New writing classes, workshops starting at ICC Polk Center

Published 9:37 am Friday, May 10, 2013

Developing Characters

Instructor: Brittany Hampton Tokar

Writers must know their characters in order to tell a compelling story, one that can be believed by readers and remembered. Using creative ideas, techniques and exercises, writers will leave this course with a better understanding of character development.

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Four weeks/Four sessions/Four hours

Mondays: May 6 – 27, 4 -5 p.m.

The Art and Craft of Flash Fiction

Instructor: Darlene Cah

Quick fiction. Sudden fiction. The short-short. Flash fiction goes by many names and many definitions. Stories vary in length from six words to a thousand. Some are traditional stories with a clear beginning, middle and end. Others are haunting vignettes, a brief look at one moment in time — a flash. They’re challenging and fun to write, and in this sound bite world, they’re more popular than ever. In this workshop for beginner and more experienced writers, you’ll create flash stories through in-class exercises and at-home assignments, read your stories aloud in class and experience peer critique and encouragement in a supportive atmosphere. You’ll examine the craft of writing flash by reading and discussing published flash stories, and learn how to find possible markets for your work. This course description is longer than some flash stories.

Four weeks/four sessions/six hours

Tuesdays: May 7 – 28; July 9 – 30, 10 – 11:30 a.m.

Three weeks/three sessions/nine hours

In-Class Writing

Instructor: Brittany Hampton Tokar

Join us for a couple sessions of in-class writing. You’ll use writing prompts to write both in and out of your writing comfort zone. This course is a place to find inspiration and share with others. It would be a great fit for serious writers looking for a break from their current project or even hoping to find new ideas for a story in progress, while also being a good choice for people who simply enjoy writing for fun or trying out new creative outlets. No pressure, no homework, just two sessions of prompt writing followed by reading and discussion.

Two weeks/two sessions/four hours

Mondays: May 13 – 20, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.