Writers, start your new year off right—come join us for our January meeting! We will be meeting exclusively via Zoom this time so we can take advantage of hosting special guest Tara Johnson as she presents her highly recommended session “Body Language: The Ultimate Show-Don’t-Tell.” We are thrilled to be able to benefit from Tara’s expert instruction.

This session will show us how understanding body language, micro-expressions, and posture is the ultimate way to “show and not tell.” Since more than 50% of language is non-verbal, refusing to unearth our characters’ body language is a recipe for creating flat, one-dimensional fictional people. Body language adds tremendous depth to dialogue, sets tone, and shows readers how a character’s emotions reflect in their behavior. This workshop will teach us how to use universal body language to give our characters rich emotion, as well as teach us how to spot deception and bumps in verbal language that reveal inner motive. This class will also use examples from real life, including transcripts and videos from confessed serial killers and public figures.

Tara Johnson is an author and speaker and loves to write stories that help people break free from the lies they believe about themselves. Tara’s debut novel Engraved on the Heart (Tyndale) earned a starred review from Publishers Weekly and was a finalist in the Carol and Christy awards. Tara has been published by Tyndale House, Annie’s, and Guideposts. In addition to being published in a variety of digital and print magazines, she is a certified body language expert and has been on radio, television, and podcasts. She, her husband, and children live in Arkansas. You may connect with Tara on her website and through Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter: @TaraMinistry.

Don’t miss this fantastic time of teaching and fellowship. The Zoom link will be posted in our private Facebook group for paid members. If you’re not yet a member and would like to attend as a visitor (can do this twice before joining), email our president, Cheryl Barker, at cheryl (at) cherylbarker (dot) net and she will add you to a list of visitors the Zoom link will be sent to the day of the meeting. Can’t wait to see you there!