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Start the New Year With Writing with James Van Pelt
January 3 @ 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
Free
This workshop series is full. If you want to be added to the waiting list, let us know by email here.
Join the Western Colorado Writers’ Forum for a second round of writing workshops with James Van Pelt in January 2024! The feedback from his September series was phenomenal.
From one participant: “I am so impressed by the professionalism, effort, and enthusiasm of the instructor; and the generosity of his time and energy. What the class got out of a measly $10 materials fee is college-level writing instruction, both structured well enough to be deeply useful and laid back enough to encourage questions and input. I got more out of 6 hours here than I did in years of undergrad writing instruction.”
This workshop series is set for Wednesdays, January 3-24, 2024, from 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. in our conference room at the Center for Independence in Grand Junction. There is a $10 materials fee due to the instructor at the first workshop; cash is appreciated (credit card option not available). We will email the exact location and instructions ahead of time to all registered students.
Registration is required. Seats are capped at 13 participants. Once filled, we will start a waiting list.
Class Outline
- January 3, 2024
Idea production – The most common question asked of writers is “Where do you get your ideas?” We’ll explore strategies to start stories, build plots, and create vivid story moments.
- January 10, 2024
Theme – Like flavor in a meal, theme permeates a story’s every bite. Discussion and exercises will focus on discovering and amplifying your tale’s significance.
- January 17, 2024
Getting unstuck – Most writers at one time or another run into the dreaded “writer’s block.” What strategies can we use to break through narrative walls and produce more work on the other side?
- January 24, 2024
Being your own best writing teacher – Taking classes is all fine and good, but you can grow your skills and knowledge every day. We’ll look at the numerous resources and best practices you can use in your writing journey.
We recommend registering at the top left of this page at your earliest convenience!
Instructor Bio
James Van Pelt has been selling short fiction to many of the major venues since 1989. Recently he retired from teaching high school English after thirty-seven years in the classroom. He was a finalist for the Nebula, the Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award, Locus Awards, and Analog and Asimov’s reader’s choice awards. Years and years ago he was a finalist for the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer. He still feels “new.” Fairwood Press recently released a huge, limited-edition, signed and numbered collection of his work, THE BEST OF JAMES VAN PELT. He can be found online at https://www.jamesvanpelt.com or on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/james.vanpelt.14