EVERYBODY DOES IT: WRITING ABOUT WORK

In his 1974 book, Working, Studs Terkel begins by saying, “This book, being about work, is, by its very nature, about violence—to the spirit as well as to the body.” That “violence” is, to some, an idea intrinsically tied to the idea of American exceptionalism. For others, however, it represents nothing less than profound and unrepentant exploitation under the capitalist framework. Regardless, save for those lucky few, almost all of us will have to work for a significant portion of our lives.

In this course we will examine how twentieth and twenty-first century writers transferred their experience of labor onto the page, and will gain an insight about how to better understand and communicate meaningful literary ideas through one of the few things most people share: work.

Over four weeks we will read and write about labor in its many forms, and each participant will exit the course with a piece of polished writing primed for revision and expansion. Students may also workshop their own previously authored material about working and labor. Students may create poetry, prose, or whatever lies in between.

Texts we may discuss include Studs Terkel’s Working, Olga Ravn’s The Employees, Ling Ma’s Severance, and selections from poets Rhina P. Espaillat, Rodrigo Toscano, Carl Sandberg, as well as essayist Jia Tolentino.

Access Program
We want our classes to be accessible to everyone, regardless of income and background. We understand that our tuition structure can present obstacles for some people. Our Access Program offers class registrations at a reduced rate. Most writing classes have at least one access spot available.

Please apply here for access rate tuition. Contact Susan Moore at susan@literary-arts.org if you have questions.