Highly Recommended Writing Courses

Do You Need Some Novel-Writing Essentials?

Are you a new writer, just starting out? Or an experienced writer, looking to polish your craft, preparatory to publishing? Here at Booknook.biz, we only recommend the places, courses, people and resources that we've used, tried, and in which we believe. Do you need a critique group, but want to stay away from the harsher free-for-alls available on the Net? Then the Holly Lisle courses may be for you. Are you trying to world-build, with epic fantasy? Again, the Lisle courses have something you can use, all the way down to building your own language.

Check out The Writer's Boot Camp!

The Writer's Boot Camp forums are divided by courses and each class within that course, and hundreds of students may be taking the same class as you are, at the same time. The forums are fully moderated, and the action is never "too" rough and tumble for even the faintest of heart to deal with. I know that I hear, around the Net, quite a bit, that people are afraid to use critique groups because "they're too mean," and that is never an issue at the WBC forums.

The mini-clinics and bigger courses are both excellent. If you're hesitant about trying the bigger courses, try one of the Mini-clinics first (they're incredibly affordable and helpful; I'm a big fan of the Plot Clinc myself) and get your feet wet before you jump in to deeper waters.

There's something here for literally every writer, at every stage of his or her career:

THE BASICS:

How to Write Page-Turning Scenes

How to Write Dialogue with Subtext

Professional Plot Outline Mini Course

Create a Plot Clinic

Create a Character Clinic

Free Flash Fiction Class

MOTIVATION

21 Ways to Get Yourself Writing When Your Life Has Just Exploded

How to Find Your Writing Discipline

How to Motivate Yourself Workshop

How to Beat Writer's Block

Mugging the Muse (hint: this one is FUN!)

THE DREADED REVISION CYCLE:

7-Day Crash Revision Workshop

How to Revise Your Novel

WORLD-BUILDING: A don't-miss for fantasy writers!

Create a Culture Clinic

Create a Language Clinic

Create A World Clinic

FOR EVERYONE, BEGINNER AND PROS ALIKE:

How to Think Sideways

How to Write a Series

Writing Clinics Bundle

 

Some of these courses are simply a BLAST. I know that people have told me that Mugging the Muse is a hoot, and I enjoyed the Page-Turning Scenes mini-course. I hope you'll find something here that you can use to help you achieve your writing goals.

Or, if you don't see anything here just yet, take a browse at the How To Think Sideways Store:

HTTS Shop

As Holly Lisle says: write with joy! And good luck to you from the folks at Booknook.biz. We hope you find our Resources helpful.

T'was the Night Before Christmas... 

 (With apologies to Clement Clarke Moore, may he forgive my doggerel...)

...and all through the shop,
all we minions were working,
   until ready to drop.

The ebooks were flying,
the covers were spare,
The edits were crazy,
   with "one more thing I must share!"

We waited for Santa,
'Cuz we love old Saint Nick,
But Hitch made us work,
   Waving 'round an old stick!

So slave we all did,
And made all your books,
So that Hitch would say now,
   that we're off the hook.

Come today we're off,
to rest up our fingers,
Our hats we will doff,
   No books they do linger.

But we'll all be back,
Don't give it a thought,
for like all wage slaves,
   we're easily bought.

We'll be back on the fifth,
all eager and fresh,
All ready for you,
   after a well-deserved rest.

So Hitch wants to say,
very strongly and loud,
THANKS ALL YOU GUYS,
  you're the best type of crowd.

Indy and Len and Hitch and the gang,
will be back on the 5th,
to do books with a BANG!

In the meantime don't worry,
if you're in a hurry,
'cuz some poor guy got stuck
   sitting here like a duck.

Your emails we'll receive,
so no need to grieve.
We'll be a bit slow,
but we're raring to go.

Your books will be worked on,
your edits still made,
we're just resting a bit,
   before we all fade.

So please excuse the delays;
It won't be for days;
we'll jump on your queries,
   for your wondrous new series.

We waited for Santa,
'Cuz we love old St. Nick,
And sure 'nuff he came,
   It wasn't a trick.

And as he rode off,
into the night,
I could swear I heard Hitch yell,
   "That Edit's Not Right!"

~~~~~~~~~~

We'll be back on the morning of January 5th; we'll be here parttime between now and then, thanks.