The Ghost of You: Writing About Traumatic Loss

Losing someone abruptly and traumatically due to events like homicide, suicide, addiction (and others), comes with feelings that range from guilt, confusion due to unanswered questions, and of course, pain. Writing about that loss is hard, and as difficult as it is, there is way you can turn that pain into something: a story for others to read, understand, and maybe even to take action. In this 3-hour seminar, we will talk about the ways you can turn your grief into stories, memoirs, poems, or even op-ed articles. We will read short excerpts from published writers like Patrick Michael MacDonald, Jesmyn Ward, David Tomas Martinez, to see what route they chose. You may come to class with a piece they already started, or with the goal of creating something new.

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.