On Saturday, May 11th, on the Rutgers-New Brunswick campus, I am hosting a novel-writing boot camp for, well, novel writers. The day features one-hour workshops from acclaimed novelists Jami Attenberg, Gretchen Felker-Martin, James Hannaham, and Brandon Taylor. There will also be a masterclass by Benjamin Dreyer, the chief copy editor of Random House for more than thirty years, on how to copy edit yourself and produce tight, clean prose, and a session with literary agent Johanna Castillo on what to expect when you're expecting an agent. The day ends "The ABCs of Novel Writing," a workshop on taking a novel from idea to finished book.
The boot camp costs $50, and lunch is included! REGISTER, NOW!
SCHEDULE
9:30 - 10 am
Coffee & Pastries
10 - 11 am
Session 1 Brandon Taylor or Jami Attenberg
11:15 am - 12:15 pm
Session 2 James Hannaham or Gretchen Felker-Martin
12:30 - 1:30 pm
Lunch
1:45 - 2:45 pm
Session 3 Johanna Castillo
3 - 4 pm
Session 4 Benjamin Dreyer
4:15 - 5:30pm
Session 5 Roxane Gay
WORKSHOP DESCRIPTIONS
How to Use Yourself in Your Fiction – Jami Attenberg
Are you interested in writing the story of your life—but in fictional form? Do you find the idea of doing this both terrifying and exhilarating? (Good, you should.) Whether you’re wondering how to get started or even if you’re already in the middle of the writing process, this workshop will help you establish a healthy relationship with examining and exploring the self as it translates to a fictional universe. We will discuss how to channel past memories that are both inspirational and challenging and also how to identify useful narrators from your personal history. We will also strategize how to identify positive intentions and boundaries for yourself when it comes to subject matter and characterization. The end goal? How to transform “the real truth” into effective fiction. (Without losing any friends along the way!) Includes generative writing exercises.
Event and Situation – Brandon Taylor
This workshop will focus on the crucial process of selecting the right event and situation for a given novel or story. The event or situation that will reveal character and throw conflict into the sharpest relief. We will discuss techniques and strategies for identifying the right event or situation as well as how to identify the central event or situation in the work of others.
On Transgression – Gretchen Felker-Martin
An exploration of what pushing moral and ethical boundaries in fiction can achieve for both readers and novelists, as well as the history of transgressive fiction.
How to Break the Rules – James Hannaham
The paradox of writing modern American prose is that there are no rules, except that there are a lot of rules. We’re told we have absolute control over our free expression, and yet some subject matter definitely seems to be off-limits to some writers, and some aspects of form, craft, and genre are frowned upon, scoffed at, and considered unfashionable, often without much explanation why. That can leave writers baffled and unsure of how to proceed. Is it even possible to navigate and/or subvert the confounding expectations of the current reading public? Let’s find out.
What to Expect When You're Expecting an Agent – Johanna Castillo
This is an open Q & A talk on querying and working with an agent. Learn how to focus on your agenting needs and build a long-term work relationship from an experienced senior literary agent and former VP and executive editor.
DIY Copyediting: How to Clean Up After Yourself (Before Someone Else Has To) – Benjamin Dreyer
In this brisk and detailed session, Benjamin Dreyer, former copy chief of Random House and himself copy editor to authors ranging from Shirley Jackson to Elizabeth Strout, will unpack his bag of copyeditorial tricks, accumulated over three decades, to help you polish up your own manuscript before anyone else is tasked with the job. He'll cover topics including effective punctuation, the presentation of dialogue (including troublesome speech tags), pet words (you know you have them), and the virtues of reading aloud. He'll also be eager to answer your questions, so bring them along.
The ABCs of Novel Writing – Roxane Gay
The prospect of writing a novel can be overwhelming. Where do you start? How do you mold an idea into an actual story? How do you sustain your creative energy and motivation? How do you manage the logistics of writing a book-length work? In this workshop, writer Roxane Gay will share the ABCs of novel writing, offering participants some important tools to go from talking about writing a novel to having written a novel.
That’s great to hear. Will look into flights. Live in Canada and not following stories of campus issues too close. Thanks for clarifying.
I wear a kippah and appear visibly Jewish. I’d rather not have to put myself at risk of physical assault to attend. Hopefully you will offer similar in the future.