Just About Clear

That’s Why All The Announcements Lately…

I am about to get back to writing shortly, since this four months of move is almost over. And Kris and I wanted to make sure everything we had been talking about starting was announced.

So we announced the Master Business Class in October in Las Vegas. As of this moment there are six spots still open. www.wmgworkshops.com and click on the Master Business Class for more information and the fantastic list of instructors.

And we announced the nifty new Study Along workshops and got them all up on Teachable.com. Those allow you to study along with the craft workshops in Las Vegas while staying home. Details are at:

https://deanwesleysmith.com/study-along-workshops/

And we announced a Lifetime Subscription to those and also a Lifetime Subscription to the Las Vegas Workshops. Information on that in the last post.

A lot of things to consider for learning going forward, and that doesn’t count the regular online workshops.

But the move and all the announcements are basically done and things are settling in for me now. So I decided I wanted to do one more thing… (grin)

Short Story and Novel Challenge…

Tonight and the last few days I discovered a couple people had not gotten my very late replies on the challenge from this last spring. I had read them late in early June (which was already late because of the move), but two of the writers didn’t get my comments.

(Anyone else turn something in to me for that challenge and I didn’t respond because of this move, write me.)

Anyhow, I got looking at the challenge and realized I really liked it and that for the first time since February when all this move suddenly started, I would have time for it again and enjoy it as I ramp up my own writing again.

So if anyone is interested, a new short story and novel challenge will start on September 1st, more than enough time to get ready.

It will be limited to five short story writers and five novelists. And if you sign up and pay, you also get two regular online workshops if you give the challenge a shot.

So Here Are the Details if Interested…

There are two challenges starting September 1st. A short story challenge and a novel challenge. The short story writers do 30 stories in 60 days, turn them in to me. The novel writers do three novels in three months and turn them in to me as they finish each one.

I read all the way along and take notes because I don’t want to get behind, but I tend to wait toward the end before mailing out my responses because the last thing anyone needs is my voice in their heads while they are trying to do their own work.

After you are done, you get your two regular online workshops ($600 value) to take when you want.

As a first reader, I comment as a reader and as an editor some. I say what I like, what doesn’t work for me, and general stuff like that. I D0 NOT COPYEDIT or REWRITE your story or help plot a story. However, I did tell the short story people if a short story would work as a novel. (grin)

And more importantly, if I thought a story worked, I said so. Simply and clearly.

Also a fun side detail on this. I have bought five stories for Pulphouse so far from the three challenges. I tell the people to send them off to other markets first, but if they don’t sell, send them back. Five have come back that fit my new magazine. A wonderful bonus for me I had not expected.

So I am going to do this again if anyone is interested to write starting September 1st and have me be your first reader. Both short story and novel challenges.

So here are the rules of the challenges and the details and costs.

I WILL ONLY TAKE FIVE FOR EACH CHALLENGE.  So jump in real quick if you want to do this. They fill every time so far, usually very quickly.

SHORT STORY Challenge:

— Write thirty short stories in 60 days. You can take the full time or you can write them in a month. Up to you.

— I will charge $600 to be your first reader. You get two online workshops of your choice, a $600 value when you are finished, just for giving it a try. (In essence I read for free.)

— If you feel the challenge is not working for you, you can take an off ramp and get the two online workshops at any point. So you can try this risk free.

NOVEL Challenge:

— Write three novels in September, October, and November You can take the full time or you can write them quicker. Up to you.

— I will charge $600 to be your first reader. You get two online workshops of your choice, a $600 value when you finish or the time runs out. (In essence, I will read for free if you do the challenge.)

— Novels can be any length over 30,000 words and at least half of the first one must be written during the time of the challenge.

— If you feel the challenge is not working for you, you can take an off ramp and get the two online workshops at any point.

My duties as first reader will be this:

I will read your story or novel as a reader, comment as a reader and as an editor some. I will tell you what I liked, what didn’t work for me, and general stuff like that. I WILL NOT COPYEDIT or REWRITE your story or help you plot your story.

— A warning… I have a thick skin and Kris can say if she liked a story or not or if it worked or not and I just shrug and write the next story. To finish a challenge like this, you would need to keep my comments out of your head. I might even suggest you don’t look at my comments that do I do send until the challenge is over. I more than likely will be reading, but not sending back comments so you won’t be tempted until done with the challenge.

— Cost is $600. No restrictions. First five signed up and paid for each challenge are in.

So in summary, pay $600 to get me as a first reader for thirty stories or three novels. Start on September 1st^.  Short story challenge goes until the end of October, the novel challenge until the end of November. You get two $300 online workshops when over and my reading for free.

This was great fun for me this last three times. I am actually surprised at that.

So looking forward to being a first reader for some of your work. And if you have done the challenge before and want to do it again, fine by me.

Of course, you could always just do it on your own and play along, test to see if you can do it without me reading your stories.

Any questions, feel free to write me or ask in the comments section.

Yes, I am this crazy to do this a fourth time. But you all knew that.