inspiration

FEEDBACK AND REVISION RETREAT! AUGUST 9 – 11 2024

/ Edwina Shaw / 2 Comments

The view from our spectacular private lookout in Springbrook

Have you made it all the way to the end of your first draft? Most of the way? Or at least a bit, but then you got stuck? Need some help and motivation to move onto the next stage of writing? Do you like a deadline? Make this retreat the deadline for your first draft! Need to prepare pitch documents and figure out how, and where, to submit your work?

This retreat is for you!

This special retreat is for those with a bit of writing under their belts, looking for some advice and information on self-editing and structure. Get ready for your second draft!

Workshops are focused on:

  • Finding the themes and key messages of our stories and honing in on those in the manuscripts,
  • STRUCTURE – working out a structure that will support and enhance your plot and make it a compelling read.
  • Fixing your sentences. Get your head around the nitty-gritty of sentences and learn ways to clean up your prose to make it strong and vigorous.
  • Pitch to agents or publishers and learn how to write that dreaded synopsis.

Connect with other writers at a similar level and get useful advice and feedback on your work in progress in small feedback groups, or pay a little more for written feedback from Edwina and an individual session to talk through any issues you’re facing.

All in beautiful Springbrook in the Gold Coast hinterland with plenty of room to spread out and lie in the grass to write, or prop yourself up against a giant tree, or hole up in your room all weekend and just write your heart out without distraction. Ask questions and get all the answers you need from Edwina and the braintrust of attending writers. Have fun and relax. Stretch out with yoga every morning and let go of all your worries with deep breathing and relaxation techniques in the evening.

Explore the beautiful grounds, take long walks at the nearby National Parks, or wander down to our lookout and waterfall and rock hop your way to solitude in nature. Let the birdsong and rustle of leaves soothe you as you write and rewrite, then come sit by the fire and talk through any challenges with your project with other writers as you feast on Gay’s delicious home cooked meals and treats.

A weekend out of time, just for you and your story. You’ve been working hard on your book. Treat yourself to this weekend of connection and information, to help elevate your story and prepare it for publication.

THIS RETREAT IS ALL INCLUSIVE

All meals, workshops and accomodation in comfortable but basic single rooms with a desk and electric blankets for those cold winter nights are included, all for only $500 (early bird unwaged) or $650 (early bird – employed).

EARLY BIRD PRICES CLOSE 30 June 2024. BOOK YOUR PLACE NOW to avoid disappointment, places are already filling.

Check that spaces are available with Edwina first, then PAY YOUR $200 DEPOSIT before 30 June to secure early bird prices.

Any questions or to get the flyer, contact Edwina.

Come and join the fun and joy of connecting with other like-minded writing women. Make this August your time to have your first draft finished and reward yourself with this uplifting, informative and inspiring retreat!

Hope you can come!

Lots of love

Edwina xx

THE “C WORD” METHOD OF CREATING CHARACTER DRIVEN NARRATIVES

/ Edwina Shaw / 3 Comments
Lucille Ball – one Crazy Character!

I may have gone a bit C Crazy but once I started, I just couldn’t stop.

As we all know the very best stories spring from the motivations, needs, strengths and weaknesses of the Central Character. The most important part of the word Character is the ACT in the middle. Action reveals the truth of who this person is. Not what they look like, though this gives us clues. Not what they say, though this can be great and very useful if juxtaposed with what they do. 

The Character must ACT, not react. They must Choose an action at some point, and they must Change or refuse to Change. This is what makes a protagonist the main character really.

Don’t go too crazy!

So, the C WORD METHOD.

A Character needs to have a CURSE, a CAUSE, CRAVING or a CALLING. They can have all four if you like but they must have at least one. This Curse, Cause, Craving or Calling – which in not C word terms would be your story goal or the character’s “desire” – usually springs from a CRISIS in their past. A wound or scar in their backstory that has shaped who they have become. 

For example, Madonna the pop star may have been a neglected middle child, always searching for her father’s approval so she CRAVED attention and sought it from the applause of strangers.

Harry Potter has a CURSE – the lightning bolt on his forehead is proof of this imbuing him with a piece of Voldemort. He also has a CAUSE – to save the world from the curse of Voldemort’s darkness and a CALLING – to lead the forces of good and defeat Voldemort. 

A story I recently wrote set during the reforming of the Catholic church through Vatican 11 in the 1960s was about a nun who CRAVED divine connection, was CURSED by her childhood in an orphanage and had once felt a CALLING but now found it lacking.

Nuns having fun 🙂

Figuring out your character’s C words will help form the plot of your story. Whether it’s flash fiction or a full-length novel.

            The C WORD METHOD continues as follows:

Start with your CHARACTER with a Cause, Curse, Calling or Craving

Then throw them a CALL TO ACTION – otherwise known as the inciting incident (also nice use of Cs) or CRISIS that spurs them to pursue their C word.

Then all you have to do is pile up COMPLICATIONS, CONFLICTS OR CHALLENGES into a CRESCENDO until you reach the

CLIMAX and then show us the CHANGE in the CHARACTER in the 

CONCLUSION!

Have fun creating chaos!

A cacophony of crazy Cs to create a cool, character-driven, competition-catapulting (fingers crossed) story!

Have a go. What is your character’s C Word?

Lots of love

Edwina xx