Class Description
The term autofiction has been trending recently, but what does it actually mean? And more importantly, how can we do it well? In this four-week generative session, designed for writers with prior workshop experience, we will dive into the questions and challenges a writer faces when turning one’s life into character, plot, and a compelling narrative. We will work on how to balance the verisimilitude of autofiction with tackling the creative impasses or "plotlessness" the genre may present. We will begin by exploring autobiographical material, themes, and characters that can inform our own fiction. Each class, we will read sample texts to unpack techniques and effects, then use what we learn to generate and workshop your own autofiction. You can expect to leave this class with a clearer understanding of the genre, concrete approaches to turn your life into engaging fiction, and some generated work that you can build on.
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 using Zoom videoconferencing. After registering, a yellow Resources tab will appear in this section containing a link to join class. Please note that you will need to be logged into view the Resources tab.
Zoom Participation:
In our experience, the intimate nature of a writing workshop benefits from on-camera participation. Students are of course welcome to turn their camera off whenever they need to, but it is a community norm for cameras to be on most of the time. You can learn more about using Zoom here.
Zoom Accessibility:
You can enable closed captioning at any time during the meeting by clicking the CC button at the bottom of the screen. If you'd like to access the transcript after class, please make sure to let your instructor ahead of time that you'd like a copy.