Writing Fiction from Real Life - Remote!

For writers who feel daunted by the notion of starting a story from nothing, real life can provide a useful gateway into the fictional world. The art of shaping credible fiction often means looking to the actual world around us for ideas and cues. In this six-week course, we’ll use personal experiences and observations to craft compelling fiction and characters. Class sessions will include in-class writing exercises, readings, and craft discussions. In the first half of the course, students will share writing they've generated in-class and we’ll discuss that work in low-key, mini workshops. In the second half, we’ll focus on workshopping one longer piece (up to 12 pages) from each student, along with incorporating in-class exercises and readings as time allows. Authors we’ll read may include James Baldwin, Lydia Davis, Jenny Diski, David Markson, Jenny Offill, Claudia Rankine, Mary Robison, and Zadie Smith. 

This class will be hosted using live Zoom meetings! You will be able to participate in class via Zoom videoconference from wherever you’re most comfortable. All you’ll need is a laptop or a phone! 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 via Zoom–no need to download anything or sign up for Zoom in advance! If you have questions about remote learning, please feel free to reach out to [email protected] for more information.

For a glimpse at how remote learning works, look no further than the deep Zoom discussion of writing and literature below:

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.