Do you want a structured overview of the writing craft(s)? Are you interested in learning the psychology of storytelling? What about getting a storytelling edge by learning the secrets of reader engagement?
The Writing Jungle
Jane is an aspiring writer, who, like everyone else before her, parachutes straight into the writing jungle. And, like everybody else, she finds herself hung up on a tree with her parachute. The tree is the writing skill How to Write in Limited POV. She looks around and notices a hundred more trees from which other aspiring writers are dangling. She cuts the parachute lines, drops to the ground, makes a somersault forward, and jumps to her feet. Around her, writers of all ages are cutting paths through the jungle. Jane can see just ten meters into the thicket. How she wishes he had a map and a navigation system.
She calls out for help.
Well-meant answers arrive from all directions. ”Create an interesting character and give her a great goal.”
“Write what you want to read.”
“Create a sense of wonder.”
“The more conflict, the better.”
“Don’t write to get published, grab the reader.”
“Be captivating. Or memorable.”
“Keep the reader turning pages.”
“Be unpredictable and keep the reader curious.” Five years later, Jane is still cutting her way through the writing wilderness. She has hugged countless writing skill trees, sun-tanned at the romance beach, ascended the suspense mountain, and hiked the Hero’s Journey track. But the storytelling jungle remains uncharted land. What else is out there? She is still looking for a map and navigation system.
Course Duration
The course duration is two months. In case someone falls behind, he/she can have an extra week or two during which I will continue to give feedback on assignments.
What you will learn if you take this course:
The eight writing crafts (the map): Big Idea, Genre, Narrative, Story Outline, Characterization, World Building, Scene & Chapter Structure, and Prose
How to engagers readers with the eight crafts
A fresh definition of story that keeps your writing focused
How to use the psychology of storytelling to write immersive stories
The adversity cycle and how to use it to streamline your story outline
How to author stories before writing them
How to differentiate between protagonistic and antagonistic genres, story outlines, and scenes and why that matters
A new way of dealing with the shapeshifting writer’s block
Lessons include:
Lesson material
Assignments
Questions and exercises that help you improve your WIP
Writing prompts
Links to additional tools and resources
Links to relevant Lawson Writer's Academy courses that allow you to dig deeper into the crafts and sub-crafts
Who should take this course:
Aspiring writers
Writers who are a couple of years into their writing journey but got lost in the weeds (as it happened to me)
Writers interested in the psychology of storytelling and the secrets of story engagement
Writers who want to refresh their take on storytelling
Watch how Craig Tuch, Roland Hulme, and Stefan Emunds discuss the eight writing crafts, how to engage readers on multiple levels, the difference between emotions and feelings, and how to revive a dead book.
Course Overview:
Lesson 1: The Eight Crafts of Writing
The writing jungle
A fresh definition of story
The difference between creativity and craft
The storytelling map
Reader investment and engagement
Lesson 2: The Psychology of Storytelling
A comparison of life and stories
Janus, the god with two faces
The way we respond to life and stories
The Eight Crafts story psychology
Lesson 3: The Big Idea
Big Idea basics
Big Idea types
The Story Promise
Different Approaches to Creating Story Promises
Lesson 4: Narrative Part 1
Narrative basics
Narrative styles and genres
The author’s voice
The narrative frame
Lesson 5: Narrative Part 2
The technicalities of Point of View
Narrative information management
Narrative tone and mood
The difference between exposition and backstory
Non-linear and parallel narratives
Lesson 6: Genre Part 1
Genre basics
Genre proper
Genre, emotions, and stakes
Stake spectrums
Lesson 7: Genre Part 2
External genres and their stakes
Internal genres and their stakes
How to find new genres
Genre conventions
The difference between genres and Amazon categories
Lesson 8: Story Outline Part 1
Story Outline basics
Why stories can’t have enough adversity
The adversity cycle: how we deal with adversity in real life
Lesson 9: Story Outline Part 2
The story cycle: the origin of Story Outline
The benefits of the adversity cycle
The story engine
Nanomine - a story engine experiment
Lesson 10: Story Outline Part 3
The four act structure
Stake thresholds and how to raise stakes
The Eight Crafts scene outline of act 1
The Eight Crafts scene outline of act 2
The Eight Crafts midpoint scene outline
The Eight Crafts scene outline of act 3
The Eight Crafts scene outline of act 4
Lesson 11: Story Outline Part 4
How to add genre conventions to your story’s scene outline
Scene types and nests and how to use them
Motivations, wants, goals, needs, and objects of desire
The internal story engine
The psychology of Story Outline
Story Outline archetypes
Plots and how to use them
How to align your external and internal plots
Better story graphs
Lesson 12: Characterization Part 1
Characterization basics
The difference between sympathy and empathy
How to weave empathy
How to weave sympathy
The protagonist, sympathy, and heroism
The antagonist, antipathy, and villainy
Lesson 13: Characterization Part 2
How to design character arcs
An overview of story character types
How to use story character templates.
Lesson 14: Characterization Part 3
The Big Five story character templates
The twenty-two story character templates
How to profile story characters
How to design character conflict
How to show and reveal character
How to manage backstory
Lesson 15: World Building
World Building basics
World context
The world power system
World setting
Story context, outline, and characterization
World moods
How to manage exposition
Lesson 16: Scene Structure Part 1
Scene Structure basics
Scene elements
Scene building blocks
Lesson 17: Scene Structure Part 2
The three basic scene arcs
Scene types and templates
How to structure chapters
Connecting scenes: the scene train technique
Lesson 18: Prose Part 1
Prose basics
Vocabulary, choice of words, and diction
How to come up with fresh expressions
How to manage pace and rhythm
How to use poetic devices in fiction
How to highlight important words
Lesson 19: Prose Part 2
The six scene building blocks
The narrative scene building block
The description scene building block
The internalization scene building block
The action beat scene building block
The dialogue scene building block
The dialogue tag scene building block
Lesson 20: Prose Part 3
The difference between subtext and supratext
How to balance scene building blocks
How to spotlight scene building blocks
How to put moods on the page
Lesson 21: Writing Craft Miscellanea
What kind of writer are you?
Writers are hybrids: artists & crafts(wo)men
How to author a story first and then write it
The manuscript turning point
How to integrate the eight writing crafts
How to use the Eight Crafts of Writing to understand and overcome your (shapeshifting) writer’s block
Bonus Lesson: Use the Eight Crafts of Writing to Sell Your Book
How to use the Eight Crafts of Writing to design your book exterior
Your opening sells your book too
Teacher
Stefan writes inspirational non-fiction, visionary fiction, and runs an online enlightenment workshop. Enlightenment and storytelling have interesting parallels, which enticed Stefan to write a book about storytelling - The Eight Crafts of Writing. Stefan was born in Germany and, after graduating, enjoyed two years backpacking in Australia, New Zealand, and South-East Asia. Back home, he studied general electro-technology and pursued a career as a sales and business development manager in Europe, Middle East, and Asia. Semis-retired now, he lives with his son in the Philippines.
I found Eight Crafts very helpful and informative in helping me hone my writing craft. I had no previous ideas how to structure a novel or create a story outline. I've read various books on the topic, but this is the first course that I've taken to include writing prompts and lesson exercises. Even though, I wasn't able to complete the course, I copied the remaining lessons with intentions of completing them at my leasiure. The instructor Stephan was very attentive and knowledgeable about teaching the elements on writing a novel. I look forward to learning more from him in future classes.
Carol Seymour
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