Don’t Step on the One!
My husband and I have decided to take salsa lessons, and last night was our first class. We’re learning New York style salsa or “On 2,” which means (confusingly) you start on the two count instead of the one. It’s like that scene from Dirty Dancing where Johnny snaps at Baby, “don’t step on the one!” Baby, I feel your pain.
Speaking of classes, I used to teach regular workshops at The Writers Center in Bethesda (and I may again some day) but for now I’m thinking about offering email courses to my subscribers.
The way it would work is this:
You would receive two lessons a month, delivered straight to your inbox.
The lessons would include writing assignments, which you could then share in a private online forum with other writers taking the course.
The courses would last anywhere from one to three months and likely cost $5 a month.
Do you have 3 minutes to spare?
I’m excited about the possibility of offering email courses. I’ve been writing seriously for fifteen years now, and I’ve taught workshops at The Writers Center, The San Miguel Writers’ Conference, and the Hands On Literary Festival. I’m also a former high school math teacher, so, you know, teaching is my jam.
Now I’m wondering what types of writing you’re doing (or interested in doing), and what kinds of courses you might enjoy. Could you help by filling out this quick, anonymous survey? It should only take a few minutes and would be really useful as I start to design my email courses. Thank you in advance!
Take this quick survey about your writing interests.
Writing News
#1 Only have time to write a short-short story? Love to Write by Globe Soup is sponsoring a “Show Don’t Tell” Challenge Contest for short stories of no more than 50 words. It’s free to enter, and the winner receives £100. Not bad for fifty little words. Get writing because the submission deadline is St. Patrick’s Day (March 17).
#2 Are you a querying writer looking for a boost of positivity? #Pitlight this Saturday (March 5) is a new event on Twitter for writers to share their pitches and mood boards with other writers. Industry professionals will NOT be paying attention, but this could be a great way to make connections in the #writingcommunity and gain Twitter followers. Plus, you can test out pitches for upcoming “official” pitch events like:
April 7 (8 am—8 pm EST): #MoodPitch — BRAND NEW Twitter pitch for all un-agented authors of all genres and age categories, with a mood board image added
April 14 (8 am—8 pm EST): #LGBTNPit — annual twitter pitch event for queer, trans, and nonbinary authors with a special focus on trans and nonbinary people
June 1 (8 am—8 pm EST): #CanLitPit — twitter pitch party just for Canadians
June 23 (8 am—8 pm EDT): #PitchDis — Twitter pitch event to showcase pitches from the disabled community.
#3 Want to learn psychology-based tips and tricks on how to write more often? Margaret Ellis Raymond’s writing workshops start soon and are open to virtual learners.
That’s all for now. Hope you’re all doing well, and remember: don’t step on the one.
Sincerely,
Eva