Writing Scenes: Bringing the Page to Life

Catalog description

Individual scenes are important building blocks of any prose narrative, yet the craft of designing a scene is often neglected by aspiring writers. In this class we will study all the aspects of designing a successful scene: setting, inner plot, inner structure, spotlight on the characters, POV, choreography of physical movement, dialogue. We will study how to write sex scenes, death scenes, party scenes, battle scenes, and nature scenes. Readings will include Junot Diaz, Edwidge Danticat, Leo Tolstoy, Elena Ferrante, James Baldwin, Roberto Bolano, Annie Proulx, Alice Munro, Sarah Waters.