Writers may enroll in one or both days of this weekend-long intensive. A frequent complaint in writing workshops is that a character is “unlikable.” Yet from Captain Ahab to Humbert Humbert to Sula, the canon’s cannon is loaded with rascals, jerks, and schemers, their very badness the gunpowder that explodes a novel into immortality. Similarly, a memoirist may be flummoxed by hearing that the characters from his own real life are not “believeable.” By gleaning tricks from contemporary writers such as Dale Peck, Lynda Barry, Hilton Als, Leslie Marmon Silko, Maxine Hong Kingston, Claudia Rankine, David Sedaris, and Marlon James, we’ll shine light on “nice” characters’ blindspots, kill with kindness, and learn to love our monsters. Each highly structured class will include a craft lecture, guided discussion, diverse readings, and writing exercises designed to hone specific skills that can be applied to future projects. Day One: Heroes. Day Two: Villains.