June 24 - 29, 2012

Workshops 2012

Short Story

Writer-in-Residence: Christopher Tilghman

Those fortunate enough to join the Short Story Workshop will work with Christopher Tilghman, a truly gifted writer and teacher, to strengthen their mastery of the fundamental techniques of fiction and investigate the unique dynamics of the short story form. Workshop sessions will focus on discussion of the stories submitted in advance by participants, as well as supplementary readings, with an eye toward determining how a story achieves the elusive quality of “storyness.” Brief exercises completed outside of class will help participants understand and use a range of techniques in such discrete areas as plot structure, dialogue, dramatizing thought and consciousness, and description. Handouts on these and other techniques will help each participant continue to progress long after the workshop is complete.

Requirements: Submit in advance a completed short story, 10 – 20 pages, double spaced in 12-point type. Back to top.

Novel

Writer-in-Residence: Samantha Chang

Every novelist faces this challenge: to write a long story that will seduce, thrill, and ultimately satisfy readers enough that they will be compelled to finish it. In this workshop, we will develop ways to make readers fall in love with your book. The discussions will focus on techniques for creating magnetic characters, a compelling voice, and a satisfying narrative structure. We will discuss successful novels of the past and present, and explore the creative processes involved in writing long works. The workshop is designed for writers who have a full-length project underway.

Requirements: Submit in advance a manuscript of 12–20 pages. This excerpt should include a scene involving one of the novel’s main characters. Along with your excerpt, please include a one-page synopsis that contains the following information: a summary of the narrative arc, a description of where the attached pages fit within that framework, and a question that you’re currently facing as you contemplate your novel. Back to top.

Writing True, the Art and Craft of Creative Nonfiction

Writer-in-Residence: Mimi Schwartz

The workshop will explore the possibilities of creative nonfiction for seasoned and novice writers alike. Using springboard exercises to write, share, and discuss, we will consider: What do we mean by creative nonfiction (as opposed to fiction or bread-and-butter nonfiction)? Why write it? What are the ground rules for combining memory, voice, research, and imagination into one story? What’s emotional vs. factual truth? What aesthetic and ethical issues are involved in telling true stories in narrative form?

Requirements: Submit in advance 10-20 pages of work in progress (nothing finished) to use as springboards for new discoveries and one-on-one conferencing. Back to top.

Shaping the Poem: A Poetry Workshop

Writer-in-Residence: Kathleen Spivack

How do we shape a poem so that it shimmers with meaning? What happens between the first and final draft? In this poetry workshop, we’ll look closely at line and stanza breaks; beginnings, middles, and endings; and especially at the transitions that take place in the space and silence as the poem unfolds. Participants will learn from discussion of their on-site exercises, as well as review of the poems submitted in advance of the workshop. Kathleen’s attentive and insightful teaching style has resulted in many of her students being published and winning major prizes and grants. The workshop is designed to support all aspects of the writing process.

Requirements: Submit in advance five to twelve poems, including some that are successful and some that still need work. Participants will also be asked to bring three poems to share from contemporary poets who have been an inspiration. Back to top.

Writing for Children and Young Adults

Writer-in-Residence:Kate McMullan

PWW adds this new workshop to meet the growing demand in the popular genre of Children’s and Young Adult Literature. Participants will cover all aspects of writing for children and young adults, including character development, shaping the story, developing a distinctive narrative voice, and the practical side of publishing, including working with agents and editors, and self-publishing opportunities. A successful veteran of the dynamic (and competitive) world of writing for children, Kate McMullan will share the tools of the trade, using a combination of in-class writing exercises and critiques, as well as review and analyses of outstanding work from picture books, beginning readers, chapter books, middle-grade novels, young adult novels, and nonfiction.

Requirements: Submit in advance a writing sample (complete picture book, beginning reader manuscript, or sample pages of a chapter book or novel not to exceed 50 pages).
Note: A reading list will be sent to participants before the workshop begins. Back to top.