About the instructor: Jennifer Lauck is The New York Times and London Times Bestselling author of Blackbird, Still Waters, Show Me the Way, and Found, with work published in twenty-nine countries and twenty-one foreign languages. She was featured on The Oprah Show where Winfrey held up Blackbird and commanded her audience to “read this book.” Jennifer is also the author of several essays published in collections and magazines that include the Norton anthology Knitting Yarns, edited by Ann Hood and Buddha Dharma. After teaching at conferences and MFA programs, Jennifer founded The Blackbird Studio for Writers. Bringing a collaborative approach to her teaching, Jennifer hones in on each writer’s innate gift and works to amplify that gift via classic studies of literature and storytelling. Blackbird Studio Site: https://blackbirdstudiopdx.com/
Course description: This workshop will focus on creative non-fiction that brings forth insight and wisdom from lived experience. Emphasizing the fundamentals of scene, exposition, and progression, as well as sentence-level construction, we will define, provide examples, and help you apply “the three pillars” of creative nonfiction. The first pillar is the story's through-line, the second pillar is the back story (or flashback scenes) used for context, and the third pillar is the insertion of the writer via seamless commentary. This third pillar, which is often the most difficult emotionally as it requires tremendous insight, control, and perspective, is needed to tie the narrative together and provide readers with an alchemized experience.
Each class session will include a lecture with handouts, discussion time, workshopping (reading work aloud to the group and feedback), and assignments based on the teaching.
The goal will be for you to leave inspired and invigorated to create work in this complex, often overwhelming genre, and to have a clear vision of your work and goals.
For writers of all levels.
Preparation: Books I’m asking you to get, read, and bring to class:
Tell it Slant by Brenda Miller, 3rd Edition
I Hate to Leave This Beautiful Place by Howard Norman
Please send the following by 1 May 2024 to admin.pww@wice-paris.org. Please include your masterclass workshop name with your materials.
- Personal bio to include where you’ve studied and what you have published.
- Your writing goals at the craft level and at the level of reaching readers.
- Overview of the project you will work on as part of the Paris Writers Workshop.
- Opening sample of your most current project, as well, and what you consider your most exciting work—total of 3000 words.
Agent consultations: For an additional fee, you can register for one, or two, agent consultations. Available exclusively to participants who have enrolled in a masterclass. Space is limited. More information here on Oliver Munson, and more information here on Caroline Hardman.
Cancellation Policy:
- Full refund through 15 April 2024 minus 100€ admin fee
- Half refund through 30 April 2024 minus 100€ admin fee
- No refund after 30 April 2024
In the event of unforeseen circumstances, PWW reserves the right to replace an instructor.
