A 5 Week HYBRID Fiction Workshop
Thursdays, July 13-August 10
ALL LEVELS
The title for the class was stolen from the name of Bob Dylan’s 2001 album, but before this, Dylan stole it from Eric Lott’s study of minstrelsy. I read it in Jonathan Lethem’s essay, “The Ecstasy of Influence”—the point is, artists borrow from other artists they admire.
In this five-week generative workshop, we will take our inspiration from stories we will read and discuss, borrowing as much or as little as we like from their structures, voices, and substance. Our inspiration will come from stories by Tillie Olson, Raymond Carver, Nathan Englander, and George Saunders, among others, as well as several from The Best American Short Stories of 2022. Our focus will be on letting ourselves create new material that can grow into complete stories. Beginners are welcome, as are more seasoned writers. You may continue projects you are working on, but the focus will be on beginning new projects through prompts inspired by the stories. Participants will have the opportunity to share their work with the class.
+ PLEASE NOTE This workshop will be a hybrid class, occurring online via Zoom and in-person at USM. For those taking it online, students do not need to create an account to participate, but should test out Zoom before their class if they are first-time users. The week of the workshop, students will be emailed a link that they may click to enter the class. If you are interested in attending in-person, the week of the workshop you will receive the email to let you know the location on USM’s Portland campus.
Patricia O'Donnell is professor emerita at the University of Maine at Farmington, where she taught fiction writing and directed the BFA Program in Creative Writing. Her short work has appeared in many places, including The New Yorker. Her collection Gods for Sale won the Serena McDonald Kennedy award for short fiction, and her most recent novel, The Vigilance of Stars, was the fiction choice for the Maine Humanities Council 2020 "Read Me" program. Her fifth book, A Symmetry of Husbands, will be published later this year. Patricia lives in Wilton, Maine, with her husband Michael Burke.
ADVANCE REGISTRATION REQUIRED
All MWPA workshops require advanced registration. We accept registration by phone, mail, and online via our website. We cannot guarantee registration in the final 24-hours before a workshop, and can rarely accommodate day-of registration.
PAYMENT & CANCELLATION POLICIES
If you need to withdraw from a class after registering for any reason, please email or call the MWPA immediately. You may be eligible for a partial refund or credit, depending on how far in advance you cancel. → MORE INFORMATION
QUESTIONS
For any questions regarding this workshop, please contact Meghan Sterling at programs@mainewriters.org.
REGISTER BY PHONE
Call 207-228-8263 and register with your VISA or MasterCard.
$245 members / $450 Nonmembers
REGISTER BY MAIL
If you prefer to pay by mail, please print this registration form (downloadable PDF) and mail it to the MWPA with a check or credit card information.
SCHOLARSHIP
The MWPA is proud to offer one partial scholarship to this workshop for members-only. Scholarships are awarded on a combination of need and merit. Email Meghan at programs@mainewriters.org to see if a scholarship is still available. Application Due on June 21st at 9:00 a.m.
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MWPA WORKSHOP POLICIES
Registration in any MWPA workshop, program, or event constitutes your agreement to our terms and conditions. → MORE INFORMATION