Alchemy: The Art & Craft of Writing (April 2 - May 11, 2012)
COURSE DETAILS ~~ TESTIMONIALS ~~ TEACHER & GUESTS ~~ REGISTRATION
A six-week online course to help you deepen and w i d e n your writing
Alchemy: The Art & Craft of Writing combines writing techniques, tips, and inspiration to help you transform your words and ideas into meaningful stories.
- Learn writing techniques to create beautiful, meaningful stories that connect with readers.
- Discover tips and tricks to overcome your writing challenges.
- Embrace the creative life and enliven your writing.
- Connect with other writers in a private online community.
Alchemy: a power or process of transforming something common into something special
In this course:
Something common = words
Something special = your beautiful, meaningful stories
Alchemy: The Art & Craft of Writing is packed with writing lessons and exercises, fabulous guests, oodles of inspiration, and a private creative community. We'll look at how to combine techniques and inspiration to deepen and w i d e n our writing. Each week we'll focus on a particular craft topic and apply it to our stories. You'll choose the kind of writing you want to do, maybe blog posts, essays, articles, or a book project. It's up to you. (We'll even dabble in some poetry!) Bring whatever stories are clamoring to be told. I'll also provide prompts and nudges to help you find topics and capture inspiration if you need some guidance. (In addition, you can register for private editing and coaching sessions with me at reduced rates.)
THE BACKSTORY
I created this course because it's the course I was looking for several years ago when my writing had plateaued, and before I decided to pursue my MFA in writing. The elements covered in it have transformed my writing. We explore some important foundational techniques that you may have missed or forgotten, and we look at how to apply them in practical ways to improve our writing craft. This is not about technicalities for the sake of being technical. This is about the tools of the trade that help you make art with your words. We also cover techniques that make your prose sparkle, including ways to polish it and hone it so that you're using language in a way that best serves your stories.
DETAILS & CONTENT
You get the following:
- 12+ core writing lessons (to get you started)
- 6+ bonus lessons (to take your writing deeper)
- Nitty-gritty writing tips (with fun examples)
- Weekly writing exercises and prompts
- Video posts
- Interviews with featured guests
- Nuggets of inspiration and encouragement
- A private online community with your own virtual notebook to share your writing and support your fellow Alchemists
- New! An ebook of course lessons to keep
Here's a sampling of the topics covered in Alchemy: The Art & Craft of Writing.
- Finding your stories
- Finding your writing voice
- Experimenting with style and structure
- Using imagery, metaphors, and the senses
- Creating universal meaning to connect with readers
- Editing as a creative act
- Examining what writing clichés and rules really mean
- Capturing everyday beauty and extraordinary events in words
IS ALCHEMY: THE ART & CRAFT OF WRITING RIGHT FOR YOU?
The material in Alchemy: The Art & Craft of Writing is designed to benefit people in the intermediate to intensive stages of the writing life.
This course is meant for you if...
- ...you write at least semi-regularly for work or pleasure and want to improve your writing.
- ...you want to enhance your writing skill set and knowledge base.
- ...you're ready to devote time and energy to your craft.
- ...you want to move beyond your current writing plateau.
- ...you believe that writing is one part inspiration, one part technique, and one part practice.
- ...you want to connect with other creative souls who are also exploring the writing life.
The class is organized to to benefit writers with some experience, though that range is rather wide. The curriculum consists of core lessons and exercises to get you started, plus bonus materials that invite you to go deeper. The course will focus on prose, but we'll also play with some poetry.
This is a place of art, friendship, and respect, not competition and criticism. Alchemy: The Art & Craft of Writing is for you if you want to learn practical writing techniques in a friendly space where a belief in magic and inspiration float right alongside the tips and techniques.
(If you have little or no writing experience, please check out Alchemy Inspiration: Start Writing, which is designed for writers in the introductory to intermediate stages of the writing life. Seasoned writers looking for in-depth small group workshops for feedback are invited to join The Word Cellar Workshops.)
WHAT YOU NEED
Before the course begins, you'll receive an email invitation with directions on joining the private course website and online community. All you need to participate is a computer with Internet access and an email address.
ARE THERE DEADLINES?
No. (Each week of the course includes writing exercises and prompts, which you can complete at your own pace.)
and finally...WHY THIS COURSE IS SPECIAL
Technique + Inspiration + Practice = Magic
I believe that writing is a combination of technique, inspiration, and practice. Alchemy is not a dry, how-to course filled with rules and regulations about what you "must" or "must not" do to be a better writer. It's also not simply a course about inspiration, even though there will be plenty of encouragement and nuggets of inspiration along the way. After all, what good are techniques without the muse?
As with all art forms, writing is a magical combination of the artist and the materials.
My photographer friends often say that it's not the camera that takes great shots, but rather the person behind the lens. But they know how the gear works, how to find the light, and how to frame the shot. Likewise, a painter creates the painting, but she benefits from knowing how to use different brushes, paints, and mediums.
And this is the magic: When you understand the tools and techniques of your craft, you know how to create pieces that express your unique vision. In Alchemy we'll explore writing tools and techniques to help you tell your stories in your voice.
QUESTIONS?
Please email me: jennifer{at}thewordcellar{dot}com.
Registration for the current session is now closed, but you can learn more using the links below.
If you'd like to hear about future sessions of Alchemy, please join The Word Cellar mailing list.