Craft focus: novel plotting workshop (advanced)

What is the course about?

This advanced course is designed to help you analyse your novel's plot, uncover its strengths and weaknesses, and develop it into a robust structure that showcases the story you want to tell. The course will enable you to evaluate the plot of your novel-in-progress with clarity and purpose, troubleshoot challenges, share your insights with fellow novelist classmates, and develop a realistic plan for revision.

What will we cover?

- An overview of a range of narrative structures including three-act, five-act, and looking beyond the narrative arc to pattern structures
- Narrative time, tension, and repetition as a structuring elements
- Story hierarchies
- How to map a detailed plot structure of our own and present it to the class for constructive critique
- Reading like a writer (with reference to specific, plot-focused case studies), and how to apply the insights gained to your own work.
- How to give and receive constructive feedback on plot in your novel with clarity, sensitivity and confidence.

What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...

- Create a detailed plot outline of your novel in progress
- Demonstrate an understanding of narrative time, tension, and repetition as potential structuring elements and demonstrate understanding in your own written work
- Analyse at least two different approaches to plotting and evaluate the potential benefits and/or drawbacks of those approaches when applied to your own storyline
- Give and receive constructive feedback with clarity, confidence, and sensitivity.

What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?

This is an advanced level course suitable for learners who have either completed a full novel draft, or who have made significant progress with writing a novel (at least 50K words). Learners may also progress to this course from Craft focus: introduction to novel progress, though this is not required. The course is designed to focus on the specific topic of plot, and so you must be well-acquainted with your project, enough to feel comfortable analysing and discussing its plot and story with peers. In addition, you will need to be a keen reader of novels, and fluent in both written and spoken English.

How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?

- Interactive tutor presentation
- Analysis and discussion of published texts
- Writing exercises
- Constructive feedback from your tutor and your peers

Your tutor will also set reading and writing assignments as homework. You may be required to read and comment on the work of your fellow classmates outside of class.

All writing courses at City Lit will involve an element of workshop. This means that students will produce work which will be discussed in an open and constructive environment with the tutor and other students. The college operates a policy of constructive criticism, and all feedback on another student’s work by the tutor and other students should be delivered in that spirit.

For classes longer than one day regular reading and writing exercises will be set for completion at home to set deadlines.

City Lit Writing endeavours to create a safe and welcoming space for all and we strongly support the use of content notes in our classes. This means that learners are encouraged to make their tutor and classmates aware in advance if any writing they wish to share contains material that may be deemed sensitive. If you are unsure about what might constitute sensitive content, please ask your tutor for further clarification and read our expectations for participating in writing courses at City Lit.

Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?

Please bring a pen and paper, and be prepared to type on your computer. You will also need coloured pencils.

Reading list. You will need to either purchase or borrow the following texts:

Into the Woods, by John Yorke
Beginning, Middles and Endings, by Nancy Kress
Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen.

When I've finished, what course can I do next?

You may be interested in our Developing your novel course, or in one of our Advanced fiction writing workshops. If you feel you are ready, you may also decide to apply for a place on either our term-long Masterclass: fiction writing workshop, or our year-long fiction writing Masterclass. You may also find our other Craft focus courses helpful for gaining insight into different aspects of your fiction.

All students are invited to join us at Late Lines, our regular performance night for City Lit writers. Students are also encouraged to submit their work to Between the Lines, our annual anthology of creative writing. For the latest news, courses and events, stay in touch with the Department on Facebook and Twitter.