The Unreliable Narrator: Fiction Writing Workshop [Durham, NC]

from $25.00

**This course is in-person only. There is no virtual component. Participants must be age 21+

Full Tuition: $340 — Sliding-scale tuition options are available in the drop-down enrollment menu for you to self-select. To pay in installments, choose to pay with PayPal or Klarna at check out.

A story is shaped by the person who tells it. When narrators withhold details, give unclear accounts, or play to readers’ preferences, we question the story. Why would a writer choose to use the voice of an unreliable narrator? Rather than debate whether or not the facts of their story add up, we’ll ask how their version of reality might comment on or complicate our understandings of objectivity and shared reality. In this class you’ll be invited to ask questions like: who is this narrator, where are they in time, what is their motivation for telling this story, what details contradict what we think of as facts, and why are they making the story so complicated? Answers to these questions tell an alternative story, one that is just as open to interpretation as the story itself.

Over the course of five weeks, we’ll read and discuss the craft elements that inspire questions about unreliable narrators and the powerful storytelling techniques that keep us wondering, questioning, and in search of a story’s meaning. Through investigation we’ll look for the deeper commentary embedded in the hidden stories told by narrators. In addition to selected readings and group discussions, each week you will write stories of your own using guided prompts meant to inspire the creation of unreliable narrators and to encourage both practice and play. New and experienced writers are welcome!

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The Fine Print:

Gift certificates may only be redeemed at the full tuition tier.

SLIDING SCALE TUITION

Full tuition is the cost per-student of running the class. If you choose a tier below full tuition, you are receiving a discount. If you choose to make a donation in addition to full tuition, you are helping to cover the cost for students who are not able to pay the full amount.

The mid-level tier is a discounted rate for people whose household income is at or above living wage but who have limited discretionary income.

The low-level tier and the full-scholarship tier are for people whose household income is below living wage or who need extra assistance to meet their needs.

SCHOLARSHIPS

Through our fundraising efforts, we are able to offer three full scholarships per class. The full-scholarship tier is a nonrefundable offering. Each student may only take one full-scholarship class at a time. Because our scholarship funding is limited, if a student selects multiple overlapping classes at the full-scholarship level, they will be disenrolled from all classes.

All sliding-scale and scholarship needs are self-assessed, and we will never request or require proof of need.

Please see our FAQ for more information, including installment plans, refund policy, and sick and inclement weather policy.

Sliding-Scale Tuition:

**This course is in-person only. There is no virtual component. Participants must be age 21+

Full Tuition: $340 — Sliding-scale tuition options are available in the drop-down enrollment menu for you to self-select. To pay in installments, choose to pay with PayPal or Klarna at check out.

A story is shaped by the person who tells it. When narrators withhold details, give unclear accounts, or play to readers’ preferences, we question the story. Why would a writer choose to use the voice of an unreliable narrator? Rather than debate whether or not the facts of their story add up, we’ll ask how their version of reality might comment on or complicate our understandings of objectivity and shared reality. In this class you’ll be invited to ask questions like: who is this narrator, where are they in time, what is their motivation for telling this story, what details contradict what we think of as facts, and why are they making the story so complicated? Answers to these questions tell an alternative story, one that is just as open to interpretation as the story itself.

Over the course of five weeks, we’ll read and discuss the craft elements that inspire questions about unreliable narrators and the powerful storytelling techniques that keep us wondering, questioning, and in search of a story’s meaning. Through investigation we’ll look for the deeper commentary embedded in the hidden stories told by narrators. In addition to selected readings and group discussions, each week you will write stories of your own using guided prompts meant to inspire the creation of unreliable narrators and to encourage both practice and play. New and experienced writers are welcome!

—

The Fine Print:

Gift certificates may only be redeemed at the full tuition tier.

SLIDING SCALE TUITION

Full tuition is the cost per-student of running the class. If you choose a tier below full tuition, you are receiving a discount. If you choose to make a donation in addition to full tuition, you are helping to cover the cost for students who are not able to pay the full amount.

The mid-level tier is a discounted rate for people whose household income is at or above living wage but who have limited discretionary income.

The low-level tier and the full-scholarship tier are for people whose household income is below living wage or who need extra assistance to meet their needs.

SCHOLARSHIPS

Through our fundraising efforts, we are able to offer three full scholarships per class. The full-scholarship tier is a nonrefundable offering. Each student may only take one full-scholarship class at a time. Because our scholarship funding is limited, if a student selects multiple overlapping classes at the full-scholarship level, they will be disenrolled from all classes.

All sliding-scale and scholarship needs are self-assessed, and we will never request or require proof of need.

Please see our FAQ for more information, including installment plans, refund policy, and sick and inclement weather policy.