“Drama in the Details: A Day in the Life in Historical Fiction” with Sherri L. Smith
October 8, 2022 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM CDT
$59.00 – $119.00
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This Event is for Members only.
Click here to learn more about benefits of membership
$59 for Members
$119 for Non-Members
All registrants will have access to the class recording for one month.
Are you writing a World War II adventure novel? A Victorian romance? A 1950s noir? Answer one question: What did your protagonist have for breakfast, and where?
It’s the small details of everyday living that really bring historical fiction to life. They add veracity to the fiction, and turn stereotypical settings into three dimensional realities. And sometimes those details can be the dramatic lynchpin your plot needs to really sing. In this three-hour class, we will talk about historical worldbuilding, pitfalls and assumptions, and how to research the details. We will do a series of writing exercises to see what we know, and where we need to know more. And we’ll talk about dialogue—how to make it sound “of the period” but easy on the modern ear. Whether you’re new to historical fiction, or a seasoned time-traveler, bring your time period and your notebook. We’ll have fun digging around in the past together!
TAKE THIS CLASS IF
- You’re writing or interested in writing historical fiction.
- You’ve gotten stuck writing your historical novel.
- You want your historical fiction to be believable.
The deadline to register for this class is Friday, October 7 at 5:00 PM CDT.
Instructor
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Sherri L. Smith writes contemporary, speculative, and historical fiction novels, as well as nonfiction and comics. Her historical novels The Blossom and the Firefly and Flygirl have respectively been awarded the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators Golden Kite and California Book Awards Gold Medal. Sherri’s books appear on multiple state lists and have been named Amelia Bloomer and American Library Association Best Books for Young People selections. She has worked in film, animation, comic books, construction, and a monster factory, and holds certificates in the Art of Archetypal Fairy Tale Analysis, Enchantivism, and Applied Mythology. She is a member of the Two Trees Writers’ Collaborative and the founder of Story Forest, a liminal space where writers follow the old tales to find their own paths. Currently she teaches in the MFA in Children's Writing program at Hamline University. Learn more at www.sherrilsmith.com
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HOW WLT CLASSES WORK:
Our classes offer a combination of lecture and practical exercises, determined by the individual instructor, on focused aspects of the craft and business of writing. Your fellow participants will come from a range of writing experience, from beginners to people with MFA degrees and published books. WLT instructors, participants, and administrators all work together to create a welcoming, supportive environment.If you haven’t taken a class with us in recent years, feel free to email WLT Program Director Sam Babiak at sam@writersleague.org if you’d like to discuss whether our programming is the right fit for your needs.
HOW ONLINE CLASSES WORK:
Once you register for the class, you’ll receive an email with detailed instructions no later than 48 hours before the class date. You should expect 2-2.5 hours of direct teaching and 30 minutes of Q&A (for three hours total). If you need to leave the class early or can’t attend the class on that date, all registrants will have access to the recording for one month after the class date. No microphone or camera required, just an Internet connection capable of streaming video. All online classes are hosted on Zoom. To learn more about how Zoom works, click HERE.
Plan to log in to the online platform several hours before the class so that you can update your software or any other settings required to access the platform. (Updates usually only take a few minutes, but you don’t want to wait until the beginning of class.) Questions? Email us at wlt@writersleague.org.
This project is supported in part by the Cultural Arts Division of the City of Austin Economic Development Department. Visit Austin at NowPlayingAustin.com.
Writers’ League of Texas classes and workshops are also funded in part by the Texas Commission on the Arts – Investing in a Creative Texas. For more information, go to www.arts.texas.gov.
This project is also supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts. To find out more about how National Endowment for the Arts grants impact individuals and communities, visit www.arts.gov.
This project is supported in part by the Mid-America Arts Alliance. For more information, go to www.maaa.org.
