PORTLAND, OR: Characters are at the heart of all compelling fiction. Commercial fiction, short stories, or the Great American Novel – they all have at their heart at least one character who touches readers in unexpected ways.

An upcoming Oregon Writers Colony workshop, Creating Dynamic Story People, will help writers take their characters to new levels by explaining critical character development and characterization techniques.

On March 9th, Portland author and writing teacher Lori L. Lake will present the 8-hour workshop on Creating Dynamic Story. Using discussion and writing exercises, Lake will help both new and seasoned writers or aspiring to delve deeper into character.

Lake is the author of two short story collections and ten novels, including four books in The Gun Series and two in the recently launched Public Eye Mystery Series. Her crime fiction stories have been featured in anthologies such as “Silence of the Loons,” “Once Upon A Crime,” “Women of the Mean Streets,” and “Writes of Spring.” Lori taught fiction writing at The Loft Literary Center in Minneapolis for seven years, and she has presented workshops and classes at numerous conferences and writers’ gatherings.

Creating Dynamic Story People will be held on Saturday March 9th 2013 from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM at Tabor Space, 5441 SE Belmont St., Portland, OR. Preregistration is required. Cost is $95 for OWC members and $135 for non-members (includes a one-year membership). For more information or to register, got the OWC website:www.oregonwriterscolony.org or contact OWC volunteer Cindy Brown at friendlybrown@gmail.com.

About Oregon Writers Colony: Oregon Writers Colony, a 501c3 non-profit organization, offers support to writers in all stages of their writing careers, from novices to published authors. Members benefit from classes, inspiration from teachers and colleagues, and access to the Colonyhouse, a writing retreat on the Oregon coast. www.oregonwriterscolony.org.