Welcome
Pen & Paper
Once upon a time, there was a writer who needed help telling a story.
Why pen and paper? There is a reason.
Watch the advertisement below for Moleskine journals. Yes, they are selling a product, but science has shown that using pen and paper is good for creativity.
Good for writing.
Two ways to learn
There are two ways to learn the craft of writing fiction here at Pen & Paper.
Your choices are as follows:
- Register for the course Pen & Paper ($55)
- Take a private lesson in writing - see Lessons ($100)
Habits
Branding
Discernment
Marketing
Research
Hiring
Networking
Operations
Music is the Metaphor
Music is a metaphor for many things here at Pen & Paper. Just as writers use metaphors to reach their audience, I use metaphors to teach mine.
I want you to know what I write and what I teach. I am going to use the metaphor of music to explain this. I want you to listen to two pieces of music. Each one represents a literary style. You will hear a clear difference between the two.
So, for the purpose of instruction, a question is in order.
Do you want to write this... (Note: This is your first assignment. I want you to listen to Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1. Pay close attention to the first three minutes of the concerto as I will reference the opening measures of the music within the course materials. Remember...there are no accidents in crime, writing, or teaching. There is a reason I chose this concerto and this particular recording of the concerto. It is only about 35 minutes long... and it is amazing. So listen and enjoy. If you are pressed for time, then at least listen to the first three minutes.)
Or this? (Note: I only want you to listen to a few measures of Schoenberg - just enough to get the gist of his music.)
There is a stark contrast between the two YouTube videos. One video contains the music of Tchaikovsky and the other contains the music of Schoenberg.
Which do you prefer?
For the purposes of this course, Tchaikovsky represents good storytelling (commercial fiction) and Schoenberg represents literary fiction. What is the difference between commercial fiction and literary fiction? You can ask what is the difference between the two styles of music and you will have your answer.
Both Tchaikovsky and commercial fiction are read and enjoyed by a wide audience, while Schoenberg and literary fiction are read and enjoyed by very few.
This course is designed to help writers understand the craft of writing commercial fiction - stories that appeal to a broad audience.
There are certain books, symphonies, and paintings that are considered greats. What is it that makes them great? Within each of these disciplines - writing, music, and painting - an artist must have an understanding of the components necessary to create something worthy of enjoyment by a wide audience.
Do you want to write something that people will read...and enjoy?
Business coaching is a collaborative process where a coach provides guidance, support, and actionable strategies to help individuals and organizations achieve their goals
How Do I Know if this Course Right for Me?
Read my writing. If you like what I write and how I write, then this course is a good fit for you. You should take this course if you want to read a good book. In order to understand what makes for good fiction, you will need to read good fiction.
What makes for a great reading experience?
When the words on the page create people that you consider to be friends, worlds that you would like to live in, and experiences that you can savor. Simply put...you want your literary offerings to be more than just books. If readers cannot (and do not) pick up your titles again and again, then you have fallen short of your goal - to provide more than just read-it-only-once fiction. Your goal should be to offer your readers only the extraordinary.
Do you only listen to a piece of music once? Of course not.
The same holds true for my favorite books. I read - and savor - certain titles again and again.
You should aim to do the same with your writing.
Learn to write the extraordinary at Pen & Paper.
Lessons
Do you want personalized instruction in the craft of writing fiction?
Lessons are the equivalent of private music lessons - only we are dealing with words, paragraphs, and pages instead of notes, clefs, and musical phrases.
To find out more about Lessons, click on the link below.
