Class Title: Summer Fun & Games for Writers Instructor: Sarah White Class Term: We are not accepting any more enrollments for Sarah's class; the class has started. Synopsis In "Summer Fun & Games for Writers" you'll explore techniques designed to warm up for the writing task and hone creative writing skills. Each week will offer three exercises you can complete in less than ½ hour. Class Description This course uses short writing exercises to trigger writers' creativity while expanding their skills. We'll practice writing about places, characters, and scenes with short assignments that are as fun as they are helpful in finding your voice as a writer. The course is for both fiction and nonfiction writers. At the end of the class, students will be more confident and prepared writers, with a deeper understanding of their own creative process and how to take their writing to the next level. We will use a Yahoo group to share course assignments and students' work. Students interact through discussion threads. In addition, the instructor will correspond with individual students by email. Outline Unit 1: Finding Your Place to Start. Participants define their goals for the class. Three exercises challenge students to convey a sense of place. Students explore where and how their creativity flows. Unit 2: Meeting Your Characters. Three exercises explore capturing characters with telling details. Unit 3: Staging Scenes. Three exercises help the writer dig into "show don't tell" by using action to convey meaning. Unit 4: Sharing What You've Learned. Students revisit their goals for the class, harvest story-starters from their exercises, and examine what impact the class has had on their writing work. Student Skills, Equipment, and Time Required Student will need the use of a word processor and Internet to access the class Yahoo group. Beginning writers welcome. Time required: 1 hour for exercises (20 minutes each, best if done on different days). Up to an hour for each optional Writing Game. 1 hour to read the weekly unit and read/comment on other students' work. Tuition/Fees for this course SCN members: $128. Non-SCN members: $160. Instructor Bio Sarah White has been teaching reminiscence writing to small groups in Madison, Wisconsin since 2004. She began teaching online for Story Circle Network in 2009. In her online groups she strives to preserve the sense of community created in her face-to-face classes. A published author of several business how-to books, Sarah's entered the memoir genre in 2008 with the publication of "The Plunge" in My Words Are Gonna Linger, an anthology from Personal History Press. Her book Write Your Travel Memoirs: 5 steps to transform your travel experiences into compelling essays is available on Amazon. For more about Sarah, explore her website. Praise for Sarah's Classes I learned a lot, it was a morale booster and I appreciated Sarah White's constructive criticism. —Jane C., Austin TX I learned basics of writing travel memoir—techniques for gathering material on the road, finding the story within the story, organizing and writing the memoir. When I leave for vacation next month, I'll be taking what I've learned in Sarah White's course along with me. —Kathy W., Austin TX Although I have a degree in creative writing, I learned a lot from Sarah White's style of outlining and writing. —Elizabeth F., Ogden UT The conference calls were very helpful and satisfying—more of a feeling of a class, camaraderie, etc. Also found Sarah White's comments and suggestions on my writing piece helpful. —Chestelle S., Austin TX Sarah White was informed, organized, and enthusiastic about her subject. When I was unable to submit my main essay on time, she graciously allowed me to turn it in after the deadline and critiqued it as well. Her critiques served not only to teach but also to encourage. I would enjoy taking other classes from her. Everything about the mini-course was excellent. —Kathy W., Austin TX I greatly benefited from Sarah White's instruction and help. I would love to take another course from her. —Mary Ann P., Sugar Land TX Sarah White presented the material in a concise and clear manner, using the conference calls to clarify even further. She provided extensive feedback to me in a format that was easy to follow. Her encouraging manner and helpful suggestions made writing my travel essay exciting. —Joan G., Bellevue NE Sarah White is a master at constructive criticism. Her comments were insightful and spot on. —Janice K., Austin TX