The Art of Looking: Writing about Environment and Self

A writer is, first and foremost, an observer - not only of the world, but of how they inhabit and move through it. In this multi-genre workshop, we'll explore writings that move between the natural world and the self, bringing an intimate eye to each. How can we train ourselves to be better observers of the natural world, and how can we capture our observations on the page? The workshop will include readings of short published works, discussion of how writers capture their own life stories and the natural world on the page, and generative writing prompts to inspire you.

Erica Berry lives in her hometown of Portland and teaches around the country, including at Literary Arts, University of Minnesota, and New York Times Student Journeys. She is the author of 'Wolfish: Wolf, Self, and the Stories We Tell About Fear' (Macmillan, 2023) and has published essays in Orion, The Guardian, The New York Times, the Yale Review, Outside, and other publications. She was the 2019-2020 Writer-in-Residence in Traverse City, MI, and is currently an Associate Fellow at the Attic Institute. She loves teaching at Sitka and working with students of all experience levels; only curiosity required.

Writing utensil and notebook / laptop optional

Digital materials, paper handouts.