How to Illustrate Your Book
2022-07-15 13:00 - 2022-07-16 15:00 (America/New_York)
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How to Self Publish
2022-07-15 13:00 - 2022-07-16 15:00

PATHWAYS TO PUBLISHING CLASS (ZOOM ONLY)
2023-04-05 19:00 - 21:00
There’s more than one way to bring your book baby to life! Publishing has evolved in the modern era offering authors many options. With innovative platforms such as Inkitt and Wattpad, and indie, hybrid, and traditional models thriving, writers have many opportunities to see their work in print. And, don’t forget the audio and digital markets! Register for an informative program and lively discussion on the what, why, and how of modern publishing.
The date of class is April 5th at 7pm through Zoom.
Click here to order the class.
$25.00 for non-ARIA members.
$20.00 for ARIA members with coupon.

Editing: Soup to Nuts
2023-05-11 19:00 - 20:30 | https://www.riauthors.org/product/editing-soup-to-nuts-zoom-class/
For many authors, the editing process is a daunting one, but a well edited manuscript can mean the difference between a book that’s ready for the world and a document that sits in a drawer collecting dust. Let’s talk about the different parts of the editing process and how to successfully find and work with an editor. We’ll also spend time discussing the goals of a developmental edit and how to work effectively with beta readers or critique partners. Learn practical techniques that will help make the editing process efficient, effective, and satisfying!

The Concepts of Writing and Publishing
2023-07-26 18:30 - 20:00 | Faith Chapel: A Church of the Lutheran Brethren, 43 Scituate Ave, Cranston, Rhode Island, 02921, United States
This in-person workshop focuses on writing, in particular creating characters, settings, plot points, and the Four-Pass Editing Process, as well as self-marketing, self-promotion, social networking, eBooks, Audio books, and much more. Question and answer time provided.
Good for: aspiring authors, authors-to-be, new authors, anyone who wants to self-publish their works.
Order tickets here.

Kick Your Scene Into Action via Zoom
2023-10-18 19:00 - 20:30 | https://www.eventbrite.com/e/kick-your-scene-into-action-tickets-714969451877?aff=oddtdtcreator
As writers, we often visualize our action scenes as if they were on the big screen. But how do we translate the heart pounding, edge-of-the-seat, adrenaline rush that we get from watching a scene to the pages of our books? Whether you're crafting a fight scene or a spaceship battle, these tips will help bring intensity to your scene and keep your readers turning the pages. New and experienced writers welcome!
$30.00 for non-ARIA members.
$25.00 for ARIA members with coupon.

PATHWAYS TO PUBLISHING CLASS via Zoom
2023-10-25 19:00 - 20:30 | https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pathways-to-publishing-tickets-714934527417?aff=oddtdtcreator
There’s more than one way to bring your book baby to life! Publishing has evolved in the modern era offering authors many options. With innovative platforms such as Inkitt and Wattpad, and indie, hybrid, and traditional models thriving, writers have many opportunities to see their work in print. And, don’t forget the audio and digital markets! Register for an informative program and lively discussion on the what, why, and how of modern publishing.
The date of class is October 25th at 7pm through Zoom.
$30.00 for non-ARIA members.
$25.00 for ARIA members with coupon.

Editing: Soup to Nuts via Zoom
2023-11-15 19:00 - 20:30 | https://www.eventbrite.com/e/copy-of-kick-your-scene-into-action-tickets-714984396577?aff=oddtdtcreator
For many authors, the editing process is a daunting one, but a well edited manuscript can mean the difference between a book that’s ready for the world and a document that sits in a drawer collecting dust. Let’s talk about the different parts of the editing process and how to successfully find and work with an editor. We’ll also spend time discussing the goals of a developmental edit and how to work effectively with beta readers or critique partners. Learn practical techniques that will help make the editing process efficient, effective, and satisfying!
The date of class is November 15th at 7pm through Zoom.
$30.00 for non-ARIA members.
$25.00 for ARIA members with coupon.

The Concepts of Writing and Publishing via Zoom
2023-11-27 19:00 - 20:30 | https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-concepts-of-writing-and-publishing-tickets-714993012347?aff=oddtdtcreator
This on-line workshop focuses on writing, in particular creating characters, settings, plot points, and the Four-Pass Editing Process, as well as self-marketing, self-promotion, social networking, eBooks, Audio books, and much more. Question and answer time provided.
Good for: aspiring authors, authors-to-be, new authors, anyone who wants to self-publish their works.
The date of class is November 27th at 7pm through Zoom.
$30.00 for non-ARIA members.
$25.00 for ARIA members with coupon.

Social Networking, Marketing & Self-Promotion via Zoom
2023-12-07 19:00 - 20:30 | https://www.eventbrite.com/e/social-networking-marketing-self-promotion-tickets-715009381307?aff=oddtdtcreator
This workshop is for authors looking to promote their work in the ever-growing field of social networking, self-marketing, and self-promotion. Cutting edge technology is focused on in this workshop, including utilizing the Internet to its fullest capability. Websites, social media sites, newsletters, email distribution, blogging, YouTube, and much more are discussed in this highly attended event. Question and answer time provided. Good for aspiring authors, authors-to-be, new authors, intermediate authors, anyone interested in how to promote themselves online
The date of class is December 7th at 7pm through Zoom.
$30.00 for non-ARIA members.
$25.00 for ARIA members with coupon.

Association of Rhode Island Authors Monthly Meeting
2024-01-18 19:00 - 20:30 | https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84266766384?pwd=[REDACTED]
Association of Rhode Island Authors is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Association of Rhode Island Authors' Zoom Meeting
Time: Jan 18, 2024 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Every month on the Third Thu, until Nov 21, 2024, 11 occurrence(s)
Jan 18, 2024 07:00 PM
Feb 15, 2024 07:00 PM
Mar 21, 2024 07:00 PM
Apr 18, 2024 07:00 PM
May 16, 2024 07:00 PM
Jun 20, 2024 07:00 PM
Jul 18, 2024 07:00 PM
Aug 15, 2024 07:00 PM
Sep 19, 2024 07:00 PM
Oct 17, 2024 07:00 PM
Nov 21, 2024 07:00 PM
Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system.
Monthly: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/tZAvce-vqD0pEtCj4mkX3KRmCocsWLnD3rrU/ics?icsToken=[REDACTED]

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84266766384?pwd=[REDACTED]

Meeting ID: 842 6676 6384
Passcode: [REDACTED]

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Find your local number: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/kciQVQWEx2

Outlining Blockbuster Plots
2024-03-19 19:00 - 20:30 | https://www.eventbrite.com/e/outlining-blockbuster-plots-tickets-831094444857?aff=oddtdtcreator
Class Description
Utilizing the text from Writing Blockbuster Plots by Martha Anderson, we'll dive into plotting a full length novel, discuss the use of a plot planner, and address the following concepts:

Beginning, middle, and end of a story, and guidelines for each
Dramatic action - it's definition and how it works to create pace and hook the reader
Character emotional development - its function in the novel and how it's brings our characters to life and allows us to root for them, or hate them, or even both
Crisis and climax - we will define these two pivotal points in the novel
The ending, or the denouement - how it is used and why it is important.

Instructor Bio:
Kevin is a 1987 graduate of Roger Williams University with a degree in Computer Information Systems with a minor in creative writing. Kevin wrote a comic book that was published called “P.R.I.M.E.” Six of my short stories, “The Soul Experiment,” “The Albatross,” “Sunshine Through the Darkest Cloud,” and “The Fourth Quadrant”, “The Train of Thought Sometimes Takes the Road”, and “The Song of Darkness” have appeared in the Association of Rhode Island Authors yearly anthology volumes, Selections, Past Present and Future, Hope, and Green, Iconic Rhode Island, and In a Dark Time.
Kevin has a novel entitled Seeker of the Eclipse which is currently in circulation among literary agents.
Kevin is currently working on another novel called The Quantum Children, which he plotted using the methods illustrated in this class, and is hoping to have the first draft finished by spring. Another novel Manifest Destiny, is ready for another round of editing in preparation for agent submission.

The Anatomy of a Story
2024-04-17 19:00 - 20:30 | https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-anatomy-of-a-story-tickets-837025825777?aff=ebdsoporgprofile
Class Title: THE ANATOMY OF A STORY
Date and Time: Wednesday, April 17, 2024 at 7 pm via Zoom
Most would-be authors have a good sense of what a story is and can identify stories that do not work. However, when asked to explain what went wrong, they may struggle to describe clearly what they perceived intuitively. Knowledge of story structure and how to apply it to our own writing is key to improving our craft and creating stories that readers find satisfying. In this course, I will explain why story structure matters and provide a practical analysis of the three-act story structure so common in Hollywood films and best-selling novels. Understanding story structure is more than simply having a beginning, a middle, and an end. Story structure gives us the tools to organize, analyze, and revise our stories to produce the maximum emotional impact on the reader.
Instructor Bio: J.W. Elliot is a professional historian and award-winning and bestselling author of fantasy, science fiction, and historical fiction. His bestselling series Archers of the Heathland has sold over 37,000 copies. Both books in The Ark Project series won the New England Book Festival for science fiction in 2021 and 2022.

Genre Studies: Dystopia
2024-04-25 19:00 - 20:30 | https://www.eventbrite.com/e/genre-studies-dystopia-tickets-842787458977
Class Description: What is it about this genre that captivates audiences and makes it impossible to put down? Learn more about the components of dystopian books, the gothic uncanny as coined by Freud, and how it might compare to other books you know. I'll also share a couple of my own dystopian concepts. There will also be a DIY component to craft your own dystopian concept, as well as opportunity for Q+A to learn more about me and my process.
Instructor Bio: Angelina Singer is a young adult / new adult author with a romantic comedy, "Just Like a Pill", books 1-3 of a dystopian science fiction trilogy "The Upperworld Series", and both books of The Rewind Duology available for purchase on Amazon now. In addition to her writing career, Singer graduated Magna Cum Laude from Stonehill College in 2019, where she studied English, Music, and of course, Creative Writing. When she’s not serving on the ARIA Board of directors, Angelina enjoys crocheting, content writing, and studying holistic medicine to pivot into an exciting career helping others heal.

So you want to write a memoir?
2024-05-07 19:00 - 20:30 | https://www.eventbrite.com/e/so-you-want-to-write-a-memoir-tickets-837026888957?aff=oddtdtcreator
Class title: SO YOU WANT TO WRITE A MEMOIR?
Date and Time: Tuesday May 7, 2024 at 7 pm via Zoom
Class Description: A memoir, unlike an autobiography, is an up-close look at your life that focuses on a particular topic or time period. It might be about why you love playing bluegrass fiddle music so much or what happened during your first year of marriage. A good memoir will reveal what you learned from your experiences as well as provide something meaningful for the reader to think about. In this interactive workshop, we will take a look at some well-written memoirs, examine different ways to organize them, and then try writing an excerpt or two. Join the class with your computer or pen/paper on hand and be prepared to begin your personal memoir journey.
Instructor Bio: LYNNE HEINZMANN is an author, book coach, editor, and writing instructor from North Kingstown, Rhode Island, with an MFA in Creative Writing from Fairfield University and an Author Accelerator Certification in Book Coaching. She has taught English and creative writing courses for the University of Rhode Island, Community College of Rhode Island, GrubStreet Providence, and URI’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI). Lynne is the author of the award-winning historical fiction novel, Frozen Voices, as well as The Curious Childhood of Wanton Chase and The Island Adventures of Paul Stedman, historical story books from the Rose Island Lighthouse Series. Her latest book, But Cats Don't Talk, is a YA novel about a spunky professional pianist with a trash-talking cat. For more about her, visit LynneHeinzmann.com.

Creating Your Book for Children: Shape it, Submit it, See it in Print
2024-10-08 19:00 - 20:30 | https://www.eventbrite.com/e/creating-your-book-for-children-shape-it-submit-it-see-it-in-print-tickets-1010978372527
Class title: Creating Your Book for Children: Shape it, Submit it, See it in Print
Date and Time: Tuesday October 8, 2024 at 7 pm via Zoom
Class Description: Having a children's book published in today's tough market may seem like an impossible dream. But, in reality, getting your book idea into shape and into print can hinge on just the right advice from a pro. Do you need an agent? Should you connect with an artist? What about self-publishing? In a one-session workshop, nationally-known author Peter Mandel will pass on the insider's tips writers need to know in order to create a marketable first book and get it into the hands of exactly the right gatekeepers in the publishing world.
Instructor Bio: Peter Mandel is the author of eleven books for children including Jackhammer Sam (Macmillan), Zoo Ah-Choooo (Holiday House), Bun, Onion, Burger (Simon & Schuster), Planes at the Airport (Scholastic), Say Hey! A Song of Willie Mays (Hyperion), and Red Cat White Cat (Henry Holt). He’s a regular contributor to the travel sections of The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, and The Huffington Post. Learn more about him at www.petermandel.net

ARIA Writing Academy Class: Developing story through conflict
2026-04-21 19:00 - 20:30 | https://www.eventbrite.com/e/aria-writing-academy-class-developing-story-through-conflict-tickets-1986569864943?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=cp&aff=ebdsshcopyurl
Learn how to develop your story through conflict with Sarah P. Blanchard!

In Developing story through conflict we'll explore how to craft memorable characters in any genre by creating a detailed character bible to build unique, believable characters and develop authentic narrative, action, and dialogue. Through discussion and short exercises, we'll explore how to:

develop a character's foundation—the goals, motivations, and conflicts that shape decisions;
build depth with backstory and flaws; and
ground a character's interior (thoughts) and exterior (physicality) in memorable action and dialogue to give a story profluence—a reason for the reader to keep reading.

ARIA Writing Academy Class: The Memoir Blueprint
2026-05-19 07:00 - 08:30 | https://www.eventbrite.com/e/aria-writing-academy-class-the-memoir-blueprint-tickets-1988362912998?aff=oddtdtcreator
Class Description:
“The Memoir Blueprint” is a ninety-minute hands-on webinar where you will jump-start your memoir by clarifying the key threads of meaning that run throughout your life story and identifying significant events that encapsulate that meaning. Equipped with these insights, you will be ready to start building your narrative, poetic, or visual memoir.
Instructor Bio:
As an Expressive Living Facilitator, Kristen “K” Castrataro uses her background in education, expressive writing, and agriculture to support purposeful lives rich in time, energy, and abundance. She is a poet; a children’s book author; a featured columnist for Country Folks Grower; the founder of Pen Light, LLC; and host of the podcast Food, Flowers, & Fun: Visits with farm women from around the world.

ARIA Writing Academy Class: How AI Is Transforming Writing & Publishing
2026-05-23 13:00 - 14:30 | https://www.eventbrite.com/e/aria-writing-academy-class-how-ai-is-transforming-writing-publishing-tickets-1988037891851?aff=oddtdtcreator
Class Description:

"Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping the way stories are written, edited, discovered, and sold—and the implications for writers, publishers, and booksellers are profound. This seminar explores how AI tools are changing the creative process, from drafting and revision to marketing and audience targeting, while also raising important questions about originality, authorship, and ethics. Attendees will gain a clear, practical understanding of what AI can (and cannot) do, how it is already being used across the publishing ecosystem, and how to integrate these technologies into their own work without losing the human voice that readers value most.
Whether you’re curious, cautious, or already experimenting, this session offers insight, clarity, and a grounded path forward in a rapidly evolving landscape."

Speaker Bio:
Steven R. Porter is the author of three novels -- "Fiddlehead," "Confessions of the Meek & the Valiant," and "Manisses," which was honored by the New England Book Festival as one of the Best Books of 2013. He is the co-author of "Scared to Death... Do it Anyway" (with Brian Beneduce) about overcoming fear and panic attacks. Steve also served as the Director of Advertising and Public Relations for the Lauriat's Bookstore chain that operated over 176 northeast locations and is the founder of the 501(c)(3) non-profit Association of Rhode Island Authors (ARIA).
Along with his wife, Dawn, he is the proud owner of Stillwater Books -- a full-service, independent bookstore-- and Stillwater River Publications, a hybrid-style independent publisher with a catalog of over 900 titles, both located in West Warwick, Rhode Island.

ARIA Writing Academy Class: Writing for Comics & Graphic Novels
2026-06-20 13:00 - 14:30 | https://www.eventbrite.com/e/aria-writing-academy-class-writing-for-comics-graphic-novels-tickets-1988446402718?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true
Class Description:
What does it take to write a graphic novel? Is it really all that different from writing a novel, or screenplay?
What do you do if you adore comics, but can’t draw for beans?
What is it like to collaborate with an illustrator on a comic, or graphic novel project?
What about crowdfunding?
This class will address all these questions, and probably more. So, if you’ve ever been curious
about writing a graphic novel, or if you’ve been holding back on your great idea because you think you can’t draw, here’s a chance to step up, join in, and bring some questions of your own.
Topics will include:
Graphic Novel Manuscript Format
- How it’s different for author/illustrators vs. authors-only – with examples!
- What’s the difference between a graphic novel, a comic book, a hybrid, and a picture
book?
Working with an Illustrator
- How to give/take/approach the partnership, and constructive criticism
- Contract!
Next Steps
- Is querying or crowdfunding the right path for your project?
o Some tips from my own experiences with Crowdfundr and Kickstarter
Comics are for everyone! Let’s learn together, and have some fun!

Speaker Bio:
Marie Ventura (Pen Name: Rowena Zahnrei), is a neurodiverse (ASD) author. A graduate of URI, PC, and the University of St Andrews, she has experience teaching and tutoring students from pre-K through college. Her short comics have been published in the anthologies Comics from the Kitchen! and Let’s Go!: A Kids Comics Studio Anthology (featured at the 2026 MoCCA Arts Fest in NYC), and her graphic novel trilogy – The Adventures of Nicki and Ricky: Baffling Birds! – has been accepted to Comic-Cons across the country, including RI, NYC, and San Diego. She’s a member of ARIA, SCBWI, and Kids Comics Unite.
