The Writing Cycle: Generate, Critique, Revise - Remote!

Class Description

Please note: This class is available by invitation from the instructor only. It will not be available for purchase if added to your cart. If you are interested in taking this class, please get in touch with us at [email protected].

This 8-week course is designed for writers of creative nonfiction and focuses on writing, critiquing, and revising in equal measure. You’ll learn how to substantively critique one another’s writing and how to revise your own. Each participant will generate a mid-length memoir chapter or essay to work on during the course. Guided by class feedback and incremental deadlines, you’ll push that first draft through a round of thoughtful rewriting. Alongside that process, we’ll discuss the basics of giving and receiving constructive, respectful feedback. We’ll also cover a specific element of craft—such as perspective, character, scene or structure—each week. By the course’s end, you’ll have a solid draft and a strong foundation in the language and dynamics of critique and revision, preparing you for future workshops and a more sustainable independent writing practice. We will read work by authors such as, but not limited to: Anthony Bourdain, James Baldwin, Victoria Chang, Matthew Salesses, Tina Fey, Eddie Izzard, Carrie Fisher, Teju Cole, Mary Karr, Donna Tartt, Anne Enright, and Ta-Nehisi Coates.

This will also enable us to evolve the workshopping experience. By learning the practice of nonviolent communication, we become more emotionally grounded messengers of our critiques, allowing our fellow writers to become better listeners. Ideally, no one should feel like they are in the “hot seat,” but rather supported and held by the space and excited to take their writing to the next level. Light meditation and “checking in” will be utilized to create a more embodied experience and safer space for everyone. This class will focus on the stories of BIPOC and LGBTQ+ people, and writers from those communities are especially encouraged to enroll.

Please note: Class does not meet October 11th.

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.