What fun to talk about the lyric essay—a form that has all the language of poetry, the reflection of nonfiction, the stakes of fiction. A form that lets you get funky and break out of your usual style.
But these five steps will help you get to the good stuff in ANY genre.
The full recorded workshop is available to paid subscribers but also includes a free snippet: one tip that will make your reader lean closer.
About this workshop:
Make your writing sing! Learn from award-winning poet Kelly Grace Thomas how to combine multiple genres to create lyric essays full of music and momentum. This workshop will introduce you to the elements of a lyric essay and teach you how to use each element to provide texture, surprise, and insight to your writing. Expect to take bold risks that will leave you knowing yourself and your writing better.
In this workshop, participants will:
Read and discuss poignant examples that breakdown ingredients
Examine the impact of various tones, textures, and styles
Write from personal experience to examine emotional arcs
Use questions to complicate and strengthen intimacy
How to Write the Lyric Essay Highlights
2:00 Updates from Me
5:07 Why Lyric Essays
10:58 Warm Up
15:13 Preview 5 Elements of the Lyric Essay
15:39 Excerpt from “All of Me” by Melissa Febos taken from her book, Abandon Me
31:00 Excerpt from Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
33:44 Excerpt from “The Glass Essay” by Anne Carson
36:34 The Five Elements of a Lyric Essay
55:50 Prompt
Want to Write More?
Join Sweat, Tears, or the Sea where Kelly leads a monthly creative workshop to help you get closer to who you want to be and what you want to say. Become a paid subscriber to attend.
Access to full video and workshop materials (readings and slides) below.
Listen to this episode with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to Sweat, Tears, or the Sea with Kelly Grace Thomas to listen to this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.
