Become Your Own Story Doctor

Description

The class will begin with foundations in the
physiology of developing writing skills. It will move from that foundation
to examples of small but very important conceptual principles as they appear
in successfully executed fiction. Additionally, examples of developing
writers' work that does not include those principles will be compared to the
finished, published products. Exercises will then help students to learn to
recognize the principles in finished work and recognize the reader-based
symptoms that result from the lack of the principles. Then the students will
learn to transform their recognition into characterization of the principle
(pattern of success) in a way that will allow the student to incorporate
that principle into their daily practice in order to allow them to
internalize the principle as an executable skill. This overall cycle will
repeat such that each cycle will include more and more complex and/or subtle
principles.

The important skill the student will have when they leave is the ability to
look at the effect the text has on them and then determine why the text
affected them the way it did so they can translate that principle into an
executable technique they can practice. Ultimately, the goal is to allow the
student to work alone or with groups in an effective manner that cuts down
on their developmental trial and error.

First class concepts, after the underpinning theory, will likely revolve
around dialectic pairs in dialog. From that, we will develop into conflict
sequences, character motivation, emotional changes, the ED ACE sequence,
scene structures, effective scene endings, subjective interpretation of
setting through the character filter, setting and emotion relationships,
inter-scene relationships, multiple scene movements, thematic development,
dramatic mirroring and symmetry, major plot point structures, theme and
premise as controlling concepts, and the exploitation of character agendas
-- both conscious and pathological. Toward the end of the class sequence,
we'll revisit ED ACE as a controlling tool for larger movements within short
stories and novels.

There will be times when brave souls offer up their work for discussion. The
course will not be a guided crit group. People will offer their work, but
they will not be required to offer their work. The homework will include
application of concepts on your own older material, on your own newly
composed material, and on professionally published material. You will be
asked to do analysis on published work and to bring that analysis in to
share with the group. That type of exercise will start in the second or
third week.

Schedule

This class was last taught September 07, 2008 to October 26, 2008

Pricing Details

The course will meet for four hours every Sunday afternoon for eight weeks. Cost per student is $300.00. Preregistration is required. Contact me for details.

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