Shaping Your Scenes and Stories: Understanding the Dramatic Arc in Fiction

“Students often tell me that they feel defeated by a piece of writing simply because they can’t seem to figure out what comes next,” says instructor Elaine Beale. “Of course, when we’re writing fiction, the possibilities for our stories are infinite, so it’s no wonder that we can feel overwhelmed and get stuck. But understanding what’s needed to create the dramatic arc of a scene or a story is critical when it comes to creating fiction that works.”

In this three-session class, Elaine will help you develop a greater understanding of the essential ingredients of a scene and a story, including introducing conflict, creating turning points, and shaping the resolution. She’ll also give you in-class and homework exercises to help you integrate these into your own work. “We’ll also look at the work of published writers,” says Elaine. “And we’ll break down what a successful scene or story arc requires.”

After the final class, students will have the option of submitting a short piece of writing for feedback from Elaine.

About The Writing Salon's Remote Classes

Due to concerns about the spread of COVID-19, The Writing Salon is running all classes in a remote learning format. You will be able to participate in live class meetings via Zoom videoconference. To attend classes, you'll need a phone, tablet or computer and access to the internet. You can participate in the class from wherever you'd like, whether on your living room couch or in your office. Before your class meets, you'll receive an email from The Writing Salon with more information about Zoom and your remote class. If you have any questions about remote learning, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at hello@writingsalons.com.