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Open Creative Nonfiction
Course Material
- Syllabus for Open Creative Nonfiction
- Week 1: Thursday, September 16th (synchronous meeting)
- Week 6+: October 26th (synchronous meeting)
- Week 6: October 19th and 21st (revised)
- Week 5: October 12th and 14th (revised)
- Week 4: October 5 and October 7th (revised)
- Week 3: September 28th and September 30th (revised)
- Week 2: September 21st and September 23rd (revised)
- Theme, Terms and Class Structure
Week 4: October 5 and October 7th (revised)
For Tuesday, October 5th, please post the following to the shared Googledoc.
EXERCISE: Revisit your place, and imagine a shift in time.
In your 2-3 page piece, address these items:
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Approach the place as you would have in the past—as a younger person, or before a particular milestone in your life.
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Or, approach it from the future. If you choose the future, anticipate how you might change in relation to the place.
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This exercise might be more fruitful if you imagine the time as during your lifespan, but I don’t mean to limit you.
For Thursday, October 7th, please prepare to lead discussion on one piece (tbd) and familiarize yourself with the article below:
READING:
Mary Karr, “Facing Altars: Poetry and Prayer.”
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
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How does Karr marry the sacred and the profane for comedic effect? Which moments feel more genuine?
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Evaluate the sense of authority in the piece. How is she performing “the converted” role through her language and style?
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The story winds a great deal—from childhood, to early motherhood, through divorce and conversion—using a sort of montage effect. Is this approach successful?
