Summer Sessions

Summer One  |  Early Bird Deadline: May 19, 2013
Summer Two  |  Early Bird Deadline: July 14, 2013

View Updated Registration and Cancellation/Refund Policies Here

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Creative Writing:  Making the Page Come Alive 

Summer One | May 30 – July 18 | Thursdays  |  7 – 9 pm
Seven Classes  |  $105

INSTRUCTOR:  MARK STEWART

This course will offer an overview of the craft elements that go into writing fiction. Through a combination of instruction, class discussion and writing exercises, students will learn important techniques such as how to structure a plot, develop interesting and compelling characters, write crisp and entertaining dialog and create memorable settings in their writing. This overview will be tailored to the interests of the students who enroll and is designed to be beneficial to both beginning writers who are just putting pen to paper as well as experienced writers who wish to sharpen their skills and increase their knowledge of the craft.

Mark Stewart is a graduate student at Oklahoma City University studying creative writing with an emphasis in education.  He has previously taught the Your Life In History writing workshop series for Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center and the Metropolitan Library System. Mark’s approach to teaching writing is a fun, down-to-earth exploration of the craft. He prizes interaction with students, relatable explanations of concepts and nuts-and-bolts details that are designed to help students to immediately begin to improve their writing.

Ability Level:  All Levels

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Bringing the Novel to Life 

Summer Two | July 25 – September 5 | Thursdays  |  7 – 9 pm
Seven Classes  |  $105

INSTRUCTOR:  MARK STEWART

This course will provide students with an overview of the writing craft with an emphasis on how to construct a novel. Students will learn details about how to plot stories, how to approach outlining a novel, orchestrating conflict, pacing and tension, and how to keep a reader engaged. Class assignments will be directed toward creating an actual working outline that a novel can be written from with the ultimate goal of producing a completed first chapter by the end of the class.

Mark Stewart is a graduate student at Oklahoma City University studying creative writing with an emphasis in education.  He has previously taught the Your Life In History writing workshop series for Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center and the Metropolitan Library System. Mark’s approach to teaching writing is a fun, down-to-earth exploration of the craft. He prizes interaction with students, relatable explanations of concepts and nuts-and-bolts details that are designed to help students to immediately begin to improve their writing.

Ability Level:  All Levels

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How to Write a Thriller (workshop)

Saturday, July 27  |  1:00 – 5:00 pm
One Class  |  $50

INSTRUCTOR:  MARK STEWART

This workshop will detail what goes into writing an engaging and entertaining thriller. Students will learn how to fulfill reader’s expectations of the genre, how to manage tension and suspense, and how to grab and hold a reader’s attention. We will take a close look at how successful thriller writers construct their work and give students the opportunity to practice those techniques for themselves with the goal of introducing these concepts to students who are new to the genre and also sharpening the skills of those who are already familiar with it.

Mark Stewart is a graduate student at Oklahoma City University studying creative writing with an emphasis in education. He has previously taught the Your Life In History writing workshop series for Okahoma Contemporary Arts Center and the Metropolitan Library System and has taught Creative Writing for Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center since its inception. Mark’s approach to teaching writing is a fun, down-to-earth exploration of the craft. He prizes interaction with students, relatable explanations of concepts and nuts-and-bolts details that are designed to help students to immediately begin to improve their writing.

Ability Level:  All Levels