3825 - Dissecting the Novel: Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry (June Converse)
Course Description
Instructor: June Converse
What makes a bestseller a bestseller? Is it the plot or the characters or some mystical combination? Is there some subliminal expectation readers have that bestsellers exploit? Does it have to do with progressive escalation or our desire to escape from reality? Maybe it’s schadenfreude?
In this class, we read one bestselling novel and try to find that mystical power. We look at plot and arcs and marketing. We put on the hat of author, character, reader, and publisher. It’s a book club on steroids. And, like magic, what you learn applies to all stories (TV, movies, books) and makes every experience that much deeper. Readers, writers, and any story lover will enjoy this class.
Bio: A native Atlantan, June Converse received her bachelor’s degree in business from Shorter College and then started her adult life in healthcare consulting. After receiving her teaching certification at Mercer University/Atlanta, she worked as an educator in both the public and private sector. She retired from teaching in 2012 and started her writing career. A lifelong love of learning, she has spent untold hours studying the craft of novel writing. With her first and second novels finished, she realized she missed the classroom. Using her new knowledge of the craft of writing, she developed a class that seeks to prove that often the best novels are formulaic – that classroom theory does translate to real-world application.