Suggested Prerequisite: Building a Foundation for Writing your Fiction Novel or 60 pages of first draft completed. Writers should be actively working on their manuscripts.

 

Purpose: The first pages of a novel flow easily for many writers. But then, the story ideas begin to wander or disappear and the doubts and second guessing begins. Learn the techniques to move your story forward and develop a support system to keep your writer’s spirit motivated and strong.

 

This class will present both writing skills and the writer’s mindset for those who have a novelist’s spirit and have ventured out into the world of writing but haven’t yet reached their goals of a completed novel. Emphasis is on writing commercial fiction for future publication. Classes will include in-class writing exercises, goal setting, lectures and peer critiques.

 

Discover many techniques that the pros use and find your own technique that moves your writing forward. 

Learn how to do market research and determine where your work fits into the market.

Define your overall story goal/theme.

Establish a critique group of your classroom peers to encourage and improve your writing.

Brief overview of how to build a consistent and realistic backdrop to enhance your story

Learn how too many details or too few details can stop an editor on the first page

Discover how to weave in details to enrich your story throughout your setting

Explore how setting/world building interacts with all the elements of your novel

Analyze your writing to keep on track with your story goal/theme.

Take an intensive look at the function of each character in your story and evaluate for emotional impact and for driving your story forward.

Learn the motivation/reaction techniques that give your story credibility and keep your readers turning pages

Discover techniques for using dialogue, internal introspection and action that make your characters 3-dimensional and compelling

Examine each character to stay true to your story goal/theme

Learn about rising and falling action and degrees of intensity that will draw your readers into your story world and keep them there.

Discover how to stitch your story together using scene, sequel and transitions

Learn how to make all the elements of your story point toward your story goal/theme.

 

Recognize common mistakes and learn how to edit them

Keep your critique group alive and kicking

Learn how to send your manuscript out into the publishing world and how to increase your odds for success