Seminars
Participants are taught in small seminar groups of up to 10 students, and receive two one-on-one tutorials with their tutor.
Sunday
Seminar 1
Introductions. Overview of the course and a brief history of Plot from Aristotle to Joseph Campbell via Shakespeare and Hollywood. We clarify the difference between story, plot and narrative. (They are not the same thing!)
Seminar 2
A closer look at the most common modern plot structures: the 3- and- 5 Act story arcs, (Freytag’s Pyramid.) Discussion on the strengths and pitfalls of applying this technique to our writing. We test it against Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and Fitzgerald’s Great Gatsby.
Monday
Seminar 3
Practical exercises in how to create structure in our own fiction and memoir writing, using elements from the forms we have learned so far. We also look at ways to seed or foreshadow key information.
Seminar 4
We explore a liberating technique: Lisa Cron’s Third Rail, focusing on character-driven narrative that frees up the action. We test her ideas with practical exercises and also write the outline of a novel from scratch as a group.
Tuesday
Seminar 5
Deeper character work. We develop the story arcs of the minor characters and explore how these intersect with the central characters’ arcs, in our set texts and in our own and each-others’ work, to enrich the story.
Seminar 6
Sharing the outcome of our character work. A look at Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey and Jung’s archetypes and how we might want to incorporate aspects of these into our own work. Do either of our set texts follow these narrative journey arcs?
Wednesday
Seminar 7
We move now to the building blocks of plotting: scenes and chapters. We discuss what makes a good scene, and varied ways to structure them: in medias res openings; closing lines and techniques; status shifts and ways to create them; the balance of action and reaction. We rework some of our own scenes and chapters and write some new ones.
Seminar 8
Scene sequencing – we discuss the difference between sequential and consequential action and look at how Austen and Fitzgerald build causal links in their work. We experiment with creating consequential chains of events to build, hold and release the tension at key moments in our story arcs.
Thursday
Seminar 9
Structuring unconventional writing: Quiet, interior novels; streams of consciousness; experimental form. What replaces conventional storytelling methods? A look at Jane Alison’s Meander, Spiral, Explode and how to incorporate her ideas into our own work.
Seminar 10
Adding variety. We explore different ways to rejuvenate traditional plotting techniques, adding unlikely and accidental antagonists, advisors, and ways to move the story forward in surprising yet credible ways.
Friday
Seminars 11 and 12
Troubleshooting. We share any issues with our own plots that have not yet been answered. A chance to revisit any aspects of the work so far that need deeper investigation.
Programme timetable
The daily timetable will normally be as follows:
Saturday
14.00–16.30 - Registration
16.30–17.00 - Orientation meeting
17.00–17.30 - Classroom orientation for tutor and students
17.30–18.00 - Drinks reception
18.00–20.00 - Welcome dinner
Sunday – Friday
09.00–10.30 - Seminar
10.30–11.00 - Tea/coffee break
11.00–12.30 - Seminar
12.30–13.30 - Lunch
13.30–18.00 - Afternoons are free for tutorials, individual study, course-related field trips or exploring the many places of interest in and around Oxford.
18.00–19.00 - Dinner (there is a formal gala dinner every Friday to close each week of the programme).
A range of optional social events will be offered throughout the summer school. These are likely to include: a quiz night, visit to historic pubs in Oxford, visit to Christ Church for Evensong and after-dinner talks and discussions.
