DiAnn Teaching Workshops For Central Houston IWA

DiAnn is excited to share multiple topics with Central Houston IWA – Exploring the Art of Character, Plotting, Emotion & Dialogue.

WORKSHOP SCHEDULE

8:00 – 8:15 Check-in / Refreshments

8:15 – 8:35 Welcome: Martha Rogers, President Devotional: Martha Rogers Speaker Introduction: Connie Parks, Vice President

8:35 – 9:35 Workshop – Exploring the Art of Character

9:35 – 9:45 Break

9:45 – 10:45 Workshop – Exploring the Art of Plotting

10:45 – 11:00 Break

11:00 – 12:00 Workshop – Exploring the Art of Emotion and Dialogue

12:00 – 12:30 Closing Remarks / Q&A

WORKSHOP SUMMARIES

Exploring the Art of Character

The purpose of a story is for the reader to hook arms with a character and walk together into an

adventure—to imagine, envision, care, experience life from a different point of view, and feel.

This hands-on class will dive deep into personality, backstory, motivation, and the psychology of

character to ensure the writer’s story-players pass the credibility test. Have you considered your

character’s love language, lies he/she believes, sacrifices, self-preservation behaviors, and more?

Exploring the Art of Plotting

Plotting is an art, a skillful expression of a writer’s creativity and imagination. It’s aesthetic and

evocative, and it invokes powerful emotions through the action of three-dimensional characters

who strive to achieve a goal. This workshop shows the writer the essentials of the beginning,

middle, and ending with always an emphasis that story trumps structure. This hands-on class

shows the writer how to skillfully plot, and the techniques apply for pantsers or outliners.

Exploring the Art of Emotion and Dialogue

Every word, action, reaction, and internal thought breathes emotion. Feeling makes us human,

helps us communicate and analyze life. Our characters process emotions based on their

personality, career, culture, backstory, education, relationships, and life experiences. Exceptional

dialogue occurs when character interactions become a war zone where the verbal and nonverbal

exchange explodes into action and emotional turmoil. This hands-on workshop shows how to

write dialogue with emotion that is unique, fresh, and exciting, and always builds tension.