Writing About Hard Things — The Art of Turning Your Most Difficult Stories into Prose

Get four weeks of craft lessons and in-depth feedback on your writing from award winning author David Rocklin.

You're invited to the first-ever session of Writing About Hard Things with author and writing instructor David Rocklin.

This course is for writers who’ve carried a story within them for years. You may have even tried to write it and stopped. You know it can help others. You might even suspect telling the story could help you too.

No one has lived the life you’ve lived. No one else can tell the story you’re carrying. Not the way you can.

This course is about the power and importance of your voice. It's about giving you clarity and confidence in your work. It's about helping you -- if you choose -- to bring your story out into the world.

Over four weeks, David will help you move from pain to prose. Not by pushing you into the deepest water, but by guiding you step-by-step at a human, relatable, and gentle pace.

You'll work with David closely throughout the course, getting extensive feedback on your writing as you move through the process of turning your story into a manuscript you're confident in sharing with the world.

In addition to the personal feedback, David Rocklin will introduce you to craft techniques and strategies that allow you to gently, and meaningfully, put your words onto the page, including:

  • Tools and structures that can hold the weight of your story, so you don't have to carry it by yourself
  • How (and when) to fully inhabit the moments you are writing about, and when to step back and observe it from a distance
  • How to use the concept of context to write about difficult material without being overwhelmed by it.
  • How to find the central scene or moment from which your structure can grow

At the core of this course, is the in-depth feedback you will get from David. Each week, you will have the opportunity to share your writing with David. He'll then respond with detailed feedback, and you'll be encouraged to engage in a discussion by replying with your thoughts and questions.

Each week includes feedback on a different aspect of your story, including your main character, two different scenes, and, in the final week, ten pages from your manuscript.

The course starts on Monday, June 8th and ends on Friday, July 3rd. For those who need extra time, you will have a full six months to submit work for feedback. You will also be welcome to attend office hours and live events with our alumni community after the course is officially over, so you can stay part of our community and get support as you continue to write your story.

Because of the extensive personal feedback in this course, enrollment is strictly limited to 20 students. Once the course is filled, we will immediately close enrollment.

If you are planning on joining this course, I urge you to enroll right away.

Enroll Now for $625 $525 (Early Bird Tuition)

About David Rocklin

David Rocklin is the author of the novels The Luminist and Foreword award-winning The Night Language. His latest novel, The Electric Love Song of Fleischl Berger, was published in May 2024.

He is also the author of The Write Formula: 12 Weeks from Concept to Completion, a comprehensive craft book offering guidance, inspiration and practical advice on all aspects of fiction writing, including the generation and expansion of ideas, character and plot structure, setting and POV choices, outlining and revision strategy, and navigating criticism and rejection.

David's Los Angeles-based reading series, Roar Shack, is one of the city's longest running and is considered an inclusive hub within the L.A. literary community. David has led workshops, spoken on panels, and been interviewed in numerous publications. He's looking forward to buying your book!

David Rocklin Author Photo

FAQ

  • Is this course appropriate for memoir? What about fiction?

    This course is designed with both fiction and memoir in mind. Many authors spend significant time thinking about the best way to present their story, and choosing between memoir and fiction is often part of the process.

  • How is the course structured?

    The course is designed to be flexible, to fit a wide variety of schedules and timezones.

    Each week during the course, you will gain access to five lessons you can complete on your own time. Each lesson comes with optional discussion with David and the class.

    At the end of each week, you can also send one "assignment" for feedback from David. He will send his feedback via email, and you're encouraged to reply with any questions you have.

    For those who need extra time, you are allowed a full six months to complete the course and send your work for feedback.

  • How many students will be allowed to enroll?

    Because of the intense level of personal feedback offered by David, we are limiting enrollment to 20 participants. As soon as we reach that number, we will immediately close enrollment.

What Writers Say About Working with David

“David's thoughtful and incisive editing work, including deep thematic and structural guidance lifted my manuscript from a teetering new draft to a polished, well-developed one. David is the perfect editor who lasers in on areas that need clarification and development, but is also respectful of the author's intentions. ”

Sandra Hunter, author of Trip Wires, Small Change, and Losing Touch

“David Rocklin was everything I hoped for and more. He teaches and inspires. He challenges and supports. His method strikes the perfect balance of preparation and intuition, yet somehow feels designed specifically for you. I left with new confidence in my craft and the writing rhythm I’d always imagined was possible. And I have been writing away ever since.”

Sarah Martin

“I wholeheartedly recommend David Rocklin's editorial services. He provides deep thematic and structural feedback on your process and gives valuable direction to your efforts. His compassionate guidance on how your work communicates to the reader is vital to both beginning and seasoned writers alike. ”

Aruni Wijesinghe, author of 2 Revere Place

Enroll Now

Enrollment is strictly limited to 20 participants.
The Early Bird Tuition is available until June 1st or until the course fills.