Schedule & Curriculum

Craft and Collective Learning – June 4th - July 23rd, 2024 (8 Weeks)

The first phase works with students to create space to generate and/or edit pages, as well as become familiar with two types of craft: 1) the more classical elements of craft, such as point of view, tension, and characterization, and 2) socio-cultural elements of craft more specific to marginalized writers, such as relatability, believability, and inviting in outsiders.

Students will begin planning or restructuring their novel outlines, engage in writing exercises to implement craft elements and help generate and/or edit work, and read and analyze a novel together (Akwaeke Emezi’s PET). Additionally, there will be intersectional guest speakers discussing topics related to the above.

Break: July 30th – August 20th, 2024 (4 Weeks)

Accountability, Planning, And Preliminary Workshopping – August 27th - October 29th, 2024 (10 Weeks)

The second phase begins with preliminary readings and workshops of student novels. Each student will receive two workshops in the non-silencing format: one for their first 25 pages, and one for their synopsis or outline. Students will also receive an hour 1:1 session with the instructor to discuss their plans for finishing or polishing their draft, intended to encourage ongoing generating and/or editing of pages.

Break: November 5th - 26th, 2024 (4 Weeks)

Novel Workshopping and the Industry – December 3rd, 2024 - February 18th, 2025 (10 Weeks)

Note: Class will not meet on December 24th and 31st.

In the third phase, each student will receive a workshop for 50 pages from their novel in the non-silencing format. There will also be lectures and Q&As on the publishing industry with particular attention paid to the hurdles queer and/or marginalized writers may face. There will again be intersectional guest speakers discussing topics related to the above.

After the third phase, each student will receive an additional 1:1 hour session with the instructor to discuss their thoughts from their workshop and their future novel plans. Students will then meet for one final class to wrap up and discuss their next steps for their novels.