Every writer faces the temptation to make our own ideas, experiences, and selves pre-eminent—to write autobiography rather than tell a story. An inward gaze rarely yields stories anyone wants to read. Through examples from writers who’ve waged this battle, we’ll consider together how we might better pursue truth, goodness, and beauty in our storytelling.

About the instructor:

Tony Woodlief’s short fiction has appeared in Image, Ruminate, Reckon Review, Dappled Things, and elsewhere, and his essays have appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Front Porch Republic, and other publications.

His spiritual memoir, Somewhere More Holy, was listed among Image’s top ten works of 2010. His 2021 book on the decline of American democracy, I, Citizen, has received praise from readers across the political spectrum, and sparked the award-winning 2023 documentary Undivide Us.

Tony’s novel, We Shall Not All Sleep, was published by Slant Books in 2024. He lives in North Carolina and can be found online at www.tonywoodlief.com.