Presenting #CritClub

In June/July I’ll be teaching two multi-session workshops and a few one-offs. Here’s what’s coming up.

To register for any class, mail me at cat@kittywumpus.net and tell me a) which classes you want to register for, b) what rate is applicable, and how you would like to pay (Paypal, Venmo, or check preferred.)

Extended Workshops

Find the Heart of Your Story: How to Use Theme, Motifs, and Symbols in Fiction

Everyone tells you that a story needs a theme, but how do you figure out what your story’s theme is? And once you know that, how do you go about conveying and underscoring that theme without hammering a reader over the head with it? How do motifs, symbols, and other devices work to enhance the theme? We will explore theme, motifs, and symbols from a craft perspective and develop skills with them through a mixture of lecture, discussion, and writing exercises.

This class is designed for writers who understand story basics and are looking to advance and refine their short story skills. Students will work with one story over the course of the workshop in order to apply new skills as they are acquired.

Meets Sunday evenings, 7-9 PM Eastern time, June 1, 8,15,25 and July 6. (5 sessions)

Cost: Free to Schoolhouse Rock and Super Extra Deluxe Campus Pass holders, otherwise $299 for Patreon supporters; $399 for all others. Partial and full scholarships available; BIPOC, neurodiverse, and LGBTQ+ writers are particularly invited to apply.

The Basics of Fiction Series

Each two hour workshop covers what you need to know to really understand one of the fundamentals of fiction. Each session focuses on a specific aspect of fiction: characters, world-building/setting, and plot and includes writing exercises designed to hone your skills in this area.

This class is designed for newer writers who want to strengthen a specific aspect of their writing or build their skillset overall.

• Character Basics, Saturday, June 7, 9:30-11:30 AM Eastern time
• World-building Basics, Saturday, June 14, 9:30-11:30 AM Eastern time
• Plot Basics, Saturday, June 28, 9:30-11:30 AM Eastern time

Cost for series/individual workshop

• Entire three sessions $99 for Patreon supporters, $199 for all others.
• Individual session: $49 for Patreon supporters; $79 for all others.
• Partial and full scholarships available; BIPOC, neurodiverse, and LGBTQ+ writers are particularly invited to apply.

Single Session Classes

The cost of single session classes:

• Patreon supporters at the $25 and higher levels – free
• Patreon supporters at lower levels – $49
• All others – $59
• Partial and full scholarships available; BIPOC, neurodiverse, and LGBTQ+ writers are particularly invited to apply.

Ready to Rock and Roll: Planning Your Book Publicity Campaign

Got a book coming out in the next year that you want to launch? Join me for a session where we’ll talk about different facets of book publicity, what steps you can take to maximize them, and how to create a plan that will carry you through the campaign.

This class is aimed at writers who are publishing independently or with a small press, although the plan will also help those publishing traditionally.

7-9 PM Eastern, Tuesday, June 10

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You Should Take This Class: Writing Second Person

Second person can be one of the most interesting POVs to work in, due to its complexity and relationship with the reader. How do you work with a reader’s innate resistance to being told what to do in order to exploit the unsettling nature of the POV? What stories are best suited to be told in second person. Through a mix of lecture, exercises, and discussion, you’ll learn how to use this POV and what to avoid.

This class is designed for writers who understand story basics and want to explore this POV in order to refine and advance their skills.

7-9 PM Eastern, Tuesday, June 17

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Canva Basics for Creating Book Covers, Zoom Background, Social Media, and More

The Canva tool can be a huge help when trying to create graphics. Learn how to use it for the things you’re most likely to want, such as Zoom backgrounds or posts sized for specific social media, as well as how to use templates and the resize tool to save yourself time.

This class is aimed at all writers looking to create graphics for self-promotion.

7-9 PM Eastern, Tuesday, June 24

Cussin’ in Secondary Worlds
Saturday, June 10, 9:30-11:30 AM Pacific Time

Cursewords, expletives, and more – those things your characters say when nothing else will do – tells you more about the world (including issues of class, cultural taboos, and more) than you might imagine. How cussing and worldbuilding interrelate. AKA the class where we say F*ck a lot.

Join Norton Award winning author Fran Wilde, author of Updraft, Cloudbound, and The Jewel and Her Lapidary for a workshop that will leave you ready to swear magnificently.

Classes are taught online via Google hangouts and require reliable Internet connection, although in the past participants have logged on from coffee shops, cafes, and even an airplane; a webcam is suggested but not required.

To register for this class, mail me with the following details:

• The email address associated with your Google account
• Which class or classes and the dates
• Remind me if you have already taken a class with me so you can get the former student rate ($79). Otherwise the cost is $99.
• Whether you would prefer to pay via Paypal, check, or some other means.

Upon receiving that, I will send you an invoice.

Important! Remember every class has at least one Plunkett scholarship for students who could not otherwise afford the cost. To apply for a Plunkett, mail me and tell me why you want to take the class in 100 words or less.