Class

Writing from Experience: Identity and Fiction

In the past decade, the literary world has sought to publish more authors from historically underrepresented populations, resulting in a much-needed diversification of the American canon and many remarkable books about the interplay of identity and culture. In our current sociopolitical climate, investment in stories of difference and lived experience seems to be at an all-time high. Nevertheless, this may leave the writer deemed "marginalized" or "underrepresented" by the publishing world with some pressing questions: How much of myself do I share on the page? How are positionality and point of view influenced by identity and culture? What are the distinctions among fiction, memoir and autofiction?

In this workshop, we'll answer these questions and more as we craft artist statements, explore the stories we want to tell through scene and dialogue, and discuss what these ongoing literary and political trends mean for the individual artist.

Please email [email protected] at least two to three weeks in advance if you have any accessibility requests for this class. PLEASE NOTE: the elevator in Open Book will be unavailable for use from July - August 2025 due to modernization. This class takes place in-person, at the Loft at Open Book. Please see the Loft’s website for the most up to date information about the Loft’s COVID policies.