ONGOING COURSES affordably priced, self-paced, online writing classes with an in-person vibe
Memoir and personal essay: This self-paced hour-long class will help you create a braided narrative, juggle research tasks, conquer fear and guilt, and map out a nonfiction project of any length . (1 hr, $20) Sign me up for memoir!
Book proposal assistance: Two hours long, self-paced class will guide you through the writing of a book proposal and teach you workarounds to the dreaded “platform” section. (120 minutes, $20) Sign me up for the book proposal masterclass!
30-day confidence and accountability course: Every day for thirty days, Courtney will text you writing assignments and messages of encouragement. All you need is a cell phone for this course. (30 days, $29.99) Sign me up for confidence bootcamp!
NEW ONLINE MASTERCLASSES UNDER THE TURNING POINTS UMBRELLA 3-hour webinars on a variety of topics, scheduled chronologically and broadcasted live
This is a new 2024 offering I’m super excited about! Under the umbrella of my writing retreat, Turning Points, I’ve developed a roster of masterclasses on a wide array of topics. Learn about each class below and use the drop down menu to select your courses. Discounts are available for my paid Substack subscribers (the code was sent out via my Substack). About the masterclasses:
Each class is three hours long, scheduled on a Wednesday from 7pm-10pm EST. There will be a midpoint break and a Q&A at the end of each class.
If, leading up to the class, I opt to use any of your written material in the class itself, you will attend the webinar for free. (Open calls for material such as query letters and opening pages will be sent via my Substack newsletter.)
Classes will be held live over Zoom. A link to the video of the class will be available for 2 weeks after the class upon request.
If you are interested in purchasing the video of a class that has already occurred, please email turningpoints.retreats@gmail.com (subject line “Past class purchase”) for special pricing.
2024 CLASS DESCRIPTIONS:
Time Management for People with No Time: Improving accountability, productivity and smashing goals in 2024 (Feb 28th) In this class, we’ll build a list of strengths and weaknesses, likes and dislikes, and short and long-term wishes to help you create the writing version of a business plan to bring more ease and pleasure into your writing life. We’ll look at different kinds of working schedules to suit the creative that you are. A great way to jumpstart those New Year Resolutions!
Getting Platform Right: Social media, networking and newsletters, your way (March 27th) This class will be about the dreaded “P” word—Platform! Regardless of your age or familiarity with social media, we’ll take a compassionate look at what is necessary, what is fruitless, and what is possible given the place in life you’re in and where you want to get to with your writing and writer network. We’ll spend a significant amount of time on the topic of newsletters in this course.
Query Writing 2.0: How to get an agent in a competitive market (April 17th) Who to query, how to query, why your query letter isn’t working—it’s all covered in this class! Using real examples of query letters we’ll learn how to improve your own material and the way you write about your writing, and we’ll also decode rejections so you understand how close you are to your publishing goals.
Hook them from Page One: Why your opening pages are important and how to get them right (May 8th) If you’ve been querying and something just isn’t working, or you’re getting ready to submit to agents or prize juries, this is the class for you. Using examples from published authors and participant material, we’ll concentrate on the first five pages of your fiction or nonfiction project (including short story collections) to make sure you’re grabbing readers from page one.
What’s wrong with my book: A revision masterclass (June 5th) Whether you have cold feet about submission, are getting tepid feedback from beta readers, or you’ve been querying for months without any success, this class will take a compassionate but realistic look at what you’re doing wrong. This is also a great session for people who have fallen out of love with their current project, or are having a hard time reaching the finishing line with their book-length project.
Making Memoir Work: How to break through in a tough market (September 18th) If your memoir is reading more like a chronicle of memories than a narrative with a plot and subplots, you’ll enjoy this class. We’ll discuss market considerations—especially for tricky categories like trauma, illness and recovery—and explore ways to help your book breakout. We’ll also look at non traditional paths to getting your work out there.
All about Pitching: Supporting your writing with op-eds and essays (November 13th) Did you know that publishing nonfiction is one of the best ways to support any fiction you might write? In this class, we’ll learn how to identify which topics we can write about and what a pitch should look like. This is a great course for people who need to gain more bylines, and a savvy pick for writers with an upcoming pub date.
Please select your class and register below. If you wish to register for multiple classes, please note: for the time being, you must register for a single class and add it to the “cart” before you can register for another. You will have the opportunity to input a discount code applicable to all the classes in your cart before you check out. Thank you for your interest in our masterclasses!
THE YEAR OF THE HORSES went on a great tour!
UPCOMING EVENTS + LECTURES :
I’m taking time off from lecturing to work on a new book, but here’s a look at what I got up to recently!
Online November 29th Facebook live with Kari Fulmek of “Equine Connection” 2pm EST
Online December 11th “Hook them (and you) from Page One” for Roxane Gay’s writing class
RECENT PAST EVENTS:
Chicago, IL September 22-23 Featured teacher and lecturer at Women’s Fiction Writer Association annual conference. “How to Hook Them From Page One” (a class on opening pages) and masterclass “Ready, Set, Publish.”
Norfolk, CT September 29th Moderating a panel at the Haystack Book Talks between authors Priscilla Gilman and Ada Calhoun
MP Ranch, New Mexico Oct 22-28 Running “Turning Points,” a new line of writing retreats for people ready to take their writing, creativity and publishing know-how to a whole new level.
Wassaic, NY Aug 24 Lecture on socioeconomic cues in fiction at The Wassaic Project for their visiting writers and artists
Westport, CT May 20th Keynoting Westport Writers’ Workshop, Pitch and Publish Conference (details here)
New Haven, CT June 5 Teaching at Yale Writers’ Workshop, 2pm
New Brunswick, NJ May 6 “The Path to Publishing” lecture at Rutgers University (details here)
The Internet April 22 “The business of getting published: Real talk (and tips!) to help you get ahead in a competitive market” at HerStry Literary Magazine annual conference. Sign up information is here.
Texas Tech (virtual) April 26 Lecturing on publishing for publication 7pm ET
Stockbridge, MA April 30 “Horses, Writing, and Journalism” at the Stockbridge Library with Sarah Maslin Nir, Courtney Maum and Jim Brooke, 4pm.
Chicago, IL April 4, 2023 “Making friends with fear: What horses have taught me about writing” Lecture at Story Studio’s Author Spotlight Series at the Fine Arts Building in Downtown Chicago, 410 S. Michigan Avenue, 7pm ET. Tickets here. (group discounts available by contacting sara@storystudiochicago.org
The Internet March 14th Masterclass for Horses for Mental Health charity partners: “Content creation for equestrians: How to attract (and maintain) new users to your mission, even if you’re ‘bad’ at social media.” 12pm EST Sign up for this free session here (choose “March 14”)
Texas Hill Country March 20- 24 THE YEAR OF THE HORSES takes Texas. March 21st: “What Publishing is Really Like: Life Lessons from an Author” Southwest Texas Junior College; March 22nd: Reading and discussion about memoir writing El Progresso Library; March 23rd Book Party at Desi’s Restaurant in Uvalde.
Woodstock, NY April 1-2 Memoir a-go-go panelist at Woodstock Book Festival, Sunday April 2 1:30pm with Anne Hood, Aileen Weintraub and others. Tickets here.
Falls Church, VA February 25th, 2023 Featured speaker at the Crooked Steeple Literary Festival, details here.
Nova Scotia/ Virtual January 10 Featured speaker at the King’s College MFA program in Nova Scotia, 3:45 pm ET
The Internet February 16 Memoir workshop with poet Joy Sullivan. All are welcome for this 8-9:30pm ET masterclass on how to write a memoir instead of a diary. You can sign up here.
Manhattan, NY December 1st “From scaredy cat to lioness: Using fear to combat midlife stasis,” a lecture at the National Arts Club, 7pm (This event is free + open to the public, register here)
France/ Virtual December 5th Publishing talks for the writing students of Le Sallay Academy in Many Cours, France, 12 noon ET
Southhampton, NY/ Virtual November 2 Featured lecturer at Stonybrook Bookends MFA program 7pm ET
Aspen, CO/ Virtual November 17th The Aspen Words Writers Network featured conversation between Courtney and memoirist Adrienne Brodeur, 8:30pm ET
Boston/ Virtual Friday October 14th “The 7am Novelist” webinar hosted by Michelle Hoover, lecturing on “Attitude and Cracking Character Open.” Open to the public. 7am ET.
The Internet October 17th “The Courtney Podcast” with Courtney Harler and Courtney Zoffness
Austin, TX / Virtual October 22 Teaching “From Query Letters to Artist Statements: Mastering Writing About Your Own Creative Work” for the Texas Writers League (but open to the public!) 3-6pm ET. Register here.
Bedford, NY September 28th In conjunction with the Bedford Riding Lanes Association and Endeavor Therapeutic Horsemanship, Courtney will be lecturing on the benefits of nonverbal communication and horse contact. 7pm ET tickets here
The Internet September 21st Featured speaker at Allison Lane’s “Creative Community for Non-Fiction Writers.” A free event, during which Courtney and Allison will be talking about the ups and downs of professionalizing a creative life. 2pm-2:45pm ET register here
”The Internet September 24th Featured presenter at “The Shit That No One Tells You About Writing” virtual retreat, teaching “Query Letter Writing 2.0: How to get an agent's attention in a competitive market” at 10am ET. Sign up here.
Instagram Live July 20th If you love horses watch a live IG with Courtney at Calling All Horse Girls Book Club, 1pm ET.
Instagram Live July 24th If you like books more than horses, we’ll be talking memoir-making with Ladies Who Lit on Instagram at 8pm ET.
Washington, CT July 14th In conversation at the Gunn Memorial Library with Dani Shapiro, books sold by Hickory Bookshop, 6:30pm. Event is free but please register here.
The Internet / Yale July 15th “Going public with your writing” - a talk for high school students through the Yale Writers Workshop, 11-12pm
The Mount, Lenox, MA June 30th In conversation with WAMC’s Sarah LaDuke, 5:30pm. Tickets available here.
Richmond, VA/ Virtual July 7th In conversation with author Mira Ptacin about “The Year of the Horses” at Richmond’s Fountain Bookstore, 6pm ET via Crowdcast
The Internet / Yale June 16th, 2022 Publishing talk at the Yale Writers Workshop, 12:30 - 1:30pm ET
Kent, CT June 16 In conversation with Lisa Taddeo for her new book, “Ghost Lover” at The House of Books in Kent, 6pm
Narrowsburg, NY June 18th Featured author at Deepwater Literary Festival, in conversation with Halimah Marcus about women, horses, and mental health. Register for our 2pm session here.
The Internet May 25th Beyond the Writing of Fiction- Moderating a conversation with short story writer Fernando Sdrigotti, 4pm ET.
Kent, CT May 27th in conversation with Pamplemousse PR’s and accomplished equestrian Victoria Hood, 6pm. RSVPs requested here.
The Internet Publishing talk with Virginia’s "1455 A Place for Writers” 7pm
Chattanooga, TN May 14th In conversation at The Book & Cover with equine therapist Erin Chandler, 5pm.
Durham, NC May 15th 5pm Author Meet and Greet at Letters Bookshop.
Southern Pines, NC May 17th In conversation with store owner Kimberly Daniels Taws, 5:30pm at the Weymouth Center for the Arts. RSVPs are requested please, here.
NY, NY May 19th In conversation with bestseller Holly Whitaker at McNally Jackson Seaport location, 7pm. Reservations required, please, here.
Manchester, VT May 6-7th Featured author at “Booktopia” for The Year of the Horses
Kentucky May 10th Joseph-Beth Bookstore 7pm and May 11th at Carmichael’s 7pm, in conversation with local author Erin Chandler both times. RSVP for Carmichaels event here.
Norfolk, CT May 3rd Launch event for The Year of the Horses 5:30 pm with wine and cheese, baby. Register here.
Darien, CT May 4th In conversation with New York Times reporter Sarah Maslin Nir for The Year of The Horses 7pm
Writers whose paperback has just come out could use your help celebrating! Look at them, they're tired!
How to support your friends whose paperback has just come out:
A paperback release is a funny thing. It's the hardcover, 2.0. With very few exceptions, the story hasn't changed, but the writer's need for your support has amplified.
A paperback is a title's last chance to meet the world with its best face forward. Paperback releases give a book new opportunities to meet readers: paperbacks cost less, they are lighter, and thus, they are popular choices for book clubs and retailers who don't want to take a chance on costly hardcovers. This is the case with airport booksellers for example. Who wants to pay $26 for a heavy paperback that barely fits in their carry on? A $16 paperback, on the other hand...
But paperbacks need help to accomplish wonderful things. Here are a few ways you can help a #paperbackwriter to give her book a lift:
Buy the book for a friend If you loved the book, or even remotely liked it, get a copy for a friend! Get a copy signed and give it as a housewarming gift. Surprise your favorite barista with a special word treat. Who doesn't like to get a visit from lady literature?
Leave a positive review on Goodreads and Amazon The adage holds true here, if you don't have anything nice to stay, please stay off of the Internet. Otherwise, positive 5 star A++ reviews are welcome and much needed to keep a book in the public conversation.
Attend author events Support your local book store and the authors they are bringing out by showing up for an event. Bonus points for this being the place that you can get that housewarming gift signed!
Show the book off, online Times have changed, and social media can have a truly positive impact on a book's shelf life. Sharing photos of you and a book you enjoy on your various platforms gives a major boost to new and old titles alike. Your family and followers trust and admire you, so a social media pic is a lovely vote of confidence for a title you enjoy.
Tell the author something nice! It can be challenging—or feel a little weird—to let an author know that you enjoyed their book. You might assume they know this because you like them, and if you like them, by default, you will like their book. But a writer won't know that you enjoyed their book, let alone read it, unless you tell them. So tell them something nice!
Dabble in PR If you notice a bookstore or library isn't carrying a friend's book, let them know about it—ask them to order it! If you see a friend's book in a store but the cover isn't facing outwards, move that book to the "bestsellers" section, ASAP. Just kidding. Don't do that. That would not be right!
Spread the good word! So many books take off thanks to word-of-mouth support alone. So if you enjoyed a book, recommend it! Tell people with book clubs that they might consider choosing this great book. Pipe up when someone asks for a book recommendation. Do you know super famous influencers who could change an author's life? Maybe send the book to them! You'll have a grateful author friend for life.
Thank you, you kind people, for everything you do to support literature and publishing! Us writers wouldn't be here without you. (Truly.) xoxo Courtney