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February 2017: Bloody Believable With Sgt. Ugo Garneau
Workshop Description Bloody Believable: Using forensic science to add depth to villain motivation, create realistic scenes and ensure that readers experience the terrifying details that go into crafting bloody believable book. About the presenter Sgt. Garneau is a Forensic Identification Officer specializing in Bloodstain Pattern Analysis. He is actively involved in crime scene examinations/reconstructions and…
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January 2017: But What Comes Next?: ORWA’s Brainstorming Workshop
By Jennifer Carole Lewis All writers have had the horrible experience of staring at a blank page and wondering: what comes next? For our January 2017 workshop, ORWA authors got together to help answer that question for one another. Sitting close at a table, we brainstormed ideas for a suspense-filled escape through isolated woods and…
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December 2016: Holiday Social and Six Secrets to Create a Successful Bestselling Franchise
Our yearly annual social will be a potluck, beginning at noon, followed by a workshop. Six Secrets to Create a Successful Bestselling Franchise What do Star Wars, J. D. Robb’s Eve Dallas books, and Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson series have in common? They are all highly successful franchises. Join NYT bestselling author Sharon Page to learn…
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November 2016: Building Your Readership
USA Today and New York Times Bestseller Eve Langlais answers all your questions about how to engage your readership to create a dedicated fan base to drive your books to the bestsellers list! Eve Langlais is a stay at home mom who writes full time in between juggling her three kids, hubby, and housework, creating…
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October 2016: From Idea to Execution: Plotting Your Next Bestseller
Today’s publishing marketplace is more competitive than ever, demanding consistent—and accelerated—output from authors. Award-winning author Vanessa Kelly shows you how to plot and write your next book, novella, or short story with a minimum of angst and a maximum of efficiency. Bio: Vanessa Kelly is an award-winning author who was named by Booklist, the review journal of…
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September 2016: So you want to write a romance novel?
Have you always wanted to write a romance novel and don’t know where to start? Are you already working on becoming the next Nora Roberts? Or maybe you’ve already got a manuscript ready and now it’s time to learn more about the industry? This meeting, organized by members of the Ottawa Romance Writers Association,…
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June 2016: Prose in the Park and Social
Join ORWA members June 4 for Prose in the Park. Several of our published authors will be present so be sure to drop by Parkdale Park between 11 AM and 6 PM to say hello. June is also the month we hold our traditional social before breaking for the summer months. The June social is…
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May 2016: Facebook: A Self-Help Workshop for Writers
“It’s got ‘book’ in the title, so it must be for me!” Facebook: A Self-Help Workshop for Writers Did you know that five new people join Facebook every second? Worldwide, there are over 1.35 billion monthly active users on Facebook. With staggering numbers like these, there’s no doubt your potential readers are on Facebook.So,…
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April 2016: Edit Like a Pro with Laura Byrne Paquet
Edit Like a Pro with Laura Byrne Paquet In addition to writing eight Regency romances for Zebra and four non-fiction books, Laura Byrne Paquet worked as a freelance copy editor for Harlequin for several years. A member of the Editors’ Association of Canada, she also writes freelance articles and runs a local travel website called…
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March 2016: Slay Your Writing Dragons to Make your Personal Goals Happen!
Cynthia Boyko is a Co-Active Life Coach based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada who works with clients across North America. Coaching is something that comes very naturally to Cynthia. Her calm presence easily invites people into a process of clarity, balance and fulfillment. Cynthia is a member of the International Coach Federation (ICF). She completed her…
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February 2016: Legal Issues for Writers
Can you quote song lyrics in your book? What should you do if someone plagarizes you? Can you name a character after someone you don’t like? In today’s face-paced digital world, writers face a variety of legal issues, and it’s not always easy to get them right. This workshop can help. Please…
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January 2016: Beyond the Furrowed Brow with Jennifer Carole Lewis
Tired of reusing the same expressions over and over for anger, love and surprise? There is a wide range of postures and subtle expressions which can convey your character’s emotions and reactions. How they stand, how they hold their hands, even the crinkling of an eyelid can show what they are thinking. Learn the subtle…
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December 2015: Bah Humbug! Character Arc, the Scrooge Way with Teresa Morgan
In December 1843, Charles Dickens published a little story that became a sensation. In it, a misanthropist misery turns into a philanthropic optimist… overnight. This beloved story has the widest and craziest character arc in all of Western literature (and the most flawless three-act structure). This workshop examines how Dickens pulled off making a character…
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November 2015: Intro to BDSM for Writers
This workshop will cover the basics of BDSM for writers, including discussion of the three basics of BDSM (bondage and discipline, D/s and S/M). The speakers will talk about things like why BDSM is popular in erotic romance fiction, a bit about the psychology, and how to incorporate BDSM into your writing through characters’ issues,…
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October 2015: Library Love: How Does Romance Stack Up?
Ann Archer, program manager of content services at the Ottawa Public Library will be presenting on placement within libraries, clarifying the selection process, the changing world of e-book sales and how authors, both traditionally published and self-published, can best position their books with library vendors for catalogue inclusion. Did you know the City of Ottawa…
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June 2015: ORWA 30th Anniversary
For ORWA’s 30th anniversary in 2015, we had author Kristan Higgins with us to present. The Jo Beverly First Book Award is presented to members upon signing their first publishing contract with a traditional publisher. Lucy Farago sold to Kensington. ORWA celebrates its members hitting that very important milestone in publishing their first book. Jennifer…
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May 2014: How to Get Published: Tips from a New York Literary Agent
Jessica Faust of BookEnds, LLC will present a two-hour workshop open to the public free of charge. Learn how to find an agent, how to write a query, how to get published, and what an agent can do for you in today’s changing publishing environment. The presentation will be followed by an open pitch session…
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April 2014: Pitch Writing Practice and Critique
Have a fantastic idea for a novel or series? Have you started a novel you’re convinced is a winner? Have you thought about pitching it to an agent? Do you have a pitch prepared? Does the thought of pitching cause you to panic? Pitching to agents (in person or by letter) is a great way…
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March 2014: Goal, Motivation and Conflict with Madeline McBride
Are your characters’ goals and conflict strong enough to carry the story? This interactive craft workshop will help you describe what your characters want, the stakes, and what’s stopping them from reaching their goals. In an exercise using a simple template, you’ll identify your hero and heroine’s internal and external goals, motivations, consequences/stakes, and conflict…
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November 2013: Writing Professionally: How to Succeed as a Writer with Candice Vetter
Candice is a multi-faceted writer with broad experience in both the fiction and non-fiction writing worlds. She considers herself primarily a fiction writer (writing in genres that span romance to YA urban fantasy), but while waiting for the big book deal, she decided to put her skills as a writer to good use. Applying everything…
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October 2013: The Business of Writing with Deborah Cooke
Deborah will be presenting an extended afternoon workshop to ORWA, with two sessions covering a broad range of information from the business side of writing. Her first session entitled the ‘the buffet of publishing options’ will cover single title and category print publishers, digital publishers and a number of alternative publishing options. She will also…
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September 2013: Five Secrets to Painless Revisions with Sharon Page
What do you do when your editor gives you the bad news: your heroine is unsympathetic, your hero isn’t dark enough, and the last half of your book has gone completely off the rails? What you do is revise your book. But what if you need to do it in two months? Or you’ve decided…
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May 2013: Martial Arts with Dave LeGallez and Rick Lutes
Ever find yourself frustrated trying to plot out a bar fight or an escape? Do you want to inject realism into your hero and heroine’s fighting actions? Dave LeGallez and Rick Lutes have both earned black belts, competed in martial arts tournaments and taught students. Now they’re coming to ORWA to share with us. Common…
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May 2013: Publishing your Book
While several traditional publishers and bookstores have closed their doors, you have new opportunities to publish your book in print and digital formats. Successful traditionally- and self-published authors will describe the pros and cons of getting your book published by a traditional publisher versus using a self-publishing platform offered by Amazon Kindle Direct, Kobo, Smashwords,…
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April 2013: How to Sell More Books with Maureen Fisher
Self-published? Thinking of going indie? Seeking ways to promote traditionally published novels? This workshop provides common-sense tips to help sell more books, with particular emphasis on the marketing and promotion of e-books. The writer’s job doesn’t end when our masterpieces are posted on Amazon or sold to a publisher. Unfortunately, that’s just the beginning. We…
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March 2013: Story Structure with Marie Lilly
The seed for any story can grow from: * an image * a scene * a central conflict * a feeling * a character * a theme * a sound * a snippet of dialogue * a world. So, you have an amazing seed for a story. How do you discover if it will…
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Ottawa Life Article: 50 Shades of Romance
Candice Vetter has profiled several of our writers, past and present, for the January 2013 issue of Ottawa Life magazine. “50 Shades of Romance” The best-selling success of E.L. James’ 50 Shades erotic trilogy has raised the profile of erotic romance fiction. Although extensive attention is being paid to it now, erotic romance has been around for…
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December 2012: EFT Workshop with Madeline McBride
EFT Workshop: Tap away anxiety and self-limiting beliefs that block attainment of your writing goals with Madeline McBride Madeline McBride will teach you to apply the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT). This “hands-on” healing modality involves tapping on your own acupressure points. After this interactive workshop you will be able to: 1. Scope your issue 2.…
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October 2012: Revising Your Manuscript with Roxanne St. Claire
This workshop is suitable for writers of all genres and levels. About Roxanne St. Claire Roxanne St. Claire is a New York Times bestselling author of thirty novels of romance and suspense. A five-time nominee and one-time winner of the prestigious Award for outstanding romantic fiction, her books have also won the National Reader’s Choice…
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September 2012: Blog Tours 101 with Linda Poitevin
Blog Tours 101: The Essentials of Setting Up an Online Book Tour with Linda Poitevin Whether you’re traditionally published or an indie author, virtual book tours have become the norm in our increasingly tech-oriented world. But where do you start? How do you find (and approach) potential hosts? Do you do-it-yourself or hire an organizer?…
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May 2012: Homicide with Steve Roberts
Steve Roberts is very well known in the criminal investigation community and often consults and instructs concerning police procedures with agencies in the U.S. He has also worked on movies as the police expert and is acknowledged in several fictional mysteries for helping authors with correct police procedure. He will be talking about homicides, but from the…
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March 2012: Maggie Jagger’s Pitching Workshop
Pitching to agents and editors is part of writing life, no need to hyperventilate over it. We will first hone a synopsis, then we take turns pitching and hearing pitches. If you don’t want to pitch, then bring the first three pages of your ms. We will first split into small groups to gently critique…
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January 2012: Care and Feeding of the Romance Writer with Tammy Plunkett
Romance writers spend a great deal of time sitting in front of a computer. This has huge implications for our body, mind and spirit. We are hunched over a keyboard, often brushing crumbs off our chest, and we push through an action scene that has our adrenaline pumping as if the gunman were chasing us,…
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November 2011: Tax for Artists with Julia Stanley, CA
There are a variety of expenses writers can claim on their taxes. This workshop will provide an overview of what is allowed and what isn’t. Julie Stanley, CA, is a manager with Ginsberg Gluzman Page & Levitz, LLP, where she has gained a wide range of experience. She has worked with not-for-profit organizations, small businesses…
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October 2011: Using POV to Create Emotionally Powerful Scenes with Opal Carew
As writers, we know all about POV, right? We know the difference between first person, third person, omniscient, camera eye view, etc. We know how to climb into a character’s head and immerse the reader in the story through that person’s perspective. Make the reader see what that character sees, feel what that character feels. …
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September 2011: Toning Up a Sagging Middle & The Movie Eye: Choosing the Right Scenes
ORWA presents a special day of workshops with New York Times bestselling author Sabrina Jeffries. Starting at 10 am, two workshops will be given: Toning Up a Sagging Middle The Movie Eye: Choosing the Right Scenes About Sabrina Jeffries New York Times bestselling author Sabrina Jeffries is a New Orleans-born, Thailand-reared novelist with a doctorate in…
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August 2011: If the Self-pub Shoe Fits… with Teresa Morgan
Digital self-publishing exploded in 2011 with news of the success of authors like J.A. Konrath, Amanda Hocking, and E.V. Mitchell (Julianne Maclean). Self-publishing for the Kindle, Nook, Sony eReader, iPad and other digital devices, is easy… and complicated. It has big advantages and deep pitfalls. In this workshop, you’ll learn more about this intriguing new…
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July 2011: Getting Past the Hook with Molly O’Keefe
Readers still love them. Editors still want them. This highly interactive workshop will break down the appeal of the classic plot lines and characters that romance readers crave and we’ll discover ways a smart writer can use classic hooks to create unexpected and unforgettable stories. About Molly O’Keefe Multi-published Toronto author Molly O’Keefe‘s first…
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May 2011: Cut Through the Noise! with Jill Murray
Jill Murray will help you Cut Through the Noise and build your “online platform” without losing your mind. Blogs, websites, Facebook, Twitter, forums, message boards, online tours, podcasts — authors, illustrators and performers are being urged more than ever to build online platforms and personal brands, not just for marketing, but as the base of…
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April 2011: Practice Makes Perfect Pitching Workshop with Maggie Jagger
Maggie Jagger will lead a practice makes perfect pitching workshop. Pitching to agents and editors is part of writing life, no need to hyperventilate over it. We will take turns pitching and hearing pitches. If you are so afraid that you don’t want to come to this meeting, you can pretend to be an editor…
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February 2011: Rob Fleck: Canada’s First “Top Gun” CF-18 Pilot
In this fascinating workshop, Rob will tell us about his experiences in the Canadian Air Force where he was one of the first to fly and instruct on the CF-18 Hornet and was Canada’s First Top Gun. After a stellar career in the Air Force, Rob returned to civilian life and flew private and coprorate…
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October 2010: Plotting with Sharon Page
Sharon, a USA Today bestselling author, will be speaking about what she’s learned. In this hands-on workshop, you’ll learn techniques and exercises to help you improve your story from the ground up. The author of ten books, Sharon Page is the USA Today bestselling author of The Club, published by Bantam Dell and writes erotic romance for…
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September 2010: Stephany Evans, President of FinePrint Literary Management
With a background in theater, film, and painting, Stephany Evans began agenting in 1990 with Sandra Martin/Paraview. In 1992, she formed her own agency while serving as editor for alternative health, healing, and personal growth magazine, Free Spirit. Stephany is the ghost author of five published books, in the areas of memoir and spirituality. In…
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May 2010: Plotting and Scene & Sequel with Sherry Lewis
Sherry Lewis will give a full morning of Plotting – teaching authors to start from nothing and end up with a fully plotted book. In the afternoon she will cover Scene and Sequel – GMC, conflict and disaster, and how to use scenes to pace your novel. Both workshops are interactive with brainstorming exercises. An award-winning…
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April 2010: The Business of Writing with Claire Delacroix
Writers write, but we are also in business. Join bestselling author Deborah Cooke (aka Claire Delacroix) for a workshop on how publishing works. Learn how the money works, how to recognize and make the most of opportunity, how to chart your way free of stormy waters, and how to plan for success when you’re not…
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March 2010: A Spotlight on Avon with Amanda Bergeron
Presented by Amanda Bergeron, Editorial Assistant at Avon-Harper Collins Avon has been publishing award-winning books since 1941. It is recognized for having pioneered the historical romance category and continues to bring the best of commercial literature to the broadest possible audience. Amanda will talk about the romance industry, what Avon’s looking for and the editorial process…
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January 2010: Kickstart Your Characters with Mary Jane Maffini
In this economy the best investment you can make is in your characters. Learn how to make them deeper, richer, and more fun to be around for you and your readers. After all, that’s a lot of words to spend together. Background enrichment, dialogue, and other potent tools will form the basis of this snappy…
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November 2009: Delivering the Goods: Creating a Believable Happily Ever After by Joanne Roc
Want to provide fiction that has your reader sighing with satisfaction? Want to avoid an ending that seems rushed? Or are you simply having trouble wrapping up all those threads? If so, then Joanne Rock’s workshop, Delivering The Goods: Creating a Believeable Happily-Ever-After, will help you write an ending to remember. Three-time RITA nominee, Joanne…