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Nonfiction Book Writing: Advanced

Take your book idea to the next level with the help of a professional book packager and agent

Nonfiction Book Writing: Advanced
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WHEN 8 weeks, Mondays, September 8 - November 10, 6:45-9:45 pm

WHERE New York (University Settlement)

LEVEL Advanced

PRICE
$499 ($475 for )
more info

Course Details

You know how to write and what you want to write about but you aren't sure where to go from there. This workshop is for serious writers who already have a handle on their book concepts but want help taking them to the next level. In this class, we will focus on the craft of nonfiction writing. With the guidance of a publishing professional, writers will develop their manuscripts and revise them down to the finest details until their material is ready to show to editors and publishers.

The thought of having to fill hundreds of blank pages can make anyone feel overwhelmed. Having sweated through the process herself, as well as overseen and aided dozens of authors in creating their books, Christa Bourg understands that writing is tricky business. This workshop will function as a support group and motivational tool as well as a path toward honing your craft.

This class is for both those who want to finish off polished sample chapters to send to agents and editors and those who already have book contracts but would like some help completing their manuscripts.

In this workshop you will:

  • Receive serious yet compassionate feedback on your work
  • Have your writing edited line by line, down to the smallest details
  • Be pushed and guided toward achieving a higher level in your work
  • Learn how to be critical of your own work and to look at it from a reader's point of view
  • Have an open forum for discussing all the doubts and demons that can get in your way
  • Learn about the business of writing and to discuss how the publishing industry can affect how and what you write

By the end of class, you will have:
A complete draft of a piece of nonfiction

Admission Requirements
Please submit a letter of interest (including a brief work history) and a writing sample (less than 2,000 words).

Related Courses

Tell me when courses like this are scheduled.
• Nonfiction Book Proposal Writing – New York (Class starts September 3)
• Memoir Writing: Advanced – New York (Class starts September 15)

Instructor Bio

Christa Bourg's Courses

Nonfiction Book Writing – New York (Class starts September 11)
Nonfiction Book Writing: Advanced – New York (Class starts September 8)

Christa Bourg
Christa Bourg is a professional book packager and agent. Her work involves developing books for major publishers (a book packager is to publishing what a producer is to the movies: if she believes in your book, she can make it happen). She has worked on numerous books in nearly every nonfiction category, including humor, business, lifestyle, memoir, food, art, parenting, home, reference, etc.

Some recent titles include Dress Your Best, French Cats Don't Get Fat, The Dysfunctional Family Christmas Songbook, The Great American Citizenship Quiz, Haiku U., Latin for All Occasions, The Booklover's Repair Kit, I've Got Your Back, At Home With Art, The Junior League cookbook series, and many more. Christa is also a freelance writer, editor, and proposal doctor. She is currently co-authoring a book entitled The Education of a Very Young Madam, which will be published by Scribner in 2007.

Testimonials


This class made the daunting process of crafting a book proposal so much more manageable. Weekly writing assignments kept me on track moving forward. And regular in-class feedback helped hone and shape my idea into a solid, marketable proposal. -- Jessica DuLong

"I took Christa Bourg's class, and without exaggeration, it changed my life. Thanks to Christa's teaching skills as well as the friendly group dynamic that came out of workshopping our proposals, I was inspired to write a complete, polished proposal for my book, Becoming A Bad Girl: My Pursuit of Wicked Women. As a result, by February I had signed on with the Zachary Shuster Harmsworth literary agency, and I'm well on my way to finding a publisher. Thank you, Christa & mediabistro! -- Joyce Hanson, author

"Christa Bourg is an excellent and dedicated teacher. Her class was well structured, and in that time she was able to guide us through each section of our proposals and workshop them thoroughly with us. In addition to her own comments and editorial help, Christa encouraged a really helpful class atmosphere and the support and interest from the group was incredibly useful. I came out of the class feeling confident in my proposal and happy that Christa not only prepared us with an informed and realistic picture of the publishing industry but also gave us tools to help us navigate the business." -- Elise MacAdam

"Christa Bourg's class really brought my book project to a new level. She gave everyone in the class equal time to develop and workshop their material. Then with her expert knowledge, she coached all of us into a better, more enlightened, place in our writing. Without Christa my manuscript would still be gathering dust in a forgotten file drawer." -- Lisa Peterson

"Writing a book is a huge undertaking, and being part of a group of people that are all making the same commitment makes it much more enjoyable -- and less daunting. During the class, I had an opportunity to workshop a piece that will be published soon in a magazine, and the feedback and structure improved my work significantly!" -- Judy Kamilhor
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