Dean, I am interested in attending the PUBLISHING MASTER CLASS in October.
This will really be meaningful this year. I am in full swing in getting my writing on line and organized. I have been scrutinizing both yours and Kris’s web sites for ideas as I put up a web site for Aroung the World Publishing.
Dean, do you have an suggestions or recommendations for naming planets or nations on alien planets? Any dictionary tricks or anything like that you can share? In the alternative, if you know of a good reference work, that’ll do as well. Thanks in advance.
I have this issue all the time, so I\’ve found a few generators to help out. The key to these is to not necessarily take the results exactly as they are, but to play with the. Substitute a letter or syllable.
http://rinkworks.com/namegen/ – Use the standard choices or learn how to use the markup for creating a new list of words with your definition. I use custom results all the time when I want a name to start with a certain letter or have a certain syllable in it.
http://donjon.bin.sh/scifi/name/ – This will produce all sorts of science fiction names, from people to planets to planets, to spacestations and spaceships.
Anthology Workshop – ooooo, looks cool. As does “How To Write SF” with Kris.
We’ll see if I can get my production rate and my skill level (and my confidence) up to the point where I could effectively participate in workshops like that. Perhaps an online one before then to build rate/skill/confidence. And, of course, write write write.
Just sending you an e-mail Donna. Would be great seeing you guys again. And it’s not just me teaching. Kris and six others, including Allyson from WMG and Mark from Kobo are all teaching. Going to be fantastic.
Isn’t it odd how that works? After over 102,000 words of fiction in July and over 105,000 in August, my September fell away with just less than 50,000 and halfway through October I’ve hit only 30,000 (and stalled hard on a story 22,000 words in… ugh). Sometimes the magic just doesn’t work. The secret, for me, in addition to enjoying the playtime, is to remember I’ve been there before so I know I can get there again.
Susan, there are still two spots open, actually. I will write you directly later tonight to give you a description about the workshop. It’s not a good fit for everyone.
Dean – Interested in attending the Master business class in Oregon in October. Do you have more details available, i.e. workshops and instructors/schedule? Also, can the fee be paid in installments or is the full amount due right now? I’m just now transitioning from traditional to an indie career, but have been studying and preparing for over a year while waiting for final books to release under the contract and for my non-compete to expire. Heard good things about this workshop from Matt.
Not sure what you mean by workshops? The master business class is one full week of nothing but morning, noon, evening, and night of information for eight straight days. Plus networking with all the other professional writers attending. We know for certain the names under listing above. Joanna Penn, Kris, me, M.L. Buchman, Allyson Longueira. But there will be others with specialty information for an hour here or an hour there. Payment can be made in any way you want up until about a month ahead of the workshop when the full fee needs to be paid then. All money paid ahead of that one month deadline is refundable for any reason. So you can pay in installments, no problem at all. Feel free to write me if you want more information.
I’d really like to sign up for the Anthology workshop in early 2018 if there are still spots!
Please send me the sign up info, if so.
Thanks a lot!
-Lesley L. Smith
Dean, do you plan another PUBLISHING MASTER CLASS? I would be very interested in a course that discusses author websites, landing pages, converting books to ebooks, social presence….you know, all the stuff many of us hate. 🙂
Not so much a basic publishing class on how to do books to ebooks and stuff like that. You can find that information by a simple Google search for most of that.
However, in the Master Business Class we just finished, we talk a lot about the business stuff at higher levels, including ads, promotion, and a ton more. We will be doing another in October of next year.
But the basic publishing stuff we won’t be doing again. Too easy to find that information out there these days.
Dean
I loved the workshops in Lincoln City. I was looking forward to one this year. Tears in my eyes about the new location. This is a place I run away from. The coast, the mountains, Lincoln City the atmosphere that calmed me is what I run toward.
You always filled your workshops and I am sure you will continue to do so. They have all been great. If you do plan one in Lincoln city please let me know.
Until then – The best to you and Kris.
Ron
Yup, I understand, Ron, but trust me, without the Anchor, the coast workshops would be a bust. And Kris and I toured the new location in Vegas yesterday and it is stunning. And has food that people with food allergies and health issues can eat, which Lincoln City did not.
So sorry we won’t be seeing you. The workshops are for learning writing and the business of writing. We are now making that easier for writers to do instead of much, much harder.
We had one person who was signed up saying they would miss the hiking and all the relaxing time between sessions of the workshop. They were new and I damned near rolled out of my chair laughing. They were expecting a retreat, not a WMG workshop. (Grin) I think we dodged a bullet with that one.
But that said, Ron, there is still a chance we will do some small workshops in Lincoln City. But we won’t know that until later in the year after the dust settles.
Am a newbie here but have been following you and Kristine via Alli / Orna’s videos, Joanna Penn’s podcasts etc… and would love to attend your workshops and download some of your wisdom! Do you still have space in your 2018 MASTER BUSINESS CLASS? Also, am wondering if there will be an overlap if I attend the 20 books to 50K conference that’s happening soon after in LA as well?
EIther way, looking forward to meeting you both one day. Cheers.
There sure is room. Details at http://www.wmgworkshops@gmail.com. More details coming there next week as far as instructors and so on.
As for overlap, just about none. This class is very advanced stuff ranging through everything an indie writer needs in business. I am doing a class and some panels at the 20to50 conference. It is a much more basic conference. So think of it this way, this is the immersion class, the 20to50 is the how to get to what you learned in the Master Class.
Thanks for the info and kind words on book covers. I’ll reflect on this a bit further, double check flights and hotel and such before registering. .Thanks & cheers.
Heard AMAZING testimonials from Blaze and Leah at Ninc this year about your blurb class, Dean! Will you be running that soon? In what context–live or online or what?
In fact, the next six week workshop on writing Sales copy will start in November and I will have those available up on Teachable on Thursday or Friday. Any questions, feel free to write me directly.
Heard AMAZING testimonials from Blaze and Leah at Nic this year about your blurb class, Dean! Will you be running that soon? In what context–live or online or what?
The class you are talking about is the Sales class that is in January as part of the regular workshops. Right between Writing into the Dark class and Depth in Writing class.
34 Comments
Ron Mueller
Dean, I am interested in attending the PUBLISHING MASTER CLASS in October.
This will really be meaningful this year. I am in full swing in getting my writing on line and organized. I have been scrutinizing both yours and Kris’s web sites for ideas as I put up a web site for Aroung the World Publishing.
Is there still and opening and how do I pay you?
Ron
dwsmith
Ron, there is room, actually. I’ll e-mail you a bunch of data later tonight as well as how to pay.
In fact, your timing is perfect since I am just starting up the group e-mail list for the workshop now.
Harvey
Dean, do you have an suggestions or recommendations for naming planets or nations on alien planets? Any dictionary tricks or anything like that you can share? In the alternative, if you know of a good reference work, that’ll do as well. Thanks in advance.
dwsmith
Not a clue. I just make sure every name is pronounceable for my audience. And in my Seeders novels, everyone so far has been human.
Just caution on making a name unpronounceable. But never heard of a help guide on this. Anyone???
J.A. Marlow
I have this issue all the time, so I\’ve found a few generators to help out. The key to these is to not necessarily take the results exactly as they are, but to play with the. Substitute a letter or syllable.
http://rinkworks.com/namegen/ – Use the standard choices or learn how to use the markup for creating a new list of words with your definition. I use custom results all the time when I want a name to start with a certain letter or have a certain syllable in it.
http://fantasynamegenerators.com/#realNames – All sorts of names here, not only by country, but fantasy and scifi names.
http://donjon.bin.sh/scifi/name/ – This will produce all sorts of science fiction names, from people to planets to planets, to spacestations and spaceships.
http://www.scifiideas.com/alien-name-generator/ – Alien name generator.
http://www.springhole.net/writing_roleplaying_randomators/90saliennames.htm – Alien name generator, but can also be used for planets.
http://enneadgames.com/generators/planet-name-generator/ – Planet name generator.
dwsmith
Thanks, J.A., much appreciated.
Mary Kathan
Looking forward to the Class Announcements for 2016!
SO Glad you are having the Mystery Class again.
Jeff Soesbe
Anthology Workshop – ooooo, looks cool. As does “How To Write SF” with Kris.
We’ll see if I can get my production rate and my skill level (and my confidence) up to the point where I could effectively participate in workshops like that. Perhaps an online one before then to build rate/skill/confidence. And, of course, write write write.
– yeff
Terry & Donna Mixon
Terry and I would love to attend the Master Class. I believe he sent you a note a bit ago.
We’very wanted to return multiple times since 2012. Thankfully the stars have aligned and voila!
We would adore it if we could be assigned to one of the kitschy exterior rooms at The Anchor for our stay.
Please let us know .
We still have much to learn. And you are the master.
dwsmith
Just sending you an e-mail Donna. Would be great seeing you guys again. And it’s not just me teaching. Kris and six others, including Allyson from WMG and Mark from Kobo are all teaching. Going to be fantastic.
Harvey
Isn’t it odd how that works? After over 102,000 words of fiction in July and over 105,000 in August, my September fell away with just less than 50,000 and halfway through October I’ve hit only 30,000 (and stalled hard on a story 22,000 words in… ugh). Sometimes the magic just doesn’t work. The secret, for me, in addition to enjoying the playtime, is to remember I’ve been there before so I know I can get there again.
Susan Faw
Hi Dean,
I would be interested in one of the two spots left for the Anthology workshop in Lincoln City, OR in late February, if there is still a spot open?
dwsmith
Susan, there are still two spots open, actually. I will write you directly later tonight to give you a description about the workshop. It’s not a good fit for everyone.
Kellie Coates Gilbert
Dean – Interested in attending the Master business class in Oregon in October. Do you have more details available, i.e. workshops and instructors/schedule? Also, can the fee be paid in installments or is the full amount due right now? I’m just now transitioning from traditional to an indie career, but have been studying and preparing for over a year while waiting for final books to release under the contract and for my non-compete to expire. Heard good things about this workshop from Matt.
dwsmith
Not sure what you mean by workshops? The master business class is one full week of nothing but morning, noon, evening, and night of information for eight straight days. Plus networking with all the other professional writers attending. We know for certain the names under listing above. Joanna Penn, Kris, me, M.L. Buchman, Allyson Longueira. But there will be others with specialty information for an hour here or an hour there. Payment can be made in any way you want up until about a month ahead of the workshop when the full fee needs to be paid then. All money paid ahead of that one month deadline is refundable for any reason. So you can pay in installments, no problem at all. Feel free to write me if you want more information.
Josh Langston
I’d like to sign up for the Fantasy Workshop in April, 2018. I’m just not sure how.
Michèle Laframboise
I wonder if you invited Helen Sedwick? She is an attorney specialised in indie publishing legal matters.
dwsmith
Maybe in a future year, Michele. We’re set this year. Thanks!
Lesley L. Smith
I’d really like to sign up for the Anthology workshop in early 2018 if there are still spots!
Please send me the sign up info, if so.
Thanks a lot!
-Lesley L. Smith
dwsmith
Lesley,
Got your email, sorry for the delay. Back with you shortly.
Maggie Smith
Also looking to sign up for the Anthology class. Can you send me information to sign up? (or is there a link on this site? couldn’t find it)
dwsmith
Sending, Maggie. The information is up under the Coast Workshops tab and you can contact me at any point through contact me or just email me directly.
Ronnie
I’m interested in the anthology course in Feb. 2018. Hope there is still a place.
Angela Hatch
Dean, do you plan another PUBLISHING MASTER CLASS? I would be very interested in a course that discusses author websites, landing pages, converting books to ebooks, social presence….you know, all the stuff many of us hate. 🙂
dwsmith
Angela,
Not so much a basic publishing class on how to do books to ebooks and stuff like that. You can find that information by a simple Google search for most of that.
However, in the Master Business Class we just finished, we talk a lot about the business stuff at higher levels, including ads, promotion, and a ton more. We will be doing another in October of next year.
But the basic publishing stuff we won’t be doing again. Too easy to find that information out there these days.
Ron Mueller
Dean
I loved the workshops in Lincoln City. I was looking forward to one this year. Tears in my eyes about the new location. This is a place I run away from. The coast, the mountains, Lincoln City the atmosphere that calmed me is what I run toward.
You always filled your workshops and I am sure you will continue to do so. They have all been great. If you do plan one in Lincoln city please let me know.
Until then – The best to you and Kris.
Ron
dwsmith
Yup, I understand, Ron, but trust me, without the Anchor, the coast workshops would be a bust. And Kris and I toured the new location in Vegas yesterday and it is stunning. And has food that people with food allergies and health issues can eat, which Lincoln City did not.
So sorry we won’t be seeing you. The workshops are for learning writing and the business of writing. We are now making that easier for writers to do instead of much, much harder.
We had one person who was signed up saying they would miss the hiking and all the relaxing time between sessions of the workshop. They were new and I damned near rolled out of my chair laughing. They were expecting a retreat, not a WMG workshop. (Grin) I think we dodged a bullet with that one.
But that said, Ron, there is still a chance we will do some small workshops in Lincoln City. But we won’t know that until later in the year after the dust settles.
Tikiri Herath
Hi Dean,
Am a newbie here but have been following you and Kristine via Alli / Orna’s videos, Joanna Penn’s podcasts etc… and would love to attend your workshops and download some of your wisdom! Do you still have space in your 2018 MASTER BUSINESS CLASS? Also, am wondering if there will be an overlap if I attend the 20 books to 50K conference that’s happening soon after in LA as well?
EIther way, looking forward to meeting you both one day. Cheers.
dwsmith
Tikiri,
There sure is room. Details at http://www.wmgworkshops@gmail.com. More details coming there next week as far as instructors and so on.
As for overlap, just about none. This class is very advanced stuff ranging through everything an indie writer needs in business. I am doing a class and some panels at the 20to50 conference. It is a much more basic conference. So think of it this way, this is the immersion class, the 20to50 is the how to get to what you learned in the Master Class.
Any questions at all, feel free to write me at dean.wmgworkshops@gmail.com. Hope you can make it.
And Tikiri, great branding covers on your series. Nice job there.
Tikiri Herath
Thanks for the info and kind words on book covers. I’ll reflect on this a bit further, double check flights and hotel and such before registering. .Thanks & cheers.
Jennifer Stevenson
Heard AMAZING testimonials from Blaze and Leah at Ninc this year about your blurb class, Dean! Will you be running that soon? In what context–live or online or what?
dwsmith
It’s called writing Sales Copy and it is online on https://wmg-publishing-workshops-and-lectures.teachable.com
In fact, the next six week workshop on writing Sales copy will start in November and I will have those available up on Teachable on Thursday or Friday. Any questions, feel free to write me directly.
robert wadra
Heard AMAZING testimonials from Blaze and Leah at Nic this year about your blurb class, Dean! Will you be running that soon? In what context–live or online or what?
dwsmith
The class you are talking about is the Sales class that is in January as part of the regular workshops. Right between Writing into the Dark class and Depth in Writing class.