Classes
Coming 2027
Unit One:
Developing Plot
You probably have an idea of the story (or stories) you want to tell. I'm here to equip and empower you to tell your stories in the most compelling ways possible. Here are some of the skills we will dive into:
* Orienting the reader in every scene
* Providing a proportional balance between
narrative summary and immediate scene
* Creating plot twists that produce
the desired impact on the reader
* Producing sequential scenes that are intentionally
connected by cause/effect, leading up to the climax
* Building suspense to elicit
an elevated response in the reader
* Monitoring pacing and structure, scene by scene
* Proportionally navigating Acts I, II & III
* Resisting the urge to explain by writing scenes
that require readers to infer
* Infusing figurative language, imagery and symbolism
* Plus, I've created a 'Skills Grid' to help you track your progress.
Unit Two:
Creating Characters
If you're a character-driven writer, you might want to consider starting right here and take the Plot classes down the road. Especially because you already love or loathe your characters, am I right? Let's work together and make them the most memorable and impactful wretches or beggars or champions as possible. Here's what I've got for you:
* Always orienting the reader with each
character on the stage and justifying their purpose
* Deciding whether the narrator is reliable or unreliable
and executing that decision effectively
* Intertwining each character’s story arcs with the others
* Utilizing secondary characters that support the protagonist,
push the story forward and have a story arc of their own
* Forming dynamic characters who change by the end
and/or static characters who change everything everyone else
* Designing heroes & villains who are formed by societal conditions
* Provide the highest stakes possible for each character
* Relying on the backstories of each character
to show motive, flaws, bravery, etc.
* Strategically choosing the best, most effective POV
for the desired narrative distance and WHY THAT MATTERS
Unit Three:
Curating Dialogue
Dialogue is one of the most difficult writing skills to teach--even if somebody is pretty good at it. I love to get my characters talking, whether that is out loud or merely in their own heads. That is why we're going to explore examples intended to help you create conversations that:
* Reveal who your characters are
* Provide background information
* Push the story forward
* Explain ‘off stage’ actions
* Set the tone and establish the mood/vibe of a scene
* Ramps up the tension
* Reveals characters’ inner thoughts
* Strikes a balance between dialogue tags vs. action beats
(especially when more than two people are talking)
* Are believable, distinct and authentic
Unit Four:
Bringing Your Settings to Life
This is the class that empower you to move beyond creating a setting that merely establishes a time, place, tone and mood. I've got research-based content for you that will help you create what social scientists call ‘total situations’ in the books you write, resulting in macro-societal conditions that produce heroes and/or villains. I know that's a mouthful, but I can't wait to unpack it with you. Also, we will:
* Contemplate and create settings that intentionally
curate the atmosphere from scene to scene
* Create the setting as character
* Create the setting as genre
* Create the setting as a driving force
* Design the setting to heighten the stakes for characters
* Reference and incorporate real-life
historical events in your manuscript
* Ensure that the settings for real places, people and time periods are depicted respectfully and authentically
Unit Five:
Weaving Themes & Throughlines
I used to think that thematic content and throughlines were like icing on a cake. Super yummy! Oh, lordy... it's so much more. I've met authors who are not plot driven, nor character driven. They are thematically driven. I was Hamline University years old before I knew there was even such a thing as being THEME-DRIVEN. Now, at this point in my career, becoming a theme-driven writer is now total life goals. And throughlines? They are the blood that runs through the veins of your manuscript. I could never, in good conscience, skip this part because this is what makes good stories great. In this class, we will be:
* Defining theme and becoming familiar with the extensive
lists of basic universal themes/thematic components
* Delineating between universal themes,
thematic components, throughlines & motifs
* Triangulating scenes where a particular event impacts a character (or group of characters) to establish thematic content
* Triangulating scenes where a character’s actions—or characters’ actions—impact an event to establish thematic content
Unit Six:
So! You Wrote a Book! Now What?
Once you finish the first draft of your book, my dream for you is to DO WHATEVER YOU WANT WITH IT!
But what does that look like? How will you even begin? Here's where you learn to navigate the 'Now what?' I'll be covering a couple different foundational paths to publishing, including:
* Transitioning from 'art' to 'business'
* Honing your craft into perpetuity
* Finding writing groups, beta-readers, conferences,
membership opportunities and continuing education
* Pursuing self-publishing
* Pursuing traditional publishing
* Surviving the dreaded query hellscape
* Building your platform
* Embracing your side-hustles
* Leaving a legacy