Department of English

NARRATIVE COLLAGE: because the most interesting journey isn’t a straight line. In this workshop we’ll explore fiction and creative nonfiction using nontraditional techniques including nonlinear segments, multiple voices, found texts, and more. We’ll dig into readings from a wide range of sources, from Sei Shōnagon’s 10th century Pillow Book through George Saunders’s 2017 novel, Lincoln in the Bardo. This seminar-style course is designed for students interested in experimenting with both memoir and fiction, and is appropriate for any level of experience, from curious beginners to accomplished writers. There will be weekly reading assignments with short response papers and weekly creative prompts, which will be workshopped in a collaborative, supportive setting. Questions? Contact me at krile@writing.upenn.edu.

Image credit: Yellow Star Boy, 1976, Collage, 6x4, Courtesy of the estate of Joe Brainard