Free Community Creative Writing Classes at Northwestern
EVANSTON—Please join Northwestern University School of Professional Studies for The Apprentices: Free Community Creative Writing Classes, a two-day event on November 23-24, 2019 in University Hall (1897 Sheridan Road) on the Evanston campus.
Students in the part-time MFA in Prose & Poetry and MA in Writing programs at Northwestern will be teaching free and open-to-the-public creative writing classes. In lieu of payment, donations will be accepted to benefit Open Books.
Classes are intended for adult writers with various levels of experience. You may register for a maximum of three classes. Each class will last around 50 to 55 minutes. Attendees are expected to bring paper and pen/pencil or their laptops.
To register, please email apprentices@northwestern.edu.
SCHEDULE
Saturday, November 23, 2019
9:30 AM
Doors Open
Sign-in, coffee and bagels
10 AM
What Hollywood Can Teach Us About Literary Plot - Instructor: Gerald Nowak
Hollywood is well known for its highly structured, some might say formulaic, plot lines. But just as a disciplined jazz musician learns the traditional rules of key, harmony and time in order to break them effectively, in this class we will learn the "Hollwood formula" both to expand our understanding of plot generally and then learn how to break those rules. We'll dig deep into the plot of a Hollywood blockbuster based on a well-known novel to illustrate how the Hollywood method is more than just a formula. And you'll get a chance to reimagine certain plot elements to see how that would change the overall arc of the story.
11 AM
Objects of Affection: Writing from Childhood Treasures - Instructor: Lisa Weiss
What was your favorite childhood toy? In this class, we'll draw inspiration from childhood objects—dolls, toys, bears, and other trinkets that evoke memory. If you still have your childhood object or a photo of it, please bring it along with you to class—and if you don’t, not to worry: You’ll have an opportunity to describe it. We'll use these objects as the foundation for a generative creative writing exercise. You’ll learn how to keep an “object diary”—a joyful daily writing exercise that harnesses memory and the unconscious mind to spark the seeds of stories.
12 PM
Talk to Text: The Evolution of Dialogue in the 21st Century - Instructor: Miranda Garbaciak
The technological age has changed the way we speak so much that literature has had a bit of a difficult time keeping up. As writers going into the 2020s, we need to learn how to include text, email, social media and so much more in our stories. In this class, we will look at both good and bad examples of how to incorporate these modes of communication into our work as well as why this is becoming more important in literature. On top of that, we will also take time to write based off exercises and attempt to generate the beginnings of a story during our time together.
1 PM
Beaker to Bedside to Bookshelf: Writing Science and Medicine - Instructor: Michaela Ritz
As long as there have been people, there has been illness. And as long as there have been artists, they have detailed the ways the human body can hurt or heal. The past century has seen unprecedented growth in knowledge of our pathogenic adversaries and their potential cures. In this class, we will consider how our expanding scientific knowledge impacts stories around sickness, health, healing, and dying. Students will also have a chance to begin their own narratives around topics in science and medicine. All students are welcome—no background in science is necessary.
Please be aware that some of our discussions will focus on representations of illness and death.
2 PM
Point of View in Mystery Writing - Instructor: Aubyn Keefe
What makes a satisfying mystery? So much of it depends on the voice and point of view through which facts are presented. On the one hand, we have classics like The Maltese Falcon, which contains no interiority whatsoever. On the other, we have more modern whodunits like Mystic River, where many characters are given equal emphasis and responsibility when it comes to telling the story. In this class—through reading, discussion, and a writing exercise—we will look at the risks and rewards of different uses of POV.
3 PM
Experimental Nonfiction - Instructor: Michele Popadich
More and more, we are seeing creative nonfiction take on various forms beyond the five-paragraph essay. In this introductory course, we will explore other forms that your work can take, breaking the boundaries and investigating the narratives of our everyday lives to inform the structure of our work. Some examples are memoir or personal essay through a list, index, micro essay, letter, recipe, an Instagram caption, or even an application to be a contestant on your favorite TV show. In this class, we will complete exercises to experiment with a variety of forms, exploring the ways in which form provides both the writer and the reader with a new lens through which to understand the world.
4 PM
The Devil's in the Details: Making What's on the Page Real - Instructor: Laura Humble
What makes a good liar? "Bad liars pile on the facts and the figures, the corroborating evidence, the improbable directions... while good (or at least better) liars know it's the single priceless detail that jumps out of the story and tells us to take it easy" (Francine Prose). And what are storytellers if not liars? In this class, we will learn how to effectively use the small, priceless detail to make the worlds and characters we create in our stories as real and as memorable as you and me.
Sunday, November 24
9:30 AM
Doors Open
Sign-in, coffee, and bagels
10 AM
You Need Help: Understanding How to use Second Person Point of View - Instructor: Holly Stovall
When is the second person point of view the basic mode of the story? Is second person just a gimmick? Are there times when second person can accomplish something better than first and third person points of view? In this class, we will consider authors who've successfully used second person point of view as the basic mode of the story. We will read excerpts from stories and novels and ask why it works and how. During class, I will offer a couple of writing prompts so that you, too, can explore the second person point of view. You will have the opportunity to share with the class if you choose.
11 AM
Building a World from Scratch - Instructor: Irene Yeh
The world is a mass of endless possibilities, a hub of hidden wonders, and a void of the dark unknown. So, how do we create something that is gigantic, scary, and wonderful from nothing? How do we establish the setting, the conflict, and even the characters--all of which are influenced by the world they are in? How do we keep track of everything? In this course, we will be looking at what goes into worldbuilding and how to establish the laws, rules, and other elements in order to develop a foundation for a story waiting to be told.
12 PM
Writing in Public - Instructor: Fred Schmalz
As writers, most of us love to work in a certain amount of comfort—our favorite desk, a peaceful house, a bit of solitude. But upending that routine to go write out in the noisy, distracting world can be fruitful for different reasons. In this course, we will discuss what to think about when you’re planning to write in public, with a focus on how you might choose locales and prepare for writing in them (for example: writing on a street corner, writing in a movie or theater, writing at a protest march, writing in a park, writing in the middle of a dying mall—basically, writing when you’re expected to be doing something else, how it differs from writing in private, and what you might plan for when undertaking “field work.” This course will include a brief walk as an opportunity for noticing/note-taking/writing.
1 PM
Me, Myself, & I - Instructor: Olivia Hall
When writing a personal essay, how much “you” is too much? How do you learn to talk about your experiences, and give them wider meaning, without falling into pages of rambling stream of consciousness? In this class, we will look through multiple styles of personal essay exposition to see how some of the masters of the genre have avoided falling into self-indulgent prose; then, we will experiment with the tips and tricks we’ve learned as we each draft a short personal essay. Geared toward writers of creative nonfiction but open to writers from all genres.
2 PM
Build Your Own Chicago - Instructor: Eric Melecio
Go to the Loop to check out who’s giving a reading at the Poetry Foundation? Ride the CTA? We all have a different experience of this city. All of them unique depending who you are. In this class we will incorporate experiences in living in this city into our writing and explore your own Chicago. We will focus on building setting and giving these places a unique character. Suburbs included.
3 PM
Go Ahead, Make Me Laugh - Instructor: Erika Carey
Whether you’re crafting an epic memoir or the biography of a one-trick pony, humor is a great tool to involve your readers and hold their attention. Deeply engage the right-side of your brain in this generative workshop that explores the basics of humor writing while allowing you to practice within the form. This workshop is designed for curious writers of all levels who want to infuse humor into their writing or just desperately need a new way to make fun of their Aunt Cleda.