Muse & the Marketplace 2019

First person point-of-view is increasing popular in novels these days, prized for the storyteller's voice and intimacy. But over 400 pages of an entire book, this limited perspective can suffocate an otherwise rich and expansive story. In this session, we will discuss what’s fresh in first person POV novels, and how to transform a traditional single narrative into something provocative and sustainable. We’ll consider work by R.O. Kwon, Mira T. Lee, Bill Clegg, Marilynne Robinson, and Louise Erdrich, among others. We will talk about the importance of establishing voice and distance, and discuss how to avoid traps that can drag down and dull novel-length fiction. Students will be invited to send in the first page of their work in progress in advance for possible inclusion in the class discussion.