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Flexing the Sentence (A Public Space Academy / Zoom)


Online, Zoom • Sundays, February 7–28, 2021

Offered by A Public Space

The sentence is an infinitely elastic instrument containing thousands of microdecisions. So which decisions make your sentences become your sentences? This class will examine virtuosic sentences—from Herman Melville to Toni Morrison—exploring what these sentences might have been in the hands of another writer, exposing what makes them unique. We will look at syntax, diction, and sonic elements, as well as attitude and subtext. We’ll read theories of the sentence as well, applying them to our own sentences to push them deeper into singularity, sharing our discoveries and revisions. Part bootcamp, part yoga—all on the page, of course—this workshop will focus on strength and flexibility in the prose line, building confidence in composition and revision. Homework will be light reading and small-scale writing.

Course Schedule
Sundays, February 7–28, 2021
3:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m. ET
4 sessions
Online on Zoom