Description
An editor and publisher at major trade houses in New York for over 30 years will live-edit 10 pages of each participant’s work. Participants will electronically submit in advance 10 pages—a proposal, short story, novel, memoir, or nonfiction work) two weeks before class begins, so instructor and fellow writers will have time to read the pages before our workshop.
The first ten pages of a work are especially important. They almost always demonstrate the strengths and weaknesses of a writer, and either interest or turn off a reader. The instructor will “live edit” the submitted pages, sentence by sentence, page by page, pointing out strengths and weaknesses, suggesting changes, and explaining why she is suggesting each change. This will be not only be a live line edit, but also an analysis of the pages as a unit, including discussion of voice, characterization, point of view, showing vs. telling. We will also delve into grammar, syntax, literary devices (metaphor, simile, litotes, repetition for effect), and stylistic choices (first person vs. third person; authorial intrusions, foreshadowing, etc.). Students will be encouraged to ask questions as we proceed.
Any writer can greatly benefit from a close editorial analysis not only of his or her own work, but also the work of another writer. Since we will spend thirty minutes on each submission, this workshop must be limited to 8 writers.
