Lynn Lauber

Instructor Biography:

Fiction writer, essayist, and ghostwriter who has published the autobiographical fiction books, White Girls and 21 Sugar Street, and a memoir/writing book, Listen to Me: Writing Life into Meaning, all with W. W. Norton. Ms. Lauber's short stories and essays have been anthologized and have appeared in numerous publications, including The New York Times.

Instructor Statement:

Your story is yours--it's probably the only thing that is all yours--and you have a right to use it in any way you wish, to bend it into fiction, to transmute it into poetry, or serve it up as memoir. But before you can decide which way to shape your writing, you have to get into the habit of writing freely, reaching deep into the reservoir of material that is yours alone. You have to find a way to turn off the editor, the critic or what Virginia Woolf called the angel in the house, the voices that are always ready to whisper in your ear and shut you down. The world is so fast to criticize that I like to focus on pleasure and encouragement in my workshops. In my experience, there is so much just there under the surface waiting to be accessed. With a bit of navigational guidance and prompting, most students are able to locate their own rich vein and mine it.

Our Students Say It Best: “I found Lynn Lauber to be an excellent instructor and enlightened mentor. Her knowledge of writing practice and familiarity with writing genres served the class at every turn. It was an excellent experience.” -- Writers' Program student "Loved this instructor. She gave copious feedback that provided tips about craft and also honed in on the emotional center of a piece. Completely supportive and non-judgmental. That made for a “safe” environment for writers to be candid (and share highly personal material). Her lectures were beautifully written, very thoughtful and thought-provoking." -- Writers' Program student