Writing the Novel: Building World & Character

For people who feel they have a story to tell but need the skills and techniques to get it on paper. This workshop focuses on fleshing out your world, fiction or non-fiction and on character development.

World building allows your reader to feel like they could enter your world and live in it. We will focus on the 5 senses: What does the back alley of your city smell like? What does the texture of the king's robe feel like on your fingertips? What does the engine sound like when your spaceship crashes on Mars? World Building inspires new ideas for your story, makes your characters feel more human and helps to break through writer's block.

Character development—we will explore your characters' desires, fears, foibles, strengths and motivations. We will explore how to describe your character's physicality. We will expand beyond their appearance and delve into their behaviors: How do they walk into their first day of a new job? Are their hands molded by age and hard labor or have their fingers only ever touched silk? What are their quirks? Where do they hold their anxiety, their joy?

Our characters often take facets of ourselves and are exaggerated, morphed and turned into a vessel of self-expression. Through this workshop, we will learn how to talk to your characters and ask them about their lives. We will learn how to listen to our characters and hear their individual voices. We are going to uplift your characters, show them the respect they deserve and let them take center stage. We will touch on character dynamics. Your cast will have unique relationships with one another, each with their own flavor, mood and intrigue.

This workshop is a safe learning space where everyone will be respected, accepted and encouraged in their writing journey.