free web page hit counter

Darcy Pattison: Children's Book Author

home • books• bio • speaking • contact

Darcy Pattison's
NOVEL REVISION RETREAT

One participant said, "This was an amazing workshop that has me actually excited about revising already revised stories."

Another said, "My revised chapter has moved from nice to richer, deeper, funnier. And the finest part is that I feel so empowered - like I have the tools to make my writing the writing of my dreams, the writing I love to read. It is wildly exciting."

After twelve years as the conference director for the Arkansas chapter of the Society of Children's Bookwriters and Illustrators (SCBWI), I realized that the hardest thing to get help with is a novel. Most conferences are one-day events in which many different topics are covered briefly. Yet, year after year, someone would hold out a novel and ask, "What do you think of this?" Finally, there is a format in which this question can be answered!

The goal of the retreat is that every author will go home with strategies and tools for revising their own particular novel. The retreat is designed for maximum participation and advance preparation is required.

Requirements to attend:

  1. You must have a completed draft of a novel.
  2. You must agree to do pre-conference homework.
  3. You must agree to read three other drafts of novels before the retreat. The group sessions are based on the assumption that you have read the other person's novel and they have read yours.
  4. Other costs of attending: you must purchase and read two books and you'll need four copies of your manuscript.
Each participant receives a 75+page workbook to accompany lectures. Brief lectures are followed by time to work on your own novel, then reinforced by group discussions.

Typical Schedule for the retreat:

FRIDAY
1:00-3:00  Check in
3:00-5:15 Introduction and Inventory
5:30-6:30 Supper
6:30-7:30 Ice Breakers and Group Session
7:30-8:30 Plotting: Macro to Micro
8:30-8:45 Break
8: 45-9:45 Group Session: Obligatory Scene, 
     Narrative Arc, Pacing, Epiphany

SATURDAY
Breakfast
9:00-9:45 Characterization and Dialogue 
9:45-10:15 Group Session: Characters
10:15-10:30 Break
10:30-11:15 Make it Live: Sensory Details
11:15-12:00 Group Session: Sensory Details
12:15-1:30 Lunch
1:30-2:15 Clarity: Verbs, Nouns and Connotations
2:15-3:00 Group Session: Words
3-4:30 Free time to write
4:30-5:15  Where Are We?  Setting
5:30-6:30 Supper
6:30-7:15 Adding Depth and Layers: Narrative Patterning
7:15-8:00 Group Session: Setting and Depth
8-8:15 Break
8:15 Special Event

SUNDAY
9:00-9:45 Voice 
9:45-10:15 Group Session: Plan of Action
Check out by 11 am
For information on hosting a retreat in your area, please email Darcy.
home • books• bio • speaking • contact
Darcy Pattison