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Dust off those old blog posts or travel journals—preparing them for submission! Creative nonfiction is a broad genre that includes personal essays, memoir, humor, portraits/profiles, nature and travel writing, journalism (popular, long form, and literary), observational or descriptive reports, general-interest criticism, writing about, for, and with communities—and more. Pieces typically mix the factual and the highly personal, marrying research, memory, the poetic, and the playful.

Students in this course will read short examples of the genre, discuss the elements of writing that make for evocative and meaningful nonfiction, and learn about writing and publishing strategies. This course is ideal for beginners and those who have always wanted to write, but weren’t sure where to start. Each student will leave with the beginnings of an essay or a “flash creative nonfiction” piece that they can continue to develop toward publication.

Please bring your first draft (or no draft!), a journal/notebook/pen or lap top, and your most creative self. See you there!

About Michelle: Michelle LaFrance (Ph.D., University of Washington, 2009) is a feminist critical ethnographer, who teaches courses on community writing, feminist methodologies, writing studies, and critical pedagogy. Michelle has published on institutional ethnography, the materialities of academic labor, e-portfolios, e-research, and writing center pedagogy. Her current work has her participating in urban communities, studying discourses of volunteerism and belonging, and treating the evolution of research practice and sensibilities in Writing Studies.

In 2021, Dr. LaFrance was awarded the College Composition and Communication Research Impact award for her book, Institutional Ethnography: A Theory of Practice for Writing Studies Researchers (USUP 2019). This book was also awarded “Honorable Mention” in the 2021 Best Book category from the International Writing Across the Curriculum Association.

A minimum of 4 students is required for the class to occur. Students will be notified if the minimum is not met. Please note that registration ends at 10 am the morning of the class.

If you need assistance registering, please check out these step-by-step instructions, video tutorial or call (202) 549-4172 for assistance.