Instructor: Mary Marvella
Start Date: Monday, September 7, 2026
End Date: Friday, October 2, 2026
Type: Group.io
Duration: 4 Weeks
USD Fee: FF&P Member – $20; Non-Member – $25

Don’t you hate it when a book’s ending is toooo predictable? We will examine and discuss the difference between creating Foreshadowing in our stories instead of giving the ending away. By the time readers read the last pages, they should say “I didn’t see that coming but I should have.” We will delve into using emotions to ensnare readers. If we feel for a character, we care more. This means using our emotional reactions and giving our characters’ emotions.
Imagine readers wanting to save the villain? Yes, I do that. Though the villain “needs killin'”, readers wish he or she could be saved.
Villains and antagonists are not the same thing. What if you could make readers want to help the protagonist AND the antagonist? That involves emotions from all angles and keeps readers involved!
This kind of story stays with a reader, These characters stay with a reader.
There will be assignments and sharing opporunities
Clues have the same effect that the music in movies does, We want to avoid saying “Little did they know…”, waving a flag, and making the ending too predictable while we plant clues to the ending. How can we do that? There are ways to keep readers on their toes!
There will be assignments and opportunities to share.

About the Instructor:

Mary lives north of Atlanta, Georgia where she tutors, edits freelance, coaches writers, and writes the stories her characters make her write. She doesn’t have a muse. She has pushy characters.
Mary writes southern fiction, suspense, romantic suspense and women’s fiction.
Mary graduated from Mercer University with a BA in English and gained a Masters in Psychology from UGA.
She has 10 published novels, one collection of short stories and a book on editing.
As a partner on a small publishing company, Mary line-edited 12 novels and 10 anthologies. She also worked as developmental editor for 8 of those books. As a freelance editor and writing coach, Mary has helped clients publish 70 books. 15 of those books she nurtured from idea to book.
Mary has been studying writing since 1991. Before then, she taught language arts for 15 years (literature and writing). She has been tutoring children and adults with anything to do with reading and writing for more than 30 years.
Mary taught classes for OIWI.org, FF&P, Hearts through History, Georgia Romance Writers, North Metro Christian Writers and more.

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