It’s often said that your opening chapters are the hardest part of a book to write. Why? Because you’re trying to do so much in that small area–convey the setting, introduce characters, set up the conflict–that it’s easy to get bogged down in too much unnecessary information. It’s also very easy to lose sight of where your story actually begins and end up with opening chapters filled with backstory and character history that are better used elsewhere in the book.

On Your Mark, Get Set will help you pinpoint where your story really begins and help you cull that extraneous back history from the opening, saving it for where it really matters, the rest of the book.

Over the course of five lessons, you’ll explore character backstory and GMC (goal, motivation, conflict) and use them to pinpoint your story’s inciting incident (a.k.a the true beginning of your book). Each lesson includes a writing exercise and instructor feedback.

Catherine Chant is a Romance Writers of America (RWA) Golden Heart® finalist. She writes rock ‘n’ roll romantic fiction and stories with paranormal twists for young adults.

Catherine worked for 15 years as an IT computing & communication consultant at her alma mater Boston College before becoming a full-time writer. She teaches several online workshops for writers throughout the year and provides instructional articles on computing, gaming and crafts to different websites.

Catherine is currently working on a new young adult suspense novel, and the next book in her Soul Mates series.

You can connect with Catherine her website https://catherinechant.wordpress.com/

Romance Writers Online will conduct this workshop via a discussion board forum located on this website.  However, access to the site is restricted by login and password to ensure that the workshop is only available to those that are authorized to attend.  This is not an email loop workshop.

How is this workshop held? This workshop is held on a forum-bulletin board based system.

Will I get a reminder that the workshop has started? The best way to be notified is to click the ‘Save to Calendar’ button below. It is set up to notify you five hours before the workshop begins.

I still have questions, help! Not a problem! Please email workshops@romancewritersonline.org