Brian's teaching has been recognized with the Loft Literary Center/Madeline Island School of the Arts Excellence in Teaching Fellowship (based exclusively on student evaluations) and commendations from the Creative Writing Program at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities.
The North Shore Minnesota Writers Series is Free and Open to the Public!
This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.
Grand Marais Library May 7 - Creative Writing: Writer's Block 6 – 8 p.m.
Are the ideas in your head not making it onto the page? Beginners and experienced writers are most welcome to this session of prompts and blockbusters to help launch your writing. We'll go over the writing process like sculptors – gathering our clay (words) and building it into forms (stories).
Grand Marais The Hub June 14 – Creative Writing Pride Edition: Writing Your Coming Out Story 11:00 a.m.
Like the coming-of-age story, the coming out story is about the journey from who we once were to who we've now become. Through examples and writing prompts, we'll outline our own coming out stories and identify significant events that have shaped our journeys.
Two Harbors Library June 26 – Creative Writing: Personal Essay Time TBA
The personal essay shares with readers an interesting, thought-provoking, entertaining, and/or funny experience you've had. We'll identify essay topics by making lists (e.g., hobbies, interests, passions, jobs, places you've lived or visited, turning points in your life, and issues you care about). Once you've identified your topic, we'll look at structures to frame your personal essay.
Two Harbors Library July 3 - Creative Writing: Real People & Fictional Characters Time TBA
How can you present real people and fictional characters in your writing that will engage readers? We'll practice direct and indirect methods of characterization, along with significant details that will help your characters come alive on the page.
Grand Marais Library July 9 - Creative Writing: Funny Stuff 6 – 8 p.m.
A frequent criticism of "serious" literature is that it is often humorless, with a narrow emotional range that begins with ennui and ends in despair. If you want to write with a broad emotional range, this session is for you. We'll read story excerpts that ably mix comedy with heartbreak, and absurdity with terror, as we work towards convincingly adding humor to our own writing.
Two Harbors Library July 10 Creative Writing Pride Edition: Writing Your Coming Out Story Time TBA
Like the coming-of-age story, the coming out story is about the journey from who we once were to who we've now become. Through examples and writing prompts, we'll outline our own coming out stories and identify significant events that have shaped our journeys.
Grand Marais Library September 10 – Creative Writing: Point of View 6 – 8 p.m.
Point of view (POV) is often a question of camera angle (Wide shots or close-ups?) and access (How many characters' thoughts can we and should we present to the reader?). You'll also want to consider reliability, objectivity, distance, and audience. We'll review the different types of POVs and their variations, and exercises will let you experiment with different forms to learn which one is the best POV for your novel or short story.
Grand Marais October 22 - Creative Writing: Starting Your Screenplay 6 – 8 p.m.
Have a great idea for a movie, but don't know where to start? Then this session is for you! Absolute beginners welcome for this basic introduction to loglines, outlines, action lines, and all things screenplay.
Grand Marais Library October 29 – Creative Writing: Personal Essay 6 – 8 p.m.
The personal essay shares with readers an interesting, thought-provoking, entertaining, and/or funny experience you've had. We'll identify essay topics by making lists (e.g., hobbies, interests, passions, jobs, places you've lived or visited, turning points in your life, and issues you care about). Once you've identified your topic, we'll look at structures to frame your personal essay.
Grand Marais Library November 12 – Creative Writing: Novel Structures 6 – 8 p.m.
We'll examine different models for plotting your novel, including the three-act structure, the five part structure, and the "W" method. Come prepared for user-friendly and low-pressure exercises on each model. You will leave this session with a basic outline for your novel idea.
Grand Marias Library November 19 – Creative Writing: Novel Subplots 6 – 8 p.m.
A novel's subplot is a smaller story that runs parallel to the main story. Subplots can raise the stakes, add complexity, explore your novel's theme from different angles, and create obstacles to resolving the main plot. We'll look at examples of successful subplots from famous works, and try our hands at outlining subplots thematically linked to our novels' main plots.
To contract with Brian for creative writing classes, click on the CONTACT TAB to submit your query.