Momentum Intensive: Hook and Propel Your Readers

Struggling to get your stories moving? You’ve come to the right place. In this class, we’ll break down the art of momentum––how to pull our readers in, and keep them reading forward. Each week, we will explore craft elements related to momentum, such as stakes, pacing, suspense and surprise, the escalation of tension, propulsive language, defamiliarizaion, and more. We’ll look at examples from authors such as Moshin Hamid, Carmen Maria Machado, and George Saunders, among others, and break them down to see how the authors create the driving force that keeps readers glued to the page. You’ll also get a chance to practice these skills in your own writing, with weekly writing exercises, and opportunities to receive feedback from the instructor and your fellow students.

Students will come away from this workshop with a comprehensive understanding of the mechanics of momentum and a toolbox full of strategies to captivate their readers.

This class is fiction focused, yet the techniques are applicable to nonfiction as well. Open to all levels.

Class Format

This is an Online: On-Demand class that will take place on our asynchronous online learning platform, Wet.Ink. Weekly lessons and assignments open each Wednesday. Students will receive an invitation to Wet Ink before 5pm on the first day of class!

*NOTE that while our handy dandy "Schedule" tab states a 6-7pm class time, there are actually no live meetings for this class! Weekly lessons and assignments open each Wednesday. Students will receive an invitation to Wet Ink, our online class platform, before 5pm on the first day of class.

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.