Update: Quest Writing Workshops
Last month, something remarkable occurred. Ten writers from across the United States and Canada converged at The Writers Junction in Santa Monica for a 4-Day Quest Workshop with me as their host and mentor. How was it remarkable?
* The learning that went on as we immersed ourselves in character-based screenwriting was palpable, insights and revelations throughout each session, a cumulative theoretical take on the craft that resonated with all of the participants.
* Each writer put that theory into practice on their own stories, a series of writing exercises that not only provided them with a proven approach to prep-writing, it also enabled attendees to make significant progress on their stories.
* The actual workshop process whereby everyone embraced the idea of constructive critique, honest assessment plus brainstorming suggestions, resulted in one key creative breakthrough after another.
Here are a few observations from some of the writers involved in the Quest Workshop:
“I’ve taken many courses (both academic and recreational), and the workshop was just an excellent combination of practical knowledge mixed with personalized attention.” — Pat Suh
“Thank you again for gathering together such an interesting, diverse group of aspiring screenwriters and providing us all with such a wonderful shared learning and networking experience!” — Melanie McDonald
“I am so grateful for the opportunity to work with Scott and the other participants in the inaugural Quest Writers’ Workshop. There was a palpable, electricity in the air while we worked, the kind you wish you could bottle up to take a drag from whenever you need to be inspired.” — Lisa Meacham
“I’m not trying to blow sunshine up your skirt when I say I got more out of those four days than I did all of grad school.” — Michelle Burleson
Here is an overview of our four days together:
Thursday: We began by digging into the first of three sections of the Core curriculum: Character. Then we workshopped character treatments for the Protagonist from each writer’s story. Finally we went through a host of brainstorming exercises to compelling participants to explore their respective stories. Homework: Brainstorming.
Friday: We bounced back and forth from theory to practice, covering two other Core sections — Plot and Theme — as well as Prep exercises designed to help writers wrangle their stories, both in terms of the Plotline, events in the External World, and Themeline, movements in the Internal World, the realm of the story’s psychological and emotional journey. Homework: Subplots.
Saturday: We spent a majority of time workshopping stories, each writer exploring major Plotline points to construct the spine of their story’s narrative structure. Homework: Plotting.
Sunday: Again most of the focus was on workshopping stories, the writers learning the benefits of index cards as they fleshed out major plot and subplot elements, rounding them into shape toward a coherent, comprehensive outline. We also had a special guest for an in-depth Q&A: Franklin Leonard.
After each day’s session, we carried on our conversations at local watering holes, a chance to dig more deeply into stories, socialize, and have a great deal of fun together.
In other words, we packed a whole hell of a lot into four days.
In addition, I created a private online site for workshop members where they introduced themselves before the weekend so we managed to hit the ground running, posted exercises and feedback during the four day session, and have continued the process after our time together. In fact, we are scheduled to have a group teleconference this weekend. I am confident this group will stick together and support one another as they move into the page-writing phase.
After receiving universally positive response from participants, I am pleased to announce I will be coming back to the L.A. area for another 4-Day Quest Writing Workshop: March 13-March 16, 2014.
I am also exploring the possibility of holding as many as four 4-Day Quest Workshops in other cities in the U.S. and Canada during the summer 2014. Based on blog traffic, a list of possible cities: Vancouver, Toronto, San Francisco, New York. If interest emerges in other cities, I’m open to all possibilities. I just need ten writers to enroll in any given location to make that trip a possibility. But the March session in California (likely Santa Monica) is definitely on.
If you’re interested in attending a 4-Day Quest Workshop and/or have any suggestions or ideas, please indicate in comments or email me.
Onward!
Comment Archive