Fiction writing can be challenging, both in developing new ideas and in getting them down on the paper. Even experienced writers get writer’s block, or have trouble starting a new piece, and this can be even more difficult for the novice. In this class, learners are going to play with words, put ideas together in amusing ways, and bring writing into a format that is easy to access. Pieces will receive short feedback each day, and by the end of the eleven-week class series we will have a fully-formed and revised story.
From Hook to Revision: A Full Fiction Writing Course on Outschool.
Week one: Welcome to class! Let’s start by breaking down whatever blocks your writing.
Week two – Characters: How do we make our characterizations realistic? What techniques can we use to make our characters three-dimensional?
Week three – Setting: Everyone knows that a setting is the time, place, and environment of where your story takes place. However, how do we make our setting POP?
Week four – Plot: A plot is the pathway that your character takes from the beginning to the end of the story. There has to be challenges for your character to overcome, a buildup to the high point of the story, and there has to be a resolution of some sort.
Week five – POV: From first person, to second person, to third person, what’s the difference between the points of view?
Week six – Scenes and summaries: All stories are made of fleshed-out scenes where we see every detail, as well as summaries where we move quickly through the story. How do you know which is the right way to show your action?
Week seven – Dialogue: Almost all stories have dialogue, whether it be internal dialogue, dialogue between characters, or even dialogue from the narrative voice. How do you ensure their voices are authentic and believable?
Week eight – Story hooks: You want to grab your reader and bring them into your world, right? But how do you do so?
Weeks nine through eleven: We will be talking about – and doing – revision and editing of the piece we have worked on over the last eight weeks.
By the end of class all learners will have a fully-formed, fleshed out work of short fiction.