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Winter Quarter 2012 January 9th April 1st

130

Writers Program

Enroll at uclaextension.edu or call (310) 825-9971 Answering Your Muse: A Workshop for Aspiring Creative Writers Writing Your First Novel
X 462.74 English 3 units Do you have an almost desperate desire to write a novel (you know, that painful stirring in your solar plexus) or are you just interested in telling your unique story in the best way possible? No matter how you feel, there is a great sense of satisfaction in jump-starting your book in a stimulating, supportive, and challenging environment. In this workshop, you learn about character, arc, point of view, dialogue, plot, conflict, complications, hooks, climax, resolution, language, setting, and the challenges of publishing and marketing your work. We not only get you started on the journey of finishing a novel, we also have lots of lively discussions, learn through lectures and close observation of each others work, create new bonds, and find out more about ourselves and each other. Whether that aching feeling is keeping your from writing or you just havent gotten around to doing it, you leave this workshop with a rough first chapter and the inspiration and tools you need to finish your book on your own. Prerequisite: At least 1 previous creative writing course. Enrollment limited to 18 students. Logistical information for this course will be provided via email. Please provide your email address when you register. All refund requests must be received by Tue, Jan 3; no refunds are given after that deadline date. Reg# W8630B Francesca Lia Block, author of many bestselling and award-winning novels, including Dangerous Angels: The Weetzie Bat Books, Necklace of Kisses, Quakeland, The Hanged Man, Echo, Pretty Dead, The Frenzy, and Wood Nymph Seeks Centaur: A Mythological Dating Guide. Ms. Block received the Margaret A. Edwards Lifetime Achievement Award and her latest adult novel has just been purchased by St. Martins Press.

writers Program
130 132 133 134 135 136 136 136 136 137 140 142 142 142 144 145 The Writers Studio Creative Writing General Interest Creative Writing: Weekend Courses Fiction Creative Nonfiction Poetry Playwriting Publishing Writing for the Youth Market Online Creative Writing Online Screenwriting Screenwriting Business of Screenwriting Feature Film Writing Television Writing Intensive and Weekend Screenwriting Workshops

X 485.35 English 3 units Do you hear the muse calling, but arent sure how to answer? Do you feel the urge to put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard), but arent sure where to start? In a safe and relaxing environment, this workshop provides a series of writing exercises to motivate and guide you to get writing, as well as to begin and start developing a substantial writing project. Whether your aim is to create poetry, complete a short story, begin a memoir, or even start conceptualizing a novel, this course frees your pen with techniques such as stream-of-consciousness writing, brainstorming, and quick outlining. It helps you to work through writers block and teaches you methods for silencing your inner critic. And most importantly, it inspires you to start writing. By the end of 4 days, you will leave this workshop with a number of new tools for your creative tool belt, as well as many pages of writing and a ton of inspiration. Enrollment limited to 18 students. Logistical information for this course will be provided via email. Please provide your email address when you register. All refund requests must be received by Tue, Jan 3; no refunds are given after that deadline date. Reg# W8633B Kim Krizan, Academy-Award nominated screenwriter, film and stage actor; WGA member who co-wrote Before Sunrise and Before Sunset with director Richard Linklater. Ms. Krizan has acted in several films, including Waking Life, Dazed and Confused, and Slacker. Her first full-length comic book, Zombie Tales: 2061, was recently published by Boom! Studios.

New Course
X 441.25 English 3 units Good memoirs dont just happentheyre designed. Successful memoir writers consider their audience, drill down into their idea to see what is unique and arresting about it, select the best structure for telling their tale, set attainable writing goals and then devise impeccable revision, marketing, and publishing strategies to see their project through. This workshop teaches you the 12 essential steps to writing and publishing memoir. It is intended for writers who are planning to complete a book-length work. You develop a crystal clear description of the book you want to write and the audience you hope to entice; an elevator pitch and a proper query to generate interest in your story; a personalized roadmap for your entire writing process; concrete project goals; insight into the revision process; an outline of a book proposal tailor-made to showcase your project; a short list of suitable literary agents to pitch; and, finally, an understanding of the current state of publishing and how you fit into it. Appropriate for students at any stage of the memoir writing process. Prerequisite: At least 1 previous creative writing course. Enrollment limited to 18 students. Logistical information for this course will be provided via email. Please provide your email address when you register. All refund requests must be received by Tue, Jan 3; no refunds are given after that deadline date. Reg# W8631B Jennie Nash, author of 3 memoirs, including Altared States: Surviving the Engagement and The Victorias Secret Catalog Never Stops Coming and Other Lessons I Learned from Breast Cancer, and the novel The Last Beach Bungalow (Berkley/Penguin, 2008). Ms. Nashs work has appeared in numerous publications, including Real Simple, GQ, and The New York Times.

Writing and Publishing Your Memoir

New Course

Writing Scenes in Fiction

Writers Studio at UCLA Extension


Thu-Sun, Feb 9-12 Presented by the UCLA Extension Writers Program, the Writers Studio at UCLA Extension consists of 10 intensive writing workshops. Participants choose one of the 4-day intensive workshops offered in which they work closely with a professional writer/ instructor in classes limited to 18 people. Each workshop is a 3-unit UCLA Extension course; participants have the option of taking it for a grade. Investment in Your Craft The fee for the Writers Studio is $705 until January 9; after January 9, the fee increases to $775, so enroll early and save! (Fee does not include lodging or most meals.) A $30 administrative fee is withheld from all refunds (full refund if workshop is canceled or rescheduled). Refund requests must be postmarked or phoned in by Tueday, January 3. No refunds are given after that date. Early enrollment is strongly advised. For More Information To speak to an advisor and for updates and additional information on the Writers Studio, call the Writers Program at (310) 825-9415 or email writers@uclaextension.edu.

Studio Workshops
Choose only 1 of the following workshops.

Inside Story: Creating Powerful Narratives

c UC credit; see page 149 m Online course & Text required; see page 148

X 462.75 English 3 units Be it a novel, short story, or piece of creative nonfiction, the secret to creating a narrative that leaps off the page and instantly grabs the reader lies in the story itself. In this workshop, you explore what a story really is; what, as readers, we innately expect when we read one; and how to translate the unique story youre writing into the universal language of storytelling. Just as importantly, you have a yardstick to gauge whether each twist is on target or is a digression that brings your narrative to a screeching halt. In class you write, workshop, and refine your concept and your protagonists quest, focusing on what your story is about and how to actualize it. You leave the course with a clear roadmap of your story from beginning to end, and a precise draft of those foundation-setting first several pages. Prerequisite: At least 1 previous creative writing course. Enrollment limited to 18 students. Logistical information for this course will be provided via email. Please provide your email address when you register. All refund requests must be received by Tue, Jan 3; no refunds are given after that deadline date. Reg# W8626B Lisa Cron, Partner, Michael Cron Literary Agency, representing a variety of fiction and nonfiction writers. Ms. Cron has been a consultant, agent, and story analyst for the Angela Rinaldi Literary Agency, the William Morris Agency, Warner Bros., Miramax, and Village Roadshow. She also has worked in publishing as an editor and publicist at W. W. Norton and John Muir Publications.

X 463.76 English 3 units I just knew there were stories I wanted to tell, says Octavia Butler, and many of us feel exactly the same way. This workshop helps you deal with the essential component of our stories: the scenes. Think of successful scenes as putting strong, lifelike characters in a setting, with a clear motivation and stakes, and this simple formula is the exciting force behind both writing and revising our work. In this workshop, you learn how to construct scenes using the building blocks of narrative, a skill which can apply to longer works of fiction or creative nonfiction (such as novels or memoirs) or shorter stories. Through various exercises designed to create new scenes or polish existing ones, and understanding how scenes work in selected readings, you hone your prose at this essential level. By the end of the course, you will have completed several scenes for either a new or existing work, along with knowledge of how a scene serves the work as a whole. Prerequisite: At least 1 previous creative writing course. Enrollment limited to 18 students. Logistical information for this course will be provided via email. Please provide your email address when you register. All refund requests must be received by Tue, Jan 3; no refunds are given after that deadline date. Reg# W8632B Michael Buckley, MFA, fiction writer whose new short story collection is Miniature Men (World Parade Books, 2011). Mr. Buckleys work has appeared in Alaska Quarterly Review, Best American Non-Required Reading, Southern California Review, Rip Rap, and Watermark, among others. He is a co-founder and editor-inchief of Transcurrent Literary Journal, and he has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize twice.

M Course held during daytime hours

Enroll at uclaextension.edu or call (310) 825-9971

Writers Program

131

UCLA Extension Writers Program Presents

Writers Studio 2012


4-Day Intensive Workshops in Screenwriting and Creative Writing
Thu-Sun, Feb 9-12, Westwood: 1010 Westwood Center
What Is the Writers Studio?
Push aside the demands and deadlines of daily life and dive into your writing at the Writers Studio. During 4 intensive days, you learn and write in a workshop equivalent to a regular 10-week Writers Program course. Select 1 workshop from a choice of 10, each taught by a Writers Program instructor who also is an accomplished screenwriter, novelist, short fiction writer, editor, or creative nonfiction writer. Writers Studio 2012 Workshops This years workshops offer a rich variety of learning experiences. Creative Writing inside story: Creating Powerful Narratives with Lisa Cron answering Your muse: a workshop for aspiring Creative writers with Kim Krizan writing and Publishing Your memoir with Jennie Nash writing Your First Novel with Francesca Lia Block writing scenes in Fiction with Michael Buckley Screenwriting writing Your First screenplay with Cindy Davis Hewitt Crafting the Comedy screenplay with Steve Mazur storytellers wanted: writing Video games Now with Robert Bryant Creating the 1-Hour Drama spec scripts story and outline with Joel Thompson
Writers Studio instructor Cindy Davis Hewitt.

Writers Studio Fee The $705 fee* includes:


Registration

workshop morning

in one four-day breakfast on Thursday

Continental

Complimentary

coffee available throughout the day guest on Saturday reception with light refreshments Refund Policy A $30 administrative fee is withheld from all refunds. Refund requests must be postmarked or phoned in by Jan 3, 2012. No refunds are available after that date (full refund if workshop is canceled, discontinued, or rescheduled).

Special Sunday

Writers Studio instructor Joel Thompson.

How to Enroll online Visit uclaextension.edu/writers for full information on the Writers Studio. Follow the links to complete your secure enrollment. Phone Enrollment by phone is highly recommended as you will find out immediately which workshops are available. Call (310) 825-9971 and have your American Express, Discover, JCB, MasterCard, or VISA ready. For More Information about the Writers Studio Call: (310) 825-9415 Email: writers@uclaextension.edu Visit: uclaextension.edu/writers Other Requirements Attendees will be emailed detailed logistical information beginning in November. Please provide your email address when you register.

* Fee is $775 after Jan 9.

Creating the Half-Hour Comedy Pilot with Julie and David Chambers Pages 130 & 132.
Writers Studio instructor Michael Buckley.

Praise from Last Years Participants


The Writers Studio helped me ignore my inner critic and focus on exercises to facilitate brainstorming and concept implementation. Brian Duke, Manhattan Beach, California It was fun to have the face to face interaction with people interested in things I am interested in. I have taken some of the online classes, which are great (and very convenient, since I live about 200 miles away), but there is a different energy to being in the classroom. Heidi Clark, Tulare, California The Studio class helped me find direction in my work and introduced me to a host of other people doing the same thing. I left with a clear idea of where I wanted to take my project which Im now on the way to completing. David Tedesco, Hermosa Beach, California

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Writers Program
New Course
X 433.55 Film & Television 3 units Story fuels todays hit games. Players want great narrative set in vivid new worlds chock-full of memorable characters they can engage with, and the field needs writers who can deliver that. Over 4 information-packed days, learn what narrative designers (a.k.a. video game writers) do, and how they use game mechanics to engage players emotions, and pull them ever-deeper into the game story and game world. You learn how to generate a winning concept, develop your characters, integrate gameplay into your story, and discover exactly what elements generate critical and commercial heat. By the end of the workshop, you have in hand an 8-10page treatment, called a game concept document, which breaks your story down level by level and serves as the blueprint for your very own game pitch. In addition to aspiring video game writers, this course is of great value to game developers who want to learn the traditions of character arcs and 3-act structure. Course may be taken as a certificate elective. Enrollment limited to 18 students. Logistical information for this course will be provided via email. Please provide your email address when you register. All refund requests must be received by Tue, Jan 3; no refunds are given after that date. Reg# W8629B Robert Bryant, MFA, video game creative executive who has worked on dozens of game projects on platforms ranging from PC/toy hybrids to home consoles to iPhone and iPad. Mr. Bryant was studio director at Crave Entertainment, where he executive produced World Championship Poker, Future Tactics: The Uprising, and Pinball Hall of Fame. He is a co-author of Game Testing All in One (Thomson Course Technology).

Enroll at uclaextension.edu or call (310) 825-9971 Storytellers Wanted: Writing Video Games Now Creating the Half-Hour Comedy Pilot
X 430.41 Film & Television 3 units Today, you need that original pilot script in your portfolio to break into the business of writing television comedy. In this lively workshop, discover the ingredients you need to create great sitcoms, learn contemporary techniques to give comic conventions a fresh feel, and then set about turning your pilot concept into a show that has the legs to last 5 years. In a professional writing room atmosphere, find and select the ideas to build that outline and unearth the unique ingredients you bring to the mix: your own comic sensibility, your experience, your creative inspiration, your cousin who runs the network. Okay, not everyone has a useful cousin, but you will leave the workshop with a solid outline and encouragement to write the script that might be your ticket into the business of writing comedy. Prerequisite: At least 1 television or screenwriting course. Course may be taken as a certificate elective. Enrollment limited to 18 students. Logistical information for this course will be provided via email. Please provide your email address when you register. All refund requests must be received by Tue, Jan 3; no refunds are given after that date. Reg# W8618B Julie Chambers, writer; WGA member whose credits include a Writers Guild Award-nominated episode of The Simpsons. Ms. Chambers also has written episodes for Becker; The Buzz on Maggie; and the Showtime movie The Princess and the Barrio Boy. She recently worked with Mel Brooks on an animated series based on his movie Spaceballs and is a published childrens book author. David Chambers, writer and producer; WGA member; who has worked on more than a dozen prime-time network television shows. Mr. Chambers is an Emmy Award nominee for his work on The Wonder Years and Franks Place, winner of a Humanitas Award, and his episode of The Simpsons was nominated recently for a Writers Guild Award. He recently worked on 2 History Channel specials featuring comedian Lewis Black. Reg# W8864B Through Dec 11: $309 / After: $339 UCLA: 1264 School of Public Affairs Bldg. Wed 7-10pm, Jan 11-Feb 15, 6 mtgs Judith Prager, PhD, writer whose novels include The Newman Factor and Black Water. Dr. Pragers nonfiction includes Verbal First Aid: Help Kids Heal From Pain and Fearand Come out Strong (Penguin Berkley), The Worst Is Over: What to Say When Every Moment Counts (Jodere Group), and Journey to Alternity. She was the co-recipient of the UCLA Extension Outstanding Instructor Award in Creative Writing, 2004. Harry Youtt, fiction writer and Pushcart Prize-nominated poet whose recent collections of poetry include Ill Always Be from Lorain, Even the Autumn Leaves, and Outbound for Elsewhere. Mr. Youtt is on the editorial board of the international Journal of Consciousness, Literature and the Arts and was the co-recipient of the UCLA Extension Outstanding Instructor Award in Creative Writing, 2004. Reg# W9272B Through Jan 23: $309 / After: $339 Westwood: 415 1010 Westwood Center Thu 10am-1pm, Feb 23-Mar 29, 6 mtgs Cecilia Manguerra Brainard, author and editor of 12 books, including Vigan and Other Stories, A La Carte: Food and Fiction (Anvil), and When the Rainbow Goddess Wept, Magdalena (Plain View Press). Ms. Brainard has received numerous awards, including a California Arts Council Fellowship and Brody Arts Fund Award, and her work has been translated into Turkish and Finnish.

New Course
X 433.25 Film & Television 3 units Learning to write a screenplay is a process, and to do it well can take years of practice. This workshop gives you 2 tried-and-true ways for making a lot of progress in a short period of time: 1) learn how to write a strong outline and 2) get lots of personalized feedback on your work. Through a series of writing exercises and assignments, you are guided toward mastering the basics of screenwriting, especially the all-important screenplay structure, and also explore scene development, characterization, and dialogue. You boil down your story into a 1-sentence logline, and then grow it into a fullfledged outline for a feature length script. With this solid, entertaining outline in hand, you leave the course ready to conceptualize and begin work on your own script beyond the classroom. No prior screenwriting experience necessary. Course may be taken as a certificate core requirement. Enrollment limited to 18 students. Logistical information for this course will be provided via email. Please provide your email address when you register. All refund requests must be received by Tue, Jan 3; no refunds are given after that date. Reg# W8627B Cindy Davis Hewitt, MFA, screenwriter; WGA member whose feature film credits include the English-language screenplay for Hayao Miyazakis Oscar-winning film Spirited Away, as well as My Neighbor Totoro, and Howls Moving Castle. Ms. Hewitt has written for Pixar, Working Title, Miramax, and Disney. She currently is writing the animated feature film Pigeon: Impossible for Fox.

Writing Your First Screenplay

Fiction for Absolute Beginners

Crafting the Comedy Screenplay

X 430.4AI Film & Television 3 units This workshop employs a logical and easy-to-follow approach to crafting comedy screenplays from original premise to final draft, with an emphasis on structure. Using student premises, we analyze character and plot development, the construction of sequences and scenes, and methods of mining comedy from the characters and story. The instructor also provides practical tips to help simplify and streamline the writing process. The goal is to complete an outline based on your concept for a full-length comedy screenplay, with enough detail to begin to write your first draft. Students should watch the film Big prior to the workshop and should bring to class a 1-or-2-line original story concept that they are ready to develop. Course may be taken as a certificate elective. Enrollment limited to 18 students. Logistical information for this course will be provided via email. Please provide your email address when you register. All refund requests must be received by Tue, Jan 3; no refunds are given after that date. Reg# W8614B Stephen Mazur, screenwriter; WGA member whose credits include co-writing the feature films Liar, Liar; The Little Rascals; and Heartbreakers. Mr. Mazur also wrote the teleplays The Crooked E: The Unshredded Truth about Enron for CBS and Wedding March for A&E. He is the recipient of the UCLA Extension Outstanding Instructor Award in Screenwriting, 2005.

New Course
X 433.45 Film & Television 3 units Network and cable 1-hour dramas have never been better, and the key to creating a strong hour-long spec scriptregardless of the genre or outletis an airtight story and outline. In this workshop, you learn how to select the best story for your spec script, map it out from beginning to end, and write a properly formatted outline. In addition, you learn how to identify and capture the tone, characters, dialogue, and themes of any 1-hour drama series. And because a writers success also hinges upon longevity and outlook, you gain tips for tackling writers block, surviving rejection, and conducting yourself in a professional TV writers room. You leave the workshop with a viable story and a logically-detailed outline in hand, and are ready to write your first draft as quickly and expertly as possible. Prerequisite: Previous course in television or screenwriting; all student projects must focus on shows currently on-air; no pilots. Course may be taken as a certificate core requirement. Enrollment limited to 18 students. Logistical information for this course will be provided via email. Please provide your email address when you register. All refund requests must be received by Tue, Jan 3; no refunds are given after that date. Reg# W8628B Joel Thompson, MFA, television writer; WGA member, whose writing credits include House, MD; Boomtown; Battlestar Galactica; and the upcoming Dreamworks television project Falling Skies. Mr. Thompson is a former story analyst for Icon Pictures, Village Roadshow, and John Wells Productions. He has also sold pitches to various networks, including CBS, HBO Films, and Stage 9 Productions (Disney).

Creating the 1-Hour Drama Spec Scripts Story and Outline

Creative Writing
For advisement on on-site creative writing courses, call Sara Bond at (310) 825-9416 or Mae Respicio at (310) 206-0951. Many creative writing courses also are offered online; see page 137.

X 448.4 English 2 units This course offers you the chance to get your feet wet by learning the basic elements of story, characters, conflict, point-of-view, and dialogue. Every week, you write a short piece, culminating in a 3-5-page story to be presented at the final 2 classes. Enrollment limited to 20 students. Internet access required to retrieve course materials. Reg# W8865B Through Jan 22: $309 / After: $339 UCLA: 1264 School of Public Affairs Bldg. Wed 7-10pm, Feb 22-Mar 28, 6 mtgs Judith Prager, for credits see this page. Harry Youtt, for credits see this page.

General Interest: Special Subjects and Themes


Courses in this section are open to students of all levels of writing experience who want to focus on a specific area of study. These courses may be used to fulfill Creative Writing certificate requirements; contact your advisor for details.

General Interest: Beginning and Novice Writers


These basic creative writing courses are for students with no prior writing experience, and provide the best foundation to go forward in their writing. Instruction is exercise-driven; the process of workshopping is introduced, where students are asked to share and offer feedback on each others work with guidance from the instructor.

The Writers Workout: Techniques for Stronger Writing

X 401A English 2 units Many aspire to write creatively, but few know how to get started. A supportive workshop for those who wish to write for personal or professional satisfaction, this course provides many fundamental techniquesfrom journal writing to imaginative in-class exercisesall geared to motivate and cultivate the beginning creative writer. Topics include writing from observation and experience, creating dynamic characters, writing dialogue, and how to write from different points of view. The course goal is to have in hand a series of short sketches or a draft of a story. Enrollment limited to 20 students. Internet access required to retrieve course materials. kkk

The Essential Beginnings: An Introductory Creative Writing Workshop

X 446.15 English 2.5 units Much in the way artists take life-drawing classes to grow and keep in form, this course is designed to get you writing quickly and intensively in either fiction or memoir forms. The first half of the course leads you through a series of exercises and covers narrative designstarting with scene designto remind veteran writers of certain basics and to give insight to newer writers. The second half of the course becomes a workshop where you write a scene and 2 short stories or personal essays. The class provides an honest yet supportive forum for your work as you learn to express ideas and emotions with greater clarity. You read, critique, and write, write, write. Enrollment limited to 20 students. Internet access required to retrieve course materials. kkk

Enroll at uclaextension.edu or call (310) 825-9971


Reg# W8866B Through Dec 23: $365 / After: $399 UCLA: 1256 School of Public Affairs Bldg. Mon 7-10pm, Jan 23-Mar 19, 8 mtgs (no mtg 2/20) Christopher Meeks, MFA, writer whose work has appeared in The Santa Barbara Review, The Southern California Anthology, The Clackamas Literary Review, Rosebud, and Writers Forum. Mr. Meekss latest novel is The Brightest Moon of the Century (2009). His short story collections are Months and Seasons, which was on the long list for the Frank OConnor Award, and The Middle-Aged Man and the Sea.

Writers Program

133

New Course

Submitting to Los Angeles Literary Journals

X 403.3 English 2.5 units As writers, we are told that our inner lives hold hidden treasures, gems of personal experience that provide our truest and most natural subject matter. But how do we write what we knowor even get at what we know? In a supportive and positive atmosphere, this challenge is met through writing prompts which provide access to what you know as a felt rather than cognitive memory. In-class exercises explore characters who loom in your life, places which are the home of your heart, and objects which tell a story about who you are. Learn to trust your first instinct and write freely before the spectre of whats right, good, or expected has a chance to control the results. By the end of the workshop, you have a collection of pieces drawn from and transformed by the treasures of your inner life. Enrollment limited to 20 students. Internet access required to retrieve course materials. Reg# W8867B Through Dec 24: $365 / After: $399 Westwood: 320 1010 Westwood Center Tue 10am-1pm, Jan 24-Mar 13, 8 mtgs Stephanie Waxman, writer and author of the short story collection Sex and Death. Ms. Waxmans stories have appeared in Missouri Review, Oregon East, Meridian, RE:AL, The Distillery, The Bitter Oleander Press, West, and New Sudden Fiction. Her novel, Divided Loyalties, was published by Marco Press.

Discovering the Treasures Within: A Writing Workshop

X 415.2 English 3 units This workshop has 2 main goalsboth of which center on teaching you how to prepare and successfully submit a piece of fiction, creative nonfiction, or poetry to a major Los Angeles literary journal. First, you hone your work to publishable standards under the guidance of the founder and editor of the new L.A.-based journal The Rattling Wall. Second, you read strategically selected excerpts from Santa Monica Review, SLAKE, Rattle, The Rattling Wall, and Black Clock, among others, to understand the specific tastes of these journals editors. This knowledge not only provides you with an edge as you learn how to pinpoint the best places to send your work, but it also maximizes the value you derive from a unique feature of this course: the chance to meet many of these editors in person when they attend class for Q&A sessions. During the last 2 weeks, you finalize your submission, and learn how to use the Writers Market guides, find reputable online resources, organize a simultaneous submission, and write a cover letter. By the end of the course, you have in-hand a polished piece and a game plan for submitting it to a specific L.A. journal. Enrollment limited to 20 students. Internet access required to retrieve course materials. Reg# W9283B Through Dec 25: $419 / After: $459 UCLA: 1278 School of Public Affairs Bldg. Wed 7-10pm, Jan 25-Mar 28, 10 mtgs No refund after Feb 1. Michelle Meyering, MFA, founder and editor of the Los Angeles-based literary journal, The Rattling Wall. Ms. Meyering also was editor of the literary publication, Folio, and her poetry has appeared in numerous journals, including The Comstock Review and The Eleventh Muse. She currently is Director of Programs and Events for PEN Center USA. X 494.50 English 2.5 units From Raymond Chandlers anti-hero Phillip Marlowe to Charlaine Harriss vampire-loving waitress Sookie Stackhouse to Sue Graftons wisecracking and downright wise Kinsey Milhone, the key to Americas best detective fiction is powerful and engaging heroes. This workshop focuses on creating a current and one-of-a-kind protagonist through the use of plot, setting, action, dialogue, diction, and complementary and contrasting secondary characters. Your goal is to get started and/or make headway on a novel in which you createor refine, if you have a work-in-progressa detective who is compelling enough to be the driving force of the novel (or series of novels), and, in the process, uncover that characters unique voice. Classes include lectures, discussions, targeted writing exercises, and personal feedback. Publication markets for mystery fiction and agents also are discussed. Enrollment limited to 20 students. Internet access required to retrieve course materials. Reg# W8871B Through Dec 25: $365 / After: $399 UCLA: 1343 School of Public Affairs Bldg. Wed 7-10pm, Jan 25-Mar 14, 8 mtgs Jerrilyn Farmer, bestselling author of the Madeline Bean mystery series who has received multiple national mystery awards, including the Macavity and Lefty Awards, and nominations for many others, including the Mary Higgins Clark/MWA Award. Ms. Farmers latest book, co-written with Joan Rivers, is Murder at the Academy Awards.

Dont Just Take Our Word for It!


The Writers Studio is a unique opportunity to have an intense creative experience. Immersing myself in writing for such a concentrated period of time helped me to focus and expand my skills with none of the usual distractions. Phyllis Berger, Los Angeles, CA 2011 Writers Studio Participant

2012 writers studio


Thu-Sun, Feb 9-12 For more information, see pages 130-132.

Phyllis Berger.

Creating the 21st Century Detective

X 448.36 English 3 units Fascinating, believable characters are the backbone of any story. Designed for those who want to learn how to craft multi-dimensional characters that captivate and resonate deeply with readers, this course shows you how to tap into the emotional truths of your characters and find the courage to take them on a journey that any reader would find compelling. Through in-class exercises and provocative discussion, you learn how to create character obstacles, transformations, and triumphs and to develop skills that allow you to get the critic off your shoulder and let your characters speak, act, kiss, or kill without author intervention. Students are encouraged to bring in their own pages to read on a weekly basis. Home assignments are given to those who need a jump-start. The ultimate class goal is to have the beginnings of a character-driven story or a strong first chapter or draft of a short story. Enrollment limited to 20 students. Internet access required to retrieve course materials. Reg# W8868B Through Dec 24: $419 / After: $459 UCLA: 2317 School of Public Affairs Bldg. Tue 7-10pm, Jan 24-Mar 27, 10 mtgs No refund after Jan 31. Linzi Glass, author of the award-winning novel The Year the Gypsies Came (Henry Holt, 2006), which was nominated for the U.K. Carnegie Medal in Literature and voted one of the best books for young adults by the ALA. Ms. Glasss second novel, Ruby Red, was shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal in Literature, and her third novel, Finding Danny, was published by Harper Collins/ Walden Pond Press (2010).

The Art of Creating Compelling Characters from the Inside Out

X 443.96 English 3 units Everybodys a writer: in email, blogs, comments on blogs, websites, job apps, dating site profiles, etc. While its nice to express yourself, its nicer to be able to be amusingand nicer still to do it in a range of styles. In this course, you explore a variety of comic voices and stylesboth through reading past and present masters and experimenting with your own writingall in an effort to make yourself, and others, laugh. You review such key comedic genres as satire and parody, and also talk about why a semi-colon can be funnier than a period, the importance of rhythm, and how not to abuse italics. But mainly you delve into the comic approach: how to select a voice for a given effect (including that of a first-person essayist, i.e. a voice that is you and parodies no one). You also learn how to find a funny angle on a given topic, how to cut, and the differences (if any) between the comic writing of men and women. The course goal is to become familiar with a range of comic voices and to learn to make use of their tricks, devices, and principles for your own writing. Enrollment limited to 20 students. Internet access required to retrieve course materials. Reg# W8869B Through Dec 26: $419 / After: $459 UCLA: 1270 School of Public Affairs Bldg. Thu 7-10pm, Jan 26-Mar 29, 10 mtgs No refund after Feb 2. Ellis Weiner, writer who has published pieces in The New Yorker, The Paris Review, Mademoiselle, New York Times Magazine, Smithsonian, and Spy, among many others. Mr. Weiner is author and co-author of over 20 books, including The Joy of Worry (Chronicle Books), and Drop Dead, My Lovely (NAL). He is a former editor for National Lampoon and his latest book is The Big Jewish Book for Jews (Plume).

Find Your Comic Voice(s)!

Creative Writing: Weekend Courses


2-Day
How to Write a Million-Dollar Proposal: A 2-Saturday Workshop

X 460.95 English 1.5 units Whether youre in the midst of penning a personal narrative, a how-to, or a treatise on your area of expertise, you need a book proposal to get in the door at any traditional publisher. This 2-day interactive workshop puts you with one of the industrys professional insiders whos never written a proposal that hasnt soldand for big bucksand gives you everything you need to know to take your idea to the next level, including the 7-step magic formula to crafting winning proposals; what agents respond to and what you need to approach them; a peek into million-dollar proposals by first-time authors; the how-tos of building a provocative table of contents and creating the right architecture for a book that keeps readers wanting more; the secrets to selling yourself and developing a compelling marketing plan; and whether or not independent (self) publishing is the way to go for you. By the end of the course, you understand the inner workings of the publishing industry and know exactly where your potential stands, with all of the materials you need in draft form to move forward. For some, this means polishing your perfect pitch package and submitting it to an agent or publisher; for others, this entails positioning yourself to self-publish successfully. Advance enrollment required; no enrollment at the door. Reg# W9273B Through Feb 10: $255 / After: $275 UCLA: 1270 School of Public Affairs Bldg. Sat 9:30am-4:30pm, Mar 10 & 17, 2 mtgs Kristin Loberg, New York Times bestselling writer and editor specializing in proposals and book collaboration. Ms. Lobergs titles include Payback Time (Crown), Mom Energy (Hay House), The Fiber35 Diet (Free Press), The Water Secret (Wiley), No Matter What (Grand Central), The Vitamin D Solution (Hudson Street Press), and The End of Illness (Free Press), among numerous others. She also has ghostwritten almost 50 books.

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Writers Program Novel Writing I: Writing the First Novel

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chapters of a novel or memoir, essays, or poems. Enrollment limited to 20 students. Internet access required to retrieve course materials. Reg# W8870B Through Dec 25: $419 / After: $459 UCLA: 3112 Rolfe Hall Wed 7-10pm, Jan 25-Mar 28, 10 mtgs No refund after Feb 1. Les Plesko, fiction writer and author of the novel Slow Lie Detector (Equator Books). Mr. Pleskos novel The Last Bongo Sunset (Simon & Schuster) was critically acclaimed by The New Yorker and The New York Times and translated into Dutch and German, and his stories appear in Zyzzyva and Pear Noir! He was the recipient of the UCLA Extension Outstanding Instructor Award in Creative Writing, 2002. X 494.50 English 2.5 units From Raymond Chandlers anti-hero Phillip Marlowe to Charlaine Harriss vampire-loving waitress Sookie Stackhouse to Sue Graftons wisecracking and downright wise Kinsey Milhone, the key to Americas best detective fiction is powerful and engaging heroes. This workshop focuses on creating a current and one-of-a-kind protagonist through the use of plot, setting, action, dialogue, diction, and complementary and contrasting secondary characters. Your goal is to get started and/or make headway on a novel in which you createor refine, if you have a work-in-progressa detective who is compelling enough to be the driving force of the novel (or series of novels), and, in the process, uncover that characters unique voice. Classes include lectures, discussions, targeted writing exercises, and personal feedback. Publication markets for mystery fiction and agents also are discussed. Enrollment limited to 20 students. Internet access required to retrieve course materials. Reg# W8871B Through Dec 25: $365 / After: $399 UCLA: 1343 School of Public Affairs Bldg. Wed 7-10pm, Jan 25-Mar 14, 8 mtgs Jerrilyn Farmer, for credits see page 133.

Fiction I
Courses in this section are recommended for students with some writing experience. Instruction is a mix of lecture and workshopping. Students continue to share and offer feedback in a frank and supportive environment, assessing the strengths and weaknesses of students work. Those new to writing might consider courses listed under General Interest: Beginning and Novice Writers.
X 403A English 3 units It has been said that all of us have locked inside At least 1 good story to tell. Through lectures on craft, short writing exercises, assignments, and discussion of your work, you learn how to tell yours. Topics include plot, point-of-view, setting, description, conflict, characterization, dialogue, tension, rewriting, and submission strategies. This course focuses on short fiction but includes principles that students use in X 462.71 Novel Writing I: Writing the First Novel. The course goal is to draft one short story or a chapter of a novel. This course is a prerequisite for students who are continuing in either the short- or long-fiction sequence. Enrollment limited to 20 students. Internet access required to retrieve course materials. & Reg# W8678B Through Dec 24: $419 / After: $459 Westwood: 413 1010 Westwood Center Tue 10am-1pm, Jan 24-Mar 27, 10 mtgs No refund after Jan 31. Colette Sartor, MFA, fiction writer whose work has appeared in Kenyon Review Online, Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, Colorado Review, and Harvard Review. Ms. Sartor has won a Fugue Prose Award, a Reynolds Price Short Fiction Award, a Glenna Luschei Prairie Schooner Award, an honorable mention in Best American Short Stories 2009, and a Truman Capote fellowship from the Iowa Writers Workshop. Reg# W8689B Through Dec 26: $419 / After: $459 UCLA: 2325 School of Public Affairs Bldg. Thu 7-10pm, Jan 26-Mar 29, 10 mtgs No refund after Feb 2. Marisa Matarazzo, MFA, fiction writer whose first book, Drenched: Stories of Love and Other Deliriums, was published by Soft Skull Press in February 2010, and whose stories have appeared in Hobart, Faultline, and FiveChapters. A graduate of the UC Irvine Writers Program, Ms. Matarazzo is the recipient of several awards and fellowships, including the Wallace Prize, the Elmore A. Willets Prize, and the Strauss Fellowship.

Introduction to Fiction Writing

X 462.71 English 3 units That novel is inside you waiting to emerge, but knowing how and where to start can be daunting. This course provides you with weekly assignments, group interaction, and instructor feedback to help you explore various methods of writing your first novel while learning the key craft points of plot, structure, point-of-view, sense of place, and voice. The goal is to complete the first chapter of your novel by establishing an intimacy with your characters as you artfully shape their journey, and to develop an overall concept to guide you through your story. Required for students considering the long-fiction sequence. Prerequisite: X 403A Introduction to Fiction Writing or equivalent, or consent of instructor. Enrollment limited to 15 students. Internet access required to retrieve course materials. Reg# W9274B Through Dec 17: $525 / After: $575 Westwood: 416 1010 Westwood Center Tue 11am-2pm, Jan 17-Mar 20, 10 mtgs No refund after Jan 24. Francesca Lia Block, author of many bestselling and award-winning novels, including Dangerous Angels: The Weetzie Bat Books, Necklace of Kisses, Quakeland, The Hanged Man, Echo, Pretty Dead, The Frenzy, and Wood Nymph Seeks Centaur: A Mythological Dating Guide. Ms. Block received the Margaret A. Edwards Lifetime Achievement Award and her latest adult novel, a psychological fantasy/murder mystery, has just been purchased by St. Martins Press. Reg# W8680B Through Dec 26: $525 / After: $575 UCLA: A06 Haines Hall Thu 7-10pm, Jan 26-Mar 29, 10 mtgs No refund after Feb 2. Stefan Kiesbye, MFA, fiction writer and author of the novel Next Door Lived a Girl, which has been translated into several languages. Mr. Kiesbyes new novel, Your House Is on Fire, Your Children All Gone, is forthcoming in 2012. His work has been published in Hobart, Dogzplot, The St. Petersburg Review, and the anthology The Art of Friction.

Novel Writing II: Writing a Novel the Professional Way Workshop

Creating the 21st Century Detective

X 446.7A English 3 units This workshop helps you develop your long-form fiction project from the idea stage to the writing/planning stage. With an emphasis on finding your book through exploring voice, viewpoint, characterization, and different approaches to structure, course assignments include writing scenes using characters and situations from the projected novel and discussion of your in-progress work. Mini-lectures on the art of the novel, intuitive creative process, and conventional vs. non-conventional approaches to novel structure also are covered. Your goal is to complete 50 well-crafted pages of a novel. Prerequisite: X 403A Introduction to Fiction Writing and X 462.71 Writing the First Novel, or equivalent, or departmental approval. Enrollment limited to 15 students. Internet access required to retrieve course materials. Reg# W8682B Through Dec 25: $525 / After: $575 UCLA: 2288 Franz Hall Wed 7-10pm, Jan 25-Mar 28, 10 mtgs No refund after Feb 1. Linda Palmer, author of 8 mystery novels, including Killer Mousse, Death Takes the Cake, The Proof Is in the Pudding (2010), and Pie la Murder (2011), written under the pen name Melinda Wells. A former screenwriter and studio executive, Ms. Palmer has received the UCLA Extension Outstanding Instructor Awards in Creative Writing, 2010, and in Screenwriting, 1995.

Novel Writing III: Writing a Novel the Professional Way Works-in-Progress Workshop

Creative Writing: Short Story

Fiction II
These intermediate-level courses are designed for students who have fulfilled the prerequisites stated in each description. Instruction is a mix of lecture and workshopping. Students continue to share and offer feedback in a frank and supportive environment, assessing the strengths and weaknesses of students work.

Introduction to Fiction Writing: A Limited-Enrollment Workshop

X 403AL English 3 units Limited to 15 highly motivated students committed to the intensive study of writing fiction, this workshop covers the key elements of the genre, including plot, characterization, setting, point-of-view, and various story development techniques, as well as publication markets. The goal is to complete one short story and have a second one well underway. This course is a prerequisite for students who are continuing in either the short- or long-fiction sequence. Enrollment limited to 15 students. Internet access required to retrieve course materials. Reg# W8688B Through Dec 25: $525 / After: $575 Downtown Los Angeles: 261 S. Figueroa St., Figueroa Courtyard, Suite 100W, Classroom 109 Wed 6:30-9:30pm, Jan 25-Mar 28, 10 mtgs No refund after Feb 1. Noel Alumit, author of the novels Letters to Montgomery Clift and Talking to the Moon. Mr. Alumits work has been published in USAToday, The Advocate, and The Huffington Post, and his awards include the Stonewall Book Award (American Library Association), Violet Quill Award, and James Duggins Mid-Career Prize. His work has made the finalist lists for the PEN Literary Award and the Lambda Literary Award.

XL 134A English 5 units c Available for UCLA transferable credit, this workshop covers the key elements of fiction writing, including plot, characterization, setting, point-of-view, and various story development techniques, as well as publication markets. Your goal is to complete or rewrite 3 stories of average length. Enrollment limited to 20 students. Internet access required to retrieve course materials. & Reg# W8679B Through Dec 10: $535 / After: $589 Westwood: 211 Extension Lindbrook Center Tue 6:30-9:30pm, Jan 10-Mar 27, 12 mtgs No refund after Jan 17. Stephen Cooper, PhD, MFA, NEA Fellow whose short stories have appeared in Watershed, .Cent, American Fiction, Hot Type, and The Threepenny Review, among other publications. A professor of English at Cal State Long Beach, Dr. Cooper is the author of Full of Life: A Biography of John Fante and editor of The John Fante Reader, both included among the Los Angeles Times Best Books of the Year.

Writing the Short Story: Intermediate Workshop

X 446.7B English 3 units For those with at least 50 pages of a novel-in-progress, this workshop guides you to generate at least 50 new pages as well as learn essential self-editing techniques, with the instructor and peers reviewing each participants project in detail. Refinements of character, structure, emotional content, and the development of the writers voice also are explored. The goal is to produce a substantial portion of a novel approaching professional caliber. Prerequisite: X 462.71 Novel Writing I: Writing the First Novel and X 446.7A Novel Writing II: Writing a Novel the Professional Way Workshop, or equivalent, or departmental approval. Enrollment limited to 15 students. Internet access required to retrieve course materials. Reg# W8872B Through Dec 24: $525 / After: $575 UCLA: 3112 Rolfe Hall Tue 7-10pm, Jan 24-Mar 27, 10 mtgs No refund after Jan 31. Les Plesko, for credits see this page.

Tricks and Treats: New Approaches to Non-Linear Writing

X 451.90 English 3 units Many writers today are using new experimental forms as well as innovative approaches practiced throughout the history of the art which are now making a comeback. In this workshop, you engage in applying a variety of techniques and resources amenable to all genres and use them to create and invigorate stories, novels, creative nonfiction, or poetry. For example, you explore the creative possibilities of using bricolage, stream of consciousness, visualization, and metered poetic forms. You also experiment with cut-up techniques culled from non-traditional sources, such as found documents, lists, manifests and manifestoes, critical and science writing, etymologies, indexes and reference works, photos and film, interactive media, and sound recordings. The goal is to deploy these exciting, innovative resources toward the completion of short stories,

X 461 English 3 units Focusing on close textual analysis and intensive writing practice, you create 2 short stories and 1 revision in this 10-week workshop. Brief weekly lectures on technique, analysis of published stories, and in-depth instructor and peer critique develop and deepen your understanding of the art and craft of short story writing. Strategies for approaching the marketplace also are discussed. Prerequisite: At least 2 fiction writing courses or departmental approval. Enrollment limited to 15 students. Internet access required to retrieve course materials. Reg# W8681B Through Dec 19: $525 / After: $575 UCLA: 3112 Rolfe Hall Thu 7-10pm, Jan 19-Mar 22, 10 mtgs No refund after Jan 26. Steve Sohmer, PhD, MA, writer whose collection, The Way It Was, was chosen by The New York Times as one of the 20 best fiction books of the year. Mr. Sohmers short fiction has been published in The Southern Review and Modern Occasions and his novels are Favorite Son and Patriots. His screenwriting credits include Mancuso FBI, Twice in a Lifetime, Bloodknot, and Tom Clancys Op Center, among others.

Are You Eligible for a Lifetime Learning Tax Credit?


You may be eligible to receive a 20-percent tax credit for the first $10,000 of tuition paid for post-secondary academic credit or CEU-bearing course leading to the award of a certificate. For more information see page 150.

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Writers Program

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Fiction III
A manuscript submission is required for these advanced-level workshops. It is recommended that students take courses at the Fiction II level prior to submitting samples. At this level, courses are primarily workshop-driven. Instructions for Submitting Writing Samples:
Email your submission to the Writers Program by the deadline. Submissions sent after the deadline may not be accepted. Deadlines are subject to change. Contact the Writers Program by phone at (310) 825-9415 for the most up-to-date information. Winter quarter submission deadline is December 5. If the type of writing sample required is not specified in the course description, submit a writing sample of up to 3,000 words. (For novel, playwriting, and memoir courses, the sample should be an excerpt from the project you plan to work on during the course.) Include a cover letter with your name, address, email address, and phone number, and a brief description of your writing background and goals for the course. If you are submitting to more than one course, indicate in your cover letter your order of preference. Email submission to writers@uclaextension.edu as a Word document or .PDF; note the instructor name and course title in the subject line. Do not attempt to register for advanced-level courses until you receive notification of acceptance from the Writers Program. All applicants are notified of their status within 10 working days after the deadline; accepted students can enroll at this time. If you do not receive an email confirmation that your submission has been received, contact the Writers Program office at writers@uclaextension.edu or (310) 825-9415. The Writers Program is not responsible for submissions lost due to internet or mechanical failure. Full payment of course fees are due upon acceptance. No comments or critiques are provided on student submissions. The selection process for advanced courses is competitive and therefore these courses carry stricter refund policies than other Writers Program courses. Please note that the final refund date for any advanced course is one week prior to its start date. While waiting for permission to enroll, a student may enroll in a second Writers Program course of his or her choice. If a student is subsequently granted permission to enroll in an advanced course, the student may drop his or her second choice course and transfer into the advanced course without penalty; however the student will be responsible for any difference in course fees.

Reg# W8691B Fee: $605 UCLA: 166 Royce Hall Wed 7-10pm, Jan 18-Mar 28, 10 mtgs (no mtg 2/29) No refund after Jan 11. Edan Lepucki, MFA, fiction writer whose work has appeared in McSweenys, Los Angeles Times Magazine, Narrative Magazine, Meridian, and Los Angeles Review, among others. Ms. Lepucki received the 2009 Intersection for the Arts/San Francisco Foundation James D. Phelan Award in fiction. Her first novella, If Youre Not Yet Like Me, was recently published by Flatmancrooked Press.

Creative Nonfiction I
Courses in this section are recommended for students with some writing experience. Instruction is a mix of lecture and workshopping. With guidance from the instructor, students share and offer feedback in a frank and supportive environment, assessing the strengths and weaknesses of students work.

Creative Nonfiction II
X 401.49 English 3 units If you have already begun to explore memoir or other narrative nonfiction genres, this workshop guides you to take your skills to the next level by focusing on a single project; works already in progress are welcome. Every week, you read several short stylistically adventurous pieces to expand your repertoire, with an eye to stealing their techniques and strategies, and post a new installment of your own project for feedback from your instructor and peers. The goal is to generate 20-to-30 pages of polished new material by the end of the course. Prerequisite: At least 1 previous nonfiction writing course or consent of instructor. Enrollment limited to 15 students. Internet access required to retrieve course materials. Reg# W8880B Through Dec 18: $525 / After: $575 Downtown Los Angeles: 261 S. Figueroa St., Figueroa Courtyard, Suite 100W, Classroom 104 Wed 6:30-9:30pm, Jan 18-Mar 21, 10 mtgs No refund after Jan 25. Alison Singh Gee, MA, memoirist and nonfiction writer who has written for such publications as Marie Claire, In Style, International Herald Tribune, and Los Angeles Times. Ms. Gee was a former staff writer and correspondent for People magazine and her forthcoming memoir is The Peacock Sings for Rain (St. Martins Press).

Intermediate Creative Nonfiction

Novel Writing IV: Advanced Workshop in Writing a Novel the Professional Way

X 446.7C English 3 units For writers with at least 150 pages of a novel, this advanced workshop focuses on elements of technique and vision necessary for a work to be considered complete. You receive detailed instructor and peer critiques of manuscript chapters and their relation to the overall work, including a review as needed of the effective use of voice, tone, mood, imagery, and metaphor. A major goal of this course is to provide you with all the self-editing skills you need to polish and revise your entire novel. Please prepare a 1-page synopsis and the first five pages of your novel, all double-spaced, for the first class. Prerequisite: X 462.71 Novel Writing I: Writing the First Novel, X 446.7A Novel Writing II: Writing a Novel the Professional Way Workshop, and X 446.7C Novel Writing III: Writing a Novel the Professional Way Works-in-Progress Workshop; or equivalent. Writing sample plus a 1-2-page synopsis is required; for instructions on submitting a writing sample see this page. Enrollment limited to 12; advance enrollment required. Visitors not permitted. Internet access required to retrieve course materials. Reg# W8683B Fee: $605 UCLA: 1323 School of Public Affairs Bldg. Tue 7-10pm, Jan 17-Mar 20, 10 mtgs No refund after Jan 10. Mark Sarvas, writer, author of the novel Harry, Revised (Bloomsbury), which was a Denver Post Best Book of 2008 and a finalist for the So Cal Independent Booksellers Associations Fiction Award. Mr. Sarvass literary blog, The Elegant Variation, was a Forbes Magazine Best of the Web pick, and a Los Angeles magazine Top L.A. Blog. His reviews have appeared in The New York Times, The Dallas Morning News, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Threepenny Review, and The Barnes and Noble Review, among others.

X 401.16C English 3 units Its easier than you might think to get your nonfiction writing publishedif you know the rules, know yourself, know the market, and polish your skills. This course helps you accomplish all 4 of these tasks as you produce short, enjoyable weekly assignments of 250-500 words in specific nonfiction genres, including personal essay, how-to story, interview/profile, reviews, trends stories, ghostwriting, dramatic nonfiction, and service stories, which are then workshopped in class. You gain valuable experience in thinking and writing like a pro, while having fun in a positive, supportive environment. Enrollment limited to 20 students. Internet access required to retrieve course materials. Reg# W8882B Through Dec 19: $419 / After: $459 UCLA: 1264 School of Public Affairs Bldg. Thu 7-10pm, Jan 19-Mar 22, 10 mtgs No refund after Jan 26. Norman Kolpas, author and editor whose several hundred nonfiction pieces have appeared in many publications, including Bon Appett, HOME, Cowboys and Indians, Elle, Sunset, Southwest Art, and The Times of London. Mr. Kolpas also is the author of more than 40 nonfiction books and served as the senior vice president of media content for Wolfgang Puck Worldwide, Inc.

Writing Short-Form Nonfiction for Publication

Creative Nonfiction III


A manuscript submission is required for these advanced-level workshops. It is recommended that students take courses at the Nonfiction II level prior to submitting samples. At this level, courses are primarily workshop-driven.
X 401.53 English 3 units Designed for serious writers who seek to refine their creative nonfiction manuscriptsincluding memoirs and personal essay collectionsinto publishable works, this intensive workshop helps you polish your writing and find your narratives energy and unique voice. You also develop and perfect self-editing techniques as well as explore the current market. The course goal is to have 2 chapters and a book proposal or 2 short essays ready to submit to publishers, as well as increase mastery over this artistic form. Prerequisite: At least 1 course in memoir, personal essay, or creative nonfiction. Writing sample required; for instructions on submitting a writing sample see this page. Enrollment limited to 12; advance enrollment required. Visitors not permitted. Internet access required to retrieve course materials. Reg# W8877B Fee: $605 UCLA: 110 Haines Hall Wed 7-10pm, Jan 18-Mar 21, 10 mtgs No refund after Jan 11. Sandra Kobrin, nonfiction writer whose work has appeared in The New York Times, Los Angeles Times Magazine, Playboy, and Womens Day, among others. Ms. Kobrin was interactive managing editor for the Los Angeles Newspaper Group, managing websites for Los Angeles Daily News and 7 other newspapers. Her new book, Full Circle: A True Story of Murder, Lies, and Vindication, will be published by New Horizon Press (2012).

uPDateD For 2012

Facing the Challenge of Memoir Writing

Advanced Creative Nonfiction

The Art of the Short Story: Advanced Workshop

Novel Writing V: A Continuing Writers Workshop

X 461.1 English 3 units The short story is one of the most challenging of all literary forms, requiring the precision and imagistic intensity of poetry combined with such novelistic elements as structure, setting, and characterization. This workshop helps you to realize your fictional intentions through intensive discussion and detailed written critiques. Attention also is given to preparing stories for publication in targeted markets. The course goal is to complete 2 new stories and 1 revision. Writing sample plus a 1 page cover letter stating your writing background and goals for this course is required; for instructions on submitting a writing sample see this page. Enrollment limited to 12; advance enrollment required. Visitors not permitted. Internet access required to retrieve course materials. kkk

X 446.8 English 3 units For students who have completed Novel Writing IV, this intensive workshop is specifically directed toward refining an advanced manuscript into a publishable novel. The focus is on structural and thematic aspects and the maintenance of the authors unique voice. You work closely with your peers and the instructor to assess portions of individual manuscripts. Emphasis is given to developing and perfecting self-editing techniques. The overall goal of the course is for each novel to reach a professional level appropriate for eventual publication. Prerequisite: At least 1 quarter of X 446.7C Novel Writing IV: Advanced Class in Writing a Novel the Professional Way, or equivalent. A 3-page writing sample is required; for instructions on submitting a writing sample see this page. Enrollment limited to 12; advance enrollment required. Visitors not permitted. Internet access required to retrieve course materials. Reg# W8684B Fee: $605 UCLA: 3114 Rolfe Hall Tue 7-10pm, Jan 17-Mar 20, 10 mtgs No refund after Jan 10. Claire Carmichael, author of 27 novels, most recently, the young adult novels Gotta B and Leaving Simplicity, and the crime novel The Platypus Ploy (under the name Claire McNab). Ms. Carmichael has published 20 childrens novels with Random House Australia. She received the UCLA Extension Distinguished Instructor Award, 2007, and the UCLA Extension Outstanding Instructor Award in Creative Writing, 1998.

X 411.16 English 3 units Nobel Prize-winning author V. S. Naipaul once said that if you observe hard, think even harder, and figure out what you are thinking in the simplest, clearest language, you will arrive at narrative. Theres no better recipe than this for creating great memoir writing, yet while the category has exploded in popularity over the past decade, its a difficult form to master. Memoir, if it is to be worth anything at all, requires a level of selfrevelation that can be painful. This course aims to help you examine key issues in your work, create an involving storyline out of life experience, and cast yourself as a compelling character that readers want to follow. Constructing dialogue, transferring people in your life onto the page with integrity and honesty, and developing insight into the bigger themes of your story are explored. You complete in-class writing exercises and critique work, and come away from the course knowing the subject and themes of the book you want to write, a concrete plan for completing your book, and a draft of your first chapter. Enrollment limited to 20 students. Internet access required to retrieve course materials. Reg# W9702B Through Dec 24: $419 / After: $459 UCLA: 1278 School of Public Affairs Bldg. Tue 6:30-9:30pm, Jan 24-Mar 27, 10 mtgs No refund after Jan 31. Samantha Dunn, author whose latest publication is Faith in Carlos Gomez: A Memoir of Salsa, Sex, and Salvation (2005, Henry Holt and Co.). Ms. Dunns previous books include the memoir Not by Accident: Reconstructing a Careless Life, as well as the novel Failing Paris, a finalist for the PEN Center USA Fiction Award. Her articles have appeared in Los Angeles Times, O (Oprah), Ms., and Glamour.

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Writers Program

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Creative Nonfiction: 2-Day


Myth and Memoir: A Weekend Workshop
X 404.24 English 1.5 units In writing and telling our stories, we come to know the deeper pattern of our lives. Perhaps the popularity of memoirs in our culture today reflects the desire to find meaning in the mystery of our lives and to understand our unconscious choices, actions, and dreams. Another reason for the memoirs appeal might be its mythic power. Myth can be seen as an ordering principle that gives coherence to the way our memories unfold, and the mythic themes of family relationships, quest for identity, love and betrayal, personal sacrifice, and death dominate contemporary memoir writing. This two-day course explores the similarities between memoir and myth and how they function to complement each other. Instruction also examines the structure of myth and specific mythic themes that are used by contemporary memoirists and focuses on the myths that inform your life as you write memoir. Advance enrollment required; no enrollment at the door. Reg# W9360B Through Jan 4: $255 / After: $275 UCLA: 1278 School of Public Affairs Bldg. Sat & Sun 9:30am-4:30pm, Feb 4 & 5, 2 mtgs Maureen Murdock, MA, MFT, internationally published author whose works include Unreliable Truth: On Memoir and Memory, The Heroines Journey, Spinning Inward, and Fathers Daughters. Ms. Murdock is the editor of Monday Morning Memoirs: Women in the Second Half of Life and is the recipient of the UCLA Extension Outstanding Instructor Award in Creative Writing, 1995.

Poetry
Creative Writing: Poetry
XL 133A English 5 units c Available for UCLA transferable credit, this workshop combines writing assignments with an exploration of contemporary poetry. You look at forms ranging from the sonnet to prose poems, and develop your own voice. Each week the work of a contemporary poet is discussed and writing assignments are critiqued. The course goal is to finish with a number of polished and completed poems and understand the demands and rewards of living an inspired life through poetry. Enrollment limited to 20 students. Internet access required to retrieve course materials. Reg# W9277B Through Dec 12: $535 / After: $589 UCLA: 1323 School of Public Affairs Bldg. Thu 7-10pm, Jan 12-Mar 29, 12 mtgs No refund after Jan 19. Rachel Kann, MFA, award-winning poet whose work appears in various anthologies, including So Luminous the Wildflowers (Tebot Bach Press), and numerous compilation CDs. Ms. Kann has performed her poetry nationwide, including at Walt Disney Concert Hall, as part of HBOs Def Poetry Jam, and ABCs Eye on L.A., and she is the author of 10 for Everything, a collection of short stories.

Reg# W8884B Through Dec 10: $535 / After: $589 UCLA: 1329 School of Public Affairs Bldg. Wed 7-10pm, Jan 11-Mar 28, 12 mtgs No refund after Jan 18. Leon Martell, MFA, playwright, actor, and director, whose plays include STEEL: John Henry and the Shaker, winner of two 2002 Ovation Awards; Bea[u]tiful in the Extreme; and The History of Fairfax According to a Sandwich. Mr. Martell directed String of Pearls at Carnegie Hall, and his work was performed at Disney Hall. He received the UCLA Extension Outstanding Instructor Award in Creative Writing, 1997.

Reg# W9278B Through Dec 28: $79 / After: $85 Westwood: 204 ABC Extension Lindbrook Center Sat 9:30am-12:30pm, Jan 28, 1 mtg Aimee Liu, author of Restoring Our Bodies, Reclaiming Our Lives (Trumpeter) and Gaining: The Truth about Life after Eating Disorders (Warner Books, 2007). Ms. Lius other works include the memoir, Solitaire, and the novels Flash House; Face; and Cloud Mountain, which was published in more than 10 languages and was a Literary Guild Super Release. She also co-edited the book Alchemy of the Word: Writers Talk about Writing.

Publishing
New Course

How to Write a Million-Dollar Proposal: A 2-Saturday Workshop

Submitting to Los Angeles Literary Journals

Intermediate Poetry
Poetry and the Art of Craft: Intermediate Workshop

uPDateD For 2012

Writing the Personal Essay: A Weekend Workshop

X 401.32BA English 1.5 units Personal Essay is a broad term that encompasses both serious and humorous essays, opinion pieces, and first person articles, but which always details the writers journey through a specific experience. This workshop teaches aspiring personal essayists how to be a compelling first-person narrator and employ craft elements such as theme, character development, voice, pacing, scene-setting, and exposition to tell their stories. The goal is to complete at least 1 personal essay (500-1,500 words) and develop material for future essays. Prerequisite: A previous nonfiction or memoir writing course. Advance enrollment required; no enrollment at the door. Reg# W9722B Through Feb 3: $255 / After: $275 UCLA: 1256 School of Public Affairs Bldg. Sat 9:30am-4:30pm, Mar 3 & 10, 2 mtgs Barbara Abercrombie, author of 12 books, including Courage and Craft: Writing Your Life into Story and editor of Cherished: 21 Writers on Animals They Have Loved and Lost (2011). Ms. Abercrombie has published in The Christian Science Monitor, Los Angeles Times, and Baltimore Sun, among others. She received the UCLA Extension Distinguished Instructor Award in 2010 and the UCLA Extension Outstanding Instructor Award in Creative Writing, 1994.

X 423.72 English 3 units This course focuses on revising existing poems and the close reading of newly-generated work to explore the essentials of poetic craft, including stanzas, syntax, the enjambed vs. the end-stopped line, and other elements affecting the poems impact on the page. The goal is to explore the range of choices available to the savvy, clued-in poet. Prerequisite: At least 2 previous poetry writing courses and a good familiarity with contemporary poetry. Enrollment limited to 15 students. Internet access required to retrieve course materials. Reg# W9271B Through Dec 24: $525 / After: $575 UCLA: A20 Haines Hall Tue 7-10pm, Jan 24-Mar 27, 10 mtgs No refund after Jan 31. Suzanne Lummis, MA, author of the collections Idiosyncrasies and In Danger. Ms. Lummiss poetry has appeared in Pool, Ploughshares, The Hudson Review, The Antioch Review, and Knopfs Poems of the American West, among others, and her poetry has been commissioned by the Getty Museum and Write Now. She received the UCLA Extension Outstanding Instructor Award in Creative Writing, 1996.

X 415.2 English 3 units This workshop has 2 main goalsboth of which center on teaching you how to prepare and successfully submit a piece of fiction, creative nonfiction, or poetry to a major Los Angeles literary journal. First, you hone your work to publishable standards under the guidance of the founder and editor of the new L.A.-based journal The Rattling Wall. Second, you read strategically selected excerpts from Santa Monica Review, SLAKE, Rattle, The Rattling Wall, and Black Clock, among others, to understand the specific tastes of these journals editors. This knowledge not only provides you with an edge as you learn how to pinpoint the best places to send your work, but it also maximizes the value you derive from a unique feature of this course: the chance to meet many of these editors in person when they attend class for Q&A sessions. During the last 2 weeks, you finalize your submission, and learn how to use the Writers Market guides, find reputable online resources, organize a simultaneous submission, and write a cover letter. By the end of the course, you have in-hand a polished piece and a game plan for submitting it to a specific L.A. journal. Enrollment limited to 20 students. Internet access required to retrieve course materials. Reg# W9283B Through Dec 25: $419 / After: $459 UCLA: 1278 School of Public Affairs Bldg. Wed 7-10pm, Jan 25-Mar 28, 10 mtgs No refund after Feb 1. Michelle Meyering, MFA, founder and editor of the Los Angeles-based literary journal, The Rattling Wall. Ms. Meyering also was editor of the literary publication, Folio, and her poetry has appeared in numerous journals, including The Comstock Review and The Eleventh Muse. She currently is Director of Programs and Events for PEN Center USA.

X 460.95 English 1.5 units Whether youre in the midst of penning a personal narrative, a how-to, or a treatise on your area of expertise, you need a book proposal to get in the door at any traditional publisher. This 2-day interactive workshop puts you with one of the industrys professional insiders whos never written a proposal that hasnt soldand for big bucksand gives you everything you need to know to take your idea to the next level, including the 7-step magic formula to crafting winning proposals; what agents respond to and what you need to approach them; a peek into million-dollar proposals by first-time authors; the how-tos of building a provocative table of contents and creating the right architecture for a book that keeps readers wanting more; the secrets to selling yourself and developing a compelling marketing plan; and whether or not independent (self) publishing is the way to go for you. By the end of the course, you understand the inner workings of the publishing industry and know exactly where your potential stands, with all of the materials you need in draft form to move forward. For some, this means polishing your perfect pitch package and submitting it to an agent or publisher; for others, this entails positioning yourself to self-publish successfully. Advance enrollment required; no enrollment at the door. Reg# W9273B Through Feb 10: $255 / After: $275 UCLA: 1270 School of Public Affairs Bldg. Sat 9:30am-4:30pm, Mar 10 & 17, 2 mtgs Kristin Loberg, New York Times bestselling writer and editor specializing in proposals and book collaboration. Ms. Lobergs titles include Payback Time (Crown), Mom Energy (Hay House), The Fiber35 Diet (Free Press), The Water Secret (Wiley), No Matter What (Grand Central), The Vitamin D Solution (Hudson Street Press), and The End of Illness (Free Press), among numerous others. She also has ghostwritten almost 50 books.

Finding and Working with a Literary Agent

Writing for the Youth Market


X 470 English 3 units Childrens books not only have the potential to entertain and educate but often can be so memorable that they are held in readers hearts and minds well past childhood. This course introduces a range of writing for children, including picture books, novels, poetry, and nonfiction. Aimed toward teaching the practical tools used to create unforgettable stories, the course examines the structure of a good book, including the use of plot, characterization, and dialogue. The goal is to complete a draft of a picture book or a chapter and brief outline of a work for older readers. Enrollment limited to 20 students. Internet access required to retrieve course materials. Reg# W8885B Through Dec 12: $419 / After: $459 UCLA: 1256 School of Public Affairs Bldg. Thu 7-10pm, Jan 12-Mar 8 UCLA: School of Public Affairs Bldg. Mon 7-10pm, Mar 5, 10 mtgs No refund after Jan 19. Gretchen Woelfle, award-winning author who has published fiction and nonfiction for children of all ages in books, anthologies, and magazines. Ms. Woelfles books include All the Worlds a Stage: A Novel in Five Acts (Holiday House, 2011), The Wind at Work, Katje the Windmill Cat, and the middle-grade novel Jeannette Rankin: Political Pioneer.

Playwriting
XL 135 English 5 units c Available for UCLA transferable credit, this workshop explores dramatic writing through exercises in creating ideas, characters, dialogue, action, conflict, and the uniqueness of voiceall directed toward your own individual project. You also read selected works of contemporary dramatic literature to master specific concepts, provide supportive feedback to the work of other writers in the group, and learn about the submission process. The goal is to complete a 1-act play or one act of a play. Enrollment limited to 20 students. Internet access required to retrieve course materials. kkk

Creative Writing: Drama

711.44 English With the publishing world in such flux, having the right literary agent ready to do battle for you has become more important than ever. Join author/moderator Aimee Liu and a panel of established literary agents as they discuss the right and wrong ways to approach an agent, how to decide which agent is right for you, how to understand an agency representation agreement, which fees are controversial within the industry, and ways to ensure a long and profitable agent-client relationship. The panel includes agents from the Andrea Brown Literary Agency, Global Literary Management, Rob Weisbach Creative Management, and the Hill Nadell Literary Agency, who represent fiction and nonfiction authors of adult, young adult, and childrens literature. Speakers subject to change. For the most up-to-date list of agents speaking at this program, call the Writers Program at (310) 825-9416. Advance enrollment required; no enrollment at the door. kkk

Writing for Children: A Beginning Workshop

Enroll at uclaextension.edu or call (310) 825-9971 Writing the Picture Book


X 470.65 English 2 units Picture books are handheld wonders. In 32 pages they introduce children to art, literature, and to the richness and complexity of the world around them. This course explores the wide range of possibilities for writers of picture books, including concept, poetry, humor, realistic and fantasy fiction, and nonfiction. Through examination of the finest examples of the genre, students learn about plot, character, dialogue, point-of-view, and setting as well as poetic language. Extensive writing assignments and supportive feedback build the skills and confidence writers need to create their own unforgettable stories. By the end of the course, participants complete a draft of a picture book and know how to market the finished product. Enrollment limited to 20 students. Internet access required to retrieve course materials. Reg# W9281B Through Dec 31: $309 / After: $339 UCLA: 152 Royce Hall Tue 7-10pm, Jan 31-Mar 6, 6 mtgs Michelle Markel, MA, writer whose picture books include The Fantastic Jungles of Henri Rousseau (Fall 2012), The Shark that Taught Me English; and Tyrannosaurus Math, a Cooperative Children Center Choice for 2010. Ms. Markels writing has also been featured in such publications as the Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Boston Globe, among others.

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Online Courses
Choose the right course for you. For advisement on online creative writing courses call Alicia Wheeler at (310) 794-1846 or Katy Flaherty at (310) 825-0107. For online screenwriting courses call Jeff Bonnett at (310) 206-1542 or Chae Ko at (310) 206-2612.

Available for UCLA Transfer Credit


Creative Writing Courses
Creative writing: short story Creative writing: Drama
Stephen Cooper, PhD, MFA

Creative Writing
General Interest: Beginning and Novice Writers
These basic creative writing courses are for students with no prior writing experience, and provide the best foundation to go forward in their writing. Instruction is exercise-driven; the process of workshopping is introduced, where students are asked to share and offer feedback on each others work with guidance from the instructor.

Instructor:

Instructor: Leon Martell, MFA


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Page 134. Creative writing: Poetry


Rachel Kann, MFA

Instructor:

Instructor: David Borofka, MFA


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Page 136.

Instructor: Rachel Kann, MFA


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Writing for the Youth Market: Weekend Course


Quick-Start Your Career in Childrens Writing

716 English A perfect way to launch your career as a childrens writer is by writing for childrens magazines, a lucrative yet often overlooked entry-point to book publishing. In this 1-day session, you learn how to access magazine markets, earn credibility as a writer, win the respect of editors, and make money writing features, sidebars, games, activities, recipes, media reviews, craft howtos, timelines, and fiction. Topics include choosing subjects to write about, targeting specific age groups, identifying market niches, making multiple sales from the same research, creating a query or cover letter that grabs an editors interest, presenting a professional submission package, and translating magazine experience into trade book contracts. By the end of the session, you are able to name at least 3 markets for existing manuscripts or manuscripts in-progress and generate at least three ideas for new projects. You are invited to bring along a short work-in-progress for group feedback on market potential in the final portion of the day. This class includes lots of hands-on activities and extensive handouts. Advance enrollment required; no enrollment at the door. Reg# W8886B Through Jan 4: $129 / After: $139 UCLA: 1270 School of Public Affairs Bldg. Sat 9:30am-4:30pm, Feb 4, 1 mtg Alexis ONeill, PhD, author of the picture books The Recess Queen (Scholastic), a Los Angeles Times bestseller and childrens choice nominee in 11 states; The Worst Best Friend (Scholastic); Loud Emily (Simon & Schuster); and Estelas Swap (Lee & Low). Dr. ONeills work also has been published in Cobblestone, Calliope, Faces, Odyssey, Spider, and Cricket.

X 401A English 2 units Many aspire to write creatively, but few know how to get started. For those who wish to write for personal or professional satisfaction, this supportive workshop provides many fundamental techniquesfrom journal writing to imaginative in-class exercisesall geared to motivate and cultivate the beginning creative writer. Topics include writing from observation and experience, creating dynamic characters, writing dialogue, and how to write from different points of view. The course goal is to have in hand a series of short sketches or a draft of a story. For technical requirements see page 4. Enrollment limited to 15 students. Reg# W9366B Through Dec 18: $379 / After: $415 Jan 18-Feb 22 liz gonzlez, MFA, poetry, memoir, and fiction writer whose volume of poems, Beneath Bone, was published by Manifest Press. Ms. gonzlezs work has appeared in numerous publications, including Women on the Edge: Writing from Los Angeles, Heliotrope, Luna, Brujula, and The San Francisco Chronicle. She was awarded the Arts Council for Long Beachs Professional Artist Fellowship. Reg# W9367B Through Jan 15: $379 / After: $415 Feb 15-Mar 21 Harry Youtt, fiction writer and Pushcart Prize-nominated poet whose recent collections of poetry include Ill Always Be from Lorain, Even the Autumn Leaves, and Outbound for Elsewhere. Mr. Youtt is on the editorial board of the international Journal of Consciousness, Literature and the Arts and was the co-recipient of the UCLA Extension Outstanding Instructor Award in Creative Writing, 2004. Judith Prager, PhD, writer whose novels include The Newman Factor and Black Water. Dr. Pragers nonfiction includes Verbal First Aid: Help Kids Heal From Pain and Fearand Come out Strong (Penguin Berkley), The Worst Is Over: What to Say When Every Moment Counts (Jodere Group), and Journey to Alternity. She was the co-recipient of the UCLA Extension Outstanding Instructor Award in Creative Writing, 2004.

The Essential Beginnings: An Introductory Creative Writing Workshop m

For more information call (310) 825-9415 or visit uclaextension.edu/writers.

X 412 English 2 units Everyone has a story. You just have to find it. When people first start out writing they tend to come from the perspective of this happened to me, that happened to me, as opposed to I wanted this and that got in my way. Over six weeks, you mine your life for compelling stories and learn how to transform your experiences into an engaging narrative. You explore your motivation in lifeyour wanthelping you to move from passive to active in your storytelling. Through lectures; discussions; and fun, probing writing exercises, you discover your true potential as a writer, whichever genre you choose to pursue. For technical requirements see page 4. Enrollment limited to 15 students. Reg# W9368B Through Jan 22: $379 / After: $415 Feb 22-Mar 28 Kimberlee Auerbach, author of the memoir The Devil, The Lovers & Me: My Life in Tarot. Ms. Auerbach has performed her comedic monologues throughout New York City at such venues as The Original Improv, The Bitter End, and Comix. She also has been featured as a radio guest on Sex, Success, and Sensibility with Candace Bushnell, Wake-Up with Cosmo, and other such shows nationwide.

Whats Your Story? m

2,500-3,000 words in length. Open to writers at all levels of experience. For technical requirements see page 4. Enrollment limited to 15 students. & Reg# W9388B Through Dec 25: $529 / After: $579 Jan 25-Mar 28 Deb Everson Borofka, PhD, memoirist whose essay Remembrance, finalist for the 2008 John Guyon Literary Nonfiction Prize, was published in Crab Orchard Review. A founding member of Pacifica Graduate Institutes Humanities Program, Dr. Everson Borofkas interests include the interface of memory and language and personal mythology. She recently published Memory Muses Memoir, a guide to writing memoir inspired by Greek mythology.

Emotion into Art: Infusing Your Writing with Feeling m

General Interest: Special Subjects and Themes


Unless otherwise noted in the description, courses in this section are open to students of all levels who want to focus on a specific area of study. These courses may be used to fulfill Creative Writing certificate requirements; contact your advisor for details.

Character Archetypes and Life Writing: Hero/ine, Witch, Orphan, Sage, Trickster, and Magic Helpers m

X 401.85 English 3 units As the ongoing popularity of such literary forms as the personal essay, memoir, and short story attest, the human psyches drive to understand life by shaping it into stories is powerful and eternal. In addition to their individual qualities, the main characters in these personal narratives should reverberate with universal meaning. This course introduces psychologist Carl Jungs concept of archetypes and then focuses on six key archetypal patterns common in storytelling. Through short exercises and readings, you explore these as templates for shaping personal narratives. The course goals include developing awareness of archetypal patterns, experimenting with various motifs/archetypes in personal narratives, and completing a final project

X 406.25 English 2 units How do writers make you laugh and cry? Designed both for beginners and those who want to juice up their writing and gain mastery, this course begins by exploring emotion-packed fiction, short prose, and poems to discover tips, tricks, and strategies for making readers ache, cheer characters on, or hold their sides with laughter. You learn about gesture, pacing, tone, juxtaposition, hyperbole, personification, double entendres, and more. Through stimulating writing exercises, you are encouraged to find your own voice to create short writing (prose or poems) about yourself and/or fictional characters that can attract the attention of both readers and editors. For technical requirements see page 4. Enrollment limited to 15 students. Reg# W9389B Through Jan 8: $379 / After: $415 Feb 8-Mar 14 Rochelle Jewel Shapiro, whose novel, Miriam the Medium, was nominated for the Harold U. Ribelow Award. Ms. Shapiros essays have been published in The New York Times and Newsweek, and her short stories have appeared in numerous publications, including the anthology Father (Pocket Books), and her poetry in The Iowa Review, Sedge, and Moment. She won the Branden Memorial Literary Award.

c UC credit; see page 149 m Online course & Text required; see page 148

M Course held during daytime hours

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Writers Program Creative Writing: Short Story m


XL 134A English 5 units c Available for UCLA transferable credit, this workshop covers the key elements of fiction, including plot, characterization, setting, point-of-view, and various story development techniques, as well as publication markets. Your goal is to complete or rewrite 3 stories of average length. For technical requirements see page 4. Enrollment limited to 15 students. Reg# W9393B Through Dec 11: $659 / After: $725 Jan 11-Mar 28 David Borofka, MFA, fiction writer whose short stories have appeared in Black Warrior Review, Missouri Review, Southern Review, and Glimmer Train. Mr. Borofkas collection, Hints of His Mortality, won the Iowa Short Fiction Award, and his story, The Secret Life of Engineers, won the EEWN Short Fiction Prize. He received the UCLA Extension Outstanding Instructor Award in Creative Writing (Online) Award, 2008.

Enroll at uclaextension.edu or call (310) 825-9971 Creating Universes, Building Worlds: The Short Story in Science Fiction and Fantasy m
Library. Intimate Beings, a paranormal romance in her second trilogy, was published in October 2008. Ms. Inclns sixth romance novel, The Beautiful Being, was published by Kensington Books (October 2009).

Sojourns through Memory: Writing out of Your Life m

X 450.86 English 3 units Writing out of your life can be a process of self-revelation, a way of tending to the soul and discerning the pattern of your life even while youre in the midst of living it. Whether you want to write a memoir or transmute your life into fiction or poetry, this workshop helps you mine the rich vein of material that is yours alone. The focus of this workshop is on production, pleasure, and encouragement. Using a combination of weekly prompts and assignments, instructor feedback, and group interaction, you write a series of autobiographical narratives. For both beginners and seasoned writers who want to get in touch with their personal voice. For technical requirements see page 4. Enrollment limited to 15 students. & Reg# W9387B Through Dec 25: $529 / After: $579 Jan 25-Mar 28 Lynn Lauber, fiction writer, essayist, and ghostwriter who has published the autobiographical fiction books, White Girls and 21 Sugar Street, and a memoir/writing book, Listen to Me: Writing Life into Meaning, all with W. W. Norton. Ms. Laubers short stories and essays have been anthologized and have appeared in numerous publications, including The New York Times.

Fiction I
Courses in this section are recommended for students with some writing experience. Instruction is a mix of lecture and workshopping. Students continue to share and offer feedback in a frank and supportive environment, assessing the strengths and weaknesses of students work. Those new to writing might consider courses listed under General Interest: Beginning and Novice Writers.

Introduction to Fiction Writing m

X 403A English 3 units It has been said that all of us have locked inside At least 1 good story to tell. Through a combination of written exercises, extensive online group discussions, and instructor feedback, you learn how to tell yours. Topics include plot, point-of-view, setting, description, dialogue, tension, rewriting, and submission strategies. This course focuses on short fiction but includes principles that students use in X 462.71 Novel Writing I: Writing the First Novel. The course goal is to draft one short story or a chapter of a novel. This course is a prerequisite for students continuing in either the shortor long-fiction sequence. For technical requirements see page 4. Enrollment limited to 15 students. & Reg# W9391B Through Dec 25: $529 / After: $579 Jan 25-Mar 28 David Samuel Levinson, MFA, author of the forthcoming novel Antonia Lively Breaks the Silence (Algonquin, 2012) and the story collection Most of Us Are Here Against Our Will (Viking Penguin UK, 2005). Mr. Levinsons short stories have been published in Prairie Schooner, The Brooklyn Review, and The New Penguin Book of Gay Short Stories. He was a top finalist for the Flannery OConnor Short Story Prize and has received numerous fellowships. Reg# W9390B Through Dec 18: $529 / After: $579 Jan 18-Mar 21 Beth Ann Bauman, MFA, author of the young adult novel Rosie and Skate, published by Random House in 2009, and the short story collection Beautiful Girls (MacAdam/Cage). Ms. Baumans work has appeared in numerous publications, including the Barcelona Review and the anthology Many Lights in Many Windows. She has received fellowships from the Jerome Foundation and the New York Foundation for the Arts.

X 462.71 English 3 units That novel is inside you waiting to emerge, but deciding where and how to begin and the demands of writing the manuscript may seem daunting. It need not be. Weekly assignments, group interaction, and instructor feedback help you explore various methods of writing your first novel while learning the key craft points of plot, structure, point-of-view, sense of place, and voice. The goal is to complete the first chapter of your novel by establishing an intimacy with your characters as you artfully shape their journey, and to develop an overall concept to guide you through your story. For technical requirements see page 4. Prerequisite: At least 1 fiction writing course. Enrollment limited to 15 students. & Reg# W9394B Through Dec 11: $529 / After: $579 Jan 11-Mar 14 Robert Eversz, MFA, author of the novels Zero to the Bone, Digging James Dean, and Burning Garbo (Simon & Schuster); Killing Paparazzi (St. Martins); and Gypsy Hearts and Shooting Elvis (Grove Atlantic). Mr. Everszs novels have been translated into 15 languages. He was the finalist judge for the 2007 AWP Award Series in the Novel, and co-founded the Prague Summer Program for writers at Western Michigan University.

Novel Writing I: Writing the First Novel m

X 455 English 3 units How do you introduce an alien environment, create an alternate timeline or magical realm, and then populate it with characters whose problems matter to its readers all in 5,000 words or less? Designed for those interested in focusing on short speculative fiction, this course deepens your understanding of its many subgenres, including alternate history, horror, dark fantasy, sword and sorcery, urban fantasy, sociological sci fi, hard science fiction, and others, while at the same time immersing you in the writing principles common to all of these genres. The course goal is to complete and polish a short science fiction or fantasy story and to identify three appropriate markets for the finished piece. For technical requirements see page 4. Enrollment limited to 15 students. Reg# W9369B Through Dec 25: $529 / After: $579 Jan 25-Mar 28 Alyx Dellamonica, author of The Town on Blighted Sea, a Years Best Science Fiction pick, and numerous other stories. Ms. Dellamonica has published fiction in Isaac Asimovs Science Fiction Magazine, SciFi.Com, and Realms of Fantasy, and her work has appeared in Alternate Generals II. Her first novel, Indigo Springs, won the 2010 Sunburst Award for Canadian Literature of the Fantastic.

Novel Writing III: Writing a Novel the Professional Way Works-in-Progress Workshop m

Fiction II
These intermediate-level courses are designed for students who have fulfilled the prerequisites stated in each description. Instruction is a mix of lecture and workshopping. Students continue to share and offer feedback in a frank and supportive environment, assessing the strengths and weaknesses of students work.

X 446.7B English 3 units For those with at least 50 pages of a novel-in-progress, this workshop guides you to generate at least 50 new pages as well as learn essential self-editing techniques, with the instructor and peers reviewing each participants project in detail. Refinements of character, structure, emotional content, and the development of the writers voice also are explored. The goal is to produce a substantial portion of a novel approaching professional caliber. For technical requirements see page 4. Prerequisite: X 462.71 Novel Writing I: Writing the First Novel and X 446.7A Novel Writing II: Writing a Novel the Professional Way Workshop, or departmental approval. Enrollment limited to 15 students. Reg# W9398B Through Dec 18: $529 / After: $579 Jan 18-Mar 21 Linda Raymond, MA, American Book Award-winner for her novel, Rocking the Babies, for which she also received the Bay Area Book Reviewers Association Award for Best Fiction and the Black Caucus of the American Library Association Honor Prize for Fiction. Ms. Raymonds short stories have appeared in Prism International Magazine and Calliope, and her book reviews in The San Francisco Chronicle.

New Course

Storytelling for Creative Writers: Building Your Craft Toolbox m

Writing the Short Story: Intermediate Workshop m

X 495.5 English 3 units Do you long to commit the perfect crimeand see it bound between covers and on the bestseller lists? Designed for beginners as well as those with a work-in-progress who need direction, this course is a supportive, results-oriented workshop that guides you in planning your mystery or suspense novel, or revising some of the choices made in your work-in-progress. You learn the fundamentals of crime writing, including structure and pacing, point-of-view, setting, character development, dialogue and voice, and clues and red herrings, as well as self-editing techniques. Also covered are the practical aspects of attracting the right agent and/or editor. The goal is to draft the first chapter of your planned mystery or suspense novel. For technical requirements see page 4. Enrollment limited to 15 students. Reg# W9386B Through Dec 18: $529 / After: $579 Jan 18-Mar 21 Kris Neri, two-time Derringer Award winner and twotime Pushcart Prize nominee whose novels include High Crimes on the Magical Plane, Never Say Die and the Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity Award-nominated Tracy Eaton mystery novels Revenge of the Gypsy Queen, Dem Bones Revenge, and Revenge for Old Times Sake. Ms. Neri also is the author of the story collection The Rose in the Snow.

Committing the Perfect Crime: Writing Your First Mystery m

X 461 English 3 units Focusing on close textual analysis and intensive writing practice, you create two short stories and one revision in this 10-week workshop. Brief weekly lectures on technique, analysis of published stories, and in-depth instructor and peer critique develop and deepen your understanding of the art and craft of short story writing. Strategies for approaching the marketplace also are discussed. For technical requirements see page 4. Prerequisite: At least 2 previous fiction writing courses. Enrollment limited to 15 students. & Reg# W9396B Through Dec 18: $529 / After: $579 Jan 18-Mar 21 Anne Sanow, MFA, fiction writer whose work has appeared in Prime Number Magazine, Dossier, Crab, Orchard Review, and Shenandoah, among others. Ms. Sanows collection, Triple Time (2009), won the Drue Heinz Literature Prize and the L. L. Winship/PEN New England Award for fiction.

X 450.82 English 3 units Your storytelling goal is to create stories that sweep your readers from their world into yours, and this course teaches you the nuts and bolts craft work you need to make the magic. Each week, assignments focus on building a specific writing technique, including point of view, writing in the active voice, dialogue, writing specifically, filtering in backstory, creating characters, description, and sense of place. The course goal is to build your craft toolbox and take your writing to the next level. Open to writers of novels, short stories, memoirs, and personal essays. For technical requirements see page 4.. Prerequisite: Previous creative writing course. Enrollment limited to 15 students. Reg# W9486B Through Dec 18: $529 / After: $579 Jan 18-Mar 21 Lynn Hightower, nationally and internationally bestselling novelist with 12 books in print. Ms. Hightowers books have appeared on The New York Times Notable list and The London Times bestseller list, and have been selections of The Literary Guild and The Mystery Guild. She is a recipient of the Shamus Award, and her latest book, When Secrets Die, was published by Atria/Simon & Schuster.

Novel Writing II: Writing a Novel the Professional Way Workshop m

Fiction Rewrite Workshop m

X 446.7A English 3 units This workshop helps you develop your long-form fiction project from the idea stage to the writing/planning stage. With an emphasis on finding your book through organically exploring voice, viewpoint, characterization, and different approaches to structure, the course assignments include writing scenes using characters and situations from the projected novel and discussion of your in-progress work. Mini-lectures on the art of the novel, intuitive creative process, and conventional vs. non-conventional approaches to novel structure also are covered. Your goal is to complete 50 well-crafted pages of a novel. For technical requirements see page 4. Prerequisite: X 403A Introduction to Fiction Writing and X 462.71 Novel Writing I: Writing the First Novel or departmental approval. Enrollment limited to 15 students. & Reg# W9397B Through Dec 25: $529 / After: $579 Jan 25-Mar 28 Jessica Barksdale Incln, MA, fiction writer and poet who has published six novels with New American

X 465.1 English 3 units Youve completed a draft of a short story or novel chapter...now what? How can you approach your work so as to re-envision and refine it? Which techniques are of particular concern when revising? Through short lectures, readings, and discussions, you explore various approaches and techniques. During the course, you present one draft of a short story or novel chapter, and two revisions of that same work. For technical requirements see page 4. Prerequisite: Completion of 1 fictionwriting workshop and of 1 draft of a short story or novel chapter. Enrollment limited to 15 students. & Reg# W9400B Through Dec 25: $529 / After: $579 Jan 25-Mar 28 Daniel M. Jaffe, MFA, internationally published fiction writer, essayist, and literary translator whose novel, The Limits of Pleasure, was selected by ForeWord Magazine as a Book of the Year Award finalist. Mr. Jaffe compiled and edited With Signs and Wonders: An International Anthology of Jewish Fabulist Fiction. He received the UCLA Extension Outstanding Instructor Award in Creative Writing (Online), 2006.

Enroll at uclaextension.edu or call (310) 825-9971

Writers Program

139

Fiction III
A manuscript submission is required for these advanced-level workshops. It is recommended that students take courses at the Fiction II level prior to submitting samples. At this level, courses are primarily workshopdriven. For complete instructions on submitting a sample see Fiction III on page 135.

X 461.1 English 3 units The short story is one of the most challenging of all literary forms, requiring the precision and imagistic intensity of poetry combined with such novelistic elements as structure, setting, and characterization. This workshop helps you to realize your fictional intentions through intensive discussion and detailed written critiques and to learn how to prepare your stories for publication in targeted markets. The course goal is to complete two new stories and one revision. For technical requirements see page 4. Prerequisite: X 403A Introduction to Fiction Writing and X 461 Writing the Short Story: Intermediate Workshop. Writing sample required; for instructions on submitting a writing sample see page 135. Enrollment limited to 12 students. & Reg# W9401B Fee: $650 Jan 25-Mar 28 No refund after January 18. Charles Wyatt, MFA, MM, fiction writer whose short fiction has appeared in American Literary Review, The New England Review, and New American Writing, among others. Mr. Wyatt is the author of Listening to Mozart (winner of the John Simmons Award), and the novella The Spirit Autobiography of S. N. Jones. His new collection of short fiction, Swan of Tuonela, was published by Hanging Loose Press.

The Art of the Short Story: Advanced Workshop m

storytelling problems lurk. By focusing on a structural analysis of one specific section of your novel every week, you gain insight into how to hold every scene accountable and you have the creative opportunity to solve thorny difficulties caused by convoluted, overly complex storylines, deadly slow pace, mid-novel sag, or a plot that simply needs more flesh. Once you master this skill, you realize that having a sound story structure actually takes the weight off your shoulders and frees the muse. For technical requirements see page 4. Prerequisite: Writing sample plus a one- to two-page synopsis is required; for instructions on submitting a writing sample see page 135. Enrollment limited to 12 students. Reg# W9405B Fee: $650 Jan 18-Mar 21 No refund after January 11. Lynn Hightower, nationally and internationally bestselling novelist with 12 books in print. Ms. Hightowers books have appeared on The New York Times Notable list and The London Times bestseller list, and have been selections of The Literary Guild and The Mystery Guild. She is a recipient of the Shamus Award, and her latest book, When Secrets Die, was published by Atria/Simon & Schuster.

Dont Just Take Our Word for It!


I went in with a story that was near completion and by the time I left I learned that my story was about so much more. Beautiful bits of aimless prose were refined and redirected. The result changed my draft of a nearly finished story into an almost new project with a more meaningful backstory, allowing my characters lives and actions to become richer and more interesting to readers. Becky Fink, Los Angeles, CA 2011 Writers Studio Participant

2012 writers studio


Thu-Sun, Feb 9-12 For more information, see pages 130-132.
Becky Fink.

Novel Writing Mentorship Program m

Novel Writing IV: Advanced Workshop in Writing a Novel the Professional Way m

X 446.7C English 3 units For students with at least 150 pages of a novel, this advanced workshop focuses on elements of technique and vision necessary for a work to be considered complete. You receive intensive instructor and peer critiques of manuscript chapters and their relation to the overall work, including a review as needed of the effective use of voice, tone, mood, imagery, and metaphor. A major goal of this course is to give you the self-editing skills to polish and revise your entire novel within and beyond the course itself. Please prepare a 1-page, double-spaced synopsis and your novels first 5 pages for the first week of class. For technical requirements see page 4. Prerequisite: X 462.71 Novel Writing I: Writing the First Novel, X 446.7A Novel Writing II: Writing a Novel the Professional Way Workshop, and X 446.7B Novel Writing III: Writing a Novel the Professional Way Works-in-Progress Workshop; or equivalent. Writing sample plus a 1-2 page synopsis is required; for instructions on submitting a writing sample see page 135. Enrollment limited to 12 students. & Reg# W9404B Fee: $650 Jan 18-Mar 21 No refund after January 11. Caroline Leavitt, internationally published fiction writer of nine novels, including her latest, Pictures of You, a New York Times Trade Fiction Bestseller. Ms. Leavitts work has been anthologized in The Other Woman and Bad Girls. A critic for The Boston Globe and People, she was the first recipient of the UCLA Extension Outstanding Instructor Award in Creative Writing (Online), 2004.

Novel Bootcamp: Advanced Storytelling Structure m

X 450.79 English 3 units Story structure is the engine that makes your novel run. No matter how lyrical your writing or how engaging your characters, if the pace and plot are not working, you are painting pretty pictures on a wall that is going to fall down. In this workshop, you work through your novel scene by scene, pinpointing exactly what storytelling goals are crucial for each scene and seeing where any

X 446.82 English 1.5 units Appropriate for advanced writers who have a complete manuscript, the Novel Writing Mentorship Program is a unique opportunity to work closely with a professional fiction writer who determines the best individual course of action based on your level, experience, and ultimate writing goals. All students have one-on-one access to the instructor Monday through Friday (excluding holidays) for four full weeks. Turnaround time for instructor feedback is 12-24 hours for most work and 24-36 hours for longer material. Special emphasis is on rewrites, storytelling structure, balance, and pace, as well as specifics of writing craft. Includes once a week, 30-minute phone conversations as needed. May be repeated as often as desired. Full manuscripts should be submitted to the teacher 14 days before class begins to optimize the rewriting time of the class. For technical requirements see page 4. Writing sample required; for instructions on submitting a sample see page 135. Enrollment limited. Restricted course; call (310) 794-1846 for permission to enroll. Web enrollments automatically generate a Permission to Enroll request. Internet access required to retrieve course materials. Reg# W9808B Fee: $1,195 Jan 9-Feb 3 no refund after January 5. Claire Carmichael, author of 27 novels, most recently, the young adult novels Gotta B and Leaving Simplicity, and the crime novel The Platypus Ploy (under the name Claire McNab). Ms. Carmichael has published 20 childrens novels with Random House Australia. She received the UCLA Extension Distinguished Instructor Award, 2007, and the UCLA Extension Outstanding Instructor Award in Creative Writing, 1998. Reg# W9426B Fee: $1,195 Jan 9-Feb 3 No refund after January 5. Lynn Hightower, for credits see this page. Reg# W9809B Fee: $1,195 Feb 6-Mar 2 No refund after February 2. Claire Carmichael, for credits see this page. Reg# W9428B Fee: $1,195 Feb 6-Mar 2 No refund after February 2. Lynn Hightower, for credits see this page. Reg# W9810B Fee: $1,195 Mar 5-30 No refund after March 1. Claire Carmichael, for credits see this page. kkk

Reg# W9429B Fee: $1,195 Mar 5-30 No refund after March 1. Lynn Hightower, for credits see this page.

Creative Nonfiction I
Courses in this section are recommended for students with some writing experience. Instruction is a mix of lecture and workshopping. With guidance from the instructor, students share and offer feedback in a frank and supportive environment, assessing the strengths and weaknesses of students work.

Creative Alchemy: Finding and Writing Life Stories You Were Meant to Tell m

X 407.2 English 3 units This course is for anyone who has a story from real life that needs to be told. Sometimes your story is about a person, place, thing, or some concealed part of yourself, a remembered time or event, or even something that will happen as you give account to its unfolding. Over the span of this course, you identify this element of your storys core fascination and acquire the skills to tell it, including researching and interviewing techniques; cultivating your own unique writing voice; and constructing your story into a combination of episodes that advance and present it to best dramatic and imaginative effect. Finally, you investigate possible venues where each story might most effectively be presented. For technical requirements see page 4. Enrollment limited to 15 students. Reg# W9488B Through Dec 18: $529 / After: $579 Jan 18-Mar 21 Harry Youtt, fiction writer and Pushcart Prize-nominated poet whose recent collections of poetry include Ill Always Be from Lorain, Even the Autumn Leaves, and Outbound for Elsewhere. Mr. Youtt is on the editorial board of the international Journal of Consciousness, Literature and the Arts and was the co-recipient of the UCLA Extension Outstanding Instructor Award in Creative Writing, 2004. Judith Prager, PhD, writer whose novels include The Newman Factor and Black Water. Dr. Pragers nonfiction includes Verbal First Aid: Help Kids Heal From Pain and Fearand Come out Strong (Penguin Berkley), The Worst Is Over: What to Say When Every Moment Counts (Jodere Group), and Journey to Alternity. She was the co-recipient of the UCLA Extension Outstanding Instructor Award in Creative Writing, 2004.

X 401.39 English 3 units This course explores the unlimited possibilities of creative nonfiction, which embraces methods of creative writing as diverse as personal essay and memoir. Working with the same techniques as fiction and poetryimagination, empathy, character development, structure, and plotyou are guided to transform an episode of truth into a complete and artful narrative. This course includes several readings of short excerpts from a variety of nonfiction authors. For the most up to date list of readings, contact the Writers Program at (310) 794-1846. For technical requirements see page 4. Enrollment limited to 15 students. Reg# W9407B Through Dec 18: $529 / After: $579 Jan 18-Mar 21 Sharon Bray, EdD, author of When Words Heal: Writing the Experience of Cancer and A Healing Journey: Writing Together through Breast Cancer. Dr. Brays short memoir, The Nickname, appeared in Looking Back: Stories of Our Mothers and Fathers in Retrospect. Most recently, she co-edited the anthology Learning to Live Again, published by the Stanford University School of Medicine.

The Art of Creative Nonfiction m

Writing the Personal Essay m

X 401.30 English 3 units Personal Essay is a broad term that encompasses humorous essays, opinion pieces, and essay- and book-length memoir, but which always details the writers journey through a specific experience. This workshop teaches aspiring personal essayists how to be a compelling first-person narrator and employ craft elements such as theme, character development, voice, pacing, scene-setting, and exposition to tell their stories. The goal is to complete At least 1 personal essay (600-2,500 words) and develop material for future essays. For technical requirements see page 4. Enrollment limited to 15 students. Reg# W9483B Through Dec 25: $529 / After: $579 Jan 25-Mar 28 Liza Monroy, MFA, fiction and nonfiction writer whose work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times Magazine, The New York Times, Newsweek, and salon.com. Ms. Monroy has written travel essays for Seal Press and The MTV/Frommers Guide to Mexico. Her novel, Mexico High, was published by Spiegel & Grau/Random House in 2008.

m Online course

140

Writers Program

Enroll at uclaextension.edu or call (310) 825-9971

Creative Nonfiction II
These intermediate-level courses are designed for students who have fulfilled the prerequisites stated in each description. Instruction is a mix of lecture and workshopping. Students continue to share and offer feedback in a frank and supportive environment, assessing the strengths and weaknesses of students work.

Poetry
Creative Writing: Poetry m
XL 133A English 5 units c Available for UCLA transferable credit, this workshop combines writing assignments with an exploration of contemporary poetry. You look at forms ranging from the sonnet to prose poems, and develop your own voice. Each week the work of a contemporary poet is discussed and writing assignments are critiqued. The course goal is to finish with a number of polished and completed poems and understand the demands and rewards of living an inspired life through poetry. For technical requirements see page 4. Enrollment limited to 15 students. & Reg# W9419B Through Dec 11: $659 / After: $725 Jan 11-Mar 28 Rachel Kann, MFA, award-winning poet whose work appears in various anthologies, including So Luminous the Wildflowers (Tebot Bach Press), and numerous compilation CDs. Ms. Kann has performed her poetry nationwide, including at Walt Disney Concert Hall, as part of HBOs Def Poetry Jam, and ABCs Eye on L.A., and she is the author of 10 for Everything, a collection of short stories.

Reg# W9422B Through Dec 25: $529 / After: $579 Jan 25-Mar 28 Sherry Shahan, MFA in writing for children and young adults; author of more than 30 childrens books, including the forthcoming young adult novel Purple Daze; the middle-grade novels Death Mountain and Frozen Stiff; the picture books Spicy Hot Colors, Cool Cats Counting, and Thats Not How You Play Soccer, Daddy; and Dashing through the Snow: The Story of the Iditarod, an American Booksellers Pick of the List.

Development
Writing Coverage: Story Analysis for Film and Television m

Intermediate Creative Nonfiction Writing Workshop m

Screenwriting
Mentorship Program
Screenwriting Mentorship Program m

X 401.7 English 3 units If you have already begun to explore memoir or other narrative nonfiction genres, this workshop guides you to take your skills to the next level by focusing on a single project; works-in-progress are welcome. Every week, you read several short, stylistically adventurous pieces to expand your repertoire, with an eye to stealing their techniques and strategies, and post a new installment of your own project for feedback from your instructor and peers. The goal is to generate 20-30 pages of polished new material by the end of the course. For technical requirements see page 4. Prerequisite: At least 1 previous nonfiction course or consent of instructor. Enrollment limited to 15 students. & Reg# W9415B Through Dec 25: $529 / After: $579 Jan 25-Mar 28 Gordon Grice, MFA, nonfiction writer whose first book of creative nonfiction, The Red Hourglass: Lives of the Predators, appeared on best-of-the-year lists from The New York Public Library, Los Angeles Times, and PEN USA. Mr. Grices nonfiction has appeared in The New Yorker, Harpers, and Granta. His latest book, Deadly Kingdom: The Book of Dangerous Animals, was published by The Dial Press, a Random House division.

Writing for the Youth Market


New Course

Creative Nonfiction III


A manuscript submission is required for these advanced-level workshops. It is recommended that students take courses at the Nonfiction II level prior to submitting samples. At this level, courses are primarily workshopdriven. For complete instructions on submitting a sample see Fiction III on page 135.

Writing and Publishing the Personal Essay: Advanced Workshop m

X 401.31B English 3 units Designed for those familiar with the personal essay form and who are already convinced of its unique power to reach the masses, this advanced workshop focuses on revising existing works, analyzing current markets and trends, and submitting for publication. You establish yourself as a professional by completing hands-on assignments rooted in the real world, participating in extensive peer review, and receiving practical support. For technical requirements see page 4. Prerequisite: Potential students must submit a draft up to 3,000 words along with a brief letter of intent; for instructions on submitting a writing sample see page 135. Enrollment limited to 12 students. Reg# W9416B Fee: $650 Jan 25-Mar 28 No refund after January 18. Victoria Zackheim, MA, editor of The Other Woman: 21 Wives, Lovers, and Others Talk Openly about Sex, Deception, Love, and Betrayal; For Keeps: Women Tell the Truth about Their Bodies, Growing Older, and Acceptance; The Face in the Mirror: Writers Reflect on Their Dreams of Youth and the Reality of Age; and He Said What? Women Write About Moments When Everything Changed (Seal Press/Perseus, 2011).

X 481.2 English 3 units Unlike most literature, young adult novels are thriving in the marketplacegood news for writers inclined to write for and about teens. Whether youre interested in vampires, werewolves, heroines of dystopian universes, or that complex, shape-shifting being known as the human young adult, this workshop helps you get under the skin of your characters and bring them to life. You explore the differences (real and perceived) between YA novels and general literature, but the primary focus is as follows: how to write believable, memorable teen characters in your own voice. In addition to individual critiques in a workshop setting (up to 20 pages per submission), you engage in hands-on craft exercises. You also examine a diverse sampling of YA fiction classic and contemporary, literary and genre (and in between)for examples of strong characterization. For technical requirements see page 4. Enrollment limited to 15 students. Reg# W9481B Through Dec 18: $529 / After: $579 Jan 18-Mar 28 (no sessions Jan 25-31) Amanda Gersh, MFA, fiction writer, veteran ghostwriter for the popular Sweet Valey and Fearless YA series. Ms. Gersh recently publised the YA novel The Summer of Skinny Dipping (Sourcebooks, 2010) under the pen name Amanda Howells, and her short stories have appeared in Tin House, One Story, Open City, The Believer, and The Mississippi Review, among others. She received fellowships from Yaddo and the MacDowell Colony, and was nominated for a Pushcart Prize.

Zombies, Werewolves, and Other Teenage Misfits: Compelling Characters in the YA Novel m

Writing Picture Books for Children: A Beginning Workshop m

X 470.51 English 3 units Created for the beginning writer, this course explores the various genres within the category of childrens picture books, including nonfiction, writing in rhyme, classics, and concept books for young children. Writing exercises focus on improving fundamental craft skills, such as characterization, story structure, setting, voice, and point-of-view. You are encouraged to expand your creative thinking in order to develop your own unique writing style (your voice), and a peer feedback group provides a nurturing atmosphere for discussion of each writers work. The goal is to complete a draft of a picture book manuscript and a market list of potential publishers. For technical requirements see page 4. Enrollment limited to 15 students. & kkk

X 430M Film & Television 1.5 units Appropriate for students with previous training and who have written at least 1 screenplay, this one-on-one customized course of instruction is tailored to your specific screenwriting challenges. If you have a solid idea for your screenplay, you focus on developing a logline, scene list, and character biographies, with the goal of being ready to begin writing your screenplay. If you are actively writing pages, you receive regular feedback as you write and address craft issues that arise from those pages. If you have a completed draft of a screenplay, you revise and polish it to submission standards with special attention to flow, scene transitions, camera geography, and the elimination of the unnecessary. One-on-one access to the instructor Mon-Fri (excluding holidays) for 4 full weeks. Turnaround time for instructor feedback is 12-24 hours for most work and 24-36 hours for longer material. For technical requirements see page 4. Prerequisite: X 440A Writing the First Screenplay I, X 440B Writing the First Screenplay II, X 440C Writing the First Screenplay III, and X 440D Writing the First Screenplay IV, or departmental approval. Course may be taken as a certificate elective. Enrollment limited to 10 students. Students may enroll in subsequent sections of the Mentorship Program to either begin another new project, or to continue working on their original project in order to refine their story idea, address specific problems with scenes or dialogue, rewrite single pages, receive feedback on script pages, and/or see their project through to final polish. May be repeated as often as desired. Reg# W9399B Fee: $795 Jan 9-Feb 5 No refund after Jan 6. Tom Lazarus, screenwriter-director; WGA member whose credits include the features Stigmata; Just You and Me, Kid; Movies Kill; Word of Mouth; House of Love; and Voyeur Confessions as well as seven moviesof-the-week. Mr. Lazarus is the author of Secrets of Film Writing (St. Martins Press) as well as Rewriting Secrets for Screenwriters (St. Martins Press). Reg# W9402B Fee: $795 Feb 6-Mar 4 No refund after Feb 4. Tom Lazarus, for credits see this page. Reg# W9403B Fee: $795 Mar 5-Apr 1 No refund after Mar 3. Tom Lazarus, for credits see this page.

X 478.39 Film & Television 3 units Designed for both aspiring story analysts and screenwriters who want to accelerate their careers, this course helps you master the methods used by story analysts who evaluate submissions to production companies, agencies, and studios. You learn how to analyze indepth the three-act structure (the standard in Hollywood), dramatic and comic scene construction, what precise terminology is used in story sessions, the foundations for great dialogue, and how to find original approaches to established genres. These and other principles become synthesized into coverage written to the highest professional standards, in preparation for stepping into a job as story analyst or being able to access your own scripts effectively. For technical requirements see page 4. Course may be taken as a certificate elective. Enrollment limited to 15 students. Reg# W9357B Through Dec 11: $529 / After: $579 Jan 11-Mar 14 Barney Lichtenstein, MA, professional story analyst who periodically assists in training new analysts for the Sundance Institute and production companies, and whose Story Analysts Top Ten List of Effective Screenwriting Methods has been featured in Creative Screenwriting, and on Script Magazines website. Mr. Lichtenstein was the recipient of the UCLA Extension Outstanding Instructor Award in Screenwriting, 2006.

Business of Screenwriting
New Course

The Business of Screenwriting m

789.888 Film & Television Hollywood is always open to anyone with a well-written story and a savvy marketing plan, and this 4-session course gives screenwriters the tools to help them assess, protect, present, and pitch their work effectively. Learn how to determine if your script is ready to be submitted, how to protect both your screenplay and its attached option rights, how to create a kinetic logline and a hook and shock query letter, and the primary tactics and techniques needed to bust through the outer door of the industry. Once you have entered the inner sanctum, the micro-macro style of pitching significantly enhances your chances of getting your script read. You also learn how to find companies that are synergetic to your specific screenplay. In addition, this course covers the basic legal issues every writer should be aware of from the outset. For technical requirements see page 4. Enrollment limited to 25 students. Reg# W9642B Through Jan 13: $155 / After: $165 Feb 13-19 No refund after Feb 10. Bill Boyle, screenwriter, director, producer whose writer-producer credits include Now and Forever and Sealed with a Kiss. Mr. Boyles work has received an ACTRA nomination, as well as honors at the Palm Springs Festival and Chicago Film Festival. He has previously lectured at Praxis Centre for Screenwriters and Vancouver Film School.

Feature Film Writing: Beginning Courses


Writing the First Screenplay I m
X 440A Film & Television 3 units The first in a 4-part sequence designed to take you through the full process of writing a feature film screenplay, this course grounds you in the key craft elements of story structure, plot, scene development, character, theme, genre, and dialogue, and shows you how they work together to grip an audiences emotions. You learn how to create and evaluate story ideas; explore how characters inner wants and immediate goals shape and drive a screenplays action; see what constitutes compelling plots and subplots; and learn how to construct a scene. Throughout the course, you complete a series of exercises which serve as the basis for your script outline, a prose description of your screenplay. The course

c UC credit; see page 149 m Online course & Text required; see page 148

M Course held during daytime hours

Enroll at uclaextension.edu or call (310) 825-9971


goal is to learn how to write effective, compelling scenes and to create a 4-5 page outline which clearly delineates your scripts beginning, middle, and end. The ability to write an effective outline is a critical skill for the professional screenwriter, serves as the basis for most pitches and is required for admission into X 440B Writing the First Screenplay II. For technical requirements see page 4. Course may be taken as a certificate core requirement. Enrollment limited to 15 students. Reg# W9344B Through Dec 18: $529 / After: $579 Jan 18-Mar 21 Michael W. Barlow, producer and screenwriter; WGA member who, as an executive at Paramount Classics, oversaw Black Snake Moan and Mad Hot Ballroom. Mr. Barlow worked as vice president of production at various major studios, including Orion Pictures (No Way Out, House of Games, and Back to School). His writing credits include the miniseries Kidnapped and the ABC drama Family. Reg# W9347B Through Dec 25: $529 / After: $579 Jan 25-Mar 28 Ronald Raley, screenwriter; WGA member whose credits include Edge of Sanity; Dorian; Cupid and Cate; The Runaway; and The Locket, for which he received a Camie Award. Mr. Raley has worked as a development executive for Cannon Pictures and Hallmark Hall of Fame Productions, and has developed screenplays for Glenn Close, Vanessa Redgrave, Chuck Norris, Anthony Perkins, Malcolm McDowell, and others. Reg# W9346B Through Dec 25: $529 / After: $579 Jan 25-Mar 28 Ernie Contreras, screenwriter; WGA member whose credits include the HBO drama Walkout and the feature films Fairy Tale: A True Story (Paramount) and The Pagemaster (20th Century Fox). Mr. Contreras has written and developed scripts for Walt Disney, Sony, Universal, Fox Searchlight, Paramount, DreamWorks, TNT, and Starz/Encore.

Writers Program
and executive produced dramatic television series for Fox, CBS, Pax, and Showtime, and her latest project is Gemini Division, a dramatic series for the Internet.

141

Writing the First Screenplay III m

X 440C Film & Television 3 units The third in a 4-part sequence in writing a feature film screenplay, this course focuses on what many regard as the greatest challenge facing screenwriters: writing the second act. As you engage in writing these crucial 60 pages, you refine your story outline; flesh out main and secondary characters; continue to develop the art of the scene as it pertains to type, choice, structure, and placement; and begin to discover each characters unique voice. You also learn the habits you need to sustain the work of writing a screenplay. The goal is to write Act II. May be repeated for credit. For technical requirements see page 4. Prerequisite: X 440A Writing the First Screenplay I and X 440B Writing the First Screenplay II. Students must bring their beat sheets or treatments and Act I to the first class meeting and be prepared to write. Course may be taken as a certificate core requirement. Enrollment limited to 15 students. Reg# W9353B Through Dec 25: $529 / After: $579 Jan 25-Mar 28 William Hasley, screenwriter; WGA member who has sold feature scripts to 20th Century Fox, Universal, and Warner Bros. Mr. Hasleys television credits include Swift Justice; Ghost Stories; Murder, She Wrote; Kung Fu; Young Riders; and Highway to Heaven. He also has written pilots for Castle Rock, Columbia, Universal, and Warner Bros. and is a published author.

Feature Film Writing: Intermediate Courses


Intermediate Feature Film I m
X 431.101 Film & Television 3 units Designed for writers with a solid grasp of the basic principles of feature-length scriptwriting and who have written at least 1 full screenplay, this workshop guides you to launch and make significant headway on a new project. You may work in a genre you have already tackled, but are also encouraged to challenge yourself by choosing a different one in order to expand your spec portfolio and focus on craft apart from stylistic preferences. The goal is to develop a strong premise that sustains your entire script, create and refine the story outline, and write Act I. Brief lectures on craft issues based on the demands of the participants work supplement the workshop. For technical requirements see page 4. Prerequisite: X 440A Writing the First Screenplay I, X 440B Writing the First Screenplay II, X 440C Writing the First Screenplay III, and X 440D Writing the First Screenplay IV, or departmental approval. Course may be taken as a certificate core requirement. Enrollment limited to 15 students. Reg# W9358B Through Dec 25: $529 / After: $579 Jan 25-Mar 28 Martin Copeland, PhD, award-winning screenwriter who has written feature films in both the U.S. and Europe, including Texas Rangers (Miramax), Handyman (Buena Vista International co-production), The Heavenly Kid, and The Sinking of the Rainbow Warrior.

Reg# W9392B Through Dec 25: $529 / After: $579 Jan 25-Mar 28 Beverly Gray, PhD, screenwriter, author, and former development executive who oversaw the development of 170 feature films at Concorde-New Horizons Pictures. Dr. Gray has authored biographies of directors Ron Howard and Roger Corman.

Feature Film Writing: Advanced Course


Advanced Screenwriting: A Screenplay Workshop m

Writing the First Screenplay IV m

Writing the First Screenplay II m

X 440B Film & Television 3 units This second in a 4-part sequence in writing a feature film script has you hit the ground running. You begin by pitching your story based on your outline and revise it to make sure the premise can carry the entire movie. Armed with a workable outline, you then flesh it out into either a beat sheet or treatment (at the instructors discretion) and begin writing your screenplay. Personalized feedback along with mini-lectures on key craft points, including character development, story structure, and conflict, help you to meet the course goal, which is to write Act I (approximately 30 pages). May be repeated for credit. For technical requirements see page 4. Prerequisite: X 440A Writing the First Screenplay I. Students must bring a four-to-five-page outline they created in Writing the First Screenplay I to first class meeting and be prepared to pitch it. Course may be taken as a certificate core requirement. Enrollment limited to 15 students. Reg# W9351B Through Dec 18: $529 / After: $579 Jan 18-Mar 21 John Doolittle, MFA, screenwriter; WGA member who has written feature film and television projects for Paramount, Walt Disney Studios, Amblin Entertainment, Miramax, Nickelodeon, and Castle Rock. Mr. Doolittle adapted Infinite Jest for HBO, did a production rewrite on the Academy Award-nominated screenplay, The Player, and currently is working on a TNT film to be directed by Robert Towne. Reg# W9352B Through Dec 25: $529 / After: $579 Jan 25-Mar 28 Michael Janover, screenwriter; WGA member, who wrote the feature films The Philadelphia Experiment and Hardly Working, as well as the Mr. Boogedy horror/comedy TV movies for Disney. Mr. Janovers other projects include a horror/comedy script for Cheech and Chong and a horror pilot for Aaron Spelling Productions.

X 440D Film & Television 3 units In the last in a 4-part sequence in writing a feature film screenplay, you reach FADE OUT. In the process of writing Act III, you hone in on structuring conversations; explore how to maximize your storys visual implications; deepen scene writing skills; assemble scenes to form powerful sequences; ensure your scripts central conflict is resolved; and work on theme and imagery. Also covered are revision techniques and the business aspects of feature film writing. The goal is to complete writing your first feature film script. For technical requirements see page 4. Prerequisite: X 440A Writing the First Screenplay I, X 440B Writing the First Screenplay II, and X 440C Writing the First Screenplay III. Students must submit their beat sheets or treatments and Acts I and II to the first class meeting and be prepared to write. Course may be taken as a certificate core requirement. Enrollment limited to 15 students. Reg# W9354B Through Dec 25: $529 / After: $579 Jan 25-Mar 28 Andrew Osborne, MA, screenwriter; WGA member whose indie film credits include the Sundance Film Festival premiere On_Line, the Tribeca Film Festival premiere The F Word, and his directorial debut Apocalypse Bop. Mr. Osborne received an Emmy Award for the Discovery Channels Cash Cab. He has developed projects for Warner Bros., HBO, MTV, and Orion.

Intermediate Feature Film II m

Writing the Romantic Comedy m

X 430.43JZ Film & Television 3 units The romantic comedy is one of the most beloved genres in film. In this course, you learn the key elements that separate romantic comedy from other film genres, including its particular dramatic structure; character qualities of its romantic hero and heroine; and its unique world in which timeless love does exist, theres someone out there for everyone, and true love conquers all. In addition, you look at the different styles of romantic comedy: the ensemble, period piece, chick flick, animated, satire, the bromance, and, of course, the classic boy meets girl. You craft weekly pages of your own script, receive group and instructor feedback, and come away from the course with a solid romantic comedy idea and beat sheet. For technical requirements see page 4. Prerequisite: X 440 Writing the First Screenplay I or departmental approval. Course may be taken as a certificate elective. Enrollment limited to 15 students. Reg# W9384B Through Dec 25: $529 / After: $579 Jan 25-Mar 28 Jacqueline Zambrano, writer/producer; WGA member who wrote the feature film In the Mix. Ms. Zambrano has written for numerous shows, including CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and Star Trek. She also has created

X 431.102 Film & Television 3 units Designed for those who already have at least 1 screenplay, a story outline, and Act One of their next script in hand, this workshop guides you to complete your project. After a review of your outline and pages, you focus on developing a successful second and third act, with special attention given to structure, character development, emotional content, and cinematic style. You also acquire self-editing techniques essential for the professional writer. This is not a rewrite course; students must be working toward the completion of a feature-length script and have their treatment or outline and approximately 30-50 pages of their script in hand. For technical requirements see page 4. Prerequisite: X 430.101 Intermediate Feature Film I, or equivalent, or consent of instructor. Course may be taken as a certificate core requirement. Enrollment limited to 15 students. Reg# W9359B Through Dec 25: $529 / After: $579 Jan 25-Mar 28 Ernie Contreras, screenwriter; WGA member whose credits include the HBO drama Walkout and the feature films Fairy Tale: A True Story (Paramount) and The Pagemaster (20th Century Fox). Mr. Contreras has written and developed scripts for Walt Disney, Sony, Universal, Fox Searchlight, Paramount, DreamWorks, TNT, and Starz/Encore.

X 432.21 Film & Television 3 units This course is for screenwriters who want to start or are in the midst of writing an original screenplay. Participants must be committed to doing a lot of writing as well as reading and critiquing their peers pages. Active class participation is mandatory. Lecture topics, each oriented toward the pragmatics of screenwriting, are chosen in response to issues and questions which arise on the discussion boards or in the script pages the participants submit. Those considering this course should have completed at least two original screenplays, be currently working with a strong story concept, and be committed to writing the best possible script. For technical requirements see page 4. Prerequisite: Script submittal required; for instructions see page 135. Enrollment limited to 12 students. Reg# W9395B Fee: $650 Jan 25-Mar 28 Chrysanthy Balis, MPW, screenwriter; WGA member whose credits include the Paramount release Asylum. Ms. Balis has projects in development with CBS, USA Networks, Flodyco Productions, and has previously written an adapted screenplay for the Zanuck Company/Fox 2000 and a pilot for HBO. She received the UCLA Extension Outstanding Instructor Award in Screenwriting (Online), 2007.

Television Writing: Beginning Courses


Beginning Writing for the 1-Hour Spec Drama: Building the Story and the Outline m

Intermediate Rewriting Workshop m

X 431.57 Film & Television 3 units Writing is rewriting and rewriting is a craft all its own. Designed for those with a solid grasp of the basic principles of feature-length screenwriting and who have written at least two complete screenplays, this workshop is the next and most important step. This course takes you through the process of finding strategies that bring your script to its fullest potential, honing its premise, fleshing out characters, deepening conflicts, and fine-tuning structure, dialogue, tone, and action. You receive personal feedback and guidance on your script as well as insight into how to market it. The course goal is to complete a rewrite of your featurelength script. For technical requirements see page 4. Prerequisite: X 431.101 Intermediate Feature Film I and X 431.102 Intermediate Feature Film II; or equivalent. Enrollment limited to 15 students. kkk

X 430.4 Film & Television 3 units Modeled directly on how writers write in the real world of 1-hour dramas, this course focuses on what is most central to creating a strong script as well as the largest piece (40%) of the writers deal with any show: the story and outline. The course goal is for you to master the process of constructing an airtight story and detailed outline so that you are ready to write a script for any current show as quickly and expertly as possible. The steps you take include pitching a variety of stories, choosing the best story for your spec script, mapping it out from beginning to end, and writing a strong outline in proper script format. In the process, you learn how to identify and capture the tone, characters, dialogue, and themes of any 1-hour drama seriesthe key to breaking in and staying in the field. This course also explores the various genres (police procedurals, medical, legal, etc.) and their specific rules; whats popular in the current marketplace; and how to work within the special requirements of time-slots, outlet, and styles (for example, single-character drama versus ensemble cast). For technical requirements see page 4. Course may be taken as a certificate core requirement. Enrollment limited to 15 students. All student projects must focus on current shows; no pilots. Reg# W9408B Through Dec 25: $529 / After: $579 Jan 25-Mar 28 Erica Byrne, screenwriter; WGA member whose credits include episodes of La Femme Nikita; Nowhere Man; Silk Stalkings; Hunter; Knots Landing; and Walker, Texas Ranger. Ms. Byrne has served as a staff writer and has written many produced docudramas as well as animated scripts. She received the UCLA Extension Outstanding Instructor Award in Screenwriting, 1997.

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Television Writing: Intermediate Courses


X 431.42 Film & Television 3 units Innovative television series ideas now come from new as well as established writers, and a strong spec pilot script sets you apart from those who only work within the boundaries of existing shows. This course takes you through the process of creating and writing a pilot script from beginning to rough first draft. You develop a viable series concept, create unique and memorable characters with an original execution, write the pilot script, explore the possible markets for it, and are encouraged to be as fresh and original as possible. Your series can be a comedy or drama; single camera, multiple camera, or animation; designed for traditional media or the latest new media or any combination thereofthe choice is yours. For technical requirements see page 4. Prerequisite: Students must have completed At least 1 original feature-length screenplay or television spec script. Course may be taken as a certificate core requirement or elective. Enrollment limited to 15 students. Reg# W9409B Through Dec 25: $529 / After: $579 Jan 25-Mar 28 Bill Taub, screenwriter; WGA and WGC member who has written produced pilots for Relic Hunter, Friday the 13th: The Series, Mission Genesis, The Odyssey, and Dark Shadows. Mr. Taub recently aired his web series Psycho Babble for Strike TV and is now rewriting the animated feature Jumping Green Things for Assorted Nuts. He also has written pilots for NBC and Paramount.

Feature Film Writing


Beginning Courses
X 440A Film & Television 3 units The first in a 4-part sequence designed to take you through the full process of writing a feature film screenplay, this course grounds you in the key craft elements of story structure, plot, scene development, character, theme, genre, and dialogue, and shows you how they work together to grip an audiences emotions. You learn how to create and evaluate story ideas; explore how characters inner wants and immediate goals shape and drive a screenplays action; see what constitutes compelling plots and subplots; and learn how to construct a scene. Throughout the course, you complete a series of exercises which serve as the basis for your script outline, a prose description of your screenplay. The course goal is to learn how to write effective, compelling scenes and to create a 4-5 page outline which clearly delineates your scripts beginning, middle, and end. The ability to write an effective outline is a critical skill for the professional screenwriter, serves as the basis for most pitches and is required for admission into X 440B Writing the First Screenplay II. Course may be taken as a certificate core requirement. Enrollment limited to 20 students. Internet access required to retrieve course materials. & Reg# W9413B Through Dec 9: $419 / After: $459 UCLA: 1270 School of Public Affairs Bldg. Mon 7-10pm, Jan 9-Mar 26, 10 mtgs (no mtg 1/16 & 2/20) No refund after Jan 23. Donald H. Hewitt, screenwriter; WGA member whose feature film credits include the English-language screenplay for Hayao Miyazakis Oscar-winning film Spirited Away, as well as My Neighbor Totoro, and the Oscar-nominated Howls Moving Castle. Mr. Hewitt has written for Pixar, Working Title, Miramax, New Line, and Disney. He currently is adapting the novel The Girls Guide to Witchcraft into a movie for ABC Family. Reg# W9423B Through Dec 9: $419 / After: $459 Downtown Los Angeles: 261 S. Figueroa St., Figueroa Courtyard, Suite 100W, Classroom 101B Mon 7-10pm, Jan 9-Mar 26, 10 mtgs (no mtg 1/16 & 2/20) No refund after Jan 23. Kim Krizan, Academy-Award nominated screenwriter, film and stage actor; WGA member who co-wrote Before Sunrise and Before Sunset with director Richard Linklater. Ms. Krizan has acted in several films, including Waking Life, Dazed and Confused, and Slacker. Her first full-length comic book, Zombie Tales: 2061, was recently published by Boom! Studios. Reg# W9412B Through Dec 19: $419 / After: $459 UCLA: 1278 School of Public Affairs Bldg. Thu 7-10pm, Jan 19-Mar 22, 10 mtgs No refund after Jan 26. Michael Weiss, screenwriter; WGA member; former vice president of production for Miramax Films whose produced credits include Journey to the Center of the Earth and Ill Always Know What You Did Last Summer. Mr. Weiss has sold original material and been hired on assignment by such studios as Warner Bros., Sony, New Line, MGM, and Cartoon Network. Reg# W9424B Through Dec 21: $419 / After: $459 UCLA: 2333 School of Public Affairs Bldg. Sat 10am-1pm, Jan 21-Mar 24, 10 mtgs No refund after Jan 27. David Polsky, screenwriter, WGA member whose feature film credits include Scary Movie and Scary Movie 2. Mr. Polsky also has written for Singled Out, South Park, Cedric the Entertainer Presents, and Frank TV, as well as the animated shows The Class of 3000 and Disneys The Buzz on Maggie, on which he served as creator and executive producer. He has also sold pilots to Fox, CBS, Castle Rock Entertainment, and Nickelodeon. kkk

Writing the Spec Pilot m

Writing the First Screenplay I

Reg# W9417B Through Dec 24: $419 / After: $459 UCLA: 2325 School of Public Affairs Bldg. Tue 7-10pm, Jan 24-Mar 27, 10 mtgs No refund after Jan 31. Laurence Rosenthal, independent producer and development executive; WGA member who, as an executive at Woods Entertainment, supervised the development of Scream, Beautiful Girls, Things to Do in Denver When Youre Dead, Copland, and Citizen Ruth. Mr. Rosenthal also oversaw development of the Showtime original series Beggars and Choosers. Reg# W9411B Through Dec 25: $419 / After: $459 UCLA: A46 Humanities Bldg. Wed 7-10pm, Jan 25-Mar 28, 10 mtgs No refund after Feb 1. Ron Suppa, writer-producer; WGA member who has produced and/or written 10 feature films, including Paradise Alley and Riding the Edge. Mr. Suppa is the author of Real Screenwriting: Strategies and Stories from the Trenches. He received the UCLA Extension Outstanding Instructor Award in Screenwriting, 1991.

Writing the First Screenplay III

Writing the First Screenplay II

Screenwriting
Choose the right course for you. For advisement on screenwriting courses call Chae Ko at (310) 206-2612 or Jeff Bonnett at (310) 206-1542. Many screenwriting courses also are offered online; see page 140.

Business of Screenwriting
Be Savvy: The Business of Being a Screenwriter
X 431.34 Film & Television 2.5 units Designed for open-minded, disciplined students who have written At least 1 feature-length screenplay, this course teaches you how to establish and build a writing career in original ways. Award-winning screenwriter Antwone Fisher starts from the belief that screenwriters need to understand and accept how the industry works, and then focus on ways to develop sustainable artistic skills, personal connections, and business relationships. You learn and practice strategies to get in and stay in the business, including how to behave and exert your force of personality in a chameleon-like way; how to get to know actors, comics, and other writers who can advance your project; how to get a realistic grasp on the role and lifespan of the client-agent relationship; how to maintain contact with studios even after you havent gotten the job; and how to remain valuable to the production process after youve turned in the script. Course may be taken as a certificate elective. Enrollment limited to 20 students. Reg# W9516B Through Dec 31: $429 / After: $469 UCLA: 3115 Rolfe Hall Tue 7-10pm, Jan 31-Mar 20, 8 mtgs No refund after Feb 7. Antwone Fisher, screenwriter, producer, and author whose screenplay credits include Antwone Fisher, starring Denzel Washington and nominated for a WGA Award for Best Original Screenplay, and the coming-ofage drama ATL, nominated for an NAACP Image Award. Mr. Fisher is the author of the bestselling memoir Finding Fish.

X 440B Film & Television 3 units This second in a 4-part sequence in writing a feature film script has you hit the ground running. You begin by pitching your story based on your outline and revising it to make sure the premise can carry the entire movie. Armed with a workable outline, you then flesh it out into either a beat sheet or treatment (at the instructors discretion) and begin writing your screenplay. Personalized feedback along with mini-lectures on key craft points, including character development, story structure, and conflict, help you to meet the course goal, which is to write Act I (appx. 30 pages). May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: X 440A Writing the First Screenplay I. Students must bring the 4-5-page outline they created in Writing the First Screenplay I to first class and be prepared to pitch it. Course may be taken as a certificate core requirement. Enrollment limited to 20 students. Internet access required to retrieve course materials. Reg# W9435B Through Dec 14: $419 / After: $459 UCLA: 1264 School of Public Affairs Bldg. Sat 10am-1pm, Jan 14-Mar 17, 10 mtgs No refund after Jan 20. Tim Curnen, MFA, screenwriter; WGA member whose produced credits include the feature films Forbidden World and Ghost Warrior. Mr. Curnen has written screenplays for Interscope, New World Pictures, 20th Century Fox, Universal, and Walt Disney Productions, as well as an award-winning video game for Digital Pictures. He received the UCLA Extension Outstanding Instructor Award in Screenwriting, 2008. Reg# W9425B Through Dec 18: $419 / After: $459 UCLA: A26 Humanities Bldg. Wed 7-10pm, Jan 18-Mar 21, 10 mtgs No refund after Jan 25. Claudia Grazioso, MFA, screenwriter; WGA member whose credits include Are We There Yet?, starring Ice Cube and Nia Long, and Bring It On Again. Ms. Grazioso has written several pilots for ABC and Fox, including Women in Law. She currently is writing a script for Disney with Walt Becker attached to produce, as well as a television pilot for HBO. Reg# W9427B Through Dec 18: $419 / After: $459 Downtown Los Angeles: 261 S. Figueroa St., Figueroa Courtyard, Suite 100W, Classroom 101B Wed 7-10pm, Jan 18-Mar 21, 10 mtgs No refund after Jan 25. Tony Vitale, writer-director; WGA member who wrote and directed the Sundance Film Festival feature Kiss Me, Guido as well as Jungle Juice, starring Christopher Walken. Mr. Vitale directed Very Mean Men, starring Oscar winner Martin Landau, and One Last Ride, for executive producer Ang Lee. He co-created the CBS sitcom Some of My Best Friends with writer-producer Marc Cherry (Desperate Housewives).

X 440C Film & Television 3 units The third in a 4-part sequence in writing a feature film screenplay, this course focuses on what many regard as the greatest challenge facing screenwriters: writing the second act. As you engage in writing these crucial 60 pages, you refine your story outline; flesh out main and secondary characters; continue to develop the art of the scene as it pertains to type, choice, structure, and placement; and begin to discover each characters unique voice. You also learn the habits you need to sustain the work of writing a screenplay. The goal is to write Act II. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: X 440A Writing the First Screenplay I and X 440B Writing the First Screenplay II. Students must bring their beat sheets or treatments and Act I to the first class meeting and be prepared to write. Course may be taken as a certificate core requirement. Enrollment limited to 16 students. Internet access required to retrieve course materials. Reg# W9437B Through Dec 25: $525 / After: $575 UCLA: 1284 School of Public Affairs Bldg. Wed 7-10pm, Jan 25-Mar 28, 10 mtgs No refund after Feb 1. Andrew Guerdat, writer-producer; WGA member who has sold feature screenplays to 20th Century Fox, MGM, Walt Disney Studios, Village Roadshow Productions/Warner Bros., Disney Sunday Movie, and NBC. Mr. Guerdats play Red Remembers recently premiered at the Berkshire Theater Festival, and he was the recipient of the UCLA Extension Outstanding Instructor Award in Screenwriting, 2007. X 440D Film & Television 3 units In the last in a 4-part sequence in writing a feature film screenplay, you reach FADE OUT. In the process of writing Act III, you hone in on structuring conversations; explore how to maximize your storys visual implications; deepen scene writing skills; assemble scenes to form powerful sequences; ensure your scripts central conflict is resolved; and work on theme and imagery. Also covered are revision techniques and the business aspects of feature film writing. The goal is to complete writing your first feature film script. Prerequisite: X 440A Writing the First Screenplay I, X 440B Writing the First Screenplay II, and X 440C Writing the First Screenplay III. Students must bring their beat sheets or treatments and Acts I and II to the first class meeting and be prepared to write. Course may be taken as a certificate core requirement. Enrollment limited to 16 students. Internet access required to retrieve course materials. Reg# W9438B Through Dec 25: $525 / After: $575 UCLA: 1323 School of Public Affairs Bldg. Wed 7-10pm, Jan 25-Mar 28, 10 mtgs No refund after Feb 1. Jon Bernstein, screenwriter, WGA member who wrote Meet the Robinsons, which won a Heartland Film Award. Mr. Bernstein also wrote the screenplays Ringmaster and Beautiful, starring Minnie Driver, and is a contributing writer to Disneys Tangled and Universals The Little Engine That Could (2011). His plays include Blunders and Showcase! (LA Weekly Pick of the Week).

Writing the First Screenplay IV

X 430.895 Film & Television 3 units Designed to help you develop your best horror or fantasy screenplay ever, this course begins with an overview of both genres and their main structural elements. The first half of the course explores the horror story through a series of darkly humorous interactive workshops, which includes learning how to take your own personal fears and use them to develop your storyline and to transform them into a powerful nemesis for your hero. The goal is to create a 5-minute movie pitch. The second half of the course is devoted to fantasy, with students working toward the goal of creating a 5-minute fantasy movie pitch. You learn the rules of building a fantasy world, and create personal versions of heaven and hell as well as systems of magic. You leave the workshop ready to take your horror and fantasy dark spawn into the world. Course may be taken as a certificate elective. Enrollment limited to 20 students. Internet access required to retrieve course materials. kkk

Horror and Fantasy Screenwriting Workshop

Enroll at uclaextension.edu or call (310) 825-9971


Reg# W9515B Through Dec 24: $419 / After: $459 UCLA: 122 Haines Hall Tue 7-10pm, Jan 24-Mar 27, 10 mtgs No refund after Jan 31. Larry Wilson, screenwriter, director and producer; WGA member whose feature film credits include Beetlejuice, The Addams Family, and The Little Vampire. Mr. Wilsons television credits include Tales from the Crypt, The Year Without a Santa Claus, and Aliens for Breakfast. He previously worked as a story analyst for Columbia, Warner Bros., Paramount, and Universal.

Writers Program

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Dont Just Take Our Word for It!


I tell all fellow writers about the magic of the Writers Studio and how supercharged it is. Thank you for offering this wonderful program. Without it, I would be stuck in a dead end job and missing out on the wonderful world of writing! Christine Tagawa, Santa Monica, CA 2011 Writers Studio participant

Intermediate Courses
Intermediate Feature Film I
X 431.101 Film & Television 3 units Designed for writers with a solid grasp of the basic principles of feature-length scriptwriting and who have written at least 1 full screenplay, this workshop guides you to launch and make significant headway on a new project. You may work in a genre you have already tackled, but are also encouraged to challenge yourself by choosing a different one in order to expand your spec portfolio and focus on craft apart from stylistic preferences. The goal is to develop a strong premise that sustains your entire script, create and refine the story outline, and write Act One. Brief lectures on craft issues based on the demands of the participants work supplement the workshop. Prerequisite: X 440A Writing the First Screenplay I, X 440B Writing the First Screenplay II, X 440C Writing the First Screenplay III, and X 440D Writing the First Screenplay IV, or equivalent, or consent of instructor. Course may be taken as a certificate core requirement. Enrollment limited to 16 students. Internet access required to retrieve course materials. Reg# W9459B Through Dec 24: $525 / After: $575 UCLA: 110 Haines Hall Tue 7-10pm, Jan 24-Mar 27, 10 mtgs No refund after Jan 31. Dan Vining, screenwriter and novelist; WGA member whose feature film credits include Black Dog for Universal Pictures and Plain Clothes for Paramount. Mr. Vining has written screenplays for Walt Disney Pictures, MGM, Paramount, and Showtime. His novels include The Quick; The Next; and his latest, Among the Living (Penguin-Putnam). X 431.102 Film & Television 3 units Designed for those who have already at least 1 screenplay and have a story outline and Act One of their next script in hand, this workshop guides you to complete your project. After a review of your outline and pages, you focus on developing a successful second and third act, with special attention given to structure, character development, emotional content, and cinematic style. You also acquire self-editing techniques essential for the professional writer. For technical requirements see page 4. This is not a rewrite course; students must be working toward the completion of a feature-length script and have their treatment or outline and approximately 30-to-50 pages of their script in hand. Prerequisite: X 431.101 Intermediate Feature Film I, or equivalent, or consent of instructor. Course may be taken as a certificate core requirement. Enrollment limited to 16 students. Internet access required to retrieve course materials. Reg# W9460B Through Dec 18: $525 / After: $575 UCLA: A152 Bunche Hall Wed 7-10pm, Jan 18-Mar 28, 10 mtgs (no mtg 2/8) No refund after Jan 25. Cindy Davis Hewitt, MFA, screenwriter; WGA member whose feature film credits include the English-language screenplay for Hayao Miyazakis Oscar-winning film Spirited Away, as well as My Neighbor Totoro, and Howls Moving Castle. Ms. Hewitt has written for Pixar, Working Title, Miramax, and Disney. She currently is writing the animated feature film Pigeon: Impossible for Fox.

Visual Storytelling for the Big Screen

X 491.899 Film & Television 3 units Film is first and foremost a visual medium. As such, a fully realized screenplay exhibits its story through images woven into its dramatic structure. This workshop teaches you concrete techniques for showing your story, including identifying and developing its visual implications, creating and exploiting the magic of visual discovery that a screenplay can offer, and crafting highquality images that carry emotional impact and relevance. In order to master these techniques, you write scenes, (either new or rewritten from your own work) that focus on forms of the visual storytelling: discovery, withholding, law of contradiction, location as metaphor, and flow of time and location. The course goal is to write the first act or rewrite an existing first act of your screenplay using tools learned from the course. For technical requirements see page 4. Prerequisite: X 440A Writing the First Screenplay I or equivalent. Course may be taken as a certificate elective. Enrollment limited to 20 students. Internet access required to retrieve course materials. Reg# W9452B Through Dec 24: $419 / After: $459 UCLA: A06 Haines Hall Tue 7-10pm, Jan 24-Mar 27, 10 mtgs No refund after Jan 31. Bill Boyle, screenwriter, director, producer whose writer-producer credits include Now and Forever and Sealed with a Kiss. Mr. Boyles work has received an ACTRA nomination, as well as honors at the Palm Springs Festival and Chicago Film Festival. He has previously lectured at Praxis Centre for Screenwriters and Vancouver Film School.

2012 writers studio


Thu-Sun, Feb 9-12 For information see pages 130-132.
Christine Tagawa.

Congratulations!
2011 UCLA Extension Feature Film & Television Writing Competition Winners
Feature Film Scripts 1st Place: Greg Sullivan, Erins Voice (Drama) 2nd Place:
Ana Maria Montoya, Hanging

Intermediate Feature Film II

Television Scripts 1st Place: Erika Mcpherson, Every Other Weekend (Half-Hour Comedy Pilot) 2nd Place:
Tricia Smith, Its Always Sunny in

Moon (Drama/Coming of Age) 3rd Place:

Screenwriting on the Write Side of the Brain

Robert Dorian, Dead of Winter

Philadelphia: The Gang Gets Kidnapped (Half-Hour Comedy Spec) 3rd Place:

X 430.23 Film & Television 3 units Use ALL of your brain while screenwriting! Film is the art form that encompasses all the other arts, and this challenging but safe course takes hands-on lessons from the visual and performing arts and applies them creatively to screenwriting. With a sprinkling of Jungian typology, theater improv, journaling techniques, and even drawing (no experience necessary), and featuring weekly readings of student scene work by professional actors, this unique experiential course will have you writing daily and turning in scenes weekly. This approach is aimed at pushing you to your next level, rekindling your enthusiasm, and opening new doorways into screenwriting. Designed for writers from the advanced beginner to the seasoned pro; a basic knowledge of screenplay formatting is required. Prerequisite: X 440A Writing the First Screenplay I or consent of instructor. Course may be taken as a certificate elective. Enrollment limited to 20 students. Internet access required to retrieve course materials. & Reg# W9439B Through Dec 25: $455 / After: $500 Westwood: 212 Extension Lindbrook Center Wed 7-10pm, Jan 25-Mar 28, 10 mtgs No refund after Feb 1. Bonnie MacBird, BA (music), MA (film), 3-time Emmy Award-winning producer, former Universal feature film development executive, screenwriter (Tron), playwright, president of Creative Licensing/Skybird Pictures, and SAG actor

(Supernatural Thriller)

Judges

Rick Berg, Code Entertainment Robert Mitas, Further Films Chris Sablan, Original Artists

Rising (One-Hour Drama Spec)

Duke Cullen, Dexter: The Dark is

Judges

Mentors

Chrysanthy Balis Steve Mazur John Schimmel

Zadoc Angell, Artist International Adam Fratto, Independent Producer Tom Moore, Writer/Producer

Mentors

Phil Kellard Alan Kirschenbaum Matt Witten

The Top 3 Winners of Each Category Receive: Cash prizes of $1,000 (1st Place), $500 (2nd Place), and $250 (3rd Place) A guaranteed read by an agent producer, and/or creative executive A one-on-one script consultation ($700 value) with a professional screenwriter prior to the final judging Announcements to the trades, studios, and production companies

2012 Competition If you are an aspiring screenwriter or television writer who has completed 3 feature film writing courses or 2 television writing courses in the Writers Program between March 2010 and March 2012, you may be eligible to enter the 2012 Feature Film & Television Writing Competition. Submission Deadline Mar 1, 2012 at 4pm, PST. Winners are notified in September. For details call (310) 825-9415.

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Writers Program

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Rewrite Toolbox: Intermediate Workshop

Advanced Courses
Instructions for Submitting Writing Samples to Advanced-Level Screenwriting Courses:
Email your submission to the Writers Program by the deadline. Submissions sent after the deadline may not be accepted. Deadlines are subject to change. Contact the Writers Program by phone at (310) 825-9415 for the most up-to-date information. Winter quarter submission deadline is December 5. Submissions for screenwriting courses must be sent via email, unless otherwise instructed. Submit as .RTF or .PDF to writers@uclaextension.edu; note the instructor name and course title in the subject line. Samples are not returned. Do not send originals. Include a cover letter with your name, address, email address, and phone number, and a brief description of your sample. If you are submitting to more than 1 course, indicate in your cover letter your order of preference. If the course requires a hard copy submission, mail your script to the course instructor, c/o Writers Program, 10995 Le Conte Avenue, Rm. 440, Los Angeles, CA 90024-1333. Do not attempt to register for advanced-level courses until you receive notification of acceptance from the Writers Program. All applicants are notified of their status within 10 working days after the deadline accepted students can enroll at this time. If you do not receive an email confirmation that your submission has been received, please contact the Writers Program office at (310) 825-9415 or writers@uclaextension.edu. The Writers Program is not responsible for submissions lost due to internet or mechanical failure. Full payment of course fees are due upon acceptance. No comments or critiques are provided on student submissions. The selection process for advanced courses is competitive and therefore these courses carry stricter refund policies than other Writers Program courses. Please note that the final refund date for any advanced course is one week prior to its start date. While waiting for permission to enroll, a student may enroll in a second Writers Program course of his or her choice. If a student is subsequently granted permission to enroll in an advanced course, the student may drop his or her second choice course and transfer into the advanced course without penalty; however the student will be responsible for any difference in course fees.

X 431.48 Film & Television 3 units Writing a first draft is the dating phase of creating a polished, marketable screenplay; the long and complex process of revising it requires the commitment of a marriage between you and your material. Designed for dedicated writers with a full draft feature film script and the willingness to acquire rewriting tools through weekly assignments and to give active, focused feedback on peers work, this course gives you the skills to assess what works and doesnt in your script. You acquire a toolbox of practical techniques for examining your own work objectively and diagnosing its strengths and problems; prepare a strategy for making corrections; and, once you determine the relationship is worth the effort, jump into the rewriting process. The course goal is to complete a minimum of 50 pages of rewritten material. Prerequisite: X 431.101 Intermediate Feature Film I and X 431.102 Intermediate Feature Film II, or equivalent, or consent of instructor. Course may be taken as a certificate core requirement or elective. Enrollment limited to 16 students. Internet access required to retrieve course materials. Reg# W9464B Through Dec 24: $525 / After: $575 UCLA: 161 Dodd Hall Tue 7-10pm, Jan 24-Mar 27, 10 mtgs No refund after Jan 31. Quinton Peeples, screenwriter-director; WGA member who directed Joyride starring Tobey Maguire and Benicio Del Toro. Mr. Peeples was a writer/co-producer for ABCs Flashforward. His television credits also include The Moving of Sophia Myles, The Secret Path, and Heart Full of Rain, and he currently is developing a pilot with Warner Horzon.

Professionally Polishing Your Finished Script: Advanced Workshop

New Course

X 432.58 Film & Television 2 units The difference between a first draft and a winning spec sale is the level of professional, practical feedback you receive. But how do you gain this kind of access? Instructor Victoria Wisdom, who has represented multiple Academy Award-winning writers, provides solid support for this development process. In this course, you put the final polishing touches on your finished screenplay, strengthening structure, characters, and dialogue, as well as honing the clarity of your original idea. The classroom is designed to resemble a professional story meeting where ideas are vetted, shared, and evolved to support the writers process. Take the time to finish your script at a more sophisticated level and see the results of your new insights. Prerequisite: X 432.58 Professionally Polishing Your Finished Script: Advanced Workshop or submit a 1-page, 3-act, three-paragraph synopsis, along with the first 30 pages of the screenplay. This course requires a hard copy submission; for instructions on submitting scripts see this page. Enrollment limited to 12 students. Visitors not permitted. Internet access required to retrieve course materials. Reg# W9468B Fee: $499 UCLA: 122 Haines Hall Thu 7-10pm, Jan 19-Mar 8, 8 mtgs No refund after Jan 12. Victoria Wisdom, manager/producer and former literary agent at ICM, who represented the Academy Awardwinning careers of Christopher McQuarrie (The Usual Suspects), Ernest Thompson (On Golden Pond), and directors Bryan Singer (X-Men) and Lone Scherfig (An Education). Ms. Wisdom also was a partner at Becsey Wisdom Kalajian Agency (BWK) and represented the creator of the hit CBS drama series Criminal Minds.

Beginning Writing for the Half-Hour Spec Comedy: Building the Story and the Outline

X 430.6 Film & Television 3 units This course teaches you how to create an airtight story and outlinethe absolute critical first step in writing a strong half-hour comedy spec script and a process that makes writing your script much easier, faster, and more successful. You begin by learning how to pinpoint what makes any half-hour comedy show tick, studying the appeal and quirkiness of the main characters and the unique spin shows put on their stories. You then focus on your own script for a current show, finding the story and identifying the comedy in it, learning how to pitch it, and creating a workable outline from which to write. Instruction also covers the need to know business aspects of the half-hour show, such as the current use of spec scripts to get jobs and the basics of how a comedy writer works on staff, how freelance writers move onto staff, how a writing staff is structured, and how writers work collaboratively in the room. All student projects must focus on current shows; no pilots. Course may be taken as a certificate core requirement. Enrollment limited to 20 students. Internet access required to retrieve course materials. Reg# W9473B Through Dec 17: $419 / After: $459 UCLA: A24 Haines Hall Tue 7-10pm, Jan 17-Mar 20, 10 mtgs No refund after Jan 24. Barry Vigon, MFA; writer-producer; WGA member who served as a supervising producer on Veronicas Closet, as well as a co-executive producer on Malcolm & Eddie and Martin, and a producer on Something Wilder. Mr. Vigon has also written for series, including Soap, Roseanne, and Fame, and has created pilots for CBS, NBC, ABC, and The Disney Channel.

Writing One-of-a-Kind Characters: Practical Tips and Techniques

Television Writing
Beginning Courses
Beginning Writing for the 1-Hour Spec Drama: Building the Story and the Outline

The Anatomy of a Pilot

X 438.88 Film & Television 3 units No matter how solid your story or plot, your screenplay needs to be populated with unique, original, and compelling characters in order to get your writing noticed and secure your place in the industry. This course teaches you to bring out the humor, pathos, and originality of your characters, to craft a screen story that will make the most of these compelling characters, and to create one-of-a-kind characters that showcase your unique writers voice. Depending on your preference, you either: 1) complete a detailed story outline that concentrates on character; or 2) rewrite an existing script, paying particular attention to character. Come to the first class with a movie idea you are ready to develop, or an existing script to you want to rewrite. Prerequisite: X 431.101 Intermediate Feature Film I and X 431.102 Intermediate Feature Film II, or equivalent, or consent of instructor. Enrollment limited to 16 students. Internet access required to retrieve course materials. Reg# W9646B Through Dec 17: $525 / After: $575 UCLA: 1256 School of Public Affairs Bldg. Tue 7-10pm, Jan 17-Mar 20, 10 mtgs No refund after Jan 24. Chris Webb, screenwriter whose credits include Toy Story II for Pixar Animation Studios, Bruno the Kid: The Animated Movie, and episodes of the television series Duckman. An alumnus of The Second City in Chicago, Mr. Webb has won numerous awards for his satirical short films The Civil War Parody, a satire of the Ken Burns series The Civil War, and Camcorder Blues, a parody of home videos.

Advanced Feature Film Writing Workshop

X 432.20 Film & Television 3 units This advanced workshop is designed to take participants who are approaching professional status from an original idea through first draft. In a workshop setting, you are challenged to push the limits of your imagination and encouraged to develop your individual voice, with the goal of creating screenplays that are unique, passionate, and commercial. Prerequisite: This course requires a script submission; for instructions on submitting a script see this page. Course may be taken as a certificate core requirement or elective. Enrollment limited to 12 students. Visitors not permitted. Internet access required to retrieve course materials. Reg# W9466B Fee: $605 UCLA: 110 Haines Hall Thu 7-10pm, Jan 26-Mar 29, 10 mtgs No refund after Jan 19. Tom Lazarus, screenwriter-director; WGA member whose credits include the features Stigmata; Just You and Me, Kid; Movies Kill; Word of Mouth; House of Love; and Voyeur Confessions as well as seven moviesof-the-week. Mr. Lazarus is the author of Secrets of Film Writing (St. Martins Press) as well as Rewriting Secrets for Screenwriters (St. Martins Press).

X 430.4 Film & Television 3 units Modeled directly on how writers write in the real world of 1-hour dramas, this course focuses on what is most central to creating a strong script as well as the largest piece (40%) of the writers deal with any show: the story and outline. You learn to choose the best story for your spec script, map it out from beginning to end, and write a strong outline in proper script format. In the process, you learn how to identify and capture the tone, characters, dialogue, and themes of any 1-hour drama seriesthe key to breaking and staying in the field. Also covered are the various genres (police procedurals, medical, legal, etc.) and their specific rules; whats popular in the current marketplace; and how to work within the special requirements of timeslots, outlet, and styles. The course goal is for you to master the process of constructing an airtight story and detailed outline so that you are ready to write a script for any current show as quickly and expertly as possible. All student projects must focus on current shows; no pilots. Course may be taken as a certificate core requirement. Enrollment limited to 20 students. Internet access required to retrieve course materials. Reg# W9470B Through Dec 17: $419 / After: $459 UCLA: A82 Haines Hall Tue 7-10pm, Jan 17-Mar 20, 10 mtgs No refund after Jan 24. Charlie Craig, MFA, television writer/executive producer; WGA member who served as a showrunner for Syfys Eureka. Mr. Craig also was a writer and supervising producer for The X-Files (Fox), as well as a writer and producer for Invasion (ABC), among others. He has run six primetime network and cable shows on ABC, Fox, USA, and Syfy.

X 431.999 Film & Television 3 units A new television show has exactly one shot at survival: its pilot episode. If the viewer isnt grabbed in the first hour, theyre gone forever. But what is a pilot? How is it different from all other forms of screenwriting? What makes a good one work and a bad one fail? And how can you be sure yours is one of the winners? In this intense, informative, and entertaining course, you learn everything you need to know about what goes into a winning pilot. You watch and dissect recent network and cable pilots; examine character, theme and structure; and discuss which pilots best launched their respective series. Emphasis is on identifying the common structural elements of all successful pilots, gaining an understanding of weekly franchise versus series mythology, and crafting long-term character arcs. We also discuss and develop student pilot ideas, help you turn your idea into a concise pitch document (a twoto-three-page breakdown of concept, character, and weekly story structure) and give you the tools you need to make the big move from pitch document to pilot outline and script. The course features guest speakers who have written, directed, and/or produced their own network television pilots. Course may be taken as a certificate elective. Enrollment limited to 30 students. Internet access required to retrieve course materials. Reg# W9476B Through Dec 18: $405 / After: $445 UCLA: 2333 School of Public Affairs Bldg. Wed 7-10pm, Jan 18-Mar 21, 10 mtgs No refund after Jan 25. Richard Hatem, screenwriter; WGA member who created the ABC/Touchstone television series Miracles and has written and produced episodes of Foxs Tru Calling and The Inside, CWs Supernatural, and USAs The Dead Zone. Mr. Hatems feature film credits include The Mothman Prophecies, which he also co-produced. He is currently developing a new one-hour drama for ABC.

Enroll at uclaextension.edu or call (310) 825-9971

Writers Program Writing the Half-Hour Spec Comedy Pilot: Advanced Workshop

145

Intermediate Courses
X 431.4 Film & Television 3 units Mirroring the process that professionals undergo in current episodic series production, this course guides you to write a solid first draft of your script and work on polishing it. You begin by refining your story idea and outline as needed, and then write your script, focusing on capturing the essence of the show through its fouract structure, plot and story, multiple storylines, characters, scenes, and dialogue. On the business side, you learn how to develop your career game plan and hear from industry guest speakers on the business of the 1-hour drama. Students must bring a complete outline to the first class. All student projects must focus on current shows; no pilots. Prerequisite: X 430.4 Beginning Writing for the 1-Hour Drama: Building the Story and Outline. Course may be taken as a certificate core requirement. Enrollment limited to 16 students. Internet access required to retrieve course materials. Reg# W9478B Through Dec 18: $525 / After: $575 UCLA: 2284 School of Public Affairs Bldg. Wed 7-10pm, Jan 18-Mar 21, 10 mtgs No refund after Jan 25. Erica Byrne, screenwriter; WGA member whose credits include episodes of La Femme Nikita; Nowhere Man; Silk Stalkings; Hunter; Knots Landing; and Walker, Texas Ranger. Ms. Byrne has served as a staff writer and has written many produced docudramas as well as animated scripts. She received the UCLA Extension Outstanding Instructor Award in Screenwriting, 1997.

Writing the 1-Hour Spec Drama Script

Learn the Art and Business of Entertainment


Each quarter, top Hollywood professionals teach courses in: acting Cinematography Development Directing Producing the music Business independent music Production Film scoring Page 87.

1-Day Workshops
The Legal and Business Aspects of Writing for Film and Television

X 431.6 Film & Television 3 units This workshop guides you to write a solid draft spec script from your half-hour comedy outline and to move as far ahead as you can in polishing it. You begin by reworking your outline to simplify your story, nail down the essence of your characters, focus and tighten scenes, create mood and pacing, and punch up dialogue from the blueprint youve created. You then move to the writing and polishing stage. On the business side, you deepen your knowledge of the current comedy series marketplace and map out basic career building strategies. Students must bring a complete outline to the first class. All student projects must focus on current shows; no pilots. Prerequisite: X 430.6 Beginning Writing for Half-Hour Comedy: Building the Story and Outline. Course may be taken as a certificate core requirement. Enrollment limited to 16 students. Internet access required to retrieve course materials. Reg# W9479B Through Dec 17: $525 / After: $575 UCLA: 1284 School of Public Affairs Bldg. Tue 7-10pm, Jan 17-Mar 20, 10 mtgs No refund after Jan 24. Phil Kellard, writer-director; WGA member who was executive producer on The Wayans Brothers and Martin and producer on Doogie Howser, MD; Hooperman; and My Two Dads. Mr. Kellard currently is developing hour and half-hour series for network and cable and has written pilots for The Disney Channel, Showtime, FBC, and the Syfy. He has received an Emmy Award for instructional programming.

Writing the Half-Hour Spec Comedy Script

factor in commercial and production considerations from the outset. The course goal is to complete a scene-byscene outline that is ready to go to script. Prerequisite: X 430.4 Beginning Writing for the 1-Hour Drama: Building the Story and the Outline, or X 430.6 Beginning Writing for the Half-Hour Comedy: Building the Story and the Outline, or equivalent. Course may be taken as a certificate core requirement or elective. Enrollment limited to 16 students. Internet access required to retrieve course materials. Reg# W9485B Through Dec 19: $525 / After: $575 UCLA: 152 Royce Hall Thu 7-10pm, Jan 19-Mar 22, 10 mtgs No refund after Jan 26. Charles Rosin, writer-producer; WGA member who was the executive producer/showrunner for the first 5 seasons of the original Beverly Hills, 90210. Mr. Rosin received an Emmy nomination as supervising producer for Northern Exposure. He has written and produced numerous movies, pilots, and prime-time series, including Dawsons Creek, and South of Nowhere.

X 432.6B Film & Television 3 units A key component of every television writing portfolio is an original writing sample which illustrates both the voice and saleable capabilities of a new writer. This workshop guides you to develop a half-hour premise that combines your original vision with a networks likely requirements. From the idea to pilot story structure and finished script, your goal is to create a half-hour comedy pilot that effectively establishes ongoing series elements while bringing your characters to life. This course is open to those who wish to write animated pilots as well as live action. Prerequisite: Submit a halfhour spec script or original pilot; for instructions on submitting a script see page 144. Course may be taken as a certificate core requirement or elective. Enrollment limited to 12 students. Visitors not permitted. Internet access required to retrieve course materials. Reg# W9487B Fee: $605 UCLA: 2319 School of Public Affairs Bldg. Wed 7-10pm, Jan 18-Mar 28, 10 mtgs (no mtg 2/8) No refund after Jan 11. Julie Chambers, writer; WGA member whose credits include a Writers Guild Award-nominated episode of The Simpsons. Ms. Chambers also has written episodes for Becker; The Buzz on Maggie; and the Showtime movie The Princess and the Barrio Boy. She recently worked with Mel Brooks on an animated series based on his movie Spaceballs and is a published childrens book author. David Chambers, writer and producer; WGA member; who has worked on more than a dozen prime-time network television shows. Mr. Chambers is an Emmy Award nominee for his work on The Wonder Years and Franks Place, winner of a Humanitas Award, and his episode of The Simpsons was nominated recently for a Writers Guild Award. He recently worked on 2 History Channel specials featuring comedian Lewis Black.

785.18 Film & Television The nuts and bolts of the business of writing are as essential to a writers success as the writers work itself. Do you know how a writer gets an agent and an attorney and what exactly they do? Or how work is sold and how the writer is compensated? This comprehensive 1-day seminar answers these questions and provides key information on many other must know issues, including when and why an agent is necessary (or not); how agents and lawyers are compensated by their clients; the content of a typical collaboration agreement and 3 reasons why it is an absolute necessity; how the Writers Guild of Americas Basic Agreement has an impact on all aspects of film and television writing, including minimum compensation (scale), residuals, royalties, other payments, and credit; a detailed review of a typical option/purchase agreement for a screenplay; and the principles of copyright law as the underpinnings of all writing. Bring all your questions concerning the business of being or becoming a successful film and/or television writer. Advance enrollment required; no enrollment at the door. Reg# W9494B Through Jan 25: $129 / After: $139 UCLA: 1256 School of Public Affairs Bldg. Sat 9:30am-5pm, Feb 25, 1 mtg Enrollment deadline: Feb 24 Paul S. Levine, JD, MBA, member, State Bar of California; entertainment lawyer for 29 years. Before establishing his own law practice in 1992, Mr. Levine was an entertainment lawyer in the legal affairs department of Warner Bros. Television and spent two years as resident counsel for Hearst Entertainment Productions. In addition, he has had his own literary agency for the past 13 years.

Intensive and Weekend Screenwriting Workshops


2-Day Workshops
How to Pitch Your Feature Film
X 431.24B Film & Television 1 unit In this hands-on workshop, screenwriter Michael Weiss demystifies the pitch process, teaches you how to build a winning pitch, and gives you confidence-building techniques to make pitch meetings positive targets of opportunity. Topics include getting the pitch meeting, perfecting the pitch, working the room, creating instant allies, defusing tension, controlling the meeting, and post-pitch strategies. The course gives you the chance to learn and practice key pitching techniques in the first session, then apply what you have learned to your own material in the second session. Course may be taken as a certificate elective. Enrollment limited to 20; advance enrollment required. Reg# W9491B Through Dec 28: $195 / After: $209 UCLA: 2317 School of Public Affairs Bldg. Sat & Sun 10am-3pm, Jan 28 & 29, 2 mtgs Michael Weiss, screenwriter; WGA member; former vice president of production for Miramax Films whose produced credits include Journey to the Center of the Earth and Ill Always Know What You Did Last Summer. Mr. Weiss has sold original material and been hired on assignment by such studios as Warner Bros., Sony, New Line, MGM, and Cartoon Network.

Advanced Courses
Writing the 1-Hour Drama Pilot: Advanced Workshop

X 430.592 Film & Television 3 units In an industry desperate to find anything that works, the opportunity for an emerging talent to create and develop original series concepts has never been greater. This course challenges emerging writers-storytellers to find their own distinct voice by creating an original single series premise and developing it into a structured outline. By focusing on the outline process, you move away from a reliance on dialogue and instead focus on how to integrate character, story, structure, point-of-view, and tone into a satisfying, readable document that clearly reflects your creative sensibilities. Scripted series developed for the class do not have to be geared toward prime-timecable, PBS, Internet, digital media, and animation are all viable outlets for creative expression and each has a distinct market place. In order to maintain a professional atmosphere, you are encouraged to

Developing the TV Series: Intermediate Workshop

X 432.4B Film & Television 3 units In todays market, a good spec pilot is an essential sample. Neither pure episodes nor stand-alone screenplays, 1-hour pilots nevertheless must have the feeling of bothall in 55-60 pages. This workshop guides you to develop a drama series premise that combines your original vision with a networks likely requirements. From the idea to pilot story structure and finished script, your goal is create a pilot that effectively establishes ongoing series elements while bringing your characters to life. Prerequisite: Spec script or original pilot submittal is required; for instructions on submitting a script see page 144. Course may be taken as a certificate core requirement or elective. Enrollment limited to 12 students. Visitors not permitted. Internet access required to retrieve course materials. Reg# W9489B Fee: $605 UCLA: 1284 School of Public Affairs Bldg. Thu 7-10pm, Jan 26-Mar 29, 10 mtgs No refund after Jan 19. Greg Elliot, television writer; WGA member whose credits include Star Trek: Voyager, for which he was nominated for a Sci-Fi Universe Award. Mr. Elliot was a story editor on the WB series Savannah, an executive story editor on the WB series Charmed, and wrote for the Disney Channel series In a Heartbeat. He also has optioned feature film screenplays to Warner Bros. Studios and TriStar Pictures.

785.53 Film & Television Join writer-producer Ed Scharlach and a group of accomplished professional writer-producers as they guide you through the process of crafting successful and commercially funny half-hour comedy scripts. You learn how to find humor in character, situation and set-up, point-of-view, and the creation of a comedic storythe primary factor in creating a good script. Writing as a team as well as solo, writing on staff versus freelance, and writing in the room, and discuss the step-by-step construction of a script, 3-camera versus one-camera styles, network versus cable shows, the dramatic underbelly of comedy, and putting comedy into drama. Guest speakers (subject to availability) include Michael Price, Co-Executive Producer, The Simpsons; Steve Levitan, Co-Creator, Executive Producer, Modern Family; Steve Callaghan, Executive Producer, Family Guy; Carter Bays and Craig Thomas, Creators, Executive Producers, How I Met Your Mother; Rob McElhenny, creator and exec-producer of Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia; Aaron Shure, Producer, The Office; and Dan Harmon, Creator, Executive Producer, Community. Advance enrollment required; no enrollment at the door. Reg# W9493B Through Feb 29: $129 / After: $139 UCLA: 121 Dodd Hall Sat 9:30am-5pm, Mar 31, 1 mtg Enrollment deadline: Mar 30 Ed Scharlach, writer-producer; WGA and PGA member who has had over 300 prime-time television episodes produced, ranging from Happy Days and Mork and Mindy to current series for Warner Bros. and Disney, including Whats New Scooby-Doo? and The Emperors New School. Mr. Scharlach has earned Emmy, Annie, and Writers Guild Award nominations and a Cable ACE Award.

Comedy Today: Writing and Selling Television Comedy

c UC credit; see page 149 m Online course & Text required; see page 148

M Course held during daytime hours

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