OWC 303 B — Novel I: The Powerful Beginning
Quarter: Winter
Instructor(s): Samina Ali
Date(s): Jan 7—Mar 11
Class Recording Available: Yes
Class Meeting Day: Thursdays
Grade Restriction: Letter grade only
Class Meeting Time: 5:30—7:00 pm (PT)
Tuition: $1290
Refund Deadline: Jan 9
Unit(s): 2
Enrollment Limit: 15
Status: Registration opens Nov 30, 8:30 am (PT)
Quarter: Winter
Day: Thursdays
Duration: 10 weeks
Time: 5:30—7:00 pm (PT)
Date(s): Jan 7—Mar 11
Unit(s): 2
Tuition: $1290
Refund Deadline: Jan 9
Instructor(s): Samina Ali
Grade Restriction: Letter grade only
Enrollment Limit: 15
Recording Available: Yes
Status: Registration opens Nov 30, 8:30 am (PT)
This course is not open to the public, but rather by admission only. For more information on the Writing Certificate Program and its application process, please click here.
The beginning of a novel is crucial: establishing a contract with the reader, raising narrative questions, setting the tone and mood of the book, and, of course, introducing the main characters. We will begin by making sure that your novel starts in the right place, with a conflict compelling enough to reveal who these people are, and to ensure that they are making meaningful choices that lead to dramatic action. The challenges that our characters face up front help us to know who they are at the beginning of a book, and also set up expectations for how they might change by the end. Students will spend time thinking about the trajectory they envision not only for their protagonists but also for the secondary characters, and discussing issues related to characterization, such as point of view, dialogue, and voice. In this course, everyone will write and workshop an opening section of up to 5000 words.
The beginning of a novel is crucial: establishing a contract with the reader, raising narrative questions, setting the tone and mood of the book, and, of course, introducing the main characters. We will begin by making sure that your novel starts in the right place, with a conflict compelling enough to reveal who these people are, and to ensure that they are making meaningful choices that lead to dramatic action. The challenges that our characters face up front help us to know who they are at the beginning of a book, and also set up expectations for how they might change by the end. Students will spend time thinking about the trajectory they envision not only for their protagonists but also for the secondary characters, and discussing issues related to characterization, such as point of view, dialogue, and voice. In this course, everyone will write and workshop an opening section of up to 5000 words.
SAMINA ALI
Author
Samina Ali is an author, curator, and speaker. Her debut novel, Madras on Rainy Days, won France’s Prix du Premier Roman Étranger and was a finalist for the PEN/Hemingway Award. Her memoir, Pieces You’ll Never Get Back, was named a "Most Anticipated Book of 2025" by the San Francisco Chronicle, won the APALA Award for Best Non-fiction, and was optioned for the screen. Her writing has been featured in The New York Times, The Economist, and more. Textbooks for this course:
There are no required textbooks; however, some fee-based online readings may be assigned.