Class Description

One of the central struggles in storytelling is that human beings are, in essence, time travelers. We live in the past of our memories and the future of our hopes. Thus, when we tell stories, we often shuttle around in time. This can be exciting, but more often it winds up confusing the reader, and (in my case) the writer. In this fast-paced seminar, we’ll unravel the mysteries of chronology by looking at the work of such masters as Cheryl Strayed, Meg Wolitzer, and Natasha Tretheway, and help writers figure out how to tell their stories in a way that thrills their readers. This class will be recorded and the recording made available to all registered students. Instructor bio: Steve Almond [stevealmondjoy.org] is the author of twelve books of fiction and non-fiction including the New York Times bestsellers Candyfreak and Against Football. His novel All the Secrets of the World, was published in Spring, and is in development by 20th Century Fox TV. He is the recipient of an NEA grant for 2022. His short fiction has appeared in the Best American Short Stories, the Pushcart Prize, and Best American Mysteries. His essays have appeared in the New York Times Magazine and elsewhere. His latest book, Truth Is the Arrow, Mercy Is the Bow, is about storytelling and the struggle to write.