A La Carte Summer Camp

By Marilyn Friedman

I am so excited about our Writing Pad Summer Camp  with award-winning writers Maureen McHugh, Victor Levin, and Michael Saltzman on Sunday, July 15th!  But if you can't make it to our fantastic camp, here are some other ideas for your own a la carte summer camp:

• Enroll in Memoir Bootcamp with author Richard Rushfield, splash around at Roosevelt Pool and eat a sausage at Wurstkuche

• Write the next "Twilight" with novelist Zoe Archer, do laps at the Culver Municipal Plunge and eat a burger at Father's Office 

For more fab classes at Writing Pad West and East, check out our July/August schedule here. We hope that you have an amazing summer!

Writing Prompt: Fireworks

By Marilyn Friedman

It's almost the 4th of July! When you're done overloading on BBQ and return from your Independence Day getaways, we have some fantastic classes to make your summer the best it can be. On July 9 and 10, Taffy Brodesser-Akner's teaching her So You Want To Be A Freelancer class on the Westside (she's already helped 16 students get published and paid for their writing--you're next!). On July 13, Jenna Britton will help any of you who are overwhelmed by social media in her Facebook and Twitter 101 class.

Plus on July 15, don't forget to enroll in our Adult Summer Camp with award-winning novelist and short story writer Maureen McHugh and Emmy-award nominated screenwriters Victor Levin and Michael Saltzman!  Reserve your spot before our camp and other classes are full by clicking on the links below or emailing marilyn@writingpad.com.

*Classes with an asterix will be held at our Westside location in Culver City!

Classes Starting The Week of July 8th
•So You Want To Be A Freelancer*
•Facebook and Twitter 101

•Writing Pad Summer Camp (Fiction/Memoir Track)
•A Novel Approach: Tackling The Long Format Writing Project
•Fantasies, Flashbacks, and Fictions: Finding Your Character’s Inner Life
•Writing Pad Summer Camp (Screenwriting Track)
•Punch It Up
•How I Met Your Sitcom: Crafting An Ensemble Comedy Show 

Creative Writing and Multi-Genre Classes
•So You Want To Be A Writer?*
•Finishing School* 

Fiction and Memoir
•Writing The Market Friendly Masterpiece
•Vampires, Time Machines, and Shapeshifters: Writing Paranormal Fiction*
•Memorable Memoir Bootcamp: Make Your True Tales Thrilling

Journalism, Personal Essay and Web Writing
•Me.Com: Shaolin Email Blasts, Razor Sharp Taglines, and Stealth Web Copy •IAMAWESOME.WORDPRESS.COM: Crafting A Killer Blog* 
•What Women Want: Writing For The Women's Glossy* 

Publishing
•Get Your Book Published*
•How To Hook An Agent 

Screenwriting
•Writing Pad Summer Camp (Screenwriting Track)
•Punch It Up
•How I Met Your Sitcom: Crafting An Ensemble Comedy Show

Writing Prompt: Make a list of your 5 things that come to mind when I say the word, "fireworks!" For instance, you could write down events that you attended that included fireworks (e.g. your friend's 4th of July party where you met that cute guy from Indiana), times when you felt fireworks between you and a special someone, or story ideas that could include fireworks exploding in the background of a scene. Pick one. Add a sensory detail to it (e.g. smell, taste, sound, touch). Now write for 10 minutes and post the results in the comments of this blog to be entered into the contest for a free class at Writing Pad!

Write about whatever comes to mind when I say "fireworks." Post your 10 minute write in the comments of this blog, and you could win a free class!

Summer Fun Writing Prompt

By Lizzie Vance and Marilyn Friedman

Now that the month of June is here (and the warm weather is being coy), it's time to switch gears and go on our summer adventures--even if it's only on the page. We have a lot of fun activities planned for June and July including an Adult Summer Camp with award-winning novelist and short story writer Maureen McHugh and Emmy-award nominated screenwriters Victor Levin and Michael Saltzman!  Reserve your spot before our camp and other classes are full by clicking on the links below or emailing marilyn@writingpad.com.

*Classes with an asterix will be held at our Westside location in Culver City!

Classes Starting This Week/Next Week
•What's On Your Mind? Building Your Brand Through Social Media*
•Meet Me Now, Squeeze Me Later: Crafting the Studio Romantic Comedy*
•So You Want To Be A Writer?
•Finishing School

Creative Writing and Multi-Genre Classes
•So You Want To Be A Writer?*
•Finishing School* 

Fiction and Memoir
•Writing Pad Summer Camp (Fiction/Memoir Track)
•A Novel Approach: Tackling The Long Format Writing Project
•Fantasies, Flashbacks, and Fictions: Finding Your Character’s Inner Life
•Writing The Market Friendly Masterpiece
•Vampires, Time Machines, and Shapeshifters: Writing Paranormal Fiction*
•Memorable Memoir Bootcamp: Make Your True Tales Thrilling
 
Journalism, Personal Essay and Web Writing
• So You Want To Be A Freelancer*
•Facebook and Twitter 101
•Me.Com: Shaolin Email Blasts, Razor Sharp Taglines, and Stealth Web Copy
•IAMAWESOME.WORDPRESS.COM: Crafting A Killer Blog* 
•What Women Want: Writing For The Women's Glossy* 

Publishing
•Get Your Book Published*
•How To Hook An Agent 

Screenwriting
•Writing Pad Summer Camp (Screenwriting Track)
•Punch It Up
•How I Met Your Sitcom: Crafting An Ensemble Comedy Show

Writing Prompt: Here's a writing prompt to get you summ-imagination going! Make a list of your 3 most memorable moments from the summers of your childhood (e.g. that costume contest you won by wearing your Wonder Woman Underoos to camp, your first kiss at sleep away camp, a backpacking trip with your family to Yosemite where you almost died). Pick one. Add a sensory detail to it (e.g. smell, taste, sound, touch). Now write for 10 minutes and post the results in the comments of this blog to be entered into the contest for a free class at Writing Pad!

Happy summer, everyone!

Write about a summer camp or vacation memory from your childhood. Post your 10 minute write in the comments of this blog, and you could win a free class!

Comment Contest Winners

By Lizzie Vance and Marilyn Friedman

We had so many fantastic story submissions for the December/January and February/March comment contest. Below are the contest winners. If you didn't win this last round of contests, please continue commenting on this blog with your wonderful stories and poems. Remember, there is a new contest starting up this month for June/July!

But before we tell you who won a free class at Writing Pad, here are some amazing courses that we have coming up soon on the West and East side of LA. You won't want to miss them!  Classes with an * will be held on the Westside of LA.

CLASSES STARTING THIS WEEK/NEXT WEEK
•You In 1200 Words: Writing and Publishing The Personal Essay*
•Get It On The Page: A Creative Writing Workshop•The Odd Couple: Creating Characters That Write Themselves*
•Casting Call: Seeking Characters For A Killer Story
•So You Want To Be A Writer/Finishing School

OTHER CLASSES BY GENRE

Children's and Young Adult Writing
•From Bedtime Stories To Tales of Teenage Woe: Kids and YA Writing Pt I
•From Bedtime Stories To Tales of Teenage Woe: Kids and YA Writing Pt II

Creative Writing/Multi Genre/Fiction
•Best Ride Ever: Crafting The Perfect Story Arc

Journalism, Personal Essay and Web Writing
•What's On Your Mind? Building Your Brand Through Social Media*
• So You Want To Be A Freelancer*

Publishing
•Do It Yourself: Get Your eBook Published

Writing For Actors
•It's All About You: A One-Person Show Workshop

Screenwriting
•Pet Project: Writing Your Dream Screenplay
•Meet Me Now, Squeeze Me Later: Crafting the Studio Romantic Comedy*

Comment Contest Winners

May I have a drum roll please? Here are the winners of a free class at Writing Pad. The December/January Comment Contest Winner is Mae Alberto!

Congratulations, Mae! We asked the contest winners where they like to write. Mae says, "My favorite place to write is on my big, red shabby chair.  I like to sit in it, 'Indian style,' and I feel like it embraces me like my own little nook."

That sounds comfy! You can read Mae's wonderful piece about a cooking disaster here.


The winner of the February/March Comment Contest is Kristin Miles Palmer!

Congratulations, Kristin! Kristin says, "My favorite place is write is, oddly, in my car during a long drive. I have a short attention span so the changing landscape keeps me focused. There is no need to worry if you see me on the road though; I forgo the pen and paper for my phone's voice recorder for those 75 mph brainstorming sessions." 

That sounds like a great way to maximize your driving time, Kristin! You can read Kristin's charming piece about first love here.

We hope to see you soon either on this blog or at Writing Pad West or East!