November 5, 2016 @ 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
WHERE
1425 E 27th St
Tacoma, WA 98421
USA
Remember, remember the 5th of November! This seems like the perfect theme for a Mystery/Crime/Noir and all mix of cross genres event! Even if you’re writing Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Paranormal, or another genre, knowing how to twist a plot and create tension through crime can make the difference between a best-seller and humdrum novel. Or taking a romance and adding a noir flair gives a fresher voice to the genre. Whether you’re writing straight crime or a mix, join pros Kat Richardson, Brian Thornton, and Tom D. Wright for this mysterious event!
Registration is now full.
Speakers
Kat Richardson is the bestselling author of the Greywalker novels, featuring paranormal PI Harper Blaine, as well as numerous short SFF and Mystery stories. She’s taught writing workshops for Clarion West, Cascade Writers, PNWA, Mystery Writers of America, ArmadilloCon, and Foolscap, been a panelist and speaker at numerous genre and writing conventions, and helped design convention programming for Norwescon, PNWA, and Romantic Times. Kat has worked as a magazine and technical editor, gemology course writer, and actor. She’s been a theater brat, Ren Faire actor, whiffler, dancer, singer, sound and lighting technician, costumer, and game writer. Currently, she lives in the wilds of Western Washington, writing, and working as a freelance editor, in between flying kites, chasing her dogs, making paper automata, playing computer games, and working in her garden.
Brian Thornton is the author of nine books, including THE BOOK OF BASTARDS and THE BOOK OF ANCIENT BASTARDS, in addition to serving as collection editor for the crime fiction anthology WEST COAST CRIME WAVE. His short fiction has appeared in such venues as ALFRED HITCHCOCK’S MYSTERY MAGAZINE and the Akashic Books anthology SEATTLE NOIR. A native Washingtonian, he lives in Seattle with his wife and son, and is currently serving his second tour as Northwest Chapter president for the Mystery Writers of America.
Tom D Wright lives in the Puget Sound area with his wife. When he’s not writing, he works in IT for a prominent IT company in Seattle.
He graduated from Bowie State University with an M.A. in Psychology, so when people call him with an IT problem, he can ask them “And how does that make you feel?”
Tom is also privileged to serve on the board of the Cascade Writers, a writer’s conference dedicated to providing educational seminars and workshops for those interested in writing and publishing original works. www.tomdwright.com
SCHEDULE:
9:45-10 Check in/registration
10-10:45 Intro/Segment 1: What is Mystery? Expectations of various subgenres and cross genres and discussion of students’ favorite books and goals in their chosen subgenre. Workshop leaders will tailor/adjust focus of content to meet the needs of students based on this discussion.
11-11:45 Segment 2: Nefarious Plots! Structuring clues and conflict. Work segment: delineating student’s plot, structure, clues, and conflict points both a bullet list and chronological plot map. Developed material will be used again later in workshop—keep those worksheets! Outline styles discussed.
12-12:45 Segment 3: Like an Onion. Layering information context for plot and clue development and world building. Work segment developing context and compact information. Work to be used again later in workshop.
12:45 -1:45 Lunch break – attendees are responsible for their meals.
2-2:45 Segment 4: Character and conflict—the fuel of plot. Work segment on character development and conflict in protagonist/antagonist relationship. Special issues in cross-genre mysteries. Character trajectory and minor character development. Will be used again later.
3-3:45 Segment 5: POV and Character voice. Difference in POVs, developing character voice and POV expression, and utilizing it in creating mood and context as well as addressing plot development and character arc. Work segments on voice and POV. Will be used later.
4-4:45 Segment 6: Build a Scene. Use the information, worksheets, and lists developed in earlier segment to write a model scene for the students’ projects. Revise in differing POVs or Character voices.
5-5:45 Segment 7: Open discussion and questions about mystery and cross-genre, keeping your momentum, writer’s block, submissions, the business of publishing, traditional and indie publishing approaches.
5:45-6 and beyond (as available)—optional extended small group discussion.
