Art of the Fractured
Fragmented, Experimental & Hybrid Prose
It’s back! Art of the Fractured is the original Elephant Rock virtual workshop, and our most popular curriculum ever.
Meets 6 - 8 PM Central via Zoom for six Thursdays (March 3 - April 14, 2022, no class March 24). This one fills fast so inquire early!
why art of the fractured?
Fragments. Braids. Juxtaposition. The stories we write don’t have to be linear. Sometimes, the richest, truest version falls onto the page in pieces.
Let's pick through some fragmented and broken essays and stories together. We will then gather our own bits and pieces of things, such as found language and ephemera and other incongruities plus stray ideas, and begin to collage, erase, cut up, and rearrange these items into ... something else. The Art of the Fractured is a 6-week virtual class open to writers of all genres who want to try their hand at fragmented structures.
We will examine how to effectively combine multiple subjects, images, and motifs within a single piece. We’ll explore how to use a fragmented structure to add complexity and amplify meaning without confusing the reader. Participants can expect generative writing exercises, craft readings, and the opportunity for thoughtful discussion of their work.
what kind of writer should take this course?
The Art of the Fractured will be accessible yet challenging and inspiring for beginners as well as seasoned writers. The exploration of brokenness combined with inventive exercises will provide participants with new insights, a refreshed sense of direction, and some powerful new tools for entering into new work or finding a fresh take on existing work. If you have a story or essay in progress that you’d like to polish, you’re more than welcome to target the exercises in this course to your existing project. If you’d like to start something from scratch, you'll have the chance to unearth new ideas, refine them, and pin them to the page.
what are the requirements?
An interest in hybrid forms (hermit crabs, lists, collages, erasures, epistolaries, and so on!).
A willingness to show up for six weeks and participate fully in reading & discussing published work as well as the work of your peers.
An openness to the highly effective yet very positive Elephant Rock workshopping model, which does NOT include traditional MFA-style “critique.”
A deep interest in craft.
A voracious curiosity about language, its power and elasticity.
A tolerance for new ideas.
A keen interest in reading and discussion.
A belief in the power of art.
Respect and empathy.
how does this remote class work?
This workshop meets via Zoom for six Thursdays, 6 - 8 PM Central (March 3, 10, 17 & 31, April 7 & 14). Class time is devoted to discussion of assigned readings according to the fragmented themes and devices around which the syllabus is structured. Class time will also include structured and thoughtfully facilitated discussion of student work based on unconventional writing exercises that lead to unexpected places in the writing. This course offers a chance to breathe new life into your writing while immersing yourself in an open-hearted community that can last long after the course ends.
what will writers take away?
5-6 newly written micro essays to polish and/or expand after the class
Access to an engaged mentor and a supportive community of fellow writers
A deeper understanding of fragmented writing
Strategies for using fragmented structures
An overview of markets for this type of writing
Renewed faith in your own unique voice
who is the teacher?
This course is led by Jeannine Ouellette (The Part That Burns, Split/Lip Press, 2021), a Kirkus Best 100 Indie book of 2021, Rumpus Book to Read in 2021, and recipient of starred reviews from Publisher’s Weekly and Kirkus. Jeannine holds an MFA in Fiction from Vermont College of Fine Arts. She teaches writing through the Association of Writers & Writing Program's Writer-to-Writer Program as well as through the Minnesota Prison Writers Workshop. She also serves as guest lecturer on writing at the University of Minnesota. Jeannine is the author of several nonfiction books as well as the children's book Mama Moon and her essays and fiction have won many awards and have appeared widely in magazines and literary journals. Jeannine is the founder of Elephant Rock; read her full bio here.
what is the cost?
Tuition for the workshop is $490 (non-refundable). A deposit of $250 is required to hold your spot and full payment is due by February 15 2022. Tuition can be paid via Venmo, Cash app, check, or other. Contact Jeannine for instructions.
what have others had to say about elephant rock workshops?
“I’ve been able to return to my project with a new sense of purpose and direction. Yesterday I wrote out a plan for attacking my research this summer. And already I feel a clearer sense of audience in the writing I’ve done since returning. Thank you!” And another: “It’s enough that Jeannine will improve your writing — by guiding you through the important questions or craft challenges with skill — but more, she will show you how to believe in and champion your voice, your work, and your potential.” About our workshops, we’ve heard they are “a lifeline,” “life changing,” “just what was needed,” and “amazing.” Several writers said they were finally writing again after months of being stuck. One writer said the workshop has been “devastating in all the best ways.” Another wrote to say, “This class teaches you how to dig deep and activate your voice. How to write about things that matter to you, and in turn to your readers.” Many writers have published multiple stories and essays generated during our ongoing pandemic workshop, Writing in the Dark. Read more love letters here.
how do I apply?
Contact us now at elephantrockwriting@gmail.com to complete registration and payment. We hope to write with you!