It's not posted yet, but the Black Diamond RWA chapter has been kind enough to give me teaching space. I took a second look at my bio and cringed. I was supposed to write an "enticing" bio, but damn--I must have been flying because I sound like a Sham-Wow commercial. Sans bio, it's pretty simple.
Running in the Dark: Organic Structure for Character-driven Stories
“Character-driven” and “organic” are the new buzzwords, but do you really know what they mean and how they can help your writing? Build characters from the inside out, and write an emotional story that will land your book on the keeper shelf in this hands-on workshop that uses “your” story to get you unstuck and back into the flow.
Day One:
• What do the terms “character-driven” and “organic” mean?
• Use psychology, environment, and core events to create the people you need and understand what they’ll do. A brief overview of transformational and static character arcs.
• The hero and heroine, two side-by-side arcs.
Day Two:
• Open discussion of your work in progress.
• Trouble-shooting your people.
• Talk about character arcs.
Day Three:
• If you don’t have a firm grip on your characters, we finish hammering out the details.
• Finalize your character arc.
Day Four:
• How organic writing grows your story: a discussion of logical progression, emotion, and plot.
• A discussion of structure and how it works for you. An overview of various forms.
Day Five:
• We explore character’s affect on plot, and discuss individual works in progress. We also explore structure for your story.
Day Six and Seven:
• Putting it all together using your work in progress.
I'm kind of nervous--I'm starting to gibber. I have most of the course set up. Only a little bit to go, but--wow, it's like stage fright.
9 comments:
Very cool! Is this going to be online or in person?
damn, Kaige. I was blog-hopping. You're fast. :)
It's on-line, sometime around the beginning of October. I figured--well, it's smaller than RD (and less chance of embarrassing myself if I fall flat on my face) and hopefully I'll find people who are interested in the topic.
Give me a chance to work out more of the techniques and see if I can get them to work on people other than Lauren. (who is doing amazingly well. I'm so proud of her)
Like? It IS stage fright. But you'll get over it. Congrats on your first official workshop!
Thanks, Alice!! Yeah, I guess that whole butterflies (cold worms) in the stomach bit is stage fright, but--it's so "virtual", you know?
I can do this, I can do this, I can do this.
You'll be hero-worshiped, I'm sure. Or maybe just admired and thanked, but that's cool, too. :o)
Virtual is bound to help. Or maybe it'll be worse. After all, no one can see you squirm with the worms, but it isn't necessarily over with quickly either. Just thing Romance Divas. You'll be a natural.
If I still have a friggen job in October...I will totally take this class.
Plot starts with character. You've said that over and over, but I don't think it's sunk in deeply enough.
But woman, if this is ONLINE, you really have nothing to sweat over. You are wonderful at written communication, and we don't understand one of your crazy tangents, we can always ask and you'll answer. No worries, see?
You're going to kick butt.
It's just the (giggle, snort) taking no prisoners part that you have problems over. Hah!
No, really. You know this. You're an editor. You read stuff and see what needs to be nipped, tucked and expanded upon.
Trust yourself.
xo
lol--you're all the bomb. Thank you. (and you Andi) don't play money for something I'll help you with for free.
Yes, and based on what I've seen FFnP of RWA would like to discuss a workshop of their own with you. Possibly you could write me privately? slkpcme at gmail dot com.
Thanks
Sharon
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