This autumn, I’ll be teaching a series of writing workshops at the Main Branch of the Parsippany Library in Parsippany Troy-Hills, NJ. These are available free to the public and will run every Monday night from September 11th through October 16th from 7 pm until 8 pm. For more information about the venue and directions, you can visit the library website here.
Registration is free, but you do need to sign up ahead of time to give them an idea of how many people to expect. At the time of my posting, the first class is already listed as full but you can still sign up on the waiting list for if someone cancels or they increase the room size. I’ll be selling copies of my writing books at all events and also having a sign up for an advanced copy of the long delayed Make Ready to Write so I look forward to seeing you there!
Each week we’ll be covering a different aspect of writing, as well as a variety of types of writing from memoir and non-fiction to screenplays and novels. Attend the whole series or just pop in for the topics that interest you.Â
Here’s the breakdown of what we’ll be covering in each workshop…
No Matter Your Genre, Story is King: Writing from Life vs Writing from your Imagination
September 11th, 7 PM
Register here
Do you want to create fantastical worlds or write from your own experience? Imagine that big budget film or demystify the minutia of your own world? Whether you’re writing about something true— such as memoirs, self-help, biography or other non-fiction— or creating your own characters and world, each genre carries its own expectations and storytelling principles. In this workshop, we’ll be covering the differences between the different genres and types of writing and the thing that unites them all: King Story.
Starting a Writing Habit
September 18th, 7 PM
Register here
Do you want to write but have no idea where to begin? This workshop will show you how to get started and integrate writing into your life. No matter whether you write for yourself or aspire to publish, building a regular writing habit is the easiest way to make actual progress on your goals. No matter how busy you are, you can fit writing into your already busy life and author Hillary DePiano is here to show you how.
Prepping a Writing Project (even if you hate to outline!)
September 25th, 7 PM
Register here
Can you just dive into a writing project head first with no plan? Of course! But writing a book or script is a long march. The more prep work you do upfront to ready not just your story but also your tools and life itself, the more likely you are to reach The End. In this workshop, we’ll cover strategies for prepping any major writing project, even if you’re an outline-phobic pantser!
Storycraft Basics: From GMC and Needs vs Wants to Story Structure
October 2nd, 7 PM
Register here
Stephen King talks about writing craft as a toolbox. You may not need every tool in your box, but the more you know, the more strategies you have to hand the next to you’re stuck in your writing. In this workshop, you’ll get a crash course in the most important basics of story structure to help you no matter what genre you write. From GMC and wants and needs to character arcs and popular story structure models, you’ll leave with plenty of new tricks to add to your writing arsenal.
Writer, Blocked! Pushing through when your writing stalls out
October 9th, 7 PM
Register here
You’ve started writing, but something stands between you and The End. Maybe it’s the dreaded Writer’s Block, or maybe it’s something else entirely. This workshop we’ll go over proven strategies for getting your story back on track and the words flowing again, no matter how stuck you are!
I Finished My Book, What Now?
October 16th, 7 PM
Register here
Once you finish your book or script, you might wonder, what happens next? In this workshop, we’ll cover the next steps, from revision and editing and getting beta readers all the way to publication and beyond. From indie and self-publishing to the traditional agent structure of legacy publishers, there are a lot of options to consider. Author Hillary DePiano is here to educate you on the choices and help you decide what’s best for you.
I’ll also be teaching some online workshops in 2024 so if there’s a topic you’d really like to see me do a workshop on a venue that’s looking for a speaker, please let me know!
Hillary DePiano is a playwright, fiction and non-fiction writer who loves writing of all kinds except for writing bios like this.
