Class

Personal Essays: The Art and Craft of Narrative Nonfiction

In this class, we explore the personal essay in all its forms—including mini-memoirs, perspective-changing travel experiences, profiles, and experimental ways of telling our stories. Through readings, discussions, and in-class exercises, we investigate the aspects of narrative craft—dialogue, dramatic tension, pacing, revision, and voice—required to create vivid, true tales. We will put these elements of craft to use in our own personal essays, which will be workshopped by the class in a supportive, constructive atmosphere.

Suitable for writers of all levels, we’ll also focus on techniques for mining memory, choosing the most vibrant details, and shaping your narrative so that it resonates beyond your personal story to make a larger point. And we’ll work on building a creative writing routine, so you can not only make the most of this course, but also have a toolbox of prompts and exercises to return to whenever necessary.

Every student will have the opportunity to receive written and verbal feedback from the class on two essays of up to ten pages each. About half of our in-class time will be spent workshopping student essays; during the other half we’ll discuss outside readings (provided ahead of time by me) and aspects of craft, as well as doing material-generating writing exercises. The goal is to leave the class with a solid grasp of how to write an essay, a working draft of at least one, and a foundation of writing exercises to keep you going.

Instructions for Accessing This Online Class

In order to access live class meetings, you must have the Zoom application downloaded to your computer. You will also need a WiFi/Internet connection throughout the duration of your scheduled meeting and a computer with audio and video capability. The information to join your Zoom classroom will be provided in your confirmation email upon registration. Please check spam folders if you do not see this email upon registration. For more information on how to use Zoom, please see our training manual here.

Some classes use a supplemental Google Classroom page. Should your teaching artist use Google Classroom, you will be invited to join the classroom via email at least 24 hours in advance of your class (check spam folders if you are not seeing this invitation). Please note that Google Classroom requires a Gmail address to access the Classroom. If you do not have a Gmail account, the email invitation will be sent to the email address we have on file and will prompt you to create a free account or enter an existing account to join the classroom. If we are unable to send an email invitation to your non-gmail account, you will be contacted by a staff member to provide a Gmail address. If you do not have a Gmail account, you can create a free account here. Should you have concerns about this, please contact a Loft staff member at [email protected] or 612-379-8999. For more information on how to use Google Classroom, please see our training manual here.