S20 MFAW-VT Residency

I am a Planner. I love outlines. To me, they are handy guides, good listeners, and perfect for experimentation, and yet, so many writers balk at the idea. This type of writer is called a Pantser—named for the seat by which they fly. To Pantsers, outlines are strict authoritarians, roadblocks to creativity, and absolutely, positively not into the idea of Change. But here's a secret: fear of outlining is the first sign of the Evil Internal Editor saying, "You can't do this!" Writing a novel can be a wonderful experience, or a frightening one, depending on how well you have prepared. Outlines are a big part of that preparation. In this workshop you’ll begin to develop your own personal guidebook to get you through the process from start to finish. We’ll do exercises to help you focus your concept and start drafting a “map” for your project. We’ll also discuss how to tackle each day’s journey to help you get to “the end,” and what to do next. Be prepared to think and write! Suitable for fiction, non-fiction and graphic novel and dramatic writing. Poets welcome, too!