Virtual Teen Writing Workshops: June + July 2020

Posted on April 25, 2020

For the last four years, I have been holding Teen Writing Workshops in Paris. From 1-day seminars to 5-day fully-immersive writing workshops, I have welcomed English-speaking teens in France to learn, create and write with me.

And now, for the first time, I am thrilled to announce my first virtual workshops – held via Zoom.

WHEN
For America/Canada/South America I will be holding a 5-day workshop from June 22-26, 11am-6pm EST.

For Europe I will be holding 5-day workshops from July 6-10 and July 13-17, 10am-5pm CET.

WHO
For ages 13-18. 12-year-olds may apply if they are avid readers/writers.
Maximum 15 participants.

WHAT
Write, learn and create with international bestselling author Amy Plum. We will discuss the major building blocks of writing, as well as skills writers use to make their story pop from the page and engage the reader.

Day 1: Creating Credible Characters

Day 2: World Building

Day 3: Spellbinding Settings

Day 4: Diverting Dialogues

Day 5: Twisting Tales

Includes:

Methodology (where writers find their ideas, how to publish a book, etc.)
Games and writing exercises to build writing skills
Confidence-building for creatives
Give and receive positive and constructive critiques
A friendly, relaxed environment encouraging openness and creativity

TUITION
Tuition, virtual workshop: 350 euros. (In-real-life Paris workshop: 500 euros)

HOW
To sign up, write me here with the following information:

Participant’s name
Birthday (age at time of workshop)
City (for time zone)
Participant’s interest in writing (what they have done, and what they hope to do)

Hope to see you this summer in Paris…virtually!

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“Where’s the next book?” An answer.

Posted on January 10, 2020

The last three years have been…interesting. I wrote one book – this time for adults. (Psychological thriller/horror set in Siberia.) It didn’t sell. I rewrote it to be YA…with a boy as main character. My agent suggested it would be better with a girl. I rewrote it again with a girl main character. We tried to sell it…and failed.

I wrote a full-length film with a friend – a rom com. It was our first screenplay, so we knew it was basically just practice, and that’s what it turned out to be. A really fun idea, but not terribly well executed.

I wrote a short film called “Kewpid and Psych-ee” for an upcoming TV series “WHATEVER AFTER” which was selected for and screened at the Marseille Web Fest (among others).

I wrote a middle-grade comedy genie book, which I sent to my agent last year, and which she loved but says needs a bit more work. (She’s right.)

Then I ghost-wrote a upper middle-grade book, which I just finished before Christmas.

In between time, to pay the rent, I translated a book from French to English, taught teen writing workshops in Paris, and did all sorts of other little projects for TV and books, finally taking a 3-day per week job writing TV commercials in English for a big ad agency located a block from my house. I chose it so I could come home to walk Obi, fix the kids lunch on Wednesdays (1/2 day school in France), and take the occasional lunchtime nap.

I’m telling you all of this to answer your question: Where’s the next book? The answer: it’s coming! I’m not sure what form it will take, but being a writer is not an easy job when you are supporting a family smack dab in the center of Paris. The important thing is that I am still writing. And there is definitely much more to come.

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