
Four Films That Will Help You Write Your Novel 5-Week Zoom Class, Starts Tuesday, November 7th, 2023
Begins Tuesday, November 7th, 2023
The class will meet weekly via Zoom (Tuesdays, 6:00PM CST - 7:00PM CST) and also have an online classroom in Wet Ink.
Note: This class will skip the week of Thanksgiving. Class meetings will be on November 7th, 14th, 28th, and December 5th and 12th.
Any questions about this class? Use the Chat Button (lower left) to talk with us.
In this course, we will explore and discuss the ways in which analyzing film can lead to breakthroughs in the plot, structure, and narrative voice of your novel-in-progress.
Whether you are in the early stages of drafting, such as working on an in-depth outline, or you are revising a completed manuscript for clarity, coherence, and depth of character development, dissecting the works of four master storytellers can assist in making your own stories snap together in myriad, illuminating ways.
Class will meet on Tuesday nights on Zoom for discussion. At each meeting, the instructor will provide questions to guide your viewing of each film. Students will then view the film and take notes on their own time. The Zoom sessions will be recorded, and can be made available for students unable to attend live.
Students will leave the workshop with drafts or outlines that are more developed and coherent. From week to week, Samantha will provide questions that students can answer informally while viewing, including some asking how the film/storytelling elements may have helped them see their own work more clearly and/or develop certain aspects further.
THE FILMS:
- ABOUT ELLY (2009), written and directed by Asghar Farhadi (plot, conflict, tension)
- KNIVES OUT (2019), written and directed by Rian Johnson (plot, characterization)
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THE FAREWELL (2019), written and directed by Lulu Wang (dialogue, symbolism)
- MOONLIGHT (2016), written and directed by Barry Jenkins (coming-of-age narrative structure, plot)
COURSE TAKEAWAYS:
- Characters that are more richly developed, with sharper motivations.
- Plots that are more structurally sound, with less meandering, and pacing that will keep a reader engaged.
- A clearer, more consistent narrative voice and well-chosen moments of dialogue.
COURSE OUTLINE:
- Week 1: Introductions and goals for the workshop; introduction of the first film, with Samantha's guided viewing questions.
- Week 2: Plot, conflict, tension
- Week 3: Plot, characterization
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Week 4: Dialogue, symbolism
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Week 5: Coming-of-age narrative structure, plot
ONLINE COURSE STRUCTURE:
This class meets weekly via Zoom and will also have an online classroom in Wet Ink. Come prepared for a super fun class with live interaction on Zoom each week and plenty of writing, movie watching, and talking!
PAYMENT OPTIONS:
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.
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Instructor: Samantha Mabry
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Workshop starts Tuesday, November 7th, 2023
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Course is fully ONLINE and will meet weekly via Zoom on Tuesdays from 6:00PM - 7:00PM CST.
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Note: This class will skip the week of Thanksgiving. Class meetings will be on November 7th, 14th, 28th, and December 5th and 12th.
Instructor Samantha Mabry is the author of three novels published by Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, including ALL THE WIND IN THE WORLD which was nominated for the National Book Award in 2017, and, most recently, TIGERS, NOT DAUGHTERS, which has been optioned for film. Her fourth novel, CLEVER CREATURES OF THE NIGHT will release in March of 2024. Her short work has appeared in D MAGAZINE's annual summer fiction issues and has been anthologized. In addition to writing, Samantha teaches courses in college composition at Southern Methodist University.