Fiction Workshop: Writing the Present Day

If you've chosen some period between 2016-2026 for the setting of your story or novel, how do you write about such a time frame without taking the reader out of the story? How do you mention phones or Instagram or television shows and maintain a literary edge instead of merely placing words on a page? This workshop is for writers working on stories or novels where the year is a backdrop rather than the major driving force of the plot.

We'll meet to discuss strategies and examples used in three contemporary novels to see how literary fiction can be produced about our current moment, without being consumed by it. The novels we'll discuss are:

• Whistler by Ann Patchett
• The Ten Year Affair by Erin Somers
• Minor Black Figures by Brandon Taylor

You don't need to have read the books prior to the class. Please come with questions about your own work, as part of the class will be dedicated to helping attendees solve challenges in their writing.

If you purchase a ticket with the books included, you will receive a separate email indicating when the books are available for pick up.

The workshop will be led by Maura Cheeks, owner of Liz's Book Bar and author of Acts of Forgiveness.