Second Chances: “Plotting Your Novel in Three Acts” with Amy Gentry RECORDING
November 15, 2023 6:30 PM - 9:30 PM CST
$50.00
- This event has passed.
This Event is for Members only.
Click here to learn more about benefits of membership
NOTE: This is not a live class registration. When you register, you’ll be receiving access to a previously recorded class taught for a live audience. Registration includes access to any handouts, readings, and slides the instructor originally shared with students. The video will be available for viewing immediately upon purchase (attached to the emailed receipt), and will expire on April 30, 2024.
If you’ve read a novel written in the past 200 years (not to mention seen a movie), chances are you’ve already internalized 3-act structure. But are you deploying it effectively in your own work?
Novels written without a strong understanding of 3-act structure often feel disjointed, saggy in the middle, or lacking in focus. Others never get finished at all! Some writers worry that 3-act structure will make their novels “formulaic.” But plot is the grammar of story, and studying 3-act structure is like learning to identify the noun and the verb in a complete sentence.
The key to using it to strengthen a novel without flattening it out is understanding the relationships between the basic story beats (aka plot points). Once you’ve internalized these relationships, you can use them to diagnose issues with pacing and character, as well as untangling your plot. The best part? With a solid understanding of 3-act structure, you can often find solutions to these problems, already buried in your story.
Using a modified version of the Save the Cat! Beat Sheet as a jumping off point, this class will focus on understanding story structure, strengthening the relationships between story beats, and harnessing the infinite flexibility of 3-act structure to plot your novel.
TAKE THIS CLASS IF:
- You have a great idea for a novel, but aren’t sure how to get started.
- You’ve hit the 50-page mark and don’t know where to go from here.
- You’re two-thirds into a draft, and you suddenly feel like giving up.
- You’ve finished a novel draft, but something just isn’t working!
- Your novel, genre or literary, has pacing issues.
- You know the basics of 3-act structure, and you want to brush up/go deeper/apply them to your novel.
Instructor
Amy Gentry is the bestselling author of the thrillers Good as Gone, Last Woman Standing, and Bad Habits, as well as a book of music criticism, Tori Amos's Boys for Pele, for Bloomsbury Press's 33 1/3 series. Her reviews and essays have appeared in the Chicago Tribune, the Paris Review, Los Angeles Review of Books, Salon.com, Texas Monthly, Austin Chronicle, The Best Food Writing of 2014, and many other outlets. She holds a PhD in English and is a teacher and book coach in Austin, Texas.
Before purchasing, please read all policies as noted below and on our Accessibility and Policies 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 wlt@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.
Newsletter Opt In
By registering for this event, you opt in to receiving marketing communications from WLT. Your email will not be shared with any unrelated organizations or marketing groups. If you wish to unsubscribe from these communications, you may do so by hitting the unsubscribe button at the bottom of the emails.
Anti-Harassment Policy
The Writers’ League of Texas is dedicated to providing harassment-free spaces for everyone, regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, race, age, or religion. We do not tolerate harassment in any form. Violating these rules may result in expulsion from WLT programs without a refund at the discretion of the WLT staff.
Harassment includes, but is not limited to:
- Comments that reinforce social structures of domination (related to gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, race, age, or religion);
- Sexual images not appropriate for the specific subject of the public discussion;
- Deliberate intimidation or stalking;
- Harassing photography or recording;
- Sustained disruption of discussions or other events;
- Unwelcome sexual attention;
- Advocating for, or encouraging, any of the above behavior.
Enforcement
Participants asked to stop any harassing behavior are expected to comply immediately. If a participant engages in harassing behavior, event organizers retain the right to take any actions to keep the event a welcoming environment for all participants. This includes warning the offender or expulsion from the event with no refund. Event organizers may take action to redress anything designed to, or with the clear impact of, disrupting the event or making the environment hostile for any participants. We expect participants to follow these rules during all events and event-related social activities.
Reporting
If someone makes you or anyone else feel unsafe or unwelcome, please report it as soon as possible. Reports can also be made via email at wlt@writersleague.org. We’ll handle any and all reports as respectfully as possible. You won’t be asked to confront anyone, and we won’t tell anyone who you are.
Accessibility Policy
Closed captioning is available for all online classes and special events.
The WLT is committed to making its programs & services accessible to all writers. Please contact us at wlt@writersleague.org or at 512-499-8914 for more information or to discuss accommodations you may need.
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.
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.