Dear Writers,
I invite you to join me this summer for an exciting exploration of character creation!
**FYI: This class is filling very quickly! Register today! See full details at www.kateasche.com/workshops.**
Crafting Character
(All Genres)
8 Meetings ~ Wednesday evenings
June 19 – August 7, 2013
In writing workshops, we are often taught ways of coming to “know” our characters as completely as we can, in the hope of rendering them more authentically on the page. We will take a different approach in this workshop, considering aspects of character creation in fiction, narrative nonfiction/memoir, and narrative poetry that lead us to in-scene moments in which our characters truly surprise us, captivating us—and our readers, too. We will experiment with different techniques for discovering new characters and developing those that already exist in our imaginations. We’ll talk about fears and desires. We’ll examine published writing and our own drafts to learn how, with a few evocative gestures on the page, we can create characters with whom we and our readers genuinely connect. Join Kate Asche in an Amherst Writers and Artists (AWA) generative writing workshop for all genres. Generate new work weekly, and (if you like) receive gentle critique on one short selection of writing. Talk casually with other writers as you connect more deeply in our writing community. Snacks and tea provided. **One meeting of this class includes a field trip to Time Tested Books on July 3, to enjoy a short fiction reading by Jodi Angel, one of our local experts on creating compelling characters.**
Textbook(s): We will read two books in this class: The Art of Character by David Corbett (ISBN 978-0-14-312157-2) *and* The Best American Short Stories of the Century, ed. John Updike (Expanded Edition: ISBN 978-0-395-84367-3)
Class Size is Limited: This private workshop is limited to 9 participants, plus the facilitator. Writers in all genres and at all levels are invited to participate.
How Do I Reserve a Space? Email asche (dot) kate (at) gmail (dot) com. I will send you a brief registration form. To complete registration (and reserve your place), please mail your completed registration form to me with payment. Registrations are accepted in the order received.
Workshop Cost and Payment Due Date:The cost of this workshop is $255 for returning students (if postmarked by 5/29/13) or $270 if postmarked 5/30/13 or later.The cost is $270 for new students (if postmarked by 5/29/13) or $299 if postmarked 5/30/13 or later. (Referred by a friend? Ask about my referral program—you may both be eligible for discounts! Discounts cannot be combined or applied retroactively.) Payment is due at time of registration. **For your convenience, PayPal is now a payment option; please note there is a small processing fee. Email Kate for details.
Details: Each meeting, we’ll enjoy discussion of that week’s reading selection, which we will have read in advance. Next, we’ll spend time writing new drafts and sharing them (if we wish), as we respond to a prompt related to that week’s discussion topic. The final two meetings will include supportive workshop critique of participant manuscripts.This class will be facilitated in the AWA method, in which all shared writing is treated with respect and honor. The focus is on the writing itself, and the writer will learn what is strong, what is memorable, and what people admire in his/her first-draft work, as well as receive supportive feedback and strategies for continued work on the submitted manuscript. No one is required to submit a manuscript. Manuscripts will be distributed and read the night of their discussion; manuscripts limited to one piece per person (up to five double-spaced pages, size 12 font) per course.
Time and Location: We will write together at the ThinkHouse Collective (1617 18th Street in Sacramento) on Wednesday evenings. Our social time begins at 5:45 p.m., with class beginning promptly at 6:00 p.m. until 8:45 p.m. (If the class fills completely, we may run a bit longer.) If you wish to participate but cannot arrive before 6:00 p.m., please discuss with Instructor. Permission for late arrival may be granted at Instructor’s discretion, but no discount or make-up instruction will be given for time missed.