Virtual Writing Classes - January 2011

WHEN?

Group I: Sunday's-- January 2, 16, 23, 30, Feb. 6, 20, 27, March 6, 13. 2-4:30 (alternative time is 12:00-2:30)

Group II: Monday's--Jan. 3, 10, 17, 24, 31, & Feb 7, 14, 21, 28. 10-12:30

DETAILS:

Each group will be made up of five to six writers. You will write, submit ten pages (double spaced, 12pt. font, with page numbers in a .doc format) each week (to me and the others in our group). We will meet and workshop the pages.

A: We will meet via telephone conference call and once our groups are set, I will provide instructions.
B: You will submit 10 pages each week, which I will read and make edits on via "track changes" on Mircosoft Word.
C: Each writer will read a section from their work when we are meeting and I will teach from your pages.
D; Each writer will send their pages to the members of the group for the general work-shopping discussion.

How Do You Teach Writing, Jennifer?

Reading Aloud: Memoir is driven by "voice," thus writers read from their own work and in a workshop setting, they will listen to other writers read from their work too. The audio pathways are a sensory connection to your creation. The "sound" in writing, ie: the beat, the tone, the melody, can only be heard when you read out loud. By listening to yourself read, you begin to understand what to alter in your writing in order to meet the goals you have in your story telling.

Scene Development: There are two forms used in memoir and fiction—summary and scene. Most writers produce summary which is, most often, a form of "telling" the story verses showing. Scene is a "showing" device that develops voice via the ability to witness experience through the senses. Scene is also action oriented and presses the writer into a wider view of the memory or a moment, which allows them to find deeper meaning from their experiences.

First Person Present Tense: I press writers to create early work in this format in order to get to the essence faster. First person present tense is, stated simply, easy. Most writers try too hard to be "writerly" verses honest. First person present tense is a stripped down form of story telling that gets to the truth in a fast, efficient and interesting way.

Example: I read from my own work and the work of other writers. This is done to provide writers with a comparison or an example of how to structure their own work.

Editing: I edit passages in order to show, within sentence structures, where a writer is bogged down.

COST:

A nine week session is $500.00. I allow writers to pay in 1/2 or even 1/3rd increments but you are required to pay for the entire session, even if you miss a class.

Your deposit of $150.00 is required ASAP to secure your spot.

HOW MANY SPOTS ARE OPEN

Sunday Class: Three spots remain open.

Monday Class: Three spots remain open.

Contact me, via this site, to sign up!