This advanced prose workshop is intended for students who’ve completed a draft, or a substantial portion of a draft, of a novel or a longform work of nonfiction, be it memoir or narrative. It’s designed to answer the question: I’ve come this far, now what?    

To begin, we will consider up to 7 double-spaced pages of material that students bring from home.  These pages could be the opening scenes of your book, but that’s not a requirement. Students will also generate a new “missing” scene, so be prepared to write. 

During our weekend together, class members will be guided through the process of transforming an early draft into a polished one, or a polished draft into a final one. I’ve completed this process quite a few times and guided many students through it as well. What will make the manuscript better? Does the book start where it should? How do you know when you’re done? In whose voice, or voices, should the narrative be told? What crucial scene have you omitted because it’s difficult, or even terrifying, to write?   

We’ll attempt to answer these questions and more. You’ll come away with one new scene.  We’ll also touch on what to do with your manuscript once you’ve finished. 

In this workshop, we will generate new writing through guided exercises and prompts; workshop writing you bring from home.