SATURDAY, Oct. 25th | Life is full of problems that are hard to endure, but as writers these obstacles can fuel stories with momentum and shape resilient characters worth rooting for. In this generative class, we will use art, music and text to open our minds, inspire our writing, and turn life’s "garbage" into literary gold. Transform the small, humorous, and tragic moments of your life into compelling drama and comedy. This is your chance to turn that one unbelievable thing that happened to you into a narrative others can relate to and empathize with.
We'll have pens, pencils, and paper ready for you, but feel free to bring your own notebooks or laptop. Don’t take yourself too seriously—the goal is to have fun and create. Afterward, you’re encouraged to sign up for The Writer's Grotto LitQuake open mic with a complimentary theme, “Narrative Therapy: Trials, Failures and Miscellaneous Bummers”.
During this class, students will:
Britta Stromeyer is a member of the National Book Critics Circle. Her writing appears in The Common, Tupelo Quarterly, Beyond Words Magazine, Necessary Fiction, On The Seawall, Flash Fiction Magazine, Bending Genres Journal, Marin Independent Journal and other publications. Britta has authored award-winning children's books and holds an MFA from Dominican University, CA, an M.A. from American University, and a Certificate in Novel Writing from Stanford University.
Jessica Martinez makes the “Get Over It, Go Out With Somebody Else” zine series which celebrates breakups using quotes from Wayne’s World. She has also written children’s books for the Khan Academy Kids app and sketch comedy for Killing My Lobster. Her plays have been staged in LA and SF, including “Schooltown Funk,” a satire on public school teaching, which had a sold-out run at the SF Fringe Festival. She is a 2025 LAMBDA Literary Fellow and currently at work on a young adult novel.