Crafting Compelling Narratives from Lived Experiences Writers are conduits for the stories of others.

July 7, 14, 21

We share in our writing the human condition, whether through compelling themes in fiction or real lived experiences in nonfiction. Both are art forms, and both often require gathering more than one’s viewpoint and experience to tell the story. Interviewing experts, witnesses, and avatars for character-building is its own art form, one many writers may find daunting. This course is designed to demystify the interview process, help writers stay organized, and develop a system that makes every step of the process a breeze. Writers will learn about ethical interview practices, how to design an interview that encourages effortless sharing, how to work with interviewees across cultures and generations, and receive tools to structure the interviews into story. This course is perfect for the fiction writer who is researching lived experiences to flesh out their characters as well as non-fiction writers who require individual stories to build a compelling narrative.

About Veronica:

Veronica Zora Kirin is a queer Croatian/American author, entrepreneur, and anthropologist who studies paradigm shifts. Kirin is cofounder of Anodyne Magazine and the author of “Stories of Elders.” Her short story “The Wife” received second place in the International Fiction Festival 2024 and is nominated for a 2026 Pushcart. She is currently working on whatever the Muses demand from Berlin. Read more at https://veronicakirin.com/books and @vmkirin everywhere.