Sometimes writers just need the tiniest of nudges to get them off and running on a story. In this workshop, led by author Thomas Burke (Eastbound into the Cosmos), we’ll discuss the generative process, as well as writing practices, but more than anything, we will power through many different writing prompts. Participants will leave this workshop with a number of scenes, characters, and scenarios which can serve as building blocks to new work. Due to the limited size of the workshop, free registration is required; register here.

Photo: Hamilton Poe

About the Instructor: Thomas Burke received a BA from Union College and an MFA from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Eastbound into the Cosmos is his first novel. He has contributed work to Tin House, The Rumpus, Playboy, Hobart Pulp and St. Petersburg Review, among other places. He has taught at UMass Amherst, the Newberry Library, and Northwestern University, where he is currently assistant director of the Kaplan Humanities Institute. Formerly Burke helped direct the Summer Literary Seminar in Russia and co-founded its sister program in Kenya. He is the recipient of the Eugene Yudis Prize for fiction, a fellowship from the UMass Amherst MFA Program, and a residency at Art Omi’s Ledig House, among other honors. He lives in Evanston, IL with his wife and two children.