One Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Berkeley and SF
$95 members/$110 non-members
Whether you’re intrigued by Norse settlements, your own grandmother’s journey to America, or an imaginary character from a far-away time, historical fiction can be an enchanting new outlet for your writing. This introductory workshop will help you discover the unique requirements of writing historical fiction, and set you up for a successful journey into a popular new genre.
Says instructor Jess Wells, “We’ll look into how to research and when to stop researching, how to create credible characters without arcane dialogue and, most importantly, how to choose a historical era that excites your imagination. I’ve chosen to focus on the Middle Ages because I’m fascinated by inventions that change the way people live, and this era was filled with watershed moments. Of course, the gorgeous fabrics and remarkable settings don’t hurt, either.”
Whether you come to this workshop to explore the seed of an idea, flesh out an already existing plan, or move further along on a story you’ve already started, bring your questions and your drafts. “We’ll set aside time to look into your specific ideas, challenges and questions,” says Jess.
“We’ll start the day with a brief look at your ideas (regardless of how new or undeveloped they are) and then I’ll talk about the unique challenges of writing historical fiction. After lunch, we’ll go through research techniques, a bibliography of the books that will become your best friends, and do some brainstorming exercises to help you create well-rounded characters. We’ll examine the first chapter of Perfume: The Story of a Murderer by Patrick Suskind, to see what a masterful job he does of working with time, place, and setting. (If you read the book ahead of time, great, but I’ll hand out copies of the chapter during the workshop.) Last but not least, we’ll take what we’ve learned and look at your project/ideas, in the hopes of sending you home with a solid grasp on the era, area, character, and story you want to tell.”
Jess Wells is the author of thirteen volumes of work, including the novel The Mandrake Broom (Firebrand, 2007), which dramatizes the fight to save medical knowledge during the witch-burning times in Europe 1465-1540. Her work on The Mandrake Broom earned her a San Francisco Arts Commission Grant for Literature to write her second historical novel, which will chronicle the early years of Christine de Pizan in the French court of Charles V. Her short stories, essays, and erotica are included in more than three dozen literary anthologies, journals, university curricula, and she is a four-time finalist for the Lambda Literary Awards. Jess has also taught this workshop at the Saints and Sinners Literary Conference, the Golden Crown Literary Conference, and at Other Words in Florida.
