Shirley Jump's

2026 Four-Part Webinar Series for

Atlanta Writers Club Members

In 2026, we are offering a four-part webinar series for AWC members by bestselling author Shirley Jump. 

The series is $52 (including a 4% processing fee) and will grant you live online access via Zoom on the date of each four-part webinar as well as a link to the recording for each one, in case you're unable to attend the live presentation or want to watch it again. Each recording will be retained online, so if you register after one or more of the webinars are held, you will still be able to view the ones you missed. You will also receive any handout(s) created for each webinar in the series.

If you are not yet an Atlanta Writers Club member but want to register for this webinar series, you will have the option to add AWC membership to your total. You will then also be able to attend our monthly in-person meetings at no charge, participate in our critique groups, register for our conferences, enter our contests, and register for periodic standalone online workshops offered free to members.

Shirley Jump is an award-winning, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Amazon, and USA Today bestselling author who has published more than 80 books in 24 countries, selling a combined total of more than 8 million copies. She has been published in romantic suspense, romance, women’s fiction, and young adult horror, as well as nonfiction, and also works as a ghostwriter for NFL players, TV celebrities, and top CEOs.

Her YouTube channel, Writing Compelling Fiction, is in the top 5% of all YouTube channels worldwide (sample: Show Not Tell talk she did for the Authortube Writing Conference). A former reporter, she has a background in all aspects of writing, from hard news to publicity to fiction. She has spoken all over the world about the power of narrative and how to create compelling books. Visit her website at www.ShirleyJump.com or see her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn @ShirleyJump.

Description of Shirley Jump's 2026 Webinars

January 26, 2026 at 7PM Eastern

Starting with Character: How Deep Emotional Wounds Build Your Story

Every unforgettable novel begins with one thing—a compelling Character. But to create a Character readers truly care about, you have to dig deep beneath the surface. In this workshop, New York Times bestselling author Shirley Jump will help you uncover your Characters’ Deep Emotional Wounds and show how those wounds form the foundation of your entire story. Shirley has sold 8 million copies of her books worldwide and will share the techniques that helped her write multiple bestsellers.

Through hands-on exercises and real-world examples, you’ll learn how to identify your Character’s DEWs, see how that shapes their fears, goals, and choices, and use that emotional blueprint to craft a story that resonates. You’ll walk away knowing how to transform Backstory into emotion on the page, and connect with readers in an authentic way.

By the end of this class, you will:

• Identify and define your Characters’ Deep Emotional Wounds
• Understand how wounds drive Goal, Motivation, and Conflict
• Create more believable, emotionally-rich story arcs
• Learn how wound-driven plotting deepens both Character and theme

February 23, 2026 at 7PM Eastern

Plotting from Emotion: How to Create a Book Readers Love

What makes readers stay up all night turning the pages? It’s not just what happens—it’s why it happens. Emotional plotting is the secret ingredient that transforms a good story into a great one. In this dynamic, interactive class, New York Times bestseller Shirley Jump guides writers through her step-by-step method for creating a Plot that springs naturally from character emotion. Published in 24 countries, Shirley has used these techniques to become a multiple bestseller.

You’ll discover how to align your External Plot events with your Characters’ Internal journeys, ensuring every twist, scene, and choice resonates on an emotional level. Whether you’re a plotter, a pantser, or somewhere in between, this class will help you craft a story that grabs readers by the heart and doesn’t let go.

Participants will learn how to:

• Build a Plot from emotional stakes rather than coincidence
• Weave Internal and External Conflicts together seamlessly
• Use emotional turning points to raise tension and deepen impact
• Keep readers emotionally invested from start to finish

March 23, 2026 at 7PM Eastern

Turning Points: The Engine of Scenes

Building the Conflict: How Characters Drive the Conflict

 Conflict is the beating heart of fiction—but the most powerful Conflict doesn’t come from villains or explosions. It comes from within. In this hands-on workshop, New York Times bestselling author Shirley Jump shows how to create Conflict that grows naturally out of your characters’ Goals, fears, and Deep Emotional Wounds. These are the techniques she has used to publish 87 books in 24 countries.

You’ll learn how to build tension that escalates with every scene and how to make your character’s Internal battles drive the External ones. Through guided analysis and exercises, you’ll explore how Character-driven Conflict creates story momentum and raises the emotional stakes until the reader can’t look away.

In this class, you’ll discover:

• The difference between External and Internal Conflict—and how to blend them
• How to use Character wants and needs to fuel tension
• Techniques for raising the stakes without resorting to melodrama
• How to ensure every Scene pushes your story forward through Conflict

April 27, 2026 at 7PM Eastern

Layering Your Scenes: How to Bring More Emotion to the Page

Flat scenes are the enemy of a great novel. To truly engage readers, every scene needs layers of emotional texture that reveal Character, deepen Theme, and heighten Tension. In this workshop, Shirley Jump teaches you how to move beyond surface-level storytelling and infuse each moment with powerful emotion, with the same tools she used to sell 8 million copies of her books worldwide.

Using her CARE method—Character, Action, Reaction, Emotional Impact—you’ll learn how to make every beat in your Scene serve multiple purposes. This class takes you inside the anatomy of a Scene and shows you how to add subtext, sensory detail, and emotional resonance that make readers feel every word.

You’ll learn how to:

• Identify the emotional core of each scene
• Layer dialogue, action, and reaction for maximum depth
• Use micro-tension to keep readers hooked
• Craft emotionally-charged scenes that linger long after the last page

The webinar recordings will be available to view until December 31, 2026.

To select this four-part webinar series, please complete the fields below then click the SUBMIT button for payment by credit/debit card.