Rethinking Setting: Writing from the Inside and the Outside of a Place

“Writers often think of setting as simply the place and time in which events occur,” says instructor Lori Ostlund. “But in this class we will focus on setting as a way to shape and reveal a character,” says co-instructor Anne Raeff.

Throughout the day we will explore the ways that setting can be used to isolate or challenge a character, leading to conflict and even transformation. We will look at examples from short stories and novels and will engage in a series of writing prompts that are meant to help participants rethink their relationship to setting, by both de-familiarizing a familiar place and getting inside a “foreign” setting.

“The class is meant to be generative and practical,” say instructors Lori and Anne. We will discuss some of the obstacles that can come with writing about settings that one does not know intimately, whether it be a different time period, country, or even world. In doing so, we will delve into the roles of research and imagination in bringing a setting to life.

Writers of all levels and backgrounds are welcome!