Start Your Novel

In this class you will have the opportunity to learn the necessary skills to take your novel idea and turn it into an outline and the first chapters of the novel. You will have the opportunity to learn to introduce your main characters and conflict without getting bogged down in detail. In addition, instruction will be given on how to fill in the necessary backstory, those important events that occurred before the story began. You will also have the opportunity to learn to continue moving the plot forward even while filling in the backstory. Finally, instruction will be given on the necessary hooks to keep readers interested and foreshadowing the ending from the beginning.
You will learn the techniques for beginning a novel through reading sample chapters from a classic novel "The Great Gatsby," recognized as a great 20th novel, and available online. This novel will be used as a model in all of the novel writing courses.
In addition, students will participate in weekly writing exercises toward the completion of their novel chapters.

Week 1: Getting ideas, difference between "short story scope" ideas and "novel scope ideas," deciding protagonist and main conflict, the genre of novel, and developing your idea into an outline
Read: outline of "Great Gatsby"
Write: Your novel idea and novel outline

Week 2: Where to begin? Deciding the correct place in the story events to open your novel. Introducing the main characters, the narrator, the major conflict, the inciting event.
Read: The first chapter of "The Great Gatsby"
Write: Your Chapter 1 of your novel

Week 3: What do I do about all that stuff that happened in the story before chapter 1? Techniques for addressing backstory: flashback, dialogue, interior monologue
Read: chapter 2 of "The Great Gatsby"
Write: chapter 2 of your novel

Week 4: How do I keep readers interested? Building the complications and introducing new complications. Foreshadowing future events.
Read chapter 3 of "The Great Gatsby"
Write: chapter 3 of your novel



Instructor: Stacia Ann

About The Instructor: Stacia Ann is an Linguistics Lecturer and Writing Instructor at the University of California. She has a doctorate of Education, Master's of Art in English/TESOL. This instructor has taught writing classes for over ten years. She also teaches academic writing and English as a Second Language at the University of the Pacific. A published author including works of short fiction and academic nonfiction including contest winning stories.