Workshops

“Screenwriting: Writing Vivid Scenes” with Linda Barsi

Saturday, November 8
1:00-4:00pm
In person in Asheville, NC (Location TBD)

Great screenplays are built one unforgettable scene at a time.

In this fun, hands-on scene-writing workshop, you’ll learn the basics of screenwriting formatting and together we’ll craft a compelling scene from scratch—as a writer’s room. Along the way, we’ll explore key concepts like anchoring a scene in a character’s want, adding conflict to create a powerful arc within the scene, and how even a single scene can follow a three-act structure with stakes and transformation (much like a mini movie).

This class is perfect for beginners or anyone curious about screenwriting—no script idea or prior experience needed. Just bring a laptop or notebook and your curiosity.

Whether you’re a prose writer, playwright, or first-time screenwriter, you’ll leave with a stronger grasp of how to write and revise an impactful scene for any script idea.

NOTE: We’ll be viewing and discussing a few scenes from the movie LEGALLY BLONDE. Feel free to watch the movie ahead of time or come and find out why so many people love this classic fish-out-of-water film. 

About the Instructor

Linda Barsi is a screenwriter, filmmaker, YouTuber, and stand-up comic with an MFA in Writing for Screen and Television from the University of Southern California. She’s written and directed videos for BuzzFeed, created and taught an online film school during the pandemic called Misfit Film School, and directed several short films and a web series called Your Single Friend. Linda is a two-time VidCon panelist, an advocate for mental health awareness, and a believer in a joy-based creative process. She currently lives in Asheville, NC.

“Worldbuilding With Archives: Research Techniques for Writers of All Kinds” with Denise Kiernan

Tuesday, November 18
6:00-8:00pm
In person at UNC Asheville Reuter Center, room 206

When most people hear the word “worldbuilding,” they think immediately of science fiction and fantasy. However, any writer who wants to ground a character or story in a particular time or place can benefit from archival and other nonfiction resources to lend verisimilitude to their project. Use historic prints to inspire the creation of fantastical beasts. Research advertisements from the past to set the scene in a story set in the 1950s. Capture the right language and tone for a book set in Medieval times. In this class, New York Times bestselling author Denise Kiernan shares some of the methods and resources she uses to craft her own books, many of which are free to use from the comfort of your very own desk.

About the Instructor

Denise Kiernan is an author, journalist, producer, and host of “CRAFT: Authors in Conversation.” Her forthcoming narrative nonfiction title, Obstinate Daughters: The Rebels, Writers, and Renegade Women Who Ignited the American Revolution arrives Spring 2026. Her latest young reader’s book, We Gather Together: Stories of Thanksgiving from then to now, is a companion title to the popular adult nonfiction book, We Gather Together, and children’s picture book, Giving Thanks. Her book The Last Castle was an instant New York Times bestseller in both hardcover and paperback and was also a Wall Street Journal bestseller. She is also the author of The Girls of Atomic City, which is a New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and NPR bestseller and has been published in multiple languages. She lives in North Carolina.