Instructor: Lisa Lerner
Maybe you have a novel you've been dying to write, but have no clue how to begin. In this workshop, we will focus on nailing down the most important elements of story: conflict, stakes, consequences, and the emotional heart at its core. We will sketch out a beat sheet, with an emphasis on the foundational beats and do a deep dive into your main character's internal psyche and how their external journey (the plot) will help them heal the wound that's preventing them from achieving their heart’s desire. If it sounds like a lot – it is! But you'll have all of cold, dark February to plan the narrative structure and themes so you can start cranking out that hot first draft in the shine of spring. Let's go!
We will use the beat sheet plotting tool in Save the Cat Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody, so please have a copy before the first class. You don't need to read the whole thing in advance, but it will save time if you use the book to identify your genre ahead of our first class.
This workshop is appropriate for writers of middle grade, YA, and adult fiction, or of memoir.
Optional Add-On: Lisa is available for a one-hour private Zoom consultation for registered students. These consultations will be scheduled outside of class sessions, at a time that is mutually convenient for instructor and student. This consultation includes reading a one-page pitch and synopsis and a maximum of a five-page sample of your manuscript. All submissions should be 12 pt font double-spaced. The consultation hour will involve an in-depth conversation regarding the writer's story premise with the aim to understand, clarify, and elevate the writer's unique vision. Sign up for Add-On when you purchase your class.
Long ago, Lisa Lerner was a professional rubber stamp cutter, children’s party entertainer, and NYC performance artist. Then one day that lasted five years, she wrote a novel called Just Like Beauty that became a New York Times Notable Book of the Year and is now in development as a movie shooting in 2027. Lisa has been writing stories for educational publishers such as Scholastic and McGraw Hill for over 25 years, as well as penning short fiction for McSweeney’s, Hobart, and other places, and teaching writing workshops to adults and kids. When she is not writing her next adult novel, she is a proud member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, a juror for the annual Scholastic Art and Writing Competition, and a trustee on the board of the Kingston Library in New York. Visit www.lisalerner.com for student testimonials and a glimpse into Lisa’s past and present lives.