NWRW 0003 Global Citizen Initiative–Creative Writing at Parsons Paris | Continuing & Professional Education at The New School

Enrollment Update: Apply for Parsons New York Summer Intensive Studies and enroll in summer non-credit courses.

Course Description

Parsons Paris and the Creative Writing Program at the Schools of Public Engagement have joined forces to present a new non-credit certificate: Paris Writing Intensive. During the course, students will have a chance to focus on their own creative writing with a fresh perspective by attending a series of intensive morning writing workshops in the genre of their choice: fiction, nonfiction, or graphic novel/memoir. In the afternoons students will take a closer look at contemporary French culture, examining France’s colonial history and Paris’s immigrant communities, taking walking tours of the outer arrondissements. Instruction will include lectures, walking tours, and literary seminars focusing on the published work of migrants and exiles who have made France their home. Authors will likely include Fatima Daas, Mohammed Dib, Marie NDiaye, Kim Lefèvre, Tahar Ben Jelloun, Edmond Jabès, Paul Celan, Aimé Césaire, and Frantz Fanon

All students have the choice of one workshop in the morning, either:

A) Master class in Fiction, taught by Helen Schulman

Our five day intensive workshops are geared toward writers arriving with works-in-progress. Fiction writers will receive close-readings and line-by-line edits of their stories and novel excerpts, and carefully written responses from all the participants, including the professor. There will be ample time for them to ask questions and brainstorm ideas for their larger projects, with an eye toward revision and publication. Discussions will be constructive, supportive and honest. These classes can be considered a refresh for writers who are stuck, a place to polish for those who want a fresh eye, and a nurturing platform for people getting started.

B) Master class in Fiction, Nonfiction,Graphic Novel/Memoir & Poetry taught by Mira Jacob

Multi-genre writers will have their fiction, essays, memoir chapters and poetry closely read and annotated, followed by an open, engaging and constructive class discussion about the piece—its strengths, areas that might need to be tightened, and how it might be fully realized for publication. In addition, we will discuss the trickier areas of fiction and nonfiction, from which stories we have a right to tell, to when and how we might ask for permission when our stories involve others, to dealing with blowback post publication. Students can choose to have a 20-minute meeting with the professor afterward to create an action plan for moving forward with the work.

Graphic novelists and memoirists will receive a close read of their work with a specific eye toward visual storytelling—pacing, scope and structure of the drawn piece, how the text serves the illustration and vice versa, and what connections are being made (or lost) in the gutters. Class discussions will be honest and supportive, and students will provide each other with a written letter of feedback. Students can choose to have a 20-minute meeting with the professor afterward to create an action plan for moving forward with the work.

Poets, lyric essayists and hybrid form writers are all welcome in this workshop!

All students will join together in the afternoon for: Literature Seminar & Walking Tours, taught by Rebecca Reilly

Francophonie and Exile: Students learn about the cultural and political landscape of contemporary France through readings in Francophone literature of migration and exile. A series of literary walking tours explore the outer arrondissements of Paris, bringing students beyond the myth of Paris as a beautiful, historical, museum-city and into Paris as it is today: an infinitely more complicated, fascinating and diverse global capital. Authors will likely include Fatima Daas, Mohammed Dib, Marie NDiaye, Kim Lefèvre,Tahar Ben Jelloun, Edmond Jabès, Paul Celan, Aimé Césaire, and Frantz Fanon.

Course Outline

Students will have program activities every day from Saturday June 1, 2024 through Saturday June 8, 2024 from 10 am-12 pm, 1-3 pm, and some evenings from 7-9 pm. Monday through Friday students will have workshops, and seminar/walking tours. Craft classes, panels, and readings will take place during the afternoons and early evenings. Weekends will include excursions and one-on-one meetings with your instructors.

Friday, May 31 , 2024

Afternoon: Students arrive and check into housing. Students are hosted in charming apartments around Paris.

Saturday, June 1, 2024

Walking tour and orientation.

Evening: Opening night welcome dinner.

Sunday, June 2, 2024

Free Day to explore Paris

Monday - Friday, June 3 - 7, 2024

Mornings: Workshop with instructors in fiction, nonfiction or graphic novel/memoir.

Afternoon: Literary seminars. Two days of craft/reading classes accompanied by three days of literary walking tours of notable Paris locations.

Evening readings and receptions: 2 evenings of talks by renowned local specialists on writing about fashion and art, with time to mingle and enjoy refreshments.

Saturday, June 8, 2024

Morning: Individual Conferences

Evening: Student reading and wine and cheese celebration.

Sunday, June 9, 2024

Students check out of housing and program ends.

Additional Information

Location: Classes are held on the Parsons Paris campus and also meet in locations throughout the city. Coursework is complemented by site visits and evening activities.

Prerequisites

Application deadlines: Priority admission deadline: December 15, 2023. Rolling admissions until January 15, 2024. To apply for the Paris Writing Intensive, please complete the online application and include a statement of purpose (250 to 500 words) detailing what you would like to work on during the program, along with a five page writing sample, and a copy of your CV.

Applies Towards the Following Certificates

Creative Writing Certificate: Paris Writing Intensive : Required Course