Word Street is proud to offer four outstanding new courses and one returning favorite this fall, including:
“Structuring the Short Story”
TUESDAY OCTOBER 3, 2006 and TUESDAY OCTOBER 17, 2006
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Fee: $40 (Enrollment for this course is limited to seven prepaid registrants--please register for this course by September 25th.)
Instructors: Vivian Dorsel and Steve Dietemann
This course, using the model formulated by award-winning Canadian author Douglas Glover, will emphasize formal structure, including conflict (desire-resistance), image patterns, repetition, thematic passages, and dialogue. Students will carry out a step-by-step writing exercise in the first session, and develop it into a story draft over the following week. The second session will be a workshop discussion of the completed drafts. Each student will receive a free copy of Douglas Glover’s story collection, "Bad News of the Heart."
“Not an Autobiography: How to Write a Memoir that Sells”
MONDAY OCTOBER 23, 2006 and MONDAY OCTOBER 30, 2006
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Fee: $40
Instructor: Kerry Cohen Hoffman
Kerry Cohen Hoffmann, author of the novel “Easy” (Simon & Schuster) and the forthcoming memoir “Loose Girl” (Hyperion) will guide you through an exploration of the source, craft, and form of a memoir, and will provide techniques for improving your own. Participants should bring a chapter or ten pages of their memoirs to the first session for critique.
Three Mini-Courses:
“Setting: The Overlooked Element”
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 11, 2006
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Fee: $20
Instructor: Vivian Dorsel
A story arises from character interacting with setting. Learn how this frequently overlooked fictional element can set the tone, illuminate character, and provide thematic and stylistic features that turn a story into a work of art. Registrants will be sent a story to read before attending class.
“Absolute Beginner’s Course in Flash Fiction”
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 18, 2006
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Fee: $20
Instructor: Frank Tempone
Creating, revising, and editing stories under 500 words is a great way for a beginner to learn the process of writing short fiction. In this two-hour workshop, we'll explore a few examples of the form, write two or three original stories, and acquire the tools to revise and edit these stories. Afterward, we'll prepare your best work for submission to literary journals.
“Graphic Novels: Innovations in Storytelling”
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 25, 2006
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Fee: $20
Instructor: Tim Callahan
Graphic Novels are more popular, and more important, than ever. This course will show you examples of the best sequential art from the Golden Age of the 1930’s to the most interesting work on the shelves today. By investigating graphic storytelling, composition, and artistic style, you’ll see what makes comic book stories work, giving you a better appreciation of the art form and the inspiration to begin telling your own stories through images.
How Do I Enroll in One or More of These Fun Courses?
Send an e-mail to courses@wordstreet.org with your name, contact information, and the names of the courses you want to take. Or, call 997-3307 to register by phone. Checks or money orders should be made out to “Word Street” and sent to PO Box 782, Pittsfield, MA 01201. Please indicate on the check which course(s) you wish to take.
Discount Policy
Word Street offers the following discounts (not to be combined--lowest price prevails) on the fall courses :
1) Word Street volunteers receive 25% off the price of each course.
2) Senior Citizens receive 20% off the price of each course.
3) Sign up for all three mini-courses and pay $40 total--a $20 savings!
4) Sign up for all five Fall courses and pay $100 total--a $40 savings!