Fall Semester – OLD
Wordsmith Academy's 2020 Autumn Curriculum
Registration
Welcome to the first official semester of Wordsmith Academy! For our fall semester, we’ve recruited a crack team of instructors including a literary agent, authors, editors, a TV writer, and more to impart their wisdom to Wordsmith Academy students.
From NaNoWriMo prep and publishing contract negotiations to writing for television and how to write the most villainous of villains, we have it all on offer for this October and November.
Browse the masterclass offerings below and enroll today!
Past Classes
MASTERCLASS
Query Letter & Hook Writing
Date: October 14th, 6pm PST
Duration: 1-2 Hours
Cost: C$35
This class has passed.
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
Date: October 19th, 6pm PST
Duration: 1-2 Hours
Cost: C$35
This class has passed.
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
MASTERCLASS
Writing Realistic, Believable, Genuine Characters That Will Addict Readers
Date: October 28th, 5:30pm PST
Duration: 2-3 Hours
Cost: C$35
This class is postponed.
How can you make your character more unique and memorable than the (literally!) millions of others on bookshelves? Instructor Andy Peloquin walks you through the critical elements that go into crafting compelling, intriguing, realistic, and genuinely human characters that will have readers coming back again and again!
Andy Peloquin
Storyteller & Artist
MASTERCLASS
Contract & Deal Negotiation
Date: October 29th, 6pm PST
Duration: 2-3 Hours
Cost: C$35
This class is postponed.
Trident Media Group literary agent Mark Gottlieb’s class is an intensive on contract and deal negotiation, also known as deal-making. The class will lend participants a feel for what the negotiation process with a publisher looks like from the perspective of a literary agent. Rarely is such industry insider information shared.
Mark Gottlieb
Literary Agent at Trident Media Group
MASTERCLASS
Optimizing your Amazon Product Page
Date: November 4th, 6pm PST
Duration: 1-2 Hours
Cost: C$35
This class has passed.
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
Date: November 5th, 6pm PST
Duration: 1-2 Hours
Cost: C$35
This class has passed.
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
MASTERCLASS
Remedying Writer’s Block
Date: November 12th, 6pm PST
Duration: 1-2 Hours
Cost: C$35
This class is postponed.
Stuck in a deadend? Editing as you write? Too focused on what to name your protagonist’s cousin’s friend’s cat? Can’t work out the perfect opening sentence? Getting bored halfway through writing? Telling everyone about your story but not putting it to paper? Not sure what to do once you finish your story? Grab a cuppa tea. We’re going to solve this together!
Tyrolin Puxty
Author
MASTERCLASS
The Art of Descriptive Writing
Date: November 18th, 6pm PST
Duration: 2-3 Hours
Cost: C$35
This class has passed.
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
Date: November 19th, 6pm PST
Duration: 2-3 Hours
Cost: C$35
This class has passed.
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
Date: November 24th, 5:30pm PST
Duration: 2-3 Hours
Cost: C$35
This class has passed.
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
Date: November 25th, 6pm PST
Duration: 2-3 Hours
Cost: C$35
This class has passed.
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
MASTERCLASS
Stripping Down Your Story: Secrets to a Sensational Synopsis
Date: November 30th, 6pm PST
Duration: 1-2 Hours
Cost: C$35
This class is postponed.
You’ve mastered your query, polished your pages … and someone asks for a synopsis. You need to tell your whole story in a 1-2 page summary. How can it be done? Instead of suffering through the process, this class will share the secret to stripping down your story to the necessary parts to form a concise, clear, and captivating synopsis.
Tara Creel
Author/Editor
