{"id":636,"date":"2026-01-06T19:14:14","date_gmt":"2026-01-06T19:14:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/classes.dianabotsford.com\/?p=636"},"modified":"2026-01-06T19:14:14","modified_gmt":"2026-01-06T19:14:14","slug":"workshops-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/classes.dianabotsford.com\/?p=636","title":{"rendered":"Workshops 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

There’s something for everyone in the new year’s offerings including a free on-day opportunity on January 15th for writers from all mediums including prose to television, film to the stage.<\/p>\n

BUILD-A-SCENE<\/span><\/a>
\nA 3-HOUR INTENSIVE FREE WRITER’S WORKSHOP
\nSaturday, January 17, 2026<\/strong>
\n2:00 PM \u2013 5:00 PM ET
\nLive Interactive Zoom Session
\nREGISTER HERE FOR MORE DETAILS<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Great stories are built one scene at a time, but most writers struggle with the architecture. In this hands-on workshop, you’ll learn the essential elements that make scenes work across any medium\u2014from the page to the screen to the stage. Through rapid-fire exercises, live workshopping, and structured planning tools, you’ll walk away with mapped-out scenes for your current project, worksheets to guide your remaining scenes, and the confidence to craft moments that grip readers and viewers from the first line. This workshop welcomes writers across all mediums\u2014fiction, nonfiction, poetry, screenwriting, journalism, and beyond. Whether you’re a beginner or seasoned professional, you’ll discover practical tools to demolish the barriers between you and your best work.<\/p>\n

\n

WRITER\u2019S BLOCK BUSTERS<\/span><\/a>
\nA 3-HOUR INTENSIVE WRITER’S WORKSHOP
\nSaturday, February 7th, 2026<\/strong>
\n2:00 PM \u2013 5:00 PM ET
\nLive Interactive Zoom Session
\n$25\/Early Bird Registration (until January 20th)
\n$35 Registration from January 20th to February 7th<\/p>\n

REGISTER HERE FOR MORE DETAILS<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

This intensive 3-hour workshop distills proven writer’s block breakthrough techniques into one transformative afternoon. Through rapid-fire writing exercises, mini-lectures, and actionable strategies, you’ll identify your unique creative obstacles and walk away with a personalized toolkit to demolish them. Expect to write, laugh, share (optionally), and leave with both words on the page and renewed confidence in your creative process.<\/p>\n

This workshop welcomes writers across all mediums\u2014fiction, nonfiction, poetry, screenwriting, journalism, and beyond. Whether you’re a beginner or seasoned professional, you’ll discover practical tools to demolish the barriers between you and your best work.<\/p>\n

\n

WRITING & MARKETING THE TELEVISION PILOT<\/strong><\/span><\/a>
\nSaturdays, 2 to 5 pm, ET
\nREGISTER NOW to take advantage of Early Bird special rates<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

PART 1: FROM CONCEPT TO ACT ONE
\n<\/strong>Duration: 4 weeks
\nMeeting Time: <\/strong>Saturdays, 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM ET
\nMarch 7, 14, 21, 28 – 2026
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

Course Description
\n<\/strong>Transform your television series idea into a professional outline and polished first act. This intensive four-week course takes writers from initial concept through series development, structural planning, and completion of the pilot’s crucial opening act. Through a combination of on-demand video lectures, live Zoom sessions, and hands-on writing assignments, participants will develop the foundational elements of their television pilot while learning industry-standard formatting, character-driven storytelling, and the unique demands of episodic television.<\/p>\n

PART 2: WRITING & MARKETING THE TELEVISION PILOT SCRIPT
\n<\/strong>Duration: <\/strong>6 weeks
\nMeeting Time: <\/strong>Saturdays, 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM ET
\nApril 4, 11, 18, 25<\/strong>
\nMay 2, 9<\/strong><\/p>\n

Course Description
\n<\/strong>Complete your television pilot teleplay in a structured workshop environment and prepare it for professional submission. This six-week intensive focuses on finishing Acts Two through Five through weekly page workshops, developing marketing materials (pitch bible and deck), and learning industry navigation strategies.<\/p>\n

REGISTER NOW to take advantage of Early Bird special rates<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

TV PILOT WORKSHOP PRICING<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/th>\nLaunch Special<\/th>\nEarly Bird<\/th>\nRegular<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Part 1 Only<\/strong> (4 weeks)<\/td>\n$135<\/td>\n$150<\/td>\n$175<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Part 2 Only<\/strong> (6 weeks) Requires Part 1 or approval<\/em><\/td>\n$175<\/td>\n$195<\/td>\n$225<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Both Parts (Bundle)<\/strong><\/td>\n$290<\/td>\n$325<\/td>\n$375<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

Bundle Savings:<\/strong> Up to $85 off<\/p>\n

\n

BUILD-DIALOGUE
\n<\/strong>A Free Workshop for Fiction Writers<\/strong><\/p>\n

Saturday, June 6, 2026<\/strong>
\n2:00 PM \u2013 5:00 PM ET
\nLive Interactive Zoom Session<\/p>\n

REGISTRATION OPENS April 15th
\nNewsletter subscribers<\/a><\/strong> receive first access to register\u2014sign up to make sure you don’t miss your spot.<\/p>\n

Great dialogue doesn’t just fill space between action beats\u2014it reveals character, drives conflict, and keeps readers turning pages. But too often, writers struggle with characters who all sound alike, conversations that feel flat, or dialogue that tells rather than shows.<\/p>\n

In this free three-hour workshop, you’ll build dialogue from the ground up using the same instinct-first approach that made “Build-A-Character,” “Build-A-Plot,” and “Build-A-Scene” so effective. Through timed exercises and targeted techniques, you’ll discover how to craft conversations that crackle with tension and authenticity\u2014whether you’re writing novels, screenplays, or anything in between.<\/p>\n

What We’ll Cover:<\/strong><\/p>\n

We’ll start by exploring what makes each character’s voice distinct, moving beyond surface-level quirks to find the speech patterns, rhythms, and word choices that make dialogue unmistakably theirs. From there, we’ll dig into the real engine of memorable dialogue: conflict and subtext. You’ll learn to layer meaning beneath the words, turning ordinary exchanges into moments of tension and revelation. Finally, we’ll tackle the practical work of revision\u2014identifying your personal dialogue patterns and learning to polish conversations for maximum impact.<\/p>\n

You’ll leave with concrete tools you can apply immediately to your current project, plus a deeper understanding of what separates functional dialogue from the kind readers remember.<\/p>\n

This workshop is designed for fiction writers across all genres and mediums, from beginners finding their footing to experienced writers looking to sharpen their skills.<\/p>\n

\n

WRITING & MARKETING THE FEATURE SCREENPLAY<\/strong>
\nSaturdays, Afternoons, August\u2013November 2026<\/em><\/p>\n

REGISTRATION OPENS April 15th
\nNewsletter subscribers<\/a><\/strong> receive first access to register\u2014sign up to make sure you don’t miss your spot.
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

This comprehensive 4-month workshop guides participants from initial concept to competition-ready feature screenplay. Month one covers screenwriting fundamentals\u2014structure, format, and visual storytelling\u2014while you develop a professional treatment and write your opening five pages. Months two through four provide intensive weekly page workshops where you’ll present your work for collaborative feedback, complete your full screenplay, and learn the business side: crafting a compelling pitch deck and navigating screenplay competitions, agents, and managers. By combining hands-on writing practice with real-world industry preparation, this workshop provides both the creative skills and business acumen necessary to professionally pursue a screenwriting career. Limited enrollment ensures quality feedback and personalized attention.<\/p>\n

More details to come soon.<\/p>\n

SCREENPLAY WORKSHOP PRICING<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/th>\nLaunch Special<\/th>\nEarly Bird<\/th>\nRegular<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Part 1 Only<\/strong> (4 weeks)<\/td>\n$135<\/td>\n$150<\/td>\n$175<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Part 2 Only<\/strong> (12 weeks) Requires Part 1 or approval<\/em><\/td>\n$350<\/td>\n$390<\/td>\n$450<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Both Parts (Bundle)<\/strong><\/td>\n$440<\/td>\n$490<\/td>\n$565<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

Bundle Savings:<\/strong> Up to $60 off<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

There’s something for everyone in the new year’s offerings including a free on-day opportunity on January 15th for writers from all mediums including prose to television, film to the stage. BUILD-A-SCENE A 3-HOUR INTENSIVE FREE WRITER’S WORKSHOP Saturday, January 17, 2026 2:00 PM \u2013 5:00 PM ET Live Interactive Zoom Session REGISTER HERE FOR MORE […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":637,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-container-style":"default","site-container-layout":"default","site-sidebar-layout":"default","disable-article-header":"default","disable-site-header":"default","disable-site-footer":"default","disable-content-area-spacing":"default","footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-636","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-workshops"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/classes.dianabotsford.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/636","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/classes.dianabotsford.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/classes.dianabotsford.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/classes.dianabotsford.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/classes.dianabotsford.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=636"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/classes.dianabotsford.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/636\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":638,"href":"https:\/\/classes.dianabotsford.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/636\/revisions\/638"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/classes.dianabotsford.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/637"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/classes.dianabotsford.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=636"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/classes.dianabotsford.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=636"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/classes.dianabotsford.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=636"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}