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The Muse and the Marketplace begins this Friday, May 10! Attendee schedules are now frozen for printing; if you did not sign up for sessions in advance or wish to make a change, never fear: you’ll be able to join sessions on the fly as well by checking in with the Session Manager at the door. For completely full sessions, the Session Manager will use their discretion on whether additional seating and/or standing room will be available per fire code. We cannot wait to host you at the Boston Park Plaza for an incredible weekend ahead!
Sunday, May 12 • 12:15pm - 1:15pm
You’re in a Cult! Group Dynamics, Societies, and Character in Stories
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Seriously, you’re probably in a cult. Or adjacent to one. We all are! From the Manson Family to the Jedi, cults are a mainstay in modern fiction through themes of groupthink, identity, religion, politics, and more. This session will explore the storytelling fascination with cults and societies: how they manifest in different mediums (television, novels, video games, movies) and how characters interact with them. We’ll discuss well-known fictional societies from both mainstream literary fiction and popular genres such as SciFi, Fantasy, Horror, and Mystery. Prepare to create a cult of your own–or reexamine the ones you’re already in!--and explore how elements of strong characterization apply to writing groups. We will explore the concepts of “cults” and “societies,” and how group dynamics can operate within stories. We will create a society (or a cult!) of our own–and practice techniques of character entry action and description within that context. Finally, with all the above in mind, we will engage in short, generative writing activities that could serve as the start to a new story!
Presenters
avatar for Peter Medeiros

Peter Medeiros

Faculty, Emerson College
Peter Medeiros teaches writing and Kung Fu--though never at the same time. His teaching in and around Boston remains a major inspiration for much of his fiction. He received his MFA in Creative Writing from Emerson College. He been publishing fiction since 2013, and was most recently... Read More →
avatar for K.W. Onley

K.W. Onley

K.W. Onley is an author, mother, entrepreneur, and recovering elected person who writes speculative fiction for adults and children. You can find her short fiction in the Many Worlds anthology edited by Cadwell Turnbull and Josh Eure. Kyra is a graduate of Viable Paradise, GrubStreet's... Read More →

Sunday May 12, 2024 12:15pm - 1:15pm EDT
White Hill
  Fiction

Attendees (37)