This Event is for Members only.
Click here to learn more about benefits of membership
This class is part of the “Build Your Story Toolkit” Class Package and will not be available for individual purchase until February 28. To purchase the discounted class package, click here.
Want to craft a believable world where characters are engaged in both an emotional and physical landscape that draws readers into the story.
Every story contains its own world and rules. Using a variety of exploratory exercises, this class will investigate how authors create believable worlds using sample text excerpts. Learn the difference between complicated worlds and simple worlds, how to plan and revise a story’s worlds/universes using charts, drawings, multi-media, physical storyboards without feeling overwhelmed by the myriad ways in which one can build a world (and sometimes get lost). The focus will be on marrying your story’s world with your characters’ intentions, emotions and desires.
Though worldbuilding is often associated with science fiction and fantasy, it’s equally important to realistic fiction and memoir. The key in all storytelling is identifying a literary landscape that evokes emotions in the reader and is cemented in the central narrative. The class will also help troubleshoot common world building problems at both the drafting and revision stage.
TAKE THIS CLASS IF
Britta Jensen’s debut novel, Eloia Born, won the 2019 Writer’s League of Texas YA Discovery Prize and was long-listed for the Exeter Novel Prize. Subsequent publications include a sequel, Hirana’s War, as well as Ghosts of Yokosuka, her subversive retelling of Hamlet and Ophelia’s story, “Why Not Ophelia” in the Castle Anthology of Horror- Femme Fatales, and “Noise in the Woods” in Mixed Bag of Tricks. Her stories explore themes of persevering through disability, found family, and the intersection of love and various cultures on new worlds. For the past twenty years she has taught creative writing and edited books. Friends often refer to her as a polyglot—which is a product of living twenty-two years overseas in Japan, South Korea, and Germany before settling in Austin, Texas with her awesome capoerista husband. She enjoys mentoring writers and editing books with The Writing Consultancy and Yellowbird Editors.Before purchasing, please read all policies as noted below and on our Classes page.
If your browser has difficulty with our website store, or if you prefer to mail in a check, click here for a class registration form. The document provides instructions on where to mail it. If you prefer this option, please email wlt@writersleague.org with a copy of the form as well to ensure we add you to the class roster as soon as possible.
Expecting to see the member price, but it’s not appearing?
Confirm you are logged into your account first and foremost. The member price will only appear when you are logged into your account and have an active membership on file. If you are having trouble accessing your account, please email member@writersleague.org and explain the situation.
Class & Event Registration Policy
Once a purchase has been made, registrations are not refundable and cannot be transferred to a different class or event. No exceptions will be made. If you purchase a registration and then find you cannot attend the class or event, someone else can attend in your stead. Simply contact us at wlt@writersleague.org and let us know the name and contact information for the person who will be using the registration so that we can update the class or event roster.
Credit Card Transaction Handling Fee Policy
All credit card transactions will incur a 4% handling fee. If you’d prefer to pay by check for membership, a class, or an event, you can use the provided forms on the membership or event pages and mail to: WLT, P.O. Box 14355, Austin, TX, 78704.
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 the WLT staff at wlt@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 an hour 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.
