Class Description
This course will help make the blank page less scary by giving you a concrete structure to follow to plan your novel. Each week will focus on one element of the novel plan, with each new piece building on the previous one. In this way, you will work through, in a digestible and logical fashion, all of the components necessary to create an outline to guide you in drafting your manuscript. We’ll begin by focusing on your premise, spend time getting to the heart of who your characters are and what they want. We’ll then explore point of view and how to use world building to enhance your story regardless of genre. We dig into plot structure, exploring the different methods, and provide the tools you need to plot to your comfort level, be it a five-page synopsis or a chapter-by-chapter outline. We round out the course with a focus on beginnings, endings, and scene structure, finishing with a look at revision methods. Each week you will have the chance to submit work to the class and instructor for feedback. At the end of this course, you will have all of the building blocks you need to complete your novel outline and lay the foundation for your novel.
Please Note: Class will not meet on November 11th (Veteran's Day)
This class will be hosted using live Zoom meetings! You will be able to participate in class via Zoom videoconference from wherever you’re most comfortable. All you’ll need is a laptop or a phone! 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 via Zoom–no need to download anything or sign up for Zoom in advance! If you have questions about remote learning, please feel free to reach out to [email protected] for more information.
For a glimpse at how remote learning works, look no further than the deep Zoom discussion of writing and literature below:
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.
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.