Camp is held on Zoom, with attendees from all over the place!
In every class:
- We start class with a writing prompt, learn some skills, and apply them to our original writing.
- We analyze works of fiction that illustrate what we are learning.
- We practice sharing our work, learning how to critique, and turning advice into action.
Week One
Monday: What is this thing called a book, anyway?
An overview of the most major puzzle pieces that make up a story. What’s more important, plot or character? Being a plotter vs. a panster. What is the “promise of the premise”? How paragraphs, scenes, and chapters work together to create a cohesive book.
Tuesday: Specific writing that sings
What is specific writing and why does it matter? How to identify general, vague writing. How details make fiction feel real. Using details in setting and character. Sifting through details to choose the best heavy lifters.
Wednesday: Settings, moods, and description
How to create multiples moods through description and setting. The secrets to “show don’t tell.”
Thursday: Create a scene
Identifying the purpose of a scene. Scene beginnings, middle, and ends. Understanding character intent and motivation. How to write a scene cliffhanger with a bang!
Friday: Themes, metaphors, imagery, and symbolism
What are you really trying to say? Forming a meaningful message in a literary way!
Week Two
Monday: Plot – the first 8 beats
Using the Save the Cat (Blake Snyder) structure, we learn how to tell a story with the most successful method for building a compelling plot.
Tuesday: Characters, part A
How to choose character traits that fit your plot. Appearance, mannerisms, and voice. How to choose your protagonist’s wants, needs, flaws and strengths. After all that, it’s movie time!
Wednesday: Characters, part B
The character arc is everything. Forming the character backstory. Devising the devious antagonist. How to write secondary characters that serve plot purpose.
Thursday: Plot – the second 7 beats
But wait, there’s more! We delve deeper.
Friday: Great endings – The plot twist, red herring, and other manipulative tricks.
Week Three
Monday: Back to the beginning
Startings that soar, hooks that capture reader interest.
Tuesday: Exposition and dialogue
How to share information without the reader knowing it. Writing dialogue that serves a purpose.
Wednesday: Revision techniques
Use adverbs thoughtfully, find fantastic adjectives, and get those verbs to move. How to blast the fat from writing.
Thursday: Personal narrative essays with flair
No more boring personal essays, ever. Learn creative structures that work. Find out how to make a character out of YOU, give yourself a character arc, choose a theme, dig deep, and deliver a memorable takeaway.
Friday: Filling in the knowledge gaps
There’s time to review what you’ve learned, polish past writing, ask questions, write collaboratively, and more. Learn about the writing life, being an author, how publication works, and other burning questions.