Under the direction of novelist, short-story writer, poet and playwright John Biguenet, this workshop will offer students an opportunity to write short fiction and poetry, as well as dramatic scripts for the stage and screen. Examining the student's own writing alongside published works, the workshop will present instruction in the essential elements of literary forms while providing each participant a community of readers to respond to his or her work. In addition, each student will meet with Biguenet for individual conferences to develop a project for the final portfolio and for submission for publication. The fundamentals of publishing will also be addressed along with other aspects of succeeding as a professional writer.
Travel writer Rolf Potts will lend a professional touch to this workshop, which delves into the essence of nonfiction storytelling. Since the Paris setting is ripe for place-based narrative, travel writing will be a central aspect of this workshop — but students will also be encouraged to explore the art of memoir, as well as the ins and outs of literary journalism. Though this class primarily aims to sharpen and evolve writers' instincts for constructing narratives, it will also touch on the practical matters of working with agents and editors, and submitting stories for publication. Potts will give one-on-one guidance for each student's work, and final portfolios will include one polished nonfiction story to be submitted for publication.
Guided by novelist Irina Reyn, students will keep a notebook throughout the course, working in a variety of modes of journal writing. This notebook will become a source for more finished pieces — poems, short travel, etc. — in the other courses. Writing assignments will be coordinated with readings and with excursions in and around Paris.
The drama of the spoken word is the focal point of this one-time seminar, taught collectively by John Biguenet, Rolf Potts, and Irina Reyn. Regardless of the form they wish to explore, writers will learn how to enhance the dramatic potential of their work through readings in the workshop. Writers will grasp how their presentation appears and sounds to others; and why it is essential for publication that a work possess its own voice once removed from the actual writer.
To start the application process, send an email to: info@pariswritingworkshop.com