5 Wednesdays, September 28 – October 26, 7-9:30pm
$275 members/$295 others
Testimonials for Elaine
*Combine Elaine’s class with Karen Bjorneby’s Writing a Novel – Filling in the Frame for a complete novel writing package: Writing a Novel – 10-Week Class + Final Reading/Celebration.
Writing a successful novel demands a lot of a writer: from creating compelling dialogue and description, to crafting a gripping plot. Novelists need to develop convincing characters, create settings that make their story vivid, and write in a voice that makes their work unique.
The Writing Salon is offering two five-week classes on novel writing. These will help newbie novelists make their first steps in the genre and provide guidance to those who may have already started their book.
This class will focus on building the overall framework for your novel. Topics covered will include how to put together a page-turning plot, creating story momentum, and building a network of fully developed characters.
“We’ll explore these topics through discussion and exercises,” says instructor Elaine Beale, “and homework assignments will allow students to practice the skills we talk about and to get feedback on their work in class.”
“My goal,” she continues, “is for students to leave with a novel outline they’re happy with, an understanding of their characters and their roles in the story, and a draft of their opening. We’ll also build a supportive group in which students can air their ideas, problem-solve obstacles, and share their successes.”
Elaine Beale’s second novel, Another Life Altogether, was published by Random House in 2010. It has received praise from the Boston Globe, Lambda Literary, Curve Magazine, the Bay Area Reporter, and Publishers Weekly, among others, and it was featured in Oprah Magazine. Elaine was the winner of the 2007 Poets and Writers California Writers Exchange Award and has an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of British Columbia. She has taught creative writing for more than a decade.