With the recent explosion of digital information, our media economy has become increasingly competitive while our attention is a scarce resource. Considering we no longer have time to find important information ourselves, our attention spans have evolved to be selective towards digestible, accessible stories. Anyone who seeks to present written information, whether it be groundbreaking research, news, or poetry, must in turn balance public appeal and accuracy.

This workshop explores storytelling through the lenses of fiction/poetry, memoir, journalism, science communication, and audio/visuals. First, we will discuss the history of storytelling and our natural ability to comprehend information in this format. Second, we will analyze published works from each genre. Do the “successful” pieces have a plot line? Are they short, and if not, which elements did the author use to maintain their audience’s attention? Lastly, we will hear from current writers in the field and workshop our own writing using tactics learned in class.

Course Requirements:

Students will complete weekly readings and writing prompts as well as a final assignment that will be workshopped by the class.

Intended Audience: