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Pennwriters, Inc.
P.O. Box 957
Somerset, PA 15501
info@Pennwriters.org

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HomeOverview of Courses

Online Classes Overview

A Year's Worth of Classes

All Pennwriters Courses are conducted in a "live" presentation format utilizing the Zoom platform. If a conflict arises based on the required meeting times, please contact the instructor and Online Courses Coordinator to find a possible solution. ALL sessions will be recorded and will be available for students.

Please note that days and times of meetings vary each month. If you have further questions, please contact DJ Stevenson.

All Pennwriters events, including online classes and other meetings are easily found on the website calendar.



November Online Class: Mastering the Mystery of Crime Fiction
Instructor: Annette Dashovy
Class Meeting Dates: November 2, 9, 16, & 23 on Zoom
1:00 PM to 2:00 PM
See details below
January Online Class: Take Control of Your Career as an Indie Author
Instructor: James Rada
Class Meeting Dates: January 7, 14, 21, & 28 on Zoom
7:00 PM to 8:00 PM
See details below
February Online Class: The Idea Factory: A Genre-Hopping Writing Workshop
Instructor: Diana Botsford
Class Meeting Dates: February 4, 11, 18, & 25 on Zoom
7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
See details below


 

Line Up of Classes for 2024-25


November Online Class: Mastering the Mystery of Crime Fiction
Instructor: Annette Dashovy
Find all the details here: Mastering the Mystery of Crime Fiction with Annette Dashovy - 11/2/2024

Course Details:
A course geared toward those seeking to delve into the world of crime fiction or those who have already drafted a mystery or suspense story that maybe isn’t as mysterious or suspenseful as you’d hoped. As an award-winning author of more than 15 novels of mystery and suspense, Annette Dashofy will share what she’s learned about creating a page-turning whodunit that will keep readers on the edge of their seats, guessing and second-guessing the identity of the killer. She has taught this material in individual segments over the years for various Sisters in Crime chapters both online and in person, at Pennwriters Conferences, and other writing conferences around the country. In this course, she’ll combine the separate classes into one course.

 



January Online Class: Take Control of Your Career as an Indie Author
Instructor: James Rada

Read all the details and register at this link: Take Control of Your Career as an Indie Author w/James Rada - 1/7/2025 

Course Details

This class begins with a look at the advantages of becoming an indie author, and how you can make money. We will then look at getting your manuscript ready. This is your product. You have to put it together. This not only means getting it professionally edited but formatted with a cover. We’ll talk about how to get all these done and whether it’s worth it to do yourself or hire someone.

Once the manuscript is ready, we look at choosing your printer. Do you go offset or POD? Hardback, paperback, and/or ebook? How do you compare the pricing? With a product and a way to get it to market, we’ll look at the basics of selling your book. However, marketing can be a class on its own. This will get you started down the right path for you.

Finally, we’ll go over the business basics you need to run your business, and yes, being an indie author is being a business owner. By the time the class is done, you will have a good overview of what you need to do to start maximizing your income as an author.



February Online Class: The Idea Factory: A Genre-Hopping Writing Workshop
Instructor: Diana Botsford

Read all the details and register at this link: The Idea Factory: A Genre-Hopping Writing Workshop w/Diana Botsford - 2/4/2025 

Course Details

This four-week online course explores the expectations and anticipations of three major fiction genres: speculative (science fiction/fantasy/horror), romance, and mystery/thriller. Participants will engage in on-demand lectures, in-class exercises, and live workshop sessions. The course begins with an introductory week focused on general writing principles and genre exploration with in-class writing exercises, followed by three weeks of genre-specific workshops. Each participant will craft two original premises and provide critiques for two others, resulting in a collaborative and intensive learning experience.





How do I register for an online class?


Calendar

Online Coordinator

I have a question about the fees for this or another class...


Any and all money questions should be directed to our Club Treasurer.

Treasurer