This workshop is designed for students writing their first novel (or short story) or those who are starting the next one. Purposefully crafted for beginning and intermediate writers, Fiction Bootcamp is created specifically for writers who are fuzzy about where to begin, what do to next, and how to develop a new story from scratch. The course centers mainly around engaging writing prompts to help you generate ideas, with results that will surprise you. Consider the writing prompts as idea-incubators for locating the emotional truth in your story. The goal is to find your voice, develop characters, zero in on theme, and invent your story, whether that means uncovering your structure or developing the tools to build your fictional world. Each class will include in-class writing, workshopping the results, and craft talks on subjects like how to write believable dialogue, the elements of theme, and tips for staying the course. Some examples of prompts include: Finding Empathy in Antagonists, Using Memory and Imagery to Create a Scene, The Importance of Gossip, and Sad Characters but No Tears. All fiction genres (literary, contemporary, speculative) and forms (novel, novella, short story, micro stories) are welcome.

In this workshop, we will generate new writing through guided exercises and prompts; offer feedback/first impressions on writing you produce in our week; workshop work you bring from home.