In this class, we will be discussing Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson! Tress has always enjoyed her quiet life collecting cups from sailors who come to town. However, when her dear friend is forced to go on a trip to find a bride, she is doomed to never return. Can Tress find her friend and bring him home? Better yet, can she survive the journey through spore-infested waters? Join along for the adventure as we discuss this book! 

This class is broken down so that we will be reading (independently at home) and discussing the story as we go along. We will be talking about the different aspects of the book as well as the structure of the story, including the growth of the characters and the arc that the story takes. We will discuss character archetypes, as well as the elements of stories, including inciting incidents and turning points. 

Would we suggest this story to a friend? Does the author attain a goal by telling these stories? Were we scared? Would be share these tales around a campfire? Just a few of the things we will be talking about as the story unfolds! 

All students are asked to have their cameras on as it helps keep students engaged and encourages conversation. Please raise your hand if you are ready to comment and respect the commentary of all other students by not interrupting. 

Some of the topics we will be discussing are as follows: 
Character development
Plot and subplot arcs
Book formatting
Story structure
The Hero’s Journey
Save the Cat beats
Metaphors
Similes
Magic systems
Points of view
Themes
Tones
Genres
Pacing
Cover art
Author's purpose 
Driving forces
The list goes on and on!

Here are the sections we will be discussing each class: 

Class 1: Chapters 1-8 (pages 1-45)

Class 2: Chapters 9-17 (pages 46-90)

Class 3: Chapters 18-24 (pages 91-136)

Class 4: Chapter 25-32 (pages 137-180)

Class 5: Chapters 33-40 (pages 181-226)

Class 6: Chapters 41-49 (pages 227-272)

Class 7: Chapters 50-57 (pages 273-319)

Class 8: Chapters 58-Epilogue (pages 320-365)