by Bill Schroeder
Sometimes the hardest part of anything is taking the first step, and knowing which direction is right for us to go. Finding guidance to unveil our dreams, passions, talents, and enthusiasm, can be your first step to revealing the author within.
Literary women and men are growing up, thanks to Marie Boyum and her talented, effervescent staff of educated, well-published writers and authors– but don’t be scared off because they will ignite, guide and inform the budding, and seasoned writer on their journey. Be it for personal satisfaction, publication goals, spiritual enlightenment or personal issues to better the world, with being published a first or secondary goal, you are the one to decide, The Eloquent Author will assist.
I had the opportunity to interview Marie. I invite all who are or want to be writers, to partake of this literary feast.
Bill Schroeder: Marie, who are you?
Bill: Marie, give me a break, I’m 72 and I’ve had 16 to 18 years of school. Many of my friends have more, some less. Why would we want to go back?
Marie: Because the Eloquent Author wants you. That is, we want to help the core creative cultural instinct that may have been brewing in and around you. We will instruct you how to use reference materials, connect with other authors, publishers. We invite you to our classes to enhance your skills to meet your personal goal or an editor’s goal.
Bill: I’m retired and it would be nice to be published, but personally I want an outlet for my mind, fancy, my spirit and I find this in writing. If I go further for publishing that would be a nice perk. In fact you mentioned perks for your students. What exactly?
Marie: You are receiving one now.
Bill: What?
Marie: You are attending this informal get together we have every month. We share ideas, talk about what publishers want, what are their pet peeves? You could have brought along reference materials or ideas to share. You can ask questions and I’d share my experience as a published writer with you. Our service doesn’t end with the classes. There is more, ongoing. We are always interested in your progress and listen for new ideas, classes you want, and suggest classes that will front your purpose!
Bill: Okay, by published, that takes in a lot of territory. Break that down for me.
Marie: All members of my staff are published writers as previously mentioned that has allowed for publishing contracts and payments, firm book contracts with known companies, good size book runs, royalties, and/or advances, past and present. For instance they include seasoned authors of varied occupations with more than 100 combined years of expertise. All have taught or are university instructors, and held positions as librarian, bookstore owner, newspaper reporter, freelance writer, zen and yoga teacher, screenplay/film writer, editor, t.v. news presenter, Graphic designer, account executive in sales, psychotherapist, tutor and more! They will show you how to network, inform you about agents, publishing houses, pitfalls to avoid, share know-how, where to go for resource. You can jaw bone with other writers and published authors, get hints. With consistency, they will chaperone you toward your goal and advance your flair– skill that may now be somewhat dormant.
Bill: So we are in good hands and you are not “All State.”
Marie: Skilled hands to help you better yourself so you can better the world. Many individuals have being published as a secondary goal. They want, hope and desire to spend their free time in ways that enhance their inner person by writing.
Bill: Tell me about your classes. That is size, content, length and so on.
Marie: We limit our classes to 10 or 12. Some are smaller if people want specific topics or skills reviewed, that is crossover classes for character development, query letters and more. We schedule time that fit a framework of both the working and retired. A class may be for one hour, a half or whole day, even a week end or span sessions over a number of weeks. We cover Racine, Kenosha, Waterford and Rochester areas and are, and will expand. We are working on setting up a possible bus trip to events such as, The Midwest Writers Conference in Aurora that occurs in October. We intend to have a CD and book set on Characters Development for those who want to do additional study and hone that skill at home. We will have on line classes.
Bill: Take a breath, Marie
Marie: We will teach fiction, non-fiction, short stories, journaling, writing for screen plays/films, personal essays, horror, poetry, children books, etc. I am working on informative presentations at libraries. We were at the Party on the Pavement in Racine recently. I am on the radio. We are in the newspaper and spread by word of mouth. I feel the need is advancing and The Eloquent Author can fill that need with the talents of our staff to communities that have an untapped reserve of good writers. That is what my goal has become. This is preliminary, some of what we teach you in a networking class. What will be the best avenue to present yourself, your essay, novel or script? Empower your capability.
Bill: I have noticed in the paper as of late blurbs about your school, so it is getting known. In fact, I’m interested in the poetry readings. I noticed you had one in January and one coming up in February.
Marie: Yes, one was just held in Kenosha and the February one will be in Rochester, which is between Racine and Burlington. We have a great class on poetry/rhyme that precedes this, so you are prepared to interact, learn and have fun with words/rhyme, perhaps for a loved one.
Bill: Where can we learn more about you, your school, your staff?
Bill: Thanks to you and your school for being in our areas. I feel a vital need has been filled in our community. People will respond once they learn and know of your school, and the talents that are responding to the individual creativity in each one of us. Your school will lift the fog from writing and take us out of the darkness of our indecisions. Sorry for that last sentence Marie, but just being here and talking with you got my juices going.
Marie: Not forgiven. Come to our next perk in February. Sign up for one of our classes.
Bill: Thanks! I will, without doubt, find the time.
Marie Boyum, you have been “exposed”.
Bill Schroeder is a member of the Kenosha Writers’ Group
3 comments ↓
I recently attended the Character Development class that Marie refers to. The instructor, Brian Barnes, presented the matieral in a very interesting manner that held my attention and had me jotting so many notes I feared I would run out of paper! He encouraged our participation and sharing in unique manners, and he was always able to bring us back to task if we meandered too far in our discussions (as writers will often do) but in a manner that incorporated what we’d brought up & making it relevant to the subject he was teaching. His round-table oral interview techinque had me eagerly anticipating the answers of the other participanst as much as my own. I have been stumbling over one particular character, whose voice I answered in during this interview, and found I had all sorts of material to use for this character. I am looking forward to taking more classes with The Eloquent Author!
Dear Bill:
You are forgiven; thank you for a great conversation! Books, authors, writing…what more is there to life- oh yes, tea!
[…] friend Marie Boyum has posted the new spring class schedule for The Eloquent Author, LLC School of Writing, click HERE […]
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