The Doll Festival is a yearly tradition in Rokugan, in which young girls show off their dolls and young boys fly kites in the streets. This year, the festival takes a dark turn...
Fiction Fundamentals Part 1: Plotting and Planning
Summary:
In-depth workshop: learn how to avoid extra work by planning your story and all of its elements from the beginning.
Description:
Have you ever wasted time writing rough drafts of stories as you wandered from scene to scene, unsure of how to connect the dots, and only realizing who your protagonist is after you reach what you think is the end of the story? Did you then need to go back and make massive revisions, reworking characters and scenes to make everything flow from the beginning? We can show you how to avoid much of that heartbreaking and time-consuming work. While it may seem like extra work, planning your story, its characters, and the world they inhabit from the beginning will save you time and effort in the long run—and knowing what you need to include will save you a great deal of trial and error. Handouts and worksheets to be provided. Attendees are encouraged to bring a three-ring notebook and plenty of paper to take notes.
In-depth workshop: learn how to bring stories to life and how to fill your writing with the details that matter.
Description:
You have a clear direction for your story as well as an understanding of its main characters and its world. Now it’s time to breathe life into your creation. Effective scenes need to grip the reader and keep him or her engaged. You’ll learn how to improve your pacing and how to inject your scenes with emotion. You’ll learn what constitutes quality dialogue and how it operates, and you’ll learn how to truly bring stories to life and how to fill your writing with the details that matter. Exercises will walk attendees through crafting a rough draft of a scene. Handouts and worksheets to be provided. Attendees are encouraged to bring a three-ring notebook and plenty of paper to take notes.
Fiction Fundamentals Part 3: Putting on the Polish
Summary:
In-depth workshop: learn how to make your story sing through application of effective revision and editing techniques.
Description:
You’ve completed the first draft of your story, and since you worked through all the steps of planning and carefully crafting each scene, that means you’re done, right? Not quite. Now’s the time to add layers and make sure that your themes ring true. Only by re-seeing your work can you discover the hidden wonders that your subconscious was working on throughout the drafting process. You probably have a fair amount of grunt work to do as well. All first drafts are littered with mistakes or weak writing. By becoming aware of common pitfalls, you can fix issues in your completed first drafts and begin to avoid them more effectively in future drafts. Handouts and worksheets to be provided. Attendees are encouraged to bring a three-ring notebook and plenty of paper to take notes.
Players pick of mods from our Library. Groups will form at Muster and a judge will be assigned. Plan with your friends to make your last slot the best!
Fighting your Inner-Demons: Gamers Dealing with Depression
Summary:
Depression and anxiety strikes many gamer lives. Join a panel of designers and freelancers who deal with mental illness. We’ll share stories about taking back control of our lives. You aren’t alone.
How do you raise the money to shoot a film? What do you do with that money once you have it. What other options are there? Our panel of filmmakers will share their experience.