Teaching:
Upcoming classes in Boston:
NEW START TIME! --- 8 WEEK CLASS ONLY! -- Price reduced! $364 nonmembers/$340 members
>8 week workshop
Memoir in Progress II
8 Tuesdays at Grub Street, Boston, 7pm – 10pm
Begins Tues Jan 26, 2010 First drafts of memoirs – their scope, structure and information management -can be daunting. Some writers feel extensive critical feedback can be counterproductive before the first draft is finished, yet find themselves losing their focus without support and guidance. This is especially true when you are telling your own story, or the story of people close to you. In this class, there will be no manuscripts to read and critique outside of class; all the work outside of the classroom will be devoted to one's own writing. In class, we will do exercises, discuss craft issues – voice, “character” development, etc. – and read short excerpts (no more than 5 pages) from each other's work aloud, providing guidance and feedback in an environment that recognizes the specific challenges of the memoir in progress. In the last class, all writers will be invited to hand in the first 20 pages of their memoirs to receive a written critique from the instructor, with suggested strategies for finishing the manuscript. Please bring the first page (double-spaced) of your memoir to the first class. Please note: this class is not group therapy. Our focus will be on the craft of your work, not the identity of the author. Designed for intermediate writers who have already taken Memoir I, “Six Weeks, Six Essays” or an equivalent workshop at Grub Street or elsewhere. Level: Intermediate/Advanced; $364 nonmembers/$340 members More info: see Grub Street
Teaching:
The Grub Sampler
a 6 week class at Grub Street, Boston
6 Thursdays in Boston
NOTE: 10:30am-12:30pm. Begins January 21st.
Can’t decide between fiction and memoir? Secretly want to write poems but feel the pull of prose when you call Grub to sign up for a course? Sherman Alexie, Raymond Carver, and Sandra Cisneros didn’t choose, so you shouldn’t either! In this new workshop, you will write stories, essays, and poems. We will discuss published work with a focus on overlapping craft elements, such as image, voice, language, dialogue, audience, as well as facets specific to their genres, such as form, plot, and narrative arc. Each week, you will be given unique in-class writing exercises, and you’ll spend a little bit of time workshopping and getting in-class feedback from the instructor and your classmates. The goal is to leave the class with new beginnings in all genres, and at least one revised piece. Level: All; $195/$170 members; Registration Deadline: January 15th. More info: see Grub Street.
>One night seminar:
Monday March 15
7:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Crash Course in Guerrilla Book Promotion
at Grub Street, Boston
$65/$50 members; Registration Deadline: March 10th; Level: Advanced
If you're about to publish a book, you've probably got questions about how to best publicize and sell it --- as well as wondering what to expect. In this seminar, Ethan Gilsdorf reports on the lessons learned from his 50+ city budget book tour and six month guerilla effort to promote his book Fantasy Freaks and Gaming Geeks: An Epic Quest for Reality Among Role Players, Online Gamers, and Other Dwellers of Imaginary Realms. Whether you have a big or small publisher, or chose self-publishing, there are both traditional and non-traditional methods to identify and reach your target audience and build an audience in various potential book-buying communities. We'll discuss setting up a promotional budget; creating a book tour (and not just at bookstores but other venues) and brainstorming special contests, promotions and giveaways unique to your book; establishing yourself as an expert and tying in your book to current events; using traditional media like print, TV and radio; and jumping on social media like Facebook and Twitter to develop a fan base and create buzz about your book. We'll also over what your publisher should do and what you can do (and how you can work with your publicist), and the problems that self-publishing creates. Finally, managing expectations is the crucial mental element to book promotion. Come with questions. at Grub Street, Boston
About Ethan Gilsdorf as a teacher:
Ethan Gilsdorf teaches classes in poetry, memoir, personal essay, op-ed writing, reviewing, general journalism/feature writing, and the business of freelancing writing, for such institutions as Grub Street, Mediabistro, and Emerson College. He is also is co-founder of Grub Street's Young Adult Writers Program (YAWP) in Boston.
He has led poetry workshops for youths of all ages. He has also taught English composition and poetry at Louisiana State University, and has given lectures on poetry and poetry writing and given readings at numerous schools, summer programs and writers conferences, such as The Muse and the Marketplace, Wheaton College (MA), Marlboro College (VT), Boxboro Elementary School (MA), the Putney (VT) School Summer Programs, Oxbridge Summer Program (Paris), High Mowing School (NH), and Menlo College’s (CA) European study abroad program.
He has volunteered in the Boston Public Schools system as a writing and English tutor/career enrichment speaker, tutor, guest lecturer and poetry workshop leader (Brighton High School, Monument High School, Madison Park High School, Cambridge Rindge and Latin School, and elsewhere).
Kind things his former students have said about him:
"I am profoundly appreciative of the time and thought Ethan gave to my writing ... Reading his edits and speaking with him had the wonderful effect of inspiring me to write *more*..." -- Nancy U.
"I was so impressed with how engaging he was both as a writer and an instructor. He kept the class moving at a good pace, and he made it fun, even the scary workshopping, which can be so harsh. I felt like he set strong guidelines for workshopping which kept it from feeling personal, and he really stuck to the positive criticism and what would help and improve our writing. He was also very good at drawing out people like myself who don't speak as much, and got everyone involved. I loved the projects, and I am sad the class ended. I look forward to taking more classes with Ethan, as it makes me want to write."-- Karen L.
"Ethan Gilsdorf has an ability to make even dry facts entertaining. I found his seminar to be well-structured, informative and interesting, his teaching style honest and straightforward. His myriad experiences, handouts, and anecdotes made for a rewarding introduction to the field." -- Jessica Lee
"Ethan's practical teaching style made Arts and Culture Writing seem very accessible. In addition to talking about his own experience, he had us brainstorm story ideas from a press release to illustrate many of his points. He covered a wide range of material that was useful for both new and seasoned freelancers, and the packet of resources and story examples he provided will be invaluable." -- Julia Maranan
"I want to commend you on your seminar last night. For me, as an outsider to the writing community it was a revelation and also an eye-opener! ... You made everything clear and I was impressed by the usefulness of what you told us ..."-- Gerald Zeitlin
"A firehose of knowledge on the craft and business of feature writing."
"Ethan was a great instructor. He gave practical, constructive feedback from the perspective of a writer who know what editors look for, and took the time to give us meaningful feedback. ... This workshop gave me a very necessary kick in the ass to get my writing into high gear."
"[Ethan] had great energy and humor to sustain interest through the course of a big data dump. [He's] strong at bouncing off questions and ideas from the class. ... Thanks for a very useful class."
"Ethan did a terrific job with last night's seminar. He has a dry sense of humor and was human and versatile... both of which kept his multitudes of information engaging."
"The handout was terrific, a handbook, actually. He was very available in one to one and in group, generous about follow up if we wanted it. I [recommend] keeping him on your teaching staff."
"GREAT introductory course! ... Ethan's knowledge of the field is thorough..."
"Ethan's enthusiam for his subject is evident ... "
"Ethan has a nice blend of humor, genuine style and general experience."