Dive into craft with these carefully curated, two-part workshops designed to take your writing process deeper. These intermediate-level classes will study contemporary works and incorporate lectures, discussion time, and writing opportunities. Students will walk away with a better understanding of specific topics and the knowledge and confidence to enhance their own works with newfound skills.
Writing an epic fantasy? Operatic science? How about a story set in contemporary or historical times? Take your world building to the next level with fantasy writer Sarah Ahiers as she walks you through the six questions she ponders when creating and writing. Your answers will add depth to your characters and their experiences as well as enrich your story with details and descriptions to keep readers turning the page.
Class will be 50% craft discussion, (including examining samples of texts) as well as 50% writing and sharing.
We’ve all been there: words that tread water, scenes that fall flat, chapters that end without giving the reader a reason to turn the page. How do we ensure that the chapters we write earn their places in our books?
In this workshop, we’ll look at John Gardner’s concept of “profluence,” as well as Stanislavski’s Acting Method to tackle chapters from the inside out. We’ll approach chapter writing using concepts like bookending a scene with objectives and amplifying stakes and obstacles.
We’ll look at chapters in contemporary literature and discuss why they work. As well, you’ll have a chance to go through a previously written chapter of your own – or write a new one – to apply the concepts.
The lover, the jester, the outlaw, the sage -- just some of the literary archetypes we read and write about. In these sessions, we'll examine archetypes in classic and modern literature to gain an understanding of readers’ expectations of them and we'll discuss how we can use archetypes to add depth and nuance to our own manuscripts by knowing when to play into these expectations and when to subvert them to surprise readers. Join Lisa Papademetriou for this engaging, small-group workshop that designed to deepen your craft.