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Meet THe Team
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While most stories tend to center around a single protagonist, some ideas need two or more narrators to fully reach their potential. Some beloved books like The Stand by Stephen King, Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton, or Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin feature so many point-of-view characters, you need all your fingers and toes to count them. But how can you know when another voice is needed? Is there such a thing as too many narrators? And how do the rules of plotting and pacing change when your story has to follow more than one character?
In this two-hour class, author Lauren Thoman (who is chronically allergic to writing from just one point of view) will discuss her own writing process when it comes to telling stories featuring multiple main characters, including how she decides who her narrators are and how many she needs, finding their distinct individual voices, and keeping the story flowing when juggling multiple storylines. She'll also provide some tips for staying organized when balancing multiple narrators, how to create an outline or synopsis for a multi-POV story, and how to avoid common pitfalls writers tend to fall into when writing from multiple points of view.
• In-Class Writing Lift: Light
• Homework: None
• Workshopping Drafts: None
Lauren Thoman writes speculative fiction featuring diverse ensemble casts for teens and adults. Her debut novel, the timeslip mystery I'll Stop the World, was selected for publication in 2023 by six-time Emmy nominee Mindy Kaling through her eponymous imprint, Mindy's Book Studio, and was named a finalist for the Tennessee Book Award in 2024. Kaling said she was "dazzled" by the genre-bending novel, which she called "unputdownable." Lauren's sophomore novel, You Shouldn't Be Here, was published in 2024 by Thomas & Mercer.
Born and raised in the suburbs of Philadelphia, Lauren now lives outside of Nashville, Tennessee, with her husband and two children in a chaotic household that includes a fluctuating number of rescue and foster dogs, and a somewhat alarming quantity of fish.
Lauren also works as a freelance pop culture writer with bylines in numerous online outlets including Parade, Vulture, and The Wrap. When she's not writing, she's probably on the hunt for tacos or coffee, poking around her flowerbeds, or buried underneath a pile of dogs.
"Lauren Thoman was an excellent teacher! Her organization, materials, and presentation were all top-notch. She was terrific at being welcoming to everyone, alternating between presenting material and group work, and encouraging participation without putting anyone on the spot. She took care of the time appropriately and made sure students were physically comfortable. The class was informative and also really fun to be part of. I'd love to take another class from her!"
"Lauren was a great instructor who was a good mix of inspiring and instructive. I would take a class with her again."
