Designed specifically for those with little fiction writing experience who want to learn how to begin a fiction writing project. Find your pathway toward your fiction writing goals. You will learn the basic building blocks of story: character, plot and setting, as well as the different forms of fiction writing and some of the genres you might like to explore. Find out about researching avenues for marketing your work: online versus print magazines, self-publishing versus publishing with a traditional press. Come away with the skills you need to get started on a new work of fiction.
One month course, Jacqui Lipton, instructor.
Agenda
Unit 1
Introduction to the Building Blocks of Story and Fiction
-Character
-Conflict
-Setting
-Plot and story structure
-Short story versus novel
-Who are we writing for?
Unit 2
Character and Conflict
-Protagonists and antagonists
-Secondary characters
-Character archetypes
-Character desires, conflicts and stakes
-Dialogue
Unit 3
Setting and Plot
-Contemporary versus fantastical and historical settings
-Setting as character
-Three act plot structure and the hero’s journey
-Time jumps and flashbacks
-Prologues and epilogues
Unit 4
Putting Your Story Together
-Strategies for outlining (flowcharts, beat sheets and post-its)
-Character-driven versus plot-driven outlines
-Overcoming writer’s block
-Researching markets
-Creating a marketing plan