Class

4-Week Workshop: Writing Fantasy

Monsters, magic, and mayhem! It is through fantastical worlds that we learn about our very real experiences. In this class, students will dive into the genre of Fantasy, one of the oldest storytelling traditions on the planet. The course welcomes all levels of writers and readers.

In the first hour of each class, we will study the history of Fantasy, starting with the great epics of Sundiata and Gilgamesh and continuing to current authors such as Vajra Chandrasekera and Ryka Aoki.

Students will also strive to answer the question "what is fantasy?" while writing new works from in-class prompts.

In the second hour, there will be a moderated workshop. Workshops will be Socratic discussions of the work, led by the teaching artist. For workshop, each student may submit one manuscript of 500-4500 words. The student will receive verbal and written feedback from their peers and the teaching artist. The submission can be an excerpt of a larger work and does not have to be prose, but it must be Fantasy.

While receiving feedback is optional, all students will be expected to give feedback on the works that are presented.

This class takes place in-person, at the Loft at Open Book; we encourage participants to be fully vaccinated and masked in the interest of everyone’s safety. Please see the Loft’s website for the most up to date information about the Loft’s COVID policies.