STARWARS ToC

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Contents of the STARWARS Workshop

Introduction - STARWARS acronym deconstructed and establishing the goals and scope of the Workshop

The Basics

• The STARWARS Workshop Lexicon – defining a common vocabulary
• “Mechanics” versus “Organics” - Establishing the difference between the craft of composition (“Mechanics,” a.k.a. Technique) and the art of written expression (“Organics,” a.k.a. Style)
• General Glossary

The Core Curriculum

• Part I – The Mechanics of Writing
  • A word about Spelling; and punctuation!
  • Important, Grammar is. There is no try.
  • Vast Empire standards for Tense and Point of View, and Formatting
  • The Role of Analytical Reading
  • The Role of Research
• Part II – The Organics of Writing Fiction
  • The “Elements of Fiction” – the Fiction Writer’s Stock-in-Trade
    • Conflict – whether Internal or External
    • Plot – the structuring of events
    • Character – literary types and role-playing categories, and their intersection in the VE, a so-called "literary rpg"
    • Setting – writing within “A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away…”
    • Theme – a Statement about a Topic
  • Stylistic Devices – Tools and Tricks of the Trade
    • Structure – Formal Structure, Plot Structure, Foreshadowing and Flashbacks
    • Figurative Language – Metaphor and Simile, Imagery, Personification, Symbolism and Charactonym, Allegory, Motif, etc.
    • Sound Techniques – Alliteration, Consonance, and Assonance, Rhythm, Repetition, and Onomatopoeia
    • Register – Tone, Voice, Syntax, and Diction
    • Irony – Situational versus Dramatic Irony, Euphemism, Sarcasm, and Understatement
• Part III – The Etiquette and Protocol of Writing Collaboratively
  • Improvisation – how to improvise well, and support your storytelling partners
  • Infinite Possibilities within Definite Limitations – upholding verisimilitude, and respecting other “rules of the game”
  • Game Masters - responsible not just for their own fun, Officers also have a responsibility to contribute to the play experience for all other members of the VEN

Advanced Lessons

• Writing Military Fiction – common themes, suggested reading and research
• Writing Star Wars Fiction – specific challenges, suggested viewing/reading and research

Special Electives

• Campbell, Jung, and Lucas – The Monomyth and archetypes in Star Wars
• Confronting Real-World Issues in a Galaxy Far, Far Away – Exploring Difference and “Otherness” in Science Fiction/Fantasy

Conclusion - An overview of the information covered in the admittedly non-comprehensive STARWARS Workshop, a suggested reading list, and some final thoughts and recommendations for further study.

Index of Exercises - An alphabetical listing of the writing exercises included in the STARWARS Workshop, with links to the associated lessons.

Afterword - A note from Wyl Trykon, author of the STARWARS Works.

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