E.A. Aymar’s startling micro-essay in Smokelong Quarterly disturbs for its subject content but also shows viscerally what the power of a  concise, well-told story can achieve. This story turns on technique. What about the voice makes this essay so powerful? What about the details make this story so powerful? How can you use these observations […]

Our in-class assignment was as follows: Brainstorm a list of individuals that you could write about in terms of your relationship. These should be people  or a person who important in your life, who you can about write at least five times These should be in-person interactions so you can use concrete detail when describing […]

This excerpt from the book length essay by James Baldwin (1924-1987), uses the figure of Joan Crawford to lead into a meditation on deep rooted family hurt that itself is rooted in the pain of racial conflict and social status within American society. Notice in particular how this opening excerpt develops into striking, painful conclusion. […]