Personal Storytelling Through Objects

​In this two-hour 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. None of us is one thing, or one version of ourselves forever, and this class is about articulating our unique complexity. We will lean into the craft mechanics of creative writing to experiment and hone personal messaging that will come in handy at networking or interview settings, or with social media and self-promotion.

If you're a creative writer looking for an interesting angle to draft new work, 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. Storytelling skills are essential, both on the page and off. To make the professional connections we want, we need to be able to talk openly and extemporaneously about our journey! If any of these categories are about you, then this class is for you.

​Open to all writing 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.