I’d heard a lot of very good things about psychotherapist and editor, Margie Lawson. And after talking to friends who had signed up for an immersion being held in Melbourne, straight after the Romance Writers of Australia conference which I was already attending, I signed up too.
Best move ever!
Sound intense?
Well yes, it was, (hence our group name, 'Fun, Fresh, Feisty and Fierce!') but there was endless encouragement, lots of laughter, constant
‘aha!’ moments, and an abundance of gourmet food (thank you Dotti!).
Each morning, Margie presented her fabulous, so this-is-what-my-writing’s-been-missing techniques and gave us exercises to work on. She also spent time with us one-on-one, going over our manuscripts. What an invaluable daily half hour that was!
Elaine still working hard ... |
I love studying
writing craft. I’m always keen to know how to improve my style, strengthen my
structure and learn new strategies. I received all that and more from Margie.
Here’s
a quote from Catherine Hudson on the subject:
'Many writing craft
books tell you the dos and don'ts, a whole list of rules that in the end, make
you feel confined, shut in.... and frankly, suffocated. Margie Lawson's lecture
packets and her immersion have set my creativity free! She gives tools to make
your writing fresh, fun, and marketable. Margie is a powerhouse of writing
knowledge, creative energy and editing humour. I've never laughed so much as
someone carved up my work to turn it into a thing of beauty. Love it! I plan to
attend more of her courses soon.'
Was the immersion tiring? Exhausting? Overwhelming? Yes, but
oh-so-worth-it. Here’s what Cassandra Shaw and Elaine Fraser had to say:
Cassandra: 'You’ll be
excited. You’ll be exhausted. You’ll be near tears. You’ll be wondering why you
did this. When it’s over, Margie will leave you inspired, driven, and confident
you now have the tools to craft a novel beyond your biggest NYT dreams.'
Elaine: 'On Monday, I
was full of enthusiasm. On Tuesday, I was ready to quit. On Friday, I had the
tools I needed to triumph.'
And this from Iola
Goulton:
'Dotti raved about her first Margie
Lawson. And her second. After a week with Margie, I can see why. I now
understand and can apply a huge range of power writing techniques and
understand the effects of Velcro hands, thumbies, and choosing the right
cookies. If you want to know what any of that means, you’ll have to ask me in
person at the Christian Writers Conference in October … or attend a Margie
Lawson immersion yourself. I guarantee Margie will show you how to be a better
writer (or editor!).'
So, what preparation was involved?
Each of us brought five chapters of a
manuscript to work on. We also purchased three specific ‘packets’, a group of
printed out online lectures, (Deep Editing, Rhetorical Devices and More; Empowering
Characters’ Emotions; Writing Body Language and Dialogue Cues like a
Psychologist) and applied them to our chapters before the immersion. The
packets are only $22 USD and FULL of amazing examples from ‘Margie-grads’, many
of whom have gone on to write NYT best-sellers! I’ll be purchasing more of the
packets in the very near future.
Will I sign up for another immersion?
You bet! But if Margie doesn’t make it
back Down Under, (the immersions are held mostly in the U.S.) I will access
more of the lecture packets or sign up for an online course.
I hope I’ve managed to whet your
appetite concerning all things Margie Lawson. Check out her website http://www.margielawson.com/ and see which part appeals. And
if you ever get an opportunity to attend an immersion, go for it! You'll be so thankful you did.
Out to dinner on our last night. From L-R: Cassandra, Andrea, Catherine, Dotti, Iola, Lauren, Margie, Elaine |
Thanks Andrea for sharing your experience last week. Fabulous the week was great on many fronts. May all of you experience a step-change in your writing.
ReplyDeleteThanks for that, Ian. I think we all feel we've gone up at least five steps as a result of the immersion, lol. Can't recommend it highly enough :)
DeleteWOW!!!! First. That's a great pic of you all...and still smiling after that week's work. Brain work can be exhausting. What a great recommendation, Andrea.
ReplyDeleteHi Rita - we had a lot to smile about despite the exhaustion! Thanks for stopping by :)
DeleteNext year I'm in if she comes back.
ReplyDeleteMe too! How exciting would that be?!?
DeleteSounds like a great time. Would have loved to be there to enjoy a 'visceral response' with all of you. I bought Margie's 'Empowering Character's Emotions' packet after hearing Cat talk about it. My head was spinning after just a couple of modules. So packed with helpful info. I intend to buy the other packets. Well worth the money.
ReplyDeleteWe had LOTS of visceral responses Nola, most of them humour hits - you would've loved them! The packets are indeed well worth the money.
DeleteHi Andrea, Thanks for sharing your Margie Immersion with us :) It's on my wish list!
ReplyDeleteMay your wish come true! Most fascinating thing to do with writing I've ever participated in.
DeleteI know Christians should not be envious. Can I be forgiven this time? What would I have given to be taught so much and enjoyed this kind of fellowship and input into my writing efforts many, many years ago! How wonderful to share such a great time together.
ReplyDelete