SPECULATIVE FICTION WORKSHOP

USING THE UNREAL TO UNVEIL TRUTHS

Nic Anstett

Writers have long used speculative or fantastic fiction to not only tell imaginative and mind-bending stories, but as means of reframing the struggles, injustices, and humanity of their current reality. Oftentimes, in order to really understand the world we live in, we need stories to take us somewhere else entirely. This need to refract rather than reflect our own reality has birthed some of the most pioneering writers in contemporary fiction and birthed entire mold-breaking subgenres. In this workshop led by Nic Anstett, writers will look at ways in which the unreal can help unveil personal, political, or emotional truths within their own fiction. Through workshops, short lectures, and in class writing, participants will explore how their work can engage with complex themes by tapping into traditional fictional tools such as plot, character, setting, and point of view.