Some of the most compelling creative nonfiction begins with the feelings we are tempted to avoid: anger, resentment, shame, fear, or the sense that we have an axe to grind. In this five-week workshop, writers will explore how to follow that emotional heat toward deeper, more honest work—without sacrificing compassion, complexity, or craft. Through close readings, writing exercises, discussion, and constructive feedback, we’ll consider how to transform strong feelings into writing that reaches beyond catharsis and connects with readers.

About yimin:

Sarah Cannon is a memoirist and writing coach from the Pacific Northwest. Her debut memoir, The Shame of Losing (Red Hen Press), was nominated for a Washington State Book Award, and her essays have appeared in Salon.com and the Modern Love column at the New York Times. She writes to explore "what happened, why, and what does it all mean?" at the sentence level. Newly empty-nesting-ish, she's looking forward to learning to sail small boats. She lives in Portland with her best friend (a dog), Nikki.