Fiction Focus: Dive into Character, Plot and Scene

“Instinct alone will only take us so far as writers,” says instructor Amy G. Latham. “Learning craft techniques will help us create characters who will come alive on the page and drive our plots. Even more important, an understanding of craft helps us trust ourselves to make all kinds of crucial decisions for our stories.”

In this 3-week class, we’ll take on one fiction building block each week, explore the possibilities in each, and apply our learning right away to our own fiction writing. The weekly building blocks will include how to create complex characters, how to interweave plot and character, and how to build different types of scenes, such as description-focused and dialogue-driven. 

We’ll pair short craft-focused readings and discussions with fun and practical in-class and take-home writing exercises. Guided by short works from Anton Chekhov, Taiye Selasi, and Yunya Yang, we’ll discover new entry points into character, plot, and scene. In a supportive community, we’ll optionally share and respond to one another’s writing, listening for moments of salience, freshness, humor, specificity, and truth.

“The goal over three weeks,” says Amy, “is to build knowledge of and confidence with these essential ingredients of fiction writing so that you can tell stories that move readers. You’ll also come away with fresh characters and cool angles to write stories from, as well as a handful of story ideas and fragments.”

About The Writing Salon's In-Person Classes

Before your class meets, you'll receive an email from The Writing Salon with more information about your class. If you have any questions about in-person learning, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at hello@writingsalons.com.