Class

10 Plot Forms to Enrich Your Narratives in 6 Weeks

How do you move beyond the standard narrative habit? This class can change how you shape oral or written stories. It examines ten elegant plot forms, including digressive, mirrored, list, parallel and meta-narrated formulas providing examples of their use, formulas for structuring and considerations of how they function and are shaped. Examples of each plot form are presented, discussion of their permissions and limitations of their use. Consideration is given to the choices of plot based upon genre and style, as comedy or tragedy. the mechanics of plot as point of view and the function of emotional arcs within various narrative forms. This is a hand's-on learning experience that includes discussion of student and instructor selected narrative samples, weekly in and out of class writing exercises of plot forms with student commentary and instructor feedback. Participants will develop at least two different (finished or later draft) narrativess from the same source material whether it be a traditional or common cultural story or one their own over the 6 class weeks. There are no required readings though literary samples will be referenced with each plot form.

Please complete this request form at least two to three weeks in advance if you have any accessibility requests for this class. This class takes place in-person, at the Loft at Open Book. Please see the Loft’s website for the most up to date information about the Loft’s COVID policies.