Colorado Free University

20 Writing Go to www.freeu.com to view complete course descriptions and instructor bios. Inside the Publishing Industry Get Your Manuscript Through the Door Gain first-hand knowledge of the industry from local author Jeff Danelek . Discuss various paths to publication available to aspiring fiction and non-fiction writers and how to overcome the hurdles, pitfalls and scams so common to the industry. Discuss whether you need and how to acquire an agent, how to write an effective query letter and synopsis, and how to build a platform from which to sell your book. Look at the value of entering writing contests, how and when to pitch to agents and editors, and other useful tricks of the trade designed to get your name into print. A must for beginning authors and “old hands” who have been trying for years to get their manuscript into print without success. A member of the Author’s Guild, Jeff designed this course to teach serious writers how to get their manuscript into the hands of an agent or editor. $56 Non-Member $44 Member CFU LOWRY : Near 1st & Quebec 1963CB: One Sat., 1–3:30PM 4/24 1963CC: One Sat., 1–3:30PM 6/19 Self-Publishing Ins & Outs, Pros & Cons More and more writers are venturing into self-publishing to get their work out. This is your opportunity to get the inside scoop. Evaluate the pros and cons, find out where to go and how to get your work into print, and get guidance about marketing and distribution. Explore the trade-offs of selling with Amazon with its wide reach and built-in algorithm of royalties versus using another platform that lets you keep a much higher percentage of sales. Whatever your genre, this class will take the mystery out of the business and help you think like a publisher while you write. Alex Delia runs a small press in Denver called Puncture. He publishes books on genre fiction, comic books, and pop culture analysis. He is currently writing a comprehensive guidebook on the self-publishing process. $56 Non-Member $44 Member ONLINE : Via Streamyard 2005AM: One Thu., 6:30–9:30PM 5/20 2005AN: One Thu., 6:30–9:30PM 7/15 NEW! The Fundamentals of Designing & Illustrating Children’s Picture Books You’ve dreamed of illustrating children’s picture books but don’t know where to begin. Through lecture and discussion, this class teaches you to recognize the different types of children’s picture books and decide on a story and the type of book you want to illustrate. Picture book illustrators must be able to reproduce a character in different poses and expressing different emotions. Learn how to use thumbnails to design your character and get comfortable drawing your character. Then take your rough drawings and do a final, full size representation of the character. In addition to time you spend in class, you will be able to submit a copy of your story to the instructor to get individualized feedback. Anna- Maria Crum has illustrated over 50 children’s books and has served on the board for RMC- SCWBI and PBAA. She taught illustration, graphic design, and typography for fourteen years. She is a three-time finalist for the Colorado Book Award and has won the Printing Association’s best picture book award for her illustrations and design. $111 Non-Member $99 Member ONLINE : Via Zoom 2002AM9: Three Sat., 10–11AM Begins 5/1 2002AN: Three Sat., 10–11AM Begins 7/17 NEW! Step 2 in Designing & Illustrating Children’s Picture Books Putting It All Together You’ve created a character for your children’s picture book and now you have to illustrate the book. In this follow-up workshop to Introduction to Designing and Illustrating Your Children’s Book, you’ll learn how to divide your story into a 32-page format, identify key scenes to illustrate, and incorporate text with your illustration. Work on thumbnails, character designs, and the composition for a two-page spread. Learn how to query an editor and/or agent with your work and the type of illustrations needed in a portfolio. Submit a copy of your story to the instructor to get individualized feedback. Each class with start with a lecture followed by a discussion. Award-winning Anna-Maria Crum has illustrated over 50 children’s books and has served on the board for RMC-SCWBI and PBAA. She taught illustration, graphic design, and typography for fourteen years. $111 Non-Member $99 Member ONLINE : Via Zoom 2009A: Three Sat., 10–11AM Begins 5/22; Skips 5/29 Plot Doctoring Your Novel No hook in your inciting incident? Saggy middle? Climax a dud? Take advantage of this online course to fix your story problems. Prior to class, submit a one-page synopsis of your story and receive PDF materials from the instructor by email. The Zoom class will be a mixture of instruction via video and discussion. Learn what every plot needs and how to spot and fix problems in your story. Following class, schedule a 20-minute private coaching session to discuss the strengths and weakness of your story and possible solution for your plot problems. Anna-Maria Crum is the published author of 22 grade school readers, an adult book, and a co-author of a choose-your-own-adventure digital novel. She is a co-owner of Plot Doctors, a service that analyzes stories based on a detailed synopsis and then offers solutions to help writers strengthen their character development and story structure. She has served on the board for RMC-SCWBI and has mentored writers who have gone on to sell their manuscripts. $61 Non-Member $49 Member ONLINE : Via Zoom 2008Y: One Sat., 12PM–2PM 4/17 2008AA: One Wed., 6–8PM 6/9