Curriculum

Handouts by me will be emailed before each class so participants can read ahead of time, prepare any questions, and contribute to the discussion. If you don’t want your email shared with the rest of the group, you may submit your manuscript pages to me and I will distribute the file to the rest of the class.

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The curriculum may change slightly from this format upon implementation.

Week 1

• Introduction: workshop format; critique expectations, format, and techniques; review of curriculum

• Proper manuscript format

• Characterization and POV

• Worldbuilding

• Submission of first 10-15 pages of your manuscript by the end of the day

Week 2

• Opening lines, hooks, and paragraphs

• Character arcs

• Critique of everyone’s first pages

• Submission of second 10-15 pages by the end of the day

Week 3

• Outlining your novel/novella

• Story structure

• Critique of everyone’s second pages

• Submission of third 10-15 pages by the end of the day

Week 4

• Plotting

• Dialogue

• Critique of everyone’s third pages

• Submission of fourth 10-15 pages by the end of the day

Week 5

• Weaving in backstory

• Creating suspense and pacing

• Critique of everyone’s fourth pages

• Submission of fifth 10-15 pages by the end of the day

Week 6

• Editing and polishing

• Critique of everyone’s fifth pages

• Submission of sixth 10-15 pages by the end of the day

Week 7

• Synopsis writing and query letters

• Critique of everyone’s sixth pages

• Submission of novel/novella synopsis and query letter by the end of the day

Week 8

• Critique of everyone’s synopses and query letters

• Researching: when, how, and how much?

• Broader discussion/wrap up of everyone’s first 60-90 pages

• Final thoughts, questions, and discussion of overall process and craft