This workshop is an opportunity for writers who have a piece of fiction writing that they want to share to receive feedback from a professional editor/instructor and peers. Students wishing to take the workshop course will need 8 to 10 pages of an original story already created by the first day of the course. Each class, students receive a mini-lesson on an aspect of excellent story writing, and then the students and professional editor/instructor heavily analyze the student story submissions. Through in-class discussion of the stories together, detailed feedback is given to help improve writing skills and strengthen the story. Students are expected to submit a piece of their own work for feedback and provide/engage in feedback for others’ works. Each author is required to take notes as their story is discussed, listening intently. At the end of all feedback, there is a chance for the authors to respond to anything said during the critique and ask questions.

The most important consideration and requirement for all students taking this course is to be constructive when giving feedback, and to keep an open mind toward feedback that is received. After each class session, your instructor will have a short meeting with the one or two students whose work was read that day to check in and personally go over the feedback with the student(s).

In Recorded format, students will work individually to revise their stories using guided exercises to help them analyze their writing and improve it. Instructor Access is available for Recorded students who wish to receive feedback from the Instructor.

Class 1: Discussion – How to Give Feedback; Critiquing – Sample Story
Class 2: Discussion – Character; Critiquing — Student Stories
Class 3: Discussion – Dialogue; Critiquing — Student Stories
Class 4: Discussion – Plot; Critiquing — Student Stories
Class 5: Discussion – Setting & Tone; Critiquing — Student Stories
Class 6: Discussion – Good Writing Practices; Critiquing — Student Stories
Class 7: Discussion – What does it take to be a writer? Critiquing – Student Stories
Class 8: Discussion – What to do now and how to revise? Critiquing – Student Stories

*Note: The recorded version of this course in Unlimited Access is six (6) weeks in length and does not include Class 6 and Class 7 discussions (that are in the LIVE course).

Total Number of Classes: Eight (8)
Prerequisites: None, but some experience with fiction writing preferred. Students must have an 8-10 page original piece of fiction writing to submit for class.
Required Materials:

1) Document Creation
All documents are turned in as Microsoft Word documents. If you do not own Microsoft Word 2007 or a later version, you can use a system such as Google Docs that converts to Word documents FREE.
2) Workshop Submission Piece
For the LIVE class, students must submit their Workshop Piece to Instructor Conley’s email ([email protected]) one week prior to the class start date. Recorded Course students do not need to submit their story unless taking Instructor Access.
Workshop Piece Requirements:
Students bring 8-12 pages of original fiction writing in a Word doc – rtf, .doc, or .docx format; the writing must be the student’s original work and can be an excerpt from a longer novel or a short story, as long as the text meets the length and formatting requirements. Student work is required to be labeled with the student’s name, the class name, and the story’s title or “Workshop Piece” (if the work doesn’t have a title yet). Document submissions are made no later than one week prior to the class start date.

Suggested Credit: One-half (1/2) semester of writing and English or literature and writing.

LIVE, INTERACTIVE COURSES

This course is available for multiple sessions in the Spring and Summer of each year. Sign up for the time that best meets your needs. Sign up for a LIVE workshop here with the professional editor, instructor, and creator of the course.

RECORDED, INDEPENDENT-LEARNING COURSE

When you sign up for Unlimited Access and take this recorded course, your instructor is the creator of the course.