Writing Creative Nonfiction: The Braided Essay

INSTRUCTOR: Rebecca Spears

TIME: Saturday, September 10, 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. CST

PRICE: Early bird price: $45 for members, $60 for nonmembers. The deadline for early bird pricing is Sunday, September 4: After Sunday, September 4, $55 for members, $70 for nonmembers. Become a member here. Apply for a scholarship here.

LOCATION: Writespace, 1717 Michigan Street, Houston, TX, 77006 (map)

LEVEL: All Levels

CAP: 15

Merging Narratives:

“I sometimes think about writing this way: as though I am standing on a porch decades ago, the heavy lid in my hand, rummaging and rummaging [in a box], until some unexpected thing winks at me, tells me to pick it up, examine it for what story it can tell.” (Brenda Miller, “Free Box”)

In the braided essay, several narrative threads are woven together to form a convincing, holistic essay, one in which surprising connections can be made. Essayist Brenda Miller describes the process as akin to braiding dough for challah. Or think of braiding a rope, as a lifeline for a story. The beauty of this type of essay is that the writer begins with threads or through lines whose connections may not be evident; but as the writer persists, often strong, unexpected links will emerge. Many writers use this format to approach scenes that, in the past, have seemed difficult or tricky to tackle.

During the seminar, we will engage in activities to find the threads for a satisfying essay and spend some time writing these. We will also consider links among the threads, the arc of a braided essay, and various perspectives and approaches to the writing. At the end of the workshop, writers should have a draft to continue working on. We’ll also look at submission possibilities for your braided essays.

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