For anyone who wants to learn the fundamentals of writing a novel, there is Louella Nelson, writing professor at University of California, Irvine. She writes romance novels, (my favorite being MAIL ORDER MATE, Harlequin American Romance, 1987) and sets up her writing class in a way which assists students by asking them to bring in five pages each week for peer review. She also is a wealth of information on character arcs, plot, dialogue, etc. I took her class five years ago, before my first middle grade novel was published. I learned about setting up a scene, how to draw a reader in and make them want to turn the page.
I highly recommend her class. Below is the information from the flyer, which, for some reason, would not upload here:
About Your Instructor
A former president of OCC/RWA, Louella Nelson is the author of five novels,
short stories, a novella, as well as awardwinning trade magazine editorial features, articles, and technical reports. She has conducted successful author promotions and has been a guest on radio and television talk shows. The founder of Louella Nelson’s Writing Workshops and Lou Nelson
Communications, she has lead writing retreats and writing organizations and has taught writing courses since 1992. Many of her students are agented, published, and awardwinners.
Lou is the 2010 recipient of the UC Irvine Extension Distinguished Instructor Award.
Phone: 9499163310
Email: lounelson@cox.net
Course dates for Beginning Your Novel or Short Story
September 22-Dec 8 (no class on Veteran’s Day and Thanksgiving)
UCI Extension registration opens August 6, 2011
Phone: 9498245414
Online registration: www.Unex.uci.edu
