Raising the Stakes: Arcs and Conflicts

Have you ever been asked to "Raise the stakes!” in your writing, only to find yourself asking, “What the heck are stakes... how does one raise them?” In this workshop, you will re/define/revive this tired phrase by learning how to deconstruct, interrogate, and reconstruct the arcs in your story. Hands-on exercises will be geared towards amplifying tension, escalating internal and external conflicts. This class will be taught from a playwriting lens. Discussions will be centered around excerpted work from contemporary playwrights such as Dipak Guha, Boo Killebrew, and Qui Guyen. This workshop is ideal for writers of stories who want to embrace risk and up the ante.

Class Format

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!

Scholarship Information

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 more detailed information about GrubStreet scholarships, including how to contribute to scholarship funds for other students, click here.