NEW
EVENTS
Creating
Pet Stories That Sell
Presented by Nancy Ellis-Bell
Book Passage
51 Tamal Vista Blvd., Corte Madera, CA
Saturday• March 27
More details to follow
Synopsis: Americans love animals
and especially pets - theirs or others. If you think
your pet's story is book-worthy, author Nancy Ellis-Bell
will show you how to transform that furry, feathered
or finned "tail" into a commercial "tale".
The class will focus on developing your central story,
implementing novelistic techniques to make your story
compelling, balancing past tense narrative with present
moment unfoldment, interweaving first person narrative
with third person narrative, avoiding inappropriate
anthropomorphism, and making your pet into a star -
along with you!
Ellis-Bell is the author of "The Parrot Who
Thought She Was a Dog" (Harmony
Books, 2008 Hardcover, 2009 Paperback), which
was named one of the top ten non-fiction titles in its
category for 2008. She is also the co-author of "A
Man For All Species" with Marc Morrone (Harmony
Books, 2010 Hardcover).
Morrone is the nationally acknowledged pet expert featured
regularly on "The Martha Stewart Show". Ellis-Bell
is also a literary agent who specializes in memoir and
narrative non-fiction.
Exploring
the World of Animals in Narrative Prose
Presented by Nancy Ellis-Bell
Book Passage
51 Tamal Vista Blvd., Corte Madera, CA
Saturday• March 27
More details to follow
Synopsis:
Americans are fascinated with the animals around us,
seeking out books, movies and television programs which
address our curiosity.
If you are someone whose experience with animals has
led you to a particular observation or insight which
might appeal to a larger audience, you might want to
consider writing a non-fiction work about that experience.
It's not only pet stories that sell, it's also more
objective (not necessarily scientific) works that appeal
to American readers. Those involved in veterinary medicine,
rescue organizations, breeding environments, environmental
groups, animal entertainment, guide and service animals,
and a host of other animal-based endeavors may have
a wealth of information to share.
Nancy Ellis-Bell is an author in the animal memoir category
("The Parrot Who Thought She Was a Dog",
Harmony Books, 2008/2009), and
also the co-author of "A Man For All Species"
with Marc Morrone (Harmony Books, 2010),
which looks at the world of pet keeping along with the
animal export business, animals as entertainment, cultural
perspectives on animal husbandry, and the zoo scene.
Morrone is the nationally acknowledged pet expert featured
regularly on "The Martha Stewart Show". Ellis-Bell
is also a literary agent who specializes in memoir and
narrative non-fiction.
PAST
EVENTS
Mastering
the Memoir:
Conception
to Sale
Presented by Nancy Ellis-Bell
Book Passage
51 Tamal Vista Blvd., Corte Madera, CA
Sign
Up - ($155)
Four Saturdays • Jan. 17–Feb. 7
1:00–3:00 pm
Using your life as a literary landscape, you will learn
how to create memoirs from your most significant experiences.
Whether writing for your own satisfaction or in order
to bring your story to the world, this class will offer
practical techniques for both novice and expert writers.
Author/agent Nancy Ellis-Bell will show you how to identify
and develop your authentic voice, balance narration
and action, maintain the power of the “present
moment,” pare your descriptions to the essential
image or emotion, use the emotional values of words,
and balance a compelling narrative pace with reflective
pauses. There will be in-class exercises, short assignments
between classes, editing sessions, and useful information
from the instructor’s thirty-year background as
a professor, literary agent and author. Nancy is a recognized
literary agent named one of the top 25 agents in the
country by Writer’s Digest.
To
register, call (415)927-0960, ext. 1, or sign up online.
