Formal constraints often fuel poets and nonfiction writers but can be tools too easily left out of the fiction writer’s repertoire. In fact, found forms can help a fiction writer focus, energize, and give shape to their writing—as well as inspire new work.

Found Forms for Fiction: The Litany and How To with Kristiana Kahakauwila will meet over Zoom on Thursday, August 5th, from 6:00 PM–9:00 PM ET. This one-day class will center on two found forms: the litany and the how-to. In poetry, litany is any form that catalogues a series. The word’s roots, however, lie in prayer and supplication, particularly those offered in times of great thanksgiving or public danger. Our course will open by studying several examples of the litany story—fictions that not only catalogue but also engage with gratitude and/or fear. Then we’ll look to the how-to, that old standard of practical advice and procedures. Here again we will study published examples, fiction that remakes the how-to into a narrative with humor, irony, and tension gleaned from the friction between a form that implies knowing with subject matter often centered on uncertainty and not-knowing. Throughout the three hours, we will brainstorm, draft, experiment, and aim to produce two entirely different story starts. We’ll also consider the histories of these forms and how they might unlock ways of writing material we’ve found difficult to put into words.

This craft class is open to all writers of color. Registration is now open, and scholarships are available. The deadline to apply for a scholarship is Sunday, August 1st. See the class page for more information.

To see all of our spring classes, visit kundiman.org/online-classes.