Laura Warrell is the author of Sweet, Soft, Plenty Rhythm, a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction and the Barnes & Noble Discover Prize, and long-listed for the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction. Her writing has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, the New York Times, Lit Hub, Los Angeles Review of Books, Huffington Post, and other publications. Laura has attended residencies at the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference and the Tin House Writer’s Workshop. She lives in Los Angeles and teaches at the low-residency MFA program at Pacific University.
Laura Warrell's Philosophy
We asked Laura to tell us a little bit about her teaching philosophy and what excites her about leading the Online Novel Incubator program:
"When we set out to write a novel, we usually have a vision for where our plots will lead, how we want our characters to evolve, and even what we want to “say” or reflect about the world in which we live. Sometimes we only have part of this vision when we first set pen to paper, but either way, the goal of any writing workshop should be to help novelists achieve their vision. Some workshops invite participants to read their peers’ manuscripts then offer a list of recommended changes and fixes, an approach that sometimes centers the respondents’ aesthetics and tastes rather than the authors’. In this fiction workshop, we will center the work, engaging in constructive and courteous discussion about what a piece wants to be and identifying opportunities for its author to take it there.
As an instructor and workshop leader, I strive to create a supportive, rigorous environment where writers feel comfortable sharing their ideas and taking chances in their work. Rather than assert my own views of what a manuscript “should” be, I ask pointed questions and provide a range of writing prompts that get writers thinking more deeply about their projects. In this program, we will explore the foundational elements of fiction – plot, characterization, setting, dialogue, voice, etc. – but we will also expand our understanding of what’s possible as we put those elements to work in our stories. We will challenge each other and grow together in an inclusive environment where all storytellers are welcome."