Online Residency: Powerful Prose, a Focus on Legends and Fairy Stories

3 Credits.

Time and again, writers look backward to ancient storytelling so they may look forward or see into their present moment. Legends and fairy stories, often more complex and mysterious than credited, provide writers the basis for fresh visions, interpretations, and explorations. In this seven-day online residency, students will write fiction or nonfiction based on, inspired by, or incorporating legends or fairy stories. Students will study examples of contemporary work that makes use of legends and fairy tales to learn about technique and vision. Finally, they will read ancient tales to divine in their structure and craft ways to better understand contemporary work. Students will be required to complete several readings in advance of the residency and complete a story or essay following the residency. The residency will take place via Zoom from June 22-28. It will include discussions of readings and other activities in the mornings with exercises in the afternoons or some workshopping. We will meet some evenings for conversations with guest writers or editors. This course fills an elective requirement.