The personal essay—the most flexible, shapeshifting genre—has much to offer writers. This workshop is designed to educate students about the dynamic possibilities of creative nonfiction while also informing them about the origin of the essay and its demands. When and why do we weave public histories into individual stories? What is the impact of emotional truth versus factual truth? How do we distinguish memoir from autobiography, and the lyric essay from the traditional essay and reportage? What tools do writers have in terms of structure, and how do we use form to enrich any type of material?  

We’ll look at a range of essays—from the historic to the modern—and seek to understand what defines creative nonfiction in all its permutations. We’ll explore how various writers have navigated its possibilities and discuss ways to experiment with the typologies to create new directions for our own work. Participants will engage in writing prompts that address several experimental forms, including a found essay, a structural challenge, an exercise built around identity, and the use of a listicle to uncover topics that feel daring to the writer. Please come to class ready to write and engage in discussion with classmates. All students will be asked to share in class. 

In this workshop, we will generate new writing through guided exercises and prompts; offer feedback/first impressions on writing you produce in our weekend.