Do you struggle with plot? Do you know what your characters look like, and how they behave, but can’t seem to get them to do anything? One way of resolving this issue is by thinking about your characters in terms of what they want. This is the approach we’ll be taking in this class.
We’ll start out by analyzing how, precisely, a given protagonist’s desires dictate the plot of a story. To do this we’ll be reading work by writers such as Flannery O’Connor, Taiye Selasi, Raymond Carver, and Han Kang. Students often express the concern that overemphasizing plot will rob their work of literary merit and focusing too much on character will make their story boring—but in this class you’ll find there are many ways to balance plot and characterization.
This workshop is open to students of all experience levels and to stories with any amount of action. You’ll be free to work on a quiet family drama, or a story chock-full of explosions and car wrecks, so long as you are receptive to creating emotional stakes that are as high as is appropriate for the nature of your story. To accomplish this, you’ll be asked to clearly articulate your protagonist’s desires and who or what is getting in the way of what they want. This information will serve as a guide while you’re writing.
Each student will submit their work to the group twice. Please keep in mind that participation is mandatory. Everyone (including myself) will be expected to meaningfully comment on each story presented to the class. By the end of our six weeks together, writers will have a more nuanced understanding of character motivation and more confidence in their ability to plot a story.
This class will meet over our video chat platform. You will need to use Google Chrome to join your class meetings.
COURSE TAKEAWAYS:
- Student and instructor feedback on two pieces of your fiction.
-An improved understanding of the fundamentals of storytelling (with special emphasis on character and plot).
-A one-on-one conference for feedback on your strengths as a writer and possible approaches for improvement.
- The opportunity to generate new work--and hopefully have fun while doing so!
- Access to Catapult's list of writing opportunities and important submission deadlines, as well as a 10% discount on all future Catapult classes
Lauren Wilkinson earned an MFA in fiction and literary translation from Columbia University, and has taught writing at Columbia and FIT. She was a 2013 Center for Fiction Emerging Writer’s Fellow, and has received support from both the MacDowell Colony and the Djerassi Resident Artists Program. Her fiction and essays have appeared in or are forthcoming from Granta, The Believer, and The Millions, among other publications. American Spy, her first novel, is a Spring 2019 Barnes & Noble “Discover Great New Writers” pick. Lauren grew up in New York and lives on the Lower East Side.
"Lauren has a way of seeing through the confusion. She helped me build my story into something understandable, with a structure that made it strong enough to stand on its own.”
“Lauren’s reading eye is surgical and generous. I can always count on her to tell me something I don’t want to hear but know I need to.”
"Wilkinson works within the true history of Burkina Faso, blending high-stakes political drama and Marie's contemplation of the sister she lost and what her own choices will mean for her sons. Appealing in its insightful characterizations, well-plotted action, and rich settings, this should find a large audience."
“There are many tangled strands to unravel here for Marie, the reader, and first-time novelist Wilkinson, who nonetheless navigates the psychic and physical terrain of this tale of divided loyalties with the poise of such classic masters as Eric Ambler and Graham Greene spiked with late-20th-century black American intellectual history.”
“[AMERICAN SPY] is a thrilling, razor-sharp examination of race, nationalism, and U.S. foreign policy that is certain to make Wilkinson’s name as one of the most engaging and perceptive young writers working today. Marie is a brilliant narrator who is forthright, direct, and impervious to deception—traits that endow the story with an honesty that is as refreshing as it is revelatory. This urgent and adventurous novel will delight fans of literary fiction and spy novels alike.”
