Unlocking A Room of One’s Own:
A course in discovery for would-be writers

For closet scribblers, those who have a few stories tucked away in a drawer somewhere, people who write or want to write but don’t believe they are—or can be—writers. Also for those who’ve always wanted to be writers but don’t have any idea how to go about it. Focused on the twin goals of helping students recognize the unique qualities they can bring to their writing and working toward publication for those who desire it, this course is a series of mini-workshops in self-discovery. Primarily for writers of fiction and nonfiction prose, but helpful for exploring poets and songwriters. Not for the faint-of-heart, this format uses in-class exercises, optional take-home assignments and instructor/peer critiques to help students:

- unlock their potential as writers
- examine personal goals for their work
- discover their writer’s voices
- develop an attitude that encourages creativity
- nurture their writer’s imaginations
- become aware of essential storytelling elements
- harness the power of words to create compelling imagery
- locate and use printed and digital references and human resources
for factual research
- find potential markets for their work
- become familiar with the publishing industry
- learn current professional format and submission practices