As writers, we want to pull our readers into scenes so that they seem completely real. Description and scene-building are among our best tools for pulling readers into our stories. However, if we want our scenes to be really immersive—if we want them to feel real—for readers, we need to use description well, and build scenes thoughtfully. In this workshop, we will discuss ways to make our writing immersive for the reader. We will talk about and practice multiple strategies including imagining place, following bodies in space, using all five senses, highlighting important details, and tailoring language to our story. Come with an idea of a scene you’d like to work on or choose from prompts provided by the instructor.

About the Instructor: 

Claudia Cravens grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. She has a BA in literature from Bard College and participated in Catapult's Twelve-Month Novel Generator. Her novel Lucky Red was a USA Today bestseller, a Good Morning America Buzz Pick, and was named a Best Debut of 2023 by Kirkus Reviews, Autostraddle, and Apple Books. She lives in New York's Hudson Valley.