With the March 29 enrollment deadline approaching I am reposting this one:
I don't teach many writing workshops, but when Maine Writers & Publishers Alliance invited me to be an instructor at its annual Black Fly Writing Retreat, I jumped at the chance. First off, the retreat is held in Grand Lake Stream, a village in eastern Maine that just happens to be:
A.) Spectacularly scenic.
B.) The setting of Mike Bowditch's next adventure.
C.) One of the premier fly-fishing destinations in the United States.
The retreat offers classes in fiction, memoir, poetry, and YA. I'll be teaching crime fiction. Now that I have a few books under my belt, I'm looking forward to a chance to work with new writers in the genre. Here's a description of the class I'll be leading:
Take a look at any bestseller list, and you'll see that crime fiction consistently dominates the tops of the charts. The genre's continuing appeal is easy to understand. Storytelling is at the essence of our humanity, and no other genre is unabashed in its devotion to story as the "whodunit." In this class you will learn the building blocks of the well-told story. We'll discuss compelling characters whose actions drive the plot, the elements of suspense that keep readers turning pages, settings that illustrate the conflicts at the heart of the tale, and narrative arcs that avoid cliche while delivering a satisfying reading experience at the end. No matter your sub-genre (thriller, mystery, cozy, procedural, noir, or caper) you'll learn techniques to make you a better storyteller.
Sound interesting? Registration is now open.