02/01/10 - 02/18/10 -Online Workshop - How to Grow a Story Spine with Sylvie Kurtz

NEORWA FEBRUARY 2010 ONLINE WORKSHOP

DISCOVER HOW TO GROW A STORY SPINE

INSTRUCTOR: Sylvie Kurtz

WHEN: February 1 to February 18 (6 lessons posted over 2 weeks)

COST: $15 NEORWA members/$20 for all others. www.neorwa.com for
registration information or contact Cathy Matuszak and Alaina Silvestrini at
neorwaonline@... <neorwaonline%40gmail.com>.

WORKSHOP:
The story arc and the seven story spines I'm going to share with you are a
distillation of what I've learned about story structure over my career and
how using those basic elements helped me create deeper, more emotional
stories. I'll take you through the basic story arc and discuss why readers
expect it, then walk you through each of the seven story spines--the set-up,
the meet, the first complication, the mid-point, the swivel, the dark moment
and the joyful resolution--giving examples along the way.

1. Introduction
2. The Basics
3. Going Deeper
4. Characters
5. The Set-Up
6. The Meet
7. The First Complication
8. The Mid-Point
9. The Swivel Decision
10. The Dark Moment
11. The Joyful Resolution
12. Wrap-Up

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR:
Flying an eight hour solo cross-country in a Piper Arrow with only the
airplane's crackling radio and a large bag of M & Ms for company, Sylvie
Kurtz realized a pilot's life wasn't for her. The stories zooming in and out
of her head proved more entertaining than the flight itself. Not a quitter,
she finished her pilot's course, earning her commercial license and
instrument rating.

Since then, she's traded in her pilot's license for a keyboard, where she
lets her imagination soar to create fictional adventures that explore the
power of love and the thrill of suspense.

Her first Harlequin Intrigue, One Texas Night, was a 1999 Romantic Times
nominee for Best First Category Romance and a finalist for a Booksellers
Best Award. Her Silhouette Special Edition, A Little Christmas Magic was a
2001 Readers' Choice Award Finalist and a Waldenbooks bestseller.
Remembering Red Thunder was a 2002 Romantic Times Nominee for Best Intrigue.
She was a 2005 and 2007 Romantic Times nominee for Lifetime Achievement for Series Romantic Adventure. Ms. Longshot has been optioned by Twin Star
Entertainment as a possible TV movie. She has written twenty novels. To
learn more about Sylvie visit her website at http://www.sylviekurtz.com