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The Art of the Story: An Advanced Writing Workshop

X423 (2 semester units in English)

This course for advanced fiction writers challenges you to think on a deeper level about elements that are integral to storytelling. How do you know when a story is complete? What is the difference between plot and narrative arc? How do you weave voice and craft to create a believable theater in the imagination of the reader? Through discussion, readings of your work, and examples from published authors, you focus on the role of voice and how it can assist you in creating works that have a sense of dynamism and surprise. Topics include character, relationships, images, use of suspense, the role of voice, and the difference between an anecdote and a story. The prose poem and flash fiction are discussed as well as the more traditional short story. By the end of the course you should have a better sense of what creates unity and shape in your own fictional works and be able to risk surprising yourself as well as your reader.

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Mon. June 30, Berkeley