Welcome to a community of emerging writers examining one novel each month to answer the question... how did they do that?
The best way to become a better writer (besides practice, practice, practice) is to READ! In this unique book club, we'll take one novel per month and examine the specific moves that the author made, and then generalizing those skills for use in our own writing.
We’re specifically looking at what we call “the groundwork” around here:
The Groundwork for Your Story
Message: what you want to say, and why
Character Arc: how they are going to change internally
Turning Points: key plot points that affect this change
The Reading Like Writers book club includes:
A study guide for any novel or memoir (adaptable for short stories)
Audio recording of a book discussion with my friend
Participation in monthly discussion thread with other writers
The goal of Book Club is to look for craft and structural decisions that the author made, and consider how those moves might be applied to our own work. The real gold happens in the conversation, so be sure to join us in the discussion thread each month!
And no, you don’t have read the book to join in! There is plenty to learn just in the conversation.
Please note:
I will strive to keep our Book Club representative of a diversity of lived experiences. We will NOT be discussing the politics of the stories we read. If a book doesn’t speak to you, don’t read it. (But there is something to be said about reading outside of your own lens…)
Questions? Leave a comment or email me!
I believe in the power of story to impact both the person telling it and the people receiving it in a positive way. Stories are how we grow to understand each other better and in doing so create a more empathetic and compassionate world.
Toward this end, I support ALL writers, regardless of race, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, neurodiversity, nationality, how they live, who they love, or how they move their bodies through this world.