Class

Discover Your Inner Critic: An Intro to Criticism

When you read a book, watch a TV show or film, or listen to a song, are you ever affected by that art? Do you share those reactions with others, recommending a movie or talking to a friend about why you didn't like the newest season of show on Netflix?

The art of analyzing art—and our own reactions to it—is criticism, and it's a genre by itself, and one that can be useful for all writers. Just as reading makes us better writers, critiquing other works can help you improve your own, whatever kind of writing you craft: novels, memoir, screenplays, essays, poems.

In this virtual class, the president of the Television Critics Association and an award-winning TV critic will offer an introduction to the craft of criticism.

In this class, students will:

- Learn the fundamentals of critiquing art and culture
- Examine and discuss examples of outstanding criticism, and leave with a collection of more to read
- Practice with in-class examples and writing exercises

All classes listed on the Loft website take place in Central Time.

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.