When organizing a novel, writers have lots of strategies for structure at their disposal. Still, most novels are broken into chapters, and it can be challenging to figure out how to structure those chapters. In this class, we’ll discuss:

–the function of chapters in a novel
–the difference between successful and unsuccessful chapters
–determining chapter length
–and lots of strategies for the beginning, middle, and end of chapters. 

The class is designed for writers of fiction and memoir who are looking for practical ideas on how to organize a book length work. In addition to discussion, students will read published excerpts and participate in writing exercises (on new work or their work-in-progress) so that they leave the class with a stronger sense of how to best arrange pieces of their manuscript into a coherent whole.
About the instructor:
 

Stephanie Noll studied fiction writing at Texas State University, where she earned her MFA. In the fall of 2012, she published a young adult novel titled Breach, a book that she co-authored with four other writers. She is a frequent storyteller at The Story Department, a monthly fundraiser for the non-profit Austin Bat Cave, and has also told stories at Listen to Your Mother, Backyard Story Night, Hyde Park Story Night, and the Tellers. Stephanie has 18 years of teaching experience and works as a senior lecturer in the English department at Texas State where she recently was awarded an Excellence in Teaching award. Stephanie is the director of Old Books for New Teachers, an organization that helps first-year teachers build classroom libraries. She has written a novel about a standardized test cheating scandal at an inner-city Houston high school.