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Meet THe Team
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Speculative Fiction as a term was coined in 1947 and has evolved through the decades. Recently, some fans have complained about politics being involved; however, this genre has been exploring political content, especially resistance as a theme since the beginning. This four week course for fiction writers, nonfiction writers, poets and historians will not only journey through artistic works but also the context of the political climate of the time they were written. We’ll explore the work of George Lucas, Suzanne Collins, Toni Morrison, Octavia Butler, Megan Giddings. Through historical lectures, readings, videos, and writing exercises: we’ll focus on how to apply these tactics to contemporary work, imagining how current events will affect the near and far futures while commentary on how we can resist instead of obeying in advance. By the end of the course, participants will understand the different sub-genres of speculative fiction, will be able to identify the elements of, and will be able to craft deeply connected narratives of the past to the present and beyond.
This class involves weekly readings and discussions (20-40 pages) and short writing prompts. The final week of the course will be focused on workshopping a (3000 word or less) short story that had been crafted throughout the first three weeks. Short story writers and novelists alike are welcome, as are students new to the genre.
• In-Class Writing Lift: Medium
• Homework: Optional
• Workshopping Drafts: Intensive
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!"
