Class

What Did/n't Happen: Exploring Truth in Autofiction

Autofiction is a distinct literary genre that provides writers with incredible creative opportunities. Do you have stories from your own life you wish to write, but want the opportunity to experiment with the events of those experiences, to play with your own presence in those memories, to negotiate with the idea of “truth?” Then autofiction is for you! During this workshop, attendees will read authors engaging with autofiction, such as Vi Khi Nao, Ben Lerner, Sigrid Nunez, Lauren Groff, and others, and will draw upon in-class prompts and craft conversations to develop one short autofictional story (around 10-15 pages). We will discuss student writing during class with workshop partners, which means attendees will receive feedback on their writing from both their classmates and their instructor. As a workshop, we will discuss the entanglement of our “real” lives and the ones we construct on the page. No need to have written or read autofiction before signing up—together, we will get to know the genre, the possibilities that come with writing “what happened” and “what didn’t,” and the rewarding creative output that autofiction offers writers.

All Classes listed on the Loft website take place in Central Standard Time (CST); make sure you understand your time zone, and adjust accordingly

Instructions for Accessing This Online Class

In order to access live class meetings, you must have the Zoom application downloaded to your computer. You will also need a WiFi/Internet connection throughout the duration of your scheduled meeting and a computer with audio and video capability. The information to join your Zoom classroom will be provided in your confirmation email upon registration. Please check spam folders if you do not see this email upon registration. For more information on how to use Zoom, please see our training manual here.

Some classes use a supplemental Google Classroom page. Should your teaching artist use Google Classroom, you will be invited to join the classroom via email at least 24 hours in advance of your class (check spam folders if you are not seeing this invitation). Please note that Google Classroom requires a Gmail address to access the Classroom. If you do not have a Gmail account, the email invitation will be sent to the email address we have on file and will prompt you to create a free account or enter an existing account to join the classroom. If we are unable to send an email invitation to your non-gmail account, you will be contacted by a staff member to provide a Gmail address. If you do not have a Gmail account, you can create a free account here. Should you have concerns about this, please contact a Loft staff member at [email protected] or 612-379-8999. For more information on how to use Google Classroom, please see our training manual here.