Cancelled
Tuesday, Nov. 19th, from 6 - 7pm | A well-crafted plot is essential in both fiction and memoir; just look at any bestseller list. Why is plot so important? As Christopher Lehman-Haupt observes, “The beginning of plot is the prompting of desire.” Our characters must deeply want something, and that desire starts a journey filled with unexpected challenges and pleasures.
Laurie Ann Doyle, who writes both fiction and creative nonfiction, will discuss a surprisingly powerful yet largely unknown approach to plot: how what is narratively not present—a missing father, a lost object, even an unexpressed feeling—has been a major theme in literature and can serve as a creative spark for your own work. She will share examples from well-known books, read a short excerpt from her own writing, and provide craft techniques. She’ll also offer brief writing exercises to give participants first-hand experience on how a focus on what's missing can be transformative.