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Meet THe Team
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Science fiction often asks, "What if?" or "If this goes on, then what?"—and there’s no better time to explore these questions. With the rise of artificial intelligence and virtual living, we’re all wondering what it means to be human. Writers, in turn, are using their work to comment on today’s world. But none of this is new. The Matrix (1999) was groundbreaking, and its themes still resonate. In this two-hour session, we’ll use plot devices from the film to explore key elements of the hero’s journey. Through movie clips and writing prompts, participants will learn how to craft an inciting incident, develop believable conflict, and evolve characters.
• In-Class Writing Lift: Light
• Homework: None
• Workshopping Drafts: None
Silk Jazmyne is a student of life who loves the artistically strange and narrative in all its forms. She’s a book reviewer and essayist. She’s also a Speculative fiction writer and teaching artist. Her work has appeared both online and in print at Black Girl Nerds, Straylight Magazine, The Gateway Review, Serendipity Literary Magazine, Midnight & Indigo, African Writer Magazine, and Ekphrastic Exhibition in Tandem: Back | Forth. She was born in New York and grew up all over as a Navy brat. She holds a MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Tampa and a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications from Florida International University.
"Silk Jazmyne did an excellent job of not just teaching us the strict definitions of the genre but also showing how far sci-fi, magical realism, and fantasy can go beyond 'escapism.' Silk Jazmyne's syllabus focused on speculative work of contemporary writers of color who are not only masters of these genres but are also thoughtfully and methodically pushing the boundaries on what these genres mean and what they can do. Her focus on how writing and reading actually felt has helped me reorient the way I think about my fiction. I would take another Porch class from her in a heartbeat."
"Silk Jazmyne is incredibly informed on the diversity within the realm of speculative fiction. I had never written much in the genre, but Silk has inspired me to get out of my creative comfort zone. She also ensured all students felt safe and welcomed to share their writing with their peers. I was introduced to authors and writing styles I otherwise may never have found on my own thanks to the supplemental material Silk provided."
"Silk was very accommodating, knowledgable, and supportive!"
