Virtual Short Storyathon Feb 16-18

Become a published author in a weekend!

This virtual short story event will take you from idea creation (on Friday night) all the way to your published short story on Amazon by Sunday! This is a fast-paced, hard-working weekend, but so rewarding.

Many attendees, even first time authors, hit the top rankings in their genre and a few have even become best sellers!

Why a short story?

Because it’s a quick way to get writing and see the process of publishing a quality product (because you can produce something good in a weekend and we’ve seen it happen every time).

If you’re building an author platform, this is a good way to create an introduction to your other novels. If you’ve never written, it’s a good way to start getting readers.

Other Benefits?

Writing a short story and publishing it on platforms like Amazon can offer several benefits:

Creative Expression: Writing a short story allows you to express your creativity and explore your imagination. It’s a medium to share your unique ideas, perspectives, and storytelling skills.

Skill Development: Writing, editing, and publishing a short story can enhance your writing skills. It provides an opportunity to refine your storytelling techniques, character development, and overall narrative structure.

Portfolio Building: If you aspire to be a writer, having a published short story on platforms like Amazon can serve as a valuable addition to your portfolio. It showcases your ability to create engaging content.

Visibility and Recognition: Amazon is a widely used platform, and publishing your short story there increases its visibility. Positive reviews and downloads can contribute to recognition among readers and fellow writers.

Monetary Potential: While not guaranteed, there is potential to earn money through royalties on Amazon. If readers find your short story interesting and decide to purchase it, you may receive a portion of the sales.

Building an Audience: Publishing on Amazon allows you to reach a global audience. If readers enjoy your short story, they might be interested in your future works, helping you build a fan base. 

Networking Opportunities: Being part of a writing publishing community opens up opportunities to connect with other authors, publishers, and readers. Networking can lead to collaborations, feedback, and mutual support.

Experimentation and Feedback: A short story is a manageable format that allows you to experiment with different genres, styles, and themes. Additionally, reader reviews and feedback on platforms like Amazon can provide insights for improvement.

Don’t wait! The time is never going to be ‘perfect’ to stop and write, so use this event to get started!

Your Facilitator

Hello! I’m Sonja Dewing, best-selling author and award-winning creative writer. I’ve helped hundreds of authors write novels and short stories, it’s time you joined my event and get writing! 

Ready? Buy your tickets and let’s get writing! https://womensthrillerwriters.thrivecart.com/ssa-presale/

Reviews

“I enjoyed the challenge of creating with a deadline in mind and I deeply appreciated the generous and supportive environment created by the instructor and participants alike.” -Elisabeth Loya

“I participated in the Oct 2018 short story-a-thon! It was an awesome supportive experience that got me through the story and the publishing process in a weekend!! I will be doing this again. Thank you!!” -Winter Flack

“I had a terrific time at this workshop. We began Friday with a brief lesson on creative writing, then a walking tour of downtown Albuquerque where we sought inspiration for our writing. Saturday was devoted to creating pieces with the assistance of professional editors. Today was about publishing our stories on Kindle Direct, complete with story cover. It was a marathon session, inspiration to publishing in three days. It certainly spurred me to complete my tales and taught me it is possible to get them out there for others to enjoy.” – Chris Allen

About Pricing

This events includes facilitation, instructions on how to publish to Amazon, and includes a professional editor. 

Keep in mind, if you’re a Women’s Thriller Writers Association member, you get 50% off the standard ticket. Not a member yet? You can join here: https://womensthrillerwriters.com/be-creative-with-the-womens-thriller-writers-association/

Our Schedule

Friday night 6pm Mountain – meet on Zoom

We’ll discuss how to write a short story and how to find ideas for your story (if you don’t have one already).

Saturday 8am Mountain – meet on Zoom (we’ll be working all day on our story)

We’ll start with some writing sprints to get us going.

We’ll check in every hour and have a Facebook group to connect in between check ins.

Then take a quick break while we talk about book covers and consider hiring a book cover artist (they run $60 to $250) Or if you don’t want to hire an artist, I’ll show you how to use Canva.

Then keep writing all morning.

After lunch we’ll sit down and review each other’s work, so we can get ideas on what needs to be improved. Then, it’s editing time.

In the evening, your stories will be sent to our professional editor(s). They will edit the first three pages of stories you started that weekend (this is so everyone gets some professional editing on their story). Also, this is paid as part of your purchase.

Sunday 11am Mountain – meet on Zoom

(We’ll work up until around 5 or 6pm)

We’ll sleep in a little after all that work. Then it’s back to work. We’ll polish our stories in the morning.

Then, I’ll go over how to set up your story on Amazon by covering details like title, categories, blurb, etc.

Then, we’ll celebrate when we hit the publish button!

Limited spaces:

I’m limiting this event to only 25 attendees, so you probably want to buy your ticket now.

Check out some of our other author’s stories that have been published:

The Glass Stiletto: A Fractured Fairy Tale – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08W4TYNJ1

Jane – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08KQF4JD9

Getting Out – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08KPRLSYG

Walk Right (award-winning) – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08KPLDP65

Alma de Santa Fe – https://www.amazon.com/Alma-Santa-Fe-Elisabeth-Loya-ebook/dp/B07DZTC9H6

The Short Storyathon is held once a quarter – Upcoming schedule:

2024

Feb 16-18

April 5-7

June 7-9

Oct 11-13

Looking forward to working with you! Don’t forget to buy your ticket.