Everybody Has a Story - Writers` Program

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Writers’ Program
Everybody Has a Story
Let the UCLA Extension Writers’ Program Help You Tell Yours
“
Somewhere there is a kid looking out a window into darkness that has no end. He
is thinking, ‘I know life is not supposed to be easy, but does it have to be this hard?’
I want to write a movie for that kid. Something sweet and hopeful, entertaining at
the least. I want that kid to seek a destination someplace safe and fantastic. When
I was staring out at a thousand miles of black, UCLA Extension gave me a place
to steer to.
”
– Eric Rodriquez, Writers’ Program student who took online screenwriting courses while stationed in Bosnia and Iraq
This page: Published and produced work by former Writers’ Program students: Twilight (©2008, Peter Sorel, Summit Entertainment), by
Melissa Rosenberg; Not a Box, by Antoinette Portis.
Opposite page: Published and produced work by former Writers’ Program students: Notes to the Beloved, by Michelle Bitting; Final Exam,
by Pauline W. Chen; The Opposite of Love, by Julie Buxbaum; G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (© 2009, Paramount), by Stuart Beattie.
Front cover: Published and produced work by former Writers’ Program students: A Date You Can’t Refuse, by Harley Jane Kozak; Tomorrow
They Will Kiss, by Eduardo Santiago; Middle Men, by Jim Gavin; Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl (©2003, Disney/Jerry
Bruckheimer, Inc.), by Stuart Beattie.
Writers: Start Here
It has been said that all of us have locked inside at least one good
story to share with the world. How do you tap into that story and
many others?
How do you find inspiration, support, tools, and discipline to start
writing and keep growing as a writer?
Where do you find a worldwide community of other writers who
share your desire to create stories—be it through fiction, film,
television, memoirs, novels, poems, essays, children’s books,
or plays?
The place to find answers is the UCLA Extension Writers’ Program.
The time to tell your story is now.
“
The Writers’ Program courses at UCLA Extension offer the best of
both worlds: academic excellence and the real-world experience of
accomplished screenwriters.
”
– Stuart Beattie, screenwriter, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra; Australia; Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the
Black Pearl; Thirty Days of Night; Collateral; first-place winner of the Writers’ Program screenwriting contest
“
The classroom experience allowed me to see firsthand that my writing affected
people—which I believe is what we all strive to do as writers. It confirmed that I
have a story that must be told.
”
– Michelle Brooks, onsite Writers’ Program student
This page: Published and produced work by former Writers’ Program students: Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits, by Laila Lalami; Dexter
(© 2006, Showtime), by Melissa Rosenberg; Love or Something Like It, by Deirdre Shaw.
Opposite page: Published and produced work by former Writers’ Program Scholarship students: Letters to Montgomery Clift, by Noel Alumit;
Resurrecting Mingus, by Jenoyne Adams; Pleasure, by Eric Jerome Dickey.
Develop Your Craft
As the nation’s most extensive creative writing and screenwriting program, the UCLA Extension Writers’ Program
offers 475 open-enrollment courses annually in novel writing, short fiction, memoir, personal essay, poetry,
playwriting, writing for the youth market, publishing, and feature film and television writing. Approved by
the UCLA Academic Senate, the Writers’ Program courses combine “real world” knowledge with academic
excellence, training writers at all levels of development.
Study with Professional Writers
Chart Your Own Writing Education Path
The UCLA Extension Writers’ Program’s 200 teachers
The Writers’ Program’s vast curriculum can be tailored to
are working writers who possess a body of published or
suit your writing needs, goals, and lifestyle.
produced work, or who are in allied professions. In addition
to our Los Angeles-based instructors, the Writers’ Program
draws upon accomplished writers from around the world to
teach in our virtual classrooms.
UCLA Extension Writers’ Program
Scholarship
The UCLA Extension Writers’ Program Scholarship
seeks to acknowledge and foster the talent of promising
writers from diverse backgrounds and cultures who might
otherwise not have the opportunity to study their craft in a
supportive educational environment. Up to 10 scholars are
named annually, and each of the ten recipients is given the
opportunity to enroll in three full-length Writers’ Program
courses during a one-year period (the Writers Studio,
mentorships, master classes, and 20-week courses are
excluded). Courses may be taken either onsite or online.
We offer:
•Beginning, intermediate, and advanced courses online
and onsite on the UCLA Campus, in Westwood Village,
and downtown Los Angeles
•Evening, daytime, and weekend options
•Writers Studio (10 four-day intensive workshops held annually)
•Master Classes in Novel Writing and Feature Film Writing
•One-on-one Manuscript and Screenplay Consultation
Services
•Mentorship Programs in Novel Writing, Feature Film Writing,
and Television Writing (online)
•Certificates in Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, Feature Film
Writing, and Television Writing, as well as a Film and
Television Comprehensive which includes 12 units of
entertainment business courses
Get Published and Produced!
The Writers’ Program is proud to count among its numerous success stories the
following writers:
Allison Abner, screenwriter, Hawaii Five-O, Without a
Trace, The West Wing
Noel Alumit, novelist, Letters to Montgomery Clift, Talking
to the Moon
Carol Barbee, screenwriter, Judging Amy, Close to Home
Stuart Beattie, screenwriter, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra;
Australia; Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black
Pearl; 30 Days of Night; Collateral
Eric Jerome Dickey, novelist, Dying for Revenge
Harriet Doerr, novelist, Stones for Ibarra
Samantha Dunn, novelist and memoirist, Failing Paris;
Not By Accident
Lee Eisenberg, screenwriter, The Office, Bad Teacher,
Year One
Doug Ellin, screenwriter, Entourage
Karen Bender, novelist, Like Normal People
María Amparo Escandón, novelist, Esperanza’s Box of
Saints; screenwriter, Santitos
Michelle Bitting, poet, Good Friday Kiss, Notes to
the Beloved
Jerrilyn Farmer, novelist, Madeline Bean series
Rick Bursky, poet, The Soup of Something Missing,
The Invention of Fiction
Julie Buxbaum, novelist, After You, The Opposite of Love
Ellen Byron, screenwriter, Just Shoot Me, Wings,
It’s All Relative
Mike Cahill, screenwriter, King of California
Cheryl Cain, screenwriter, Roswell, Firefly
Hillary Carlip, author, Queen of the Oddballs and Other
True Stories from a Life Unaccording to Plan; Á la Cart:
The Secret Lives of Grocery Shoppers
Tucker Cawley, screenwriter, Everybody Loves Raymond,
Parks and Recreation, Up All Night
Pauline W. Chen, memoirist, Final Exam: A Surgeon’s
Reflection on Mortality
Zoanne Clack, screenwriter, Grey’s Anatomy
Melissa Clark, author of Swimming Upstream, Slowly
Hannah Dennison, novelist, three-book deal with
Berkley Prime Crime
Hugh Fink, screenwriter, Saturday Night Live, The Late
Late Show with Craig Ferguson
Janet Fitch, novelist, White Oleander (Oprah Pick), and
Paint it Black
Ruth Francisco, novelist, The Secret Memoirs of
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis: A Novel
James Franco, short fiction writer, Palo Alto Stories
Cristina Garcia, novelist, Dreaming in Cuban
Jim Gavin, short fiction writer and novelist, The New Yorker;
Middle Men: Short Stories; The Golden Age of Chrome and
Nicotine: A Novel
Tod Goldberg, short fiction writer and novelist, Other
Resort Cities, Living Dead Girl (Los Angeles Times Book
Award Finalist)
Al Gough, screenwriter, Spider-Man 2; The Mummy:
Tomb of the Dragon Emperor; Shanghai Noon; Smallville;
Herbie Fully Loaded
Sue Grafton, mystery novelist and creator of the
Kinsey Millhone series
Drew Z. Greenberg, screenwriter, Dexter, Smallville,
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Alice Greenway, novelist, White Ghost Girls (winner of the
Los Angeles Times Book Prize for First Fiction)
David Griffiths, screenwriter, The Hunted, Collateral Damage
Peter Griffiths, screenwriter, The Hunted, Collateral Damage
Jean Harfenist, novelist, A Brief History of the Flood
Carol Heikkinen, screenwriter, Center Stage
Monica Holloway, memoirist, Cowboy & Wills,
Driving with Dead People
Gavin Hood, screenwriter-director, Tsotsi (Academy Award
winner, Best Foreign Film)
Tara Ison, novelist, A Child Out of Alcatraz (Los Angeles
Times Book Award Finalist), The List
Dana Johnson, fiction writer, Break Any Woman Down;
Elsewhere, California
Mark Steven Johnson, screenwriter, Grumpy Old Men,
Ghost Rider
Alexa Junge, screenwriter, The West Wing, Friends,
Sex and the City
James Kirkwood, novelist and Pulitzer Prize- and
Tony Award-winning playwright, A Chorus Line,
There Must Be a Pony!
Harley Jane Kozak, mystery novelist, A Date You Can’t
Refuse, Dead Ex, Dating Is Murder
Chad Kultgen, novelist, Men, Women & Children: A Novel;
The Lie; The Average American Male
Laila Lalami, short fiction writer and novelist,
Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits, Secret Son
Robyn Leff, short fiction writer, The Atlantic
Miles Millar, screenwriter, Spider-Man 2; The Mummy:
Tomb of the Dragon Emperor; Shanghai Noon; Smallville;
Herbie Fully Loaded
Lisa Pearl Rosenbaum, novelist, A Day of
Small Beginnings
Melissa Rosenberg, screenwriter, Twilight, Dexter
Elyn R. Saks, memoirist, The Center Cannot Hold
Eduardo Santiago, novelist, Tomorrow They Will Kiss
David Self, screenwriter, The Wolfman, 13 Days,
The Haunting
Deirdre Shaw, novelist, Love or Something Like It
Randi Mayem Singer, screenwriter, Mrs. Doubtfire
Steve Stockman, screenwriter, Two Weeks
Earl W. Wallace, screenwriter, Witness (Academy Award
winner for Best Original Screenplay)
Joseph Wambaugh, fiction and nonfiction writer,
The Onion Field; Fire Lover: A True Story
Mary Yukari Waters, short fiction writer, The Laws
of Evening
Bernie Weinraub, playwright, The Accomplices
Kevin Williamson, screenwriter, Scream, Dawson’s Creek
Steven Wolfson, playwright, Trojan Women
Joyce Lee Wong, young adult novelist, Seeing Emily
Iris Yamashita, screenwriter, Letters from Iwo Jima
(Academy Award nominee for Best Original Screenplay)
Published and produced work by former Writers’ Program students, (opposite page): The Office, by Lee Eisenberg; The Laws of Evening, by Mary Yukari
Waters; Once Upon a Twice, by Denise Doyen; (this page): Parks and Recreation, by Tucker Cawley; Seeing Emily, by Joyce Lee Wong; Queen of the
Oddballs, by Hillary Carlip
Attend Free Events with Fellow Writers
The UCLA Extension Writers’ Program hosts two major events which are designed to give you additional infusions
of information, tips, advice, inspiration, and the chance to connect with both aspiring and professional writers.
We invite all who wish to join our community of aspiring and practicing writers to attend these free annual events!
Publication Party
Writers Faire
Defying playwright George Bernard Shaw’s dictum that “he
This annual gathering of writing-minded people—students at
who can, does. He who can’t, teaches,” Writers’ Program
instructors dish up a rich literary buffet as they read from
their recently published fiction, memoirs, essays, and poetry.
Enjoy book signings, refreshments, and a chance to meet
and network with fellow writers.
all levels, representatives from Los Angeles-area graduate
schools, and over a dozen writing-related organizations and
businesses—features 24 unique mini-classes taught by
professional creative writers and screenwriters who share
their expertise and tips.
“
I love reading my poetry at the Writers’ Program
Publication Party every year. It’s a high quality literary
reading, one of the most charming and various in
town, and one of the best meet-and-greets in one of
the loveliest venues. And of course, it’s a wonderful
occasion to hear the recent work of my fellow Writers’
Program teachers.
”
–S
uzanne Lummis, Writers’ Program Instructor
Get Your Work Noticed
Open exclusively to UCLA Extension Writers’ Program students, the fiction writing, feature film writing, and
television writing competitions recognize top talent and have opened doors to career opportunities for many.
James Kirkwood Literary Prize
Established in honor of Pulitzer Prize- and Tony Award-winning
author James Kirkwood (A Chorus Line, There Must Be a
Pony!), one of the Writers’ Program’s most illustrious students,
this prize recognizes and encourages talented student fiction
writers. Writers’ Program students at the intermediate and
advanced levels are nominated by their instructors, and the
top three winners receive a cash prize and gift, presented
by Andrew Morse, the award’s founder and benefactor, at a
luncheon in Westwood.
UCLA Extension Feature Film and
Television Competitions
Three exclusive opportunities recognize the highest levels of
screenwriting students’ skill and craft: the UCLA Extension
Feature Film Competition and the UCLA Extension
Television Writing Competitions (Pilot and Spec). All three
competitions are designed to help the next generation of
student-talent move from amateur to professional. In addition
to cash prizes, finalists receive one-on-one mentoring, and
targeted and invaluable Hollywood-industry exposure.
Published and produced work by former Writers’ Program competition winners, from left to right: Mrs. Doubtfire (©1993, Twentieth Century Fox),
by Randi Mayem Singer; 10 For Everything, by Rachel Kann; Tsotsi (© 2006, Tsotsi Films [Pty] Ltd.), by Gavin Hood.
“
I was impressed by the serious and professional nature of the Writers’ Program.
Here I found dedicated fellow writers as well as brilliant teachers who helped
send me on my way to writing my first book.
”
– Alice Greenway, author of White Ghost Girls, winner of the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for First Fiction, 2006
This page: Published and produced work by former Writers’ Program students, from left to right: Letters from Iwo Jima (©2006, Warner Bros.
Entertainment Inc.), by Iris Yamashita; Ocotillo Dreams by Melinda Palacio; Bad Teacher, by Lee Eisenberg
Back cover: Published and produced work by former Writers’ Program students, from left to right: Collateral (©2004, DreamWorks SKG/
Paramount Pictures), by Stuart Beattie; Driving with Dead People, by Monica Holloway; Shanghai Noon (©2000, Touchstone Pictures/Spyglass
Entertainment), by Al Gough and Miles Millar.
Stay Connected.
UCLA
The Writers’ Program’s website is your source for timely articles on
Gene Block, Chancellor
writing-related issues; Q and A’s with instructors; links to course
listings, instructors’ biographies, and teaching statements; important
deadlines and dates; writing competitions; and a weekly dose of
instructor and student success stories. Also, find links to the many
free events we host or attend throughout the year.
UCLA Extension
Michelle Stiles, Interim Dean
uclaextension.edu/writers12
twitter.com/writersprogram
facebook.com/writersprogram
UCLA Extension Writers’
Program Administration
Questions? We Have Answers.
Linda Venis
Director, Department of the Arts
Program Director, Writers’ Program
The Writers’ Program’s administrative offices are open Monday through
Friday. Call or email to get in touch with an advisor in your area of interest.
Writers’ Program advisors can help get you closer to reaching your goals,
Carla Janas
Assistant to the Director
guide you through the requirements of the certificates, and more!
Cindy Lieberman
Program Manager
Writers’ Program Partners
Katy Flaherty
Program Representative
Creative Writing (onsite)
• 826 LA
• AFI Fest
• Antioch University Los Angeles
• CalArts
• California State University Long Beach
• California State University Northridge
• Downtown Film Festival of Los Angeles
• Final Draft
• Goddard College
• Greater Los Angeles Writers Society
• Independent Writers of Southern California
• International Black Writers & Artists, Inc.
• KCRW
• Leimert Park Village Book Fair
• Los Angeles Film Festival
• Orange County Chapter Romance Writers of America
• Organization of Black Screenwriters
• Otis College of Art and Design
Alicia Wheeler
Program Representative
Creative Writing (online) and Events
Chae Ko
Program Representative
Screenwriting (onsite & online)
Sarah Lim
Program Assistant
Creative Writing (onsite)
Brandon Covey
Program Assistant
Creative Writing (online) and Events
Jeff Bonnett
Program Assistant
Screenwriting (onsite & online)
For general inquiries:
• PEN USA
Email us at:
[email protected]
• Storiad.com
Call us at: (310) 825-9415
• The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators
• The World Stage
• The Writers Junction
• Theatre of Hearts/Youth First
• UCLA Extension Entertainment Studies and Performing Arts
• UC Riverside at Palm Desert
• USC
• West Hollywood Book Fair
• WriteGirl
• Writers Guild Foundation
• Writers Guild of America
Write us at:
UCLA Extension Writers’ Program
10995 LeConte Ave. #440
Los Angeles, CA 90024-1333
“
In a ten-week course, you feel like you’re involved in a hugely rewarding,
collaborative process. And at the end of class, you don’t want it to be over.
This is the beginning of networking. It’s not the kind of networking where
you pass out your cards and ask for a job. It’s about forming a community.
–Alexandra McNally, Writers’ Program student
”
About UCLA Extension
UCLA Extension is the continuing education division of the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA). We offer
courses evenings and weekends in Westwood and Downtown LA, plus online classes available around the globe.
Courses range from business, arts, engineering, and IT to entertainment studies, public policy, public health, the
humanities and more. Explore UCLA Extension at: uclaextension.edu.
10995 Le Conte Avenue, Suite 440, Los Angeles, CA 90024-1333 | uclaextension.edu/writers12
13314-12. Not printed at state expense. Printed with green ink on recycled paper.