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In this remote class you will plunge into the personal themes that make your real life stories uniquely yours. In the first half of this class, instructor Alison Luterman will give you writing exercises carefully designed to elicit the undertones and overtones that elevate events and anecdotes into the realm of art. In the last half of class, Alison will guide you through workshopping and refining the pieces you have begun.
“Every one of us is neck-deep in the middle of our own long and winding stories, stories that, when shared, can help us bridge the gap between ourselves and the rest of the world,” says Alison. “What’s wonderful about finding and honing these stories – about being a writer, in fact, is that…it redeems everything, even the moment of burning shame when you flunked the driving test three times, even the fact that you could never decide what you wanted to be when you grew up. It reminds you that once you were twenty and limber and unafraid to sleep in the cornfield when hitchhiking across France. And, like the smell of fresh coffee or a first kiss, it heightens the senses. We’ll workshop your essays or memoir excerpts from the standpoint of craft, voice, and structure, using the techniques of fiction writing, playwriting, and even poetry to enliven your writing.”
About The Writing Salon's Online Zoom Classes
You will be able to participate in live class meetings via Zoom videoconference. To attend classes, you'll need a phone, tablet or computer and access to the internet. You can participate in the class from wherever you'd like, whether on your living room couch or in your office. Before your class meets, you'll receive an email from The Writing Salon with more information about Zoom and your remote class. If you have any questions about remote learning, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at hello@writingsalons.com.
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Alison Luterman is the author of four books of poetry, including In the Time of Great Fires and Desire Zoo, and an e-book of personal essays, Feral City. Her work has appeared in the New York Times Magazine, The Sun, Rattle, The Atlanta Review, Catamaran, and many other journals and anthologies. She also writes song lyrics, plays, and is interested in hybrid forms. She has been teaching at the Writing Salon for over twenty years, and has also taught through Poets in the Schools, at New College, at Esalen and Omega Institutes and at workshops and conferences around the country. To learn more, you can visit www.alisonluterman.net.
- Live Zoom Meeting: Wednesday, September 25, 6:30pm-9:00pm
- Live Zoom Meeting: Wednesday, October 02, 6:30pm-9:00pm
- Live Zoom Meeting: Wednesday, October 09, 6:30pm-9:00pm
- Live Zoom Meeting: Wednesday, October 23, 6:30pm-9:00pm
- Live Zoom Meeting: Wednesday, October 30, 6:30pm-9:00pm
- Live Zoom Meeting: Wednesday, November 06, 6:30pm-9:00pm
- Live Zoom Meeting: Wednesday, November 13, 6:30pm-9:00pm
- Live Zoom Meeting: Wednesday, November 20, 6:30pm-9:00pm
- Live Zoom Meeting: Wednesday, December 04, 6:30pm-9:00pm
Alison is exactly what I was looking for in a writing teacher. She made the classroom environment very “safe” for us as writers and readers. She gave us very solid, specific, yet kind, feedback. She encouraged everyone to participate, by being present and interested when others were talking.”
Alison’s teaching style is a delight. She is informal and warm. She guides the group very well and presents a variety of opportunities for expression that certainly helped me grow. I am also touched by the intimacy that the group developed over time…thanks to Alison’s gentle, but firm guidance.
Alison led the classes skillfully. She quickly established safety in the group, presented interesting and inspiring articles by other writers, and gently facilitated group discussions (encouraging us to listen without judgement and making sure each person had an opportunity to speak). She also generously shared her knowledge as a writer and gave kind and helpful (and sometimes challenging) feedback about our personal writing. I highly recommend her classes to any writer, both experienced and new.
Allison created a safe space for us to express ourselves authentically and deeply.
Alison was great--she was super supportive, gave excellent feedback and had so many nuggets of wisdom about what makes an effective and compelling piece of writing.