NVL 52 — Novel Workshop: Raising the Stakes
Quarter: Summer
Instructor(s): Taylor Larsen
Date(s): Jun 25—Aug 27
Class Recording Available: Yes
Class Meeting Day: Wednesdays
Class Meeting Time: 5:30—8:00 pm (PT)
Tuition: $1000
Refund Deadline: Jun 27
Unit(s): 2
Enrollment Limit: 18
Status: Open
Quarter: Summer
Day: Wednesdays
Duration: 10 weeks
Time: 5:30—8:00 pm (PT)
Date(s): Jun 25—Aug 27
Unit(s): 2
Tuition: $1000
Refund Deadline: Jun 27
Instructor(s): Taylor Larsen
Enrollment Limit: 18
Recording Available: Yes
Status: Open
Writing a novel can seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. A key element of crafting a compelling novel is infusing urgency into scenes and exploring what drives characters' desires—raising the stakes whenever possible. In this workshop, we’ll learn how to do just that, reading each project on its own terms and respecting each writer’s intentions. Even novels with quiet plots can be infused with tension, making them hard to put down.
We’ll examine selections from propulsive novels by Octavia Butler, Haruki Murakami, Charles Baxter, Ottessa Moshfegh, and others, identifying what’s at stake in each. The course will alternate between student workshops, craft discussions, and writing exercises. By the end, you’ll understand how to leverage key craft elements—mood, tone, deep characterization, narrative tension, and plot—to maximize stakes. You’ll also leave equipped with practical techniques to enhance both your joy and confidence in the writing process, helping you assemble your novel one puzzle piece at a time with a focused and joyful mindset.
We’ll examine selections from propulsive novels by Octavia Butler, Haruki Murakami, Charles Baxter, Ottessa Moshfegh, and others, identifying what’s at stake in each. The course will alternate between student workshops, craft discussions, and writing exercises. By the end, you’ll understand how to leverage key craft elements—mood, tone, deep characterization, narrative tension, and plot—to maximize stakes. You’ll also leave equipped with practical techniques to enhance both your joy and confidence in the writing process, helping you assemble your novel one puzzle piece at a time with a focused and joyful mindset.
TAYLOR LARSEN
Author
Taylor Larsen received an MFA in fiction writing from Columbia. Her debut novel, Stranger, Father, Beloved, was published in 2016. She has taught novel, short story, and creative nonfiction writing at Columbia, Catapult, the Sackett Street Writers Workshop, Pace University, and others. In 2018, she was awarded a Peter Taylor Fellowship from The Kenyon Review. Textbooks for this course:
(Required) Elizabeth Strout , Oh William! (ISBN 978-0812989441)
(Required) Octavia E. Butler , Kindred (ISBN 978-0807083697)
(Required) John Truby , The Anatomy of Story (ISBN 978-0865479937)
(Required) Octavia E. Butler , Kindred (ISBN 978-0807083697)
(Required) John Truby , The Anatomy of Story (ISBN 978-0865479937)