Class Description
A story has to go somewhere—and take readers on the journey. The question becomes: what is the nature of that journey? And how invested are we as readers? Plot is the most common engine that drives fiction, but in this advanced craft seminar, we’ll look at other ways to define and create motion. We’ll discuss strategies to build meaning and establish coherence in stories that aren’t primarily plot-driven, such as emotional arcs and structural motifs. We’ll look at published examples and use in-class exercises to apply the principles to your own work. Bring a draft of one of your stories to work on.
Part of GrubStreet's Advanced Craft Series, led by Ron MacLean and dedicated to the exploration of advanced elements of craft. Classes include:
- Advanced Craft Series: Emotional Context
- Advanced Craft Series: Motion Beyond Plot
- Advanced Craft Series: Grounding
- Advanced Craft Series: Narrative Distance (coming soon!)
- Advanced Craft Series: Dialogue Disconnection (coming soon!)
Thanks to the excellent literary citizenship of our donors, scholarships are available for all GrubStreet classes. To apply, click the gray "APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIP" button. In order to be considered for a scholarship, you must complete your application at least one week before the start date of a class. Please await our scholarship committee's decision before registering for the class. We cannot hold spots in classes, so the sooner you apply, the better. Scholarships cannot be applied retroactively.
For more detailed information about GrubStreet scholarships, including how to contribute to scholarship funds for other students, click here.
This class will take place using Zoom videoconferencing. About 15 minutes before your class is scheduled to begin, you'll receive an email from your instructor with a link to join the class meeting!
Zoom Participation:
Students are not required to turn their camera on, but are encouraged to participate any way they feel comfortable through functions such as the live chat, emoji reactions, and unmuting the microphone. Learn more about using Zoom here.
Zoom Accessibility:
We ask that instructors enable closed captioning and send a transcript of the session after class. You can also enable closed captioning at any time during the meeting. If your instructor forgets to send the transcript, just send ’em an email!