Story Design with Laurel Cohn

Theme. Plotlines. Characters. Backstory. Point of view.

These elements, all crucial for writers to understand, are often considered separately. While this is extremely valuable, the artistry in developing work for publication lies in understanding how these elements interrelate, how they work together to create your story design. Your design determines not only the way the story on the page unfolds, but also the relationship between the writer and reader and between the reader and the characters and events on the page.

Through exercises and readings, this workshop introduces strategies to help you understand the bigger picture of your works-in-progress, to consider the types of decisions that affect your story design, and to deepen your awareness of what you are wanting to say and how to say it.

This writing course, Story Design with Laurel Cohn, will take place at Writing NSW in Sydney.

Expected learning outcomes

In this workshop, participants will gain:

1. An appreciation of the importance of thinking about the big picture elements of a story: theme, plot, character and point of view.

2. An understanding of the interrelationship between theme, plot, character and point of view; and of how these together establish a relationship between the story and the reader.

3. Strategies and tools to help determine your story design.