WRITING CLASSES & GROUPS
My classes offer an intimate, personalized online group setting to help you improve your writing, stay accountable to your goals, and receive useful critique. Classes are held over Zoom. Though live participation is requested, all classes are recorded and can be watched if missed.
Each class, maximum of 12 people, works as follows (approximately):
• 30-45 minutes of live craft instruction
• 10-15 minutes of in-class writing prompts
• Guided peer critique of a 10-15 page submission(approximately 20-30 minutes per student). 1-2 students per week
• Goal setting and accountability
Most classes are 8 weeks, though some may vary. Classes run between 1.5 and 2 hours long. Each of the classes listed below are offered live at different times of the year, but all are available self-paced, with videos, slides, and work submitted to Jordan. Dates will vary so check back. Classes are non-refundable. However, if needed, you may receive a credit, which can be applied to any of my services, including editing or coaching.
Self-Paced Writing Craft Classes
LIVE CLASSES ARE ON HOLD UNTIL SPRING, 2024. SELF-PACED COURSES ALWAYS AVAILABLE.
WRITE-LIFERS
ONGOING WRITING GROUP
Starts:
2nd Weds, 5pm PT &
4th Saturday, 11am PT each month.
VIRTUAL LIVE ONGOING WORKSHOPS
LIVE CLASSES ON HOLD Except Write Lifers Writing Group. The content in these ongoing workshops are more variable, structured less around one craft theme, but maintain the same framework as all other classes. These classes alternate between a session of Fiction Frenzy and a session of Our Stories.
FICTION
FRENZY
TBD. Fridays, 4 p.m. PST
When we read great stories, the story craft is often seamless—we are drawn into the characters, their problems, and the action on the page. But any writer who has tried to write one knows that building great stories takes a lot of behind-the-scenes work. Fiction Frenzy is a workshop that studies these underpinnings to demystify what makes great stories work, bringing together essays and lessons on the craft of writing, contemporary examples of great fiction, and group critique to lay bare the elements of great stories. Whether you’re working on your first novel or your tenth, short stories or novellas, this course can help you take your fiction craft to the next level.
Each week for 8 weeks we will:
-Read an essay on the craft of writing or analyze an example of contemporary fiction
-Receive a live craft lecture based on the reading
-Engage in live writing prompts
-Participate in group critique
OUR
STORIES
TBD. Fridays, 4 p.m. Pacific.
Memoir/personal essay can be both cathartic and healing for the writer, but in order to make our stories resonate for readers, we have to apply a solid level of craft. Just writing down what happened isn’t enough to bring it to life for readers. In this workshop writers will learn from essays on craft and examples of memoir and essay to treat their story much the same way fiction writers approach a novel: by turning yourself into a character (known as the narrator), discovering your own inciting incident, and building the framework of a narrative arc (a plot). We explore a variety of techniques, styles and approaches to writing about yourself. For essay, memoir and other creative non-fiction writers.
Next session begins: August 25, 2023, 4 p.m. PT. Fridays.
Each week for 8 weeks we will:
-Read an essay on the craft of writing or analyze a memoir chapter or essay
-Receive a live craft lecture based on the reading
-Engage in live writing prompts
-Participate in group critique
Self-paced Asynchronous Classes
Interested in any of these classes but don’t have the time to show up each week? You can take these same classes self-paced. You will be able to:
• Watch recorded videos of each class (you will receive them once each week, at the same cadence as the live students)
• Receive a *critique from Jordan on up to 15 pages
• Receive one 30-minute writing coaching session with Jordan
WRITE-LIFERS WRITING GROUP
The Write-Lifers Writing group works as follows: This is an ongoing monthly writing group that meets virtually by zoom the *2nd Wednesday of every month at 5pm PT and the *4th Saturday at 11:00 am PT. You may pay monthly ($50) or annually, for a discount ($550). (You will have the option to pay each month--it will not automatically bill you). You can hit or miss as many months as you like. Each session will last between 1 and 1.5 hours. We will: Discuss a writing craft lesson Engage in writing prompts Set goals for accountability Also: During the month I will also send out readings and other resources You will also have access to a Google drive where you may exchange work for peer critique *Please note that sometimes these dates may change, due to holidays or other situations, but you will be apprised in advance.
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HOW TO WRITE
A PAGE TURNER
Tension in novels, stories, and even memoirs, is like the connective tissue that allows muscles to attach to bones, and thus flex their might. It’s the heart of conflict, the backbone of uncertainty, the hallmark of danger. It keeps readers guessing, and characters on their toes. This class will help writers master the art of tension on every page and within every element of the story to crafting a story your readers can't put down!
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SCENE
STEALER
Scenes are the building blocks of great fiction and memoir. Scenes bring flat narrative into full color action, demonstrate compelling characters and add up to create powerful plots. When you feel connected to the characters and in the midst of action, you're in scenes. In this class, writers will learn scene essentials and ingredients, how to design them, how to demonstrate characters in scene, how to evoke setting, the senses and use images, and how to make every scene count toward the plot. Check out my collaboration with Writing Mastery Academy (https://www.writingmastery.com/scene-crafting-masterclass): The Scene Writing MasterClass.
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POWERFUL
PLOTTING
Do you struggle to finish your story or get stuck in the middle? Getting down the bones or architecture of plot is one of the most important parts of writing a compelling story. Whether you consider yourself a “pantser” or a “plotter” this class will demystify multiple types of plot structures, help you identify the key markers and turning points of character transformation, and break down your plot at the scene level.
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Writing the
Intimate Character
What makes those books you can’t put down until your eyelids are sandy and your brain is buzzing, compelling? Unforgettable, unique characters who are real, flawed, complex and human. In this class writers will learn what it takes to build complex characters, unlock the essentials of point of view (POV), learn about key “character cues” crucial to demonstrating character, and much more.
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REVISE &
POLISH
The relief of a first draft often gives way to the panic of how to polish and revise. In this workshop we’ll learn strategies for revising in waves, from the sentence level to the architecture of plot, shoring up scenes and deepening characters.
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EMOTION &
IMAGERY
Start spicing up dull, lagging scenes in your novel with memorable, metaphorical imagery. In this workshop you'll learn the power of images to transform serviceable sentences with sensory images that convey emotion and theme with subtlety. You’ll also learn key strategies to demonstrate and reveal character emotion. Writers will come away from this workshop with a visceral, clear understanding of “show, don’t tell.”
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WRITE KILLER
SENTENCES
Writers get so busy nailing down characters and plot that we often forget about the humble sentence. Your story may be great, but do your sentences sing? In this workshop you'll learn to transform serviceable sentences with arresting prose and sensory images that convey emotion and theme with subtlety. We'll explore a variety of writing styles, assess and shape your writing voice, and pin down what it means to have a writing style. You’ll tease apart metaphor and simile and play with the sound of words and useful literary devices for prose that wows instead of whimpers.
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PERSIST &
PUBLISH
The writing life is a twisty one, full of as many challenges as there are joys. In order to stay persistent on the path to publication, writers need to develop deep, creative roots that remind you why you write, and skills to cope with the rejections, frustrations and revisions of taking a project from conception to final polish and ultimately, publication. This course draws upon ideas such as apprenticeship, resilience, accountability and more to teach you the skills you need to build a deep and lasting writing practice that not only survives the trials of the craft, but sets you up for success in publication.
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NAIL YOUR STORY'S
VOICE & TONE
Every genre has its own unique signatures that readers come to expect, known as voice and tone. These elements make it possible to identify the genre within a few pages and often reflect the personality, mood and spirit of your characters and your themes. Nailing your novel (or memoir's) voice and tone will not only make sure you’re meeting readers’ expectations, but it can increase your chance of publication. In this class we'll learn: • The difference between voice and tone • How to use syntax and word choice to shape your characters’ voice • The power of verbs and sentence structure on voice/tone • How to consciously create a mood (tone) in your work • How character personality, emotion and observations create voice • How your characters’ experiences, opinions and world view affect voice • The importance of dialogue • How voice and tone play out in different genres • How imagery, specificity and musicality shape voice and tone
Sign UpWRITING COACHING
Looking for one-on-one coaching to improve your writing craft, receive feedback and accountability and/or pursue publishing goals? Writing Coaching may be the perfect step for you. Contact me for details and pricing.
CLASS REVIEWS
Sarah H.
"I took Jordan’s class TWICE, because it was that good. I must have hit the lottery with both classes because there were literary professionals taking it too. Not only did I get clear useful instruction from Jordan, when it came time for group critique, I had my pieces read by authors, editors, and screen writers. Is it worth your time? If you want to get published it is. Is it worth the money? Are you kidding me. Do it, sign up."
Martha S.
"Fiction Frenzy remains the perfect machinery by which to crank up the writing-glow. Jordan is a wise and gentle co-pilot, helping writers soar. As a creative writer, Fiction Frenzy is the writing class of my dreams."
Stewart G.
“I’ve taken a number of these writing classes from Jordan Rosenfeld and found each one to be extremely valuable. Jordan has a way of creating a low-key environment that has allowed me, a developing writer, to learn a lot about writing technique as well as how to receive and accept constructive feedback in order to continually grow and improve. I highly recommend Jordan as a teacher, coach, mentor, and/or editor.”