Advanced Fiction: People and Place
Date & Time
Mondays, 7-9 p.m.
Sept. 19 - Oct. 24
Class Size
8 Students
Mondays, 7-9 p.m.
Sept. 19 - Oct. 24
8 Students
“Create a world for your characters to move around in; if not you cannot fully conjure them.” – Toni Morrison
Characters are essential to the story; so is setting. Setting provides a world for the story to take place. But more than that, setting reveals a lot about the characters—who they are; their culture and the social circumstances that shape them and affect the decisions they make. Through reading, writing, and discussion, we will explore methods to use the physical environment as a characterization tool, which will undoubtedly make the story richer and more memorable.
During this six-week intensive workshop, each student will workshop twice and will meet once with the instructor for an individual conference.
Nicole Dennis-Benn is the author of the highly acclaimed debut novel, Here Comes the Sun (Norton/Liveright, July 2016), which has received a starred Kirkus Review and is deemed one of the best books to read this summer and beyond by the New York Times, NPR, BBC, BuzzFeed, Book Riot, Bookish, Miami Herald, Elle, O Magazine, Marie Claire, Entertainment Weekly, Flavorwire, After Ellen, BookPage, Cosmopolitan, Brooklyn Magazine, among others. Dennis-Benn has also recently been nominated for the 2016 Center for Fiction First Novel Prize. She lives with her wife in Brooklyn, New York.
"HERE COMES THE SUN, like its main character Margot, stuns at every turn, especially when you think you have it figured out. It’s about women pushed to the edge, Jamaica in all its beauty and fury and more than anything else, a story that was just waiting to be told."
"In HERE COMES THE SUN, Nicole Dennis-Benn boldly takes on the emotional and psychosocial effects of colorism and classism, among other topics. Here is a story of love and betrayal within the parameters of friendships and families in one Jamaican community. Dennis-Benn has written a book that is full of culture and crackling with life."
"HERE COMES THE SUN is every bit as dazzling as its title suggests. Nicole Dennis-Benn draws us so deeply into the fates of her unforgettable characters that we can’t help but dream, suffer, celebrate, and grieve alongside them. Each page of this terrific debut vibrates with power, heart, and unflinching honesty—I couldn’t put it down, yet didn’t want it to end."
"An indelible portrait of a woman in motion. Nicole Dennis-Benn has created in Margot a fierce and fearless striver. A fantastic debut."
"HERE COMES THE SUN is a moving portrait of a Jamaican family and community wrestling with the great questions in life – how to live and love freely in a world filled with obstacles to both. Nicole Dennis-Benn’s exploration of Caribbean women’s desires for themselves and each other, is an important contribution to our literature."
"Nicole structures her workshop in a way that truly facilitated improvement in my writing. In addition to teaching writing techniques, Nicole exhibits a range of vision rarely seen in leading rich discussions of the works of noted authors. I also appreciated her generous feedback on my writing, which has helped me craft my poems and stories in new ways."
"Nicole is an enthusiastic and free-thinking educator who magnifies the dialectic power of creative discussion. She helped me dig up my stories within and empowered my ability and confidence. Nicole also enabled me to write in a structured, but entirely unique way. "
"Nicole Dennis-Benn is an excellent teacher. Nicole created a safe and supportive environment for students to express their creativity. The readings and writing exercises helped me to improve my skills and write with more confidence. I highly recommend Nicole to anyone interested in learning the craft of writing."
