Object As Subject: Writing inspired by what you hold

If your house were on fire and your loved ones were safe, you’d hastily spend a minute grabbing some random sentimental objects on your way out the door. All of us feel deep connections to some of the plainest objects in our lives: vinyl records, works of art, shoes, chairs, and so on. The image of these daily or popular items is often considered fodder for poetry, but it can also be a rich source of inspiration in prose. Creative nonfiction doesn’t have to be limited only to things that happen; it can also be about a thing you hold in your hand. An object is a great subject!

This workshop will guide you through different ways of writing about the objects that speak to you. Whether you want to sing the praises of a pair of sunglasses for an entire essay or just hone in on the finer points of a hubcap in a tale about something else entirely, this session has tools that will help bring the words you need to the objects you love.

• LEARN how to research using the foundations of journalistic writing
• EXAMINE the ideas that your object represents, and
• BEGIN writing your story