NEW SCBWI Master Classes

Fantasty Fiction Master Class: A Brave New World

Saturday, 19 September 2009

Led by Sara O’Connor

Saturday, 19th September 2009

The Theodore Bullfrog Pub, First floor meeting room, 26-30 John Adam Street, London, WC2N 6HL

12:00 for lunch and networking. Masterclass will start at 1:00pm last until 4:00pm

£28 (includes a pre-ordered light lunch and a beverage)

Have you written a fantasy novel, but not found a home for it? Are you about to embark on a journey into another reality and want to avoid common pitfalls? This class is for SCBWI members who set their books in alternate worlds. Sara O’Connor, senior commissioning editor at Working Partners and long-time fantasy fan, offers insights on when fantasy works and offers advice for when it doesn’t.  

The class will cover setting up the new world and revealing the back story, getting the best from your characters, working your plot to the core, and pitching to agents/editors who don’t love (or run screaming from) fantasy. Examples will be discussed from published works and from class members, and there will be in class exercises.  

What is required:

Attendees will need to send in a writing sample of no more than 2,000 words from the opening chapters of your novel that may or may not be discussed in class, as well as a plot outline specifically in the format of two lines describing what happens in each chapter of the novel. Yes, two lines in Word, 12 point type, standard page margins. No cheating with run ons or almosts. Two lines (not two sentences!) for each chapter. 

Future opportunities:

Do note: Working Partners creates all its own series ideas and does not take on any outside submissions. There will not be an opportunity to submit work to WP through this masterclass. However, Working Partners does produce several fantasy series with a number of UK and US publishers that often need writers. If working with a book packager is of interest, Sara will be contactable outside of the masterclass and happy to discuss how it all works. 

Schedule:

12:00-1:00 lunch and networking

1:00 – 1:10 Masterclass start - Introduction

1:10 – 1:50 Set up and back story

(with opening chapter examples from published and attendees work and an exercise)

1:50 – 2:30 Character

(with opening chapter examples from published and attendees work)

2:30 – 2:45 Break

2:45 – 3:30 Plotting

(with an exercise and examples from published and attendees work)

3:30 – 3:45 How to pitch, especially to agents and editors who don’t love fantasy

3:45 – 4:00 Questions

Avoiding the Muddle – Crafting Mid-Sections that Work

Saturday, 17th October 2009

Led by Lee Weatherly

This Masterclass, led by Lee Weatherly, will cover techniques relating to story structure, planning and self-editing, and is for anyone who struggles with their story’s midsection. 

Lee Weatherly is an award-winning children’s author.  Her acclaimed novels for young teenagers include Child X, Missing Abby and Kat Got Your Tongue.  For younger readers, Lee is the author of the popular Glitterwings Academy fairy series (writing as Titania Woods), as well as the upcoming series Pocket Cats; she is also the author of two picture books.  For adults, Lee is the co-author of Teach Yourself How to Write a Blockbuster, and is a gifted writing coach, teaching workshop courses across the southeast.    

Preparation: Please send in a full synopsis of your story, as well as one scene (maximum five pages long, size 12 font, double spaced) from somewhere in its midsection that you’re struggling with.  Additionally, if you think you may have too many characters and would like to volunteer your cast for the infamous ‘lifeboat exercise’ (warning: can be brutal!) you may also submit a detailed character outline, explaining each character’s role in the story.  NB: Not all examples submitted will be used during the workshop, but brief notes will be provided on each text and handed back on the day.

Session outline:

12:00-1:00 lunch and networking

1:00-1:45 What should a good mid-section do?  

Overview of story structure.  We'll discuss the 3-act graph as it applies to a story's mid-section, including rising tension, cause and effect, and character/story arcs.  Example synopses will be shared and discussed, either as handouts or with a laptop projector. Students will receive a copy of the 3-act graph handout as a tool to use in crafting their own mid-sections, and if time allows, will have an opportunity to try this during the session.

 1.45-2:00 - Q&A

 2:00-2:15 - Break

 2:15-2:45 Planning 

The most common mid-section problem is when a story rambles on without really going anywhere.  With a good knowledge of story structure in place, planning is the key to sailing through your mid-section with ease.  We'll discuss different ways of planning, including graphs, synopses, and notecards.  We'll also look at how much or how little planning might be just right for you.  Examples and group exercises.

 2:45-3:30 - Keep it pacey - when to speed up, and when to slow down

Other common mid-section issues have to do with pacing: either mss are overwritten, or they're too skimpy.  We'll look at ways to kill your darlings and tell your story more efficiently, such as combining scenes/characters and learning what information you don't need to include.  We'll also look at when to slow things down to give readers the details they want to know.  Examples and group exercises.

 3.30-3:45 - Outstanding Q&A