Storyteller and researcher Brené Brown says the two most powerful words where we’re in struggle are “me too.” Others’ stories nourish us, increase our capacity for compassion and understanding, and remind us that we are not alone. Writing our own stories gives us an opportunity to locate and consider the topics that matter to us, share our wisdom and questions, shape narratives on the page, and connect with others. In this six-week intensive writing workshop, we will study and practice the art of nonfiction writing. Together, we’ll read and discuss craft texts and creative nonfiction in different forms—including personal essay, memoir, lyric essay, and longform journalism—and examine the techniques that make each piece effective and distinct. Students will employ their knowledge and questions in their writing, experimenting with form and trying on different styles, techniques, and voices. The course will conclude with workshops of students’ work. The course is designed for beginner and intermediate nonfiction writers but is also open to experienced writers in other genres and experienced nonfiction writers interested in brushing up on technique and form.

Held in a supportive community, our course will include:

  • Craft and literary readings

  • Discussions of form, style, and craft

  • In- and out-of-class writing prompts and assignments

  • Feedback on prompts and one full workshop draft generated during our course.

Course Text: Tell it Slant by Brenda Miller and Suzanne Paola, 1st Edition. Text included in cost of course (new/used depending on availability).

Course goals:

  • Learn about techniques of creative nonfiction and apply these in writing

  • Brainstorm, generate material, and write into the stories that matter to you

  • Engage in thoughtful discourse with teacher and coursemates

  • Experiment and play with writing in different forms and styles in a supportive environment

  • Discover your own voice and the stories only you can tell

I am a writer and I have been a writing teacher for the past decade. I know the power of language to create, shift, and alter our lives.

A native New Orleanian and current desert dweller, I received my MFA in nonfiction writing from the University of Arizona, where I taught writing in the English Department for a decade and was honored with the Lecturer of the Year award. I write into issues of social justice, sustainability, politics, and pop culture through essays, journalistic articles, think pieces, and hybrid forms. I teach online and in-person writing workshops and work individually with writers, helping them discover and usher their stories onto the page. I also teach writing workshops with highschoolers who will be first-generation college students and with incarcerated students at juvenile detention, adult detention, and the Arizona State Prison. I am committed to social justice and moving through the world with authenticity and compassion. I am a regular contributor to Edible Baja Arizona and received first place in Community Food and Beverage Reporting from the Arizona Press Club for 2015. My July 2017 piece for Bitch Media was featured in the The New York Times “What We’re Reading” list. See my writing page for some published work in Diagram, defunct, drunken boat, GOOD, Good Housekeeping, Bustle, Salon, and The Feminist Wire among others.

When:

Six Mondays: January 22, 29; February 5, 19, 26; March 5, 2018

6:30-9:00 p.m.

Where:

Southern Arizona Workspace (or SAWS), behind EXO Roast Co.

403 N 6th Ave, Tucson, AZ 85705

What:

Six weeks of exploring and crafting creative nonfiction

Who:

Anyone who wants to grow their writing practice; course is best suited for beginning and intermediate nonfiction writers; if you have questions about whether the course is a good fit for you, feel free to send me a message through the contact page.

How:

Readings, writing prompts, and discussions. Sharing your work, process, & progress in a supportive community. Teacher and peer feedback on your writing.

Why:

To grow as writers. To explore new ideas. To discover your material, your voice, the unique perspectives and knowledge you have to offer through writing.

Cost:  

 $260 Course text included in cost of course.

*Payment plans are possible, contact me through the contact me page)

Register Here