Video Lessons

These ten lessons present everything you need to know about writing (and publishing) your story or novel. A bonus lesson is included that takes you through the steps to format and upload your finished novel to an online printing company.

Each video lesson is 15-22 minutes long. If you are using Writers Roundup or Writers Gold Mine, page numbers corresponding to the practice and writing exercises are given for each video lesson.

1 – The Five Story Elements

This is the foundational lesson. You will learn how to look at stories with “Author Eyes,” in order to understand how a story is put together. At the end of this lesson, you will be familiar with the five story “puzzle pieces” you must have to create a good fiction story. (22 minutes)

2 – Characters

This lesson introduces story element #1 – Characters. Using charts, you learn to create your characters’ physical and personality traits, as well as their likes and dislikes. Why? In order to bring your characters to life. (16 minutes)

3 – Characters’ Feelings

This lesson digs deeper into the Character story element. You will write character sketches from the charts you created in lesson two. You will also learn one of the most important writing lessons: “show-don’t-tell,” and use this skill to express your characters’ feelings. (20 minutes)

4 – Character Expression

This last part of the story element, Characters, digs into the details of dialogue. Use tags like “he said” and “she said,” action tags, and sometimes no tags. This lesson also covers how to punctuate dialogue. Point of view is presented and how to avoid “head hopping” from one character’s head to another in the same scene. (20 minutes)

5 – Freeze That Scene!

Story element #2, Setting, is presented. Learn how to use an imaginary writing camera to describe KEY characters, settings, and objects for your stories, how to identify “dead” words, and how important it is to use vivid words when creating descriptions. (18 minutes)

6 – Beginning Hooks

Story element #3, Story Problem, is introduced and explores two important writing skills. 1) how to create a 40-word (or less) nutshell summary for your story, and 2) how to create a beginning that hooks your reader from the very first page. (24 minutes)

7 – Plot Events: Ups & Downs

Story element #4, Plot Events, or “ups and downs” is presented. Without conflict, your story stalls and could even die. Learn to brainstorming “what ifs?” to keep your story moving, and how to create a plot outline for your story. (20 minutes)

8 – Plot Events: Creating Scenes

Story element #4, Plot Events, continued. Learn how to create scenes based on your plot outline. A short story may have one or two scenes. A novel many scenes. Learn what elements need to make up a scene in order to keep your story moving toward the high point, or “climax.” (20 minutes)