Rawlings Workshop Authors Say Novel Writing All About Balance
With more than two dozen accomplished authors as faculty, the 2006 Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Writing the Region Workshop in Gainesville, Florida promises another wonderful buffet of sessions for new and aspiring writers. The Workshop is July 26-30, 2006. Visit http://www.writingtheregion.com.
Gainesville, FL (PRWEB) June 6, 2006 -- Beginning writers often wonder whether to concentrate on plot, character, setting or dialogue. According to Carolyn Haines, an accomplished author presenting at this year's Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Writing the Region workshop, they need to focus on all of these parts of a novel.
"A novel blends the elements of plot, theme, character and setting and the techniques of narrative summary, immediate scene, description and dialogue together in a work that is finely balanced." Haines says. "No one element is more important than another. It is the balance that earns the work the description of 'novel'."
Sponsored by the Gainesville Association for the Creative Arts, the Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Writing the Region workshop will be held July 26-30, 2006 in Gainesville, Fl, a short drive from Rawlings' Cross Creek home.
Haines, the author of more than 50 books including the popular "Bones" series featuring Southern Belle amateur detective Sarah Booth Delaney, joins nearly two dozen of the nation's top writers in all genres. Her workshop session "Evil Sisters of Plot and Structure" will focus two technical aspects of writing that often trip up new authors.
"Plot and structure -- while not the most important of the novelist's skills -- are frequently the reasons a book is rejected by a publisher," Haines says. "For most writers, characters are fun to create. Plot and structure use another part of the brain that is logical and analytical. This part of writing is harder for most creative people."
This 10th anniversary edition of the Writing the Region workshop offers its usual buffet of workshops covering nearly every writing style, genre and technique. In addition to sessions on the craft of writing, there will be workshops that look at business end of the publishing industry.
One of these session will be presented by a Steve Greene, a law enforcement professional with more than 29 years under his belt. He is a captain with the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office in Birmingham, Alabama with responsibility for the Cold Case Homicide Unit. He also happens to be one of the top editors in the mystery business.
"A good detective must develop his left brain analytical skills in order to be successful," Greene says. "These same left brain skills often come into play when critiquing manuscripts in order to make suggestions to improve the writing while still keeping it true to the vision of the writer."
Greene will present a workshop titled "Cold Cases: The Reality vs. The Fiction" that should give writers a peek inside the world of working police officers, information Greene says he brings with him to the editing table.
On the lighter side of writing will be Claire Hamner Matturro's session on "Using Humor to Educate and Entertain." Matturro suggests that authors of novels with "heavier" material go ahead and insert a little comic relief from time to time.
"I find using humor when a situation is getting too grim can help out," says Matturro, the author of the award-winning "Skinny-Dipping," a comedic legal thriller and its sequel, "Wildcat Wine." Her third book, "Bone Valley" is due out in the fall.
"In my experience, emergency room nurses, police officers, firefighters and people who deal daily with the grim side of life usually have the best developed senses of humor," she says.
Matturro encourages writers to make sure there books have the proper balance of serious and lighthearted moments.
"In the more successful books that use humor, I think there is a definite pattern, even a rhythm to it, like the pace of the plot," Matturro says. "You have your narrative, your action, your humor, and you have to pace it just right. It can’t be all talk and no action, just like it can’t be all slap stick and no straight lines. There’s no set formula, like with a sonnet, but there’s a definite balance."
Early-bird registration for the workshop for the five days is just $345, which includes all sessions and meals. There are also one-day and half-day rates available. For more information, call toll-free: 1-888-917-7001, or visit our website at http://www.writingtheregion.com/.
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