Roundtable Discussion – Your Writing Practice: Pitfalls and Solutions

Join Straw Dog Writers Guild for a community-based roundtable discussion to share your best ideas and most stubborn blocks with fellow writers to gain insight into your writing process and community resources. This craft workshop with Michael Favala Goldman and Lindsay Rockwell will take place on Saturday, December 16, from 10:30am-12pm at Northampton Center for

Every 4th Reader is Listening: Getting Your Book into Their Ears

Narrator Scott Ellis shares, “As an audiobook narrator and retired teacher, I am always looking for ways to engage more people with audiobooks. I am looking forward to being with your group to walk through the entire process of audiobook production: from searching for the right narrator on the right platform, understanding the lingo used

Let’s Make a Scene

Scenes are the building blocks of screenplays. Like Legos, each one is strong and intact on its own — but its purpose is to be part of a larger structure. This is a seminar for anyone interested in the many ways screenwriting differs from prose. To get the most from our time together, read a

Uneven Characters: Filling in the Cracks

Writing characters can be difficult, but it doesn’t have to be! In this workshop, we will go over what makes a character three-dimensional, using inspiration from ourselves and the people around us to create realistic characters (positive and negative traits, dynamic vs. static characters, etc.), and dialogue vs. action and how to utilize both to

Small Publishing in a Big Universe

Join Straw Dog Writers Guild for our May craft workshop “Small Publishing in a Big Universe” with writer Steven Radecki on Sunday, May 21, 4:00-5:30pm via Zoom. Between traditional publishing and self-publishing there is small publishing. We discuss the place that independent publishers play in the publishing ecosystem, comparing and contrasting the submissions processes, benefits,

Historical Research: Fact and Fiction

Historical Research: Fact and Fiction will review methods of historical research, with emphasis on first-person, or primary, sources. The presenters will be at the Swift River Valley Historical Society and will have access to their archive room. The presentation will include on-line research and problems and obstacles with historical records. The presenters will also discuss

Crash Course on Using Dialogue

A Crash Course on Using Dialogue. Or, how to avoid “Hi, how are you?” / “I’m fine, thanks. And yourself?” / “Just wonderful.” / “That’s great to hear. Have a nice day.” / “You as well!” with Morgan Talty will be held virtually via Zoom on Saturday, November 19, from 10:30am-12noon. Register HERE. “Don’t ever

Writing Funny Workshop with Terianne Falcone

Whether you want to write comedy or just punch up your writing with humor, there are tips and tricks that you’d want under your belt. In fact, some of these “rules” transfer into any and all types of writing. In this two-hour free workshop, Terianne Falcone shares some of the standard techniques such as “The

Character Whispering: Strategies for Further Insight with Justine Dymond

Join us on Saturday, April 23, 10:30am – 12:00pm for a Straw Dog Writers Guild Craft Workshop: Character Whispering: Strategies for Further Insight with Justine Dymond, Whether you are playing with possibilities for new stories or trying to get closer to a character you’ve known for a while, this workshop will offer a variety of