Class Description
Everyone has opinions, but sometimes we have a hard time formulating them into clear, diplomatic arguments. In this three-hour seminar, students will learn to tighten their opinions--whether about politics or ice cream--into convincing 500 – 800 word op-eds. We'll read published pieces to look at rhetorical devices such as taking a stance, offering concession and refutation, and creating feasible solutions. Students will have a chance to put what they learn into practice by beginning to write their own op-eds, which they will share with the class for feedback. We will also talk about how and where to pitch op-eds. If students don't yet know what topic they'd like to write about, they should come to class with a list of grievances or pet peeves. This class offers a solid overview of how to write an op-ed, and also serves as a preview and jumping off point for those who may be interested in taking 6 Weeks, 6 Op-Eds in the spring.
Thanks to the excellent literary citizenship of our donors, scholarships are available for all GrubStreet classes. To apply, click the gray "APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIP" button. In order to be considered for a scholarship, you must complete your application at least one week before the start date of a class. Please await our scholarship committee's decision before registering for the class. We cannot hold spots in classes, so the sooner you apply, the better. Scholarships cannot be applied retroactively.
For more detailed information about GrubStreet scholarships, including how to contribute to scholarship funds for other students, click here.
This class will take place using Zoom videoconferencing. After registering, a yellow Resources tab will appear in this section containing a link to join class. Please note that you will need to be logged into view the Resources tab.
Zoom Participation:
In our experience, the intimate nature of a writing workshop benefits from on-camera participation. Students are of course welcome to turn their camera off whenever they need to, but it is a community norm for cameras to be on most of the time. You can learn more about using Zoom here.
Zoom Accessibility:
You can enable closed captioning at any time during the meeting by clicking the CC button at the bottom of the screen. If you'd like to access the transcript after class, please make sure to let your instructor ahead of time that you'd like a copy.