Roger Rosenblatt Master Class returns to Writers Conference

[caption id="attachment_65356" align="alignnone" width="800"] Roger Rosenblatt uses a clip of Spencer Tracy as Mr. Hyde during one session of the 2016 Writers Conference Master Class. Jordan Roberts photo[/caption]

The Southampton Writers Conference at Stony Brook Southampton will offer a Master Class led by New York Times best-selling author, Roger Rosenblatt and feature honored guest writers during the event that runs from July 12 to 23.

“Imagine What You Know: Five Ways of Looking at Writing” is a innovative approach to examining the art and craft of writing for every genre, using a multi-media array of music, film clips and other works of art to broaden and deepen the discussion.

The class was designed by Rosenblatt to be as useful for accomplished writers as it is for those taking their first steps or simply exploring the idea of writing. Those who sign up will have access to everything that is offered during the 12-day conference — evening salons, guest author readings, panel discussions and more — the only exception being the graduate credit-bearing workshops.

The five topics for this year’s class are “You and the Night and the Music: On Cadence and Language,” with Sharon Olds on July 13, “Seeing the World as a Do-Over: On Matters of Consequence,” with Brit Bennett on July 15 “The Short Story in the Long Run: On the Core Moment,” with Frederic Tuten on July 17, “Now You See Me, Now You Don’t: On Self-Recognition,” with Natalie Diaz on July 19 and “In My End is My Beginning: On Structure and Timing” with Patricia Marx on July 21.

Each two-hour and 45 minute session begins at 9:45 a.m. and is divided into thirds. In the first part, Rosenblatt discusses the day’s topic, linking recordings, film clips and other media to his discussion of the subject. In the second section, he talks with that day’s guest. In the final third of each day’s class, Roger gives the group a prompt for 10 or 15 minutes of writing, and then leads the entire class in finding what is best and most useful about what each student writes.

The fee for the Master Class is $650 and the deadline to apply is July 1. For more information, or to apply, visit stonybrook.edu/writers or email Christian.McLean@stonybrook.edu.