“Writing about Trauma” with Rachel Starnes
April 4, 2020 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM CDT
$49- This event has passed.
This Event is for Members only.
Click here to learn more about benefits of membership
$49, Members (sign in for member pricing; to become a member, click here.)
$109, Non-members
Sometimes true stories take us back to difficult places.
Some of the most powerful works of nonfiction are the ones that take us to the writer’s darkest corners. But how do you craft art from trauma? Join us as we “take a look under the hood” at what’s working in some well-known writings about traumatic events and learn how to apply these techniques to our own difficult stories.
In this class, students will
- Develop an understanding of memory formation and the brain’s reaction to trauma.
- Learn techniques for handling imperfect memories.
- Practice strategies for writing about difficult characters.
- Articulate the difference between art and therapeutic journaling. (Hint: it’s about prioritizing mental health over literary output.)
- Learn about the different modes of scene, summary, and analysis and when to use each.
TAKE THIS CLASS IF
- You’re a writer who excels at examining a story for its craft as well as its impact.
- You’re stuck in how to write about a difficult event or period.
- You’re open to trying new techniques for inhabiting a difficult part of your story.
- You’re a stickler for the truth, but recognize that it gets messy.
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT RACHEL’S CLASSES
- “The workshop was incredible and enlightening from a very refreshing viewpoint!”
- “I rarely rate everything “excellent”….but this class deserved it.”
- “Rachel was so engaging and presented so much useful material that I could have listened to her for 3 more hours.”
Instructor
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Rachel Starnes is the author of The War at Home: A Wife’s Search for Peace (and Other Missions Impossible) published by Penguin Books in 2016. She is the daughter of an oil rigger, a former military spouse, the mother of two boys, and has lived in Scotland, Texas, Saudi Arabia, Florida, Nevada, and California. She holds an MFA in Creative Nonfiction, her essays have appeared in Front Porch Journal, Colorado Review, and O Magazine, and she has been a guest on NPR’s Fresh Air.
Before purchasing, please read all policies as noted below and on our Classes page.
If your browser has difficulty with our website store, or if you prefer to mail in a check, click here for a class registration form. The document provides instructions on where to mail it. If you prefer this option, please email wlt@writersleague.org with a copy of the form as well. We are working out of our office at this time.
Class & Event Registration Policy
Once a purchase has been made, registrations are not refundable and cannot be transferred to a different class or event. No exceptions will be made. If you purchase a registration and then find you cannot attend the class or event, someone else can attend in your stead. Simply contact us at wlt@writersleague.org and let us know the name and contact information for the person who will be using the registration so that we can update the class or event roster.
Credit Card Transaction Handling Fee Policy
All credit card transactions will incur a 4% handling fee. If you’d prefer to pay by check for membership, a class, or an event, you can use the provided forms on the membership or event pages and mail to: WLT, P.O. Box 14355, Austin, TX, 78704.
HOW WLT CLASSES WORK:
Our classes offer a combination of lecture and practical exercises, determined by the individual instructor, on focused aspects of the craft and business of writing. Your fellow participants will come from a range of writing experience, from beginners to people with MFA degrees and published books. WLT instructors, participants, and administrators all work together to create a welcoming, supportive environment.If you haven’t taken a class with us in recent years, feel free to email WLT Program Director Sam Babiak at sam@writersleague.org if you’d like to discuss whether our programming is the right fit for your needs.
HOW ONLINE CLASSES WORK:
Once you register for the class, you’ll receive an email with detailed instructions no later than 48 hours before the class date. You should expect 2-2.5 hours of direct teaching and 30 minutes of Q&A (for three hours total). If you need to leave the class early or can’t attend the class on that date, all registrants will have access to the recording for one month after the class date. No microphone or camera required, just an Internet connection capable of streaming video. All online classes are hosted on Zoom. To learn more about how Zoom works, click HERE.
Plan to log in to the online platform several hours before the class so that you can update your software or any other settings required to access the platform. (Updates usually only take a few minutes, but you don’t want to wait until the beginning of class.) Questions? Email us at wlt@writersleague.org.
This project is supported in part by the Cultural Arts Division of the City of Austin Economic Development Department. Visit Austin at NowPlayingAustin.com.
Writers’ League of Texas classes and workshops are also funded in part by the Texas Commission on the Arts – Investing in a Creative Texas. For more information, go to www.arts.texas.gov.
This project is also supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts. To find out more about how National Endowment for the Arts grants impact individuals and communities, visit www.arts.gov.
This project is supported in part by the Mid-America Arts Alliance. For more information, go to www.maaa.org.
