“See what had happened was…”
“Ok, so boom…”
“God is good! All the time!”

What are some ways we like to express ourselves?

Black language can include repetition, summarizing, remixing, and rhythm. We use onomatopoeia, code-switching musicality, and call-and-response. We use gestures, clapsand daps, point our lips like our fingersand raise eyebrows, saying so much without saying a word.

We can incorporate Black expression in our character dialogue and in the structure of the story itself. We don’t need to be limited to the standard style of storytelling, where narration is in standard English and the way we speak only appears with some characters.

In On Black Expressions: Storytelling with Rhythm and Voice, you will:

• Read works from writers such as James Baldwin, Toni Morrison, Jamaica Kincaid, Zora Neale Hurston, J. California Cooper, and Ishmeal Reed, exploring how to allow different styles of speech to tell the stories of our culture
• Receive prompts on how to express yourself with your own language in writing, and receive feedback on your responses to theprompts
• Walk away with creative ways for your characters to speak and for your narration and story structure to reflect your culture and style

This is a generative class for writers and creatives at all levels. Even if you are creative in a medium other than writing, this workshop offers a unique opportunity to slow down and reflect on why and how you create. It’s a chance to escape for just a couple of hours, focus on relaxing, and let your creativity flow.

All class meetings will be held via Zoom. The link to join your Zoom classroom will be provided on the morning of your class. Please check spam folders if you do not receive an email confirmation upon registration. For more information on how to download or use Zoom, please click here.

Meet Your Instructor:
Emma Akpan

Emma Akpan is a writer who lives in Washington, DC, and was born in Toledo, Ohio. She is working on a novel about a thirteen year old girl in Toledo who uses Hip-Hop to navigate her difficult childhood, and a collection of short stories about women encountering gentrification in Washington, DC. She writes about girlhood, the unsaid, fugue and paths of escape, and agency for the powerless. When Emma is not writing, you can find her on a yoga mat, taking pictures, or making floral arrangements or finding the best cup of coffee. Emma is a Kimbilio Fellow and has been awarded a residency at Blue Mountain Center. She has participated in Kenyon Review Summer Workshop, Tin House Summer Workshop and is VONA Voices. Her writing has appeared in Reckon Magazine, TBD Health, Rewire News, The Raleigh News and Observer and The Root. You can find more about Emma at emmaakpan.com, on Instagram @emmanism and on Twitter @EmmaAkpanNC.

Course Expectations

• This course is for writers at all levels. Reading will be sent prior to; pre-reads are not required, but helpful. Please come prepared to complete writing prompts

We offer full refunds for cancellation with written notice up until 7 days before your class start date. From 6 days to more than 24 hours before class begins, we offer a 25% refund. If you drop a class less than 24 hours before the class begins or after it has started, you are ineligible for a refund.