Yearlong in Storytelling

with Sonora Jha

Genres: Fiction, Nonfiction, Memoir, Short Story, Essay

Online

Open to all levels

30 Sessions

Start Date: October 16, 2023
End Date: June 24, 2024
No Class: (skip days) 12/18/23, 12/25/23, 1/1/24, 1/8/24, 1/15/24, 2/19/24, 5/27/24
Day of Week: Monday
Time: 5:00pm - 7:00pm PT
Capacity: 18 seats
-1 seat left!
Member Price: $1377.00
General Price: $1530.00

You must register to use the waitlist feature. Please login or create an account

Please note the following schedule changes not shown in the printed catalog:

New start date: 10/16

New end date: 6/24

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

she/her/hers

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. 

Each class description includes a breakdown of what you can expect in terms of in-class activity, feedback, and homework (if any). 

Generative means you’ll be generating new writing, either in class or at home between classes.

Workshop means you’ll be sharing work to be read and critiqued by your instructor and classmates and that you will also be critiquing the work of your peers. 

Reading means you’ll be doing close reading of a work with an eye toward craft. 

Craft discussion means you’ll be looking at the tools writers use to do that thing they do so well and then trying it out yourself.

Class levels are designed for various stages of the writing journey. Simply self-select the level that sounds best for where you’re at. 

Introductory: This is your first creative writing workshop, first writing class since high school, or first foray into a new genre or form. You’re looking to try something new, kickstart your writing, and/or establish yourself in the fundamentals.

Intermediate: You have a strong understanding of writing fundamentals and are eager to deep dive into craft. You’re honing your writerly identity and voice through independent projects. In workshop, you look for constructive feedback and are ready to do writing and reading outside of class.

Advanced: You’ve written a significant body of work and have taken it through several stages of revision. You’re getting ready to publish or are in the early stage of publishing, and you’re interested in refining the skills that will take you to the next level in the literary industry.

All Levels: You are any of the above and are looking to play with new possibilities.

You’ll get your class information, including Zoom link if applicable, three days before the first day of class.

Write With Hugo House is our free monthly write-in program, operated in partnership with the Seattle Public Library. Two take place onsite at SPL locations, one takes place online. 

Sliding-scale classes are offered every quarter. Find them in our Class Catalog.

We announce flash sales, early bird periods, and special deals through our e-newsletter; sign up at the bottom of this page.

At this time, we offer payment plans on classes 8 sessions and up. Email education@hugohouse.org with the name of the class you’re interested in to set up a payment plan.

Our payment plan policy: 
  • We charge a 5% nonrefundable administrative fee for all payment plans. 
  • Extended payment plans up to 8 monthly installments and 16 semi-monthly installments are available upon request.
  • We are unable to hold seats for prospective payment plan students. Students will be enrolled once their first installment has been paid. 
  • If you need to cancel, Hugo House will issue refunds according to its cancellation and transfer policies. Your 5% nonrefundable admin fee will not be refunded. 
  • If you withdraw from a class after it begins, you will not receive a refund and are still responsible for paying the full course tuition.

Asynchronous classes are perfect for students that need flexibility!

During an asynchronous class, instructors release new lessons once per week. Students then have one week to complete that lesson and any accompanying coursework. You’ll learn as much as you would in a traditional class but with the flexibility to work at the best times for your schedule!

While there are no live sessions, asynchronous classes are still a lively and rigorous experience. Async classes are not static lessons but an adaptable and energetic community space. Be ready to work in a collaborative environment, giving and receiving feedback on your writing, participating in discussions, and growing your writing practice in a way that works best for you.

Asynchronous classes take place through the website Wet Ink. Students receive an invitation to the class and to set up a Wet Ink account on the start date of the class. Each week of the class, a new lesson will be available through the Wet Ink portal. Classes close two weeks after the end date, and students receive an email containing their content from the class when it closes.

Hugo House will only process refund requests that are submitted 5 business days or more before the class start date. To request a refund, log in to your account, go to “My Account,” select the “Orders” tab on the left-hand side, click the appropriate order, and request a refund for your specific class. Administrative fees apply. Please see our full refund policy here.

In general, we do not record classes. However, an exception if a student has specific access needs.

We encourage students to only sign up for classes that fit with their schedule.   

We do not tolerate racist, sexist, homophobic, ableist, transphobic or any other oppressive behaviors, regardless of who commits them. Please check out our full community guidelines by clicking here. If an instance of community guidelines are violated and not resolved within the classroom, students may let us know by filling out the student incident report.

If Hugo House needs to cancel a class for any reason, you’ll receive a full refund.

You can apply for a scholarship by clicking the red “Request a Scholarship” text on class pages. The scholarship request text is located at the top of each class page, underneath the “add to cart” button.

Hugo House members get to register early for classes – a full week before they open to the general public!, receive a 10% discount on events and classes, and more. See the full list of membership benefits here!

Donations of all sizes allow us to provide access to quality writing classes, events, and experiences for all. Please consider making a donation to Hugo House today.

If you’re interested in contributing your skills, Hugo House accepts volunteer applications for a variety of roles, including event support, administrative tasks, and more. Learn more on our Volunteer page.

Learn about all the ways to support Hugo House here.

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