We'll discuss the idea that, for creative writing, it is often more fruitful to think of a poem or story or novel or whatever as a rich, elaborate, precise description - of events, of the characters' experience of those events, than to approach a work with a motive or sense of obligation to explain things for the reader. This opens onto all kinds of freeing distinctions that can disburden writers from what can be pretty paralyzing worries - e.g. of having to "understand" a work before you begin it, of having to "know" everything before you start; to know something is not the same as to understand it; to describe something is not the same thing as to explain it.
This is the livestream version of the class, if you would like to attend in person, click here.
