Arts & Entertainment

The Writer's Center to Offer Free Writing Workshops at Gaithersburg Book Festival

The Gaithersburg Book Festival is featuring free writing workshops for adults on Saturday, May 18. The workshops will be offered by The Writer's Center.

Gaithersburg writers, are you looking for a chance to hone your writing skills?

"Aspiring writers have a chance to hone their skills and learn more about the craft in a series of free workshops presented by The Writer’s Center during the 2013 Gaithersburg Book Festival on Saturday, May 18, 2013," a festival statement announced.

The workshops will be open on a first-come, first-served basis, and are limited to 20 participants. Register for the workshops in The Writer's Center's tent at the Gaithersburg Book Festival, held from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on May 18 on the grounds of Gaithersburg City Hall. (Admission is free.)

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"The Writer’s Center [at 4808 Walsh St., on the Bethesda-Chevy Chase border] is thrilled to be partnering with the Gaithersburg Book Festival. At The Writer’s Center, we believe great readers make the greatest writers," Zachary Fernebok, marketing and program manager for The Writer's Center, said.

"There is no better way to support the literary arts than to support local authors by reading, sharing and being inspired by their work. The Gaithersburg Book Festival reminds us how important it is to celebrate reading, and [The Writer's Center] is proud to serve Montgomery County’s community of readers and writers," he added.

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The Writer's Center's workshops on May 18 at the Gaithersburg Book Festival include:

Speed Speechwriting: 120 Minutes from Idea to Standing Ovation (ages 18 and up)—10 to 11 a.m.

Presented by James Alexander

There are numerous elements involved in speechwriting. The process involves as much analysis and thinking as it does writing and wordsmithing. Take a two-hour tour during which you will learn how to conceive, plan and write a speech that will interest and inform an audience on any topic.

Playwriting: About Process (ages 18 and up)—11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Presented by Richard Washer

In this session, we will discuss, explore and attempt to demystify one of the more personal and varied aspects of a creative writer’s craft: process. Process can vary by writer as well as by project, but knowing some strategies can help you overcome the inevitable challenges that arise in the course of any writing project. Although the focus in this session will be on playwriting, writers of all genres are welcome.

Whodunit! How to Write a Mystery (ages 16 and up)—1 to 2:30 p.m. 

Presented by Alan Orloff

Always wanted to write a mystery? Then come and join the fun! Orloff, a featured author at past Gaithersburg Book Festivals, will discuss writing fundamentals as they apply to the mystery and its many subgenres (thrillers, too). We’ll cover mystery-specific conventions and pitfalls including TSTL syndrome, macguffins, red herrings, killer twists, wacky sidekicks and clue dropping. Fun, educational and…mysterious!

Setting in the Short Story (ages 16 and up)—2:30 to 4 p.m. 

Presented by Jim Beane

This workshop offers an in-depth look at how setting helps bring your stories to life. Discussions will focus on developing specific details, sensory description mood and atmosphere. Participants will do short readings and writing exercises to learn how a writer uses setting to create an authentic fictional world. Be prepared to share your in-workshop work.

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For more information about the workshops, the presenters and the schedule, including additional workshops geared for younger writers, please visit http://gaithersburgbookfestival.org/gbf-programs/workshops.


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