Holly Lisle: Writer

My New Free Writing Workshop

I’m teaching a “free or really, really cheap” writing workshop called Crash Revision: How To Revise Your Novel In 7 Days.

Mine is a general course, geared to writers in every genre—it’s not romance-specific.

My workshop is part of the 2010 Writers’ Boot Camp at SavvyAuthors.com.

I also have two items in the “book raffle,” though neither of mine is a book, and both are spectacular.

This short course starts on March 28th. You have to be signed up before then to be a part of it.

And some info on my workshop hosts:

Check out SavvyAuthors.com

SavvyAuthors.com offers tools and resources for romance authors at every stage of their career.

Finally, a COMPENSATION DISCLAIMER:

I’m not an affiliate of SavvyAuthors.com. I’m not making a dime from the workshop, nor will I receive any payment for recommending the site.

I’m doing this because I think it will be fun, and interesting, and challenging, and because it will let me meet some new folks.

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17 responses to “My New Free Writing Workshop”

  1. Jane Stafford Avatar
    Jane Stafford

    Dear Holly,
    Conversing with others in a post type situation is not really my cup of tea, but coming here to learn, and apply the knowledge learned toward my novel, is more my style.
    It has been a long, hard, and sometimes dangerous journey for my mind to take as I lived entire ‘lives’ while working tirelessly, at night, on six world maps, created a new language, and still have more to go. I’ve dove head first into each world’s culture, knowing the land, people, their clothing, shoes, animals, birds, everything about six planets was something that I could escape with, or dream about, while at the same time, taking care of an elderly father who is still alive, with Alzheimer disease, and my mother, now gone two years.
    My wishes are to thank you from the bottom of my heart for being here for me. Unfortunately I cannot afford the workshops, but the information you have for free on your site is sufficient for me to have been able to complete my first chapter. A great many hours have been spent looking around on your site, reading as much as I could in what little time I’ve had free.
    But there is one thing, Holly… I refuse to lay down my ‘pen’ only to wake up in the morning to go work for someone else only making minimum wage… again!
    You have given me the strength to say ‘Yes! I CAN do this!’
    Gratitude is not enough, and mere words cannot express how you have helped me escape, just a little, from what can be an intense life to pursue the dream of my life. Paying forward is something I promise to do.
    Thank you Holly.

    Reply
    1. Jane Stafford Avatar
      Jane Stafford

      Oh, my note above is not meant to be in the contest. I just wanted to thank you, Holly.

      Reply
  2. Betty Avatar
    Betty

    You seem too good to be real. I just can’t seem to get started. i have written over 100 pages but revise every time I reread the thing. Maybe I am just a dreamer and will never be real. Any way, thank you for all of you advise to all of us budding, dying on the bush writers.

    Reply
    1. Holly Avatar
      Holly

      Hi, Betty. That’s the problem. You got started just fine, but you killed your progress by not trusting the process. You’re revising something you haven’t finished. Don’t Do That.

      Finish the story first, no matter how much it’s wrecked, no matter how lame or stupid or silly some parts of it are. Everything you have written can be fixed, but you cannot FIX a book until you’ve finished the first draft. Until you have written all the way through to the end, you can’t know what the beginning is supposed to be, or the middle.

      Reply
  3. Robin Smith Avatar
    Robin Smith

    I apologize for the typo. Wisdom.

    Reply
  4. Robin Smith Avatar
    Robin Smith

    Hi Holly,
    I am simply amazed at your writing genuis. Honestly I can’t pick just one thing. Your delivery is clear and concise, be it from “Building a Plot” to “Creating Characters” To alllowing your”Iinner Muse” to guide you to your place of “Creation”. Educating “Holly Style” as well as listening and believing in your own possibilities, comes with it’s own rewards. You offer wisdon, support and encouragement to those who hunger to feast on Publishing. Though I still have a lot of Holly “Favs” to catch up on. I’m still in awe of your ” Story Building Techniques” The way you weave everything together effortlessly, (or though it seems) At every chance i’m telling writers to check out “Holly Lisle” For you are a forum of useful information. I’ve passionately decided that 2010 will be my year for publishing. I will be that ugly duckling turning beautiful before my very eyes, as I capture the dreams of my heart. Writing is orgasmic in more ways than one. Seduction begins at the point of desire. Though not deserving I would be honored to receive placement with SaavyAuthors. Holly, I live by one simple rule “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” I fiqure if you live by that simple quote, you can’t go wrong. Well Holly, you have served many people well, giving of your time and knowledge and to that I say thank you. And to you, I am most grateful.

    Reply
  5. Kirk Dreiser Avatar
    Kirk Dreiser

    Hi, Holly.

    I am signed up for the workshopwith authorsavvy. Just wondered if you have advice about something. I have two nano novels. The one from last year is complete. The second one is this year’s nano. It is not complete.

    Since I have never published, would it be better to use last year’s since I’ve had time away, or finish this year’s and use one that is fresh in my mind?

    If you have input, I’d love to hear it.

    Thank you for all you do for writers!

    Kirk Dreiser

    Reply
    1. Holly Avatar
      Holly

      Never revise something that isn’t finished.

      Get the whole first draft done first. You cannot revise what you have not yet written, and you’re going to break a lot of things you DID write that actually worked if you try.

      Reply
  6. Danzier Avatar
    Danzier

    Hi Holly,

    I know you’re not the tech person, but I don’t know how to reach the tech person. When I tried to sign up (we are supposed to sign up before the end of March, right?) I got a page full of code and an error message. I copied the page of code in case it’s important–but what do I do next? Should I wait for some future sign-up date?

    Reply
    1. Holly Avatar
      Holly

      This isn’t something I’m running. On this one, I’m on someone else’s platform, and just along for the ride.

      So I’m really not sure. Just e-mail me, and I’ll forward your e-mail to my contact person on the site, and she can forward it to the appropriate person. Probably not the most direct way to do this, but it should work. 🙂

      Reply
      1. Danzier Avatar
        Danzier

        Hi Holly,

        I tried again just to make sure it was still broken–and it wasn’t. I guess someone got to their tech person first.

        : D

        Reply
  7. Deb Salisbury Avatar
    Deb Salisbury

    Wow! You’re giving great prizes in the raffle! If I can clear up that week, I plan to sign up for your workshop.

    Thanks!

    Reply
  8. Brittany Avatar
    Brittany

    Oh, never mind. I reread it and saw that it’s a scholarship for HTRYN not HTTS.

    Reply
    1. Holly Avatar
      Holly

      This is a raffle on someone else’s site, though I’m giving away one HTTS scholarship and one HTRYN scholarship.

      My HTTS Video Scholarship contest is totally unrelated to that.

      I’ll be giving away either five or six scholarships for HTTS using the same sort of video contest I used for HTRYN.

      Because I had a lot of other things going on this week (TalysMana contest—details on that go out tonight), this workshop, and all the regular stuff I’m working on, I didn’t add the HTTS scholarship program into the mix. Too much going on.

      I’ll be posting the details for THAT in the next couple of weeks. Details will go out via the newsletter, but I’ll also notify folks here and on Twitter.

      Reply
  9. Brittany Avatar
    Brittany

    Holly- I e-mailed you about upcoming contests a while ago (you replied). Later, on your newsletter, you said that there will be a Create-A-Video contest, and the winner will get a HTTS scholarship. I’m confused. It says on the Item links that a Savvy Author can win a scholarship. How do I do that? Is that the contest that you were planning? Are the rules for the Create-A-Video contest posted yet?

    Reply
  10. althea preston Avatar
    althea preston

    Holly, does this apply if you’re revising to pitch? Or just if you’ve been accepted? I’m still querying, but would love to take this if it would apply to me as well.

    Reply
    1. Holly Avatar
      Holly

      Sorry it took me so long to answer this—I’ve been a little swamped. 🙂

      While the Crash Revisions Course is specifically targeted for sold manuscripts, the overall process of revision at high speed holds no matter what your personal application might be.

      I’m afraid I’m not familiar with the “revising to pitch” approach, though. I do one first draft, followed by one massive overhaul revision, and then I don’t touch the manuscript again until an editor buys it or says she’ll buy it if I make certain changes.

      So I’m not sure whether you’re talking about a first-draft revision (which this isn’t, though even here, students will learn some big concepts and techniques), or whether you’re tinkering with something you’re done with that hasn’t sold yet (which is a bad idea), or whether what you’re talking about is something else.

      Reply

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