Nature Writing: An Immersive Workshop

Everyone has a story, and this course is designed to help you write yours.  Specifically designed to help a writer overcome writer’s block, establish regular writing practices, and begin writing your story.

As we study and create texts that deal with land, mortality, transcendence, persuasion, perspective, and memory, we will consider how these concepts have shaped human interactions with the natural world.  The tools we will use to engage the texts will include in-class writing adventures, contemplative assignments, classroom discussions, and optional memorization and presentation.  Topics that will be covered: 

Literature and Land

• A brief overview of nature writing, and an introduction to poetry

Transcendence and Poetry

• Understanding the transcendentalists of the 1820s-1850s and how their work continues to affect the way we interact with nature and literature
• The role of a poet

Seeing, Naming

• Imagery and persuasion in nature writing

Entering In

• Wendell Berry and immersing oneself in natural surroundings

Memory and Land

• Wandering through the past to understand the present

The journey ahead

• Tools and next steps for writing and interacting with the natural world

Date: Thursdays, April 21 - May 26, PLEASE NOTE the dates for the class have changed to April 28 -June 2,  2022

Time: 5:30pm-7:30pm

Location: Shasta College Main Campus, 2100 Building, Room: 2150

Facilitator: Dr. Amy Leigh Wicks

IMPORTANT NOTE: At this time, it is expected that all participants attending in-person spring semester classes and potentially summer semester classes will be required to wear a mask while inside any college classrooms and buildings.