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Fiction I

with Peter Mountford

Genres: Fiction, Young Adult/Children's Lit, Novel, Short Story

Online Asynchronous

Introductory

6 Sessions

Start Date: November 4, 2024
End Date: December 9, 2024
Day of Week: Monday
Time: - - - PT
Capacity: 20 seats
Member Price: $347.40
General Price: $386.00

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Perfect for book lovers, self-taught writers, or anyone with a story to tell. No prior writing or workshop experience needed! 

Whether you want to write short stories or a novel, this fun, flexible, and low-pressure course will teach you three important parts of fiction: character, plot, and setting. We’ll also learn about dialogue, setting, point of view, and more. Over six weeks, you’ll read widely, practice writing your own stories, and share your work in a supportive, low-stress workshopping environment. Leave with a short story draft and a solid grasp of fiction basics. 

The class is asynchronous and you can do the lessons at your own pace. There are no live meetings, and you’ll have access to the course material even after the class is over. 

You’ll get an invite to join the online class platform, Wet Ink, one day before the class starts. 

This class is the first in a three-part series that can be completed over the course of a year: 

  • Fiction I with Peter Mountford: November 4 – December 9, online asynchronous via Wet Ink 
  • Fiction II with Peter Mountford: Saturdays at 10am via Zoom (Dates TBD)
  • Fiction III with Peter Mountford: Saturdays at 10am via Zoom (Dates TBD)

What to expect: 

  • Generative Writing: Students create new work during class or from assignments. 
  • Craft discussion: Teachers and students explore essential elements of craft. 
  • Feedback from peers and instructor. 
  • 1-2 hours of writing and/or reading outside of class. 

Students say… 

“I got a lot out of this class. I was introduced to several new short story authors, I learned some new fiction techniques and Peter made encouraging comments about my work while pointing out places I could improve.” 

“I thought the materials for the class were very well done. The lessons were clear and also interesting. I don't have a fiction background, so being exposed to short stories that demonstrated particular techniques was really helpful.” 

Registration Dates: 

  • August 13: Member registration opens at 10:30 am PT  
  • August 20: General registration opens at 10:30 am PT 
  • September 1: Last day of Early Bird discount 

What to Expect from an Asynchronous Class with Hugo House: 

Asynchronous classes are perfect for students that need flexibility! 

During an asynchronous class, instructors release new lessons once per week. Students then have one week to complete that lesson and any accompanying coursework. You'll learn as much as you would in a traditional class but with the flexibility to work at the best times for your schedule!  

While there are no live sessions, asynchronous classes are still a lively and rigorous experience. Async classes are not static lessons but an adaptable and energetic community space. Be ready to work in a collaborative environment, giving and receiving feedback on your writing, participating in discussions, and growing your writing practice in a way that works best for you! 

This class includes six sessions released weekly from November 4–December 9 to be completed at your own pace. Class sessions will be archived 1–2 weeks after the last lesson is released. 

Prefer to learn in person? Check out our in person section of Fiction I. 

Peter Mountford

Peter Mountford

Peter Mountford is the author of the novels A Young Man's Guide to Late Capitalism (2012 Washington State Book Award in fiction), and The Dismal Science (a NYT editor's choice). His work has appeared in The Paris Review, Southern Review, The Atlantic, The Sun, Granta, and The Missouri Review. He is currently on faculty at Sierra Nevada University's MFA program, teaches at Creative Nonfiction, Hugo House, and is a writing coach and developmental editor. Peter's former students and clients have gone on to publish numerous books and stories and articles, and include two NYT best-selling novelists (Tara Conklin and Rachel Griffin).

Teaching Style and Philosophy: I believe the best I can do for students is help free them from the tyranny of talent and the whims of inspiration, which are fair-weather friends. Instead, I want you to hone your personal aesthetic, and to develop an authorial voice, and most importantly develop fluency with the elements of craft. One you can control what's happening on the page with ease, producing publishable work is no longer a mysterious fluke, but a familiar and non-scary process.

Website: petermountford.com

Each class description includes a breakdown of what you can expect in terms of in-class activity, feedback, and homework (if any). 

Generative means you’ll be generating new writing, either in class or at home between classes.

Workshop means you’ll be sharing work to be read and critiqued by your instructor and classmates and that you will also be critiquing the work of your peers. 

Reading means you’ll be doing close reading of a work with an eye toward craft. 

Craft discussion means you’ll be looking at the tools writers use to do that thing they do so well and then trying it out yourself.

Class levels are designed for various stages of the writing journey. Simply self-select the level that sounds best for where you’re at. 

Introductory: This is your first creative writing workshop, first writing class since high school, or first foray into a new genre or form. You’re looking to try something new, kickstart your writing, and/or establish yourself in the fundamentals.

Intermediate: You have a strong understanding of writing fundamentals and are eager to deep dive into craft. You’re honing your writerly identity and voice through independent projects. In workshop, you look for constructive feedback and are ready to do writing and reading outside of class.

Advanced: You’ve written a significant body of work and have taken it through several stages of revision. You’re getting ready to publish or are in the early stage of publishing, and you’re interested in refining the skills that will take you to the next level in the literary industry.

All Levels: You are any of the above and are looking to play with new possibilities.

You’ll get your class information, including Zoom link if applicable, three days before the first day of class.

Write With Hugo House is our free monthly write-in program, operated in partnership with the Seattle Public Library. Two take place onsite at SPL locations, one takes place online. 

Sliding-scale classes are offered every quarter. Find them in our Class Catalog.

We announce flash sales, early bird periods, and special deals through our e-newsletter; sign up at the bottom of this page.

At this time, we offer payment plans on classes 8 sessions and up. Email education@hugohouse.org with the name of the class you’re interested in to set up a payment plan.

Our payment plan policy: 
  • We charge a 5% nonrefundable administrative fee for all payment plans. 
  • Extended payment plans up to 8 monthly installments and 16 semi-monthly installments are available upon request.
  • We are unable to hold seats for prospective payment plan students. Students will be enrolled once their first installment has been paid. 
  • If you need to cancel, Hugo House will issue refunds according to its cancellation and transfer policies. Your 5% nonrefundable admin fee will not be refunded. 
  • If you withdraw from a class after it begins, you will not receive a refund and are still responsible for paying the full course tuition.

Asynchronous classes are perfect for students that need flexibility!

During an asynchronous class, instructors release new lessons once per week. Students then have one week to complete that lesson and any accompanying coursework. You’ll learn as much as you would in a traditional class but with the flexibility to work at the best times for your schedule!

While there are no live sessions, asynchronous classes are still a lively and rigorous experience. Async classes are not static lessons but an adaptable and energetic community space. Be ready to work in a collaborative environment, giving and receiving feedback on your writing, participating in discussions, and growing your writing practice in a way that works best for you.

Asynchronous classes take place through the website Wet Ink. Students receive an invitation to the class and to set up a Wet Ink account on the start date of the class. Each week of the class, a new lesson will be available through the Wet Ink portal. Classes close two weeks after the end date, and students receive an email containing their content from the class when it closes.

Hugo House will only process refund requests that are submitted 5 business days or more before the class start date. To request a refund, log in to your account, go to “My Account,” select the “Orders” tab on the left-hand side, click the appropriate order, and request a refund for your specific class. Administrative fees apply. Please see our full refund policy here.

In general, we do not record classes. However, an exception if a student has specific access needs.

We encourage students to only sign up for classes that fit with their schedule.   

We do not tolerate racist, sexist, homophobic, ableist, transphobic or any other oppressive behaviors, regardless of who commits them. Please check out our full community guidelines by clicking here. If an instance of community guidelines are violated and not resolved within the classroom, students may let us know by filling out the student incident report.

If Hugo House needs to cancel a class for any reason, you’ll receive a full refund.

You can apply for a scholarship by clicking the red “Request a Scholarship” text on class pages. The scholarship request text is located at the top of each class page, underneath the “add to cart” button.

Hugo House members get to register early for classes – a full week before they open to the general public!, receive a 10% discount on events and classes, and more. See the full list of membership benefits here!

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If you’re interested in contributing your skills, Hugo House accepts volunteer applications for a variety of roles, including event support, administrative tasks, and more. Learn more on our Volunteer page.

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