Upcoming Classes
THE FIRST FIFTY PAGES
A 10-Week Online Multi-genre Prose Workshop
Fiction & Creative Nonfiction
Wednesdays, April 15 - June 17, 6 - 9 p.m.
In this ten-week workshop hosted by Maine Writers & Publishers Alliance, we’ll look at HOW you’ve set up your story, and what that set up suggests about what happens next. We’ll discuss different kinds of story problems; a variety of approaches to establishing a compelling world and characters; and how BIG story beats can build on and mirror each other. We’ll also consider how each writer is using the core narrative elements: scene, summary, exposition, and interiority; and the way these choices impact structure from the micro to the macro level.
Through discussion of participant manuscripts and sample novel and memoir openings, we’ll work together to ensure everybody leaves ready to move forward with the daunting task of finishing (or revising!) a draft.
Advance prep: Participants must submit the first fifty pages of a novel or memoir as a double-spaced, 12-point, paginated Word document, no later than Wednesday, April 8. You may also include a brief synopsis (no more than two pages, double spaced).
For more information and to register, go to: https://www.mainewriters.org/calendar/pages
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY, PART 1
Fiction & Creative Nonfiction (Online)
Coming soon as an on-demand webinar series!
Refine your skills as a writer without breaking the bank.
The Small Craft Advisory Series is a comprehensive and flexible program of classes designed for adult learners with life experience and stories to tell.
Developed from Sandra Scofield’s essential primer, THE SCENE BOOK, each two-hour, online seminar includes in-depth discussion of the elements of narrative craft and exercises focused on participant writing. NO workshop!
Part 1 addresses the most critical skill for prose writers—scene writing—along with characterization, dialogue and setting.
1: SCENE BASICS
Fiction & Creative Nonfiction (Online)
It’s nearly impossible to tell a compelling story without scenes! In this class, we’ll discuss the components of the most essential building block in prose narrative.
2: SCENES—EVENT & EMOTION
Fiction & Creative Nonfiction (Online)
What happened? And what does it mean? We’ll do a deeper dive into the way event and emotion work in tandem to create memorable, meaningful scenes.
3: SCENES—BEATS, PART 1
Fiction & Creative Nonfiction (Online)
Resonant scenes depend on clear events. But events themselves can be broken down further into beats of action. Getting a handle on beats is the simplest way to make your scenes come to life.
4: SCENES—BEAT SHEETS
Fiction & Creative Nonfiction (Online)
We’ll create a sample beat sheet and discuss ways to revise and sharpen beats so character action (and motivation) are clearer for readers. Then we’ll each create one using our own scenes.
5: SCENES—TURNING POINTS & PULSE
Fiction & Creative Nonfiction (Online)
Unless you’ve got a solid sense of pulse (character motivation) the turning points in your scenes will often be unclear. We’ll work on capturing motivation, conflict, and change in individual scenes.
6: SCENES—REVIEW
Fiction & Creative Nonfiction (Online)
We’ll review what we know about scenes and how they work, and consider scene writing in relation to overall story conflict and structure.
7: CHARACTERIZATION, 1
Fiction & Creative Nonfiction (Online)
This class will address ways to create unique, complex characters through using indirect and direct methods of characterization, including action, appearance, and thought.
8: CHARACTERIZATION, 2—DIALOGUE
Fiction & Creative Nonfiction (Online)
Good dialogue shows character development and reveals emotional subtext. We’ll analyze and discuss a variety of approaches to getting at the things people do (and don’t) say.
9: SETTING & SENSE OF PLACE
Fiction & Creative Nonfiction (Online)
A clear sense of place is one that accesses not only geographical features, but also elements of memory, cultural identity, and regional character. Setting is so much more than landscape!