THE UNIVERSITY OF
VIRGINIA'S
YOUNG WRITERS WORKSHOP
1998
A PLACE TO TAKE YOURSELF
SERIOUSLY AS A WRITER AND GROW AS A PERSON AND AN ARTIST
THE
WORKSHOP SCHEDULE
THE MORNING INTENSIVE
WORKSHOP
Guided by a staff of published and
professional writers, experience how to invent, develop, and revise
material with an eye toward publication. Individual conferencing with
your instructor and peers will help you develop a portfolio of
writing. Learn to use the writer's tools more effectively &emdash;
language, imagination, sight and insight, as well as the journal and
word processing technologies. Read as a writer reads; heighten your
sensibilities to form and craft by examining the work of contemporary
artists; become a more sensitive reader of your own and others'
writing. Develop a portfolio of work-in-progress; publish in the
Workshop literary magazine; and perform at the Writer's Cafe, a
celebrated Workshop tradition.
Song
Write songs in a setting
where words come naturally, collaboration inspires you, and music
becomes possible. Concentrate on music or lyrics, or create both.
Discover the kinship between poetry and song. Produce and arrange
pieces for performance and multi-track recording. Collaborate to
create group performances.
Poetry
Start from within and use the
power of words to reveal the poet's vision. Learn how sounds,
stories, images and forms can come to embody whole worlds of
experience in a breath. When we distill the truth of what we know as
human beings in the world, we uncover truth's essence &emdash; the
poem.
Playwriting
Act as scriptwriter,
producer, director, performer, and viewer; discover how each informs
the scripting process. Invent dramatic situations, sharpen them with
dialogue, translate them into stage action or screenplays; then
experience what the fiction writer can only imagine &emdash; the
immediate response of a live audience!
Fiction
Learn techniques of effective
storytelling. Invent provocative narrative hooks. Select the right
details to create masterful plots in which complex characters weave
their way through intriguing situations. Develop a repertoire of
voices, styles and strategies that will electrify readers.
Magazine Journalism
Master the devices of great
fiction; vivid description, accurate dialogue, thought-provoking
character development, and strong narrative structure &emdash; by
telling true stories in this magazine journalism workshop. Memoir,
personality profile, feature, editorial, humor, and review are among
your options. Learn by reading and writing both short in-class
exercises and longer outside field work that will take your skills to
new heights.
|
The workshop was a roller-coaster ride,
the best summer of my life. S.F.
Each time I manage to meet people I need
in my life. A.C.
Some of the best friends I've ever had
were made at the Workshop. After two or three weeks, I
knew my fellow writers better than people at home after
years and years. L.C.
|
|
The Workshop is truly a creative oasis
for me--the one place where I feel accepted, understood, and
- yes - respected. A.B.
Every exercise, every teacher, every
thought, every encounter was interesting and helpful to me.
D.J.
I wish I could stay here forever.
A.S.
|
AFTERNOON WORKSHOP ELECTIVES
The afternoon schedule includes a
follow-up session to the morning workshop where you can extend your
practice of novel techniques, elaborate on new ideas, and consult
with other writers as you revise. In addition, you choose from an
array of electives to enhance your morning workshop: attend seminars
with visiting artists; explore other genres; combine writing with
drawing, photography, dance, drama, and music; investigate
autobiography, nature writing and film studies; write in the privacy
of your room; swim, hike, play tennis; and much more. Some electives
unfold through a series of rigorous sessions; others provide brief
encounters with the eclectic; all ignite the imagination.
EVENINGS AND WEEKENDS
Charlottesville and the surrounding
area provide an environment ideal for immersing the writer in rich
literary, historical, and cultural traditions. Evenings and weekends
are carefully planned to take advantage of these extraordinary
resources. You can attend plays, visit Thomas Jefferson's home
Monticello, explore the Blue Ridge Mountains, interact with guest
writers, join a staff of writers to create a literary, news, audio,
or video magazine, hear your own instructors present their work in
readings, and share your work in the Writer's Cafe, a showcase for
your talent.
JOIN
A VISIONARY COMMUNITY
TWO WORKSHOP SESSIONS TO MEET
INDIVIDUAL NEEDS
Session I (Two Weeks--June 21 to July
3) accommodates writers with a range of experience levels &emdash;
those beginning study in a specific genre, as well as those with more
experience seeking in-depth study. This session encourages you to
experiment and take risks and offers many opportunities to trust your
intuitions and measure your commitment. It features workshops,
readings, conferences with our faculty, independently directed
writing, and frequent occasions for performance.
Session II (Three Weeks--July 5 to
July 24) accommodates writers who want to deepen their understanding
and control of a genre. It requires commitment to more concentrated
study and a willingness to re-imagine the act of writing. This
advanced session includes all Session I features plus guest writers,
time for more in-depth study, more emphasis on revision and the
realities of publication, all of which develop a more heightened
sense of purpose and command of the craft.
Our program is dedicated to
developing the work of young writers. The desire to write is what
counts. We encourage inexperienced as well as practiced writers to
apply. You will receive the level of instruction you need in order to
grow. The typical writer - student ratio is 1:12; you receive focused
feedback and personal attention. You also receive written
commentaries from your instructor specific to your progress and
suggestions toward eventual publication.
OTHER DETAILS:
A tuition of $850 for Session
I (2 weeks) and $1275 for Session II (3 weeks) includes
instruction by professional
writers, trained counselors
who are also writers, mainframe computer facilities, room, board,
recreation, accident insurance, local transportation needs, and a
personal copy of the Workshop literary magazine. Rooms are
double-occupancy; participants may request a roommate. The
counselor-to-student ratio is 1:8; females and males are accomodated
in separate suites. Students are carefully supervised in all aspects
of the program.
Some partial scholarships, based on
financial need, are available;
financial aid forms must be submitted with application and should be
requested immediately.
Acceptance letters are mailed April 20.
Upon acceptance, participants
receive a packet with extensive specific details about this year's
faculty and program. A
deposit of $475 for Session I and $650 for Session II must be
postmarked by May 1; the balance must be postmarked by June 1.
Payment is made by check/money order only. For additional brochures
or information, call (804) 924-0836; or e-mail
writers@virginia.edu.
The
University of Virginia does not discriminate by age, color, handicap,
national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, or sex in
education or employment.
