Iowa Summer Writing Festival


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Workshop Descriptions & Instructors Faith Adiele Mary Allen Kate Aspengren Thomas Fox Averill Nancy Barry Timothy Bascom Linda Bendorf Venise Berry Bruce Bond Michael Dennis Browne Susan Taylor Chehak John Dalton Thomas K. Dean Amber Dermont Kelly Dwyer Hope Edelman Josh Emmons Katie Ford Patricia Foster Laura Fraser Cecile Goding Douglas Goetsch Kevin González John Griesemer Sands Hall Christine Hemp Jim Heynen Rick Hillis Charles Holdefer Richard Jackson Cheryl Fusco Johnson Wayne Johnson Bret Anthony Johnston Daniel Khalastchi Zachary Lazar Carolyn Lieberg BK Loren Fritz Mc Donald James McKean Gordon Mennenga Katherine Min Sharelle Byars Moranville Michael Morse Barbara Robinette Moss Marc Nieson Shannon Olson Lon Otto Juliet Patterson Anjali Sachdeva Sarah Saffian Sam Samuels Leslie Schwartz Sandra Scofield Mary Kay Shanley Carol Spindel Karen Subach Mary Vermillion Ashley Warlick Jan Weissmiller Bart Yates	Josh Emmons “It Was A Dark And Stormy Night. . .”—Novel Beginnings Weekend Workshop June 21–22 Writing The Novel: Diamonds In The Rough One-Week Workshop June 22–27 Biography “It Was A Dark And Stormy Night. . .”—Novel Beginnings Weekend Workshop June 21–22 How does a great novel begin? Like asking, “What goes into a great meal?” this question is almost meaningless, because it’s possible for two great novels to have very little in common. What can be said is that nothing is more important to readers and editors than a novel’s opening, because if it’s bad—if its night is dark and stormy—no one will read on to discover the beautiful language and exciting plot twists and heartbreaking pathos to follow. In this course designed for all skill levels, we will look at a variety of novel beginnings and identify what makes them work—i.e., how they establish the tone, setting, plot and character concerns that will hook and propel the reader to finish the book. Armed with these precedents and in-class writing exercises designed to start you on a novel, you will be prepared to write your own “All happy families are alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way. Writing The Novel: Diamonds In The Rough One-Week Workshop June 22–27 You’ve worked for a month or a year or—say it proudly—ten years, and you’ve finished a portion of a novel. Or perhaps an entire volume. So long as you have at least a beginning and are committed to transforming it from a rough to a publishable draft, this course is for you. We will spend most of our class time workshopping the section you put up for discussion, so be prepared to give and receive valuable feedback on your and others’ manuscripts, with the goal of helping each become an artistic and professional success. Whether you have specific questions about characterization, voice, pacing, plot, language or dialogue, or whether you’re open for whichever perspectives arise in class, this course will allow you to discover what works and what needs help in your writing, from a group of fellow writers committed to literary growth. Biography Josh Emmons (M.F.A., The University of Iowa Writers’ Workshop) is the author of two novels, Prescription for a Superior Existence and The Loss of Leon Meed. Currently living Philadelphia, he has written for The New York Times Book Review, People, The San Francisco Chronicle, and other publications.

	Site Map \| Welcome \| Workshops by Session Date \| Workshops by Instructor Workshops by Genre \| Registration & Housing Information \| Registration Form Sponsored by the Division of Continuing Education Iowa Summer Writing Festival C215 Seashore Hall The University of Iowa Iowa City, IA 52242 Phone 319-335-4160 FAX 319-335-4743 iswfestival@uiowa.edu Last updated on January 10, 2008