Nine Weeknights, 7-9:30 p.m. Berkeley
$335 members/$365 non-members (this class is not currently scheduled)
When we write fiction we discover deeper truth about ourselves, other people, and the world. By wandering the world of the imagination, we surprise ourselves with the stories we discover. And, when we tell those stories, we change our readers by allowing them to enter experiences that are often very different than their own.
In this workshop, participants will deepen their knowledge about how to find and tell fictional stories. They’ll learn more about the art and the craft of fiction—through doing in-class exercises and optional homework assignments, getting feedback on their work, and reading excerpts from published writers.
“Writing fiction allows us to explore unknown territory inside ourselves,” says instructor Elaine Beale. “It can give us permission to write about things we might feel afraid to write. It also lets us rediscover the world of fantasy and imagination that we may not have let ourselves enter since childhood.
“The workshop is designed to be lively, stimulating and fun. We’ll have lots of thought-provoking discussion about what makes good fiction. And we’ll also look at how, as writers, we can remain inspired, tell the stories that we feel compelled to write, and, at the same time, hone and develop our skills.”
Elaine Beale’s most recent novel, Another Life Altogether, has received positive reviews from the Boston Globe, Lambda Literary, and Publishers Weekly, and was featured in Oprah Magazine as one of the ten must-read books of March 2010. Elaine has taught creative writing for more than a decade and is also teaching one-day Writing Salon workshops on plot, character development, inspiring the muse, and mystery writing.