Class

6-Week: Experimenting with Essay Structure

There are many surprising shapes and structures the essay form can take. From traditional narratives to experimental forms such as lyric, braided, and hermit crab essays, trying out new structures can refresh and re-energize your writing.

In this class, we will read examples of essays written in a variety of structures. We'll discuss how different forms influence the reader experience, and we'll experiment with new structures in participants’ own writing. Students will gain skills through weekly writing prompts, form-bending readings, and the opportunity to receive feedback on up to 10 essay pages.

Participants can expect to read published essays by Lidia Yuknavitch, Samantha Irby, T Kira Madden, Melissa Febos, Kristen Arnett, and more.

By the end of class, students will have one completed essay draft, pages of new ideas, and a better understanding of the wide-ranging possibilities within the essay genre.

This class takes place in-person, at the Loft at Open Book; we encourage participants to be fully vaccinated and masked in the interest of everyone’s safety. Please see the Loft’s website for the most up to date information about the Loft’s COVID policies.