Literary Arts

Getting a first draft of your book on paper is an enormous task. Many people commit to National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) as a process for getting it done. Over 11,000 authors sign up to participate, striving to write 50,000 words in 30 days. Only about 12% reach the goal. (I was one!). Professionals and hobbyists alike know the creative process expands far beyond the word on the page - from inspiration and intent to planning and editing, there’s a lot to think about in the midst of creating. This workshop is about preparing to write. By the end of the session, you will have an understanding of many aspects of story structure, theme, audience, character development and practical tools for getting the work done. Our time is spent with lessons, sharing and feedback, exercises and work time, and celebration of being an artist. Registrants should bring a project they are considering that is in early stages of development, any genre, fiction or nonfiction. Completed works or drafts will not be read or critiqued.

Instructor Info:  David Alan Brown holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. He is the author of two nonfiction books (The Self-Help Paradox and Answer The Call), and has also written a YA novel, short stories and freelance journalism through American Media Distributors. His play Beginning Again was chosen Best New Play by the Alleyway Theater of Buffalo, NY and the world premier was staged there in February, 2018. The same play, under the title Lily’s Blue, was a winner of the Landing Theatre’s 2015 New American Voices competition and was a semifinalist in Kitchen Dog Theater’s 2014 New Works Festival. In 2009 The Manhattan Theatre Source chose It Is What It Is, a full-length drama, for its Playground Development Series. His comedy shorts have been performed by The Actor’s Project of New York and Frogs With Fangs Comedy Troupe. David lives in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Getting a first draft of your book on paper is an enormous task. Many people commit to National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) as a process for getting it done. Over 11,000 authors sign up to participate, striving to write 50,000 words in 30 days. Only about 12% reach the goal. (I was one!). Professionals and hobbyists alike know the creative process expands far beyond the word on the page - from inspiration and intent to planning and editing, there’s a lot to think about in the midst of creating. This workshop is about preparing to write. By the end of the session, you will have an understanding of many aspects of story structure, theme, audience, character development and practical tools for getting the work done. Our time is spent with lessons, sharing and feedback, exercises and work time, and celebration of being an artist. Registrants should bring a project they are considering that is in early stages of development, any genre, fiction or nonfiction. Completed works or drafts will not be read or critiqued.

Instructor Info:  David Alan Brown holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. He is the author of two nonfiction books (The Self-Help Paradox and Answer The Call), and has also written a YA novel, short stories and freelance journalism through American Media Distributors. His play Beginning Again was chosen Best New Play by the Alleyway Theater of Buffalo, NY and the world premier was staged there in February, 2018. The same play, under the title Lily’s Blue, was a winner of the Landing Theatre’s 2015 New American Voices competition and was a semifinalist in Kitchen Dog Theater’s 2014 New Works Festival. In 2009 The Manhattan Theatre Source chose It Is What It Is, a full-length drama, for its Playground Development Series. His comedy shorts have been performed by The Actor’s Project of New York and Frogs With Fangs Comedy Troupe. David lives in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Revision is “re-seeing” a piece of writing from a fresh, critical perspective. This part of the writing process is where good writing becomes great. Revision involves making major changes to a document’s content, structure, and organization. A writer skilled in revision work will make sure that everything fits the purpose of the document - looking at the organization of paragraphs and their relation to one another, or moving sentences or paragraphs from one part of the text to another. As a last step in the revision process, the writer decides if there are parts of his or her work that can be eliminated, ranging from words, sentences, paragraphs, to entire pages. In this workshop we will discuss all stages of revision and how to become comfortable revising your work.

Instructor Info:  Steven Veatch is a writer of poetry, essays, book reviews, science and history articles, and professional papers His work has been published in Kansas City Voices, The Betsie Current, Ute Country News, and Colorado Life. He holds a BS in Business Administration from Colorado State University- Pueblo, a MA in Management from Webster University, and a MS in Earth Science from Emporia State University. Steven also coordinates our annual ARTiFACTORY poetry event in collaboration with the Benzie Area Historical Society. He is based near Kingsley, Michigan.