Cheryl Klein's Plot Master Class {Plus a Small Interview}

Today I'd like to welcome Cheryl Klein to my blog. She is the Executive Editor at Arthur A. Levine Books, an imprint of Scholastic.

Next month Cheryl will be doing her Master Plot Class in Salt Lake City. This is an absolutely amazing opportunity for the writers in our area. There's a small band of southern Utah writers heading up for it and I'm really excited.

Cheryl has edited many many brilliant books, such as Warp Speed by Lisa Yee, A Curse as Dark as Gold by Elizabeth C. Bunce and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, as well, as Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling.

In other words, she's one smart cookie.

Recently, I had the opportunity to ask Cheryl a couple questions about the workshop.

ES: Who would benefit most from your Plot Master Workshop? 

CK: I think the writers who would benefit most from my Plot Master Class are those who have a completed first draft of an ms. and are ready to dive deep into a revision to take it to the next level. If you don't have a completed draft, you'll probably still benefit from learning about all the principles and techniques I discuss, but you won't be able to apply them so immediately. 

People routinely tell me that while they hate doing the bookmap, they learn SO MUCH about their manuscripts from creating it -- so I sometimes think half the benefit of the workshop is just forcing everyone to undertake that really unpleasant task! 

ES: (Yes....we have homework. I should really get started on that....) What are some specific things writers can expect to learn from this workshop? 

CK: Writers can expect to learn a powerful, flexible framework they can use to evaluate their plots; a lot of Rules of Thumb for plotting in general; some great techniques for hooking readers into your characters; and ways to be sure all your scenes are as tight and useful as possible. 

I look forward to seeing everyone in Utah!  

ES: Thanks Cheryl! We can't wait to attend your class. 

Now if you want to learn how to give your manuscript a killer plot, hook readers, learn from Cheryl's experiences, hang out with a bunch of like-minded writers and also do useful, and yet, painful homework, go register for Cheryl's Plot Master Class HERE. And I'll see you there!