Please note: The calendar is always a work in progress. If I need to make any changes I will make an announcement in class and post an updated schedule.
Welcome to our creative nonfiction workshop! This calendar will guide you through our residency sessions. Whenever you see "Homework" listed, that is reading to be done that night before the next day's class. Most of the readings are in our text book, The Truth of the Matter. A few are available at the links provided below. The ones listed as a handout will be provided during class. Please let me know if you have any questions. Let's get started!
Before our first session...
Read Chapters 1 and 2, AND pages 263-291 in The Truth of the Matter
Saturday, January 6, 9-11:30am
Free Write #1: Beautiful Things.
Focus: The Foundations of Creative Nonfiction.
Homework: Review Chapter 3 in The Truth of the Matter, and the essays “You’ll Love the Way We Fly” by Lori Jakiela (this essay is on page 105 of your text book), "Where Worlds Collide" by Pico Iyer (p. 189 of text book) and "JUDY! JUDY! JUDY!" by Elena Passarello (Handout).
Sunday, January 7, 9-11am
Free Write #2: Describe the city/place/neighborhood where you grew up.
Focus: Detail and Description
Preparing for Workshop: Discuss providing and receiving feedback.
Homework: Review Chapter 4 in The Truth of the Matter, and the essays “The Drama Bug" by David Sedaris (p. 229), "Dumber Than" by Lee Martin (p. 107), and "Living Like Weasels by Annie Dillard (p. 140).
Monday, January 8, 9-11:30am
Free Write #3: Describe a person/relative who made a strong impression on you.
Focus: Characterization and Scene
Workshop: Rose Campbell
Homework: Review Chapter 5 in The Truth of the Matter, and the essays “Why I Didn’t Go to the Firehouse,” by Sophfronia Scott and “What Happens in Hell" by Charles Baxter (Handout).
Tuesday, January 9, 9-11:30am
Free Write #4:“What they don’t tell you about…”
Focus: Voice and Point of View
Workshop: Troy D. Allan
Homework: Review Chapter 6 in The Truth of the Matter and read "Buckeye" by Scott Russell Sanders (p. 224) and "Gestures in Waiting" and "Notes from the Konukevi" by Robert Vivian (Handouts). Also read "A Few Thoughts on the Meditative Essay" at this link.
Wednesday, January 10: INTERMEZZO-NO CLASS
Thursday, January 11, 9-11:30am
Free Write #5: “The one minute I regret the most…”
Focus: Discovery and the Meditative Essay
Workshop: Paul Bartels
Homework: Review Chapter 7 in The Truth of the Matter, and the essay “Confessions of a Former, Former Fat Kid,” by Isaac Fitzgerald. Also read "Metaphor and Meaning" from Bill Roorbach's Writing Life Stories (Handout)
Friday, January 12, 9-11:30am
Free Write #6: List the differences in your childhood home. How has it changed?
Focus: The Memoir Essay and Metaphor
Workshop: Christina Meares
Homework: Review Chapter 8 in The Truth of the Matter, and the essay “Frank Sinatra Has a Cold" by Gay Talese.
Saturday, January 13, 9-11:30am (With a Substitute Teacher)
Free Write #7: What are you curious about?
Focus: The Literary Journalism Essay
Homework: Review Chapter 9 in The Truth of the Matter, and the essay “The Animals We Invent" and "I'll Fly Away: Notes on Economy Class Citizenship" by Donald Quist.
Sunday, January 14, 9-10:30am
Free Write #8: “I write about the things that trouble me…” What bothers/troubles you?
Focus: The Personal Essay and Concluding Thoughts on Creative Nonfiction
Workshop: Sue Allon
Welcome to our creative nonfiction workshop! This calendar will guide you through our residency sessions. Whenever you see "Homework" listed, that is reading to be done that night before the next day's class. Most of the readings are in our text book, The Truth of the Matter. A few are available at the links provided below. The ones listed as a handout will be provided during class. Please let me know if you have any questions. Let's get started!
Before our first session...
Read Chapters 1 and 2, AND pages 263-291 in The Truth of the Matter
Saturday, January 6, 9-11:30am
Free Write #1: Beautiful Things.
Focus: The Foundations of Creative Nonfiction.
Homework: Review Chapter 3 in The Truth of the Matter, and the essays “You’ll Love the Way We Fly” by Lori Jakiela (this essay is on page 105 of your text book), "Where Worlds Collide" by Pico Iyer (p. 189 of text book) and "JUDY! JUDY! JUDY!" by Elena Passarello (Handout).
Sunday, January 7, 9-11am
Free Write #2: Describe the city/place/neighborhood where you grew up.
Focus: Detail and Description
Preparing for Workshop: Discuss providing and receiving feedback.
Homework: Review Chapter 4 in The Truth of the Matter, and the essays “The Drama Bug" by David Sedaris (p. 229), "Dumber Than" by Lee Martin (p. 107), and "Living Like Weasels by Annie Dillard (p. 140).
Monday, January 8, 9-11:30am
Free Write #3: Describe a person/relative who made a strong impression on you.
Focus: Characterization and Scene
Workshop: Rose Campbell
Homework: Review Chapter 5 in The Truth of the Matter, and the essays “Why I Didn’t Go to the Firehouse,” by Sophfronia Scott and “What Happens in Hell" by Charles Baxter (Handout).
Tuesday, January 9, 9-11:30am
Free Write #4:“What they don’t tell you about…”
Focus: Voice and Point of View
Workshop: Troy D. Allan
Homework: Review Chapter 6 in The Truth of the Matter and read "Buckeye" by Scott Russell Sanders (p. 224) and "Gestures in Waiting" and "Notes from the Konukevi" by Robert Vivian (Handouts). Also read "A Few Thoughts on the Meditative Essay" at this link.
Wednesday, January 10: INTERMEZZO-NO CLASS
Thursday, January 11, 9-11:30am
Free Write #5: “The one minute I regret the most…”
Focus: Discovery and the Meditative Essay
Workshop: Paul Bartels
Homework: Review Chapter 7 in The Truth of the Matter, and the essay “Confessions of a Former, Former Fat Kid,” by Isaac Fitzgerald. Also read "Metaphor and Meaning" from Bill Roorbach's Writing Life Stories (Handout)
Friday, January 12, 9-11:30am
Free Write #6: List the differences in your childhood home. How has it changed?
Focus: The Memoir Essay and Metaphor
Workshop: Christina Meares
Homework: Review Chapter 8 in The Truth of the Matter, and the essay “Frank Sinatra Has a Cold" by Gay Talese.
Saturday, January 13, 9-11:30am (With a Substitute Teacher)
Free Write #7: What are you curious about?
Focus: The Literary Journalism Essay
Homework: Review Chapter 9 in The Truth of the Matter, and the essay “The Animals We Invent" and "I'll Fly Away: Notes on Economy Class Citizenship" by Donald Quist.
Sunday, January 14, 9-10:30am
Free Write #8: “I write about the things that trouble me…” What bothers/troubles you?
Focus: The Personal Essay and Concluding Thoughts on Creative Nonfiction
Workshop: Sue Allon
