Blank Page, Empty Stage: Using Improvisation Techniques to Make Your Writing Stronger — a Live Fiction Seminar with Sage Tyrtle on Sunday, November 1st, 2026
Begins Sunday, November 1, 2026
Live One-Day Seminar via Zoom from 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM ET
🌍 Class Times by Time Zone: Los Angeles (PST): 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM / Chicago (CST): 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM / New York (EST): 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Now Enrolling! Any questions about this class? Use the Chat Button to talk with us.
Instructor Bio
Instructor Sage Tyrtle writes stories unsettling enough for The Offing, yet NPR let them on air. Included in Best Microfiction, Moth GrandSLAM winner, and Pushcart nominee, they've taught 150+ workshops for Smokelong Quarterly and Clarion West, among others. Their work lives at the intersection of literary craft and, "Wait, did they just say that?"
Who is this class for?
This online writing class is for fiction writers who want to borrow the tools of stage improvisation to strengthen their scenes, dialogue, and tension. It's open to all levels — whether you're just starting out or looking to shake loose a stalled draft, you're welcome here.
What to expect:
When two improvisers walk out on stage, there's no set. Just two chairs and two human beings, creating a whole world out of nothing but their minds. As Sage puts it, that's exactly what you do at the blank page — the only difference is the medium. In this two-hour fiction writing seminar, you'll learn to apply the same techniques improvisers use to build scenes that feel genuine, specific, and charged with lyrical energy, moving past generic settings and flat exchanges.
Drawing on sixteen years of performing and teaching improv theatre, Sage will guide you through several classic improv formats and show how each one unlocks something on the page. You'll use "Armando" to generate fresh, unexpected story ideas, explore "Harold" and "La Ronde" for structure and character interaction, and examine the craft of "heightening" to build positive tension across a scene and a story.
You'll write throughout the session, and Sage will offer gentle, constructive feedback on the pieces you generate live — the kind of encouraging, hands-on response that helps a creative writing workshop feel like a room full of collaborators rather than critics.
What are the writing goals?
In this course, students will generate new fiction in real time using improv-based prompts and receive gentle, constructive verbal feedback on the work they produce during the session. You'll leave with a working understanding of how to heighten tension over the arc of a scene and a story, tools for finding fictional stories inside real events, a broader sense of conflict beyond character-to-character sniping, and a set of new, unusual story formats to keep playing with.
COURSE OUTLINE
Hour 1: Dialogue That Matters to the Reader; Finding Your Story Idea with "Armando"; Specificity Counts
Hour 2: Don't Solve the Problem; Cooperation vs. Conflict; the "Harold" Format; the "La Ronde" Format
COURSE TAKEAWAYS:
- A strong sense of how to heighten tension over the course of a scene and a story
- Tools that help you find fictional stories inside real events
- An understanding of conflict that exists outside of character-to-character sniping
- New, unique story formats to play with
TESTIMONIALS:
"This was a great class. The pace and structure were excellent. Not too much info, while providing some really solid concepts that I had never heard before."
"One of the best classes I have taken. Clear, usable craft principles. What did I find most valuable? The need for an element of risk -- interior or exterior -- which is important for story impact."
"This class exceeded my expectations. A story worth telling includes risk & emotional extremes but needs balance between positive & negative emotions. Sage got these points across magnificently. Highly recommend."
"Sage is so welcoming and so gentle in her teaching. A lovely experience."
“Loved it!"
"This class exceeded my expectations! Sage was extremely knowledgeable and thoughtful and provided meaningful feedback."
"A lovely atmosphere and a great mix of learning from examples and prompt work. Thanks!”
“It was the perfect, chill way to close out the weekend, and I left with workable drafts and many ideas.”
"I loved the number and quality of the in-class prompts."
"The instructor was lovely, encouraging, ehtusiastic and the information well-chosen, and I appreciated her suggestions for exercises."
“When Sage Tyrtle talks, people don’t just listen. They hang on her every word.” – Toronto Star
“As each of us feels more comfortable, we share intimate moments from our lives. It’s different from the stand-up I tried, because, ultimately, success isn’t dependent on making people laugh.” – Now Magazine
“Thank you for giving us a night to remember. You are a true professional, gifted and talented. Thank you for inspiring us, making us think differently and pushing us to be better communicators. The feedback from all the participants was so positive.” – Wendy Kauffman, Vice President, Brown & Cohen Communications and Public Affairs
“We have received really great feedback, some people saying that this is the best session we have had at our KE retreats, so thank you so much for your engaging presentation!” – Rebecca Phillips Konigs, CAMH
PAYMENT OPTIONS:
Tuition is $99 USD. You can pay for the course in full or use Shop Pay or Affirm to pay over time with equal Monthly Payments. Both options are available at checkout.
ONLINE COURSE STRUCTURE:
- Instructor: Sage Tyrtle
- Begins Sunday, November 1, 2026
- Class will meet once via Zoom on Sunday, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM ET
- Tuition is $99 USD.