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Featured Online Character Building Writing Class

Melanie Faith

CHARACTER POWER! Crafting Dynamic Characters within Fiction and Nonfiction by Melanie Faith

START DATE: Friday, October 23, 2015

DURATION: 5 weeks

COURSE DESCRIPTION: “Characters need to exhibit enough conflict and contradiction that we can recognize them as belonging to the contradictory human race,” notes Janet Burroway. In this five-week course, we will discover effective character-building skills within both fiction and nonfiction. Via nonfiction character packets provided by the instructor as well as exercises from the instructional fiction texts, Characters, Emotion & Viewpoint: Techniques and Exercises for Crafting Dynamic Characters and Effective Viewpoints and 45 Master Characters: Mythic Models for Creating Original Characters, students will find inspiration for their own weekly writing assignments.

Each week, students will craft a character-driven piece of 500-1,000 words (topic and genre, whether fiction or nonfiction, of the student’s own choosing) for constructive and supportive instructor feedback. A variety of writing prompts and tips, both in the texts and at the class Grouply group, will spark students’ own characterizations.  Topics covered will include: “Types of Characters—Assembling Your Cast,” “Portraying Yourself: You Are Your Hero,” “Introduction to Supporting Characters,” “The Motivationally Complicated Characters—But I’m a Mess Inside!,” “Talking About Emotion—Dialogue and Thoughts,” and “Frustration—The Most Useful Emotion in Fiction.” Join us for this journey into constructing multi-dimensional, believable characters!

Melanie has been a total joy as a teacher and guide. I found her feedback, critiques, and comments to be extraordinarily helpful and insightful. And the daily prompts and positive reinforcement made this writing class a wonderful experience! ~ Mary Purdy

I took the nature writing class a few weeks ago and it was one of the best courses I've even taken. Melanie Faith is an excellent instructor. ~ Jean Forsythe

Your course has jump-started me back into writing. I have missed it. Thank you. ~ Melissa Healy

Melanie’s class taught me economy of words by using strong verbs and nouns, implying and showing rather than telling, and exploring topics outside of my comfort zone. Her feedback is prompt, detailed and constructive. ~ Rajni Gupta

Melanie Faith’s “Spark and Sizzle Flash Fiction Class” lives up to its title. The sample stories provided were examples of good writing and served as models. Melanie’s prompts came at a rapid pace and kept my pen on the page every day. Her critique comments were sharp and encouraging and challenged me to be the best writer I could be. She is easily available for questions or discussions during and after her classes via her personal email. This is the third class I’ve taken with Melanie and I am looking forward to taking many more in the future. ~ Renee Cassese

Melanie knows how to offer on-the-mark suggestions for writing improvement while also being extremely encouraging (and a joy to work with). I've taken many classes with her, including the flash class, and I plan on taking many more. ~ Marilyn Fahey

Melanie has always shown great insight into my work. Often times, she is able to pull out deeper meanings, that even I wasn't consciously aware of while writing. Her constructive criticism has moved my writing into new directions. I find that I feel more confident and prepared as a writer by having her constant editing eye. I respect that she critiques my poetry honestly, letting me know areas that are weak as well as strong points. I wouldn't be able to grow as a writer if she always told me my poems were great. It's from her perspective of my work that I grow. I enjoy learning through her and appreciate her sharing tricks of the trade that she learned in her masters program.

I'm thankful to know Melanie and hope we remain friends and a poetry support system for the rest of our lives. She's the type of person and writer that anyone would feel lucky to know. She is a great mentor and holds a wealth of knowledge in the written language. Her achievements and constant pursuit as a writer inspire so many. Her determination and skill will go very far and I suspect she'll leave a lasting imprint in the written world. She already has. ~ Courtney Burger

The course was great. I did not want it to end. I have taken several college level creative writing courses, as well as, attended many writer’s workshops, but I have enjoyed this course the most. I really appreciated that Melanie would also critique our re-writes which was very, very helpful. This course has really helped to motivate me creatively. ~ Barb Cramer

Melanie demonstrates particular qualities in a writing teacher/coach that I would recommend for anyone looking for focused attention to help move their writing forward.

I had not taken an on-line course previously, and didn't know what to expect, but Melanie melted the distance, was always accessible, and never missed a beat with out on-line communication. I always felt like I had Melanie right here around my writing table, or knocking on my door saying—“I had a few thoughts..." She provided a wealth of resources and provided us with course materials that were tuned to our course level.

Her insight into my work, in terms of critique, were extremely thoughtful, thorough, and eye-opening. I feel that working with Melanie has allowed me to be braver with my writing and editing—as she was supportive of experimentation and taking chances with style, vocabulary, and theme. She provides serious critique in an atmosphere that, well, just makes me want to keep on writing!” ~ Mary Ellen Sanger

I have taken three courses from Melanie and in each course I grow tremendously as a writer. The texts she uses as well as the handouts and daily writing prompts all contribute to what she refers to as “the writing life” and in her courses that’s exactly what it becomes. Her comments on the pieces go way beyond grammar and punctuation. She delves into the content and clarifies what is good and what can be adjusted to make the piece stronger. I can tell she spends time reading what I write and is prompt in returning the assignments so I always have plenty of time for revision. She treats me, and everyone in the class, like a writer. Her classes are a joy. If there is a course offered by Melanie and I can fit it in, I always take it. ~ Holly Helscher

I have the normal anxiousness of sharing my work while so excited to have Melanie Faith’s critical eye read my writing. It is always reviewed with an eye to improvement and an eye to the thoughts the words contain. This is the first computer class I have ever taken and want to take many more. I also look forward to many more classes with Melanie Faith. ~ Benita Cervantes

Because I love memoir writing, I have taken two memoir/personal essay classes from Melanie. I can’t believe this, but because I enjoy the teacher herself and her method of teaching so much, I’ve even taken a poetry-writing class. I’ve always steered away from writing poetry of any kind ever since I wrote a poem in college (an assignment, not a by-choice piece) and the class laughed because I wrote about a controversial topic and was so naïve that I didn’t even know it was controversial. Every time I’d mention to Melanie that I’d never write a poem, she’d encourage me to take her class, assuring me that I’d be successful. I took the class, and sure enough, I was successful, thanks to Melanie’s velvet critiquing, encouraging comments, and thoughtful suggestions, many times seeing in my writing what I couldn’t see for myself.

I have to rein myself in every time I see in the WOW classes list that Melanie is teaching another essay class. And why is this? In all of my education (B.A. in English and M.A. in English), I never took a writing class. When I was in college, writing was taught only in Freshman English; after that class, we were just expected to know how to write. I learned to teach writing myself by reading books about writing. How refreshing and educational to find a teacher/mentor who exhibits the characteristics that I know an excellent writing teacher has: the creativity to come up with topics that students want to write about, the ability to critique without finding fault, the desire to encourage students to keep on writing even when the juices aren’t flowing. Believe me . . . she’s an excellent teacher. In addition, she became my friend through being my teacher. To be a friend AND a teacher takes real talent. ~ Sandy Young

WEEKS AT A GLANCE:

Duration: (weeks) 5 weeks, Friday, October 23 - November 27, 2015.

Friday, October 23, 30 and November 6, 13, and 20 (instructor sends Nonfiction Character handouts to students)

Friday, October 30, and November 6, 13, 20, and 27 (student assignments due for instructor feedback)

Week One: Types of Characters—Assembling Your Cast; Introducing Characters—First Impressions Count; What are Archetypes, and Why Should Writers Use Them?
Nonfiction Character Handouts (provided by instructor): Excerpts from “Portraying Yourself: You Are Your Hero” from Your Life as Story by Tristine Rainer.

Fiction Text Reading:
Characters, Emotion & Viewpoint: Chapters One and Two, “Types of Characters—Assembling Your Cast,” and “Introducing Characters—First Impressions Count.”

45 Master Characters: Chapter One—“What Are Archetypes, and Why Should Writers Use Them?” and any two archetype chapters of your own choosing (archetypes are found in chapters 3-18, p. 21-165).

Assignment: Craft a character-driven piece of 500-1,000 words (topic and genre, whether fiction or nonfiction, of the student’s own choosing) for constructive and supportive instructor feedback.

Week Two: The Genuine Self; Motivationally Complicated Characters; How to Use the Archetypes
Nonfiction Character Handouts (provided by instructor): Excerpts from “Portraying Others: Casting Your Story from Life” from Your Life as Story by Tristine Rainer.

Fiction Text Reading:
Characters, Emotion & Viewpoint: Chapter Three and Chapter Four: “The Genuine Self—What Is She Really Like?” and “The Motivationally Complicated Characters—But I’m a Mess Inside!”

45 Master Characters: Chapter Two, “How to Use the Archetypes,” and any two archetype chapters of your own choosing (archetypes are found in chapters 3-18, p. 21-165). 

Assignment: Craft a character-driven piece of 500-1,000 words (topic and genre, whether fiction or nonfiction, of the student’s own choosing) for constructive and supportive instructor feedback.

Week Three: Showing Change in Your Characters; Talking about Emotion—Dialogue and Thoughts; Journey Differences; Societal/Gender Differences
Nonfiction Character Handouts (provided by instructor): Excerpts from “Tricks Memory Plays on You and Tricks You Can Play on It” from Your Life as Story by Tristine Rainer.

Fiction Text Reading:
Characters, Emotion & Viewpoint: Chapters Five and Eight: “Showing Change in Your Characters—If I Knew Then What I Know Now,” and “Talking About Emotion—Dialogue and Thoughts.”

45 Master Characters: Chapter Twenty-Three, “Introduction to Archetypal Journeys,” Appendix Charts, “Journey Differences,” and “Societal/Gender Differences,” and any two archetype chapters of your own choosing (archetypes are found in chapters 3-18, p. 21-165). 

Assignment: Craft a character-driven piece of 500-1,000 words (topic and genre, whether fiction or nonfiction, of the student’s own choosing) for constructive and supportive instructor feedback.

Week Four: Special Cases of Emotion and Frustration—the Most Useful Emotion in Fiction; Introduction to Supporting Characters
Nonfiction Character Handouts (provided by instructor): Excerpts from “Truth in Autobiographic Writing” from Your Life as Story by Tristine Rainer.

Fiction Text Reading:
Characters, Emotion & Viewpoint: Chapters Ten and Eleven: “Special Cases of Emotion—Loving, Fighting, and Dying,” and “Frustration—the Most Useful Emotion in Fiction.”

45 Master Characters: Chapter Nineteen, “Introduction to Supporting Characters” and Chapter Twenty, “Friends,” and any two archetype chapters of your own choosing (archetypes are found in chapters 3-18, p. 21-165). 

Assignment: Craft a character-driven piece of 500-1,000 words (topic and genre, whether fiction or nonfiction, of the student’s own choosing) for constructive and supportive instructor feedback.

Week Five: Point of View—Whose Emotions are We Sharing?; Rivals, and Symbols
Nonfiction Character Handouts (provided by instructor): Excerpts from “Characters and Character” from Writing Life Stories by Bill Roorbach.

Fiction Text Reading:
Characters, Emotion & Viewpoint: Chapter Twelve: “Point of View—Whose Emotions are We Sharing?”

45 Master Characters: Chapter Twenty-One, “Rivals,” and Chapter Twenty-Two, “Symbols,” and any two archetype chapters of your own choosing (archetypes are found in chapters 3-18, p. 21-165). 

Assignment: Craft a character-driven piece of 500-1,000 words (topic and genre, whether fiction or nonfiction, of the student’s own choosing) for constructive and supportive instructor feedback.

Materials needed: Students will need a copy of: Characters, Emotion & Viewpoint: Techniques and Exercises for Crafting Dynamic Characters and Effective Viewpoints by Nancy Kress (Writer’s Digest Books, March 2005) and 45 Master Characters: Mythic Models for Creating Original Characters by Victoria Schmidt (Writer’s Digest Books, January 2012). These texts are currently in print and readily available online at used bookstore sites as well as at Amazon.

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR: Melanie Faith holds an MFA from Queens University of Charlotte, NC. Her writing has been nominated three times for the Pushcart Prize. Most recently, her poetry collection, Tiny House, was published by Porkbelly Press in 2015, and her essay appeared in Embodied Effigies. Her flash fiction, “The Slades,” placed honorable mention in the 2014 Bevel Summers Prize for the Short Short Story and was published in Shenandoah (Washington and Lee University). Her WWII era poetry collection, Catching the Send-off Train, was published as the summer 2013 selection at Wordrunner eChapbooks. Her poetry chapbook, To Waken is to Begin, was published by Aldrich Press in September 2012. In addition to numerous photography publications, her instructional articles about creative writing techniques have appeared in The Writer's Monthly Review Magazine, The Writer and Writers’ Journal, among others.

COST:  $185, which includes e-mail critique and positive feedback on student writing, weekly Nonfiction Character handouts, and access to a private group for student interactions.

BUY NOW:  CHARACTER POWER! Crafting Dynamic Characters within Fiction and Nonfiction, with Melanie Faith (5 weeks, starting 10/23/2015) Limit: 10 students. Early registration is recommended.

Notes: Upon successful completion of payment, your name, email address, and contact info will be submitted to your instructor. She will contact you via email so you can get started.

Questions? Email Marcia & Angela at:
classroom[at]wow-womenonwriting[dot]com


 

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