This six-week workshop, open to writers at all levels, focuses on narrators that employ magical realism. Each week we will look at a short story, its persona narrator, and his or her particular take on unreality. Subverting some aspects of reality while underscoring others is a powerful technique narrators can use to better reveal themselves and the world they live in. Students will practice these techniques in exercises based on the readings. They will then share their work and receive thoughtful feedback from each other and the instructor.

Examples of authors we will look at for inspiration are Carmen Machado ("The Husband Stitch"), Patrick Suskind ("The Pigeon"), Franz Kafka ("Metamorphosis"), and Lesley Nneka Arimah ("Who Will Welcome you Home").

The exercises will help students define who is telling their story, and the story that means to be told. In addition to written critiques, the class will have a weekly hour-long Google Meet with the instructor in which these narrative techniques and the overall writing process will be discussed.

Instructor

Writers Studio Teacher

Chaz Oliver

Chaz Oliver (she/her) received a BFA in film production at Concordia University and has worked in the film industry for several years. She is a Writers Studio Ralph Dickey Scholarship recipient and has published poetry in The Algomian. She’s presently a student in Phillip Shultz’s Master Class and is working on her first novel. Chaz is excited to share The Writers Studio method, which has helped her so much as a writer.

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