Gail Anderson-Dargatz  

Workshops for Groups
For groups and organizations. Email Gail for more.

About:

Gail offers readings and writing workshops for many organizations, and will sculpt a presentation to suit your needs.

Book club and private writing group events on Zoom are free. Honorariums for library events and public writing workshops vary from $200 to $400 depending on workshop length and nature of the funding. Funding for events may be available through TWUC, of which Gail is a member, with the National Public Readings Program.

For more, contact Gail's office at books@gailanderson-dargatz.ca

Here's a sample of writing workshops that Gail offers:

From Literary to Thriller: Crossing Genres to Add New Life to Your Craft

Writers too often get stuck writing in just one genre. In this workshop, bestselling novelist and writing mentor Gail Anderson-Dargatz offers her own experience to demonstrate how borrowing from the toolboxes of other genres can breathe new life into our craft and writing lives and open the door to new markets.

Writing Hi-Lo Books for the Educational Market

People think writing for kids is easy, but any writer who publishes children’s or YA fiction will set you straight: writing for kids is hard. Writing hi-lo books for striving readers is even harder, but also highly rewarding, and there is a growing market for high-interest, low-reading-level books. In this interactive workshop, award-winning novelist Gail Anderson-Dargatz will talk about the craft involved in writing hi-lo books, a vibrant market that many writers aren’t aware of.

 

Overcoming Our Fears to Write Powerful Stories

Our fears can stop us from finishing a book -- or even starting it. We may feel we need to stick to writing only what we know, and write from personal experience, but then worry about what Mom will think. And we so often avoid our protagonist’s conflicts, for the same reasons we avoid our own. The result: passive protagonists and wandering storylines.

Author and writing coach Gail Anderson-Dargatz will draw from more than twenty years of experience as a writer, teacher and developmental editor to explore the many ways we avoid conflict in our projects and our writing lives, and offer solutions that will help kickstart your writing and help you develop your project to the fullest.

Pantser or Planner? Approaches to Plotting Your Novel

The real work of the novelist is developing conflict and structure, and most writers struggle with it. Fortunately, past writers have done the heavy-lifting. Gail will offer an overview of approaches to constructing plot, whether you’re writing literary or commercial fiction. She’ll follow up with exercises you can do at home to help you better understand story, and the outlining process. 
 

Blue Pencil Sessions

Bring a 2000-word sample of your manuscript to an online or in-person meet-and-critique event with award-winning author and writing coach Gail Anderson-Dargatz. Ask those pressing questions about craft or the publishing industry in this quick 20-minute session.

 

 

Work with Gail

Gail works with writers at all levels, from newbies to pros. Choose the course that best suits your project.

The Clean Sweep

Writing is messy. Clean it up! Get a detailed edit of your story, pitch package, grant application or any short project under 20,000 words.

Alpha and Beta Reading Service

Alpha and beta readers give feedback on a manuscript from a reader’s perspective. Move your project forward with this affordable service.

Writing Retreat

This week-long writing retreat in the Shuswap region of British Columbia is timed to coincide with the sockeye run on the Adams River, a natural wonder.

Creative Writing Course

This course is offered free to writers enrolled in Gail's fiction mentorships, developmental edits, and fall retreats, to support instruction.

Meet and Greet

Meet Gail for a 20-minute Zoom session to get a sample edit or discuss which one of Gail's services is right for you.

Blue Pencil Sessions

Not your average blue pencil session, this consultation with Gail is a full workshop. Book at any time.

Fiction Mentorships

Gail's flagship course. In this one-on-one, private, four-month online mentorship, Gail will guide you as you put together your fiction project.

Developmental Edits

For writers with a complete draft. Gail digs deep into your manuscript's big picture story elements -- themes, story goals, conflicts and structure, character arcs, pacing, point of view, and dialogue -- to help you develop your project to the fullest.

About Gail

Gail's novels have been national and international bestsellers and two have been short-listed for the Giller Prize, among other awards. She works with writers from around the world on her online teaching forums.

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