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New Nonfiction Class

Posted in Art, Events, Writers, Writing on October 4, 2016 by frankbures

imagesThis winter, I’ll be teaching a small online class through The Loft Literary Center. In the past I’ve taught classes on narrative nonfiction, freelancing, profile writing, travel writing and other subjects. This course is designed both for people starting out and for those who want to shift career directions. We will focus on any genre students want to work on and cover practical skills of reporting, structuring your stories and selling your work. The ultimate goal of of the class is to finish with at least two polished, professional clips to use and sell. Please contact me if you want more info: Nonfiction Intensive: Building Your Portfolio

 

AWP Minneapolis

Posted in Art, Books, Events on March 24, 2015 by frankbures

imgresBefore long, some 12,000 writers and 2,000 presenters will descend on this town (Minneapolis) for the annual AWP Conference & Bookfair. Officially, it’s the largest literary conference in the country. Unofficially (I’m told) it’s a big party for writers. Whatever it is, the number of panels and speakers is mind-boggling, and I don’t know how anyone could choose between them. Fortunately for me that choice is easier, since I’ll be on two panels, both related to travel writing. Both should make for great conversations on important issues.

The first, is called, “Can Literary Quarterlies Save Travel Writing?” and features some people I’ve known for a while, and others I haven’t: Jim Benning, Tom Swick, Pamela Petro and Sally Shivnan. I’ll be standing in for the moderator, Evan Balkan. I expect we will answer this question definitively.

The other is “Wild v. Into the Wild: X and Y Chromosomes in Travel Writing,” featuring Eva Holland, Brian Kevin and Kelly Ferguson moderating, with a focus on the differences between men’s and women’s travel writing.

If that wasn’t enough, there will also be a travel writing-themed reading called “Notes From the Road” on Saturday at 4pm at Honey, featuring many of the same writers, as well as Leif Peterson, Annie Scott Riley and Doug Mack, who kindly organized the event and who is busy finishing his new book about the U.S. Territories.

Minneapolis-MN1

Upcoming Class: Telling True Stories: The Art of Narrative Nonfiction

Posted in Events, Teaching on June 19, 2014 by frankbures

imagesFor those who want to expand their writing craft in all genres of narrative nonfiction–longform and shortform–I’m teaching an online class this fall that will cover essays, profiles, travel, features and more. Use the Early Bird Promo Code EBFA1434 by August 22, 2014 to get $20 off. Here’s the copy from the catalog:

To be a successful nonfiction writer today, it’s not enough know how to type, blog or tweet, or even how to cobble an article together. To write powerfully in today’s media environment, you need to be able to tell a great story. In this class, we’ll look at the evolution of narrative nonfiction beginning with the New Journalism. We’ll review some of the master nonfiction writers and study their techniques to write more compelling nonfiction stories. We will examine and practice different genres of narrative nonfiction, including profiles, essays, travelogues and features. And finally, we will review how to pitch and sell your stories.

More info here.

Theater of Public Policy: The Fall of the Creative Class

Posted in America, Events on October 1, 2012 by frankbures

Do you like improv? Do you like public policy? The two are now blissfully wed at the Theater of Public Policy. This Thursday I’ll be on stage talking about–what else?–The Fall of the Creative Class. Only $5!   “Frank Bures, Literary Editor for Thirty Two Magazine  joins us this Thursday to talk about Richard Florida’s Creative Class Theory and why it’s not what it claims to be. The show is at Huge Theater and starts at 7pm.”  More details here.

Profile Writing at The Loft’s Creative Nonfiction Conference

Posted in Events, Teaching, Writing on March 4, 2011 by frankbures

This month, on March 12, I’ll be teaching a class at The Loft’s Creative Nonfiction Conference called In Profile: The Art of Writing Life.  We’ll look at work by Elizabeth Gilbert, Michael Paterniti, Bill Bryson and others who have worked in one of the richest veins of narrative nonfiction.  Besides that, there are lots of other great classes. Sign up here!

Salon Saloon: The Ghost Show

Posted in Events on February 21, 2011 by frankbures

This Tuesday (Feb. 22) I’ll be joining Andy Sturdevant and the Salon Saloon crew for The Ghost Show at Bryant Lake Bowl. If you’ve always wanted to know about kanaimas, ghost cats, popobawas, djinns and more, then come on out! Here’s the official flier:

“If you have ghosts,” howled legendary Texas singer Roky Erickson, “than you have everything.”

This is the basic idea behind the February edition of Salon Saloon: talk about ghosts in enough depth, and there’s almost no area of the human experience you won’t touch on. In that spirit, four guests from a wide range of disciplines will address ghostliness in all its forms. Seances, necromancers, phantom ships, spirit animals, electronic voice phenomena, Days of the Dead, wraiths, shades, ectoplasm, Ray Parker, Jr., Hamlet, orbs, spiritism, Ghosts of Christmases Past, Present and Future – we have everything.

This month’s guests:

And as always: the Salon Saloon house band (Katie Condon, Jake Mohan and Claire Tiller), and your host Andy Sturdevant.

Buy your tickets now!


Telling True Stories: Three award-winning writers discuss their craft

Posted in Books, Events, Writers, Writing on February 17, 2011 by frankbures

Next Wednesday, Deborah Blum, Michael Perry, and J.C. Hallman will be discussing the art of nonfiction storytelling at the Open Book Center in Minneapolis.  There is a reception, with wine and cheese, at 7 pm, followed by Panel Discussion at 7:30, and a book signing after the event.  Admission: $10, $5 for Loft/American Society of Journalists & Authors members, and students.

The Writers:

The future of publishing may be in flux, but one thing remains constant: There will always be a need for writers who can tell a good story. This panel brings together three master storytellers to discuss their craft and to examine the role of narrative journalism in the 21st century.

Deborah Blum is a Pulitzer Prize-winning science writer and the author of four books including her latest, The Poisoner’s Handbook. She has written for The New York Times, Slate, The Wall Street Journal The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, Discover, Science News, and New Scientist. She has appeared as a guest on The Today show, Good Morning America, and NPR’s This American Life, Morning Edition, and Talk of the Nation/Science Friday. (deborahblum.com)

Michael Perry is a humorist and author of the bestselling memoirs Population 485: Meeting Your Neighbors One Siren at a Time, Truck: A Love Story and Coop: A Year of Poultry, Pigs and Parenting, as well as the essay collection Off Main Street. Perry has written for Esquire, The New York Times Magazine, Outside, Backpacker, Orion and Salon.com, and is a contributing editor to Men’s Health. His stories have appeared in the The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2007, the Oxford American Book of Great Music Writing and other anthologies. (www.sneezingcow.com)

J.C. Hallman is the author of three books of literary journalism, In Utopia, The Chess Artist, and The Devil is a Gentleman, and a book of stories, The Hospital for Bad Poets. As a journalist, he has interviewed a tyrant, attended satanic rituals, joined Scientology, lived at communes, dissected heads, and sailed on the world’s first residential cruise ship. His stories have appeared in the Best American Travel Writing and other anthologies. (www.jchallman.com)

Sponsored by The Loft Literary Center, the ASJA Educational Foundation and the Upper Midwest chapter of the American Society of Journalists & Authors

See also here, or RSVP on Facebook here.

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