District 196 Community Education

If your goal is to become a published freelance writer by selling a magazine article, short story, poem, or even a novel to a traditional publisher, this comprehensive workshop will guide you to, then past the editor's desk. Discover how to: *become a “published” writer overnight *submit manuscripts the correct way *find the right publisher for your work *write irresistible query letters *determine when and how to get an agent * 100 ways to make money as a freelance writer If you really want to succeed, this step-by-step workshop is a must!

Online blogging is a great way to get the word out about you, your service, your product or information you want to share! Learn step-by-step how to: start a free blog with WordPress, choose a blog template, emphasize your blog content with a creative name, use your unique voice to share your expertise and connect your domain/website Discover how to earn an income with your blog, including links to other websites and advertising on your blog, as well as increase your internet ranking.

Self Publishing is all the rage, but is it the best option for you? And, can you do both? Discover the pros and cons of all the self publishing options, including print-on-demand and e-book publishing, as well as Amazon options. Leave with a rated description of 50 self publishing companies. Prerequisite: Beginner's Guide to Getting Published

Learn about special screenwriting terms and formats for television and the big screen. Discover how to plot a story, develop characters, and execute your work in the proper screenwriting format. Learn the difference between a Treatment, a Spec Script and a Shooting Script and when to do each. Receive an inside look into the business of selling your script to agents and producers.

Have you ever wanted to talk to a real agent or publisher? Are you tired of having your manuscripts critiqued by non-professionals or paying an editor too much money to change your writing to their voice? Email one page of your in-progress manuscript for an in-class critique of your poetry, article, short story, screenplay, novel, non-fiction book or children’s book.

Memoirs: is getting started the issue or is it to continue writing? This experience in writing will consist of the intro to memoir writing, then actually listening to the class assignments in the following class. The gentle art of questioning, clarifying, visualizing, inferring, synthesizing and supporting will happen each class. Different types and styles of memoirs will be reviewed and experienced. Students continuing with the Practicum are encouraged to ‘write on’ with their own endeavor and utilize the class for review/questions/suggestions.

You don’t need a journalism degree or previously published articles to write for online blogs, magazines and websites. Some opportunities offer exposure, while many pay well -- $1 a word and more. In this fast-paced session, learn how to: find more than 1,000 opportunities that pay, find story ideas, conduct interviews and find sources, protect your copyright and create query letters. Use this credibility to sell other articles or even your self published novel. Discover how to create your own blog and monetize it!