201 Developing a Voice: Style in the Nonfiction Essay (ENGLISH)

What makes for a great essayist’s voice? How do you craft and shape nonfiction through an original and exciting style? This class will look at some of the master stylists of the genre: including John McPhee, Vivian Gornick, Hanif Abdurraqib, Janet Malcolm, Barry Lopez, and others. We’ll break down their writing to the sentence level, analyzing how the masters use syntax, rhythm and detail to elevate the mere presentation of facts into great writing. We’ll talk about strategies for reinvigorating your own prose, and how to think about creating a voice that is compelling and entirely yours.

Instructor

Colin Dickey