Winter 2004 Workshops at Writers & Books

Fiction

Writing & Plotting Your Mystery Novel

• One Saturday, February 28, 10–1 pm
• $33 W&B members / $39 general public
• Instructor: Patricia Ryan [ bio ]

The best mystery novel is both a compelling story and a puzzle fashioned from classic whodunit elements: sleuth, victim, suspects, clues, red herrings and plot twists.

In this workshop, students will learn how to craft a mystery that will satisfy even the most die-hard readers and editors in the genre. Whether you’re a fan of detective novels or “cozies,” this course is great for mystery readers and writers looking to gain insight into the mystery novel. Bring your notebooks and questions.

(This is not a critique workshop.) (From Zero to Novel in One Week also recommended.)

Writing Children’s Books and Getting Them Published

• Six Tuesdays, January 20 – February 24, 7–9 pm
• $72 W&B members / $80 general public
• Instructor: Will Hubbel [ bio ]

This course is intended for the aspiring children’s book author and will have a dual emphasis. The aesthetics of writing for this particular audience will be addressed in lectures and critique sessions. The practical concerns of the working writer will also be covered. These include genres, submission procedures, agents, book contracts and even taxes.

(From Zero to Novel in One Week also recommended.)

From Zero to Novel in One Week

• Four sessions
  • Monday March 15, Tuesday 16th, Thursday 18th, 7–9 pm
  • Saturday March 20 10 am–1 pm
  • No class March 17 & 19
• $80 W&B members / $92 general public
• Instructor: Patricia Ryan [ bio ]

What are the essential elements of fiction? What points of craft does a writer need to know to make characters and story ideas come to life in the landscape of a novel?

This four-part informational workshop is designed to clarify and demonstrate the crucial components of successful fiction writing. Great for all levels of writers and all genre interests. Bring notebooks and questions.

• Monday, Session 1: Characters & Point of View
• Tuesday, Session 2: Plot & Setting
• Thursday, Session 3: Story & Technique, which will include how to handle flashbacks, foreshadowing, pacing, syntax, research, etc.
• Saturday, Session 4: Marketing Your Novel

(This is not a critique workshop.)

Year-Long Novel Critique Workshop

• 22 Wednesdays, 4–7 pm
• 2nd & 4th Wednesdays of January – November
• $595 W&B members / $650 general public
• Instructor: Nick DiChario [ bio ]
• Limit: Six students

Writing a novel is hard work. This course embraces the everyday reality of it.

Students in this workshop will meet twice a month for a year and bring ten pages per session of their novels-in-progress to read aloud in class. The instructor will guide a group critique session focused on various elements of the novel such as characterization, dialogue, plot, pacing, style, and the “deeper meanings” as directly related to student work.

Assignments between classes will motivate students to write, help them think critically, and keep them on course throughout the year. By the end of the workshop participants may expect to see a good portion of their novels completed and walk away with the confidence to finish.

Due to the nature of this workshop, enrollment is limited to six students. Permission from the instructor may be required.

(From Zero to Novel in One Week and Master Class on the American Contemporary Novel also recommended.)

Less Is More: Cooking Up a Very Short Story

• One Saturday, April 17, 10 am–2 pm
• $36 W&B members / $40 general public
• Instructor: Sarah Freligh [ bio ]

Sudden fiction, flash fiction, the short-short… less is often more when it comes to reading and writing these miniscule literary gems.

In this one-day workshop, students will learn about the ingredients necessary to create these tantalizing short-short stories. They will also concoct their own small confections from guided exercises designed to evoke and provoke their imaginations. The instructor will discuss various markets and end the day with a convivial reading of the day’s quick fictions.

Bring a bag lunch. Wine and cheese party will accompany the reading.

(The 2,000-Word Club also recommended.)

Master Class on the Contemporary American Novel

• One Saturday, April 24, 10 am–12:30 pm
• $25 W&B members / $30 general public
• Instructors: Dave Kress [ bio ] & Dimitri Anastasopoulos

For anyone interested in writing a novel, this informational workshop will offer valuable insight and advice.

Two published authors will lead a discussion on writing the contemporary American novel, including the use of literary techniques, helpful books and resources, their own creative processes, and the art and craft of fiction writing.

Bring specific questions about reading, writing, teaching, or any other literary topics. This workshop also includes free admission to MAMMOTH Night on Monday, April 26. (See our calendar of events for details.)

Beginning Fiction

• Six Mondays, January 12 – February 23, 4–6 pm
• No class January 19
• $108 W&B members / $120 general public
• Instructor: Sarah Freligh [ bio ]

Do you have a story you’ve always wanted to tell or a secret desire to write a novel?

This course is designed to introduce people to the craft of fiction and to get them started on their way to confidently writing stories. Students will learn the basic elements of fiction—plot, character, setting, point of view, dialogue—and develop a working fiction writer’s “tool box” by reading published work and by doing writing exercises designed to stimulate and inspire.

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