Creative Writing Studio: Crafting Historical Fiction

Undergraduate / Graduate

How do we dramatize history? How do we recapture the past in a compelling way, or make it speak to the urgent questions of our present? In this class, we will explore ways to craft fiction around historical events. How should we conduct our research? How do we effectively position our characters within the wider struggles of the past? And how much are we allowed to deviate from the written record when writing our fiction? Readings will include Alessandro Manzoni, Georg Lukacs, Edward P. Jones, Olga Tocarczuk, and Alejo Carpentier. Meanwhile, assignments will include critical reading responses, creative exercises, and a final portfolio piece.