2015 Willamette Writers Conference

Sibling relationships are the primary engine of emotional conflict and growth in a young person’s life. It is a uniquely intense and enduring relationship and can do much to propel your story's plot and deepen its themes. This workshop will help you find a dozen concrete ways think about how the sibling dynamic will work in your particular family constellation and three exercises to help you harness the power of the sibling relationship to enhance your story.  Participants will come away with 1) an understanding of the factors that influence the sibling dynamic 2) The role of power in sibling relationships and a plan for making that dynamic serve the arc of your story 3) an outline for a scene where the characters underlying struggle is magnified by sibling rivalry 4) An outline for a scene where the character’s loyalty to a sibling moves the story in a new direction or adds depth to an existing scene.