UntitledTown Book and Author Festival

Every story takes place somewhere, but how do we make sure our story’s setting is acting as more than backdrop? This workshop will focus on how to use place as a way to establish emotion and to reveal character in both fiction and nonfiction. In some ways, we’ll explore that old writing commandment “Show, don’t tell,” but we’ll also look at how the ubiquity of that commandment obscures how difficult it is to understand and master. A key question of the workshop will be: What is the difference between “place” and “setting” and “landscape”? According to the author Robert Olen Butler, “We look at the landscape and what we see out there is our deepest emotional inner selves. This is at the heart of a work of art.” Through a series of generative writing exercises and prompts, and using published and unpublished works as our guide, this workshop will aim to reach those deeper selves and translate them through the description of place. We’ll think about how we might use place in our writing to reveal or imply a character’s moods or emotions, and how the selective description of place can suggest or reveal an untold event, or something happening outside of the scene.

“In the real world, we can only visit place,” the poet and novelist Luis Urrea wrote, “but in the alchemy of writing, we become place, and place becomes us.” He also advised anyone wanting to utilize place in their work to stop trying to use it, and instead start inhabiting it. The final part of this presentation will focus on Urrea’s idea of “inhabiting” place and will explore how this inhabiting not only relates to our characters, but also to us as community members. While attendees are free ask questions at any point, there will be time at the end dedicated specifically to Q&A.

In this workshop for young writers (and adults!), we'll create and get to know some brand new characters, starting with the basics and then digging deeper.

This agenda tool is merely for your personal organization convenience and does not guarantee you or your child a spot in any workshop, panel, session or presentation. Because we know this will be an incredibly popular event, we are offering this free reservation system through this link, which will allow you to reserve your spot ahead of time and is on a first come, first served basis. You must bring either a paper copy or an electronic copy of the ticket for each participant on the day of the event. Attendees who do not have tickets will be allowed to enter if there is room in the venue and at the discretion of the presenter.

Register for this free workshop by using our ticketing system here.

Are you ready to blog? Do you have a WordPress website, but want to take it to the next level? Adjunct Instructor at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, Terra L. Fletcher can help you publish, add images, and make wise design decisions for your website. Learn the basics of social media integration, how to write for the web, and design a simple writer’s website. Terra will overcome web publishing misconceptions, demonstrate best practices, and share her favorite WordPress secrets.

Requirements: Familiarity with web browsers, email, and the Internet in general. Designed for those with little or no web publishing or design experience, to basic WordPress familiarity.

Scrivener is a software program for writers that aids in the development, organization, composition, and formatting of any project, from fiction to nonfiction to screenplays. Come learn how this software can enhance and streamline your writing.

Talk with novelist and crime-thriller writer Janson Mancheski about writing gripping fiction.

We all know the importance of our manuscript's opening lines, but how can we tell when the first page is doing its job? In this breakout, we’ll begin with an overview of the “absolutely must haves," followed by group feedback for as many opening paragraphs/pages as time will allow. Participants are encouraged to bring the first (double-spaced) page of their manuscript.

This successful duo talks about the upside and downside of self-publishing in the romance genre. 

Mouse Books launched as a publishing company through Kickstarter, raising $50k and 1,000 users in its first campaign. But Kickstarter isn't simply about raising money; it is about raising community. A growing pool of authors and creators is recognizing how to built communities that can provide ongoing support to support their work in more than just individual projects.

David Dewane will discuss the tools, tips and tricks that you can employ to crowdsource your next creative initiative.