Monday, March 19, 2012

Nebraska Writing Workshop

June 10-15, I'll be teaching a class on story and plot at the Nebraska Summer Writers Conference. Register before April 1st and get 10% off! Hope to see you!

Workshop

The Spine or Through-line
What holds your story together?
Story/plot workshop with Carleen Brice


Have a great idea for a story, but don't know how to get started? Wrote a few pages (or a few hundred) and now you're stuck? What you need is to grow some backbone...for your story that is.

According to screenwriting instructor Robert McKee, the spine is the "primary unifying force that holds all the other story elements together." It asks the major dramatic question and then scene by scene answers it, propelling your story forward. This class will help you figure out your spine--where your story might begin; how things might be looking at the end; and help you identify some of the important scenes (set-ups and payoffs and turning points) that should happen along the way. Writing exercises, group discussion and reading will help you generate ideas and organize your thoughts to take you (and your readers) vertebrae by vertebrae through your story.

2 comments:

evelyn.n.alfred said...

Aww, I wish it was closer.

Unknown said...

I wish it was closer.