A Fiction Workshop on Pacing Your Novel
ALL LEVELS
Every novel tells the story of characters moving through time. But how should a novelist manipulate that time span? Which periods should be hurried through with an overarching narrative summary, and which should be lingered on in detailed scenes, with dialogue and description? When should the author take the time to create atmosphere and offer details, and when should the plot move forward at a faster pace, ensuring the reader’s continued interest and excitement? These questions form one of the most complex and difficult of a novelist’s challenges: determining a novel’s pacing and momentum.
In this seminar, participants will analyze the elements of pacing and the many speeds and styles with which narratives can carry the reader through time. The class will examine the work of several well-known authors—from J.R.R. Tolkien to Kazuo Ishiguro to Elena Ferrante—to find examples of different narrative speeds, and to discuss the pitfalls of books that are too fast, too slow, too stilted, or too detailed. Taking into consideration the novel that each attendee is writing, the class will also explore the connection between the aim and genre of any given novel and the pacing it requires.
By the end of the seminar, attendees will increase their understanding of the mechanics of pacing and, in addition, will have a better sense of which pacing technique will work best for their own book.
+ PLEASE NOTE This workshop will occur IN-PERSON at USM in Portland. The week before the workshop, attendees will be sent the exact location of the workshop, as well as parking info.
Ursula DeYoung is a writer, teacher, and editor living in Cambridge, Mass. After receiving her doctorate in History from Oxford University, she transitioned into writing fiction, often set in the past. Her first novel, Shorecliff, about a family gathering on the coast of Maine in 1928, was published by Little, Brown in 2013, and she is currently working on her second, an exploration of class and friendship in the early 20th century. She teaches creative writing at the GrubStreet Writing Center in Boston and also works as a freelance editor.
ADVANCE REGISTRATION REQUIRED
All MWPA workshops require advanced registration. We accept registration by phone, mail, and online via our website. We cannot guarantee registration in the final 24-hours before a workshop, and can rarely accommodate day-of registration.
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If you need to withdraw from a class after registering for any reason, please email or call the MWPA immediately. You may be eligible for a partial refund or credit, depending on how far in advance you cancel. → MORE INFORMATION
QUESTIONS
For any questions regarding this workshop, please contact Meghan Sterling at programs@mainewriters.org.
REGISTER BY PHONE
Call 207-228-8263 and register with your VISA or MasterCard.
REGISTER BY MAIL
If you prefer to pay by mail, please print this registration form (downloadable PDF) and mail it to the MWPA with a check or credit card information.
$70 Members / $100 Nonmembers
SCHOLARSHIP
The MWPA is proud to offer one full scholarship to this workshop for members-only. Scholarships are awarded on a combination of need and merit. Contact Meghan at programs@mainewriters.org to see if the scholarship is still available. Application Due on October 1st at 9:00 a.m.
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