What's the Scoop: Winning Webinars with Whale Rock Workshops

A Review by Lynne Marie 

I recently attended my second and third Whale Rock Workshops! 

They were each very different and provided essential strategies for informing success as an author. 

The first one was with multi-published Author and Writing Coach Heather Demetrios, Understand Your Process to Change Your Mindset. Heather is the author of Young Adult novels, including Some Thing Real,  I'll Meet You There, Little Universes, and Code Name Badass: The True Story of Virginia Hall (2021), and more. 

This was a very interesting exploration of when, where and how to write and maximum our performance. Not only was this helpful for process, but also for keeping in check emotional frustrations of writing, as well. I know so many people who would have benefitted from the working tips, but the mindful process. 

We did a lot of mind mapping, as well as discussed writing process, flow, orienting oneself, writing guidelines, personal challenges and even how to approach scenes. I did leave the webinar feeling I had a better approach to writing and a better mindset for accomplishing my goals when I left.   

Next, was Kathryn Erskine. This was more craft-focused than process, so as much as I loved Heather's workshop, I loved this one even more! I think it was a good choice to lead with Heather's though, so that we approach Kathy's tips on craft with an effective butt-in-chair process to proceed it. 

Again, I got tons of notes as we focused on how to make the most of beginnings, middles and ends, as well as got a personal look into Kathryn's experiences in writing these parts of her various best-selling books. 

I am signed up for all the rest of the series, but one in particular that I am super, super excited for is this one with the best-selling author of Vampirina Ballerina and its sequels, among other! 

Tap into Your Toolbox

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 7, 2021 7:00-8:30 PM EST

FEATURING BESTSELLING AUTHOR ANNE MARIE PACE

We writers love to talk about gathering new tools for our writers’ toolboxes, but sometimes those tools get lost at the bottom of the box. Join picture book author Anne Marie Pace as she helps you dig out those essential tools and hone them for use in revision. This session will also take a close look at the rule of three, poetic devices, and parallelism (and even tap into the ninth grade grammar you’ve forgotten, but which is actually quite useful). 18 students maximum

And, I'm still seriously thinking of attended the one on Prince Edwards Island in the Fall. 

If you wish to join me in the Fall or online, you can register here:

https://www.whalerockworkshops.com/winter-speaker-series-registration

See you there -- Lynne Marie

Whale Rock Workshops is owned and run by Shari Becker. 

Shari Becker was born in Montreal, Quebec, and grew up speaking both English and French. As a child, she spent her summers in the Adirondack Mountains catching fireflies, minnows, and toads. After completing a master’s degree at New York University, Becker worked for Nickelodeon, Disney-owned companies, and an Emmy Award–winning puppeteer. She is the author of two picture books, including the Charlotte Zolotow Award–honored and Junior Library Guild–selected Maxwell’s Mountain. She most recently published Sprouting Wings with Louisa Jagger, illustrated by Floyd Cooper. She now lives in Brookline, Massachusetts, with her husband, two daughters, and their dog.