AUTOFICTIONS 

This course will be devoted to the study of novels and stories that fall under the murky category of “autofiction.” Though exceedingly difficult to define, the genre of autofiction can be understood as a blend of memoir and fiction, in which the author assumes the role of themselves in a narrative, while simultaneously maintaining the rhetorical freedom to digress from any measure of conventional “truth.” Or, in more plain language: a novel that reads like a memoir, but the author/writer/narrator starts making stuff up that never happened.  

We’ll ask a lot of questions in this class: Why does autofiction, as a genre, exist? Why are some books sold as autofictions when they could very well be sold as memoir? Why do some authors create autofictional personas—with new names, but similar life experiences—rather than assume a position of total narrative transparency? How does autofiction differ from autobiographical fiction? How does it differ from autobiography?  

Our reading list will focus on contemporary autofiction by Sheila Heti, Ben Lerner, Rachel Cusk, and Karl Ove Knausgard, Ocean Vuong, Maggie Nelson, Sigrid Nunez, Jenny Zhang and others. We’ll also have a look at early forms of autofiction that predate the term’s coinage. Students should be prepared to read and write critically and also to experiment writing their own autofictions.  

Writing for Nonprofits and Communities

Nonprofit organizations work on behalf of their causes and communities, and every year, nonprofits, as a whole, generate millions of dollars to fund this work. These kinds of organizations rely on a mix of financial resources to fund their work including donors, fundraising events, appeals to legislators, and grants. Given this reality, effective writing strategies are essential for these organizations, and they are often in need of effective writers to promote their work, write for grants, solicit donations, and educate legislators and the public alike. For students aiming to work in university and college settings, a working knowledge and understanding of writing for nonprofits/grants can be an important skill set to bring to their future workplaces.

Through readings, writing and analytic activities (including the examination of grant applications and sample writing materials from nonprofits), interactions with local nonprofit groups, projects, and guest speakers, students in this course will:

• Gain an understanding of the goals and missions of non-profit and other community organizations. We will also consider the grant-writing activities undertaken by these groups.
• Gain an understanding of the texts such organizations use in order to achieve their goals and mission, including an understanding of genres, conventions, rhetorical strategies, and writing processes.
• Acquire and practice using rhetorical strategies that appropriately address the exigencies, audiences, and purposes non-profit professionals face.
• Gain specific writing and communication skills that can aid you in nonprofit/grant activities for workplaces, grant activities, or volunteer work.
• Make connections with professionals in the non-profit community.

ENGL 829 is open for all MA and Ph.D. students.