“Instinct alone will only take us so far as writers,” says instructor Amy G. Latham. “Learning craft techniques will help us to create the lively characters who will drive our plots. Even more important, an understanding of craft helps us to trust ourselves to make all kinds of crucial decisions for our stories.”
In this 5-week class, we’ll take on one fiction building block each week, explore the possibilities in each, and apply our learning right away to our own fiction writing. The weekly building blocks will include:
- how to create complex characters
- how to build tension
- how to test out point of view and perspective
- how to modulate pacing on the sentence level and story level
- how to build different types of scenes, such as short or long, description-focused, and dialogue-driven
We’ll pair craft-focused readings and discussions with fun and practical writing exercises. In short works by Anton Chekhov, Edwidge Danticat, and George Saunders, we’ll explore through an easy-to-follow craft lens how each author expresses their artistic vision. During in-class and take-home writing exercises, we’ll play with essential craft elements, discovering new entry points into fiction. In a supportive community, we’ll optionally share and respond to one another’s work, listening for moments of salience, freshness, humor, specificity, and truth.
“The goal over five weeks,” says Amy, “is to build knowledge of and confidence with these essential ingredients of fiction writing so that you can tell stories that move readers. You’ll also come away with fresh characters, cool angles to write stories from, story fragments, and many story ideas.”
About The Writing Salon's In-Person Classes
Before your class meets, you'll receive an email from The Writing Salon with more information about your class. If you have any questions about in-person learning, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at hello@writingsalons.com.
Amy G. Latham holds an MFA in Fiction from San Francisco State University, where she has taught in the College of Liberal Arts and the College of Business. She is Associate Editor at Chariot Press, and her literary work has appeared in Gulf Coast, Epiphany, Greensboro Review, Camera Obscura, Fourteen Hills, and other journals. She has been recognized with The Dillydoun Review short story prize and the Wilner Award for short fiction, and her story “Combustion” was adapted for a short film by Quiet Lightning. She is currently at work on a collaborative audiodrama with sponsorship from Independent Arts & Media and a debut novel.
- Wednesday, May 07, 7:00pm-9:30pm
- Wednesday, May 14, 7:00pm-9:30pm
- Wednesday, May 21, 7:00pm-9:30pm
- Wednesday, May 28, 7:00pm-9:30pm
- Wednesday, June 04, 7:00pm-9:30pm