RedPen Nine-Online

Is this you?

• Planning to write something substantial in 2023 (a novel or a collection of essays)?
• Already embarked on such a project and want to see it completed in 2023?
• Needing an introduction to (or a reminder of) of the fundamentals of writing?
• Looking for more efficient ways of editing?
• Looking for feedback on your work-in-progress project?
• Keen to make 2023 the year you finish that project!

If so, join me for a series of nine online workshops.

The Nine-Online course is designed for you

Hosted by me, Anne Rainbow, these sessions provide space for a small group of writers to develop a novel or a collection of short stories in the company of other like-minded individuals.

Put these dates in your diary.

• 18 January
• 15 Feb
• 15 March
• 10 May
• 7 June
• 5 July
• 20 September
• 18 October
• 15 November

Session 1 is a time to meet each other and decided our priorities for the next eight sessions. Then each of sessions 2-8 will be split between tuition (slides/discussion), exercises with short amounts of time to complete exercises, and then two or three spotlight sessions for writers to share their work and receive feedback.

There’s time between sessions to make identifiable progress on our projects and to complete any ‘homework’ (!). The final session will look back on what we’ve achieved and we’ll make plans for 2024.

What will we cover?

In each session, one or more topics of ‘theory’ will be addressed. Think of these as pebbles: specific skills in writing creatively, or editing strategies to polish your words until they shine.

These theory sessions will be designed to address the needs of those attending and will include the fundamentals of writing fiction.

• The role / purpose of a plan / outline / documentation and the production of eg a synopsis, an outline, a blurb and a pitch
• The various structures available (3 Act, Beats, etc)
• The elements (events, characters, locations) and strategies (perspective, point of view, show versus tell) of storytelling
• The elements of writing such fiction modes (eg exposition, dialogue, description, summary, transitions, …)
• How time is conveyed: tenses, incorporating flashbacks

Central to the course will be the opportunity to share work and to comment on each other’s material.

There will also be much for attendees to do between times:

• working on their own project
• completing some exercises
• reading and reviewing the work of others ahead of the next session.

I too will be busy: preparing for sessions, reading everyone’s work and giving feedback, and editing the videos of each session to share with all course attendees.

It’s not essential to be writing using Scrivener – whatever floats your boat – and I will promote efficient strategies for writing, revising, editing, proofreading, giving feedback, processing feedback.

And, I will try my best to make it an enjoyable fun experience for all!

How do you join?

It’s important  for all those attending to commit to all the sessions for 2023, so we build a strong supportive network of writers which will result in greater progress for all.

Each session is 2 hours in length: 3.45-5.45pm. Within each session, there will be writing opportunities – and time to grab a cup of coffee or have a comfort break – so you are not staring at the screen for 120 minutes solid!

The course costs £270 for the complete series of nine sessions (equivalent to £30 per person per session) and can be purchased via the RedPen Shop.

A video of each session will be made available to all course members. So, if you cannot attend in person, on the day, you will not miss the fun!

Places are limited. Book early to avoid disappointment … via the RedPen Shop.

For more details, contact Anne Rainbow on 07721 695044 or by email at anne.rainbow@btinternet.com

Anne Rainbow moved from Surrey to Devon in 2006 with her husband, artist Stephen Thomas. Ha-ha retired, Anne wears three hats: writer, mentor and teacher.

As a writer, Anne has published under two names: Jenny Lawson and Anne Rainbow. Her extensive publishing career of text books in Mathematics, and IT/Computing can be viewed on her LinkedIn profile: www.linkedin.com/in/anne-rainbow-69b3945/

Since moving to Devon, Anne has completed NaNoWriMo more times than she cares to remember and has several unfinished novels that keep her busy. She took on the role of Municipal Liaison (ML) for Devon and Cornwall for several years, encouraging the formation of writing groups that would meet monthly rather than just for November. Several of these groups still meet and the Truro group have recently published an anthology of short stories. Anne was involved, hosting a full-day editing workshop when the stories were at the first draft stage. A second anthology is in production and one of Anne’s stories appears in that anthology.

Her blog on the ScrivenerVirgin website encourages writers to use Scrivener, the sophisticated writing tool, which can take an author from blank page to self-published book.

Her website is also the door to RedPen through which Anne offers online training for writers in self-editing, publishing and marketing.  For a few students at a time, this provides access to her RedPen Mentoring scheme.

In her ebook, EDITING The RedPen Way, Anne explains her tried-and-tested approach to self-editing.
Anne’s objective is always to help budding writers to learn how to edit their own words, and therefore to maximise their chances of having their manuscripts accepted for publication. And, she makes it sound fun!

When Anne is not working with other writers, or devising courses, she makes time for her own writing: writing plays and editing those NaNo novels.

She has written three short plays and had all of them performed, script in hand. Running Wild Though Barren Ground was performed at TR2 in 2013, Coming Clean had two nights at The Drum in 2015, and When I have Fears was performed at Bridport Arts Centre in 2017 and then in Kingsbridge in 2019.

Anne is currently a student herself on an Advanced Playwriting course with CityLit and working on a full length play Waving, Not Drowning.