Though it may seem counter-intuitive, there is a great deal of structure behind every creative endeavor.  The process of writing is certainly no different, but setting up a firm foundation for all of your future creative writing doesn't have to be boring, either.

In this four week session, we're going to do a deep and only marginally terrifying dive into the process (yes, that's right... the process) of writing creatively.  We will investigate the fundamentals:  Structure, punctuation, narration, and evoking the senses, and then slide right over into how to make these things work into your specific style of writing.  Finding this style is a quest in and of itself, and we'll do a handful of short assignments in order to get a feel for the path that you hope to take in your writing.  Once we have these things all nailed down, the class will begin to focus on the creation of your first long format story. 

At this point, we'll do a lot of reading and positive feedback with our focus being on creation within the framework that we've already discussed.  Optionally, we'll explore how to take your work from long format and then set it on the pathway toward... gasp... novel form.  For students wanting to pursue this option, we'll talk about the world of publishing through a formal house, and the Wild West that is self-publishing, and then chart the course from your first words to the last.

As with all of my teaching, l like to learn by doing - which means that you'll get to write, create, and get real-time feed back.  

Here's a quick break down of how our four weeks will look:

Week One:  I'll provide each learner with a unique story starter - a sentence or paragraph - to jump start their creative thinking for a short story.  We'll break these down next week in order to determine individual styles, narration voice, and the Ideal Audience for each learner.

Week Two:  Assessment!  Don't worry, we're just going to go through your week one story starters talk about what we've learned right before I pile another starter onto your plate and tell you to eat until you're full.  We'll also discuss the power of punctuation, narration, and the creation of a trustworthy narration voice.

Week Three:  Because we're no longer without a voice, and suddenly have a bunch of tools at our disposal, we're going to start putting it all together by discussing what each learner wants to create for their Ideal Audience - in other words, we're going to start preparing for a long term, ongoing writing project all of your own. 

Week Four:  We're going to put it all together as we launch into the foundation of the long form writing that you've already begun to create.  We'll talk about frameworks - the pathway from your first sentence to the last - and the creation of your very own novel.

Week Next:  This course repeats - so if you'd like to re-enroll in order to continue with your progression, you're more than welcome - we'll just pick right up where we left of and continue on at your level.