Margie Lawson on a Writing Retreat

Have you ever met someone and knew, from like the first second, that they would change your life?

Margie Lawson was that person for me.

 

A little over three years ago, I was struggling as a writer. I had done all I could on my own and I knew enough to know what I had done was a step above atrocious. I didn't know how to write effective body language and I couldn't figure out how to create character emotion real enough to connect the reader to the page.

I was stuck and frustrated and knew, if I didn't find someone to help me, I'd never be published.

Enter Margie Lawson, my writing guru.

I discovered her at the Houston Writer's Guild conference in 2012. I had an eight-month baby at home with some medical issues, but I knew I HAD to make the time to go and listen to this woman teach about the power of deep editing and using body language for psychological impact. Thankfully, my husband had read enough of my writing to know that I needed make the time, too. So off I go, toting my 20-pound breast-pump and my in-shambles manuscript.

What I learned that day changed EVERYTHING.

Two months later, me and my 20-pound breast-pump attended one of Margie's 5-day Immersion courses at her home in Colorado. Due to my sleep-deprived mommy brain, I booked my return flight a day AFTER the workshop ended, so I got some one-on-one time with Margie. Guys, she is the real deal. She lives and breathes editing wisdom and magical nuggets of advice that can take your manuscript from BLAH to oh-my-goodness-I-had-no-idea-I-had-that-in-me.

Three months after that, I attended another Immersion course and this time, got to hang out for five days with bestselling author, Jaye Wells, and the ever-amazing Elizabeth Essex. Not only did I get even more amazing teaching from Margie, but I got to have eye-opening conversations with authors who had already sailed the turbulent publishing waters.

A year later, I hosted an Immersion at my house (and the idea of Cruising Writers was born, because...hello!? no cleaning or cooking on a cruise!!).

Nine months later (no, I did not give birth again), thanks to everything Margie taught me about power words, rhetorical devices, body language and viscerals, I won or finaled in five writing contests. FIVE!

Guys - that's huge. I NEVER would have been able to do any of that without the writing craft instruction and mentoring from Margie.

Margie now travels with me on Cruising Writers writing retreats. I created these retreats because I wanted so badly for other writers to have the same kind of opportunities and experiences I've been so lucky to receive. From the insightful craft Margie teaches to the connections and immeasurable value of conversing with authors who have been-there, done-that, got-the-contract.

A quick list of how meeting Margie Lawson changed my life:

  • Through her, I met 10 other writers and we started a blog for readers called Readerlicious. But more than that, they became some of my closest friends and writing support group. We've been together now for three years.
  • Because of an Immersion, I met my best friend and critique partner, Julie Glover - who is now Girl Friday on our writing retreats, plus a Golden Heart finalist. Way cool.
  • I finaled in FIVE WRITING CONTESTS! Grand Prize in the Gateway to the Best AND another manuscript finaled in that same contest, 2nd Place in the Golden Rose, 1st Place in the Lonestar, Finaled in the Emily and the Indiana Golden Opportunity contests. None of this is to brag on me. It's to brag on what Margie Lawson's teaching can do for your writing. I credit every one of those wins to her.
  • I landed Deidre Knight of The Knight Agency as an agent. Seriously. She's my dream agent who represents some of my favorite authors. Deidre was the agent for our December 2015 writing retreat, so I had the opportunity to get to know her, which made the submission process much easier. BUT, she would never have accepted me if I hadn't taken the time to really study and apply what Margie teaches.

Will you let me share Margie Lawson with you? Come on one of our writing retreats. I promise, you'll return home changed, rested, and full of knowledge that will transform your writing. Plus, you'll be able to develop relationships with bestselling authors, an agent, and an editor...you'll be able to pitch too, but those relationships -- that's worth more than you can ever imagine.