Story Structure Simplified: How to Shape Your Narrative for Maximum Effect with Debra Jo Immergut (Zoom) on Saturday, August 1st, 2026

2025-12-05T12:08:33-06:00

Price: 99.00

Saturday, August 1st, 2026

Class will meet once via Zoom on Saturday, 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM Eastern

🌍 Class Times by Time Zone: Los Angeles (PDT): 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM / Chicago (CDT): 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM / New York (EDT): 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM / London (BST): 8:00 PM – 10:00 PM / Berlin (CEST): 9:00 PM – 11:00 PM

Any questions about this class? Use the Chat Button to talk with us.

Instructor Debra Jo Immergut is the author of the novels You Again, named a New York Times Best of the Year and shortlisted for the 2021 Gotham Book Prize, and The Captives, a 2019 Edgar Award finalist and published in over a dozen countries. She has also published a collection of short fiction, Private Property. Her essays and stories have appeared in American Short Fiction, Narrative, The New York Times, PANK, Hobart, and elsewhere. A recipient of Michener and MacDowell fellowships, she has an MFA from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. Debra has extensive experience teaching creative writing courses in undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education programs. She lives in western Massachusetts.

Who is this class for?

This online writing workshop is for fiction and nonfiction writers who want to learn key strategies for building stories with strong structures and narrative momentum. Open to all levels.

What to expect:

How do you turn that amazing idea into a fully formed story that moves in believable and surprising ways from beginning to end? In this 2-hour intensive, you'll explore how successful stories engage our curiosity, build momentum, and leave us feeling changed.

Led by Edgar-nominated novelist Debra Jo Immergut, this online writing class combines illustrated lecture, group discussion, and generative brainstorming. You'll examine examples from masters including Shirley Jackson, Jesmyn Ward, George Saunders, and F. Scott Fitzgerald. Together, you'll break down these stories' magical effects into actionable strategies for creating shapely, satisfying narratives. The instructor will provide input on story ideas and structural strategies throughout the session.

What are the writing goals?

Writers of fiction or nonfiction at all levels will exit this creative writing workshop with a set of practical tools for structuring current and future work. You'll gain concrete strategies you can apply immediately to your own writing projects.

COURSE OUTLINE

Part 1: Yearnings — Understanding character desires and their role in story structure

Part 2: Struggle — Building tension and conflict that propels your narrative forward

Part 3: Change — Crafting meaningful transformation and development

Part 4: Endings — Creating satisfying conclusions that resonate with readers

COURSE TAKEAWAYS:

Define the drivers of the story: gain a clear understanding of your characters' desires and how they influence story structure

Rethink classic story shapes: go beyond the 3-act structure and other familiar approaches to discover the unique armature that will best support the story you want to tell

Practice ways to boost "page-turn-ability": get three foolproof tactics for writing scenes that increase momentum and feel logical yet surprising

A practical toolkit for structuring current and future fiction or nonfiction projects

TESTIMONIALS:

Debra is not only a gifted writer, but she is a gifted teacher of writing. She meets writers where they are and gently takes them to the next level, with insightful feedback, warmth, and good humor. — former student

Debra has a magical way of fostering rigor, curiosity, and generosity, and my work has grown immensely since the start of the course. — former student

Debra’s laserlike comments and brilliant suggestions have kept me going this fall and winter. I really can’t recommend this experience enough. — former student

I had a wonderful time in Debra’s workshop. A few things stand out: Debra’s warm, welcoming manner and her care in assembling a group of bright, engaged writers. She helped me develop a non-punitive plan — “a roadmap, not a train schedule” — toward completing the first draft of my novel, which has resulted in fruitful writing months. — former student

I made so many notes throughout the course about how I might use these strategies in my work. I want to map out the existing structure of the stories I'm revising to help me see what patterns and rhythms emerge and how I can work to complete them in a satisfying and resonant way. I'm feeling excited about completing an unfinished story and revising the two that I'm trying to get ready to send out into the world. Thank you for pointing out a few mechanisms to try! — former student

Great balance of instruction and writing time. Loved it, wouldn’t change a thing! Appreciated the instructor’s thoughtfulness and engagement. I’m very new to writing and found the content very helpful and accessible. — former student

The content was fabulous; the examples were so eye-opening. It really is the best workshop I've taken in the last year. — former student

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.

Instructor: Debra Jo Immergut

Begins Saturday, August 1st, 2026

Class will meet once via Zoom on Saturday, 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM EST