4-WEEK WORKSHOP | Unconventional Forms for Unexpected Nonfiction Stories
October 21 @ 1:00 pm – November 11 @ 4:00 pm EDT
Sometimes it’s not the story you tell, but the way you tell it that powerfully connects with a reader.
Open to 15 writers of creative nonfiction, essays, memoir, and lyric essays
Live On Zoom | Wednesdays, October 21-November 11 | 1-4 pm Eastern
In this creative nonfiction workshop, writers will play with myriad forms of the personal narrative—such as lyric forms, research braids, lists, flash/micro-essays, point-of-view experiments, and the found form “hermit crab”—to discover unexpected voices with which to tell personal stories. We’ll read a variety of published essays from the likes of Ira Sukrungruang, Neema Avashia, Brian Doyle, Gwendolyn Wallace, Roxane Gay, Cheryl Strayed, Brenda Miller, Sabrina Imbler, and others, then kick-start our drafts with in-class writing exercises.
Weekly prompts and assignments, as well as readings, will inspire participants to try new forms, voices, and styles. Work will be shared in class for oral feedback on a rotating schedule.
Classmates and the instructor will offer thoughtful, targeted oral feedback that focuses on what’s working in our personal narratives and how to strengthen and refine them.
Students will receive written feedback from the instructor on one polished piece up to 2,000 words.
Over these four weeks, you will …
- EXPLORE new forms for your personal narratives, including lyric forms, braids, and hermit crabs
- DISCOVER how unexpected voices and structures can unlock new stories
- LEARN how to helpful, guided feedback on your peers’ work
- CHALLENGE your understanding of the personal narrative, beyond traditional dramatic structures
*Schedule below
This course is for writers …
- at all levels, from experienced writers to those new to the genre
- who’d like to challenge their understanding and expectations of the personal narrative
- who are curious to play and experiment with form
Closed captioning is available. ✔
Think you might miss a class? No worries, replays will be available. ✔
ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTOR
Ethan Gilsdorf is a writer, teacher, performer, and a huge nerd. A sharp, funny instructor, Ethan is the author of the award-winning memoir Fantasy Freaks and Gaming Geeks. His work appears in the New York Times, Washington Post, Esquire, Wired, O,Oprah Magazine, Huffington Post, Brevity, Electric Literature, Poetry, and The Southern Review and has been named twice as “Notable” in Best American Essays.
Noted for his thoughtful, generous and encouraging feedback, Ethan teaches at GrubStreet, where he leads the Essay Incubator program; at LitArts RI and Craft Talks; is on the faculty of Solstice MFA Program at Lasell University; and teaches anyone how to play Dungeons & Dragons.
Schedule
Week 1
- First class orientation: introductions, logistics, class expectations and class “citizenship”
- Syllabus, workshop schedule and methods
- Narrative vs non-narrative forms: List, Instructional/“How to”
- In-class exercises: Begin “How to” instructional form essay.
Week 2
- Assignment due: “How to” instructional form essay for workshop
- Workshop: small group workshops of “How to” instructional form essay
- “Object correlative”: Single moment, one sentence/“run on” lyric flash forms
- Hermit crab forms
- In class exercises: One-sentence scene/flash; hermit crab forms
Week 3:
- Assignment due: Hermit Crab form essay for workshop
- Braided and fragmented forms
- In-class exercises: Braided/ fragmented forms
Week 4
- Assignment due: any essay for workshop
- Refrain flash essays
- Point of view experiments
- In-class exercises: Refrain and Point of view forms
- next steps in your experimental form CNF/essay journey
Testimonials from past students
“My work is taken seriously in Ethan’s workshops, and I am taken seriously as a writer.”
“What a master teacher.”
“This may be the best writing class I’ve ever taken.”
“You really are one of the best writing teachers I’ve had.”
“I’m grateful beyond measure for the care that Ethan has taken in teaching us.”
THE FINE PRINT
We understand that life can get in the way of your plans. We want you to be able to get the most out of your course, and our refund policy is designed to balance your need for flexibility with our deadlines and obligations to our teachers.
Before the first class, you may request a refund (less a $25 processing fee).
After class begins, you may request a refund for the remaining value of the course (less a $25 processing fee). No credits or refunds will be available after the 2nd class.
Questions? Please email Info@writingcraft.com
