Yearlong in Storytelling
Sometimes you have a story to tell, and you don't know yet the genre in which it wants to be told. In this craft-focused class, we will read fiction, essays, autofiction, and memoir from around the globe. We will generate fresh writing, discuss roadblocks, find pathways, and workshop your pages as you work with the support of a cohort. You will find your voice, your story, your form. Sonora Jha draws on her experience as a novelist, an essayist, a memoirist, and a journalist to design exercises and writing prompts that work for your chosen genre. Get ready to spark both memory and imagination as you craft a compelling voice, unforgettable characters, vivid story arcs, distinct points of view, and complex narrative tension to write the story that is uniquely yours to tell. Expect to leave with a draft of a book or a strong revision.
Payment plans are available for this class. Please email education@hugohouse.org to get a payment plan started.
Guest speakers: Six guest speakers will be featured, including authors of fiction and memoir/essays and industry professionals, such as agents and editors/publishers
Syllabus: Available by request. Please email welcome@hugohouse.org.
No class dates: 12/18/23, 12/25/23, 1/1/24, 1/8/24, 1/15/24, 2/19/24, 5/27/24
Registration dates:
August 7: Scholarship Donation Day
August 8: Member registration opens at 10:30 am
August 15: General registration opens at 10:30 am
August 21: Last day of Early Bird pricing
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CLASS FAQS WITH INSTRUCTOR SONORA JHA
Who is this class best suited for? How much writing experience do I need to take this class?
This is best suited for those who have started work on a book/writing project and are interested in generating more writing, learning more craft, workshopping their pages, receiving feedback from the instructor and cohort, learning from published authors and industry professionals, and learning where to submit their work for publication.
What will I learn over the course of this yearlong?
You will immerse yourself in the craft of storytelling, with lessons in plot, character, narrative tension, settings, description, dialogue, and other elements of storytelling for fiction and non-fiction. You will read excellent literature and learn from guest sessions by authors of those books. You will also learn how to pitch your work to agents and editors.
What's the balance of in-class generative writing, lecture, and workshop?
Typically, we have 45-60 minutes of lecture and discussion, 20 minutes of generative writing to prompts, and 30-40 minutes of workshopping.
How much time outside of class will I need for this class each week?
This depends on how much time you devote to writing from prompts handed out in class, reading the books prescribed, and workshopping. Typically, 2-6 hours will keep you on track with your project; more will help you make greater strides.
How much feedback will I receive on my work, peer, or instructor?
You will receive considerable feedback, with individual Zoom sessions each quarter with the instructor and in-class workshopping as well as peer groups set up for writing outside of class time (optional)
Who will we be reading?
In the past, students have read and had guest lectures from Megha Majumdar (A Burning), E J Koh (The Magical Language of Others), Aimee Nezhukumathatil (World of Wonders), Jocelyn Nicole Johnson (My Monticello), Putsata Reang (Ma and Me), and New York agents and editors.
Sonora Jha
Sonora Jha is the author of the novels The Laughter (2023) and Foreign (2013) and the memoir How To Raise A Feminist Son: A Memoir and Manifesto (2021). After a career as a journalist covering crime, politics, and culture in India and Singapore, she moved to the United States to earn a Ph.D. in media and public affairs. Sonora’s OpEds, essays, and public appearances have featured in The New York Times, on BBC, and elsewhere. She is a professor of journalism and lives in Seattle. She teaches fiction and essay writing for Hugo House, Hedgebrook Writers’ Retreat, and Seattle Public Library.
