Jennifer Baker and Dennis Norris II | Master Class

Online Class, Zoom • Saturday, May 9, 2020

Lorrie Moore said that "The short story is a love affair, a novel is a marriage." How does this analogy apply to the editorial process? How do you develop a working relationship—in which the editor trusts the writer's vision, and the writer trusts the editor's guidance to make intention a reality. In this Master Class, multifaceted editors Jennifer Baker and Dennis Norris II will discuss their process of working together for the short-story anthology Everyday People: The Color of Life. Using examples from the anthology, we will explore the editorial conversations about scene-building, character motivation, and backstory; the work undertaken; and the relationships that developed as this collection moved from manuscript to publication.

Jennifer Baker is the editor of the short story anthology Everyday People: The Color of Life (Atria Books); and the creator and host of the Minorities in Publishing podcast. She was named a 2019 Publishers Weekly Superstar for her contributions to inclusion and representation in publishing. Her essay "What We Aren't (or the Ongoing Divide)" was listed as a Notable Essay in Best American Essays 2018. More information on her work and writing can be found at jenniferbaker.com.

Dennis Norris II is a contributor to the anthology Everyday People: The Color of Life and the author of the chapbook Awst Collection—Dennis Norris II, which was named a Best Book of 2018 by Powell's. The former fiction editor of Apogee journal, they currently serve as senior fiction editor at The Rumpus and co-host of the critically acclaimed podcast Food 4 Thot.

Course Schedule
Saturday, May 9
3:00 - 5:00 p.m.
1 session
This class is free and will be held online on Zoom. This class is full and closed to new registration.