VERONICA HINKE

author • speaker • journalist • coach

Writing Workshops

As a pulished author of a historical novel and lifelong journalist, I’ve learned a thing or two along the way and I am glad to share some of those lessons.   I have created a series of workshops that are intended to navigate your writing path and give voice to your inner story teller. My workshops are time for you. They are a time to show your personality, explore your story and connect with people with relate-able struggles and successes.

Each workshop is three hours long  and loaded with skills building, as well as anecdotal advice and encouragement.
Workshop investment: $275

For upcoming workshop dates or to register:

EMAIL ME

1). RESEARCH

You’ve got an idea stirring in your head, but you’re not sure where to go with it. Maybe you need more facts, more cultural or historical context or an inspired idea for a character or storyline.   The process of research can open unexpected doors to story creation.  This workshop helps you brainstorm who, where, what and why to research even your smallest idea. If you’ve got a blank page if front of you but you can’t get started writing, (what some people call “writer’s block”, or “writer’s blank”), it’s because you don’t have enough content yet. It’s that simple. You need to do more research. So how do you gather content? In three sessions I will share from my experiences and you will learn about the following skills needed to generate content:

 

  • HOUR ONE: Online Research, Library Research, Research of Public Records
  • HOUR TWO: Interview skills and techniques; learn how to find sources to interview
  • HOUR THREE: Practice interviews

2). JOURNALISM LIVES!

Go back to basics as we cover the importance of journalism law & ethics, Associated Press writing style, story construction (lede, nut graph, kicker) and more. We will also discuss the history of journalism and some of the key people in history who helped shape journalism as a professional public service. We will cover writing blogs, feature stories, 200-350-word profiles and more. This workshop is perfect for subject matter experts looking to hone their reportorial skills to streamline communications at work. This workshop carves out the basics of journalism school for budding bloggers looking to change careers without going back to school full-time.

 

3). FIND YOUR VOICE, WRITE YOUR STORY

Whether you are writing your own memoir or telling someone else’s story, this workshop is intended to help you find your writing voice and your story. You can utilize those same skills to tell others stories. What questions can stimulate the deep memories within you that will spark the story you hold? We will study approaches that will help you find your story and how to tell it in a way that will compel others to want to learn more.

 

4). GROUP REVIEW

Peer review, constructive criticism and creative brainstorming can take your story from good to GREAT. Run your rough draft, or maybe even just your first idea for a story, past people who are just like you. Receive valuable feedback from the kind of people you envision as the audience for your story. You will also learn by listening to the stories of other workshop participants. What did they do that you want to try? How do you feel about your own short story after hearing theirs? Bring your short story (100 pages or less) to the workshop group and we will provide a constructive critique of each other’s story. Send your story in advance as a read-ahead before the three-hour session (more time for larger group

 

If you are interested in learning more about any of the workshops above or for upcoming dates and registration, EMAIL ME.