Date: Jun 21, 2010

Hofstra University's English Department, Creative Writing Program and Continuing Education Present the 36th Annual Summer Writers Program, July 6 to 16, 2010

Earn Three Credits in Two Weeks

Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY ... Novelists, mystery writers, playwrights and children's authors are among the accomplished authors who will be teaching in Hofstra University’s annual Summer Writers Program, July 6 to 16, 2010. This event is sponsored by Hofstra’s English Department, its Creative Writing Program and Continuing Education. To register and for more information call (516) 463-7200 or visit ce.hofstra.edu.

This Summer Writers Program, now in its 36th year, operates on the principle that true writing talent may be developed, nurtured and encouraged by writer-in-residence mentors. Through instruction, discussion, criticism and free exchange among the workshop participants, writers begin to find their voice and their style. The workshops provide group and individual sessions for each writer.

The Summer Writers Program includes guest speakers, and exposure to award-nominated and winning authors. Often, agents, editors and publishers make presentations during the program, and authors and students read from published work and works in progress. These presentations offer additional opportunities to meet informally with participants, master writers and guest speakers.

Courses are offered 9:45 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day and may be taken on a noncredit or credit (graduate or undergraduate) basis. Non-credit participant tuition is $550 for the two-week, 9-session course. Students who want to take the program for undergraduate or graduate credit must contact Professor Richard Pioreck in the English Department at Richard.J.Pioreck@hofstra.edu or (516) 463-0258. A luncheon featuring author Alafair Burke on July 15 is included in tuition for program participants and priced at $45 per person for non-participants.

Now entering its second year: Students entering grades 9-12 can participate in the Summer Writers Program with a special section in creative writing for high school students. For more information, contact Jennifer Jokinen at (516) 463-5016. Registration for the high school program is also $550.

For registration and all other information on the 36th Annual Summer Writers Program call (516) 463-7200 or e-mail ce@hofstra.edu. Information and an online brochure are available at ce.hofstra.edu

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This year's workshops and mentors include:

WRITING POETRY: VERSE AND FORM
This course will help the developing poet sharpen powers of poetic expression. Students are encouraged to experiment with image, voice, rhythm, rhetoric and tone, and explore a variety of traditional forms – the triolet, tritina, ghazal and sonnet – as well as free verse. This is a hands-on writing workship and lively discussion for those starting out on their poetic journeys and for those who wish to re-evaluate their writing. Participants are encouraged to reflect on the way they write poems and what they write about.

About the Instructor: Connie Roberts’ poetry has been published in journals in the United States and Ireland. She was a nominee for the prestigious 2009 Hennessy X.O Literary Award. She was a finalist in the Strokestown International Poetry Contest in 2001 and the Dana Awards in 2003, as well as a semifinalist in the Discovery/The Nation Contest in 2000 and 2002. Her book-length manuscript, Not the Delft School, a memoir in verse inspired by her experiences growing up in an orphanage in Ireland, placed second in the prestigious 2007 Patrick Kavanagh Poetry Award.

WRITING FICTION
Explore the world of mainstream literary fiction, the foundation upon which all other narrative forms stand. A writer begins with a notion of a scene or a character and asks “what if?” until the secrets of the story are revealed. This workshop addresses key components of fiction, including character, scene, plot, theme, dialogue, structure, style, and language. In-class exercises, outside readings, and supportive but honest evaluations will assist all participants. A writer’s life can be a solitary one, but by participating in a writing workshop, an author can be fueled by feedback and grounded by helpful feedback.

About the Instructor: Janice Levy has written many children’s books, including: The Man Who Lived in a Hat; Finding the Right Spot: When Kids Can’t Live With Their Parents; Alley Oops! Totally Uncool; and Gonzalo Grabs the Good Life. She has also written four books written in Spanish: Abuelito Eats With His Fingers; The Spirit of Tío Fernando: A Day of the Dead Story/El espíritu de tío Fernando: Una historia del Día de los Muertos; Celebrate! It’s Cinco De Mayo!/Celebremos! Es El Cinco De Mayo!; and I Remember Abuelito/Yo Recuerdo A Abuelito. She has also been published in Glimmer Train, StoryQuarterly, Iowa Review, Alaska Quarterly, Quarterly West, The Chattahoochee Review, The Sun, New York Stories, Mid-American Review, North Dakota Quarterly, Confrontation, American Voice, Hawaii Review, PRISM International, The Saint Ann’s Review, Literal Latté, The Portland Review Literary Journal, The Madison Review, Kalliope, and Belletrist Review.

WRITING FOR CHILDREN
Writing for children today is a demanding task of literary skill and creativity. Children’s books have a lion’s share of the market, covering a wide array of age groups and genres, each with particular constraints. A fine children’s book makes dramatic use of language and has an emotional impact on the reader. This workshop explores plot, voice, characterization, setting, dialogue, physical and contextual frameworks, conflict, sensory detail, genres, figurative language, and the use of verse and prose. Participants also examine the submission process, work habits, the business side of writing and agents, plus an overview of the publishing process. Come ready to read, write, and play with words.

About the Instructor: Brian Heinz is a critically acclaimed writer of nonfiction and fiction, in both prose and verse. His picture book The Monsters’ Test was a CBC/IRA Children’s Choice. The Wolves was an Editor’s Choice and received rave reviews from Kirkus, which called it “an exquisite story of the wild,” while Booklist said it “rings with deep understanding and reverence for the natural world.” Nanuk: Lord of the Ice won a silver medal from the Society of Illustrators, and Butternut Hollow Pond was named Outstanding Children’s Science Trade Book by the IRA/CBC and the National Science Teachers Association. He is a member of SCBWI and co-chair of the Long Island Children’s Writers and Illustrators since 1992. An award-winning educator, he is a popular presenter at schools, libraries, and professional conferences.

WRITING VARIETIES OF NONFICTION:
THE EXAMINED LIFE: MEMOIR, AUTOBIOGRAPHY AND THE PERSONAL ESSAY
Explore how to shape and refine the raw material of our lives into nonfiction narratives by examining a diversity of voices and genres, including memoirs, personal essays and journals. Participants also consider the relationship between fiction and nonfiction. What distinguishes them from each other? Is it enough that “something happened”? What fidelity do we owe to the facts? And, how does the writer of nonfiction make use of such “fictional” elements as plot, dialogue, setting and narrative stance? Discussing published work and our own writing guides participants as they plumb their lives for the stories that reside there.

About the Instructor: Patricia Horvath’s stories have appeared in numerous literary magazines, including Shenandoah, Iron Horse Literary Review, and Puerto del Sol. In 2007, she received a fellowship in nonfiction literature from the New York Foundation for the Arts for her book Down to the Bones, an exploration of her experiences with scoliosis and spinal fusion. She is the recipient of residency fellowships from The Blue Mountain Center, Hedgebrook, and the Millay Colony for the Arts. Other awards include the Barbara Deming Memorial Fund for creative nonfiction, a New York Times Foundation Fellowship, and the Delaney Fellowship at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, where she earned an M.F.A. Currently, Ms. Horvath teaches creative writing at Hofstra University and is an editor at The Massachusetts Review.

SCREENWRITING
Explore the process of writing a screenplay from the initial inspiration to the final draft. Examine the elements of successful screenplays: effective story structures, vibrant characters, sharp dialogue, compelling beginnings, and persuasive climaxes. Watch and analyze movies to see what works and what doesn’t. Students’ story concepts are discussed, outlines are constructed, and screenplays are written. Overall, this class emphasizes developing the tools necessary to most effectively craft rough ideas into polished works.

About the Instructor: Paul Zimmerman currently teaches creative writing at Hofstra University and New York City’s Gotham Writers’ Workshop. He wrote the screenplay for A Modern Affair (Audience Award winner at the Long Island Film Festival). He spent several years as screenwriter-in-residence for Tribe Pictures, and has written screenplays for many other companies. His play Pigs and Bugs received a staged reading at the New York Public Theater, and was produced by the Echo Theater Company in Los Angeles. His monodrama Reno was seen in New York at the West Bank Cafe, Under Acme, the Tweed Ensemble Festival of New Works, and at several other colleges and performance spaces nationwide.

WRITING THE NOVEL
Through the use of innovative and engaging methods, students learn the professional tricks of the trade and how to avoid the pitfalls of writing a first mystery. Subjects of study include, but are not limited to: dramatic structure, plot creation, point of view, narrative voice, and character development. Everything from setting, to tone, to dialogue, to subgenre conceits are discussed. Individual routine, process, and cultivation of editorial skills are also emphasized. By the end of the class, each student should have completed a polished and professional first chapter and a roadmap for writing a marketable mystery novel.

About the Instructor: Reed Farrel Coleman has published 10 novels in three series. His 11th novel, Tower, is a stand-alone novel written with award-winning Irish author Ken Bruen. Mr. Coleman has been twice nominated for the Edgar Award. He has won the Shamus three times (for best novel of the year), the Barry, and Anthony Awards. He was the editor of the short story anthology Hardboiled Brooklyn. His short fiction and essays have appeared in Wall Street Noir, The Darker Mask, Brooklyn Noir 3, These Guns for Hire, and several other publications. He is the former executive vice president of Mystery Writers of America.

WRITING GRAPHIC NOVELS
A graphic novel is presented through dialogue, captions and a sequence of static images. In a well-written graphic novel the words complement the images, and vice versa. Therefore, the approach and challenges to writing a graphic novel script are inherently different to writing prose, poetry or a screenplay. As they script a graphic novel, writers must be mindful of both the readers’ expectations and the artist’s abilities. This class focuses on how to appropriately outline, pace and lay out a graphic novel script. Effective panel perspective and dialogue placement are also discussed. By the end of this course, each student will have written a script for a 22-page graphic novel chapter as well as learned how to approach artists and prospective publishers with that script.

About the Instructor: Keith Dallas is the writer/creator of both Omega Chase – a science fiction comic book published by Th3rd World Studios – and The Argonauts – an adventure action comic book published by Timeless Journey. He also scripted a Ghostbusters comic book for IDW that will be released in June 2010. His critically acclaimed The Flash Companion – a comprehensive survey of the publication history of DC Comics’ Flash character – was released by TwoMorrows Publishing in 2008. His next project for TwoMorrows Publishing is American Comic Book Chronicles – a year-by-year account of the goings-on of the comic book
industry during the 1980s.
 
WRITING ABOUT SPORTS (Non-Fiction)

Not only are most Americans entertained by sports, sports provide a natural framework for good storytelling. In this class students learn how to use common literary devices such as narrative, conflict, irony, and antagonism. Analyzing and interpreting sports are important to the art of sports writing. In this class, participants learn how to use sports to explore American society and culture. Think about it: Do people want to read about Johan Santana’s WHIP, or do they want to read about how he is working to overcome a serious injury to reclaim his status as one of the elite pitchers of his generation? What value does he place on that, and how hard will he work to obtain it? If you desire the former, simply take the number of walks and hits Santana has allowed, add them together, and divide by his total number of innings pitched. If you want to learn how to tell the story writing that is at once universal and uniquely yours in a way that readers remember, take this class.

About the Instructor: Andrew Salomon an assistant professor of journalism at SUNY Purchase College, spent the first decade of his career writing for the sports section of The Washington Post. Other tours of duty include long stints as an editor and reporter at Newsday and Back Stage magazine. He has written for The Politico and is the author of New York Mercury, a television pilot about a New York City newspaper.

HIGH SCHOOL SUMMER WRITERS PROGRAM
Through exercises and readings, students learn how to use their creative impulses to improve their fiction, poetry and plays, as well as how to create clearer and cleaner essays. Creative writing is an effective way to communicate and find a release for the imagination. Learning how to use creativity within structured guidelines, learning creative writing techniques, writing in a relaxed atmosphere, and exchanging ideas with others improves individual style. During this intensive two-week workshop, experiment with memoir, poetry, oral history, dramatic form and the short story, and study how to use character, plot, point of view, and language.

About the Instructor: Gina Shaw has been an editor of children’s books for the past 36 years. She has edited novelty books, picture books, easy readers, early chapter books, and middle grade chapter books. She recently retired from a position as editorial director for original publishing for all the Scholastic Book Clubs. For the past eight years, she and her staff created more than 150 books a year for children. Ms. Shaw is now freelance writing, editing, speaking, and teaching, and is the author of several books for young children.

LUNCHEON “WRITING WHILE PURSUING A FULL-TIME CAREER”
Thursday, July 15; noon to 2 p.m.
Alafair Burke, best-selling author and Hofstra Law Professor

What does it take to have a writing career and a full-time job? Alafair Burke has successfully combined both for many years. She will talk about her writing life, her professional life and how the two inform and support each other. Tickets for the luncheon are available without participating in the Summer Writers Program. A former deputy district attorney in Portland, Oregon, Alafair Burke is the bestselling author of two series of crime novels, one featuring NYPD detective Ellie Hatcher, the other featuring Portland prosecutor Samantha Kincaid. Her short story, “Winning,” was recognized in The Best American Mystery Stories of 2009. Her most recent novel, 212, was published by Harper Collins in March. A graduate of Stanford Law School, she is currently a professor and associate dean of faculty research at Hofstra School of Law.  Visit her Web site at alafairburke.com.
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Related Link: Summer Writers Program