26 Sessions: every other Monday, May 6, 2024-April 21, 2025
6:30-9:00pm ET
John Manuel Arias

14 Students

John Manuel Arias is the author of National Bestseller, Where There Was Fire, a finalist for the Barnes & Noble Discover Prize and named a Best Debut by Apple Books. Good Morning America called Arias “a rising lyrical star,” while Debutiful lauded Where There Was Fire as “a masterclass in how to wrap a reader inside a book.” His poetry and prose have appeared in The Kenyon Review, Electric Literature, F(r)iction and The Rumpus.

It all starts with a sentence. That one line will grow into a story, then into a draft, and finally a manuscript, polished and perfected, to be sent out into the world. But the process—getting to know your characters like family, writing twists even you didn’t see coming—is where the beauty lies. It’s in creating a novel that is whole. Because the novel, to come alive, must be whole.

This year-long generator will take a holistic approach to writing that first draft; from the sonic to stylistic, to inventing unique architecture, students will master novel-writing from the structural down to the sentence level. Along the way, with inspiration from texts by authors, poets, and essayists of color (from Toni Morrison to Justin Torres, Natalie Diaz to Arundhati Roy), students will be able to discover their own voice, style, and strengths.

Part One (April to August) will be fully generative: through craft lectures and prompts, students will learn and master plot, character development, outlining, dialogue, research, and metaphor, while discussing common texts that push the boundaries of what a novel can be. Part Two (September to January) will commence the workshop aspect—students will share excerpts with the group for feedback and encouragement. And Part Three (February to April) will focus on navigating the publishing industry as a debut novelist, facilitated through visits by agents, editors, and veteran writers. Throughout the year, students will have three one-on-one check ins with the instructor to discuss their novels at different stages, from foundation to completion. This workshop is perfect for students looking to write literary, historical, or magical realist fiction with a focus on decolonial storytelling.

Workshop Highlights:

• Completed Novel Draft

• Deeper understanding of Craft and Decolonial Storytelling

• Insight into the Publishing Process

1 full scholarship available. Payment plans available. For information, please contact Kate Mabus, kate@theshipmanagency.com