The World and I: Reported and Researched Personal Narrative

Some of the most compelling narratives blend the personal with the reported, telling both an individual story and the story of the outside world. In this workshop, writers will examine narrative essays, research-informed creative nonfiction and investigative/immersive “stunt journalistic” memoir. We will practice field reporting and research skills, and we'll look at exemplary works for structure, form and voice, including researched braids and politically informed, activist narratives. Readings will highlight a range of writers working in the genre, from Barbara Ehrenrich, Pico Iyer and Tracy Kidder to George Orwell, Lia Purpura and Sandra Tsing Loh. In addition to in-class and take-home exercises and readings, writers will work on and share an early draft of a researched / reported nonfiction narrative.
Open to nonfiction writers of all levels. This is a 6-week workshop, with a 2-hour session each week. Please prepare for approximately 3-5 hours of work between sessions, including time for your own writing.
This 6-week workshop meets on Thursdays from 6-8pm at LitArts RI on the following dates:

Thurs, Oct 29
Thurs, Nov 5
Thurs, Nov 19
Thurs, Dec 3
Thurs, Dec 10
Thurs, Dec 17
*Please note this workshop skips Thurs, Nov 12 and Thurs, Nov 26

About Your Teaching Artist

Ethan Gilsdorf (he/him) is the author of the award-winning memoir Fantasy Freaks and Gaming Geeks. His work appears in the New York Times, Washington Post, Esquire, Wired, O the Oprah Magazine, Huffington Post, Brevity, Electric Literature, Poetry, and The Southern Review, and has been named twice as "Notable" in Best American Essays. He teaches at GrubStreet, LitArts RI, Craft Talks, and the Solstice MFA Program; and teaches how to play Dungeons & Dragons.

Community Access Lottery
LitArts RI offers a lottery for free admission to those who are from a community that has faced institutional barriers in the writing and publishing worlds or who lack access to resources and could not otherwise afford to attend. The lottery closes 2 weeks before each workshop, at which time entrants will be notified if they are a recipient of one of the free seats.
To enter the lottery, press the red "Get tickets" button at the top right of your screen, then scroll down to add a "Community Access Lottery Ticket" to your cart and check out.
Funding for LitArts RI’s Community Access Lottery was provided in part by a Community Priority Grant from the Rhode Island Foundation.

Safe and Brave Space Policy

Writing workshops can be vulnerable spaces. As a literary arts organization, LitArts RI is committed to providing a safe, brave, inclusive and accessible space to all participants, regardless of race, ethnicity, class, citizenship status, age, size, abilities, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. Be sensitive, be supportive, be respectful and engage with care. Discriminatory, hateful, and threatening content will not be tolerated; we ask that you bring any concerns to our attention immediately.

Accessibility

LitArts RI is wheelchair accessible. The organization is actively committed to cultivating a community that values and reflects diversity, equity and inclusivity and to providing programming that is accessible to all attendees. Please let us know about any accommodations we can make to allow you to participate fully in this event.

Health Safety Guidelines

If you have tested positive for Covid-19 within a few days of attending an event at LitArts RI, please contact Staff so we can let others know of possible exposure. We ask that you wait 14 days or until testing negative to return to the Center.

LitArts RI Refund Policy
All ticket sales are final except in the case of illness or emergency. If you are unable to make an event due to illness or other circumstances outside of your control, LitArts RI will issue a refund for the amount of the ticket (not including Eventbrite fees) as soon as we are notified.
If an event is cancelled at the discretion of the organization, we will issue refunds in the full amount (including Eventbrite fees) to all registrants.