SATURDAY SEMINARS

Profiting from Your Writing & Other Art

with Diane Banasiak

Saturday, January 14, 10:00 am-noon $30

Are you an artist? Do have a gift for writing, painting or photography? Would you like to find out how you can profit from your artwork? Diane is a life coach who recently finished her first manuscript. During this session, she will outline some wonderful tips and strategies for reaching financial success through your writing and art and provide the support you need in order to make your dreams a reality.

Writing Poems Inspired by Music

with James Wright

Saturday, January 21, 10:00 am-noon $30

A hymn. The Four Seasons. Bob Dylan’s “Mr. Tambourine Man.” Music moves us and highlights the important moments in our lives. A certain rhythm, a simple chime, or a few lyrics set to an unforgettable melody can bring to mind our most meaningful experiences. In this workshop, we will read and write poems about the people, places, and events we associate with various kinds of music. Put your ears on, and come ready to explore!

Picture Book Intensive

with George Ella Lyon

Saturday, February 4, 10:00 am-2:00 pm $60

We will begin by looking at the characteristics and scope of this distinctive art form. Then we’ll do exercises designed to put you in touch with your material. After sharing some of these, we’ll look at strategies for moving from material to manuscript, and we’ll end with ways to keep the words flowing. Led by George Ella Lyon, author of All the Water in the World, The Pirate of Kindergarten, Mother to Tigers, and more. We will take a break for lunch, so bring a brown bag if you’d like.

Fiction into Film

with Ed McClanahan & Tom Marksbury

Saturday, February 11, 10:00 am-noon $30

In 1993, the Academy Award-winning director Paul Wagner and Lexington writer Ed McClanahan collaborated on a script for a short (24-minute) film, “The Congress of Wonders,” based on Ed’s short story of the same title. The film, which won Best of Show awards in two major film festivals, was shot at Spindletop, near Lexington, and stars the late Lexington actor Fred Scott Downing. It also features, in a crucial role, the UK film scholar and documentarian Dr. Tom Marksbury, who will join us for a screening of “The
Congress of Wonders,” followed by a discussion of the entire process of taking a work of fiction to the screen.

How to Promote and Market Your Book

with Peggy DeKay

Saturday, February 18, 10:00 am-2:00 pm $48

Once your book is written, the real work begins—promoting and marketing your book. In this seminar, you will learn how to create an effective author website, build your mailing list, and sell books in places you never dreamed of. Discover ways to think creatively and learn techniques that seasoned authors use to build name recognition. Find out the top ten websites that every author should know about. Explore the possibilities of YouTube and social media and turning your print book into an eBook. We will take a short break for lunch, so bring a brown bag if you’d like.

Writing the Nude

with Lynn Pruett

Lexington Art League Loudoun House, 209 Castlewood Drive Saturday, February 25, 1:00-4:00 pm$35

We will begin this afternoon of discovery with a silent walk around the exhibit. We will do several exploratory writing exercises and discuss both the attraction to and fear of nude forms and how that tension can be expressed in words. We will then compose a piece inspired by a work of art in the Body/
Figure/Nude Exhibit. We’ll end the day with a lively discussion and another tour of the gallery, this time pausing for writers to read their new pieces in front of the art that inspired it. Limit: 10 participants. Note: This class meets at the Lexington Art League’s Loudoun House (209 Castlewood Drive).

Copyrights & Wrongs

with Milton Toby

Saturday, March 10, 10:00 am-noon$30

Copyright confuses just about everyone. How do I protect my own work? How do I use other people’s writing and images without getting into trouble? Does the Internet change copyright law? This workshop will focus on two areas of copyright law important to authors: how to protect your own original works
and how to avoid infringing the copyright of someone else. We’ll discuss why copyright matters, what can and cannot be protected, when copyright takes effect, the pros and cons of registration with the Copyright Office in Washington, the so-called “poor man’s copyright,” and how to deal with infringement of your work in print and on the Internet.

Publishing in Small Magazines & Journals

with Frankie Finley

Saturday, March 17, 10:00 am-2:00 pm$40

Most successful writers don’t go from zero publications to The New York Times bestseller list overnight. So where do you start? Small journals and magazines are one of the best ways to catch the eye of literary agents, publishers, and editors, so knowing this field is important for writers looking to publish. Staring out at the wide array of small magazines and journals can be intimidating, but taking the time to research, strategize, and submit persistently can pay off for you as you work to make a name for yourself as a writer. Led by an editor in the field, this seminar will cover how to find your niche, how to do the right kind of research, and how to submit like a pro. We will take a short break for lunch, so bring a brown bag if you’d like.

The Secrets to a Successful Public Reading

with Frederick Smock

Saturday, March 24, 10:00 am-noon $30

In this seminar, we will discuss the do’s and don’ts of presenting a public reading, with attention paid to everything from posture to page-turning. We will also look at excerpts from some particularly successful readers of poetry. All students should bring a mid-length poem or prose excerpt of their own to present. Workshop is geared toward poets, but open to writers of all genres who would like to prepare for a book reading.

Social Networking for Authors

with Sherry Chandler

Saturday, March 31, 10:00 am-noon $30

This seminar will present an overview of ways in which writers can use Internet resources to develop a network to help get their work published and gain attention for their published work. The discussion will cover ways to use both the oldest (blogs and listserv discussion groups) and the newest (Facebook, Twitter, Google+) social networking media to develop a fan base.

eBooks: Publish, Promote, Prosper

with Peggy DeKay

Saturday, April 14, 10:00 am-2:00 pm$48

eBooks are changing the way people read and access information; they now outsell both hardcover and paperback books on amazon.com! Learn the ins and outs of eBooks and discover how easy it can be to publish one. Peggy DeKay, author of Self Publishing For Virgins, leads you through the process of developing a strategy to convert, price, market and promote your book as an eBook. This is the new frontier for book marketing—learn how to be a part of it! We will take a short break for lunch, so bring a brown bag if you’d like.

The Art & Etiquette of the Pitch

with Kathy Fallon

Saturday, April 28, 10:00 am-2:00 pm$40

Are you ready to be published or produced? Making the transition from isolated writer to “sold” requires a new set of skills. Local writer Kathy Fallon has sat on both sides of the presentation table; she will work writers through crafting their own pitch and help the aspiring writer become comfortable in this new role. The workshop does not require a finished piece, but if you have one, bring it. We will take a short break for lunch, so bring a brown bag if you’d like.

Writing, Revising & Publishing Your Poems

with David Harrity

Saturday, May 19 10:00 am-2:00 pm$40

In this workshop, we’ll examine ways in which a writer can get practical and develop systems to help form better pieces. Using William Stafford’s poetry and writings about craft and vocation as a lens, we’ll take a look at how organization and consistency can inform the processes and methods by which we create. We’ll focus on exercise, production, revision, and technique. This workshop is designed for poets, but open to writers of all genres. We’ll take a short break for lunch, so bring a brown bag if you’d like.