Do you have a story to tell, but struggle in knowing where to begin? Are there gaps in memory, or lulls in action, that make a traditional narrative arc unwieldy? Are you ready to try something new in your nonfiction writing?

This class is about setting aside the demands of chronology by embracing lyric structures. We’ll explore four different shapes, one each week—segmented essays, braided essays, hermit crabs (essays using found forms), and flash nonfiction / micro-memoir—by distilling basic craft principles, reading compelling examples from contemporary writers, and using prompts to get you started. Participants submit work for three out of the four weeks, taking a “pass” one week (a week of your choice) to focus instead on dialogue over assigned readings and classmates’ drafts.