Autofiction: Putting a Spin on Your Life

Five Tuesday Sessions
11/11 – 12/9
6:30 – 8:30 PM 

Perfect for writers who wish to combine fiction and non-fiction, this workshop will allow us to explore the paths the stories of our lives can take when given the liberties allowed by fiction. We will read excerpts from autofiction by Alexander Chee, Ocean Vuong, Sylvia Plath, Teju Cole, and more to understand the forms and shapes of the genre. We will also use writing prompts to tap into the perfect inspiration for stories as well as experiment with structure and characterizations to see how each writer’s autofictional paths unfold.

Students can expect:

• Discussions around what autofiction is and how it is different from creative nonfiction and memoir
• Conversations on how to best take advantage of elements of fiction and nonfiction to create their own work of autofiction
• How to take cues from the world around them—experiences, people, emotions—to craft a fictional world