I’ve got two classes coming up at Politics &
Prose in DC in the new year…love to see/your friends there!!
Right Brain
Writing: Relationships
Wednesday, January 31, 6:30 to 9 p.m.
Explore your creative side in this session, one of
a series of stand-alone classes with prompts designed to get your subconscious
flowing. Through guided exercises, we’ll focus on writing about the variety of
relationships we have in our lives, significant people, people who are still
with us, people who are lost, even relationships with people we don’t know. No
writing experience necessary! This is a great class for beginners and also for
those fiction writers and/or memoirists with more experience who might be stuck
in their current projects and are looking for a jolt of inspiration. Our goal
is to have fun in a supportive, nurturing environment and to go home with
several promising pieces to work on further. Please bring lots of paper and
pen/pencil or a fully charged computer. Note: new exercises!
Text: The
Vintage Book of Contemporary American Poetry, edited by J.D. McClatchy
*Please note that although this is a poetry book,
you are not required to write poetry.
More information/registration: http://www.politics-prose.com/class/right-brain-writing-relationships-1828
*********
Elements of
Writing: Mastering Effective Dialogue
Thursday, February 1, 1 to 4 p.m.
Dialogue is tricky. It’s not simply recorded
speech; conversation must sound natural—while also creating a sense of a
character and advancing the action. How does the writer learn that balance,
knowing when characters should talk and when maybe they should keep quiet? How
can your conversations build layers of meaning? This hands-on, interactive
class will focus on helping you learn the tricks needed to get your characters
to talk the talk! This class is appropriate for fiction writers, memoirists and
anyone looking to sharpen their dialogue skills. All levels of experience are
welcome. Please bring a notebook/pen or charged computer for writing exercises.
Text: Best American Short Stories 2017, edited by
Meg Wolitzer
**Please read "Last Day on Earth" by
Eric Puchner, and "Famous Actor" by Jess Walter; other examples from
the book may be cited, though these are the only stories that will be discussed
fully.
More information/registration: http://www.politics-prose.com/class/elements-of-writing-mastering-effective-dialogue-1822