Pre-orders of Girlfriending through Third Rail include a signed copy of the book, fun girlfriend-y things, and an exclusive 3-hour virtual workshop called Writing From Life taught by Susanna herself on February 28th, 9am-12pm CT (recording available).

WRITING FROM LIFE WORKSHOP

Many people have asked Susanna why she pitched Girlfriending as fiction or auto-fiction and not memoir, and the answer is simple: Because it’s not all true.

And sometimes, that’s how we want to write our stories.

In this craft-focused workshop, Susanna will discuss the gray area between memoir and auto-fiction, and what kinds of “rules” authors use to keep themselves honest—including her own process for writing Girlfriending.

Specific topics include:

• How to convey someone you don’t like or respect without turning off the reader

• How and why to depart from life on the page

• What to do when you find yourself unable to render a real-life event or person

• How to write from life with narrative authority and authenticity

• And why compassion is the primary rule of writing from life

During the workshop, you’ll find your way into auto-fiction by defining terms, looking at published examples, doing some generative writing, and having the opportunity to ask Susanna questions. You'll leave with not only new knowledge and words on the page but, most importantly, the confidence to know that you can tell your story however you want to tell it.