Write a scene. Then make it come alive.

At the macro level, scene work is a mix of character, conflict, and change. At the micro level, it’s a juggling act of physicality, interiority, and setting. During our 2-session ALCHEMY OF SCENEWORK workshop, we’ll build your scenes from the ground up.

the alchemy of scenework

October 22 + 29, 2026

w/ author and editor Susanna Daniel

Hybrid format: attend live in person or live on Zoom from 530-730p CT / 630-830p ET

Class fee: $150

Limited to 8 writers.

write your most vivid scenes

are your scenes as vivid and immersive as they can be?

Most writers build scenes in layers. We get the facts of the scene down first—what needs to happen, what needs to be conveyed, what needs to change—leaving much of the work for the next draft.

In this two-part, hands-on class, we’ll start by writing a scene, then work through it layer by layer. We’ll add physicality: gestures, movement, mannerisms, and dialogue support. We’ll add interiority: the POV character’s thoughts, reactions, and processing of the moment. And we’ll add setting: the specific world of the scene as experienced through the POV character’s senses.

Along the way, we’ll look for places where a scene has gone into what I call “lights out” mode—when the reader is given plenty to hear in their mind, but not enough to see or experience.

How will the workshop work?

Session One: Building in Layers

We'll start by looking at scene work at the macro level: character, conflict, and change. Then we'll write a scene—or pull out one that isn't quite working yet—and start building it in layers.

We'll work with the three elements that are often missing from an early scene draft: physicality, interiority, and setting, adding each one in turn and paying attention to what changes as we go.

You'll leave with a scene to revise between sessions.

Session Two: Turning on the Lights

We'll come back with our revised scenes and look at how the layers work together—and where a scene may still be in "lights out" mode, giving the reader plenty to hear or understand but not enough to see and experience.

Then we'll workshop. We'll read our scenes aloud in pairs, paying attention to where the lights are bright and where they dim, and finish with time to revise while the feedback is fresh.

You'll leave with a stronger scene and a process you can use throughout your manuscript.

who should join us?

Fiction and memoir writers who want to make their scenes more vivid, immersive, and alive on the page. Come with a scene from a work in progress that isn't quite working yet, or write something new with us. This class is a good fit for writers at any stage who want a practical, repeatable way to approach scenework and revision.

Limited to 8 writers, to encourage investment in each writer’s work and process. Writers of fiction and memoir are equally welcome.