Thursday, October 21: Workshop with Beth Gilstrap
Uneasy Women: Writing Feminist Southern Gothic Fiction

When asked how she defined the Southern tradition of writing, author Dorothy Allison (Bastard Out of Carolina) said, “It’s a lyrical tradition. Language. Iconoclastic, outrageous as hell, levelled with humor. Yankees do it, but Southerners do it more. It’s the grotesque.” In the wake of failed reconstruction, early 20th Century Southern Gothic writers crafted an eerie world of crumbling plantations, looming church steeples, and urban decay. In this workshop, we’ll examine these traditions, how they’ve changed, and how we might craft them for 21st Century readers by examining excerpts from contemporary female authors including: Toni Morrison, Jesmyn Ward, and Dorothy Allison. We will examine how they subvert traditional gender roles, how they give agency to characters (often deemed outsiders) who have traditionally been victims of the American capitalist patriarchy.

6:00 – 8:00 p.m., Studio Two
$45 members, $55 non-members • More Info / Register

Writing the Personal Essay

With Amy Paturel
4 weeks Asynchronous: October 24 – November 20, Virtual via Wet Ink

Want to sell a personal essay, but don’t have a clue where to start? This 4-week personal essay writing intensive will guide you through every step, from essay idea to salable piece. You’ll learn how to:

• Grab readers (and editors!)
• Journal your way to essay ideas
• Identify the critical elements of a salable essay
• Critique your own essays and incorporate feedback from others
• Pitch and submit essays

A parting gift: a loaded spreadsheet with more than 140 relevant markets, including editor contacts. Amy’s students have landed essays in such publications as The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, Oprah Magazine, Parents, Marie Claire, AARP and Huffington Post, among other heavy hitters.

$300 members; $375 non-members (includes one-year Charlotte Lit General Membership) • Register