Molecular Description with Escher McDonell-Maulsby

Writing description is trickier than reproducing pictures from your brain onto a page. Synthesizing five years of reading for Augur and decades of writing, researcher Escher McDonnell-Maulsby starts with the idea that "describe" is a writer’s fundamental verb. From there, you’ll go spelunking through what can be accomplished when description is centered as the basic conceptual unit of your writing. 

This class will cover the importance of attention to daily life, guidance on remembering interesting images, effective journaling practices for writers, using description to engage with readers through "pinching,” and leveraging curiosity-based descriptive processes to drive narrative.

Whether you want to write about neutronium krakens or wilted flowers in a kitchen vase, you’ll leave equipped with reliable tools for vivid, powerful, and creative descriptions.

Attendees will leave the workshop with:

* Alchemical processes to spin daily life into wild gifts for your readers

* Sneaky strategies to detonate readers' brains with sentence structure

* Esoteric tricks for making similes and metaphors strike hearts like meteors

* Crafty methods to turn your descriptions into the engine driving your narrative

Attendees will be asked to participate via chat, voice, and/or video.

This class meets online for one two-hour session.

Meeting Dates:

September 27, 4-6 pm Pacific Time.

No advanced preparation is required.

About the Instructor: 

Born in Ottawa, Escher McDonell-Maulsby (they/them) is a queer writer and independent researcher based in Montreal. They hold an Honors Degree in English Literature from Mount Allison University and a Masters Degree in  Information Science from McGill. Their research interests primarily focus on the history and politics of science fiction, with a particular interest in queerness in the field. Their work has appeared in various online publications. They are the author of Cosmuseum, an experimental novella published by Andata Express.

Website

This event will be held in Zoom. By registering for this class, you agree to follow the Clarion West Code of Conduct and Zoom policies. 

Limited Free Seating: 

We offer a percentage of seats in every class to People of the Global Majority (Asian, Black, African, Latina/o/x, Middle Eastern, Indigenous, Pacific Islander, and/or have been racialized as 'ethnic minorities') for free, regardless of financial need. 

Eligible folks should complete this form to enter the lottery for free seats.  If a seat is available, we will email you 7-10 days before the class begins. For more information, see our equity and inclusion policies.

Sliding Scale Pricing:

The Supporting Tuition rate is shown for each class or workshop for folks who can pay it. Paying the Supporting Tuition rate enables us to continue to pay our staff and instructors equitably, as well as support access to classes for others who may be in a different situation. 

The Helping Hands rate is available to folks under more limited economic circumstances, no matter your background.

For more information, see our financial aid policies.

Our Refund Policy:

Clarion West will refund all class fees if the request is made 30 days before the class date. Refund requests made within 30 days of the class will be honored if we can fill the seat.

Any exceptions are subject to approval by our workshop staff.