Events

Toby will read from her books at:

Watermark Gallery
100 S. Charles Street
Sunday, April 29, 2012
2-4 p.m.

Join her as she leads three workshops at The Writer's Center, Bethesda, Maryland:

Women's Fiction
Days: 4 Thursdays
Time: 10:30–1:00 A.M.
Dates: 5/24/2012–6/14/2012
Level: Beginner/Intermediate

This course answers the age-old question, "What do women really want?"...in fiction, that is. We’ll talk about gender-specific differences in plot, level of action, and character development; discuss characters women relate to, what makes female readers (and agents/editors) wince, and what makes them (surprisingly) cheer. We’ll compare the formula novel to the break-out novel, the stand-alone to the series, and see what makes for success in each. Class exercises, peer and leader critiques of work-in-progress will offer practical guidance in shaping your project for publication. And we’ll take a look at the current market for women's fiction.

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Realism and Rhythm in Dialogue
Days: 4 Thursdays
Dates:;7/12/2012–8/2/2012
Time: 10:30–1:00 P.M.
Level: Beginner/Intermediate

People in novels don't talk the way real people talk, but good writers make them sound as if they do. We’ll focus on creating believable dialogue that advances the story and emphasizes characters’ personalities; we’ll explore the rhythm of dialogue, how to avoid stilted exchanges and long monologues, how the pace of dialogue reflects tempo of plot, and when dialogue works better than narrative. We'll cover internal monologues, dialect, and how stylized dialogue establishes an author’s unique identity. We’ll write/review our own passages and, reading aloud, hear how written dialogue reflects but doesn't replicate spoken exchanges.

The Pleasures/Perils of Writing First Person POV
Days: 1 Saturday
Time: 1:00–3:30 P.M.
Dates: 6/9/2012
Level: Beginner/Intermediate

Having your narrator tell his own story creates an intimacy unparalleled by other points of view. But first person POV has drawbacks; its narrow vision holds the author and the reader to a single perspective. What happens to conflict/suspense when the action is seen from only one POV? How does the writer admit the reader to a larger universe? Learn techniques for finessing the limitations while preserving the emotional impact of first person. Class exercises that include writing the same scenes from varied viewpoints will illustrate the pitfalls and produce solutions for writing effectively in first person.

For more information and to register, go to: http://www.writer.org/

For more information about events or to schedule events with Toby, email Toby at readers@tobydevens.com