Scott Broker

General Fiction Workshop — 6 weeks

This course is designed for writers of all levels. We will begin by reading and discussing a variety of short stories, familiarizing ourselves with the world of contemporary literature and breaking down the craft elements that go into a successful work of prose. From these texts, we will pull tools to help develop and sharpen our own unique voices. During this time we will also do generative writing exercises that will explore different components of craft, such as voice, setting, and dialogue.

The latter half of the course will go to workshopping one another's work. These can be short stories or novel excerpts up to 20 pages in length. Everyone can expect to get thoughtful, thorough notes from myself and their fellow writers. We will also have the opportunity to discuss publishing, agents, MFA programs, and more.

Queer  Visions — 6 weeks

This course is designed for queer writers of all levels and genres. In the spirit of fluidity, we will spend the first three weeks reading and discussing a mixture of queer fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and hybrid works, analyzing the aesthetic decisions that go into making a compelling piece of queer art. Each class will also have exercises that will allow us to explore our voices across genres.

The course's latter half will be a workshop. Everyone will have the chance to workshop in the genre of their choosing, and can expect thoughtful notes and conversation from myself and their fellow writers. We will also have the opportunity to discuss publishing, agents, MFA programs, and more.

Writing the Unreal — 6 weeks

This course, designed for writers of all levels, is focused on literary fiction that breaks or bends the limits of reality. For our first three weeks, we will read and discuss stories that fall within the following genres:  surrealism, fabulism, magical realism, absurdism, the uncanny, the fairy tale, and experimental writing. We will also discuss the differences between these genres, and do writing prompts based upon the readings.

The course's latter half will be a workshop. Everyone will have the chance to workshop a short story or collection of flash fictions, and can expect thoughtful notes and conversation from myself and their fellow writers. We will also have the opportunity to discuss publishing, agents, MFA programs, and more.

Literatures of Grief — 6 weeks

This course looks at the encounter of grief and writing from a variety of different styles and genres. For our first three weeks, we will read and discuss stories, essays, and poems that feature or are shaped by grief. During this time, we will also have prompts that utilize different craft elements to explore the various ways in which grief can be approached as a subject. 

The course's latter half will be a workshop. Everyone will have the chance to workshop in the genre of their choosing, and can expect thoughtful notes and conversation from myself and their fellow writers. We will also have the opportunity to discuss publishing, agents, MFA programs, and more.

The Art of Ekphrasis — 2.5 hours

Ekphrastic writing is writing that engages with a work of art in some meaningful way. Though traditionally a form affiliated with descriptive poetry, this class will expand the scope of what the ekphrastic mode can look like, considering poems, fiction, and nonfiction that have art, and the careful consideration thereof, at their center. As a group, we will move between discussions of what craft decisions go into a successful piece of ekphrasis and  prompt-based writing time. Unlike my traditional workshops, this is a one-day course geared toward craft conversation and generative writing, rather than feedback on written work.