MLF Workshops 2019

Do your characters talk to you while you’re taking a shower? Do they wake you up in the middle of the night with their own ideas and emotions?  If you want to create rich, layered characters who walk through your plot in ways even you can’t anticipate, this workshop will help you. Take a deep dive into the minds of ...

Whether you are plunging into the past, exploring complex contemporary realities, or creating a futuristic, fantastic universe, the rules of your world need to be well-defined. In this 1.5-hour workshop, you’ll stroll down the rich avenues of your real or imagined society and create a firm setting for your characters and plot. By considering culture, beliefs, traditions, technology, social structures, ...

It is the greatest time in history to be a writer.  The barrier to publishing has been torn down and now anyone can get published.  But to get published successfully is a whole other matter. Co-founder of the Book Doctors, Arielle Eckstut and David Henry Sterry take you through the entire publishing process. This step-by-step, soups-to-nuts workshop will remove the ...

We will examine such questions as: Does writing for teenagers mean avoiding expressing strong views? As adults struggle to establish objectivity as a value, can an author be both impassioned and fair? Now that the most explicit material is readily available, what should or should not be in a YA book? What is the balance of reaching teenagers and not ...

Participants in this workshop will be given an introduction to basic visual storytelling tools and techniques of sequential story-telling. The session will consist of both discussion and exercise-based activities appropriate for all drawing skills.  For teens and adults. Taught by Kevin C. Pyle, the author/illustrator of numerous graphic novels and Silver Medal winner from the Society of Illustrators. He has ...

For all writers, revision, self-editing, and rewriting are essential to develop highly polished work. Real revision is about the true definition of the word: to re-see. And it’s hard work! Come explore techniques that make the process more palatable and maybe even fun. Learn how sharp revision and self-editing can elevate writing, improve and deepen stories, and enhance writing craft. ...

What do comic techniques have to do with producing a good narrative? Everything from the old one-two-three to economy, precision, and proper timing! What do David Foster Wallace and Dave Barry have in common? How does noticing what’s out of place heighten the focus? In this craft talk, participants will learn about a variety of skills borrowed from comedy routines ...

You’ve written your book and maybe even figured out how to get it published. Now what?! Publishing houses are merging, and their staffs are consolidating. Media outlets are closing, and books sections are being eliminated. Every day seems to bring a new seismic shift to the world of social media. So, what’s an author to do to ensure their book ...