“The Components of Novel Structure: Looking Under the Hood of Our Fictional Worlds” with Stacey Swann
October 15, 2022 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM CDT
$59.00 – $119.00
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This Event is for Members only.
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$59 for Members
$119 for Non-Members
All registrants will have access to the class recording for one month.
This class is a part of “The Novelist’s Toolkit” Class Package.
There are many metaphors for a book. It can feel like a world unto itself, conjured like magic, or a living and breathing animal with a life of its own. It can be a vehicle that transports or a doorway that pulls us in.
Sometimes, we may be tempted to not approach our novels with a clinical mind; if we pull out an x-ray machine or open up the hood, if we start diagramming and labelling, could we damage the spirit of the book? I say no! Successful novels need both the messy magic of our subconscious as well as our own inner auto mechanic. We need a familiarity with the parts to make sure they are all working together for the most harmonious whole. In this class, we’ll open up the hoods of our novels to see if all the parts are running at their best. First, we’ll look at our point of view choices and the “clock” of our novel. Then we’ll move on to discussing throughlines and arcs. Finally, we’ll take a look at just a portion of the many organizing structures used in fiction. By the end of the class, you’ll see your work in progress more clearly and have the tools to for your future repairs!
TAKE THIS CLASS IF
- You’re starting a new novel.
- Your work in progress feels more like a collection of pages than a unified story.
- You feel comfortable with short story writing but can’t find the confidence for novel writing.
- You have a finished a draft of a novel but are having trouble finding your way in the revision.
The deadline to register for this class is Friday, October 14 at 5:00 PM CDT.
Instructor
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Stacey Swann’s debut novel Olympus, Texas (Doubleday) was a Good Morning America Book Club selection, an Indie Next Pick, and was longlisted for The Center for Fiction First Novel Prize. Swann holds an M.F.A. from Texas State University and was a Stegner Fellow at Stanford University. Her writing has appeared in LitHub, Electric Literature, Texas Highways, Epoch, and other journals. She splits her time between Austin and Lampasas, Texas.
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