DAY ONE
- Brief overview of different fiction age groups
and genres, with a discussion of the sentence structure for each
type of text
- What is Story?
--How to generate story ideas
--Brainstorming activities
-
Developing Unique, Believable
Characters
--The importance of creating full,
believable characters as a basis for your plots
--Two types of conflict: internal and external
--Character development exercises with whole-class
participation
- Plot Development—Three Act Structure
--Linda's unique method for plotting fiction is
explained and demonstrated
--Together we'll create plot lines for a picture
book, chapter book, middle grade and young adult
novel, based on the recommended reading list
provided with Bootcamp confirmation materials.
- Q & A session where Linda and Laura answer the most
frequently-asked questions from Bootcamps (you'll have time during
the weekend to ask other questions as well)
- Small Group Discussions
--Class will be divided into small critique
groups based on the age group for which
participants want to write, and create a character and plot line
as a group.
DAY TWO
- Putting It All Together
--Dialogue
--Description/Setting
--Point of view
--Show, don't tell
--Rhythm and rhyme
- First Sentences/First Paragraphs
--Class will analyze opening sentences and
paragraphs of published works, and create a first
paragraph for their own manuscript.
- Re-Vision
--Learn to use the same techniques as
professional editors for revising and polishing
your own work. Class will examine sample
manuscript pages before and after the editing
process.
- To Market, To Market
--How to research appropriate publishers for your manuscript
--Formatting your manuscript for submission
--Writing a winning cover or query letter
--Writing a story synopsis using the Three Act Structure
- Small Group Discussions
--Class breaks into same groups as on Day One to
share and critique first paragraphs, story ideas,
or plot outlines from their own works-in-progress
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