Right Place at the Right Time

I've never believed in coincidence, and I probably never will, but I do believe God puts us where we're needed at that particular time and place in our lives. In 2013, I attended the Pacific Northwest Writers' Association's Writers' Conference where I met Margie Lawson--a licensed psychologist turned book doctor.

Margie taught several seminars during that conference, but the one that struck me the most was on writing emotions. I didn't know how to write or describe emotions in a way that makes the reader feel as if they are right there with the author, right there between the sheets of paper. I came home, found her website, signed up for all her reasonably-priced workshops, and I've learned how to invoke pain and tears and giggles!

I'm no expert, but as long as Margie is teaching, I'll be signing up for her classes. Margie also does writing retreats-well, sort of, but not exactly. She calls this Immersion Master Classes. And yes, there are prerequisites. For five days and four nights you are invited into Margie's home where she will work her magic on your work in progress. She's helped countless authors turn their blah pages into bam pages just by adding a tweak here or there. Your story, your way, Margie says, but with power.

In a few hours, I will be landing in Denver, CO ready to meet Margie for a 2nd Immersion and four other classmates. This is not a retreat where you meet for a few hours and then go off and work in your own writing. Yes, you will have time to work on your projects, but you'll be working on specific things like dialogue, emotion, setting, action, tension, etc. And you will do this from approximately 8:30am to 10:00pm. And I love every minute of Margie's dig-deeper philosophy.

Have you met Margie Lawson? Have you taken any of her classes? Have you been to an Immersion? Share, share, share! I'd love to hear about your experience!