duration: 2 hours
Cost: $20 USD
Is Indie Publishing right for YOU? Over the last ten years, the publishing landscape has changed drastically. Self-publishing has created opportunities for writers that never existed before. It’s “easy!” …or so some will say. But success requires professionalism, especially in indie publishing. Quality has a cost: time, knowledge, money, or some combination thereof. Discover what you’ll need to have and do in order to publish professionally. During this class we’ll: 1) Discuss common goals 2) Explore the complete publication process, and the things you’ll need (Copyright, ISBN, LCCN) and 3) Cover best practices for hiring and working with industry professionals.
Tamara Cribley
Professional Book Formatter
MASTERCLASS
Crafting Compelling Villains and Antagonists
Duration: 1.5 hours
Cost: $20 USD
A protagonist is only as good as their antagonist! Opposition is what sets the stakes, provides the challenges, and makes the hero’s journey more exhilarating. Join Andy Peloquin for this deep dive into the difference between “villains” and “antagonists”, the many types to choose from, and how one slight shift in perspective can open up a whole new world of options for your “bad guys”.
Andy Peloquin
Storyteller & Artist
MASTERCLASS
Writing and Illustrating for Children/Pre-Teens
Duration: 2.5 hours
Cost: $20 USD
Jeff Chiba Stearns has been telling award-winning stories through films and picture books for over 20 years. Jeff is a versatile storyteller who has delivered family friendly content through the creation of short animations, feature length documentaries, children’s books and graphic novels. For this master class, Jeff will share his knowledge and expertise on how he has found bliss and made a career telling visual stories to specific demographics, including children and pre-teens. With a philosophy that storytelling is the key to every successful project, Jeff will demonstrate how he takes an idea through the various stages of development, production and completion of a finished book.
Jeff Chiba Stearns
Author, Illustrator, & Filmmaker
