Workshop Descriptions & Instructors

Marilyn Abildskov
Mary Allen
Kate Aspengren
Thomas Fox Averill
Nancy Barry
Timothy Bascom
Kyle Beachy
Karen Bender
Linda Bendorf
Maudy Benz
Venise Berry
Bruce Bond
David Bouchier
Michael Dennis Browne
Maggie Conroy
Mary Cross
Thomas K. Dean
Amber Dermont
Janet Desaulniers
Kelly Dwyer
Hope Edelman
Josh Emmons
Jill Esbaum
Sarah Fay
Hugh Ferrer
Katie Ford
Geoffrey Forsyth
Cecile Goding
Douglas Goetsch
Sands Hall
Christine Hemp
Jim Heynen
Rick Hillis
Charles Holdefer
Richard Jackson
Rebecca Johns
Cheryl Fusco Johnson
Wayne Johnson
Daniel Khalastchi
Carolyn Lieberg
BK Loren
Peter Markus
Fritz Mc Donald
James McKean
Gordon Mennenga
Sharelle Byars Moranville
Michael Morse
Marc Nieson
Shannon Olson
Diana Ossana
Lon Otto
Juliet Patterson
Kiki Petrosino
Mark Jude Poirier
Leslie Carol Roberts
Anjali Sachdeva
Sarah Saffian
Sam Samuels
Sandra Scofield
Mary Kay Shanley
Robert Anthony Siegel
Carol Spindel
Karen Subach
Mary Swander
Mary Vermillion
Kris Vervaecke
Ashley Warlick
Michelle Wildgen
Bart Yates

Mary Vermillion

Mystery Characters
Weekend Workshop
July 11–12

Clues to Effective Mysteries
Weekend Workshop
July 18–19

Beginning the Mystery Novel
One-Week Workshop
July 19–24

Biography

Mystery Characters
Weekend Workshop
July 11–12

Character is at the heart of all great fiction—including the intricately plotted mystery novel. This course will examine the three types of characters essential to the genre: the protagonist, the victim, and the villain. We’ll discuss the trios of accomplished crime writers, and I’ll lead you through a series of exercises that will help you develop or deepen your own trio. As you create characters for your mystery, you’ll also create “mystery” in your characters—secrets and paradoxical desires that fuel all types of fiction. This course will focus on generating new material.

Clues to Effective Mysteries
Weekend Workshop
July 18–19

All writers must create vivid, significant details, but mystery writers must also devote a great deal of attention to their placement. When mystery writers plant clues, they employ a range of strategies designed to guide—and, yes, manipulate—the reader’s attention and response. Our examination of these strategies will serve two purposes. We’ll observe and practice several ways of creating emphasis, and we’ll strengthen our understanding and use of narrative fundamentals such as conflict, dialogue, and setting. This course, which will focus on generating new material, is for mystery writers and other narrative writers who enjoy crime fiction and want to use it to improve their craft.

Beginning the Mystery Novel
One-Week Workshop
July 19–24

Where do you start? A journey may begin with a single step, but a novel begins with many journeys, many steps. This course will enable you to take the steps that are right for you. You’ll complete several writing exercises and experiment with different ways of beginning a mystery novel. You’ll create compelling characters: the protagonist, the victim, the killer, the suspects, and the supporting cast. You’ll explore their emotional and physical worlds. You’ll develop a plot outline with twists and turns, clues and red herrings, danger and drama. By the end of the week, you’ll have ample material, inspiration, and confidence to continue your journey.

Biography
Mary Vermillion is the author of two mysteries, Death by Discount and Murder by Mascot, and she is nearly finished with her third novel, A Seminal Murder. She earned her Ph.D. at The University of Iowa and is a professor of English at Mount Mercy College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Visit Mary at www.maryvermillion.com.

Site Map | Welcome | Workshops by Session Date | Workshops by Instructor
Workshops by Genre | Registration & Housing Information | Registration Form

Sponsored by the Division of Continuing Education
Iowa Summer Writing Festival
C215 Seashore Hall
The University of Iowa
Iowa City, IA 52242

Phone 319-335-4160
FAX 319-335-4743
iswfestival@uiowa.edu

Last updated on February 19, 2009