Intro to Fiction: To Begin at the Beginning

“Big Secret Number One to writing fiction is that you have to make a mess. Many messes,” says instructor Steve Mitchel. “You have to throw truckloads of words down onto the page knowing full well that most of them will end up in the compost.”

In this five-week course, we’ll write in class and out (optionally, of course) without worrying about finished products. We’ll learn several fundamental elements of craft—characterization, dialogue, point of view, setting, and plot—reading stories by Charles Baxter, Alice Munro, Edward P. Jones, and others to guide us. In a supportive environment, we’ll share our work with each other (optionally, of course), discussing what resonates and why.

By the end of the five weeks, we’ll have all the tools we need to create stories. Along the way, we’ll never lose sight of the fact that most great fiction emerges from what Philip Roth calls “months of freewheeling play.”  

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 the class. If you have any questions about in-person learning, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at hello@writingsalons.com.