SILF Tutorial
WHAT YOU NEED
1. A desire to improve your fiction through creative, character-based writing.
2. A desire to create credible, dynamic, unique, engaging characters.
3. The acceptance to write and learn through creative assignments, rather than manuscript correction.
4. Enjoy writing for the creative process and the effect you produce in others (not to fulfill a need to admired for writing skills).
5. A dedication to meeting deadlines to improve work productivity.
LENGTH OF COURSE
Twelve weeks.
WHAT COURSE COVERS
Story
Beginning, middle, end. Dramatic structure. Theme and metaphysical thinking.
Narration
Choosing the right narrative technique and developing skills in all possibilities.
Characterization
Creating characters. Distinct voice.
Dialogue.
Learn to write effective dialogue that is story and character/narrator specific.
Voice
Learning POV, narration, and characterization to form distinctive voices for stories.
Plot
Integrating plot with characterization to drive dramatic movement in story.
Revision
The art of making story enjoyable and meaningful for the reader.
Craft
Diction. Imagery. Theme.
WHAT HAPPENS
Writing assignments. You will have six writing assignments to complete and submit (1500-2500 words), one every two weeks. (The course is for 12 weeks.) Each assignment will be individually tailored to your needs for improvement. The first assignment is to create a story from suggested story outlines. You submit work online for comments will be able to ask questions on the comments and receive responses. You will be asked to meet deadlines.
You will have your own login to this site; there is no public access to your work. Comments will be on the site. (You can see samples of comment formats in the SILF Workshop.)
You are welcome to submit assignment redrafts, and corrected exercises related to online work.
Reading assignments. Reading assignments for examples of stories and for essays on the craft of writing and storytelling will be provided and tailored to your individual needs. There are no deadlines for completion of reading assignments.
RESOURCES
All reading assignments (with rare exceptions on nonrequired reading) are available free on the SILF website or with links to web resources. All can be downloaded without cost.
COST
Design. There is a registration fee of $50.00. There is a $15.00 fee for each writing assignment, payable on submission of the assignment, for a total of $90.00. You can stop the course at anytime without obligation to pay for assignments not completed, however there is no refund of fees and registration already paid. Total cost: $140.00 paid in increments over twelve weeks, with the addition of resubmissions or other exercises at $10.00 apiece.
PAYMENT
Credit Card, PayPal, Google Wallet
Submit payment for new assignment, you will be prompted before the date.
No refunds of submitted work, but you may cancel your participation by not paying for the assignments . . . without penalty.
CERTIFICATION
A Certificate of Completion is awarded to all students who complete all writing assignments successfully on time. Certification verifies coverage of the course objectives.
