It's here!  It's here!  The Plotting Group is here!

The long-awaited Evanston Writers Workshop Plotting Group is finally here!  Author and mentor Cherry Adair, the wonderful main presenter of our 2011 In the Trenches with the Writer Conference, has graciously granted EWW permission to use her Plotting Board method and to hold Plotting Groups using the tool.  We couldn't be more excited!

For those of you who didn't get to see Cherry's talk or attend her Master Class, the Plotting Board is a visual representation of the plot of your novel.  It helps you to see where the holes in the plot lie and how to fix them.  Even better, the Plotting Group spends one session per person plotting the book together!  Harness the power of the group as you wrestle with thorny plot problems, murder mysteries that refuse to be solved, spy novels that refuse to untangle themselves, and science fiction novels that just won't blast off.  If you've ever wanted to fully plot out your novel but didn't know how, then this is the group for you.

We will meet for eight two-hour sessions (from 7:00 to 9:00 P.M.) on Monday evenings in Evanston.  Members are requested to attend at least six of the eight sessions, (after all, it's not fair to have the group work on your novel if you're not willing to return the favor).  All you need is your imagination and the willingness to contribute your ideas.  We will creatively brainstorm each novel, start to finish, once per session using Cherry's Plotting Board (which we will provide for you at the meeting).

There will be multiple Plotting Group sessions.  We have developed an application to match writers with the best Plotting Group for them.  This application by no means will disqualify anyone; it's just a tool for us to put together the best groups possible.  You can download the form from this link. Email your completed application to [masked].

IMPORTANT:  even if you've never written a novel before, please consider attending.  You will learn a lot and remember -  readers know what they like, so don't underestimate your ability to contribute to the group.  If you want to write a novel, we want you.

Sessions for Group I are:

Mondays, 7:00 to 9:00 P.M.

January 9, 16, 23, and 30

February 6, 13, and 27th (NOT Feb 20th)

March 5

The Plotting Group is free to dues-paid members of the Evanston Writers Workshop.  You must be a member to attend.  If you would like to become a dues-paid member, it's only $25 a year.  Visit our membership page for more information.

NOTE:  Two small dogs are present in the space.  While every effort will be made to clean thoroughly before the meeting, if you have allergies, please be sure to take whatever measures you need to or have your medication on hand.