Conversations and Connections DC 2020: Practical Advice on Writing

Join essayist Randon Billings Noble for an in-depth exploration of the lyric essay.  What makes an essay “lyric”?  What are the benefits of using imagery and intuition to explore a line of thought instead of narrative and exposition?  In this workshop we'll read short examples, look at some of the myriad forms a lyric essay can take, consider the ways form can intensify content, and do some writing. Participants will leave with the start of a lyric essay as well as a list of places to read and publish them.

Most nonfiction pieces, whether in magazines or online, begin life as pitches--an email sent from a writer to an editor. In this workshop, we will walk you through how to come up with arresting pitches for everything from book reviews to essays to feature pieces. We'll walk through the anatomy of an effective pitch letter, as well as editor etiquette. We'll also talk about the delicate question of money.