Northern Michigan is a strong and steady presence in all manner of creative writing, from poetry to drama to fiction and more.
In this six week course, we will read models from notable writers in different genres to learn how Northern Michigan has inspired creative writing, as well as work on our own contributions to the literature of the region.
We’ll read folks like Jack Driscoll, Jim Harrison, Ellen Airgood, Angelina Boulley, and others as we make sense of how the landscape and the inhabitants of this region we call home shape the writing of others. From the flora and fauna to the dialects of the many corners of both the northern part of the Lower Peninsula, as well as the Upper Peninsula we’ll dive into how settings and characters are shaped by our woods, our waters, and our challenges.
This class is designed for anyone with an interest in reading and writing, but especially those who wish to examine how the landscape and the people of this region impact writers across a spectrum of genres.
Students should plan to read widely, but also to practice their own ways of infusing the particular sights and sounds of Northern Michigan into creative writing of a variety of genres.
Students should have a copy of Jack Driscoll’s The Goat Fish and the Lover’s Knot for use in class. We will also share other texts most weeks.
**Refunds are unavailable for cancellations made within 48 hours of the class**
Glen Young is the author, most recently, of "Four Seasons of Mackinac Island," in addition to more than 500 essays on books and reading. He is Associate Editor of Walloon Writers Review, as well as a co-director of Top of the Mitt Writing Project. His poetry and essays have appeared in regional and national publications. He holds degrees from the University of Michigan and Marygrove College. He is a National Writing Project fellow, and has earned grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities, as well as the IREX/Fulbright International Teacher Exchange Program. He is a ski instructor and a kayak guide, and divides his time between Petoskey and Mackinac Island.
