Advanced Essay Writing: The Braided Essay

Some stories don’t follow a straight line, but instead run down many overlapping paths. Tangled and complicated like our actual lives, the braided essay twists together strands into a complex weave bound by reverberations and association. The meandering form allows for digressions and interruptions that are especially useful when writing through difficult or painful material.

In this eight-week course, students will read through contemporary examples of braided essays and discuss their meaning, construction, and mechanics. Though a series of weekly writing exercises and peer workshops, students will be guided through the process of building their own braided essays that incorporate personal narratives, research, criticism, and other material.

Workshop is taught on behalf of Literary Cleveland