The most compelling stories center conflict and trauma. But characters don’t lead single-layered lives and even fictional ones deserve moments of joy to expand their complexity as human beings. How can you meaningfully develop a nuanced character who experiences both pain and pleasure?

Imbuing joy into your character’s life should not be intrusive to plot, but a facet to engage your audience on an intimate, familiar level, as well as provide an authentic balance to conflict. Through memoir-based strategies, participants will be able to infuse the element of joy to enrich character intricacy and plausibility.

Author Sahar Mustafah will guide participants through techniques to effectively unearth and incorporate joy in stories. This class will include close readings of model excerpts, a writing exercise, craft discussion, and Q&A.