For the first time we will be offering an on-line course for writers who want to look deeper into scene creation. Here's the description
Scene Creation
To be an effective fiction or creative non-fiction writer today, you need to write effective scenes. The vehicle for a writer to advance their plot and reveal character, the scene is cinematic writing and is defined by its continuous action regardless of that action's size, shape or intensity. Without the "Walk" of the scene, the reader is left with the "Talk" and the writer risks losing their reader.
During this eight session course, you'll examine:
1. story and scene structure;
2. techniques for bringing conflict and tension into the scene;
3. the purposes of a scene;
4. methods for beginning and ending a scene;
5. transitions between scenes; and
6. various writing tools that help advance your scene including but not limited to setting, dialogue, and character development
This course is a unique way of advancing your writing education as it focuses on story-telling from day one. Students can expect to learn many techniques in a fluid fashion that are normally compartmentalized in most introductory courses. The course will be presented as a series of videos, notes, exercises and critiqued writing assignments. You will have access to your instructor for questions via email.
The cost of this introductory on-line class is $100.
A Way of Looking at Your Writing Education:
We are also offering two regular courses taught in a classroom setting. There will be an experiment in pricing as each week of either course will be its own complete unit such that you can sign up for as many of the weeks as you would like and that meet your busy schedules. Each two hour class will cost $25. You must sign up for a minimum of four classes. The total fee for all eight is $150 meaning you get your final two classes for free if you sign up for all eight.
The courses for the Spring are:
During this eight session course, you'll examine:
1. story and scene structure;
2. techniques for bringing conflict and tension into the scene;
3. the purposes of a scene;
4. methods for beginning and ending a scene;
5. transitions between scenes; and
6. various writing tools that help advance your scene including but not limited to setting, dialogue, and character development
This course is a unique way of advancing your writing education as it focuses on story-telling from day one. Students can expect to learn many techniques in a fluid fashion that are normally compartmentalized in most introductory courses. The course will be presented as a series of videos, notes, exercises and critiqued writing assignments. You will have access to your instructor for questions via email.
The cost of this introductory on-line class is $100.
A Way of Looking at Your Writing Education:
We are also offering two regular courses taught in a classroom setting. There will be an experiment in pricing as each week of either course will be its own complete unit such that you can sign up for as many of the weeks as you would like and that meet your busy schedules. Each two hour class will cost $25. You must sign up for a minimum of four classes. The total fee for all eight is $150 meaning you get your final two classes for free if you sign up for all eight.
The courses for the Spring are:
In the Pursuit of Creativity:
In this workshop, participants will learn new and interesting ideas that will help them find their way to fulfilling artistic and creative lives. Over time, the workshop attendees will learn about:
- What creativity is and how our brain operates when being creative,
- The various successful processes to becoming more creative,
- Ways to maximize your creative potential,
- Techniques for defeating your inner critic,
- Methods to maintaining a creative life in the face of the ordinary one,
- Ways to work collaboratively with other writers and artists, and
- Creative techniques to find and mine your personal creative gold.
This workshop is appropriate for writers and other artists of all levels.
This workshop will be offered on Monday evenings from 6:30 - 8:30 pm in Surrey, BC. It will start on April 11, 2016.
Fiction Writers' Bootcamp:
Each week, the writer will cover such topics as Story and Idea Generation, Story Structure, the Use of Tension and Conflict, Pacing, Setting, Dialogue, Character Development and Techniques for Revising Your First Draft. The final hour each week will be spent workshopping your various writing projects
The workshop will utilize lecture, discussion and individual and group exercises and is appropriate for the emerging and intermediate writer.
This workshop will be offered on Saturdays from 9:30 - 11:30 am in New Westminster, BC or Surrey, BC depending on the locale of the majority of the registrants. It will start on April 9, 2016
About the Instructor: David Blinkhorn is the founder and director of the Fraser Valley Writers School and an accomplished instructor in the areas of creativity, avoiding writer's block and fiction writing. He is an award-winning poet and writer who is a graduate of SFU's Writers' Studio (Fiction) in 2011. A former executive director of the Federation of British Columbia Writers, David finds his passion in creating unique and varied stories and helping other writers to find their voice in their chosen genre. In 2014, David organized a successful writers retreat in the Mediterranean and is currently organizing the plans for Euro2016.
To register for these courses, please email us at fvwschool@gmail.com.
