In this four-week class you'll discover how to mindfully edit your own writing. You'll learn the nine graduate-level questions you must ask when content editing, and the 30 top rules of line editing that all editors and agents know. (Breaking these is to risk instant rejection.)
As William C. Knot says in The Craft of Fiction: "Anyone can write — and almost everyone you meet these days is writing. However, only writers know how to rewrite. It is this ability alone that turns the amateur into a pro."
No matter where you are in your writing journey, this course will transform your writing skills. You'll discover the simple mindset shift that will show you how to feel deep joy and satisfaction when self-editing. And instructor Tessa Smith McGovern will live-edit your writing using the nine questions and the 30 rules so you can see how to fix any problems on the page.
Class meets for four consecutive Wednesdays in the Library's Brooks Place program room.
PLEASE REGISTER HERE.
Who will the Live Edits course help?
This will help you if:
* You've ever felt tentative or overwhelmed by the prospect of editing your own fiction (or memoir).
* You've tried revising and aren't sure if you made things better or worse. (We've all been there!)
* You've ever wished that writing a powerful story was easier.
Will it be scary?
No, not at all! We'll begin with establishing the right mindset (the one veteran authors use) and we'll practice loving kindness as we respect our current level of craft and attend to its development. You'll see how easy it is to enjoy the editing process and that will lead to increased confidence in your skills.
Do I have to be edited?
No, not at all. Please feel free to simply watch and learn until you feel ready to submit. Here's what one kind student had to say:
“Tessa’s class on revision was a crash course in the elements of writing. From the first module, I was able to return to my draft and apply her clear teachings to make my book stronger and more coherent. Her generosity and support have made a big impact on my confidence and belief in my writing.”~ Rabbi Anne Brener
ABOUT TESSA
Tessa Smith McGovern has been a writing instructor for 23 years. She's taught for The Writing Institute, Sarah Lawrence College, in New York since 2011.
She's an award-winning writer whose linked short story collection, London Road: Linked Stories, received a ‘Featured’ review from Kirkus, is an Amazon best-seller, and a gold medal winner in the 2012 eLit Awards. Her nonfiction book, Cocktails for Book Lovers (Sourcebooks), is also an Amazon best-seller. Her many publication credits include the Connecticut Review and Equinox, a UK poetry journal archived by the English Arts Council at the Southbank Centre, London. She’s currently writing a contemporary fantasy novel inspired by British mythology and pursuing her MFA in Writing at the Vermont College of Fine Arts.
She is the founder and editor of eChook Digital Publishing. eChook won a silver medal in the 2012 eLit Awards and its stories have been read by thousands of readers in 100+ countries. Tessa is also host, writer, and producer of BookGirlTV (BGTV), an award-winning digital channel that promotes books and reading. BGTV has 6 million+ minutes viewed on YouTube and 10,000+ likes on Facebook.
With her co-host, author Patricia Dunn, she hosts a monthly writing podcast for The Westport Library called, Go Ahead, Write Something.
She writes flash fiction, memoir, short stories, and novels and one of her deepest joys is to see her students bloom as they write.
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Verso University is the Library’s lifelong learning and education initiative, serving up year-round offerings of classes, workshops, and lectures designed to further education and learning. Offerings run the gamut of educational opportunities, ranging from one-time lectures to ongoing courses to classes that meet weekly or perhaps monthly.
Verso University programs are made possible by the generous support of the Nancy J. Beard Lifelong Learning and Education Fund.
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