Description
Writing a personal or narrative essay is, by its very nature, an intimate and defiant act. Writers reveal something deeply significant about their lives or something they witnessed, and how it changed them in some way. These stories captivate readers because they are compelling, painful, funny, interesting, or thought-provoking and have the power to shift, enlighten, or evolve the reader’s thinking by offering new perspectives. The personal essay is a way to be seen and to see the world in a new way. It’s a way to bravely resist and document that resistance.
There is so much injustice in the world, and it is the storytellers who will shape the narrative of history. Publishers of both news and literary publications are increasingly interested in the personal essay as a vital form of content that offers both political and artistic possibilities to better frame today’s devastating events. In this workshop, we’ll explore how to integrate contemporary issues with craft to reach readers via an intimate lens. In an era of mistrust and disinformation, the personal essay can break through the noise as a meaningful form of truth to power.
