My Upcoming Zoom Workshops
As a story development editor, I have had the privilege of working with writers and their manuscripts for over 20 years. Through this process, I’ve been able to identify some basic and recurring issues that challenge writers. My workshops have been created to highlight these issues and show you how to avoid the pitfalls. They are all focused sessions and designed to encourage, inspire, and improve both your short and longer works.
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Below you will see the listings for my private workshops and those that I teach for The Writer's Center. All are taught online through Zoom.
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THE TINY TALES SERIES (Workshops 1, 2, 3, and 4)
Flash Fiction and Micro-Memoir
Over the last several years, I have designed and revised this Tiny Tales Series to include Micro-memoir, Flash Fiction, and Flash Nonfiction (stories under 1,000 words). They have remained my most popular and ongoing workshops. The series begins with an overview of the form, followed by beginning and intermediate practice, and culminates in an advanced writing group where we generate new writing and polish for publication.
Learning this tiny form results in big impact writing. The power of these stories lies in their brevity, often examining one small moment with an unexpected revelation. When crafted well, these little gems can take a reader's breath away by exposing new insights and truths.
Tiny Tales (a name I call short-format writing) are certainly compelling on their own (many literary magazines are looking for quality work in this genre to publish and numerous students who have taken these workshops have placed their mini stories), but there is another benefit to mastering the form. I have found that practicing the tiny tale will make you a better writer overall. The form also lends itself well when authors are crafting short, powerful chapters (or a scene) for a novel or memoir, leaving the reader eager to turn the page.
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DATE: Zoom, Wed, Feb 4
TIME: 6:30 - 8:30 pm (ET)
COST: $60
REGISTER: To reserve your spot,
email Lynn your interest at:
lynnauldschwartz@gmail.com
(10% discount if two or more workshops are taken in this current series)
Workshop 1.
Tiny Tales: An Introductory Overview
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Learn what defines the short format (flash fiction and micro-memoir). Begin to understand the techniques and benefits of writing small. This is the prerequisite class for the Tiny Tales workshops that follow.
DATES: Zoom, Wed, Feb 11,18, 25
TIME: 6:30 - 8:30 pm (ET)
COST: $185
REGISTER: To reserve your spot,
email Lynn your interest at:
lynnauldschwartz@gmail.com
(10% discount if two or more workshops are taken in this current series)
Workshop 2.
Tiny Tales, Beginning: Take Your Writing to The Next Level with Flash Fiction and Micro-Memoir
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Prerequisite: This workshop is limited to a small group of students who have taken Lynn's Tiny Tales Introductory Overview (Workshop 1) or have a beginning grasp of the micro-memoir and/or flash fiction format.
This workshop is for beginning, short-format writers who want to try out what they have learned in the Introductory Overview workshop. Short reading assignments will illustrate craft and weekly, writing exercises will put those techniques into practice. Participants will have the opportunity to have their mini exercises discussed in class.
Note: If you have taken this Tiny Tales workshop before, you are welcome to repeat. Many participants find that the repetition helps them come to a deeper understanding of not only the genre, but also, the elements of craft.
DATES: Zoom, Wed, March 4, 11, 18
TIME: 6:30 - 8:30 pm (ET)
COST: $185
REGISTER: To reserve your spot,
email Lynn your interest at:
lynnauldschwartz@gmail.com
(10% discount if two or more workshops are taken in this current series)
Workshop 3.
Tiny Tales, Intermediate: A Generative Lab for Creating New Writing and Polishing Works-in-Progress for Publication
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Prerequisite: This workshop is limited to a small group of students who have taken Lynn's Tiny Tales Beginning Workshop 2 (or have the equivalent writing experience and have a good grasp of the micro-memoir and/or flash fiction format).
We will be focused on producing new work and sharpening skills for short-format writing with the goal of publication. Participants who are styling their memoir or novel chapters in the short format are also encouraged to attend.
*If you have taken this workshop before, I am happy to have you join us again.
DATE: Zoom, Saturday, March 14
TIME: 10:00 am - 12:00 pm (ET)
COST: $60
REGISTER: Email Lynn with your interest:
lynnauldschwartz@gmail.com
Workshop 4.
Tiny Tales Advanced Writing Group: Practice, Polish, and Publish
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Prerequisite: This workshop is limited to a small group of students who have taken Lynn's Tiny Tales Beginning and Intermediate workshops and have a strong grasp of the micro-memoir and/or flash fiction format.
This is a check-in opportunity to present new or revised work to fellow writers, to polish for publication, and to discuss the challenges/concerns and successes of the publishing process. This workshop may be repeated as many times as you wish.
FOR THE WRITER’S CENTER
DATE: Zoom, Saturday, Feb 28
10:00 am –12:30 pm (ET)
COST: $50 for member, $60 for non-members
REGISTER
Mapping Strategies for Story Structure
Explore questions, mapping exercises, tools, and techniques to discover your story’s destination and how to get there.
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Description:
There is no one-size-fits-all strategy for story structure. Let’s discuss a plan that works for you. We’ll examine your story’s strengths and weaknesses, focusing on both the destination and the journey. Does your narrative feature a compelling character arc, a strong point of entry, well-placed flashbacks, a transformative and resonant ending, and will readers care? We will use maps, sketches, and diagrams, emphasizing the importance of revising your initial plan as your story evolves. Bring your specific idea for a short story, memoir, or novel.
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In this workshop you’ll learn:
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Flexible outlines that enhance your plot
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How to clarify the true purpose of your story
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Techniques for effective beginnings and endings
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Character arcs, yearning, internal and external conflict, and transformation
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Key components of a successful scene​​
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Who is this workshop for:
This workshop will benefit both memoir and fiction writers wishing to strengthen reader engagement.
DATE: Zoom, Saturday, April 25
10:00 am – 12:30 pm (ET)
COST: $45 for members, $60 for non-members
REGISTER
Life Stories Intensive
Discover how your personal story can capture the essence of being human.
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Description:
Whether you want to write a memoir, blog, letter to your granddaughter, or use your life as the foundation for fiction, life story writing requires us to share where we come from and who we are. Consider the feelings of others without allowing this to censor your experience or hinder your writing. Learn to identify your story’s essence, the truth it reveals, and how to engage readers through fictional techniques. Participants will leave inspired to start or enhance a work in progress.
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In this workshop you’ll learn:​​
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What constitutes the truth in memoir?
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Anecdote vs. Story
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How to let your experiences illustrate universal truth
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Who is this workshop for:
This overview workshop is designed for beginning and intermediate writers who want to understand the components of life story writing and learn what pitfalls to avoid.