Class Description
How do we maintain a generative writing practice as we wrestle through the psychogeography of daily cultural trauma? Can sorrow and grief lead to an emergence in our writing, especially for writers who are traversing their own cultural histories and ancestral cartographies? In this 4-week session, writers will begin to identify the exits and entrances of wounds, allowing the writing of their stories to be exploratory, enlisting the work as a map, using “sorrow as the cartographer” and activating wounds as decolonial.
This session will include weekly writing prompts, discussion, and workshop as a means to cultivate a space for writers to develop their craft within the context of traversing trauma and grief. The craft approaches that writers will experience will be informed by the close reading and study of authors from global cultures who are reshaping the craft of western canon by pushing the boundaries of the western construct of storytelling.
Writers are invited to work on their own stories or create new ones.
Writing prompts & readings will act as a guide to generative entrances into the writing. Author readings include Bayo Akolomafe, Carl Phillips, Tommy Orange, Lauret Savoy, Michelle Cliff, Ocean Vuong, J. Drew Lanham, and others.
Writing Roadmap: We've created a simple, goal-based writing roadmap to help you find the perfect GrubStreet course for your writing needs.
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.
This class will take place in-person at our Center for Creative Writing in Boston's Seaport neighborhood.
Covid-19 Update:
GrubStreet's space will be mask-optional when Boston's Covid-19 Community Level is low or medium. When the Covid-19 Community Level is high, our space will require masks. Please check GrubStreet's Covid-19 page for the latest info on masking and Community Levels before visiting in person.
Space Accessibility:
Our space is ADA accessible with automatic door openers, ADA-compliant restrooms, desk and table spacing, braille signage, and elevator. Our classrooms can be equipped with ALS for hard of hearing individuals. We cannot guarantee a scent-free environment. For more accessibility requests, please contact our Operations team at [email protected] or (617) 695-0075.