Online webinars and in person seminars are presentations geared toward authors, editors, and other writing-adjacent roles. They cover Writing the Other topics such as representation, cultural appropriation, decolonizing your writing craft, and much more. Most webinars and seminars include a Q&A with the presenter.
If you’d like us to give a online webinar or in person seminar to your group, convention, or class, please contact us.
See a webinar or seminar you’d like to take on this page or our current class schedule, but registration isn’t open? Subscribe to the Writing the Other newsletter to get notifications of new writing classes.
Stories about rebelling against an unjust system or a tyrannical ruler have always been popular, often becoming lucrative franchises (A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…). However, they also frequently portray a simplified narrative about how resistance works or avoid the nuances of what it means to fight an oppressive force.
This one-day workshop will establish an understanding of the building blocks that can be put in place for a realistic foundation for a dystopian society, oppression, and rebellion. Instructor Helen Gould will cover real-world examples of political resistance from around the world, discuss the morality of important issues like the use of violence, and explore what kind of characters you might need in a story about revolution.
[...]
We’ve all heard about the Hero’s Journey, but how often do we hear about the Heroine’s Journey, Western culture’s other prominent story structure?
In this webinar, New York Times bestselling author Gail Carriger provides a full break down of what aspects of the heroine’s journey make for compelling narratives and voracious readers, where these elements originate, why they’re successful, and how to write them.
[...]
Asian dramas have become incredibly popular, K-dramas in particular. They hook viewers and create a voracious fan base. Why? The plots, characters, and settings have a fresh feel – just enough commonality to give readers an anchor while they’re introduced to elements that are new and different from what they’ve previously experienced.
[...]
In this webinar, author Stant Litore will explore techniques for designing the stories behind the story you’re telling–the stories that your characters either carry in their hearts or resist with all their capacity. How deep does your lore go? And how fiercely does it press on your characters’ lives and actions? Register today and find out!
[...]
Writing emotionally charged, sexually explicit scenes in fiction can be challenging no matter what genre you write. This webinar will provide a deep dive into writing inclusive sex scenes that are true to your characters and are memorable for your readers.
[...]
It is a truth universally acknowledged that a writer of fiction will, in the course of their career, screw up. A truth not universally acknowledged is that authors can recover from a screw up, even a highly public one, by avoiding specific behaviors that do nothing but escalate and make the situation worse. Nisi Shawl and K. Tempest Bradford will break down what authors should not do and advise on what they should do, instead.
[...]
Western storytelling traditions decree that a linear structure (along with the three act structure, the hero’s journey, and a rising self-esteem arc) are mandatory features of any satisfying story. This is Western-centric silliness. In this webinar, author Henry Lien will explore non-linear structures, specifically cyclic and nested structures, using examples from non-Western stories and films.
[...]
Writing great fiction often requires research. Whether you’re a writer who creates whole new worlds or futures, a writer who uses historical settings or events, or a writer crafting characters whose identities or cultures are very different from your own, you need to learn this skill.
[...]
Join bestselling and award-winning author Piper J. Drake for an exploration into the various relationships between principal characters and how the progression of those relationship arcs through the course of the story can drive plot forward.
[...]
Want to include neopronouns in your fiction and poetry but have questions about which to use, how to use them, or others? In this webinar Takács will examine how other writers have used neopronouns historically and in the present day, and consider distinctions between problematizing and normalizing neopronouns (and how to confidently use each approach in your own work).
[...]
