Reading for Writers: Obsession as Muse

Catalog description

Taught by Jenny Tinghui Zhang, the Stein Visiting Writer. Being a writer means being in a constant state of obsession-what else could incite the passion and inquiry that makes a person want to create art? This class is interested in two things: one, how we, as writers, can identify and nurture our obsessions in order to deepen our creative practice and two, how we can mine our obsessions for our own writing and storytelling. For this class, I ask that you allow yourself to be obsessed, whether it be with a person, an animal, a concept, a pattern, or a corner of the world so niche that no one but you can call it home. Be prepared to go down rabbit holes, research in the field, and interact with your obsessions. Most of all, be prepared to write into your obsessions, letting them lead you out of narrative dead-ends and toward something greater, more divine. We will read across genres, including but not limited to novels, essays, short stories, plays, poetry, visual media, and more. Class will include take-home writing assignments and in-class writing exercises, as well as reading and workshopping each other's work with an eye toward constructive feedback, compassion, and collaboration.