Writing the Impossible Object

Instructor: Ross McElwain, Shiona Tregaskis Date & Time: June 1, 15, 29, August 3, 17, 31, September 7, October 26, November 9, 30, December 7, 14. 14:00-16:30 ET

DESCRIPTION: Writing the Impossible Object is a three-credit Workshop Seminar focusing on the creation and writing of theory, fiction, and theory-fiction. Aided by our Guest Speakers, we will chart a novel path through entangled canons of writing from and about ideas: bodies of writing in which theoretical and imaginative forms collapse into one another. We will emphasize the uncanonizable and ludic aspects of what has recently been gathered under the umbrella of theory-fiction, such that we may approach matters of genre with an attitude of ‘yes, and…’

Supported by breaks of either a fortnight or a month between Sessions to allow participants to write, they will be asked to produce several shorter pieces of writing and one more substantial text over the 7-month duration of the Seminar, and indeed to work in genres in addition to written prose. Podcasts, videos, essay films, long-form social media, and comics are all possible forms to be explored here. The majority of Sessions will begin with conversations with guests on their own writing and their advice for young writers. They include Reza Negarestani, Huw Lemmey, K Allado-McDowell and others to be confirmed.

These conversations will straddle genres and trouble the distinctions between them. We will examine techniques and processes for creating texts, spanning from the Renaissance commonplace book to avant-garde plagiarism. In the last hour of each Session, we will form smaller groups to give and receive feedback in an environment that fosters risk-taking and an understanding approach to feedback and criticism.

The Seminar will culminate in a publication featuring the work of course Participants, who will also be encouraged to create their own publications, solo or jointly, throughout the Seminar.

IMAGE: Cy Twombly, Untitled (Bacchus) 2008.

To see The New Centre Refund Policy CLICK HERE.