Introduction to Creative Writing

Introduction to Creative Writing Workshop

This workshop has been designed to accelerate your creativity and get you started on writing projects. Specifically, you will learn to see a writing project through to completion. Whether you're aiming for poetry or prose, fiction or non-fiction, the purpose here is to get you writing through the use of tools, prompts, exercises and ideas. By the end of the workshop you will understand the concepts of character, setting, dialogue, scene and plot and will have written at least one original piece, perhaps more.


Two things separate this workshop from other writing classes. One, the workshop includes the fifty page workbook I wrote as the result of thirty five years as a teacher and published writer. It is proven. In fact, it's never failed! The series of readings, exercises, journal entries and homework, along with the camaraderie of workshopping, consistently provides the tools writers need to complete any project. Also, the same tools can be applied to any level writer and any genre of writing. From the workbook:

What you learn here can be applied to all forms of writing. The same basic elements of storytelling are used in everything from a newspaper article to a literary short story, from a business blog to an autobiography.
A sample of the workbook is here. The outline is below. It is designed to accommodate a two hour a week, four week series which includes reading, in-class exercises, journal entries and homework. Week five is an open mic/potluck.

Two, the difference between my class and others is the outline I wrote to correspond with a set of rapid skill acquisition principles as developed by Josh Kaufman in his book The First 20 Hours: How to Learn Anything Fast. The outline I've adapted for my workshops is here. I use Kaufman's principles in all my teaching including music theory, guitar, piano, songwriting, spoken word, short fiction and more. The success rate is 100%. Students always achieve their goal unless they decide to switch goals, at which point they start over.


The Intro class is designed to meet for four consecutive weeks of two hours each week. The fifth week is an open mic/potluck where students share their work (not mandatory!) In addition, five hours of practice time each week needs to be set aside. The workbook includes reading assignments, journaling and homework to fill those five hours, depending on one's need for structure. 


Even though it's called an introductory class, writers of all levels are welcome to attend. The same principles used to accelerate creativity and get you writing apply to everyone.



Introduction to Creative Writing


Session 1
Getting Started

·      Exercise: One sentence bio
·      Exercise: Expanded bio
·      Exercise: Sentence innovation
·       Exercise: Embellished memories
·       Journal Entry
·       Homework: First person narratives - biography


Session 2

Descriptive Writing

·      Exercise: Spicing up the facts
·      Journal Entry
·      Homework: Draft of first piece – expanded biography        


Session 3

The Elements of Storytelling

·      Exercise: Choosing elements for your story
·      Journal Entry
·      Workshop: Manuscript #1
·      Homework: Rewrite first draft and/or begin second


Session 4

Just Say It! – Writing Dialogue

·      Exercise: Start talking!
·      Exercise: Character development
·      Workshop: Manuscript #1 or #2
·      Homework: Rewrite previous drafts or begin third draft


Session 5

The Nitty Gritty - Plot
·      Exercise: Plot outline  
·      Journal Entry
·      Workshop: Rewrites or draft #3
·      Homework: Final manuscript


Session 6

The Writer’s Life

·      Exercise: First Sentences
·      Workshop: Final manuscript




Resources:

Relative books



The 7 Basic Plots

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