1. Wordsmithing. A full
toolkit of words is the prized possession of
writers. Learn how to use words as powerful
instruments of life change, while avoiding the
temptation to overuse your favorite tools.
2. Fiction Queries and Proposals.
Learn how to present your characters and plot in
a fiction query or proposal in such an
entertaining way that they come alive to the
editor and his team. Give the marketing
department a tool that can propel your novel
into national prominence.
3. Nonfiction Queries and Proposals.
Discover the professional writer’s approach to
presenting not only the theme, but also the
uniqueness and power of the ideas in a
nonfiction article or book. Discover the
essential elements of a powerful presentation
that overcomes resistance.
4. Business Side of Writing.
While all you may want to do is write, the IRS
considers you a self-employed business person.
Publishers’ contracts are also expanding
exponentially to garner all possible future
rights to your creative output. Learn how to
avoid common pitfalls and become proactive in
relating to publishers.
5. Ethical Considerations as a Writer.
The writer of Ecclesiastes opined
that there is nothing new under the sun. Today’s
technology, however, presents many new
ways that
Christian writers must avoid stepping over the
line ethically.
6. Integrating Life and Scripture.
Learn how to integrate what you learn from
Scripture into your writing so there is a
seamless interaction between the truth in
Scripture and life as it is lived today.
A Deeper Look at Basic Techniques
1. Advanced Characterization.
Examines advanced techniques for developing and
establishing characters in fiction, creating
larger-than-life characters, and dealing with
difficult and complex characters. Also includes
a summary of Thomas Sawyer’s view of character
creation from a screenwriter’s perspective.
2. Character Change. Using a
four-part dynamic developed by Nancy Kress —
preparation, pressure, change, and validation —
this lesson walks you through the subtleties of
portraying convincing character change. The
lesson uses Ebenezer Scrooge, from Dickens’
A Christmas
Carol, as an example of skillfully
presented (and convincing) character change.
3. Advanced Dialogue. Two
experts on dialogue — Thomas Sawyer, a
screenwriter, and Sol Stein, an editor and
novelist — guide you through advanced principles
of writing dialogue. Sawyer points out pitfalls
to avoid, such as “show and tell” dialogue and
telling your audience what it already knows.
Stein shares subtle principles understood by
master writers of dialogue — such as
understanding that it’s not what’s said, but
what is meant, that counts.
4. Advanced Topics in Point of View.
The basic principles of point of view
were presented in the apprentice curriculum. In
this more advanced look, both the challenges
(such as keeping inside a narrator’s head and
establishing point of view immediately in each
new scene) and the opportunities (such as
playing with unreliable narrators and using POV
play to overcome writer’s block) afforded by
this all-important technique.
Plotting
5. The Three-act Structure.
This lesson first defines and
illustrates the three-act structure, then gives
you a rationale and structure to put these
principles to work in your novels. It also
examines mythic structure and the question of
whether the three-act structure is the only way
to structure a novel plot.
6. Designing the Novel: The Snowflake Method.
In the apprentice curriculum,
we suggested that beginning novelists work from
an outline. This lesson provides a detailed
model for constructing an outline organically —
one that will serve beginning and established
novelists alike.
7. Advanced Plotting 1. This
lesson explores what plot really is, and
discusses the importance of beginning with a
dynamite premise. It also explores the
importance of subplots and offers help in
building them.
8. Advanced Plotting 2. With
help again from Sol Stein and Thomas Sawyer,
this lesson discusses the importance of
identifying those things your protagonist
greatly desires — and then frustrating him in
his quest. Sawyer leads you through a long list
of potential problems in plotting — and reveals
the devices that will help you overcome them.
Advanced Techniques
9. Researching the Novel. Most
novelists, whether writing historicals, science
fiction, or techno-thrillers, will need to
conduct research before and during the writing
of their novel. This lesson explains the types
of research you’ll need to do, depending on your
genre — and suggests where you can go to conduct
that research.
10. Exposition. All writers
face the need to explain a few things about
their characters and the novel’s situation —
without obviously interrupting the novel’s
action. The ways to handle that exposition
efficiently and unobtrusively are discussed in
this lesson, from placement to point of view to
use of dialogue for exposition, and much more.
11. The World of Your Story: Time and Place.
A novelist builds an entire
world for his readers — not only in space, but
also in time. This lesson explains how that’s
done, from the psychology of place to the
importance of detail in creating a sense of
place convincingly.
12. Handling Flashbacks. Any
piece of fiction creates a pattern in time, and
that pattern may not, at its best, be strictly
chronological. This lesson explores both the
big-picture and the niggling principles that
enable writers to use flashbacks and otherwise
jump around in time clearly and convincingly.
13. Implication and Resonance.
Our fiction, like Jesus’ parables, works
primarily through implication — through what is
implied but not openly said. This lesson
examines both the importance of that principle
and the ways to make it come alive in fiction,
with practical advice for creating resonance and
using effective figures of speech.
14. Finding Your Voice — and Your Story’s.
Voice is related to point of
view — but it’s not the same thing. In this
lesson, we define and explore this complicated
concept, differentiating between the author’s
distinctive voice and the narrative voice of a
particular piece of fiction.
15. Style in Fiction. When we
say we love (or hate) a novelist’s style, what
do we mean? This lesson examines the many
components of style: creating a gripping
beginning, writing with the senses, cutting all
that isn’t necessary, and writing with
particularity and detail.
16. Message Fiction. Fiction
and drama are the moral art forms. For
Christians, what does that mean? This final
lesson discusses how to find and develop your
theme, how to distinguish between message and
theme, and how to avoid preaching. We also
explore the phenomenon of the crossover book.
Fiction Required Texts
Journeyman fiction
students will need these four books, which may
be purchased at a 20 percent discount from the
Guild:
Creating Fiction edited by
Julie Checkoway
Fiction Writing Demystified by
Thomas B. Sawyer
Stein on Writing by Sol Stein
Writing the Breakout Novel by
Donald Maass
Nonfiction Lessons
(for those who chose the nonfiction track)
1. Discovering Your Market Options.
Are you aware of current market needs — and how
to meet them? This lesson guides you through the
kind of market research that makes you a winner.
The keys are to investigate both demographic and
publisher trends, record your findings, and
craft your writing accordingly.
2. Corralling Your Big Idea.
Where do winning ideas come from — and how you
can wrestle down your big idea and turn it into
an article or book that excites readers? This
lesson includes practical advice on generating
and refining ideas, then structuring your
writing for reader application.
3. Making the Most of Research.
You need to know where and how to dig for
information to enhance your writing with that
content and pizzazz that enrich the reader and
make you a widely published writer. A detailed
case-study illustrates the principles every
writer should know.
4. Interview Techniques and Tactics.
To get the information from interviewees that
you need to enhance your article or book, you
need more than a list questions. You’ll learn
the why, when, and whom of interviewing — and
the essentials of preparation and research.
5. Transforming Interview Notes into Gold.
Even the most successful Q and A session needs
the deft touch of a good writer to give an
article or book the golden touch. This lesson
begins with five key factors that affect any
interview, as well as effective interviewing
techniques, then explores the steps to take
afterward to shape the responses into written
form.
6. Fiction Techniques for Nonfiction.
Today’s storytelling approach to communicate to
both head and heart calls for integrating
fiction techniques into nonfiction articles and
books. Examining Jesus’ teaching, the lesson
includes voice, dramatization and dramatic
structure, first-person narration, and
descriptive technique.
7. Effective Dialogue.
A good story, including nonfiction accounts,
calls for scintillating dialogue that shows
rather than tells. This lesson shows how to use
realistic dialogue not only to convey action,
setting, characterization, and plot, but also to
advance a persuasive argument.
8. Using Your Stories.
You may have the greatest personal stories, but
you must learn to use them judiciously. This
lesson considers five purposes you can
accomplish with personal illustrations, how to
select and frame your stories, and how to weave
them effectively into your chapter or book.
9. Using Other People’s Stories.
Gathering and integrating other people’s stories
can dramatically enrich your chance for
publishing success. But you need to know how to
acquire the accounts you need and what pitfalls
to avoid. Then come the steps of diamond-cutting
to assure each account fits the exact theme and
purpose of your piece.
10. Turning Articles into Books.
Once you’ve done the research, you may find that
you are only skimming the surface when writing
an article. Is there enough material to expand
to expand the short treatment into a book? This
lesson guides you through the principles to
select which topics to work with, then how to
follow through.
11. Turning Book Chapters into Articles.
You are in a position to write strategically for
a maximum readership because you have already
learned how to write life-changing articles. Use
the same tactics in writing a book, and you will
have chapters that can do double duty. A
well-written book has several chapters to which
you can apply keen editing techniques to create
freestanding articles — and in the process
promote your book.
12. Catching the Book Reader.
The first chapter of a book not only introduces
readers to both writer and content, but also
must entice them to keep going. To engage and
change today’s readers, we need to be such
refreshing and fresh communicators that we catch
them off guard and awaken them to new insights
of how Christ’s life can be formed in us and
change behavior.
13. Engaging the Reader.
How can you attract and hold a reader’s
attention past the first chapter? Here you’ll
examine the traits of engaging writing. Begin by
focusing on the reader’s needs and interests and
using active, vivid, colorful writing. Then use
proven techniques to invite reader interaction,
such as making effective use of stories and
using content to touch the reader’s heart.
14. Building a Structure That Organizes Content.
Just as the human body needs its skeleton and a
house needs its foundation, every article or
book needs internal structure for effective
presentation. Learn methods of designing, then
maintaining a structure appropriate for your
audience, content, and purpose.
15. Action Please.
Today too many articles and books
settle for an entertaining, informative
presentation that barely hints at the action
that should be taken. Others present that facet
in such an imperious manner, it alienates the
reader. Here we examine effective ways to lead
readers into God-pleasing action that can
transform their lives.
16. The Role of a Co-author.
What should you do when an opportunity presents
itself to help someone write an article or book?
This concluding lesson examines the role and
responsibilities of ghostwriter and co-author,
as well as the considerations to take into
account so you can avoid problems and complete
the assignment with mutual satisfaction.
Elective Lessons
Select any four of these six lessons:
1. Time Well-Spent. By
Julie-Allyson Ieron. Whether inspiration awakens
you at 2:00 in the morning or ideas come in the
shower or while dicing onions, you need time to
write. You’ll learn how to process time,
decompress time, digitize time, prioritize time,
and guard time — even make best use of the time
when you are doing no more than sitting at a
desk and staring into space.
2. Agents: What You Need to Know.
By Cecil “Cec” Murphey. If you’ve been asking,
“How do I get an agent?” maybe that’s the wrong
question. The real question is, “Am I a
potentially good client for an agent?” You’ll
get a thorough introduction to not only the
multifaceted role of agents, but also your
responsibilities.
3. Marketing Yourself and Your Writing.
By Carmen Leal. When it comes to getting radio,
television, and print opportunities, it’s all
about connections. That includes the publicity
department at a publisher, getting endorsements,
getting book reviews, and enlisting the media.
Learn from a writer who has mastered the art of
marketing.
4. The Speaker as Writer. By
Roger Palms. You may be a speaker who wants to
write or a writer who wants to speak. You can do
both as long as you understand the differences
between spoken and written communication. Learn
how from one who speaks internationally on this
topic.
5. Leveraging Technology. By
Carmen Leal. If you worry about the transition
from the typewriter to the computer, or the
telephone to the Internet, here’s your chance to
learn how to take advantage of the revolution in
technology for writers. Learn to make the most
of your computer and writer-friendly software
and enlist the help of PDAs, digital recorders,
and digital cameras.
6. Op-Ed Opinion Opportunities.
By Glenn Arnold. One way to lessen the agony
of the wait between submission and publication
is to write for your community newspapers.
Discover the do’s and don’ts of how to use
letters to the editor as a springboard to guest
opinion pieces and editorials in local
newspapers.
This
course begins with six core lessons
covering self-editing, proposals,
ethical considerations, and how
to integrate life and Scripture.
Over the next 16 lessons you
