You’ve developed real-life characters, learned to do more showing than telling, reworked description to become woven into characters and action, know how to write hooks and cliffhangers, make use of metaphors, flashbacks, and other devices. But what about something that is the basic of all good writing: sentence structure? What power does your writing have without the use the different types of sentences and putting them to the best use you can?

Learn how to combine lyrical and rhythmic phrases and sentences with commercial and genre fiction, work description into the action of your story, and make use of sentence structure that creates suspense. This can separate a good writer from a great writer.

HINT: Did you know that you CAN write dramatic and effective LONG sentences? Long sentences are not outdated if you know how to write ones that adds power to your writing.

Power Writing will focus on multiple elements needed to build powerful sentences and paragraphs. From strong word choices, varying sentence structure, to putting sentences together to create dynamic paragraphs, the workshop uses examples, including some from published novels, and from the participants’ own work, in strengthening the words, phrases, sentences, and paragraphs on the page.

NOTE: This is not a grammar / punctuation workshop.

Outline: The workshop will cover the following:

Strong word choices (use of powerful, active verbs and specific nouns),

Phrasing and sentence structures, including cumulative sentences,

Using the sentence fragment in narrative and dialog,

Paragraphs (rhythm of sentences, a combination of long, medium, and short sentences, using one and two word sentences)

There will be assignments for the various subjects covered during the workshop. The participant will be using his/her own writing for some of the assignments.

For more information and to register: Power Writing

This post was submitted by Fantasy, Futuristic and Paranormal Chapter of RWA.

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