Write Your True Story in 8 Weeks with Jana G. Pruden

E-mail us to join a waiting list in the event that a registered student drops out.

Join award-winning journalist Jana G. Pruden for an eight-week narrative nonfiction workroom.

In this class you will learn to employ the tools of fiction and narrative writing to tell powerful, readable true stories that will stand up to fact checking. During the program, you will write and revise a work of long-form nonfiction, literary journalism or memoir, resulting in a piece of writing ready to pitch or publish. The class will include lectures, group discussion of other published works, and one-on-one direction and feedback on your writing—plus a printed class anthology mailed to you for free!

Prerequisite: A story to tell. The class is open to writers of all levels of experience.

Sold Out: Email to Join Waiting List

COURSE SCHEDULE

Mondays, 7–9pm ET, Dec. 7–Jan. 25

Pre-course homework: Have a story idea ready! Jana will arrange a brief phone call to discuss it with you, to ensure that you are prepared to report it to your best abilities.

• Dec. 7: Overview/introduction to the tools of narrative
• Dec. 14: Reporting for narrative
• Dec. 21: People, profiles, and characterization
• Dec. 28: Holidays social night with special guest
• Jan. 4: Description, detail and scene / First drafts due
• Jan. 11: Lessons on structure
• Jan. 18: Editing and sweating your copy
• Jan. 25: Course readings / Final drafts due
• February: Class anthology will be printed and mailed to students as a keepsake (Additional copies can be printed for $25 plus shipping.)

REGISTRATION

After checkout, you’ll receive a receipt with a link to download your syllabus, which will include Zoom passcodes, pre-class homework, and additional course information. You will also receive an emailed reminder a few days before your first class.

ELIGIBILITY AND PREREQUISITE

This course intended for committed students. You are expected to complete two drafts of a narrative nonfiction story, meeting both first draft and final draft deadlines (Jan. 4th and 25th, respectively). In addition, you are expected to read your classmates’ stories and provide meaningful feedback in-class during workshop exercises.

ACCESSIBILITY

Pandemic University is committed to offering a fulfilling and inclusive education. Classes are held via Zoom with Closed Captioning features enabled through auto-transcription technology. A teaching assistant will be present to correct transcription mistakes and assist in other ways. The course includes workshops and class discussions, thus students are required to participate through audio; accommodations can be made for people with speaking or other disabilities if they inform us ahead of schedule. Video is encouraged of all students in order to optimize everyone’s virtual classroom experience.

REFUNDS

Space is limited to sixteen students. Anyone wishing to cancel their registration have until Nov. 31, 2020 to receive a guaranteed refund. If you cancel after Dec. 1 but before Dec. 7, we will only offer a refund if and after the vacated spot is filled. No refunds whatsoever will be offered after the course begins on Dec. 7. Violations of the Code of Conduct may also result in your removal from the course without compensation.

Although PanU is technically a fake university, we’re committed to high standards of artistic integrity, quality education, and maintaining a safe virtual environment for students. Abusive behaviour toward classmates or instructors will not be tolerated at any point during the course, including in private messages, and will result in expulsion without refund.

Other violations that could have you expelled from this course include: refusing to participate in group workshops; plagiarism and misrepresentation of others’ ideas as your own; sharing recordings of classes; sharing classmates’ work without their consent; and racism, sexism, homophobia, and transphobia either in your notes feedback to classmates or in your written work.

The final say on whether or not you continue in class belongs to the instructor alone. If you have any questions, email info@pandemicuniversity.com.