Instructor: Marg Gilks

Length: 8 Weeks

Start Date: Ongoing; enroll and start the course at any time!

Course Fee: Writing-World.com Special! Save $25 on the regular $175 course fee. Pay only $150!

Overview

You've written a novel or short story that just doesn't seem quite right, but you don't know how to fix it -- or even what needs fixing. Or perhaps the piece has been rejected several times, and you'd like to figure out why. Haven't written it yet, but you'd like to make your story the best it can be, and avoid common pitfalls along the way? If you nodded "yes" to any of the above, then this course is for you.

Each lesson covers a fundamental element of fiction writing -- showing instead of telling, characterization, point of view... all the way through to putting the final polish on your manuscript. Learn what each element is, what part it plays in a story, how to utilize it successfully and why, and how to recognize problems and fix them. By the time you've finished this course, you'll have a manuscript ready for submission -- or you'll know how to create one.

Originally offered through Writing-World.com in June 2002 and again in March 2003, Fundamentals of Fiction accommodates both types of students -- those who prefer the more formal "classroom" atmosphere of hand-in assignments and those who prefer to work on their own. Weekly hand-in assignments are designed to lead participants through to completion of a short short story, while students who prefer not to hand in assignments can do the self-directed exercises included in each lesson and ask me questions instead (ideal for those who already have a novel or short story in progress).

This course is conducted entirely via e-mail. No class meetings or chats are required; you participate on your own time -- reading lectures, doing the exercises and assignments, and asking questions when convenient. I ask only that you submit assignments or questions within the week of that section of the class.

Outline

Lesson 1: STRUCTURE

• What is a story?
• How should I tell my story?
• Scenes -- the stepping stones of a story
• Common problems and solutions
• Exercises, assignment, and further reading

Marg Gilks is a freelance editor who specializes in fiction. For fifteen years she has worked one-on-one with authors to prepare their manuscripts for publication, and has edited and/or evaluated nearly one hundred novels and nonfiction books, as well as countless short stories, cover letters, and synopses. A writer herself, she's written two novels and has a list of writing credits for poetry, articles, and short stories that spans twenty years and includes publications as diverse as Seventeen Magazine, Cats Magazine, Home Business Journal, Inkspot, Writing-world.com, The Writer, Tales of the Unanticipated, Tesseracts Nine, and Orpheus Romance. Visit Scripta Word Services for more information.

What students have said . . .

"Taking your course has been so good for me -- teaching me new skills and providing me with great feedback."

"I was a student of Marg Gilks' Fundamentals of Fiction class. Ms. Gilks was an outstanding teacher. She provided easy-to-understand lessons that were educational and entertaining... Ms. Gilks eliminated the endless guesswork that every writer must go through when they receive a rejection letter. Her lessons gave insight to what editors look for... I feel confident that by following Ms. Gilks' advice, I can remove my manuscript from the 'amateur' category."

"I am so glad I enrolled in your class. It has made such a difference in how I think. On the one hand I'm excited and ready to rip ahead. On the other hand, I'm often appalled by what I don't know."

"I would like to thank you for an excellent course. I had no idea how little I knew about writing. I learned an enormous amount."

"I just wanted to say how much I've enjoyed your 'Fundamentals of Fiction' course. I really feel that I've learned a lot. Receiving feedback for my work has been great."

"For the first time in my life I enjoy writing. Thank you."

See Marg Gilk's Fundamentals of Fiction article series on Writing-World.com.

Other articles by Marg Gilks: