Novel Writing 101 // ZOE FISHMAN
Have an idea for your novel? Let’s get started by focusing on your pitch, synopsis, outline, point
of view, and characterization. My personal critiques of your submitted materials, along with
additional evaluations by your peers, are part of this six-week class.
Zoe Fishman is the 2020 Georgia Author of the Year. She is the bestselling author of six novels and the winner of several awards, including Booklist’s “Top 10 Books of the Year” and an Indie Next pick. She’s been featured on “City Lights” with Lois Reitzes and in Publishers Weekly and the Atlanta Jewish Times, among others. Her essays have been published in the New York Times, the Atlanta Journal Constitution, and Modern Loss. Zoe was the director of the Decatur Writers Studio and a visiting writer at SCAD Atlanta. She lives in Decatur with her two sons.
Poetry Pop-Up // KAREN JAVITS
Step into the enchanting world of poetry, where your senses will be immersed in the art of lyrical expression. In this Poetry Pop-Up class, you’ll explore the magic of reading poems (like a writer), engage in generative writing exercises, and appreciate and practice how sound, imagery, and lineation bring poems to life. Whether you’re a novice or an experienced poet, or simply intrigued by the idea of writing poetry, this class will spark your creativity and passion for the written word!
Karen Javits is an MFA candidate in Poetry and Creative Writing instructor at Georgia State University. She is an assistant editor at Five Points: A Journal of Literature & Art. She has 24 years' experience teaching writing in middle and high schools, community learning centers, and at the college level. Karen has won an International Merit Award for her poem from the Atlanta Review and attended the Sewanee Writers Conference as a Tennessee Williams scholar. Karen enjoys hanging out with her family in Decatur, GA, and visiting the mountains and being near a lake or the sea.
Inside the Outline // MICKEY DUBROW
Starting a novel is much easier than finishing one. Too often, writers lose interest, forget the story they’re trying to tell, or have trouble finding time to write, especially when careers, family, and other obligations keep them from writing. Creating an outline provides a road map so that when the writer is ready to sit down to write, they can easily pick up where they left off. It also frees them to write non-linear. In this two-hour workshop, participants will:
- Learn the essential elements for a novel outline
- Create an outline using index cards (cards will be provided)
- Explore various types of outlines to determine which works best for each writer
Mickey Dubrow is the author of Always Agnes and American Judas. For over thirty years, he wrote television promos, marketing presentations, and scripts for various clients, including Cartoon Network, TNT Latin America, and HGTV. His short stories and essays have appeared in Prime Number Magazine, The Good Men Project, The Signal Mountain Review, Full Grown People, and McSweeney’s Internet Tendency. His first novel, American Judas, was a Finalist for the 2020 Georgia Author of the Year Award in the category of First Novel. He lives in Atlanta with his wife, author Jessica Handler.
