Brandy Vallance's Blog, page 5

The Birth, Care & Feeding of Critique Groups

2025 Conference Schedule

If you’d like to pitch to me via Zoom at an online conference, or meet me in person, here’s my 2025 conference schedule for the year so far:

 

San Diego Writing Workshop (online)

February 7 ��� 8, 2025

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South Carolina Writing Workshop (in person)

March 1, 2025

Charleston, SC��

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Cascade Christian Writers Conference (online��

March 7 pitch appointments��

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Texas Writing Workshop (online)

March 7 ��� 8, 2025��

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Alabama Writing Workshop (in person)

March 14, 2025

Birmingham, Alabama

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Atlanta Writing Workshop (in person)

March 15, 2025

Atlanta, Georgia��

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Ohio Writing Workshop (online)

April 4 ��� 5, 2025��

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Pittsburg Writing Workshop (online)

May 9 ��� 10, 2025

First Pages Contest With Literary Agent Critique

Writing Day Workshop is running a First Pages Contest for 1) young adult fiction, 2) romance, women’s, historical, and 3) adult sci-fi & fantasy. FREE to enter. Ends on Feb. 4, 2025:��

I’m judging romance, women’s fiction, and historical. You can check out the page below:��

https://www.writingdayworkshops.com/blog/first-pages-contest-2-romance-historical-womens-fiction-judged-by-agent-brandy-vallance

 

 

A New Way to Think About Show Don’t Tell

Evocation: How to Evoke Emotion in Your Readers

As an author, how do you get your readers to feel? Is there some skill that has to be learned or does it happen naturally? Here, Robert T. Spiller & Brandy Vallance discuss some advanced writing techniques, as well as some stories that do this well.

15 Query Letter & Submission Mistakes to Avoid

15 Query Letter and Submission Mistakes To Avoid, taught by Brandy Vallance. Once you understand some basics about crafting a query and submitting your work, it���s time to review what NOT to do when contacting agents and editors. This class, taught by a literary agent, addresses common agent pet peeves, submission errors, things that come off as unprofessional, cliche wording in a query, and more. Learn what small mistakes may be torpedoing your submission, and what you can do to fix them.��

Quarterfinalist for The Lady Illuminators Screenplay

I received some wonderful news yesterday! My screenplay, THE LADY ILLUMINATORS, was named in the Final Draft Pro Screenwriting Competition! Here’s the link.��

Social Media Post: I���m thrilled that I���m a quarterfinalist in the @finaldraftinc Big Break Competition! My screenplay, THE LADY ILLUMINATORS is under the Sci-fi category. Wow, I���m so grateful! I wrote the book during some of the hardest times in my life then adapted it into a screenplay this year. What a long journey TLI has been on so far. I���m excited to see where the journey goes!

Robert T. Spiller Teaches Page Sculpting for Writers

Page sculpting can be the difference between someone turning the page of your novel or closing the book. Sometimes poor page sculpting is the reason why a reader (or literary agent) might put your book down on page one. Robert T. Spiller is the author of the Bonnie Pinkwater Mysteries and other works of fiction. He lives is Colorado Springs, Colorado where he teaches writing. His unique perspective and sense of humor have encouraged countless writers and many have utilized his strategies to create award-winning fiction.

Your Story Matters!

 

Fighting discouragement is hard if you’re a writer. You’re tempted to give up and sometimes your book can sit in a drawer for months or years. Here’s my take on some of my writing journey. I hope this helps!

Podcast Guest for The Anselm Society

I had a wonderful time talking about symbolic language with Evangeline Denmark and J. Case Tompkins! Give it a listen if you are so inclined:  https://www.anselmsociety.org/blog/brandy-vallance-interview