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A Writer’s Guide to Persistence

May 31, 2021

A Writer’s Guide to Persistence is a toolkit to support you through the unique challenges of the literary art so that you can create a sustainable, long-term writing practice without being swayed by the constant changes, negative criticism, and doubts that come with the territory. This book aims to help you feel comforted, supported, and less alone, and also offers practical tricks to free you from unproductive habits. It aims to get you back on your feet after a variety of crises and common writer calamities so that you can do the important writing you are meant to do and nourish your writer’s spirit.

Reserve your spot now with Jordan for a content critique! This serves as a down payment for services.

• Personalized agreement that allows you to specify your concerns and goals.
• A comprehensive summary letter addressing all key issues and strategies for revision.
• Includes one 30-minute phone consultation. Additional consults are pro-rated for clients at $100/hr.

Reserve your spot now with Jordan for a content/developmental edit! This serves as a down payment for services. (I can't guarantee the timeline of your choosing--email with me first to confirm).

• Personalized agreement that allows you to specify your concerns and goals.
• In-text comments and line edits on the manuscript’s strengths and weaknesses on areas such as plot, character development, scene mastery, dramatic tension, flow of ideas, etc.
• Notes and edits on common style/grammar problems found within manuscript (Note: This is not a complete copy edit of your manuscript).
• A comprehensive summary letter addressing all key issues and strategies for revision.
• Includes one 30-minute phone consultation. Additional consults are billed at $95/hr.

Start spicing up dull, lagging scenes and flat, dry characters in with memorable, metaphorical imagery and cues. In this workshop you’ll learn the power of images to transform scenes with sensory images that convey emotion and theme with subtlety. You’ll also learn key strategies to demonstrate and reveal character emotion. Writers will come away from this workshop with a visceral, clear understanding of “show, don’t tell.”

Forged in Grace

May 31, 2021

Forged in Grace gives a new twist to the idea of reuniting with an old flame—literally. Exploring ruptured female friendships as in Leah Stewart’s The Myth of You and Me with the dark psychology (and twist of the inexplicable) found in Donna Tartt’s The Secret History, Forged in Grace will resonate with anyone who has wanted to set the past right.

Tension in novels, stories, and even memoirs, is like the connective tissue that allows muscles to attach to bones, and thus flex their might. It’s the heart of conflict, the backbone of uncertainty, the hallmark of danger. It keeps readers guessing, and characters on their toes. This class will help writers master the art of tension on every page and within every element of the story to crafting a story your readers can't put down! All classes are non-refundable, but you may receive a credit for any reason, which can be applied to any of Jordan's services.

How To Write A Page Turner: Craft a Story Your Readers Can’t Put Down

May 31, 2021

To avoid writing that’s formulaic, predictable, and slow, How to Write a Page Turner will help you sew the threads of tension tight for an unforgettable story. You’ll learn how to recognize and build essential elements of tension, create tension in your characters, and add tension to exposition to craft a story your readers can’t put down.

Make a Scene – Revised and Expanded Edition

May 31, 2021

Scenes are the building blocks for any work of fiction–the DNA sequence that makes a novel un-put-downable and unforgettable. When writers are able to craft effective, engaging scenes, they can develop a complete, cohesive story–and a mesmerizing experience for readers. Make a Scene Revised and Expanded Edition takes you step-by-step through the elements of strong scene construction and demonstrates how the essential aspects of a compelling story–including character, plot and dramatic tension–function within the framework of individual scenes to give momentum to the whole narrative.

Every genre has its own unique signatures that readers come to expect, known as voice and tone. These elements make it possible to identify the genre within a few pages and often reflect the personality, mood and spirit of your characters and your themes. Nailing your novel (or memoir's) voice and tone will not only make sure you’re meeting readers’ expectations, and increases your chance of publication.

• The difference between voice and tone
• How to use syntax and word choice to shape your characters’ voice
• The power of verbs and sentence structure on voice/tone
• How to consciously create a mood (tone) in your work
• How to use character personality to create voice
• How your characters’ experiences, opinions and world view affect voice
• The importance of dialogue
• How voice and tone play out in different genres
• How imagery, specificity and musicality shape voice and tone

Night Oracle

May 31, 2021

Nan Troy’s dreams come true, but she sure as hell wishes they wouldn’t; they’re destroying her chances at love and the lives of those around her. Cal Banks hates to close his eyes; that’s when the night terrors come, leaving him breathless and hollow as his past tries to catch up. He’s hounded by his crazy ex, his domineering sister, and the desperate patrons of his nightclub, The Nocturne. Fleeing day for the safe veil of night, Nan, a frustrated artist, is drawn to the moody ambiance of Cal’s nightclub, and then by his magnetic allure. Falling for each other is not in either of their plans. But neither is the sudden death of Cal’s former fling, which casts suspicion on Nan, nor the orphaned child with a claim to Nan’s past. As they spiral toward love, their attempts to untangle Nan’s dreams unleash a chain of events that imperils the child and Nan’s freedom. Nan will have to rely on a man she’s drawn to but barely knows, and the unpredictable oracle of her dreams, to save them all in this sexy novel of romantic suspense.

This class is for non-fiction writers who want a strong foundation for essay or memoir writing. It is a pre-requisite for Our Stories traditional ongoing workshop. In this class, you'll learn some key information, such as two crucial narrative voices every memoir or essay needs; how to scaffold or structure your work; how to write in scenes; the difference between backstory and front story and how to weave them; different essay and memoir approaches and much more. For the asynchronous version, you'll receive videos of craft lecture from Jordan, and will be able to submit up to 15 pages (double spaced, 12 point font) to Jordan for critique. The live class will also include watching videos asynchronously, however, then you will meet for live in-person writing prompts and discussion Wednesdays from 4 to 5pm PT. The class will conduct peer critique by Google docs and email.All classes are non-refundable, but you may receive a credit for any reason, which can be applied to any of Jordan's services.