Writing Letters: Epistolary Prose

Writers use the letter form to write personal essays, poems and fiction because the form provides a container to hold an exploration of events and experiences. Writing epistles quickly builds intimacy with readers because a letter is addressed to a particular person. Letters are a way of testifying, of sharing something internal, of unloading, of finding common ground, and also of raising your voice. In this class, we will examine epistolary writing across the genres. Some of which include: Imani Perry's Breathe, Kiese Laymon's Heavy, Ocean Vuong's essay "A Letter to My Mother That She Will Never Read", Poetry by Danez Smith & Elizabeth Bishop and Fiction by Alice Walker, Nicola Yoon and more. All will be used to explore how letter writing is an effective way to tell a story. And, of course, drafting our own epistles.

This class is ideal for writers who enjoy experimenting with form or who would like to practice experimenting with form.

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