Good Words With Steve Almond

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Join bestselling author Steve Almond in a creative writing series that mimics the vibrant, communal feel of a workshop with innovative craft topics. In each episode, Steve teaches a craft lesson and also workshops one participant’s work on the spot. You’ll learn practical skills to start, fix or transform your work and get inspired along the way.

Obsession

Meet Steve and get started by burrowing into your passions. Find out how to give your character a proper obsession to create a more compelling story. Then try a writing prompt to get your juices flowing.

The Crush

Discover how giving your character a proper crush can elevate your work. Learn about great literature that’s centered on a real crush, and discover the importance of desire and doubt. Try a writing prompt to uncover your character’s crush, and learn how to write a compelling crush when Steve Almond critiques his students’ work.

The Narrator

Discover one of the keys to producing a publishable manuscript: creating an irresistible narrator. Find out the difference between a bad narrator and one your readers can’t get enough of. Try a writing prompt, and watch Steve critique people’s work, to learn how to design a narrator who charms your readers.

Characters

Discover how to create fascinating characters by having their actions drive the story; no passive characters here. Participate in a writing prompt and, through Steve’s critiques of the workshop group, find out how you can create compelling characters.

Rage

Are you angry? Find out how to turn your rage into a writing tool, and use it as an engine for your story. Try a writing prompt that taps into your rage, and discover how to turn your fury into compelling writing by watching Steve Almond critique the group’s rage-filled writing.