When: Friday, March 22nd, 6:00pm-7:30pm
Saturday, March 23rd, 9:30am-3:30pm (Lunch break at noon)
Sunday, March 24th, 9:30am-3:30pm (Lunch break at noon)
Where: Iowa Writers' House, 332 East Davenport St
Cost: $265
ABOUT THE WORKSHOP
While creative nonfiction is oriented toward fact, there are many ways that it borrows on fiction. A “true story” still requires plot, which is organized more meaningfully than actual events. If memory fails, the author invents the truth: picturing what clothes Mom was wearing or how the kitchen smelled. The best writers aren’t shy about this creative necessity. Annie Dillard depicts a kind of “ghost frog” on Tinker Creek—reduced to a bubble of skin—but in fact she discovered the phenomenon in a book. James McBride takes on his dead mother’s point of view, letting her speak as if she is the narrator. Virginia Woolf sets aside the actual streets of London so that she can follow her own stream of consciousness.
In this weekend course, we will release our restraints, particularly worries about factual accuracy, so that we can explore creative options. Come prepared to play with the truth and to expand the nonfiction horizon. We will generate new material that can stand on its own or be integrated into existing projects.
ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR
Tim Bascom is author of a novel, a collection of essays, and two prize-winning memoirs: Running to the Fire and Chameleon Days. His essays have won editor’s prizes at The Missouri Review and Florida Review, being selected for Best Creative Nonfiction and Best American Travel Writing. Bascom, who received his MFA from the University of Iowa, is Director of Creative Writing at Waldorf University.
INSTRUCTOR INSPIRATION STATEMENT
When you write creative nonfiction, your point of view matters deeply. How you see the world is just as important, or more important, than what has happened to you. Put experience and a unique perspective together, then watch the fireworks begin!
REGISTER FOR WORKSHOP
Everyone has a story to tell. If you are financially unable to attend this workshop, scholarships are available through our generous partners and donors. Apply here:
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