Classes/Workshops/Conferences

April 12-June 20,  UCLA Extension, Online

Novel Writing Four

For those with a minimum of 50 pages of a novel-in-progress, this workshop guides you to generate at least 50 new pages, as well as learn essential self-editing techniques with the instructor and peers reviewing each participant's project in detail. Refinements of character, structure, emotional content, and the development of the writer's voice are also explored. The goal is to produce a substantial portion of your novel.

April 3-June 20, UCLA Extension, Online

Clear and Descriptive Writing (11 Weeks)

This class focuses on the basics of sentence and paragraph, providing tools to enable clear, focused, and descriptive essays and other writing objectives. Starting with focused sentence exercises, you move toward creating clear, thoughtful, and organized paragraphs that employ tone, voice, and diction. As well as completing exercises and writing assignments, you collect examples of writing—both effective and ineffective—to present to the class in order to share and examine writing strategies. Toward the end of the class, students develop one essay-length piece of writing. In workshop groups, you hone this piece and help classmates improve their work. You leave with skills you can apply in various settings and with different writing projects.

June 28-September 12, UCLA Extension, Online

Clear and Descriptive Writing (11 Weeks)

This class focuses on the basics of sentence and paragraph, providing tools to enable clear, focused, and descriptive essays and other writing objectives. Starting with focused sentence exercises, you move toward creating clear, thoughtful, and organized paragraphs that employ tone, voice, and diction. As well as completing exercises and writing assignments, you collect examples of writing—both effective and ineffective—to present to the class in order to share and examine writing strategies. Toward the end of the class, students develop one essay-length piece of writing. In workshop groups, you hone this piece and help classmates improve their work. You leave with skills you can apply in various settings and with different writing projects.

July 3-September 10, SNHU MFA Online

Introduction to the Online MFA

Explore a unique culture and approach to fiction writing at SNHU that embraces practicality, diversity, and community. Understand the history and major categories of genre fiction, including the role genre plays for readers, writers, and publishers. Develop techniques for effective workshopping. Discover habits and behaviors that support the creative process, and forge ties with a peer and faculty community that will support a rewarding writing career.

September 20-December 12, UCLA Extension, Online

Clear and Descriptive Writing (11 Weeks)

This class focuses on the basics of sentence and paragraph, providing tools to enable clear, focused, and descriptive essays and other writing objectives. Starting with focused sentence exercises, you move toward creating clear, thoughtful, and organized paragraphs that employ tone, voice, and diction. As well as completing exercises and writing assignments, you collect examples of writing—both effective and ineffective—to present to the class in order to share and examine writing strategies. Toward the end of the class, students develop one essay-length piece of writing. In workshop groups, you hone this piece and help classmates improve their work. You leave with skills you can apply in various settings and with different writing projects.

October 4-December 12,  UCLA Extension, Online

Novel Writing One

That novel is inside you waiting to emerge, but knowing how and where to start can be daunting. This course provides you with weekly assignments, group interaction, and instructor feedback to help you explore various methods of writing your first novel while learning the key craft points of plot, structure, characterization, point-of-view, sense of place, and voice. The goal is to complete the first chapter of your novel by establishing an intimacy with your characters as you artfully shape their journey and to develop an overall concept to guide you through your story. Required for students considering the long-fiction sequence.