Your Story, Your Voice: A Writing Workshop with Toya Wolfe

What’s the story you’ve always wanted to tell? Where does it take place? Which voices would you use to tell it? This workshop will help you generate those stories, and as a group, you will discuss the nuances of your tale, as well as your unique voice and style. The group will read a few short pieces by writers who use the distinct voices of their cities, small towns, boroughs, reservations and islands.

Workshop Objectives

This workshop aims to identify the unique elements of a narrator's voice, by zoning in on the specific elements of place and culture that influence how we speak. The group will utilize the works of published writers, your recollection of dialects, accents, and speech patterns from oral storytellings of your past to give your writing a specific, vibrant, voice.

During the workshop, participants will...

• Hear portions of Wolfe's novel, Last Summer on State Street and discuss its origin story, style details and my writing process
• Read and discuss published works
• Generate new writing
• Share a portion of their drafts (if comfortable) aloud
• Participate in a Q&A near the end of the workshop

Note: Attendees will need a notebook or laptop—for writing times—we'll write brand new things while we're together, no use for ongoing material.

Toya Wolfe: Reading & Discussion

Don't miss a special reading and discussion with Toya Wolfe on Thursday, May 4. Details here.