Creative Writing I
This class has already begun. Please email us to discuss other course options or to be notified when this class is offered again in the Fall.
The best fiction and creative non-fiction utilize basic storytelling craft. Whether you’re looking to write fiction (short stories, novels) or creative non-fiction (personal essays, memoir, magazine) — or if you’re not yet sure what you want to write — Creative Writing I provides a strong foundation of storytelling craft, including character development, scene building, plot development, and language.
This eight-session course melds creative self-discovery, practical writing techniques, and writing exercises in a participatory and positive atmosphere. The emphasis here is on building skills to tell a better story, as well as laying the groundwork for intermediate craft and workshop classes in both fiction and non-fiction.
Each week offers:
- techniques on developing craft elements, such as character and plot
- writing prompts to help you translate class discussions onto the page and into your stories
- readings to help you learn to “read like a writer”
- lively class discussions
- student workshopping
You’ll be encouraged to work on a self-defined piece to share with classmates and receive critical feedback through “workshopping” to help you move forward. (Students do not need any prepared stories before the course begins!)
StoryStudio classes are typically limited to 15 participants or fewer. This intimate setting allows for greater interaction and personal attention.
How is this class different from Fiction I? If you know your focus is writing fiction, then we recommend taking Fiction I. However, if you think you may be interested in experimenting with forms of fiction and creative non-fiction, then Creative Writing I is a good choice.
Additional Courses of Interest:
Who Should Attend:
- Adults, 18 and over
- Basic writers
About the Instructor: M. Molly Backes is the author of the young adult novel The Princesses of Iowa, which will be published in May 2012 by Candlewick Press.
In addition to writing novels, Molly is a member of the 2012 class of bloggers at The Debutante Ball, pens the “Writing Tips” column for The Prairie Wind (the newsletter of the Illinois Chapter of SCBWI), and is a frequent contributor to StoryStudio’s own blog Cooler by the Lake. Her story “Teacher’s Pet” appears in the anthology Good Dogs Doing Good.
Molly is the Assistant Director at StoryStudio, where she’ll be happy to answer all your questions about life, the universe, and all our classes.