1/13/2009 11:03:06 PM

Hi Michael,

Thanks you very much for sending the syllabus.

My daughter, who is seventeen, has written a young adult novel and after having gone through several drafts, she is working on what she hopes to be the final of this one. Additionally, she has started writing the next one as she is approaching the story as a series. We thought this conference would be a great opportunity for her to get some professional advice, information and education to help her along since she is very commited to writing something that she can successfully publish. If you are so inclined, she would be thrilled to receive any advice you may have!

We are excited about the conference and look forward to meeting you as well as hearing you speak. Thanks so much for your time.

-Eileen

Eileen Kirk

2/6/2009 3:05:17 AM

Hey Michael - If I hunt you down at the conference, will you tell me why Henry VIII wanted to know if the King of France had strong calves? The curiosity is killing me.

Gayle
www.gaylecarline.com
http://gaylecarline.blogspot.com

Gayle Carline

2/20/2009 8:01:41 PM

Great workshop on dense and rigid characters, I've gone through some of my stuff and have been identifying which characters are which and will use what I learned to add some extra depth to my characters.

Thanks again.

Nick

2/20/2009 9:55:20 PM

Thanks again for the great workshop!

I have always had a strong interest in the way the mind works and now I know exactly how to apply it to my characters. Appreciate your insights!

Zachary Appanaitis

2/22/2009 11:01:27 PM

Michael
I attended the Saturday (2-14) Workshop "Using Psychology to Write Great Characters".
The things I remembered the most (oh so many things) was how much I loved the idea of physical characteristics that I could use to bring my character to life. It makes sense to me now. My thoughts are still shifting through the freeways of my mind to sort out where I'm going with my zillion stories.

Your workshop put some of the pieces together as to when and how to start. I appreciated very much that you had attendees give feedback, but cut them off quickly to keep things on point and time for many views. I also liked that you had the person stand up so we could hear well. I was put out at the start of the workshop that you asked people to leave their own comfort zone and move up front, but in the end I found it a more unified and together feeling. Like we were all in the same boat together and not a room full of individuals. At first I thought I would be lost because I didn't attend the Part I workshop on Friday, but not only did you repeat some of that information, but I got the sense that Sat morning's info was quite independent of Fridays workshop.

The bad thing was not enough handouts and also the quality of the handouts. The second page with all the detail characteristics was quite blurred, but I'm looking forward to them be posted on your website.

Your workshop was the first workshop I had taken, this SCWC being my first ever, and I can genuinely say I was glad it was my chosen first. It was practical knowledge, rapid paced, presented with excitement and passion, which all went to set the tone for me for the remainder of the conference.

Thanks again
Mary Ann

Mary Ann Marks

2/23/2009 3:32:45 PM

Michael, an entertaining and useful workshop -- the kind that make writers conferences worthwhile. Hats off to the conference organizers.

Your exploration of behavioral types offers valuable tools for creating believable characters and validating their actions. I've never had problems getting inside the heads of my characters, but having prototypes for imagining the physical manifestations of their makeups is a real plus. As a writer, providing these clues is an invitation for readers to see the familiar patterns of behaviors they've always known.

Another gem you threw out is the conflict possible when you throw two opposites together in a scene, as with your examination of Clarice and Emelda from the movie, Hannibal. The underlying truths driving this kind of conflict is what intelligent fiction is all about.

Bob Zumwalt

3/2/2009 4:47:48 PM

Michael,
You’re workshop helped me not only with my writing, but also with my life. Ever since the conference I’ve had a whole new way of seeing and relating to those I know and love and even the strangers on the street. Rigid, dense, loose pouched, over-bound, under-bound-- every body tells a story. It’s like there's a secret language being spoken when someone, without saying a word, walks into the room and I didn’t know the language. Your workshop offered the translation. Thank-you,
Kristy Tate

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