Workshops and Presentations

Click on each workshop below for details.

Anatomy of a Crime Novel
Body Parts
Historical/Cultural Presentations on Iran and Cuba
Self-Publishing
Writing Lite Tips

Libby Fischer Hellmann Author Sheet

Libby’s Author Sheet: Feel free to download.

Anatomy of a Crime Novel:
The Craft of Crime Fiction

Crime Writing Workshops with Libby Fischer Hellmann


They say that writing a publishable novel is 5% inspiration and 95% perspiration. In this hands-on day-long session I developed for both beginners and intermediate writers, you’ll sweat it out by exploring the  elements of craft that make a crime fiction novel impossible to put down.

Whether you write cozies or hard-boiled, PI or amateur sleuth, you’ll learn how the effective use of plot, narrative, voice, setting, character, dialogue, and suspense can take your work to the next level.

The workshop will focus on the practical as opposed to the theoretical, so be prepared for plenty of exercises and discussion.

Included in the price is a critique of 20 pages from your manuscript, provided it’s submitted less than 30 days after the workshop. Libby will mark up the mss. using “track changes” and will talk on the phone with you about her comments.

What attendees have said:

“Excellent. Well-organized. Great exercises!”

“Good insights. Helpful hands-on. Right on target!”

Crime Writing: Body Parts

Libby’s workshops can be adapted to one-hour sessions as well, focusing on one or two elements of crime writing. “How To Build Suspense” is especially popular. So is “Dialogue-Plot-Research.”

Historical/Cultural Presentations on Cuba and Iran

Presentations based on my research about Iran AND my trip to Cuba


Libby also has developed two one-hour Power Point presentations on the history of Cuba, and the culture of Iran. These are based on the research she conducted for her historical novels set in those countries, Havana Lost and A Bitter Veil.

See more about them here if you’re interested in having her visit your library or conduct a Skype presentation.

Self-Publishing: The Six Steps

Libby has also developed a workshop on self-publishing—how to do it, how much it really costs, and how to promote your book(s) and your brand.
Interested? Contact her here.

Writing Lite Workshop

A series or 50 writing tips (see them here) have been adapted into a one-hour workshop for writers at any level. They focus on the craft of writing and, in some cases, the etiquette of being a writer.
More light-hearted than The Anatomy of Crime Fiction, Writing Lite also includes a series of videos perfect for NANOWRIMO. You can find those here.