My Personal MFA: The Syllabus
Alright! Here’s the ambitious outline I’ve created for myself. Is it going to take longer than a year? Yes, as all good Master’s programs should. Everything is, of course, subject to change. This is especially true if I decide as we go along more time needs to be spent on a particular topic. I’m posting this FULL lesson list in hopes it will help other writers and authors who may want to jump ahead, but feel free to follow along and engage in discussions with me as you so feel inspired!
And like I’ve said before, I wish I would have done this 10 years ago!
I. Beginnings
Lesson #1: Misinformation: Recognizing bad advice
Readings: Brody pgs. 3-8; Cron pgs. 1-32; Klein pgs. xi-xv; Kress pgs. 1-4; Truby pgs. 1-14 & 418-421
Lesson # 2: What is a story?
Readings: Brody pgs. 3-8; Cron pgs. 1-32; Klein pgs. xi-xv; Maass pgs. 1-8; Truby pgs. 1-14 & 418-421
Lesson #3: The IDEA
Readings: Klein pgs. 63-73; Kole pgs. 27-32
Lesson #4: The Premise
Readings: Cron pgs. 35-52; Klein pgs. 39-55; Kole pgs. 32-39; Truby pgs. 16-38
Lesson #5: The Four Pillars of Story: Character, Plot, Theme, and Setting
Novel Readings for Beginnings (Read one or all): WONDER by R.J. Palacio; ECHO by Pam Munoz Ryan; THE THIEF by Megan Whalen Turner; THE BOOK THIEF by Markus Zusak; WHEN YOU REACH ME by Rebecca Stead; THE HUNGER GAMES by Suzanne Collins
II. Character
Lesson #6. Character: What you think you know
Readings: Cron pgs. 53-65; Kole pgs. 73-89; Klein pgs. 74-84; Kress pgs. 5-11; Maass pgs. 138-144; Truby pgs. 56-75
Lesson #7. Character: POV & Tense
Readings: Brody pgs. 283-286; Hall Chapter 10; Klein pgs. 238-258; Kole pgs. 62-72; Kress pgs. 158-212; Maass pgs. 125-133; St. John pgs. 70-80; 148-150
Lesson #8. Character: Internal/External Motivations: The Lie, the Line in the Sand, and the Want
Readings: Brody pgs. 9-21 & 160-177; Cron pgs. 67-78; Dixon Chapter 2; Klein pgs. 103-122; Kole pgs. 89-104 & 143-152; Kress pgs. 35-40 & 51-66; Maass pgs. 35-53; St. John pgs. 21-45 & 225-235; Truby pgs. 87-88
Lesson #9. Character: Character Arcs
Readings: Cron pgs. 79-84; Klein pgs. 122-125; Kole pgs. 143-152; Kress pgs. 67-77; St. John pgs. 94-99; Truby pgs. 75-85; 391-417
Lesson #10. Character: Character Design & Lists
Readings: Dixon Chapter 1; Klein pgs. 85-102; Kole pgs. 104-113; Kress pgs. 11-34; St. John pgs. 46-56, 211-215, & 236-243
Lesson #11. Character: Protagonists and Antagonists
Readings: Brody pgs. 289-292; Cron pgs. 85-95 & 123-146; Kole pgs. 113-130; Kress pgs. 78-92; Maass pgs. 8-34 & 144-166; St. John pgs. 175-202; Truby 85-87 & 88-101
Lesson #12. Character: Character Foils & Writing Yourself In
Readings: Klein pgs. 127-155; St. John pgs. 58-63 & 216224
Lesson #13. Character: Adding Humor
Readings: Kress pgs. 93-103; Maass pgs. 167-187
Novel Readings for Character (Read one or all): THE INVENTION OF HUGO CABRET by Brian Selznick, THE EVOLUTION OF CALPURNIA TATE by Jacqueline Kelly, ANNE OF GREEN GABLES by L.M. Montgomery, FAR FROM THE TREE by Robin Benway, MORTAL HEART by Robin LaFevers, SAVVY by Ingrid Law, THE WAR THAT SAVED MY LIFE by Kimberly -Brubaker Bradley
III. Plot
Lesson #14: Types of Plots
Readings: Brody pgs. 79-263; Klein pgs. 151-163; Truby pgs. 39-55 & 258-267
Lesson #15. Backstory
Readings: Cron pgs. 95-104 & 195-208; Kole pgs. 179-187; Kress pgs. 40-44
Lesson #16. Structure
Readings: Brody pgs. 22-28 & 275-277; Cron pgs. 105-144; Klein pgs. 163-165; Kole pgs. 153-167; St. John pgs. 87-93; Truby pgs. 267-270
Lesson #17. Hook
Readings: Brody pgs. 29-31; Cron pgs. 147-164; Hall Chapter 11; Maass pgs. 54-80; Klein pgs. 273-285; Kole pgs. 40-49; Truby pgs. 381-390
Lesson #18. Act I Beats
Readings: Brody pgs. 31-40; Klein pgs. 165-188; Kole pgs. 130-143; Truby pgs. 271-288
Lesson #19. Act II Beats
Readings: Brody pgs. 40-64; Truby pgs. 288-298
Lesson #20. Connect the Dots & the Climax
Readings: Cron pgs. 165-185; Hall Chapter 12; Klein pgs. 193-201; Kole pgs. 196-201
Lesson #21. Act III Beats
Readings: Brody pgs. 65-78; Truby pgs. 299-310
Lesson #22. The Megaboard
Readings: Brody pgs. 277-283; Cron pgs. 187-221
Lesson #23. Subplots
Readings: Cron pgs. 223-244; Klein 188-193; Kole pgs. 188-196
Lesson #24: Series
Readings: Brody pgs. 286-288
Novel Readings for plot (Read one or all): HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN by J.K. Rowling, A NIGHT DIVIDED by Jennifer A. Nielsen, CIRCUS MIRANDUS by Cassie Beasley, SIX OF CROWS by Leigh Bardugo, THE SUN AND MOON, ICE AND SNOW by Jessica Day George, THE WESTING GAME by Ellen Raskin, WORDS ON FIRE by Jennifer A. Nielsen
IV. Setting
Lesson #25: World Building and Creating Realism
Reading: Hall Chapters 6-8; Klein pgs. 286-296; Kole pgs. 212-218; Maass pgs. 134-137; St. John pgs. 125-140; Truby pgs. 177-184
Lesson #26: Vehicle for Theme and Emotion
Readings: Maass pgs. 81-90 & 99-116; St. John pgs. 108-117
Lesson #27: The Sensory Experience
Readings: Hall Chapters 2-4
Lesson #28: Natural & Human Constructs
Readings: Hall Chapter 5; Truby pgs. 170-177 & 191-219
Lesson #29: Time Constructs
Readings: Maass pgs. 90-99; Truby pgs. 184-190
Lesson #30: Less is More
Readings: Hall Chapter 9; St. John pgs. 118-124
Lesson #31. Setting w/ Mad Libs
Readings: Kole pgs. 206-212; St. Johns pgs. 101-107; Truby pgs. 145-169
Novel Readings for Setting (Read one or all): PAX by Sara Pennypacker, CHILDREN OF BLOOD AND BONE by Tomi Adeyemi, THE WILD ROBOT by Peter Brown, PAPER CHAINS by Elaine Vickers, AIRMAN by Eoin Colfer, LITTLE WOMEN by Louisa May Alcott, PRINCE CASPIAN by C.S. Lewis, ALL THE CROOKED SAINTS by Maggie Steifvater, THE GIRL FROM EVERYWHERE by Heidi Heilig
V. Theme
Lesson #32. Theme: Emotion in Character and Theme w/ Emotion Cheat Sheet
Readings: Cron pgs. 258-267; Kress pgs. 44-50, 105-118, & 119-172; Klein pgs. 11-26; St. Johns pgs. 57-99, 64-69, 168-173, & 203-210; Truby pgs. 114-139
Lesson #33. Theme: What your story is really about
Readings: Cron pgs. 209-222; Kole pgs. 229-248; Maass 243-253; Truby pgs. 108-111
Lesson #34. Motif
Readings: Kress pgs. 119-129; Truby pgs. 111-113
Lesson #35. Imagery
Readings: Kole pgs. 202-206; St. John pgs. 81-86; Truby pgs. 220-257
Novel Readings for Theme (Read one or all): TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD by Harper Lee, THE OVERSTORY by Richard Powers, CODE NAMED VERITY by Elizabeth Wein, THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN by Kathrine Applegate, CHARLOTTE’S WEB by E.B. White, A WRINKLE IN TIME by Madeline L’Engle, GOOSE GIRL by Shannon Hale, LOVELY WAR by Julie Berry
VI. MISC.
Lesson #36. Voice
Readings: Klein pgs. 258-272; Kole pgs. 218-229 & 239-248; Maass 117-125; Truby pg. 310-319
Novel Readings for Voice (Read one or all): THE FALSE PRINCE by Jennifer A. Nielsen, THE GRAVEYARD BOOK by Neil Gaiman, THE MAGICIAN’S ELEPHANT by Kate Dicamillo, THE NIGHT CIRCUS by Erin Morgenstern, THE GIRL WHO DRANK THE MOON by Kelly Barnhill
Lesson #37. Conflict
Readings: Hall Chapter 13; Klein pgs. 202-215; Kress pgs. 130-157; St. Johns pgs. 11-20; Truby pgs. 373-381
Lesson #38. Tension
Readings: Kole pgs. 167-179; Maass pgs. 188-231; St. Johns pgs. 152-167
Lesson #39. Pacing
Readings: Klein pgs. 216-237; Kole pgs. 49-62
Lesson #40 The OTHER Element
Readings: Kole pgs. 239-248
Lesson #41: Rough Drafts: The Fat King’s Draft
Readings: Cron pgs. 245-258; St. John pgs. 141-148; Truby pgs. 326-372
Lesson #42: Filling in the Holes
Lesson #43: Lay Fallow: The Sleeping Beauty Draft
Lesson #44: Where Ideas Come From
Readings: Klein pgs. 27-38; Maass pgs. 232-243
VIII. Business of Writing
Lesson #45: Children’s Publishing
Readings: Klein pgs. 11-26 & 327-331; Kole pgs. 1-26
Lesson #46: Query Letters
Readings: Brody pgs. 264-269; Kole pgs. 261-272
Lesson #47: Synopses
Readings: Brody pgs. 270-274
Lesson #48: Agents & Editors
Readings: Klein pgs. 331-345; Kole pgs. 249-260
Lesson #49: Submitting
Lesson #50: The Writing Life
Readings: Brody pgs. 293-304; Hall Chapter 14; Klein pgs. 56-62; Kress pgs. 213-216 & 219-222; St. John pgs. 244-245
VII. Revision
Lesson #51: The Craft of Rewriting
Readings: Klein pgs. 297-327
Lesson #52: Revisiting the IDEA
Lesson #53: Read Through w/ Font Changes: The Prince Charming Draft
Lesson #54: The Love Letter to Your Manuscript
Lesson #55: Character & Plot: Revisiting the Outline and Character Lists. Asking the hard questions.
Lesson #56: Setting & Theme: Revisiting Space, Time, and the Soul. Asking the hard questions.
Lesson #57: Ten Things Exercise
Lesson #58: Cut by Twenty Exercise
Lesson #59: Pass #1–The Evil Genius Draft
Lesson #60: Pass #2–The Little Prince Draft or the ABC’s of Revision (Ambiguity, Believability, Conflict)
Lesson #61: Pass #3–The Ninja Princess or 123 T’s of Revision (Theme Overall, Touchstone Sensory Details, Twist hints throughout)
Lesson #62: Pass #4–The Court Jester (Passive Voice & Concrete Language)
Lesson #63: Pass #5–Stuffy Adviser (Redundancy & Excess or Inappropriate Description)
Lesson #64: Trusted Handmaiden–Alpha & Beta Readers/Critique Partners
Readings: Kress pgs. 216-219
Lesson #65: The Village Idiot–Incorporating Advice
Lesson #66: Adding Tension & Conflict
Lesson #67: Character Problems
Lesson #68: Voice Changes & Language problems
Lesson #69: Copy Edits and Proofreads
Lesson #70: The Town Crier–The Great Read Aloud