B101 WVU Orientation,facilitated by Melissa Anne Begin: May.16.2012 Welcome to our writing community! This introductory workshop is designed to
help members obtain a basic understanding of the
concepts of Writers' Village University. Booked spaces: 13 Free spaces: 17
B154 Finding Your Voice Begin: May.16.2012 This course is both motivational and a learning experience. We will discover
the voice we already have but,
have misplaced through years of learning the ‘rules’. This course will cover
rules that take away our voice, and discover
the role of rules in finding our voice. Les Edgarton’s voice is loud and
clear in this entertaining and educational book.
Required Resources (texts, etc.): Finding Your Voice, by Les Edgarton
Booked spaces: 12 Free spaces: 18
F224 Playwriting Begin: May.16.2012 The smell of the greasepaint, the sound of the applause.... Live theatre is
always a special treat. Writing for live
performance is different from both screenwriting and from 'book' writing in
many ways; in this class, we will explore
the basics of dramatic writing. By the end of the class, the student will
have completed a draft of a one-act play.
Required Resources (texts, etc.): Writing Your First Play, by Roger Hall Booked spaces: 3 Free spaces: 27
P150 Poetry Triggers - Nature Writing A Saturation Poem Begin: May.16.2012 In order to start this exercise, you will need to take yourself outside, so
print this out, grab a notebook, and go! Find yourself a spot in nature
where you can sit undisturbed for roughly half an hour.
Here are some suggestions: in a city park where you can view a garden, by a
lake where you can view ducks or other wildlife, in a campsite, on a beach,
preferably one that's relatively undeveloped, in any other spot where you
have access to the natural world. Booked spaces: 4 Free spaces: 26
MFA204 The Fiction Writer's Apprenticeship Begin: May.17.2012 There's no one way to maintain discipline for the beginning writer. It can be things like setting a goal to write 10 pages a day or as the author of the text does: sit down and listen to the characters and try to see clearly and vividly what they're going to do next. Chase down any thought, any image, or any impression that arises during the creative process, even if it contradicts your most cherished ideas and beliefs. In the process of discovery you can find yourself in with the characters, their "world" Booked spaces: 15 Free spaces: 15
C104 Comedy Writing: Working with Jokes Begin: May.23.2012 Learn to write comedy by reading, researching and writing. Each workshop in
the the series is designed to show a different
facet of comedy writing. Even if you're not funny, you'll learn to be funny!
Required Resources (texts, etc.): Comedy Writing Workbook by Gene Perret Booked spaces: 2 Free spaces: 28
F152 Horror Writing Begin: May.23.2012 To give the student of horror writing a perspective in the horror field, its
history, develop an idea and terrifying characters
while avoiding the clichés found in this field. By the end of the course,
the student will have a completed first draft of a
short story or be well on the way to writing a solid horror novel.
Required Resources (texts, etc.): Writing Horror edited by Mort Castle ISBN:
0-89879-798-5
Booked spaces: 7 Free spaces: 23
B114 Point of View & Related Topics Begin: May.23.2012 Discuss and experiment with first and third person (limited omniscient) POVs
and related topics such as distance, reliability,
selection of view point character, etc.
Required Resources (texts, etc.): Your favorite short novels. Booked spaces: 6 Free spaces: 24
MFA304 The Quatrain (Part 2) Begin: May.24.2012 Metrical Poetry Series: Learn how to write poetry in all the major forms,
from blank verse and quatrains to sonnets
and villanelles. Step by step, easy to understand instructions for even the
most beginning poets. Lyric poetry, verse
that expresses the personal thoughts of the author, is ever present in
literature. However, poetry has such a broad spectrum,
telling stories in such varied forms from the epic to the ballads. Essential
but non-intimidating instruction on meter and rhyme.
Focused assignments detailing how to make your first attempt at a specific
form Illuminating discussions on pop culture,
figures of speech, difficult themes, and other important topics. An engaging
overview of poetry's history, and why it's
important to learn the traditional forms.
Required text: Writing Metrical Poetry: Contemporary Lessons for Mastering
Traditional Forms by William Baer. Booked spaces: 5 Free spaces: 25
B103 Grammar,facilitated by Janet Smith Begin: May.30.2012 This course is designed to be a refresher course on the basics of Grammar.
We are covering the basic grammar rules taught in
school that you may have either forgotten or are a bit rusty on. Through
the various weeks we'll start with spelling,
nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs and adverbs, through to sentence
structures.
Required Resources (texts, etc.): None. Booked spaces: 27 Free spaces: 3