1 session, Saturday February 7th, 12:00-2:00pm EST
online
$50
Enrollment Opens Jan 1, 2026
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If you’re writing a novel or short story with any sort of love or relationship plot, you know that a crucial part of making it work is convincing the reader of the attraction between the characters. But guess what? That’s really hard to do, or maybe I should say, really easy to get wrong. After all, the chemistry between two people is often inexplicable, created by intangible factors that can’t really be put into words. So… how do you put it into words?
Each of my five novels has contained some pretty significant romantic longing, so let me share what I’ve learned. Conveniently enough, some of the craft tools you’ll need to perfect are also widely applicable to character development in general.
In this quick, fun, one-off class, we’ll go over a couple examples of fiction where this really, really works, and then I’ll share some tips and tricks for making your own writing simmer. We’ll do a couple exercises either based on characters you’re already working with or new ones created on the spot. Everyone will leave with a bit of new writing, and some ideas of how to make our readers feel what we want them to feel: convinced of our characters, and in love with what they’ve read.
Enrollment opens Jan 1, 2026
Student testimonials from Amy Shearn’s classes
“This course was such a great way to spark creativity and dig deeper into my writing! Amy’s prompts and insights make journaling feel easy and inspiring, and her warm teaching style keeps it fun and approachable.” — Elizabeth Austin
“Amy built a beautiful, convivial community that felt inspiring and searching and was just what I needed. The mix of prompts, discussion, and generative writing time was fantastic.” — Kelly McMasters, author of The Leaving Season
“This class was such a delight! Amy was engaging and organized - a winning combination. The excerpts and prompts she shared each week were provocative. I also really enjoyed the other writers in the group. So glad I signed up.” — former student
About the instructor
Amy Shearn is the award-winning author of 5 novels, including the acclaimed Animal Instinct (Putnam, 2025). She has worked as an editor at Medium, JSTOR, Conde Nast, and other organizations, and has taught creative writing at NYU, Sackett Street Writers Workshop, Gotham Writers Workshops, Catapult, Story Studio Chicago, The Resort LIC, and the Yale Writers' Workshop. Amy's work has appeared in many publications including the New York Times Modern Love column, Slate, Poets & Writers, Literary Hub, Real Simple, Martha Stewart Living, O: The Oprah Magazine, and Coastal Living. Amy has an MFA from the University of Minnesota, and lives in Brooklyn with her two children. You can find her at amyshearnwrites.com or @amyshearn.