Class Description
“Storytelling is not just important for the human mind,” E.O. Wilson has said; “it IS the human mind.” If this is true, then voice and point of view are the storytelling modes in which the human mind is made manifest. And sometimes, a minor shift or adjustment in one of these modes can make the difference between a story that doesn’t quite work and one that really “clicks.”
In this craft-oriented seminar, we’ll analyze passages written by a number of classic and contemporary fiction writers as a way to explore the advantages and pitfalls of different voices and points of view. We’ll make an important distinction between point of view and psychic distance, and we’ll discuss the struggles, dilemmas, and opportunities relating to the perspective and style in which a story is written. In a series of targeted writing exercises, we’ll have a chance to apply what we’re learning to our own novels. Participants should bring in a selection of scenes or passages from their works-in-progress that they don’t mind rewriting.
Part of GrubStreet's Novel Revision Series, led by Tim Weed and designed for those who have either finished or are nearing completion of a novel draft. Take every class in the series or simply choose the craft topics that are relevant to the revision challenges you face with your novel in progress. Classes include:
- Novel Revision Series: Dialogue and the Scene
- Novel Revision Series: Fictional Love Stories
- Novel Revision Series: Point of View and Voice
- Novel Revision Series: Descriptive Writing and Image Systems
- Novel Revision Series: Interiority, Backstory, and Flashback
- Novel Revision Series: Minor and Supporting Characters
- Novel Revision Series: Killer Openings & Symphonic Endings (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. After registering, a yellow Resources tab will appear in this section containing a link to join class. Please note that you will need to be logged into view the Resources tab.
Zoom Participation:
In our experience, the intimate nature of a writing workshop benefits from on-camera participation. Students are of course welcome to turn their camera off whenever they need to, but it is a community norm for cameras to be on most of the time. You can learn more about using Zoom here.
Zoom Accessibility:
You can enable closed captioning at any time during the meeting by clicking the CC button at the bottom of the screen. If you'd like to access the transcript after class, please make sure to let your instructor ahead of time that you'd like a copy.