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Creative Nonfiction: Workshop
ENGLISH CNFR 001

Course Information

Description

Whether it takes the form of literary journalism, essay, memoir, or environmental writing, creative nonfiction is a powerful genre that allows writers to break free from the constraints commonly associated with nonfiction prose and reach for the breadth of thought and feeling usually accomplished only in fiction: the narration of a vivid story, the probing of a complex character, the argument of an idea, or the evocation of a place. Students will work on several short assignments to hone their mastery of the craft, then write a longer piece that will be workshopped in class and revised at the end of the term. We will take instruction and inspiration from published authors such as Joan Didion, James Baldwin, Ariel Levy, Alexander Chee, and Virginia Woolf. This is a workshop-style class intended for undergraduate and graduate students at all levels of experience. No previous experience in English Department courses is required.

Class Notes

Admission by application only. For information on specific application requirements and instructions, please see the full course listing on the English Department website. 

DEADLINE: For all Fall 2026 workshops, applications will open by Monday, March 23 and are due via Submittable by 11:59pm on Sunday, April 5. Students will be notified of admissions decisions by 4:00pm ET on Thursday, April 9, and must accept/claim their seats within 24 hours. Workshops will meet the first week of classes.

School Faculty of Arts & Sciences
Credits 4
Cross Reg

Available for Harvard Cross Registration

Department English
Course Component Workshop
Subject English
Grading Basis FAS Letter Graded
General Education N/A
Quantitative Reasoning with Data N/A
Divisional Distribution Arts and Humanities
Course Level For Undergraduate and Graduate Students