The lilacs are here, and Prince Edward County smells like heaven. And yet, as I write this, tragedy surrounds us. My thoughts are with those who are grieving.
I thought it was high time for a check in.
Unlearning
I’ve been looking more deeply at what I’ve internalized about literature from my own education.
In particular, I’m looking at the way “tight, muscular prose” was celebrated, while cyclical, elliptical, non-linear prose style was often seen as ineffectual or unskilled.
My unlearning continues. Lately, I’ve been focusing more on writing that has been underserved. I’m exploring underrepresented models of story structure. I started updating the readings, reading debriefs, and curriculum accordingly in the Story Course last fall.
The Great Reordering
We were supposed to film new videos for the Story Course and release a new version this summer, but we were hit by Covid-19.
As we were all reeling from shock and grief, we postponed the Little Bird contest and opened Writing Through Uncertainty.
Writers wanted to gather together for the long term, so we made a membership site for peer-to-peer learning. (It’s not ready for the public yet, but I hope to open the doors this summer.)
We’re also extending the registration deadline for the Story Intensive, to allow writers a little more time among all the uncertainty of the past few months. Regular registration will now close on July 1.
Tiny but mighty… and still tiny
Because we’re a tiny team, we’re able to pivot like this. Our size also means that sometimes we have to reset our deadlines, because we aren’t big enough to do everything at once.
I wanted to announce the updated Story Course today. But that release has been pushed back a little.
The new course materials have been installed in the Intensive classroom, so if you’re in the Story Intensive this year, you will be working with the updates.
It is my wish that with the voices added to the updated version of the Story Course, more writers will feel seen, welcomed and excited to learn their craft with us.
Talk to me
In the meantime, is there anything else that you think we are missing? Are there specific questions you have about our school, and how it might work for you?
And if you do want to take the Intensive, is there anything I can do to make it feel more welcoming for you this year?
My Story Intensive office hours are open — feel free to schedule a call.
Wherever you are, I hope you feel cared for this week.
Love,
ps — We’re also considering offering a weekly memoir writing class for seniors. This will be a little different than our other live classes — instead of an online discussion forum, conversations will happen “in-person” on weekly calls. If you’re a senior interested in finding out more, please email [email protected] and let us know.
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