BA, Barnard College. Author of the bestselling novels Bear (Hogarth, 2024) and Disappearing Earth (Knopf, 2019), a finalist for the National Book Award and one of The New York Times Book Review’s 10 Best Books of the Year. Published in The New York Times, The Paris Review, The Atlantic, and elsewhere. Recipient of a Fulbright fellowship and a 2024 Guggenheim fellow. Teacher at the Randolph College MFA Program. SLC, 2021–
Previous Courses
MFA Writing
Mixed-Genre Prose Craft: Structuring the Story
Craft—Fall
This class is focused on structuring your novel or short fiction around a propulsive plot that will satisfy your readers. Through in-class discussion, writing exercises, and independent reading, we’ll identify techniques for building a compelling, coherent narrative. In collaboration with your classmates, you will distill your own chosen story down to its essential conflict. You’ll then create an outline of your story in order to strengthen its internal logic and navigate through any structural, pacing, or plotting roadblocks. As we develop your outline over the semester, you’ll gain clarity on your story’s shape and the characters’ motivations. This class can speak to writers at any stage of a project, whether you are first contemplating a new work or are deep into your umpteenth revision. No matter where you’re at, we’ll aim to help you gain clarity. Readings include novels by Oyinkan Braithwaite, Miriam Toews, Hye-Young Pyun, Jason Reynolds, and Octavia E. Butler, as well as short fiction by Lauren Groff and Lesley Nneka Arimah. Classes are expected to be conducted in person.