LLA0134 - Outrageous Fiction Workshop: Creative Chaos
Course Description
Unleash your creativity in this out-of-the-box, self-paced writing course! Whether you've always wanted to try creative writing, get back into writing or simply want to add spark to your writing routine, this is the course for you. Over six irreverent (yet covertly educational) lessons, you'll dive into absurd writing tips and tricks that will help you develop quirky characters, chaotic dialogue, weird settings, and unpredictable plots.
Inspired by the viral "unhinged hacks" trend on TikTok, you’ll explore how to turn chaos into captivating fiction through fun and creativity-fueling exercises. From building unstable backstories to crafting disaster-first plots, this course will push you to break all the rules (of writing, not safety!). By the end, you'll have an epic story to show for it, with newfound skills to fuel your creativity and jumpstart your storytelling process. All that brainstorming will also net you a stockpile of story ideas, build your confidence as a writer, and help unblock any pesky writing blocks in the future.
Embrace the weird to fuel your creativity as you craft the most innovative (possibly outlandish) story of your life.
Course Outline
- Absurd Hacks to Kickstart Your Fiction
- Character Chaos
- Dialog Dumpster Fire
- Worlds Gone Weird
- Plot Spirals
- The Final Mayhem
Learner Outcomes
- Break free from perfectionism and writing hesitation through surreal humor and risk-taking.
- Discover unexpected narrative possibilities through offbeat prompts.
- Develop strategies to reboot creativity when stuck — by leaning into the strange.
- Build community and confidence in sharing even your weirdest writing.
Laura Ehrke is an award-winning novelist, blogger, marketing specialist and writing coach. Her education includes studying British literature and poetry at Oxford University, a bachelor’s degree in communications from DePaul University and a master’s degree in liberal arts from the University of Chicago, with supplemental graduate coursework in writing at Northwestern University. As an author, Laura has been featured at several events, including Comic Con, Pop Culture Con, the University of Chicago Liberal Arts Panel, NaNoWriMo forums, and library programs. She brings her passion for writing into her courses, inspiring students to have fun while developing their creativity and writing skills. Laura was recently awarded the Excellence in Arts: Outstanding Educator Award by the Barrington Cultural Commission.