How Not to Lie

In the face of deeply bizarre behavior among high-profile authors and members of the publishing industry, it seems safe to imagine that a writing class won't hurt you. Local superstar author Stephen Elliott can responsibly discuss what is fiction and what is not; would that Margaret Selzer, recently embarrassed author of a fake gang-girl memoir, had taken his excellent Writing from Experience class. The one-night course isn't all about how to keep yourself from lying, though: Elliott's class also finds the accomplished writer of Happy Baby and My Girlfriend Comes to the City and Beats Me Up encouraging everyone to tell their own story. "Your experiences and how you process them are what make you unique" is almost a motto with this guy, and no one can hear that too many times. Narrative structure, dealing with fussy family members, and whether it's OK to make fun of celebrities – the class is a fun time with a dream teach.
Tue., Aug. 19, 6 p.m., 2008