Whether you’re brand new to writing, been dabbling for years, or actively pursuing publication, the MockingOwl Roost creative workshops are here to help you improve your skills, develop writing intentions, and understand the publishing industry.

In 2024/2025, we are offering the following workshops, led by Rita Mock-Pike – author, writing coach, professional editor, full-time writer, editing instructor, and our editor-in-chief – along with the MockingOwl Roost team. Workshop tickets may be purchased through Eventbrite.


Self-editing for Writers

How to Kill Your Own Darlings without Sacrificing Your True Love
  • November 10, 2024, 6:30 pm CENTRAL USA TIME
  • $35 each attendee
  • Who is this workshop for? Any writer, fiction or nonfiction
  • Tickets available at Eventbrite

Every writer must know how to self-edit, even when working with professional editors to hone their stories to publication-ready manuscripts. This workshop will take fiction and nonfiction authors through the emotional, mental, and physical steps required to engage with self-editing techniques that allow you to “kill your darlings” and bring your manuscript up to standards. Properly engaging with these techniques should dramatically improve your publish-ability while helping you self-care in the process.

Bring a current WIP and note-taking tools.


Imaginative Idea Generation: How to Proliferate Ideas for Storytelling

  • November 14, 2024, 2:30 pm CENTRAL USA TIME
  • $35 each attendee
  • Who is this workshop for? Writers of all genres and types who want new angles on stories, more ideas, and an imagination as wild and free as a child’s
  • Tickets available on Eventbrite

Time to work out your imagination and generate ideas for your projects, articles, and more! Join the idea generation workshop to discover how prolific writers have so much content, so many ideas, and that never-ending stream of projects they can work on anywhere, any time. Become a prolific creative (writer, artist, designer) yourself using the techniques and watch your universe expand.


Additional information and Eventbrite links to follow shortly on these workshops:

  • Fact-checking 101: Ensuring Your Fiction Adds Up – Monday December 9, 2024, 7:15-8:30 pm CENTRAL USA TIME
  • Starting Your Writing Career While Avoiding Burnout – December 16, 2024, 6:30 pm CENTRAL USA TIME
  • Fantasy Storytelling Craft – Saturday, January 25, 2025, 7-9 pm CENTRAL USA TIME
  • Historical Fiction Writing 101: How to Dream, Research, and Craft that Authentic Fictional Story in the Era You Were Meant For – Saturday February 1, 2025, 2-3:30 pm CENTRAL USA TIME
  • How to Show and Not Tell in Writing – TBD in February 2025
  • Crafting Believable Emotions for Your Fiction Characters – TBD in March 2025