Writing Skills: Steering the Craft

Steering the Craft by Ursula K. LeGuin

There are a lot of moving parts when it comes to crafting a well-written story, regardless of whether it's narrative fiction, narrative non-fiction, personal essays, scripted video / film / television, game writing, or any other form of writing.

This series of events is focused on developing the skills necessary to create a piece that is cohesive, enjoyable to read, and meaningful to the reader. We'll be working from materials from respected storytellers such as Ursula K. LeGuin, Larry Brooks, Robert McKee, John Truby, Lisa Cron, James Patterson, and others.

You will need to purchase a copy of the book we'll be working from as it will take a significant number of sessions to get through each book. Since we only have two hours, attendees are required to complete the reading before the start of the session. The session will begin with a discussion of the concepts covered in the reading, then we will begin working on writing exercises from either the text itself, or only inspired by the text. Each week we will complete one writing exercise, though we may repeat it multiple times if there is time to really send the lesson home. Be prepared to share your work! While we won't do in-depth critiques of each other's exercises, it is an excellent opportunity to learn to give--and take--constructive and helpful feedback.

Please note that not all texts will be suitable for the beginning writer. For Steering the Craft by Ursula K LeGuin, it's expected that you already know and understand the basics of story structure and character development. This text is specifically aimed at taking a writer's prose to the next level.

We are in the Garden Room, and there are plug-ins galore so don't worry if your battery is running low. Of course, if you prefer to work with pen and paper, that's not a concern for you.