The Other Side of Fire: Writing the Trauma Essay [Katherine Standefer]

Introductory | Writing can be healing. But writing can also re-traumatize, making it difficult to tell the stories that shape us. In this workshop, writers gain an understanding of how the physiological processes of trauma interact with a writing practice. Drawing on published essays and in-class prompts, we’ll explore craft challenges specific to trauma, including fragmentation of memory, the temptation of melodrama, elevating a personal story into a universal inquiry, and the beauty of owning our complicated, contradictory selves on the page.