Writing Fiction for a Better World

"Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. Maybe many of us won't be here to greet her, but on a quiet day, if I listen very carefully, I can hear her breathing.”― Arundhati Roy

Are you an activist, writer, or activist writer who cares deeply about a social justice issue, whether it be gender equality, reproductive rights, racial justice, environmentalism, abolition, or otherwise? Have you written about the issue and your anger over and over and over again, past the point of exhaustion? Does the state of the world feel so dire, you want to give up? This class is all about rediscovering your hope, and recovering your heart.

In this class, we’ll shift our perspective away from reaction (putting out the wildfires) and toward transformation (planting a new forest). Through a short series of envisioning exercises, we’ll conceive a better world: what would it look like, if we finally won our long-fought battles? What would it be like to live in a free, post-struggle, healthy world? Then, with world-building techniques drawn from speculative traditions, we’ll translate our visions into writing. While we will draw inspiration and story-concepts from the real world, our positive reimaginings of reality will result in new fiction writing. 

Reframe your activism; heal your burns; find community and solidarity amongst other writers facing the same challenges; and create 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.