Personal Storytelling Through Objects

​Storytelling skills are essential, from personal and creative writing, to networking and interview settings, to social media and self-promotion. If any of those categories are about you, then this class is for you. 

​In this two-day class, we will use common or beloved objects from our lives to practice creating narratives that bring together significant parts of our (past, present, future) selves. We will lean into the craft mechanics of creative writing to experiment and hone personal messaging. 

​If you're a creative writer looking to understand more on a craft level, this class is for you. But maybe you're not a writer, and you want to use storytelling skills to evolve the way you talk about your professional journey or your small business, for example, then this class is also for you.

​Open to all experience levels. Class caps at 12 participants. Bring whatever you need to write on the spot (notebook, laptop, tablet, charger, headphones, etc). Participants can expect discussion, ideation, and writing time. 

​April Sopkin writes fiction and personal essays. She was the 2024-2025 writer-in-residence at the Visual Arts Center of Richmond, and was awarded a 2023 Elizabeth George Foundation grant to support work on her short story collection. Her writing has appeared in Joyland, MIT Technology Review, Carve, Southern Indiana Review, and elsewhere. April teaches writing and literature at VCU and Randolph-Macon College. She writes about pursuing a multifaceted life at Something Out of Nothing, her monthly blog.