C. Alex Smith's Blog

  Hook Your Reader   on  the First Page A Uniquely Formatted Online Course to Create a Compelling Opening and Writing Community   What to Expect: Starting  6/3/26 , participants have 13 days to watch 4 instructional videos and do exercises via a private webpage.  Participants spruce up or create a dynamic opening for a book, memoir, or short story of up to 300 words.  Two  Ask Me Anything  video calls will take place during that time to clear up any confusion about the videos or the exercises and to help you make your opening as compelling as possible. And I do mean "Anything"–even questions about writing that fall outside the course are welcome. By  6/15/26 , opening pages are submitted and distributed anonymously to the other participants via a link. Participants review other writers’ openings and answer three questions by  6/29/26  (14 days):  Does it make you want to turn the page and keep reading?  What hook...

  Learn The Advantages and Artistry of Writing Short Stories 10 am-3pm  Saturday, Nov 8 & Sunday, Nov 9 Luke AFB Recreation Area 415 Battalion Rd Fort Tuthill, Flagstaff $125 for Weekend Workshop **Lunch Included** Deadline to Register 11/5/25 Classes will discuss: Story Structure – Once a writer understands the structure of a story, it’s easier to write one. We will discuss three common structures: L inear, In Medias Res, and In Finis Literary Devices –Learn to access hundreds of literary devices including: Metaphor, Simile, and Analogy. Setting and Scene –Learn to implement a chosen literary device in a scene to improve the impact of your story. Characterization –Learn about attachable characters and non-attachable characters and the purpose of each. Create a character to integrate into your story. Point of View –  Learn various ways to tell their story: known narrator, unknown narrator, animal, inanimate object, or entirely through dialogue and action. Di...