Are you curious about autofiction as a genre? This is a one-day intensive discussion on what autofiction is all about. This class will provide insight into the many nuances of autofiction, or autobiographical fiction. This “genre” involves writing that is based on real life experiences, but also utilizes fictional literary devices, making a very unique form. I will provide novel excerpts and craft essays to read ahead of time from writers like Ayah Akhtar, Brandon Taylor, Edouard Louis, Chris Kraus, and Ocean Vuong, which we will discuss as a group.
There will be the opportunity to do some writing during class, which you can share with others (optional). Writers of all genres and experience levels are welcome!
Class meetings will be held over video chat, using Zoom accessed from your private class page. While you can use Zoom from your browser, we recommend downloading the desktop client so you have access to all platform features. The Zoom calls will have automated transcription enabled. Please let us know (classes@catapult.co) if you have any questions or concerns about accessibility.
Check out this page for details about payment plans and discount opportunities.
COURSE TAKEAWAYS:
- A broad understanding of what autofiction (as a genre) really means
- Inspiration and knowledge that you can apply to your writing and/or reading practices
- An expanded list of autofiction titles for further reading and study
- 10% discount on all future Catapult classes
COURSE EXPECTATIONS:
I will provide (3) craft essays and (3) novel excerpts ahead of time, which students need to read and be prepared to discuss in class. Other than open discourse on autofiction as a genre and the readings, the only requirement is to do some short free-writing in the vein of autofiction.
Frances Badalamenti is the author of the novels, I Don't Blame You (2019) and Salad Days (2021). Some of her shorter work can be found at The New Yorker, The Believer Magazine, BOMB Magazine, Longreads and elsewhere. She teaches writing workshops and also works individually as a mentor for writers. Frances lives in Portland, Oregon, with her husband and son.
"Frances Badalamenti proves to be a talented and evocative writer. I DON'T BLAME YOU is a powerful, heady, debut novel, gorgeously interweaving the story of grief, acceptance, and love. A must read."
"SALAD DAYS is the gritty, moving portrait of a young woman who completely upends her life trying to figure out who she is and what she wants, set against the gray, grungy background of Portland, Oregon, at a time when the city was also in flux. Badalamenti perfectly captures the alluring and maddening impenetrability of Portland for the East Coast transplant."
"I DON'T BLAME YOU is a raw, irreverent, wrenching exploration of the trauma and joy of being a daughter and a mother."
"Frances Badalementi is the best writing instructor I didn’t know I needed. Workshop was masterfully facilitated and, as a fellow facilitator and instructor, I recognized how Frances deftly and neatly encouraged and pushed us to improve while always making sure we felt encouraged, empowered, and enthused. This class – and several of the relationships formed in it – will have an enduring effect on me as a writer and a person. "
"Frances is a fantastic writing instructor—she offers specific, insightful feedback and does so in a way that is incredibly supportive. I appreciated how she prioritized making the workshop a safe and positive environment, and how she encouraged us to submit work each week. The generative nature of her course inspired me to produce more new writing than I have in a very long time!"
"Frances was an excellent, generous and fun workshop facilitator and teacher, offering just the right mix of encouragement, constructive criticism, and reading recommendations. Over the 8-week course, her student-centered workshops were the highlight of my week, giving me the framework and encouragement I needed to complete a first draft of a longform piece."
