Studies in Creative Nonfiction: How They Tell Their Stories – Thursday Course

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Description:
In this course, we will examine narrative and how stories unfold. Readings draw from a range of nonfiction texts, and our discussion will raise questions regarding sequencing, pacing, voice, and the overall structure of narrative development. How is the author unfurling their story? What is absent or withheld, and why? How does the author intertwine other narratives within their own story? What can we learn from this intensive study to inform our own writing? As a cohort, we will walk through this close study of how personal stories are told and how themes are developed.

For the generative portion of this course, we will experiment with various methods and techniques to tell our stories.

This course expects an intensive reading of the assigned texts as well as avid contribution to the community of the classroom via class discussion and exercise participation.

Required Texts:
Sarah Manguso’s Ongoingness: The End of a Diary
Alicia Elliott’s A Mind Spread Out on the Ground
Abigail Thomas’ Safekeeping
Joan Didion’s The Year of Magical Thinking
Maggie Smith’s You Could Make This Place Beautiful

Recommended Texts:
Patricia Hampl’s I Could Tell You Stories

Please note: The course requires a minimum of five students to run. If we do not reach this minimum two weeks before the course starts, you will receive a notification and a refund.