About

Too often as writers, we neglect the importance of reading other authors' works (beyond enjoyment, anyway). To "read as a writer" is to read closely, to pause and analyze the craft and techniques the author uses to make their writing "effective" (rather than "good").

In the short-story collections "All Aunt Hagar's Children" and "Lost in the City," Pulitzer Prize-winning author Edward P. Jones explores life in the predominately black neighborhood of Washington, D.C., and the way in which location defines and dictates the characters' experiences. Uniquely, the stories of each book have a counterpart in the other collection (in other words, the stories are "linked" in some way).

We'll discuss two pairs of stories, and dig down to find specific passages that work to bring the story to life. We'll look for ways we might use these same techniques, and come away with ideas and tools to use in our own work.

Class Policies

Ages 14 and up are welcome.