​An essay is both an art and a science.

​Joan Didion was one of the great essayists of the twentieth century because she turned an unsparing eye toward both herself and the social structures she inhabited. In this seminar, we will discuss three of her essays to understand the craft of essay writing, both personal and argumentative.

​Come having done all the reading and ready to dive into the personal and political. You are encouraged to print and mark up the essays.

​Essays:

• ​'On Keeping a Journal', from Slouching Toward Bethlehem

• ​'Slouching Toward Bethlehem', from Slouching Toward Bethlehem

• ​'The Women's Movement', from The White Album

​If you want free PDFs, download them here.

​Meet your instructor

​Anu Pandey has built a Substack presence with thousands of readers through argumentative essays, and will teach best practices for non-fiction essay writing.

​You'll take away practical advice that's often unaddressed. Come with an idea to work through or just join if you want to learn more about how to translate your vague thoughts into a structure that moves people.