“Kathryn’s workshops are absolute troves of clear, thoughtfully presented material. She seamlessly blends engaging and foundational readings, compelling lecture, and meaningful workshopping. What I was most blown away by, though, was her fierce dedication to each participant’s journey – meeting each one of us where we were and guiding us further along in our writing path. From handwritten feedback to answering questions after hours, Kathryn really went above and beyond to ensure our growth and success.” – Kimberley, Atlanta, Georgia

ABOUT

• 7-9:30 PM BST/GMT every other Tuesday
• Dates TBD
• Eight 2.5-hour sessions
• Tea break midway
• Detailed feedback on all writing
• Limited to 14 people
• £600

Pre-requisite: The Art of Narrative Nonfiction (Level 1) or by application. Questions? E-mail kathryn@kathrynaalto.com.

The Art of Narrative Nonfiction (Level 2) is a high-value creative nonfiction writing course taught by New York Times best selling author Kathryn Aalto. This is for motivated writers with prior experience in creative or narrative nonfiction. This creative nonfiction writing course builds from previous foundations. It provides the time and space to further develop your creative practice, grow as a writer, and expand the breadth and depth of your writing. The Art of Narrative Nonfiction provides students with support and inspiration through a quality syllabus that includes visiting guest authors, structure, support, fellowship, and feedback.

Whether you are writing an essay collection or book-length manuscript, your projects will be enriched and expanded through through lectures, discussions, workshops, writing prompts, and detailed feedback from Kathryn Aalto. The pace will be familiar from The Art of Narrative Nonfiction (Level I), while the focus will be on developing your voice, the narrative arc of your work, fleshing out characters, and honing scenes. In this class, your page count can increase to up to 12 pages per submission. 

Ultimately, this creative nonfiction writing course invites you to add nearly 100 pages to your works-in-progress.  Workshops are also expanded in length to provide you with the critical feedback from peers that you come to expect. In-class writing prompts provide moments to reflect upon yourself as a writer and to expand particular writing skills. We read four excellent books of narrative nonfiction and several essays — truly a wonderful immersion for optimal growth as a writer.

If you have any questions about the syllabus, prior experience, or tuition payments, e-mail kathryn@kathrynaalto.com.

LEARNING AIMS

• Expand your works-in-progress
• Hone your distinctive writing voice
• Develop the narrative arc of your essays and story
• Deepen and develop characters with the Iceberg Principle
• Craft revealing dialogue and use it to advance action
• Create vivid scenes that place readers in key storytelling moments

READING

• As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning by Laurie Lee 
• Body Work: The Radical Power of Personal Narrative by Melissa Febos 
• The Best of Me by David Sedaris 
• A Field Guide to Getting Lost by Rebecca Solnit
• Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates

SENSE OF COMMUNITY

No matter your subject or style, you will find a great writing community in this bi-weekly creative nonfiction writing course. All of Kathryn’s writing courses are characterised by a lovely fellowship and positive accountability, which will keep you comfortably supported and focused on your writing goals. Each session you gather with your classmates, you will learn from and teach each other while gaining a new set of friends who share your writing aspirations and growth mind-set.

TEACHING PHILOSOPHY

Kathryn Aalto is a passionate practitioner and teacher of narrative nonfiction.  For more than twenty-five years, she has taught writing and literature courses at colleges and universities including Western Washington University, Everett Community College, and Plymouth University and has given guest lectures at Cambridge University, Vanderbilt University, Cornell University, and more.

Kathryn has a global mentoring practice, guides students in a vibrant online writing school, and leads in-person retreats, courses, and workshops in the United States and United Kingdom. She was a judge for The Nature Chronicles Prize, an international bi-annual award for nature writing in the English language. She is represented by Peter McGuigan at Ultra Literary in New York City. As a public speaker, she has given hundreds of talks at distinguished speakers’ series and is represented by Chartwell Speakers in New York City.  Kathryn endeavours to impart all these varied experiences of a rich writing life to her students.

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

Kathryn Aalto is a passionate practitioner and teacher of narrative nonfiction.  For more than twenty-five years, she has taught writing and literature courses at colleges and universities including Western Washington University, Everett Community College, and Plymouth University and has given guest lectures at Cambridge University, Vanderbilt University, Cornell University, and more. She has a global mentoring practice, guides students in a vibrant online writing school, and leads in-person retreats, courses, and workshops in the United States and United Kingdom. She is a judge for The Nature Chronicles Prize, an international bi-annual award for nature writing in the English language. She is represented by Peter McGuigan at Ultra Literary in New York City. As a public speaker, she has given hundreds of talks at distinguished speakers’ series and is represented by Chartwell Speakers in New York City. Kathryn endeavours to impart these varied experiences to her students.

TESTIMONIALS

Read more testimonials here about this creative nonfiction writing course.

“Kathryn possesses a rare talent to hold a learning space in such a way each participant is supported while doing the hard work of being vulnerable. She extends an invitation to share space together in a small circle across time and distance as writers gather from around the world in a digital classroom with warmth and grace.  As a new writer, I felt unsure and intimidated. Was I ready? Did I have anything interesting to say?  Kathryn dispelled my fears, welcomed me and never stopped encouraging me to stretch just a little further.  She weaves and layers lectures, writing prompts with workshopping along with insightful feedback (often with sketches!) for every session. Kathryn is attentive to the temperament of each class, pausing a little longer here, waving a brief hello to something over there. I rave about these classes! Not only for how each has helped me to learn the craft of writing but for how she has helped me discover my voice. Quite honestly, growing as a writer has profoundly affected my relationships. Deepening my relationship to self, to loved ones and the world I habit. What a joy!”

Beth Anne, New Jersey

“Margaret Atwood said ‘If you really want to write, and you’re struggling to get started, you’re afraid of something.’ Kathryn fixes those nagging fears by showing writers what we have that is already good, and what we can do better tomorrow. It’s win-win, and she remakes a traditional “class” into such an enjoyable, productive journey. I’ve also been lucky enough to experience the awe-inspiring surroundings and warm community that form the bedrock of the Rural Writing Institute. It’s not often that you can genuinely say that one long weekend shifted the way you look at the world, but the effects are still with me in my reading and writing years later.”

Caroline, Aberdeen, Scotland