Schoenewaldt To Lead Writing Workshop

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Sept. 24, 2015 - PRLog -- Bestselling author Pamela Schoenewaldt will lead a workshop titled "Friction: Writing About Real People" from 10 a.m. to noon, Saturday, Oct. 3 at Central United Methodist Church's Fellowship Hall, 201 East Third Ave. The workshop is sponsored by the Knoxville Writers' Guild and costs $35 for KWG members and $40 for nonmembers.

"While writers create many fictional characters from their imagination, often we draw from people we know—for good reason. But fitting real people into a story can be tricky. We'll look at why that is and also at the ways that writers have resolved these issues," Schoenewaldt, a Knoxville resident, said. "We'll explore the personal, social, ethical, sometimes legal issues when real people recognize themselves in your work."

As a historical novelist, she has much experience writing about real people. "Using famous or historical figures in a piece of fiction is exciting, intriguing—and challenging," she added. "Memoir, of course, even when one means to write 'just the facts,' involves interpretation, selection, and compression to make readable, engrossing stories. We'll try some exercises to practice new ways of looking at people we know; new ways of visualizing well-known characters, and ways to keep good writing from challenging friendships and families."

Her first novel, "When We Were Strangers" (HarperCollins, 2011), was a USA Today Bestseller, a major book club pick, a Barnes & Noble Great Discovery, short-listed for the Langum Prize in American Historical Fiction and has been translated into Polish, Dutch and Russian. "Swimming in the Moon" (HarperCollins, 2013) was a runner-up for the Langum Prize and connects powerfully with those who struggle with the impacts of mental illness in their families. Her third novel, "Under the Same Blue Sky," was released in May. For her fourth book, she has chosen a subject close to home: the dramatic aftermath of World War I in Knoxville.

Her short stories have appeared in literary magazines in England, France, Italy and the United States. She taught writing for the University of Maryland, European Division and the University of Tennessee. Her interactive writing workshops inspire writers of all genre and stages. For more information about her, visit http://pamelaschoenewaldt.com.

To register for the workshop, visit  www.knoxvillewritersguild.org/events or send your check to KWG Workshops, P.O. Box 10326, Knoxville TN 37939-0326.