APRIL
KIHLSTROM
“The Acknowledged Mistress of Book In A Week”
I’ve
been called “the acknowledged Mistress of Book in a Week.” Book in a Week is a philosophy of writing and
a process designed to let a person write faster, easier and have as much fun as
possible doing so. It grew out of all
the things that I have learned as a writer over the years. And make no mistake—I am a writer before all
else! You will find information on this
website about workshops and coaching but I am a writer. I love to create worlds with wonderful
characters and imagine how people can find happiness and love and grow in ways
that let them create the lives they want to have.
I
write what I do because I believe that each of us also has the ability to create
the lives we want to have—no matter what the circumstances of our past may have
been. Whether in the Regency time period
or the present or the future, my heroes and heroines will always find ways to
rise above the challenges in their lives and treat others—or learn to treat
others—with kindness and honor and respect.
Most
of my books have been set in the Regency time period. Why not?
It was a time when so much was changing socially, politically,
economically, and in personal relationships.
And just like today people were trying to adapt to all those changes and
decide what to keep and what to let go of in terms of traditions and values and
beliefs.
So....welcome
to my website. You will find information
on my published books and my speaking engagements, links to websites useful to
writers, tips for writers on Book in a Week and time management, tips on public speaking and some of my personal
thoughts as well. -----April
Kihlstrom
Upcoming
Events:
I am now offering online writing workshops.
Online classes will be conducted via email only, no real-time or live
chats. To receive notice of these
workshops please subscribe to my email loop here. This will be a notification only loop so you
will only receive email when I want to let you know about an upcoming class.
(Note: We’re all
human, right? Thanks to not enough
coffee one Sunday morning and too much haste, I inadvertently made the original
loop a closed loop so I've created a second class loop. The same information
will go to both and this is the one that still lets new people
join...)
Click
to join aprilkihlstromwritingclasses2
I offer writing classes online because I want to
make a difference. I know what it's like to feel self-doubt and over
the years I've learned that every writer does. I offer my classes to
share what I've learned works—and what doesn't—in hopes
of making this a little easier and better for all of us.
Online Class: REVISIONS THE EASY WAY Beginning December 1 I will be offering a class on
Revisions—and how to do that in the most intuitive, quickest
and easiest way.
Cost: $30 ($20 if you
have taken this class before and are taking it again) Dates: December 1, 2008
to December 12, 2008 Format: All classes via
email so you can read them and post responses any time of day. Deadline to sign up:
November 28, 2008 Class size will be
limited so that students can ask questions, post homework responses
(if they so choose), do brainstorming, etc. Course description: I believe there is a
far easier AND MORE EFFECTIVE way to make revisions than to start
with page one and go through to the end. This class will look at a
layered approach to making changes with the knowledge that every
change has a ripple effect AND there are questions one ought to ask
oneself before one does anything. Lessons
are designed to take the author through the revision process in a way
that minimizes the rewriting time. It is based on the concept
that if one asks the right questions—in the right order—before
one begins rewriting, the process is easier and faster and more
effective.
To
sign up for Revisions the Easy Way send an email to
aprilkihlstrom@yahoo.com
with the title of the class in the subject line and in the body
of the email please let me know whether you prefer to pay by check or
Paypal. (Note: Please let me know if you have taken the class
before.) I will be offering this
class at the beginning of the year with the idea that lots of people
will be ready to jump back into writing after the holidays. Cost: $60 ($35 if you
have taken this class before and are taking it again) I
truly believe that when we are in tune with who we are as writers,
the process becomes easier and we become better writers. This class
is designed to help you discover what and when and where and how YOU
write best. It is designed to take you back to those early days when
you couldn't wait to write your book. It's designed to remind you of
the joy and the power of playing “make believe” as a
child—to let you sidestep any limits you may be setting on
yourself and your ability to write.
Online Class: BOOK
IN A WEEK
Dates:
January 5, 2009 to February 6, 2009
Deadline to sign up: January
2, 2009
Format: All lessons and discussion are handled via email
so you can take the class in your pajamas at 3 in the morning if you
want!
This
class will take you through every step of the writing process—from
beginning to brainstorm all the way through sending material out to
be published.
Weeks 1-3: Preparing to write the first draft of
a book in one week
Creating compelling characters or how to write
about real people in nonfiction
Planning plot elements or
structure in a nonfiction book
Significance of names
Effective
paragraph and sentence structure
Using imagery and sensory detail
to add impact
Writing effective dialogue
Creating a productive
writing environment
Enlisting the support of those around
you
Mentally gearing yourself up to write faster (and better) than
you thought you could
Week 4: Intensive Writing Week (August
30 to September 7) (This is about discovering how writing fits into
YOUR life. You can't do it wrong. You won't fail. No matter what
happens you will discover more about yourself as a writer than you
thought possible during that ONE WEEK of writing!)
Week 5:
Evaluating the writing experience itself
Making revisions
Sending
out material
Bio:
April Kihlstrom is an award winning author of 31 published romance
novels. She offers coaching to fellow writers as well as classes and
workshops on writing and has spoken at many conferences including:
the Romance Writers of America national conference (romance) and the
East of Eden conference (non-romance).
Testimonials
from students who have taken the class:
“I
have taken several online classes, none of them writing related.
Still, none of them have been as well planned, documented and
executed as BIAW.”
“Wow...Let
me begin by saying Thank you Thank you Thank you! What an amazing
process and generous amount of information given in a relatively
short amount of time!”
“This
course was certainly value for the money. A price can't be placed on
the invaluable information and experience you imparted during this
course.”
“I'm
a better writer. I'm a faster writer. I'm a more confident
writer.”
Payment for the class may be made by check or
by Paypal.
To
sign up send an email to aprilkihlstrom@yahoo.com
with
Book in a Week in the header and in the body of the email please put:
your name and whether you prefer to pay by check or Paypal. Also,
please let me know if you have taken the class before.
For further
information on in person workshops, classes, and individual coaching by phone,
contact me by email at April or April Kihlstrom 2
WHO AM I?
AUTHOR:
I have thirty-one published books.
See Publishing
History
COACH:
I specialize in life coaching for published authors and evaluations of
manuscripts for unpublished authors. I
also coach public speaking for everyone.
For more information, please follow this link: Reach for the Sky
and Soar with Your Dreams!
WORKSHOP LEADER: I now offer workshops in Pflugerville,
Tx. Some of these workshops are geared
toward adults and others to students age 10 to 14. For more information, please follow this
link: Workshops
Note:
I’ve just started a blog and it can be read at: Writing and
Life
* I can be reached via email at either: April Kihlstrom or at April Kihlstrom 2. Note:
I give two email addresses because I know that email is not always
reliable. If you email me and do not get
a reply, please try the alternative email address—PLEASE do NOT assume that I am
ignoring you!
Some thoughts on
September 11
For personal information about me
please go to April
Kihlstrom--Personal
For Book In A Week tips go to Book In A Week
For
research links go to research
links
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