THE CLASS: Whether you're a plotter who outlines before you write or a pantser who strengthens as you revise, studying plot structure is one of the best things an aspiring author can do—and there's no shortage of talented writers teaching wonderful methods for creating your novel's plot. Most plot structures, though, are aimed at plot-driven stories where action, suspense, or romance take center stage. But what if your book is the kind best described as "quiet" or "character-driven"? What if the crucial action takes place inside your protagonist's head? How can you make conventional plot structures work if your book is less "hero's journey" and more "coming of age"? This is the class for you!

WHAT YOU GET: In this 90-minute class, we'll explore ways to adapt a traditional 3-act structure to a character-driven story. There will also be a workshop period at the end where live attendees can get personal feedback from me on story ideas or synopses. This class will give you unparalleled access both to my traditional instructional techniques AND to live critique, something I’m rarely able to offer elsewhere.

I will also share the class recording with everyone who has purchased a ticket, so even if you are unable to attend live, you can watch the class later! (However, only live attendees will be able to workshop their story ideas and synopses as part of the class.)

WHO AM I AND WHY SHOULD YOU CARE?: I am Cindy Baldwin, middle grade author and long-time writing teacher and book coach. I’ve taught lots of popular classes at major conferences like SCBWI, Storymakers, WriteOnCon, and AWP. I have been a mentor for #PitchWars and #WeNeedDiverseBooks, and authors I have mentored have gone on to sign with agents, land book deals with major publishers, and win major writing awards. I’ve published four of my own books with HarperCollins children’s books; all have been critically acclaimed and several have won or been finalists for awards. As a teacher, I am particularly known for breaking down complicated topics into easy, doable pieces. I’ve been wanting to offer online classes for several years so that I had the freedom to deliver a more personalized experience than is possible in a conference setting. I hope you’ll join me!