Writing and Publishing the Risky Personal Essay

Heartbreak, death, trauma, abuse, loss, relationships: Subject matter that's tough to write about well in a personal essay, though the effort often yields amazing results. But how to write these essays about dark and deeply personal matter in a way that's not too sentimental, preachy, self-indulgent, insular, or raw? In this workshop, you'll study exemplary articles by essayists working today in a variety of magazines and journals—from Salon.com to the New York Times—to see how these authors do it. At least one essay by each student will be workshopped in class. Via short, weekly in-class and at-home writing exercises, you'll apply some key craft lessons about structure, beginnings and endings, characterization, scenes, and time travel to your own work. We'll also discuss the idea of psychic distance, tone, and voice. Finally, we'll look at where students might publish their essays once they're revised and ready for the marketplace. Note: This class is for daring writers.