Shannon Dittemore - All My Heroes Were Failures - January 13, 2024, at 1pm

As writers, failure is one of our greatest fears. Failure to do justice to the story rattling around in our head, to hit a deadline, to convince an agent or an editor, or anyone at all, that our books should be on the shelf.

And yet, the very act of writing a story should bring both the value and necessity of failure into sharp focus. In this class, we'll talk about what failure looks like in the publishing industry, and then we'll look at the failures of our favorite fictional heroes, reminding ourselves that though we have much to learn, our journey has prepared us, and will continue to prepare us, for what lies ahead.

Shannon Dittemore is an award-winning author and speaker. Her young adult books include a high-stakes fantasy adventure in the Winter, White and Wicked duology, as well as an eye-opening plunge into the supernatural with the Angel Eyes novels. Following a decade-long stint as a contributor to Go Teen Writers, a Writers’ Digest 101 Best Websites for Writers selection seven years running, Shannon enjoys teaching and encouraging writers of all ages. When she's not at her desk, Shannon can be found in the wilds of Northern California, collecting stories and adventuring with her husband and their two children.

We will be meeting in person at the Bonner Springs Public Library, but if you cannot make it or would prefer to join online, email us at kcwestwriters@gmail.com for a Zoom link!