Workshops

Author Websites 101: What You Actually Need (and What You Don’t)

Format: 60-90 minute webinar

An author website does not need to be complicated to be effective. It needs to be clear, functional, and aligned with your goals.

This workshop covers the essential elements every author website should include, why they matter, and how readers actually use them. Writers will learn how to evaluate their current site, avoid common mistakes, and make confident decisions without getting lost in tech overwhelm.

The focus is on simplicity, clarity, and building a website that works for you, not one you constantly fight with.

You will learn:

• What pages every author website truly needs
• How readers and industry professionals use author sites
• Common website mistakes that cost credibility or conversions
• How your website supports your newsletter, books, and platform
• When to DIY and when to ask for professional help

This session is ideal for writers who want a solid foundation before investing time or money into redesigns, upgrades, or marketing.

MailerLite for Authors: Build a Newsletter That Actually Works

Format: Available as a 4-week guided workshop or a condensed 90-minute webinar.

Your newsletter is one of the most powerful tools you own as an author, but only if it is set up with intention.

This workshop walks authors through using MailerLite in a clear, approachable way, focusing on systems that support long-term growth instead of busywork. Writers will learn how to design newsletters that reflect their brand, automate key communication, and understand what their data is actually telling them.

Whether you are brand new to newsletters or ready to refine your existing setup, this workshop helps you use MailerLite with confidence and purpose.

Topics include:

• Setting up the essentials without overwhelm
• Aligning newsletter design with your author brand
• Automations and drip campaigns that save time
• Segmenting subscribers for better engagement
• Understanding analytics and making informed decisions
• RSS campaigns, blogging, and content best practices
• Growing a quality list instead of chasing numbers

Hacked to Hijacked: How to Protect Your Author Platform

Format: 60-90 minute webinar

If you have a website, a newsletter, or social media accounts for your writing, this workshop is for you.

You do not need to lack tech-savvy to lose control of your author platform. Most hacks happen through small, everyday moments. A convincing email. A reused password. A tool that suddenly is not safe anymore.

This workshop explains how author platforms actually get compromised, using plain language and real-world examples. You will learn how to recognize warning signs early, protect your accounts without overwhelm, and know what to do if something goes wrong.

You will learn:

• What counts as your author platform and why it matters
• The most common ways authors get hacked or locked out
• Red flags most people miss until it is too late
• Simple security steps that make a real difference
• Where to start if your platform is already at risk

This session is about protecting your time, your audience, and your peace of mind.

Character Development with Enneagram Archetypes

Format: 90-120 minute webinar

Imagine having a roadmap to create vivid, unforgettable characters with natural, built-in arcs that resonate deeply with readers. In Character Development with Enneagram Archetypes, you’ll learn how to harness the power of the Enneagram to bring your characters to life. Each Enneagram type reveals unique motivations, strengths, and fears, providing a framework that guides your characters through organic growth, inner conflict, and compelling transformation.

In this course, we’ll explore all nine Enneagram archetypes and unlock their natural pathways for character development. You’ll gain a practical understanding of:

• How each Enneagram type’s strengths and vulnerabilities create powerful personality traits that engage readers.
• Built-in growth paths for each type, offering a ready-made arc that lets your characters naturally evolve through their experiences.
• Rich relationship dynamics based on how each type interacts with others, perfect for romance and conflict-driven narratives.

By learning how Enneagram types respond to challenges, fall into stress, and reach toward growth, you’ll have a complete toolkit for crafting multidimensional characters who feel real. Whether you’re looking to design a dynamic hero, a flawed love interest, or a rich ensemble, this course will make character-building more intuitive and effective, allowing you to create stories and relationships that linger long after the last page.

Attachment Styles (for Writers and Storytellers)

Format: 60-90 minute webinar

Every relationship, on the page and off it, follows a pattern.

This workshop introduces attachment styles as a practical tool for understanding how characters connect, clash, and grow. Writers will learn how different attachment patterns shape behavior under stress, influence romantic and interpersonal conflict, and drive emotionally consistent arcs.

By understanding why characters pursue, withdraw, or self-sabotage, writers can create relationships that feel grounded, compelling, and deeply human without relying on familiar tropes.

Leadership Skills for Writing Communities

Format: 60-90 minute webinar

Leading writers requires more than enthusiasm. It requires discernment, communication, and emotional intelligence.

This workshop is designed for chapter leaders, organizers, and volunteers who want to lead with steadiness and confidence. It covers the core skills needed to support creative communities, navigate responsibility, and make decisions that strengthen trust and continuity.

Participants will leave with practical tools for leading well without overextending themselves or losing sight of the community’s purpose.

Volunteering in Writing Organizations (Getting Involved Without Getting Overwhelmed)

Format: 60-90 minute webinar

Writing organizations depend on volunteers and board members, but many writers step into those roles without a clear understanding of what they involve. That uncertainty often leads to frustration, burnout, or hesitation to serve at all.

This workshop demystifies how writing organizations function behind the scenes. Participants will learn the purpose of bylaws and policy manuals, what effective volunteer roles look like in practice, and how responsibilities are shared to keep organizations healthy and sustainable.

The session also explores how meaningful engagement benefits both the organization and the individual. Writers will gain clarity around time commitments, expectations, and how to choose roles that align with their skills and capacity.

Participants will learn:

• What bylaws and policies actually do, and why they matter
• The types of volunteer and board roles that keep organizations running
• Realistic time commitments for common leadership positions
• How shared responsibility prevents burnout and strengthens community
• The personal and professional benefits of deeper organizational involvement

This workshop is ideal for members considering volunteering, new board members, and organizations seeking to build stronger, more resilient leadership pipelines.

Leadership Retreat:

Building Strong Writing Organizations: Leadership, Structure, and Shared Responsibility

Format: Leadership Retreat is facilitated live (In-Person or Virtual)

Overview

Healthy writing organizations do not happen by accident. They are built through clear structure, shared responsibility, and leaders who understand both people and process.

This leadership retreat module is designed for board members, officers, and key volunteers in writing organizations. It provides a clear, practical understanding of how organizations function, what leadership roles actually require, and how to build sustainable systems that prevent burnout and leadership fatigue.

The retreat balances education, reflection, and guided discussion to help leadership teams align expectations, strengthen collaboration, and plan for the future.

Learning Objectives

Participants will:

• Understand the purpose and function of bylaws and policy documents
• Clarify the roles and responsibilities that keep organizations running smoothly
• Develop realistic expectations around time, capacity, and shared workload
• Strengthen communication and trust within leadership teams
• Identify ways to cultivate future leaders and prevent burnout

Part 1: How Writing Organizations Actually Work

Foundations and clarity

• The role of bylaws, policies, and procedures
• Why structure supports creativity rather than stifles it
• Decision-making authority vs. operational work
• Transparency and accountability in volunteer-led organizations

Outcome: Leaders understand the “why” behind governance, not just the rules.

Part 2: Leadership Roles and Real-World Expectations

What the job really looks like

• Common leadership and volunteer roles in writing organizations
• Time commitments, seasonal workload, and hidden labor
• Why “many hands make light work” is a systems issue, not a slogan
• Matching roles to strengths, capacity, and availability

Outcome: Leaders gain clarity on who does what, and why overload happens.

Part 3: Boundaries, Burnout, and Sustainable Leadership

Protecting people so the organization can last

• Recognizing early signs of burnout in volunteer leadership
• Healthy boundaries as a leadership responsibility
• Sharing work without guilt or resentment
• Creating a culture where stepping back is allowed

Outcome: Leadership teams develop a healthier approach to responsibility and longevity.

Part 4: Engaging Members and Building a Leadership Pipeline

From participation to stewardship

• Why meaningful engagement benefits both members and organizations
• How to invite volunteers without pressure or desperation
• Creating clear entry points for involvement
• Succession planning and knowledge transfer

Outcome: Leaders leave with strategies for cultivating future leaders intentionally.

Part 5: Guided Discussion and Action Planning

Turning insight into next steps

• Identifying current strengths and stress points
• Clarifying immediate priorities
• Setting realistic short-term and long-term goals
• Establishing follow-up accountability

Outcome: Teams leave aligned, focused, and equipped to move forward.

Who This Is For

• Board members and officers
• Chapter leaders and committee chairs
• Long-term volunteers
• Organizations experiencing leadership turnover or burnout
• Groups preparing for growth or transition