Nerd Girl Industries Workshops
Nerd Girl Industries offers a range of workshops on various topics. Unless otherwise specified, these workshops can be conducted as a four-week email course, on-demand, or as a live online workshop. The workshops can be customized for one-on-one instruction or as a group. Contact me if you have any questions or would like a quote!
Not Your Mother's Librarian
Libraries have become more relevant than ever in the 21st C. They act as meeting hubs, offering programming for all ages, and provide services such as lending materials, access to public computers and Wi-Fi, printing and copying, as well as passport and notary services, among others. In Not Your Mother’s Librarian, get the inside scoop on what being a librarian means today.
Takeaways
- The history of librarianship
- Types of libraries and what they do
- Types of services libraries offer
- What kind of materials libraries lend
- How to support libraries
Note: This workshop is only available on-demand or as a one-hour live workshop.
Introduction to Social Media
Putting yourself online can be scary, overwhelming, and sometimes confusing. In Introduction to Social Media, we’ll talk about what social media is and isn’t, current trends and stats, what kind of social media networks are available, the truth about going viral, and more.
Takeaways
- Defining your voice and persona
- Determining the type of content to post
- Writing engaging content for your audience
- Doing a website and newsletter evaluation and audit
- Whether or not to hire a website or newsletter manager
How to Manage Your Social Media and Online Presence
Managing your social media and online presence can be challenging, frustrating, and sometimes expensive. What networks should I be on? How often should I post? How do I find my audience and define my persona? Get answers to these questions and learn tips and tricks on managing your social media and online presence effectively. You will work less and engage more with your audience.
Takeaways
- Creating content strategy and calendars
- Performing website and content audits
- Defining your audience and persona
- What kind of content to post, how often, and at what times
- Whether or not to use AI for content creation
Telling Your Story: Creating Engaging Content for Websites and Newsletters
A complement to How to Manage Your Social Media and Online Presence (but not required), Telling Your Story provides you with the know-how and knowledge to create engaging content for your website and newsletter. You will learn the tricks, ideas, and tools needed to create content that keeps your readers engaged and coming back for more.
Takeaways
- Defining your voice and persona
- Determining the type of content to post
- Writing engaging content for your audience
- Doing a website and newsletter evaluation and audit
- Whether or not to hire a website or newsletter manager
Using Meta Business to Plan and Manage Your Social Media
Did you know you can plan, post, and get analytics on your Facebook and Instagram accounts within the Meta Business platform? It’s true! And better yet, it’s free! Using Meta Business, you can plan and post your content, track engagement and analytics, manage and respond to notifications, and more!
Note: This workshop does not cover Facebook or Instagram ads.
Takeaways
- Creating business properties and connecting your Facebook and Instagram accounts
- Creating a content calendar and strategy
- Creating text, video, and image posts
- Responding to comments and DMs
- Obtaining and analyzing analytics for your Facebook and Instagram accounts
The Source Whisperer: Research Beyond Google and AI
In the age of misinformation, determining fact from fiction is becoming increasingly difficult. The Source Whisperer: Research Beyond Google and AI will give you the skills and knowledge to go beyond search engine and AI results. You’ll discover different online resources, divide fact from fiction, determine currency and credibility, and more. Your readers will thank you.
Takeaways
- Evaluating content for currency, context, authority, coverage, goals, and sources
- The different types of online resources and their purpose
- The different types of libraries and how to use them for research
- How search engines and algorithms work
- Whether or not ads determine the credibility of a website
Don't Call Me Crazy: Creating Believable Characters with Mental Illness
One in five people in the United States has or will have a mental illness in their lifetime, with anxiety, bipolar disorder, and depression leading the charge. Yet, characters with mental illness are surprisingly underrepresented in fiction. And if a character is written with a mental illness, they are often portrayed as a caricature of the illness or treated as a plot device. In this workshop, we’ll discuss the various types of common mental illnesses, how to research reliable information about the condition, and how to portray the character with compassion.
Takeaways
- You’ll learn about common mental illnesses, their symptoms, and attributes
- How to find peer-reviewed and reliable information to write your characters
- Understanding the brain of someone with a mental illness
- Learn how to stay away from creating caricature characters
- Debunking myths about mental illness
The Edwardians (1901 - 1914): The Birth of the Modern Age
The Edwardian period (1901 – 1914) is defined as beginning with the death of Queen Victoria in 1901 and the subsequent reign of her son, King Edward VII, who reigned until 1910. The era is extended a few years ending with The Great War (WW I) in 1914. This period witnessed a significant shift in politics, economics, technology, and social life from the Victorian era. It set the stage for early modern life for decades to come.
Note: Due to the extensive nature of this topic, the workshop provides an introduction to the period. Resources will be provided for further research.
Takeaways
- The rise of skirts, the abandonment of the corset, and other fashion changes
- Introduction and expansion on technology and innovation
- Women’s suffrage and the political voice
- The foundation of modern journalism
- Art Nouveau and the arts
Digital Hygiene: Cybersecurity for the Rest of Us
Are you safeguarding your digital life? Online security isn’t optional; it’s vital in today’s world. Discover how to create fortress-like passwords, master password managers, spot sneaky phishing attacks, and build a strong defense against cyber threats.
Takeaways
- Choosing the right password manager
- Recognizing phishing, smishing, and ransomware
- Creating and managing backups
- Password safety
- Securing your online accounts
Circulate! Getting Your Books into Bookstores and Libraries
Regardless of whether you’re an indie or traditionally published author, getting your titles into bookstores and libraries can be difficult. This workshop will help you develop your skills to approach bookstores and libraries, give author readings, present talks, and enlarge your readership, as well as attract more readers.
Takeaways
- Prep work needed before you contact the bookstore and libraries
- Creating a sell sheet
- Writing a cover letter on why they should acquire your books
- Promoting your work with author talks, programming, and signings
- What bookstores and libraries look for in new titles
Note: This workshop is only available on-demand or as a one-hour live workshop.