Class Starts Tuesday, January 14th, 2025

Class will meet weekly via Zoom (Tuesdays, 6:00PM - 8:00PM Central). 

Any questions about this class? Use the Chat Button (lower left) to talk with us.

Led by Antonio Ruiz-Camacho, a National Magazine Award finalist. His debut story collection Barefoot Dogs won the Jesse H. Jones Award for Best Book of Fiction, and was named a Best Book by Kirkus Reviews, San Francisco Chronicle, Texas Observer and PRI's The World. His work has appeared in The New York Times, Salon, Texas Monthly, The Millions, and elsewhere. A former Knight Journalism fellow at Stanford University and a Dobie Paisano fellow in fiction by the University of Texas at Austin and the Texas Institute of Letters, he earned his MFA from The New Writers Project at UT Austin.

A strong opening is the key to luring readers in — and winning them over. In this class, you'll learn the mechanics of compelling openings in fiction — and how to apply them in your own work.

In this class, we would discuss the importance of openings in fiction, dissecting some of the most indelible first pages of fiction ever published and discussing strategies to write compelling first lines and sections that will capture the reader’s attention.

With the use of published examples of memorable first lines and paragraphs, we will understand how the best openings in fiction manage to excite the reader’s curiosity, introduce a setting and lend resonance to the story. And then, we will discuss the class participants' own openings and offer constructive advice in a workshop setting.

We will read openings from novels like Moby Dick, by Herman Melville; Then We Came to the End, by Joshua Ferris; Room, by Ema Donoghue, Yellowface, by R.F. Kuang, and The Association of Small Bombs, by Karan Mahajan.

Students will also read openings from the following short stories: A Good Man Is Hard to Find, by Flannery O'Connor; Brownies, by ZZ Packer; The Things They Carried, by Tim O'Brien, and Pedro Paramo, by Juan Rulfo.

COURSE TAKEAWAYS:

• Learn how to use the different elements of craft to write a compelling opening in fiction.
• Understand the mechanics behind some of the strongest openings in published novels and short stories.
• Develop an instinct for writing and revising the openings of their own novels and short stories.
  

COURSE OUTLINE:

Week 1: Why openings are key; goals of a strong opening; how to excite the reader's curiosity; examples of strong openings in novels; workshop.

Week 2: Elements of a strong opening; how to excite the reader's curiosity (part II); examples of strong openings in short stories; workshop.

Week 3: Class wrap up, Q&A, and final workshop. 

Note: All class participants will receive feedback from the instructor either in a workshop session or in a letter. Writers who do not want to present their pieces in a workshop setting but still want feedback on their drafts can opt out of the workshop and receive a letter from Antonio instead.

WHO IS THIS  CLASS FOR?

Aspiring Fiction Writers: Individuals who are new to writing fiction and want to learn the fundamental techniques for creating engaging and impactful openings for their stories.

Experienced Writers Seeking Refinement: Writers with some experience who wish to refine and enhance their ability to craft compelling first lines and pages to capture readers' attention.

Novel and Short Story Writers: Writers working on novels or short stories who are looking to improve the beginnings of their manuscripts and gain insights into successful opening strategies.

Writers Looking for Constructive Feedback: Those who value a supportive workshop environment where they can receive constructive feedback on their opening pages and learn from the critique of their peers.

PRAISE FOR ANTONIO: 

"The How to Conceive & Structure Personal Essays seminar with Antonio Ruiz Camacho exceeded my expectations. Admittedly, I wasn't sure what to expect because it was my first class with you all, but Antonio's class was so interesting and informative! He covered everything and more about personal essays in his presentation and focused on details and provided great examples in the assigned readings. So far, I'm very impressed with Writing Workshops!" -former student

"Antonio is a great instructor. I signed up for How to Conceive and Structure Personal Essays and it did not disappoint. He very clearly made the point about the details in the narrative expressing the experience. His example readings were great. For a short course, it was excellent." -former student

"How to Conceive & Structure Personal Essays with Antonio Ruiz-Camacho exceeded my expectations. I am currently working on putting together a collection of personal essays that I hope to be published either in book form, or as individual submissions to various print magazines and e-zines. Most valuable #1: I enjoyed the personal essays that were assigned for aloud reading (and I really enjoy reading "out loud" as we used to call it when I was a child). Those assigned essays served as appropriate examples of the gist of Camacho's presentation. Most valuable #2: I particularly found Camacho's explanation of what makes a personal essay unique exactly the motivation I need to want to write personal essays in the first place. Mr. Camacho spoke of intimacy, confession, vulnerability. I think I did say that I was toying with the idea of naming my collection Very Personal, Personal Essays. Mr. Camacho covered what I need to know as a novice when it comes to conception and structure of the personal essay, and I can always conduct independent research as it relates to crafting significant personal essays of my own, moving forward." -former student

"Everything about this seminar with Antonio was great. He was very organized and was very knowledgeable. Highly recommend." -former student

"Antonio's expert advice on framing and structuring personal essays will make my writing more engaging and impactful, unlocking a new level of creativity for me." -former student

"Antonio Ruiz-Camacho's seminar on personal essays was transformative. His insights into combining journalistic methods with narrative storytelling will help me turn my life experiences into compelling essays. The detailed guidance on structure and fact-checking was invaluable, making this class an essential resource for any aspiring essayist." -former student

ONLINE COURSE STRUCTURE:

This class will meet via Zoom.

• Antonio Ruiz-Camacho | Live via Zoom
• Class Starts Tuesday, January 14th, 2025
• Class will meet via Zoom on Tuesdays, 6:00PM - 8:00PM Central
  
• Tuition is $225.