Designed for both new and returning writers, A Novel Idea 101 will follow the once-a-month format from March to December 2018. Sessions are held on the second Saturday each month from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Landis House, 67 North Fourth Street in Newport.
March: Introduction and Developing a Premise with Cathy Jordan
Every story needs a basic start: a premise. Do you have a story in mind but don’t know where to begin? Are you working on a story and need refocusing? This class will help you build a solid premise, a fundamental concept that will drive your plot.
April: How to Set the Scene with Lori Myers
Where your story takes place impacts your characters’ goals and your story’s success. Learn how to get the most out of your novel’s setting.
May: Story Structure and Developing the Plot with Cathy Jordan
Do you have a situation, or a story? Learn the difference with story structure.
June: How to Create Spellbinding Characters with Heather Heyford
Create larger-than-life qualities that will bring your characters to life.
July: The Value of Secondary Plots with Geri Krotow
Who are your secondary characters, and what are their main problems? We will discuss examples and outline secondary characters/plots.
August: How to Quit Telling and Start Showing with Maria Snyder
A writer’s job is to show the story, not present a litany of facts. Learn how to give your readers the opportunity to come to their own conclusions, rather than tell him/her the conclusion.
September: Realistic, Snappy Dialogue in Fiction with Lori Myers
Dialogue has a function yet shouldn’t be mundane. Learn how to perk up the “talk” in your story.
October: Bringing Conflict into Your Story with Heather Heyford
Without conflict, there is no story. In this class, you will learn how to raise the stakes and bring tension into your writing along with how to build a story with plenty of horsepower.
November: Point of View: Whose Story is it? with Maria Snyder
Location is an opportunity to enrich your story, and character point of view is the perspective given to readers. Learn how to strengthen both through exercises.
December: How to Become a Masterful Editor and Critiquing with Laurie Edwards
Open yourself to the critical appraisal of your words and thoughts through constructive input.