Going Deep: Reading and Writing the Personal Essay: Providence

Class Description

What makes a great personal essay stand out? The answer, in part, is that good essayists write with depth and vulnerability. But this is not easy to accomplish. As essay writers, we must get beyond a superficial treatment of what happened and shape our raw material into a meaningful narrative on the page. In this course, we'll explore techniques writers use to enliven and unpack their true stories, by reading and discussing successful published essays by authors like Ariel Levy, Jerald Walker, Roxane Gay and Stephen King. Then you'll apply those craft lessons to your own work. We'll do writing exercises to mine experience and memory, and share what we create in supportive workshops. By the course’s end, you’ll have written one brief essay (800 words or less) and one mid-length essay (6-8 pages) and received feedback on each to help move your drafts forward.

Please note: Class does not meet 10/14 or 11/11.

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.

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