My kids are back in school, the leaves are starting to change, and my favorite time of year is right around the corner–yes, I’m talking about NaNoWriMo! National Novel Writing Month is coming up in November, and I’m teaching a number of classes at the Westport Writers’ Workshop in October and November that dovetail nicely with this writerly season.
All of these classes are on Zoom and are limited capacity. Did you know the WWW offers scholarships? Inquire if cost is holding you back from registering. Register on the WWW website, and feel free to email me if you have any questions (libby @ libbywaterford.com)
October 3 10AM-12PM EDT: High Concepts and Tropes
What is a “high concept” book? How is high concept different from a trope? Most agents and editors won’t take on a project unless they can clearly see how to market it. A well-honed concept and deliberate use of tropes will give you an advantage from submitting to selling. We’ll discuss how to develop an idea into a story that will sell.
This class is lecture and slide based. Bring your story idea and get feedback on how to develop it into something that will appeal to editors and readers alike.
October 17 10AM-12PM EDT: NaNoWriMo Prep for Success
Have you ever wondered why all the fuss about National Novel Writing Month? If writing a 50,000 word novel in 30 days sounds exciting, this class will help you plan out your month so you have the best chance to meet your word-count goal. If writing a 50,000 word novel in 30 days sounds like torture, come learn about why doing NaNoWriMo can be liberating and help you evolve your writing process.
Contemporary romance author Libby Waterford has participated in National Novel Writing Month every year since 2008 and has completed the challenge 4 times, most recently in 2019. This class will be lecture and slide-based with time for Q&A.
October 29 7PM-8PM EDT: Getting in the Flow
Get into the flow with your writing and stay there! Contemporary romance author and former professional organizer Libby Waterford offers tips and tools to help you increase your word count and maximize your writing time so you can get to The End faster and without tearing (as much of) your hair out. Learn how to carve writing time out of your schedule (even with a full household) and how to make those words flow every time you sit down to write.
November 4, 11, 19 7Pm-9PM EDT: Polish Your Manuscript for Publication
Do you have a completed manuscript (or nearly completed one) and are wondering what publishing path is right for you? Have you considered self-publishing, but aren’t sure what the next steps are? This three week course will help you both polish your manuscript and help you decide how you will send it out into the world.
We will not be reading work aloud in class, but students will be invited to submit up to five pages of their manuscript for a sample edit which may be referenced during class time.
We’ll talk about paths to publication, self-editing, knowing when you’re done, working with beta readers and editors, the layers of the editorial process, and software that can help you turn in your best possible book. We will also touch on query letters, synopses, and how to self-publish. After this intensive, you will feel confident hitting the submit button!
See you in class!
