Senden Kaigi Announces Opening of "Laboratory for Style Hunting" Editing and Writing Training Course with Gen Setoyama on August 2nd (Sunday)!

Senden Kaigi Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo / President: Tomoya Takahashi) will launch the "Laboratory for Style Hunting" editing and writing training course, Gen Setoyama class, on Sunday, August 2, 2026. This course is designed for those who express themselves through writing and wish to refine their expression, regardless of their experience level.

Details here

Lecturer

Gen Setoyama (Documentarist)

Born in Kagoshima Prefecture in 1953, raised in Tokyo. Graduated from the First Faculty of Letters, Waseda University. After joining WORKSHOP Photography School's Nobuyoshi Araki class, he went freelance after working for a video production company starting in 1978. Benefiting from editors, he was in charge of serialization for various magazines from the 1980s to around 2010, including the Asahi Shimbun's culture section, "Switch," "Taiyo," "Shashin Jidai," "BEPAL," "Lapita," "Shitsunai," "Gekkan Bungei Shunju," and "Kurashi no Techo." From 2000, he began activities as a documentarist and recorder, utilizing writing, photography, and video. He explores new paths for skill transmission and interdisciplinary approaches. The Rotchenko Room Project, which included the production of exhibition videos for the Gifu Prefectural Museum of Art, received the Good Design Award Chairman's Special Prize in 2003. He served as an adjunct lecturer at Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology in 2007. His books include the non-fiction works "Tokyo Gomi Bukuro" (Chikuma Bunko), "Yasai no Jidai" (NHK Publishing), "Satoumi ni Kurasu," "Tohoku no Seimeiryoku," and "Sogeki-shu, Mae e! Aru Jima Imin no Sensou" (Iwanami Shoten), as well as the photo picture book series "Dentou Kougei no Meijin ni Ai ni Iku" (6 volumes) and "Mitsuketa! Shokunin-san no Wano Katachi" (3 volumes) (Iwasaki Shoten), among many others. Writers he deeply respects include Michiko Ishimure, Natsuki Ikezawa, and Svetlana Alexievich.

Key Points of this Course

1. [Assignment] Instructor's Feedback on Each Participant's Manuscript

Always find "evaluation points" to discover the strengths and "uniqueness" of your writing.

Each session, the instructor will present a theme, and participants will write and submit a manuscript of approximately 800 to 1,600 characters, which will be provided with feedback during the lecture. Not only technical guidance on writing methods but also the instructor will identify and comment on each individual's characteristics. Submitted manuscripts will be distributed digitally to all students, allowing them to discover differences in writing styles.

2. [Critique] Deconstructing "Style" to Enhance the Reproducibility of "Your Unique Writing"

Noren Making (Brand Building)・Interpretive Skills・Composition・Figurative Language・Word Choice

What constitutes the "uniqueness" of your writing? Style is not about superficial techniques like "desu/masu" or "dearu" forms, but rather emerges from how the writer perceives people, places, and things, how they structure narratives, and what words they use to express them. This course analyzes the elements necessary to understand these characteristics, rather than relying on intuition, enabling participants to leverage their strengths in writing, even when the theme or content of their manuscript changes.

3. [Workshop] Live Interview Session

Develop questioning skills to gather material for writing.

A live interview session with a guest will be conducted, followed by manuscript writing. Even when hearing the same stories in the same place and time, people's perceptions and writing styles differ. There is no single "1+1=2" correct answer in writing; participants will experience firsthand how their own sensibilities create unique value.

What You Will Gain from This Course

- Your own writing style, moving beyond generic, AI-averaged safe writing.

- The ability to convert observations, listening, and feelings into text.

- The ability to structure and write compelling narratives.

Target Audience

- Current writers

- Aspiring interview writers and non-fiction writers

- Essayists, literary writers, and those aiming to write in the literary world

- Individuals who are disseminating information and want to write more engagingly

- And others

View Details

Free Online Trial Lecture on Sunday, June 14th

Prior to the launch of the "Laboratory for Style Hunting" editing and writing training course, Gen Setoyama class, starting August 2nd, we will hold a free trial lecture. In this session, lecturer Gen Setoyama will present what will be learned and what skills can be acquired. Participants will experience a glimpse of the lecture and have all their questions answered during a Q&A session. Please feel free to join.

Apply for the Free Trial Lecture here

Overview

Date: Opening on Sunday, August 2nd

*Following dates: August 2 (Sun), August 23 (Sun), September 27 (Sun), November 1 (Sun), November 15 (Sun), December 20 (Sun), January 31 (Sun)

Number of Sessions: 7 sessions in total

Time: 13:00 - 15:00

Format: Hybrid format, with a choice between online and in-person classroom attendance.

Capacity: 20 participants

*Applications will close once capacity is reached.

Details and Application here

About Senden Kaigi

Senden Kaigi Co., Ltd., originating from the monthly magazine "Senden Kaigi" founded in 1954, operates a diverse range of businesses including publishing, education, events, awards, and consulting. Through the publication of specialized magazines such as "Senden Kaigi," "Hansoku Kaigi," "Kouhou Kaigi," "Brahn," and "Kankyo Business," as well as the operation of the web media "AdverTimes," we disseminate the latest trends and practical knowledge related to marketing, creativity, and the environment. Furthermore, we focus on nurturing next-generation talent by providing courses and training programs attended by approximately 100,000 people annually.

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