“The only happiness you have is writing something new, in the middle of the night, armpits damp, heart pounding, something no one has yet seen. You have only those brief, fragile, untested moments of exhilaration when you know: you are a genius.” – Lorrie Moore, "How to Become a Writer"

There’s nothing better than that first spark of a story in your head: it’s new and shiny and thrilling, and, for most of us, the best part of the writing process—when the story lives only in our imagination. It’s when we try to put that idea on paper that we encounter frustration and confusion and are (sometimes) tempted to give up all together.

This four-week course will walk you through the first stages of your novel or story as you begin the tricky maneuver of taking your brilliant ideas and putting them on the page. We’ll discuss strategies for overcoming doubt and writer’s block as well as writing habits and work style. Weekly writing exercises, craft lectures, and readings will help you to move forward, begin to develop characters, and shape your narrative.

We will hold weekly discussions and meet once individually. During the class meetings, you’ll discuss readings and the weekly lecture and ask questions about specific challenges that you’re facing. In our individual meeting, we can discuss a writing exercise of your choosing and go over strategies for moving forward in your work.

By the end of this class, you will have some pages of new material and strategies and tips for moving forward with your project.

Bio: Jennifer Close is the best-selling author of Girls in White Dresses, The Smart One, the Hopefuls, and Marrying the Ketchups. Born and raised on the North Shore of Chicago, she is a graduate of Boston College and received her MFA in Fiction Writing from the New School. She now lives in Washington, DC and teaches creative writing at George Washington University.

Getting Started, 4 sessions with Jennifer Close