Saturday Seminar Round Up

Sixty-five writers attended AWW's first ever Saturday Seminar on July 10. Here are some highlights from AWW Workfellow Wes Gilbert:

1. Morning Keynoter and fiction teacher Carrie Bebris noted that everything in fiction--including plot--comes first from character; not so much surface details, but what those details represent about the character. Carrie shared a brief exercise for getting to know your character better: write a first-person paragraph in which the character introduces him or herself.

2. Heather Webber taught "Nuts and Bolts of Publishing and How to Query." Heather pointed out it's important to remember a query is a business letter. Describe your work in present tense. And don't apologize in your letter (e.g., for not being published.)

Jeff Bruce shared pointers on how to write non-fiction, while Becky Morean gave tips on how to bring out and enjoy your inner writer.

Next year's AWW will be July 9-15, 2011.