Worldbuilding through Culture with J.M. Frey Sunday, April 7 2024 · 2 – 4pm EDT Every memorable speculative fiction story has a world we wish we could live in – from Westeros to Middle Earth, from the USS Enterprise to Panem. The geography of your secondary world is key, but the culture and the way… Read more: Worldbuilding through Culture with J.M. Frey Sunday, April 7 2024 · 2 – 4pm EDT

The Dos and Don’ts of Being a Romance Novelist Sun, Mar 3, 2024 2:00 PM EST Join romance editor and book coach Sarah Pesce as she walks you through what you should and shouldn’t be doing as a romance writer. Join romance editor and book coach Sarah Pesce as she walks you through what you… Read more: The Dos and Don’ts of Being a Romance Novelist Sun, Mar 3, 2024 2:00 PM EST

Feeling Extra Crispy? with Liz Lincoln Sun, Feb 4, 2024 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM EST   “Feeling Extra Crispy?” will help authors navigate the challenges of creative burnout. Discover practical strategies for renewing inspiration, from mindfulness techniques to playful writing exercises. Engage in a supportive environment where you can share experiences and learn from… Read more: Feeling Extra Crispy? with Liz Lincoln Sun, Feb 4, 2024 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM EST

Creating Social Media Content for Wizards Sun, Jan 7th, 2024 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM EST This workshop will cover the ins and outs of what Mona Storm has personally found to be effective. Does the word hashtag strike terror in your bones? If so, come along, young wizard, and I will guide you through… Read more: Creating Social Media Content for Wizards Sun, Jan 7th, 2024 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM EST

Universal Fantasy is why some authors get gobs of gushing reviews and some authors who write “way better” get crickets. Sun, Nov 5, 2023 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM EST Universal Fantasy is why my sales tripled when I “accidentally” wrote three books that landed in the Amazon Top 100. Universal Fantasy is why some… Read more: Universal Fantasy is why some authors get gobs of gushing reviews and some authors who write “way better” get crickets. Sun, Nov 5, 2023 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM EST

Book Brush: Upgrade Your Author Marketing with Kathleen Sweeney Sun, Oct 1, 2023 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM EDT Upgrade your author marketing: Maximize profits with Book Brush at your fingertips! This one-hour workshop is designed for authors who want to take their book marketing to the next level. Participants will learn how to leverage… Read more: Book Brush: Upgrade Your Author Marketing with Kathleen Sweeney Sun, Oct 1, 2023 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM EDT

Diversity and Inclusion in Literature with Finn Burnett, Sun, Sep 10, 2023 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM EDT This presentation is an important exploration of the need for representation in literature. I’ve presented this at conferences and as one of the keynote speakers at the Library of Michigan’s Conference, the Wine Country Writer’s Festival, and… Read more: Diversity and Inclusion in Literature with Finn Burnett, Sun, Sep 10, 2023 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM EDT

Character Development Q&A, June 4th 2023 Learn how to make your characters come to life with Sharon Short (aka Jess Montgomery) Creating believable characters is the engine that drives stories, novels, essays and memoirs. It’s also one of the most challenging writing craft tools to master. In this session, award-winning author Sharon Short (a.k.a. Jess… Read more: Character Development Q&A, June 4th 2023

Even Superman Has A Day Job with Maggie Wells, may 7th 2023 14:00EST Explore various methods of dealing with uncertainty, defining success, writing practices, motivational tools, and practical tips. I just want to spend my days writing. Who among us hasn’t said something along those lines? But, for many of us, this dream may never… Read more: Even Superman Has A Day Job with Maggie Wells, may 7th 2023 14:00EST

Q&A with KT Literary agent Sara Megibow, April 2nd 2023 KT Literary agent Sara Megibow will chat about profit strategy, trends, successes, and pitfalls specific to romance publishing in this new year. The conversation will include a Q&A and lots of data analysis sprinkled with jokes and hope. Our romance readers are voracious for your… Read more: Q&A with KT Literary agent Sara Megibow, April 2nd 2023

Creating Realistic Companion Animals in Fiction with Mona Storm Sun, Feb 5, 2023 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM EST Creating realistic companion animals in fiction. Toothless, Ghost, Drogon and Hedwig. From the innocent Wilbur to the Rats of Nimh, animals have captivated our interest and let us explore topics from a unique perspective. Some of… Read more: Creating Realistic Companion Animals in Fiction with Mona Storm Sun, Feb 5, 2023 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM EST

Virtual Open House Sunday, January 8 2023 Ottawa Romance Writers is hosting a virtual open house. Bring 2 pages of your manuscript. Meet the members and participate in a mini-critique.

A Zoe York Double Feature: Writing A Genre Fiction Series & Marketing Sunday, June 5, 2022 · 2 – 5:30pm EDT A double workshop from 13 time USA Today bestselling author Zoe York Writing a genre fiction series: turning a writing dream into a writing career Start planning your next series to build on your… Read more: A Zoe York Double Feature: Writing A Genre Fiction Series & Marketing Sunday, June 5, 2022 · 2 – 5:30pm EDT

Goal, Motivation, Conflict: creating stories that keep the pages turningSun, April 3, 2022; 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM EDT Maureen Fisher shares the secrets of creating a compelling story through each character’s goals, motivation, and conflict. About this event The key to an engaging story has always been the characters and how they interact. A writer… Read more: Goal, Motivation, Conflict: creating stories that keep the pages turningSun, April 3, 2022; 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM EDT

Love Languages with Jennifer Carole Lewis Feb 6th 2022: 70 to 93 percent of all communication is non-verbal, which means that body language is the ultimate love language! Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Jennifer Carole Lewis will go in-depth about how body language can show how a character is feeling.  Join ORW to learn… Read more: Love Languages with Jennifer Carole Lewis Feb 6th 2022:

Registration is limited to 100 participants (30 for RWAC, 30 for ORWA, 30 for everyone else, 10 for presenters and wiggle room)   Saturday, Oct 2 – Mini Fall Virtual Retreat 1030 AM -12:00 PM – Using Character Emotion to Wow Readers: Becca Pugilsi, co-author, The Emotion Thesaurus 12:00-1:00 Lunch break (we’ll leave the meeting live… Read more: Saturday, Oct 2 – Mini Fall Virtual Retreat

Learn how Kobo is making it easy for authors to reach readers. This year Kobo has been busy reaching new readers through innovative new eInk devices and the expansion of Kobo’s subscription service Kobo Plus, into strategic new markets. Learn how Kobo is making it easy for authors to reach these readers by offering non-exclusive… Read more: Sept 12, 2021 Workshop: Kobo’s Latest Innovations with Tara Cremin

How can you sell more books every day? Learn some key tips and tricks for marketing your books from New York Times bestseller Skye Warren Paid advertising works great, but what do you do to promote your books if you can’t afford ads? Can you make money without spending it? Skye’s experiments show what happens… Read more: June 6, 2021 Workshop: Zero Dollar Marketing & FB Ads for Authors with Skye Warren

A look at some tools to help writers market their work. There’s lots of advice out there on how to be a successful author: write a great book, know your audience, appeal to your audience with compelling ads, spend lots of money on ads, don’t spend lots of money on ads, market on social media,… Read more: May 2, 2021 Workshop – Book Brush with Kathleen Sweeney

Learn practical tips and techniques for evaluating the first draft of your fiction manuscript Writing a Strong Second Draft of Your Novel In this seminar, Maggie Morris, The Indie Editor, who will share practical tips and techniques for evaluating the first draft of your fiction manuscript from both a stylistic and substantive perspective so you… Read more: March 7, 2021 Workshop – Writing a Strong Second Draft of Your Novel

Learn how to provide useful critiques without tipping into either bland applause or painful discouragement Everyone wants a good critique for their manuscripts, but it can be overwhelming to try and provide useful information without tipping into either bland applause or painful discouragement. This workshop will include suggestions on: developing an initial framework for what… Read more: February 2021 Workshop – Giving a Good Critique

New year, new WIP? Join us for tips and tricks to get your WIP into shape! ORW authors will be on-hand to help you out with the following topics: Brainstorming (Christine Gallimore and Lucy Farago) Stuck on your WIP? Unsure of where to take the plot? Have your characters worked themselves into a corner and… Read more: WIP into Shape – 2020 Edition

Event description Whether you’re a new author or a seasoned author, looking to join a publisher or publish independently, the ins and outs of the publishing industry can seem mysterious and convoluted. In this candid Q&A and casual discussion session, editor Kerri Buckley, of Carina Press, will answer your questions in a WebEx presentation on… Read more: “Let’s Talk Publishing” with Carina Press.

EVENT CANCELLATION: GIVEN THE ISSUES THAT HAVE ARISEN CONCERNING RWA, WE ARE CANCELLING OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED JANUARY WORKSHOP AND HOSTING A TOWN HALL FOR MEMBERS ONLY.PLEASE ACCEPT OUR APOLOGIES.  

Want to know how to work with other authors to create new and exciting stories? There are many exciting opportunities out there, whether you want to co-write a book, write in a shared world or shared branding, or participate in an anthology or multi-author box set. In this panel workshop our authors will share their… Read more: December 2019: Writing with others: Co-writing and collaboration

FOR ORWA MEMBERS ONLY. Join us for our Holiday Gathering and then be a part of the ORWA elections, December 1 2019. Reservations have been made for 11am to 1pm at the Royal Oak, right next to the Ben Franklin place. Take this opportunity to eat, relax and socialize with your peers, before heading over… Read more: 2019 December Social and Elections

One of the most common challenges of writing romance novels is ensuring the relationship feels authentic while mixing in enough drama to keep the reader intrigued. But how can an author ensure the relationship doesn’t cross any lines, and that conflict is resolved satisfactorily? Dr. Brenda Saxe will share her experience as a couple’s counsellor… Read more: November 2019: Writing the Happy into your Happily Ever After

Candid Cold Reads and Q&A – CANCELED Due to unforeseen circumstances, Carina Press with Angela James will not be presenting. All tickets have been refunded. Please keep reading for more about the replacement workshop. Making It Real (October 6) Creating a fictional world can be a challenge, whether you’re choosing to place your story in… Read more: October 2019:

Do you know how to use Facebook and Amazon ads to sell more books? Have you tried using them but not seen any sales? The most successful indie authors are using these ads to sell new and backlist books. In this panel workshop you’ll learn about keywords for your genre, creating ad content, audience targeting,… Read more: September 2019: Selling more books with ads on Facebook and Amazon

Want to distribute your books globally, from your local library to big box retailers like Walmart? With Kobo Writing Life, you can sell your book in over 190 countries, and access promotional opportunities puts them in front of millions of Kobo users. This free distribution tool lets you keep the rights to your books and… Read more: May 2019: Selling Books with Kobo Writing Life: Global Distribution & Exclusive Promo

Attend the ORWA social on June 9th, 2019. It will be our last official event until we reconvene in the Fall. The location will be sent out via the Yahoo Group and will be celebrated at our president’s lovely home in Manotick. At the social, we will have a professional photographer and a mobile hair… Read more: 2019 June Social

Event recap By Jennifer Carole Lewis Standing out in today’s market is one of the more challenging things for authors today but one of the most important thing for creating dedicated readers is an author’s unique voice.  Stefanie London presented an informative workshop on how to best present your unique voice, concept and execution to… Read more: Recap April 2019: Develop Your Unique Author Voice with Stefanie London

Recap of March 2019 by Jennifer Carole Lewis Shirley Jump’s full day workshop on Show Not Tell and Scene and Sequel got ORWA and our guests buzzing and our keyboards clacking.  Both were full of great practical tips on how to deepen our descriptions and create faster-paced scenes to hold a reader’s attention.  She shared… Read more: Recap March 2019: Full day writing workshop: Show, don’t tell and scene/sequel

Event recap by Jennifer Carole Lewis Heather Elliott of Mindful Change began her workshop on overcoming impostor syndrome with a powerful anecdote.  She’d signed up for a program she was very excited about and when the feedback on her first assignment arrived and indicated she hadn’t fully grasped the material as yet, she was overcome… Read more: Recap Feb 2019: Successful Author Mindset with Heather Elliott

Event recap by Jennifer Carole Lewis We started the year getting WIPped into shape. Eve Langlais explained the many different online services and programs available for independent publishing today, such as Vellum, Draft 2 Digital, Findaway and Ingram. We didn’t get many takers on the first page critique with Jenn Burke, but if you’re interested,… Read more: Recap Jan 2019: WIP into Shape

Event Recap By Jennifer Carole Lewis Anyone who has ever sat in front of a keyboard to share the story in their head knows that writing is hard.  But there are some amazing prolific authors who are able to write tremendous amounts and ORWA was lucky enough to have four of them share their secrets… Read more: Recap: Prolific Authors Share Their Secrets (Dec 2018)

Before our workshop, we asked ORWA members who their favorite fictional detectives were, and if they write detectives in any of their stories! Workshop Recap Contributed by Jennifer Carole Lewis ORWA’s November workshop on the reality of private investigating and security was hugely informative.  Our special guest, a private investigator with over 20 years of… Read more: Recap Nov 2018: Private Investigator and Security Guard

Recap by Callie Amo: On October 14, 2018, local Ottawa historical/erotica romance bestselling author Sharon Page came to our group to discuss her five secrets to revising a work-in-progress (WIP). She has given her workshop before to ORWA, but it has become so popular that we had her give it again! Her workshop was very… Read more: Recap: Five Secrets to Painless Revisions (October 2018)

We might have taken the summer off, but with the start of the fall, it’s time for ORWA to gather once again.  We were delighted to break our long summer fast with Tanya Huff, a talented author who has written in multiple genres for the last thirty years.  Tanya spoke to us about the challenges… Read more: Recap: September 2018 Writing Workshop with Tanya Huff

  The 4th annual Romancing the Capital (RTC) event, organized by ORWA’s own Eve Langlais, happened August 2 to 4, 2019! The event had over 40 authors and 250 readers, making it a unique and intimate event that allows new and meaningful connections.  Several ORWA members were sponsoring authors of the event, including Lucy Farago,… Read more: Recap: RTC August 2018

Attend the ORWA spring social on June 11, 2017. It will be our last official event until we reconvene in the Fall. Awards ceremony We will be awarding members with our annual awards, including: Audrey Jessup Award Jo Beverley First Book Award Indie First Book Award Phoenix Award First Impression Award Make sure to let us… Read more: 2018 June Social

Genre fiction is all about entertaining and engaging the reader.  This workshop will focus on ways to keep readers up into the night, turning the pages.  #1 New York Times Bestselling Author, Kelley Armstrong, will provide strategies for maximizing reader engagement starting with the planning stages and continuing through to tips and tricks for picking… Read more: May 2018 Workshop: Page-Turning Fiction with Kelley Armstrong

Join Eve Langlais and discover what tools are out there to help you succeed in self-publishing! Event details Sunday April 15, 2018 (2:30-4:00 pm) Workshop presentation PDF. Recap coming soon!

Local blackbelt Rick Lutes gave a fantastic and comprehensive look at hand-to-hand combat, as well as practical demonstrations of the techniques with his student, Jim Johnston. Every culture has a system of unarmed combat. There are usually two forms: hard (eg. Karate or jiu-jitsu) where the martial artist attacks the target directly, and soft (eg.… Read more: March 2018 Workshop: Writing Realistic Fight Scenes

After a well-enjoyed holiday break, ORWA hosted our January workshop, Back to the Plotting Board, as a way to encourage us all to get back to the keyboard.  We broke into small groups and spent time helping one another with plot challenges, title ideas, and general inspiration. Some people will tell you that the value… Read more: January 2018: Back to the Plotting Board

Social Media Recap ORWA’s own Jessica Ripley gave us a comprehensive tour through the constantly shifting landscape of social media, particularly the big three sites: Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.  With hundreds of different sites and apps to choose from, authors have a plethora of options for keeping in touch with readers and finding new ones. … Read more: February 2018 Workshop: Social Media for Authors

In December 2018, ORWA had the privilege and pleasure of learning the ins and outs of making things go bang with a member of the Ottawa Tactical Response Team. The Tactical Response Team provides assistance in high risk situations and has a stringent selection progress.  The sergeant’s stories about Hell Week and the psychological requirements… Read more: December 2017: Writing Realistic Danger

November 2017 Event Description: Whether you’re tackling a timeslip or time-travel novel, a book within a book, a dual storyline, or simply a series of flashbacks, the technical challenges of interweaving two sets of main characters, two plots, and two story arcs stay the same: how do you switch back and forth without losing the… Read more: November 2017: Twin-Stranded Storylines with Susanna Kearsley

October 2017 Workshop Description: How to Help your Characters Speak Without Saying a Word 90% of communication is non-verbal, but what does it mean when someone lifts their chin, twirls their hair, or shakes with both hands?  By understanding the fundamental emotions and how they are expressed and experienced, an author can create a richer… Read more: October 2017: Beyond the Furrowed Brow

September 2017 Workshop Description Workshop 1:  Emotion without Sentimentality In this interactive workshop, bestselling author Alicia Rasley will help you explore two “non-purple-prose” ways of creating a compelling emotional experience for your reader: Story Design and Scene Design. You will leave with some seriously useful (but easily applied) strategies to deepen your story and scenes,… Read more: September 2017: Advanced Writing Workshop with Alicia Rasley

ORWA officers gave us the great opportunity of participating in a webinar with Mary Buckham on writing active setting in May 2017. It was a two-part webinar, with an initial presentation followed by a Q&A session a week later. This gave us plenty of time to review the information she gave us, re-watch the presentation,… Read more: May 2017: Writing Active Setting with Mary Buckham

Our April 2017 workshop this week was “You’ve written a book… now what?” and was led by two bestselling and prolific ORWA authors, Eve Langlais and Mandy Rosko. They discussed the pros and cons of traditional and indie (self) publishing, and what to do if you want to submit to a small, medium or large… Read more: April 2017: You’ve written a book… now what?

March 5, 2017 Workshop: Wattpad with Linda Poitevin Serialized fiction goes back to the time of Charles Dickens and is currently undergoing a revival in today’s digital world. Savvy authors around the globe are exploring this “new” way of publishing and reaping significant dividends. Join author Linda Poitevin for a look at Wattpad and Radish, two of the models currently… Read more: March 2017: Serialized Success with Linda Poitevin

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… Read more: February 2017: Bloody Believable With Sgt. Ugo Garneau

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… Read more: January 2017: But What Comes Next?: ORWA’s Brainstorming Workshop

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… Read more: December 2016: Holiday Social and Six Secrets to Create a Successful Bestselling Franchise

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… Read more: November 2016: Building Your Readership

The Plot and Sub-Plots Connection (10:00 – 12:00): No matter what your word count, subplots help create a rich, multi-dimensional world for your reader to escape to. In this workshop, using interactive exercises, RITA-winning and Bestselling Author Molly O’Keefe will help you figure out how to build subplots that will in turn create drama and conflict… Read more: October 2014: Full Day Craft Workshop with Molly O’Keefe

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… Read more: October 2016: From Idea to Execution: Plotting Your Next Bestseller

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,… Read more: September 2016: So you want to write a romance novel?

“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,… Read more: May 2016: Facebook: A Self-Help Workshop for Writers

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… Read more: April 2016: Edit Like a Pro with Laura Byrne Paquet

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… Read more: March 2016: Slay Your Writing Dragons to Make your Personal Goals Happen!

  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… Read more: February 2016: Legal Issues for Writers

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… Read more: January 2016: Beyond the Furrowed Brow with Jennifer Carole Lewis

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… Read more: December 2015: Bah Humbug! Character Arc, the Scrooge Way with Teresa Morgan

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,… Read more: November 2015: Intro to BDSM for Writers

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… Read more: October 2015: Library Love: How Does Romance Stack Up?

Don’t wait for that great opportunity to present itself. Go find it! Be in charge of your own career and make opportunities happen for you. Keep ahead of the trends. Look around. Learn from your own experience and the experiences of others. Watch the bestsellers and what they’re doing. Build your network. Expand your reach… Read more: April 2015: How to Make Opportunities Happen: 6 Strategies to Success

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… Read more: May 2014: How to Get Published: Tips from a New York Literary Agent

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… Read more: April 2014: Pitch Writing Practice and Critique

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… Read more: March 2014: Goal, Motivation and Conflict with Madeline McBride

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… Read more: November 2013: Writing Professionally: How to Succeed as a Writer with Candice Vetter

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… Read more: October 2013: The Business of Writing with Deborah Cooke

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… Read more: September 2013: Five Secrets to Painless Revisions with Sharon Page

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… Read more: May 2013: Martial Arts with Dave LeGallez and Rick Lutes

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,… Read more: May 2013: Publishing your Book

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… Read more: April 2013: How to Sell More Books with Maureen Fisher

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… Read more: March 2013: Story Structure with Marie Lilly

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.… Read more: December 2012: EFT Workshop with Madeline McBride

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… Read more: October 2012: Revising Your Manuscript with Roxanne St. Claire

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?… Read more: September 2012: Blog Tours 101 with Linda Poitevin

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… Read more: May 2012: Homicide with Steve Roberts

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… Read more: March 2012: Maggie Jagger’s Pitching Workshop

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,… Read more: January 2012: Care and Feeding of the Romance Writer with Tammy Plunkett

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… Read more: November 2011: Tax for Artists with Julia Stanley, CA

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. … Read more: October 2011: Using POV to Create Emotionally Powerful Scenes with Opal Carew

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… Read more: September 2011: Toning Up a Sagging Middle & The Movie Eye: Choosing the Right Scenes

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… Read more: August 2011: If the Self-pub Shoe Fits… with Teresa Morgan

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… Read more: July 2011: Getting Past the Hook with Molly O’Keefe

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… Read more: May 2011: Cut Through the Noise! with Jill Murray

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… Read more: April 2011: Practice Makes Perfect Pitching Workshop with Maggie Jagger

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… Read more: February 2011: Rob Fleck: Canada’s First “Top Gun” CF-18 Pilot

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… Read more: October 2010: Plotting with Sharon Page

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… Read more: September 2010: Stephany Evans, President of FinePrint Literary Management

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… Read more: May 2010: Plotting and Scene & Sequel with Sherry Lewis

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… Read more: April 2010: The Business of Writing with Claire Delacroix

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… Read more: March 2010: A Spotlight on Avon with Amanda Bergeron

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… Read more: January 2010: Kickstart Your Characters with Mary Jane Maffini

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… Read more: November 2009: Delivering the Goods: Creating a Believable Happily Ever After by Joanne Roc