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 Jon Gibbs (admin@jongibbs.org) was 'Author in Residence' at Georgian Court University, in Lakewood, New Jersey, from 2012 - 2017.

        A seasoned presenter, Jon has taught over 200 writing workshops at college,   

       schools, writing groups, and libraries. He also teaches at writing conferences

             - most recently at WRITE STUFF 2023 and THE LIBERTY STATES FICTION 

                                              WRITERS CONFERENCE 2023.

 
      In addition to his Fun with Fiction School program, workshops/presentations, 

            and the occasional after-dinner speech, Jon has also appeared with fellow

              members of The New Jersey Authors' Network (NJAN) at panel/Q&As

                                         in libraries around the Garden State. 

        Jon's 60 minute presentation, GETTING PUBLISHED: 10 Things Every Writer 

                               Should Know was broadcast on local cable TV. 

ARE YOUR CHARACTERS RIGHT FOR THE PART? (single or double session) 

When you create a character for a book or story, it’s tempting to stick with the first ‘person’ who turns up to audition, but what if he/she isn’t really right for the part? How can you make sure the ‘actor’ you end up using is the best one for the role? 

Join New Jersey author, Jon Gibbs (www.jongibbs.org), for a fun, informative, workshop on auditioning potential characters. 

Also, there may be candy. 

Please note: This is a hands-on session. Attendees should bring a notepad.  

DON’T FORGET YOUR CHANGE (single or double session)

Whether you’re a diehard plotter or a seat-of-the-pants, make-it-up-as-you-go-along type of writer, nothing beats the thrill of seeing your story come to life on the page.

Trouble is, in all the excitement, it’s easy to miss one of the most important ingredients. 

Having your story change its MC (or the way others see him/her) might not seem as cool as all those twisty plots and character quirks, but it’s the difference between a good story and a great one. 

Join New Jersey author, Jon Gibbs (www.jongibbs.org), for a fun, interactive workshop on how to use change to propel your story to the top level.

Also, there may be candy. 

Please note: This is a hands-on session. Attendees should bring a notepad. 

THE FUNNY PAGES (single session)

No matter the genre, a little humor in a story goes a long way. But where do you apply it? What’s the best way? How do make something funny anyway?    

Join New Jersey author, Jon Gibbs (www.jongibbs.org), for a fun, interactive, workshop on using humor to do more than just making your reader smile.

Also, there may be candy. 

Please note: This is a hands-on session. Attendees should bring a notepad. 

HERE THERE BE HOOKS! (single session)

Explosions? Bank robberies? Giving birth on the back seat of a gondola? No problem, but what about the less exciting scenes? How do you keep readers interested when there’s nothing obviously dramatic taking place?

Join New Jersey author, Jon Gibbs (www.jongibbs.org), for a fun, interactive, workshop on how to keep readers interested, even when there isn’t a car chase going on.

Also, there may be candy. 

Please note: This is a hands-on session. Attendees should bring a notepad. 

IS YOUR ‘but’ TOO BIG?

There are many ways to justify not writing: ‘I’m too old. . . It’s too hard. . . There’s a worldwide pandemic and civilization is doomed so what’s the point in even trying?’ The bad news is, it really doesn’t matter which reason you choose, they all work, if you let them. So how do you get past the excuses to putting words on the page? 

Join New Jersey author, Jon Gibbs (www.jongibbs.org), for a fun, interactive session on getting your ‘but’ out of the way, so you can get your butt back in the writing chair. 

Also, there may be candy. 

MARKET YOUR BOOK IN PERSON (single or double session) 

So you’ve got a book out. You advertised it on your website, did the blog tour and promoted it on all manner of modern social media. Trouble is, with literally millions of books available at the press of a button, there’s an awful lot of competition out there. So how else can you get the word out? 

Join New Jersey author, Jon Gibbs (www.jongibbs.org), for a fun, interactive, workshop on how to promote yourself and your work in person, even if your book’s only available in e-form. 

Also, there may be candy. 

NOVEL WRITING: THE FIRST DRAFT (double session) 

Every book starts out as an idea. The tricky part is getting that idea out of your head and onto the page. Where do you start? How do you grow the initial concept into a novel people want to read? 

Join New Jersey author, Jon Gibbs (www.jongibbs.org), for a fun, informative, workshop on how to turn your story ideas into finished first drafts without driving yourself to distraction along the way. 

Also, there may be candy. 

Please note: This is a hands-on session. Attendees should bring a notepad. 

OPENING SESAME (single or double session)

An opening chapter's most important job is to make readers hungry for more. But what are the magic ingredients? How can you serve up those first ten pages in a way that makes people want to devour the rest of the book?

Join New Jersey author, Jon Gibbs (www.jongibbs.org), for a fun, interactive, workshop on how to grab your readers by the eyeballs, and not let go.

Also, there may be candy. 

Please note: This is a hands-on session. Attendees should bring a notepad. 

PAPERBACK WRITER (6 x double sessions)

It’s an amazing feeling when a bright, shiny story idea pops into your head. Sadly, transforming that vision into an actual book is harder than it looks, which is why most would-be novelists end up quitting before they really get started.

So what can you do to avoid that same fate? 

How can you make sure your finished product matches your vision? 

Join New Jersey author, Jon Gibbs (www.jongibbs.org), for a series of fun, interactive, workshops on how to take a good idea and turn it into a great book.

PAPERBACK WRITER Part 1

SWEET DREAMS (ARE MADE OF THIS)

So you’ve got this story idea you’re excited about, but what should you do next? Start writing and hope everything miraculously falls into place as you go? Spend months ironing out the plot, character arcs etc., and hope you don’t lose interest before you can get properly started?

How about something in between?

Join New Jersey author, Jon Gibbs (www.jongibbs.org),  for a fun, interactive, workshop on how a little time spent focusing on the right things can save you hundreds of hours (and a whole lot of heartache).

Also, there may be candy!

PAPERBACK WRITER Part 2

DON’T YOU (FORGET ABOUT ME)

When you create a character for a book or story, it’s tempting to stick with the first one who turns up to audition, but what if that person isn’t completely right for the part? 

How can you make sure the ‘actor’ you end up using is the best one for the role? 

Join New Jersey author, Jon Gibbs (www.jongibbs.org), for a fun, informative, workshop on auditioning potential characters. 

Also, there may be candy.

PAPERBACK WRITER Part 3

BEAT IT

Certain story ingredients are hardwired into our DNA. Without even realizing it, we expect them to be there - even though most folks can’t tell you what those ingredients are. Apply them well, and you’ll have yourself a happy reader. Get them wrong (or worse, miss them out completely), and your audience will respond with a resounding ‘meh’.

So what are those ingredients, and how can you incorporate them in your novel?

Join New Jersey author, Jon Gibbs (www.jongibbs.org), for a fun, interactive, workshop on how to mold your story idea into a compelling plot that keeps the reader turning the pages.

Also, there may be candy!

PAPERBACK WRITER Part 4

I’M STILL STANDING

Whatever the genre, however happy (or not) the ending, if they care about the people in your story, then the more conflict/heartache/misery those characters suffer along the way, the better your readers will like it. 

But how do you add all that stuff? And can you ever have too much? 

Join New Jersey author, Jon Gibbs (www.jongibbs.org), for a fun, interactive, workshop on how to keep readers turning the page by keeping your characters under pressure.

Also, there may be candy!

PAPERBACK WRITER Part 5

WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH, THE TOUGH GET GOING

‘Ooh! Ah! That’s how it always starts, but later there’s running and screaming.’ 

When you’re writing a novel, sooner or later you hit a wall. Perhaps it’s a story problem, or something about your antagonist’s character doesn’t quite work. Maybe real life just got in the way.

Whatever the reason, hitting a wall sucks. So how can you get past it?

Join New Jersey author, Jon Gibbs (www.jongibbs.org), for a fun, interactive, workshop on how to get those creative juices flowing again.

Also, there may be candy!

PAPERBACK WRITER Part 6

THE FINAL COUNTDOWN

So you've finished your story. The adventure’s over, the good guys have won. Now it's time for the closing chapter, where loose ends get tidied, and hints about the future promise a better life (and possibly a sequel) in store. 

But what should you put into those closing pages? 

How can you use that final scene to mess with the reader's head for one last time, and ensure they close your book with a satisfied smile?

Join New Jersey author, Jon Gibbs (www.jongibbs.org), for a fun, interactive workshop on leaving your readers on a high note.

Also, there may be candy!

RECOGNIZE AND EMBRACE YOUR NARRATIVE VOICE (single or double session) 

Writing stories is a lot like telling jokes, how well they’re received depends a lot on how you tell ‘em. Sure, characters do all the talking, but the biggest voice a reader ‘hears’ comes from the narrator. 

Join New Jersey author, Jon Gibbs (www.jongibbs.org), for a fun, informative, workshop on how to recognize and embrace your narrative voice. 

Also, there may be candy. 

Please note: This is a hands-on session. Attendees should bring a notepad. 

SAY IT AGAIN, SAM (single or double session)

When your characters speak, what are they saying to your readers? Sure, dialogue lets them know what's on someone's mind, or fills in some missing details (preferably without the dreaded infodump). It can even move the story along, but what else can it do? How can you use what the people in your book say - or don't say - to really pull readers in and keep them turning the page?

Join New Jersey author, Jon Gibbs (www.jongibbs.org), for a fun, interactive, workshop on getting the most out of your characters’ verbal interactions. 

Also, there may be candy. 

Please note: This is a hands-on session. Attendees should bring a notepad. 

THE SEVEN-SENTENCE SOLUTION (single or double session)

Can you tell your novel’s story in seven sentences? What about your characters? Can you tell their arc, and how the story has changed them, in seven sentences? 

Join New Jersey author, Jon Gibbs (www.jongibbs.org), to learn how applying the Seven-Sentence Solution to your story (and to the people who take part in it) can make writing your book a lot easier and reading it a lot more fun.

Also, there may be candy. 

Please note: This is a hands-on session. Attendees should bring a notepad. 

SO THIS IS HOW IT ENDS (single or double session)

So you've finished your story. The adventure is over, the bad guy (or gal) has lost. Now it's time for the closing chapter, where loose ends get tidied, and hints about the future promise a better life (and possibly a sequel) in store. But what should you put into those closing pages? How can you use that final scene to mess with the reader's head for one last time, and ensure they close your book with a satisfied smile?

Join New Jersey author, Jon Gibbs (www.jongibbs.org), for a fun, interactive workshop on leaving your readers on a high note.

Also, there may be candy.
Please note: This is a hands-on session. Attendees should bring a notepad. 

THE THREE Cs of CONFLICT (double or triple session)

When it comes to fiction, the right type of conflict makes the difference between a great read and a dull one, but what is the right type of conflict? How do you create it? When (and where) should you apply it? And can you ever have too much?

Join New Jersey author, Jon Gibbs (www.jongibbs.org), for a fun, interactive, workshop on how to create all the conflict you need to keep those readers turning the pages. 

Also, there may be candy. 

Please note: This is a hands-on session. Attendees should bring a notepad. 

WRITE YOUR BOOK ON PURPOSE

Part One: The First Draft  (single, double, or triple session) 

Every book starts out as an idea. The tricky part is getting that idea out of your head and onto the page, but where do you start? How do you transform that initial concept into a novel people want to read?

Join New Jersey author, Jon Gibbs (www.jongibbs.org), for a fun, informative, workshop on how to turn your story ideas into finished first drafts. 

Also, there may be candy. 

Please note: This is a hands-on session. Attendees should bring a notepad. 

WRITE YOUR BOOK ON PURPOSE

Part Two: Editing (single, double, or triple session) 

There’s so much more to editing than checking for plot-holes and spelling mistakes, but where do you start? What changes should you expect to make? And how when you’ve done enough?

Join New Jersey author, Jon Gibbs (www.jongibbs.org), for a fun, informative, workshop on how to polish and prune your early draft into something that’s ready for the next step. 

Also, there may be candy. 

Please note: This is a hands-on session. Attendees should bring a notepad. 

WRITING FOR YA/TWEENS (single session) 

There’s more to writing for the middle grade/young adult market than just making your characters the appropriate age. What topics interest YA/Tween readers today? Should you write in first person or third? What level of vocabulary should you use? Which (if any) topics or situations are considered off-limits by traditional publishers? 

Join New Jersey author, Jon Gibbs (www.jongibbs.org), for a fun, informative, presentation on what to keep in mind when writing for the YA/Tween market. 

Also, there may be candy. 

Please note: This is a hands-on session. Attendees should bring a notepad.