Arlington Community Education

Good fiction can’t exist without strong characters because characters drive the plot. If your character doesn’t want something—isn’t alive with desire—then the plot of your novel may feel flat and aimless. Join published author Sandra Miller in this three-part workshop, and look at what it takes to create complex characters that come alive on the page and, in turn, make your plot rich and vibrant. We will also talk about other elements of craft including dialogue and point of view; discuss how plot and character work together in successful short stories and novels; and do plenty of generative writing meant to move your fiction forward no matter which stage of the writing process you are in. Fiction writers of all levels are welcome.

A long-standing tradition in Ireland, the short story evolved from oral storytelling into an art form, and some say, the national genre of Ireland. These varied and rich stories range in style and incorporate Irish politics and history as important features throughout the decades of being published. Many of Ireland’s best authors have participated in the genre, and we will read and discuss a selection of them, including James Joyce, Frank O’Connor, Liam O’Flaherty, and Mary Lavin. We will also explore works by writers of today such as Emma Donaghue and Colum McCann. Before the first class, please read Guests of the Nation by Frank O’Connor and The Fairy Goose by Liam O’Flaherty, both of which can be found in the book, Classic Irish Short Stories by Frank O’Connor. The full list of stories will be sent before class, many of which will be in the Classic Irish Short Stories book which is available for purchase online.

This course will help you unlock memories and add historical context and larger dimensions to what may seem like a small, even unimportant life journey. This course pays special attention to students’ evocation of the times in which their characters live. Without consulting the music, the styles, the politics, the social conventions, the influence of money (or the lack of it) that formed the characters and made them who they are, the author runs the risk of leaving them orphaned in history. For inspiration and guidance, the class will check in with some wonderful writers—Trevor Noah, Marcel Proust, James Baldwin, Eric Larson, Cynthia Ozick—all masters at mixing personal stories with the great world outside. This small class (limited to 8 students) will incorporate time for sharing and critiquing in a supportive environment, which can open your mind and broaden your vision. The goal is to leave the class with a story that can be left to your children and your children’s children, an invaluable history for future generations. Writers of all backgrounds and levels of experience are welcome. Students should expect to turn in between 1000-1500 (about 4-6 pages) every week.

If you love reading fiction and watching movies, this class is for you. Did you know that many favorite movies started out as short stories? In this 6-week class we’ll read and discuss the stories that inspired films. Each week you’ll have a homework assignment to read a story and watch a movie, then we'll meet via zoom to talk about both. PDFs of stories will be provided to students by the instructor, and all films can be watched on your own schedule via streaming apps.

Did you know that Vladimir Nabokov wrote longhand on index cards, or that John Milton composed his poetry in his head before dictating it to an attendant? Or that John Cheever liked to get dressed up in a suit, then head down to the basement, take it off and write all day in his underwear, or that L. Frank Baum dealt with writer’s block by heading outside to garden? There are many different techniques, rituals, and tricks that famous and successful writers have developed to help commence and sustain the act of writing. In this class, we’ll follow the example of these notable writers by trying our hand at some of the many ways they’ve discovered to prime the literary pump. You’ll try out new habits and techniques, generate new work, and begin to think of your own creative process in a different way. We’ll also talk about how writers have been adapting their processes and techniques during the COVID pandemic to help inspire and sustain your own work. This class is suitable for poets and prose writers of all levels.

Every writer eats food, but not every writer can write food. When done well, food elevates writing by connecting with the reader’s primal experiences with all five senses. But, often writers falter when it comes to food scenes—falling back on cliché or omitting details altogether. In this course we’ll take a multi-genre trip through food writing to uncover new ways to write about food that are fresh, specific and evocative. This is a workshop course and students should be prepared to produce new work each week and discuss it with classmates.

Celebrate the extraordinary in the ordinary with the most popular poetry form in the world! Haiku connect us more deeply to the natural world and can provide solace in difficult times. In this three-part class, we will learn about the history and nature of haiku. We will also learn more about key elements of haiku, including concision, a seasonal setting, and the juxtaposition of concrete experiences. Using writing prompts, we will try our hand at writing some haiku poems. Everyone is welcome to this fun and supportive workshop, both beginners and folks who have taken haiku classes before.

October is the perfect time to enjoy haiku, a short nature poem, simple yet complex, that brings us directly into the beauty of the natural world. In this short course we will read haiku, learn about its form and structure, and through careful attention to the beauty of Autumn all around us, begin to form haiku moments into haiku poems. All are invited to this two-session haiku workshop, in particular seniors, their caregivers and friends. We will read and share together in this fun and supportive atmosphere. Each participant will receive a free copy of the haiku book, a touch of light, by the instructor.