Writing Workshop - The Emotional Blueprint: Hook, Heart and Payoff - Writing Stories Readers Feel and Remember with Erica Alexander In-Person
Join us for a writing workshop with NJ Romance Writer, Erica Alexander.
The Emotional Blueprint: Hook, Heart, and Payoff—Writing Stories Readers Feel and Remember
What makes a story linger long after the final page? It’s not just the plot. It’s the emotional journey. In this workshop, we’ll explore how to craft powerful emotional scenes that capture attention, build deep reader connection, and deliver satisfying, memorable payoffs.
Whether you're writing fiction or memoir, this session will guide you through the three emotional pillars every unforgettable story needs:
Hook: How to emotionally engage readers from the first line
Heart: How to create characters we care about and journeys we feel
Payoff: How to leave readers changed, not just entertained
Get ready for a deep dive into writing with emotion and creating stories that resonate.
Erica Alexander has been a storyteller her entire life. If she’s not writing stories, she’s daydreaming about them. Which has gotten her into trouble once or twice. Erica has been married to her book-boyfriend for 29 years. Mom to teen boys, and a menagerie or rescue animals, including a feral cat colony she cares for. Erica has degrees in Communications and Computer Science, and she loves history, all things Native American, and anything that’s off the beaten path and weird.
- Date:
- Saturday, February 28, 2026
- Time:
- 2:30pm - 3:30pm
- Time Zone:
- Eastern Time - US & Canada (change)
- Location:
- ESL Room
- Audience:
- Adults Senior Adults Teens
- Categories:
- Writing Workshop
Janette is the Assistant Director. She has a B.A. in History and an M.S. in Library Science. Among her many responsibilities, her favorite is selecting and ordering books for the adult fiction, nonfiction and large print collections.
An avid reader, Janette runs the Romantic Fiction (first Wednesday of the month) and the Page Turners (second Wednesday of the month) book groups. She is also a supporter of the romance genre and will gladly help "match you" with the perfect romance novel.
In 2021, Janette launched a Virtual Author Chat series where she chats with local authors about their writing and their path to publication. All of the chats have been recorded and are available to watch on the library's YouTube channel. In 2025, Janette established a writers' circle at the library. Pen to Paper at Wayne PL meets on the third Saturday of each month. In concert with the writers' circle, Janette also organizes monthly writing workshops which are led by local published authors.