Octavia Butler and Samuel Delany Study Hall: A Speculative Fiction Workshop

How do we write for the future? In this 6-hour seminar, we will focus on the short fiction of Octavia Butler and Samuel R. Delaney, two visionary sci-fi/fantasy writers whose stories reflected their present moments as much as they predicted our own. We will engage these authors on their respective creative processes for plot and characterization—subjects on which they often spoke together.

We will then gather elements from the creative principles of both authors to generate our own work in class. We will also be using prompts from Matthew Salesses, Jeff Vandermeer, and Neil Gaiman. Our exercises will be dynamic, somatic, and just a little magical. At the end, participants will have an opportunity to read their work aloud.

Class Format

This class will take place using Zoom videoconferencing. About 15 minutes before your class is scheduled to begin, you'll receive an email from your instructor with a link to join the class meeting!

Scholarship Information

Thanks to the excellent literary citizenship of our donors, scholarships are available for all GrubStreet classes. To apply, click the gray "APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIP" button. In order to be considered for a scholarship, you must complete your application at least one week before the start date of a class. Please await our scholarship committee's decision before registering for the class. We cannot hold spots in classes, so the sooner you apply, the better. Scholarships cannot be applied retroactively.

For more more detailed information about GrubStreet scholarships, including how to contribute to scholarship funds for other students, click here.