Creative Writing at the Stuart Community Center

Current class: Intermediate Creative Writing

Links Week Two:

Save the Cat! stuff

Robert J. Hankes, Jr.’s Creative Writing Philosophy

YOU CAN WRITE!
READERS WANT TO READ YOUR WORK!
Writing is some art, but mostly craft — you can learn how
Writing can be both fun and profitable

Stuart Community Center Classes

Introduction to the World of Creative Writing (outline of course)

Time to write that book? Short story? Poem? Screenplay? I’ll help you achieve your goal. All levels of writers, brand-new writers to published authors, welcome. Ages 12 and above. Here’s what we’ll learn:

I. How to get it written

Week 1: Hour 1: Use brainstorming and freewriting to get words on the page every day.

Hour 2: What do we mean when we say a novel, short story, or poem is “good?”

Week 2: Hour 1: Who or what is stopping us from writing? We’ll discuss Gail Godwin’s essay, “The Watcher at the Gates.”

Hour 2: The structure of every novel and short story ever written: Save the Cat! by Blake Snyder

II. How to organize what you write

Week 3: Hour 1: Using Save the Cat! to organize your tale. Group writing.

Hour 2: Cementing the structure in your brain by discussing “Five Tuesdays in Winter” and a Pixar cartoon: “Snow Globe.”

III. How to publish what you write

Week 4: Hour 1: Why you should traditionally publish and forget self-publishing.

Hour 2: Guest speaker discussing the above.

Week 5: Hour 1: Why you should self-publish and forget traditional publishing.

Hour 2: Self-published author Mary Walsh on how to do it and why.

Week 6: Hour 1: TBA

Hour 2: Final reflection: what have you learned, and what’s your next step?

Note: I ask that you write about 3 pages / day every day at home for the duration of this course. Any topic. Any style. Any number of words. I also ask that at least once a week you share your writing with me so we may celebrate your accomplishment!

Writing to Heal

Have you suffered a traumatic event? Has something impacted you physically, psychologically, or relationship-wise, and remains on your mind? Do you carry a secret that you need to address? If so, you may benefit by taking the Writing to Heal class.

We’ll use techniques created by Dr. James W. Pennebaker, who, for decades, has scientifically tested the beneficial effects of expressive writing. His books, Expressive Writing: Word that Heal and Opening Up by Writing It Down document how expressive writing may positively affect your health and well-being. Neither the facilitator nor the students will read anything you write. Instead, as we write, we’ll focus on positive changes in how we perceive ourselves.

For more information, contact Bob Hankes at Robert.hankes@gmail.com. Register for this class on the Stuart Community Center website.

Course description

During our six-week course, we will write at home each week at least three times, at least twenty minutes each time, in response to one of Dr. Pennebaker’s healing exercises (Bob will make the assignments).

Each class night, we’ll follow this schedule:

Hour 1: We’ll begin with a passage from Dr. Pennebaker concerning the healing power of writing. We’ll discuss Pennebaker’s ideas, then segue into discoveries we made while doing last week’s writing. Those willing to share may do so.

Hour 2: After our break, we’ll write a fourth time for twenty minutes. Those who wish to share and discuss what we just wrote may do so.

After two weeks, four weeks, and after the class ends, I’ll ask everyone to document his or her overall progress (to be done outside of class).