First Person Funny: Writing the Comic Essay

    Tuesday, July 12, 2016 at 11:00 AM until Tuesday, August 9, 2016 at 1:00 PMUTC -04:00


    Sarah Lawrence College
    1 Mead Way
    Bronxville, NY 10708
    United States

    Instructor: Dan Zevin
    Length: 5 sessions, $450
    Tuesdays, 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM

    Do funny things always happen to you, or is it just that you see your world through a comic lens? For humor essayists, the answer is a little of both. In this workshop, geared toward the writer who “thinks funny,” we focus on telling personal stories with your distinctive comic voice. Nora Ephron, David Sedaris, Calvin Trillin, and Tina Fey are among the laugh-out loud essayists we’ll discuss, emphasizing comic timing, character arc, word choice, and the line between “person” and “persona.” Since a story is only as amusing as the way it’s told, we’ll try our hands at several forms, including funny diary entries and satirical “how-to” guides. The emphasis is on those small , funny moments that bridge the gap between personal and universal. You’re the character. Just add material.

    Dan Zevin is a Thurber Prize-winning humorist. Two of his books, Dan Gets a Minivan and The Day I Turned Uncool, were optioned by Adam Sandler, and the latter is now being developed for Sony TV by Jeffrey Katzenberg, Seth Grahame-Smith, and Lauren Rogen. Dan has been an award-winning humor columnist for the New York Times, a comic commentator for NPR, and a contributor to print or digital editions of The New Yorker, McSweeney’s, Rolling Stone, Salon, the L.A. Times, Real Simple, and Parents, among others. His latest project is a series of picture book parodies featuring adorably annoying adults, including Mr. Selfie, Little Miss Overshare, Mr. Humblebrag, and Little Miss Basic.

    Writing Institute Registration Process:

    Step 1 - Registration Information: Complete this registration form in full.

    Step 2 - Payment: Once you click submit on this form, a new page will appear in your browser with a payment link. Click on the payment link, complete the required information, and submit your payment. 
     
    Payment is required for your registration to be confirmed. If we don’t receive your payment within 48 hours of submission of this form, your registration will automatically be cancelled. You will have to complete the form again if you wish to register for the class.

    Step 3 - Confirmation: Once we receive your payment, your registration will be finalized and confirmed with an email. Please keep this email for your records.  Details about room assignment, parking, and any other information relevant to the course will be emailed to registered students the week before classes begin.

    If you have questions about the registration process, please call us at 914-395-2205 or email sorefice@sarahlawrence.edu.

    Registration is no longer available because the registration deadline has passed.