Free Writing Workshops for Adults & Children at This Year’s Gaithersburg Book Festival

Interested in writing thrillers or finding the inspiration to finish your first novel? Looking to develop your own comics or graphic novel? Or maybe you want to see your byline in print? If so, the 15th Gaithersburg Book Festival has something for you. On Saturday, May 18, attendees will have the opportunity to participate in free workshops on these topics and more.

Attendees are invited to participate in any or all of these workshops:

Getting Out of Your Own Way to Forge Your Best Writing Life – 10 a.m.
In this interactive workshop, presenter Amy L. Bernstein will work with you to explore psychological and emotional factors that hold you back from committing to your writing craft fully and authentically. Identify and confront the “tape loops,” values and cultural tropes that prevent you from finding time to write, taking your writing seriously, and/or pursuing publication. Participants will take away fresh insights into their identity and behavior as writers along with basic techniques for turning their red light green.

Memoir as Haiku – 11 a.m.
Join this workshop, led by Nancy Arbuthnot, to learn about the classic Japanese haiku. You will leave with the poetic techniques of imagery, alliteration, assonance and consonance, and be able to create vignettes of significant life moments.

Comics and Graphic Novels for Grown Ups – Noon
Whether through comics, manga, graphic novels, webtoons or beyond, words and pictures combine to tell dynamic stories that draw in readers of all ages. You don’t need to be a master illustrator to develop compelling characters and action. In this workshop, led by Dave Roman, you’ll explore how you can put your ideas on paper to tell creative, visual stories.

How to Submit to Magazines and Newspapers – 1 p.m.
Many writers dream of seeing their work published in newspapers and magazines, but are unsure how to achieve their goal. Plus, there is the dreaded fear of those rejection letters. Learn the tips of the trade from Laura Sturza – who has received hundreds of rejection letters and lived to tell – and published her work. In this workshop, you’ll learn how to prepare work for publication, research prospective magazines and newspapers, write a compelling pitch, learn best practices for keeping track of submissions, and celebrate the successes and heartaches that come with the process.

Creating Memorable Characters – 2 p.m.
Write characters that pop off the page in this prompt-filled workshop designed to create distinctive and memorable characters. In this workshop, led by Caroline Bock, you’ll experience fast and fun exercises on description and dialogue.

How to Write a Thriller – 3 p.m.
Learn how to write a thriller with John DeDakis. This workshop offers an overview that demystifies and deconstructs how it’s done – from the germ of an idea, through the creative process, with an eye on getting a finished book into the hands of potential fans. Discover the necessary components that make up a thriller, and look at how to tap into your subconscious and life experiences to transform them into a book-length project, populated with interesting characters, a high-stakes plot, snappy dialogue and interesting settings.

Finish Your Novel! – 4 p.m.
Have you been working and reworking the beginning of your novel but can’t seem to push past a certain point? You want to finish the first draft, but something is stopping you from making progress. In this workshop, led by Eva Langston, we’ll discuss common writer roadblocks and practical tips for overcoming them. You’ll also make a plan for finishing your novel, set deadlines and learn ways to hold yourself accountable to your goals. You may even find another writer to be your accountability partner. This workshop is for anyone who is ready to finally type “the end.”

The workshops, which are 55 minutes long, will be held during the Festival in the Adult and Teen Workshops Tent. No pre-registration is required for these free workshops.

For the workshop schedule and more information about instructors, visit the Adult & Teen Workshops page of the Festival website. There also will be Children’s Workshops geared to young writers, ages elementary school through high school.