header image showing a Black woman with her face on the desk in front of a computer looking defeated and bombarded by social media icons

Webinar: Authors and Social Media… What the HECK do we do NOW??

May 10, 2023May 10, 2023 By: TempestClasses

Registration just opened for my new webinar and you are all invited to join!

When: Sunday, June 18 · 8am – 2pm Pacific (check to see when this is in your time zone)
Where: Online in Zoom
Live Webinar Registration: $40
Can’t Attend? Recording Only Registration: $30
Scholarships Are Available

The current social media landscape is quicksand right now. Every week someone at Twitter makes a change that impacts how the site works, the tools we all use to stay safe and manage how we interact, who sees (or, truly, who doesn’t see) our posts, and dozens of other important functionalities.

This has a ripple effect across all social networks. Some are now more desirable, others are experiencing a resurgence, and some seem determined to follow Twitter’s bad example right down into the lake of fire. Plus, there are new Twitter clones popping up all the time and sometimes dying as quickly as they came to everyone’s attention.

And then there’s you, an author who just wants to write their books and do what they can to help readers find said books. An author who might have been told that they have to have a social media presence and they have to post and post to sell the book and have to get the attention of Bookstagram or BookTok or BookTube or Book[insert truncated social network name yet to be discovered but will surely be the next big thing here]. Don’t forget to buy a ring light!

In this webinar, author K. Tempest Bradford (that’s me!) will help you sort through this mess by offering advice on deciding which social networks to use or ignore based on your goals, tips for setting up a system of auto posting and scheduling that will allow you to maintain an appropriate presence on them, focus on meaningful engagements (if that’s what you want), ignore the aspects of social media that have a negative impact on mental health, and reclaim your writing time.

Learn More and Register or Apply for a Scholarship

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Next Class: Deep Dive Into Dialogue, Dialect, and Narrative Voice

March 8, 2022March 7, 2022 By: TempestClasses

The next Writing the Other class I’m teaching with Nisi Shawl is on Dialogue, Dialect, and Narrative Voice. Details below!

When: April 9 – 23, 2022
Where: Online via Zoom or Asynchronous classroom, accessible at your own pace
Price: $200 – $300 (Scholarships Available)

An essential part of creating a character is understanding how that individual speaks or communicates. For writers who are working to create inclusive fiction with diverse characters from races, cultures, and backgrounds different from their own, crafting appropriate dialogue is more than just idealizing and compressing speech to make it seem natural. It may also mean figuring out how to get across the nuances of language, accent, or dialect without Othering or exoticizing characters or the real cultures and identity groups they represent.

In this craft-focused class we’ll help you sharpen your dialogue skills and show you how to apply those same skills to the narrative voice through lectures, hands-on exercises, selected readings, and feedback. We’ll analyze ways familiar and unfamiliar cultural assumptions are embedded in texts and talk about alternative techniques for conveying difference via voice–yours and your characters’. At the end of class you’ll have a wealth of resources for further study and practice.

For all the details including required reading, the scholarship application, and more, please visit Writing the Other.com.

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33 Days of Inspiration: An Auto-Class for Writers

January 25, 2022January 25, 2022 By: TempestClasses

Need to rekindle your creative spark? Reconnect with your muse? Generate some new ideas? Get back to the story/book/narrative you put down when things got to be too much? I have the perfect balm for all of your woes: Writing Exercises!

WAIT, DON’T LEAVE!

I know the phrase ‘Writing Exercises’ gives some wordsmiths the hives. You’re probably thinking:

What’s the point?

I don’t need to waste my time exercising, I need to get words on the page!

Hear me out. Don’t think of writing exercises as wasted time or words, think of them as research projects into your own creative mind. They help you dig down through the layers of what makes your characters who they are and what’s going on in your world beyond what’s needed for the plot or story. Exploring all that through exploring and playing around with craft makes for richer prose and narratives.

Prompts and exercises are especially useful for writers in a slump or who constantly feel blocked due to stress, uncertainty, or just not wanting to write due to to the state of the world. There are a ton of us. You’re not alone.

If you’re ready to try and get back to writing, these short, low pressure writing prompts and exercises can help.

You’ll start with fun, game-esque generative prompts designed to put you in a playful mindset and maybe plant some story seeds. If you already have stories or novels or other works in progress, you can use these exercises to kick your brain into creative gear without pressure.

Ready to get started?

Click Here To Register

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Daily Writing Exercises Returns! Get ready for NaNoWriMo (or not-NaNo)

September 16, 2021September 15, 2021 By: TempestClasses

It’s almost October, which means it’s almost November, which means that a bunch of writers around the world are about to take part in the ritual of setting a goal to write fifty thousand words in one month. NaNo excitement!

Given all this writerly energy in the air, this is also a great time of year to try and get back into a regular writing practice, if possible (sometimes it really, really isn’t). If that’s something you’re interested in, allow me to tempt you with the Daily Writing Exercises email series.

Practice and warm-ups are fundamental to every artistic discipline, writing included. Doing short writing exercises or prompts can help kick your brain into creative gear without pressure and keep your writing muscles limber on days when you don’t have the time or energy to work on your work in progress. They’re especially useful for writers in a slump or who constantly feel blocked due to stress, uncertainty, or just not wanting to write due to to the state of the world.

There are a ton of us. You’re not alone.

Continue reading “Daily Writing Exercises Returns! Get ready for NaNoWriMo (or not-NaNo)” →

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Webinar Weekend: The Author’s Web Toolkit

June 4, 2021June 3, 2021 By: TempestClasses

I’ve teamed up with my fellow Debut22 author Lisa Stringfellow to bring you two webinars for writers, pre- and post-published. We both feel strongly that authors should have a web presence, even a basic one. We’ll give you the tools to create and maintain a website and a social media presence even if you aren’t tech-savvy or trained in digital marketing. Join us for:

Build It Better: Essentials of an Author Website
with Lisa Stringfellow

When: Saturday, July 24, 2021, 1-3PM Eastern

What are the essential elements of a great author’s website? Whether you are pre-published or published, there are key elements everyone should include on their websites.

In this workshop, Lisa Stringfellow will share her experience as an author and technology instructor to discuss elements of good website design and how to establish a web presence that will help your readers connect with you. She’ll discuss platforms and tools, branding, accessibility, and the nuts and bolts of building and updating your site. Learn how to make sure your author website has the essentials it needs to make an impact!

And/Or

Spend Less Time Tweeting and More Time Writing
Social Media Strategies for Authors
with K. Tempest Bradford

When: Sunday, July 25, 2021, 1-3PM Eastern

Authors need to use social media for publicity, audience building, and community connection. And yet, social networks are undoubtedly time sinks, distractions, and can sometimes be bad for our mental health. All of which can eat into writing time.

Maintaining a balance between time on and off social media is important, especially for authors who want to lean more toward being OFF it. In this webinar, K. Tempest Bradford will offer tips for how to limit your time on social media without having to delete your account and how to set up a system of auto posting and scheduling that will allow you to maintain an appropriate presence without annoying your friends and followers.

Each webinar is $40. Register for both at the same time and get $10 off.

Can’t afford the price? No worries. We have scholarships. Details on the registration page.

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Next Class: Deep Dive Intensive on Creating Diverse Characters

April 28, 2021April 22, 2021 By: TempestClasses

It’s Writing the Other core class time again! I’m excited for this next one as it’s my favorite: Creating Diverse Characters. I teach this one with Nisi and Piper J. Drake, so you’ll get three deep perspectives on how to write characters different from yourself.

This year we’re doing a new class structure that’s shorter and less expensive. We wanted to make it more financially accessible to folks who may still be struggling to deal with pandemic-related budget issues. And if the price is still out of reach, we have scholarships.

When: June 12 – 20, 2021
Where: Online via Zoom or Asynchronous classroom, accessible at your own pace
Price: $200 – $300

There are two course options:

Option 1: Asynchronous ($200) — Writers who cannot join us for the live Weekend Intensive can chose this option. Starting June 12 you’ll have access to the private WordPress classroom where we will post lectures in text form and the recordings of the sessions. Starting on the 14th we’ll post readings, discussions, and more writing exercises (some of which instructors will offer feedback on). For this option you can log in at any time and participate on your schedule.

The time commitment for the Asynchronous portion of the class will depend on your level of participation. Discussions based on lectures, short readings, and writing exercises will take place during the week. Discussion threads tend to be wide-ranging, so students should try to check in at least once a day or every other day. You may manage your time as needed based on your own schedule.

Option 2: Weekend Intensive Plus ($300) — On Saturday and Sunday June 12 & 13 students will gather virtually on Zoom (see detailed schedule below) for lectures, Q&A, discussion, and writing exercises with live feedback. From Monday June 14 through Friday the 18th students can log in to a private WordPress forum for further discussions based on readings and more writing exercises. This section of the class is asynchronous, meaning you can log in at any time and participate on your schedule.

This option is limited to 25 students.

See all the details, schedule, and scholarship app info at WritingTheOther.com.

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Next Writing the Other Webinar: Are You My Ally?

April 8, 2021April 6, 2021 By: TempestClasses

Yes, I do intend to have a very busy May :D In addition to the Rekindle Unworkshop I’m also co-leading a webinar on allyship for creative folks.

Got privilege? Want to know what it’s good for? Want to make use of your advantages without insulting those who may not share them? There are so many ways creative people can help each other. With suggestions ranging from practical tips to aspirational dreams, this seminar empowers would-be allies to support BIPOC and other marginalized creatives and #ownvoices work while boosting the presence of marginalized genius.

When: May 1, 2021, 10AM – 1PM Pacific Time
Where: Online via Zoom video conference
Price: $20 – $30 or Whatever You Can Afford

Visit the Writing the Other website for for further details or to register.

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Rekindle Your Will To Write | A Writing Unworkshop

March 31, 2021March 31, 2021 By: TempestClasses

If you fell off the writing wagon or constantly feel blocked due to stress, uncertainty, or just not wanting to due to *gestures* All This and ready to try and get back to it, this unworkshop is for you. Play a no-pressure writing game with me and author Alethea Kontis to spark your imagination and get words on paper again.

We’ll be playing Sugar, Porridge, Spoons, a game for writers designed to push past your internal editor and get you creating weird and wonderful stuff without the pressure of trying to produce something specific.

We’ll meet on Zoom for live virtual game sessions on:

Saturday May 1 | 5PM – 7PM eastern
Sunday May 2 | 4PM – 6PM eastern
Wednesday May 5 | 4PM – 6PM eastern
Saturday May 8 | 5PM – 7PM eastern
Sunday May 9 | 4PM – 6PM eastern

Click here to convert to your time zone

All sessions are optional. If you can make some but not others, that’s fine. Participants will have access to videos of each session afterward.

You’ll also be invited to a private Discord server where you can discuss the outcome of each game session.

This unworkshop costs $40 and is open to writers ages 14 to 114 years old. There are scholarships available.

Click Here For Details or to Register

Scholarships

There are 4 scholarships available to writers who cannot afford the registration fee for class. Half are specifically for Black, Indigenous, and other Writers of Color, half are available to any writer from any identity background.

To apply, fill out this form. You’ll be asked to provide a personal statement (up to 500 words) and a statement of financial need (300 words). Please Note: I define financial need broadly, from those who absolutely can’t pay to those who may have the money but can’t set it aside for a writing course. Don’t self reject!

Application Deadline: 11:59PM Pacific April 21, 2021.

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New Webinar: Should Authors Write Characters Different From Themselves?

February 15, 2021February 15, 2021 By: TempestClasses

I get asked a version of this question all the time. So does anyone who is outspoken in the diverse literature space. It usually comes in the form of:

Should white creators write characters of color?

Should abled creators write characters with disabilities?

Should heterosexual creators write LGBTQIA+ characters?

and so on.

Truth is, the answer is simple (yes) and also complex (yes, but…), thus some people need guidance in answering the question for themselves. Lucky for y’all, Nisi Shawl and I are willing to offer that guidance.

Our next webinar is on this topic, it costs $20 – $30 or whatever you can afford, and will happen on March 6th. If you cannot make the live webinar you can register to get the video after. Details and registration are on Writing the Other.com. Hope to see you there.

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