Writing Workshops

Writing Masquerade: The Supernatural and Folklore as Fantasy in Fiction with P. Djèlí Clark (Sold Out)

$125

1 session

Out of stock

Saturday, 12:00 pm EDT - 4:30 pm EDT May 13, 2023

Online via Zoom

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The Center for Fiction x Brooklyn Caribbean Lit Festival Partnered Bootcamp

This workshop has reached its capacity. To join the waitlist, please email Randy Winston at [email protected].

Award-winning novelist, P. Djèlí Clark shares his own take on writing fantasy, folklore and magic into fiction as a viable expression of the fantasy genre. Registrants will be encouraged to explore and include mythology and folklore characters into their creative narratives thereby gaining the confidence to confront and include lesser-known perspectives in a genre already defined by a dominant gaze. P. Djèlí will liberally make reference to Caribbean folklore, mythology and traditional carnival characters rooted in the culture of Trinidad & Tobago and the wider Caribbean. All writers and ardent fans of fantasy, sci-fiction, mystery, historical, horror, magical realism and meta fiction are encouraged to join.

Presented in partnership with the Brooklyn Caribbean Literary Festival.

Course Outline
  • Part I: Talking Speculative Fiction
    A. Breakout Session: Define Speculative Fiction What is it?; How many genres?; How many sub-genres?; Black Speculative Fiction; Diaspora Speculative Fiction; Speculative Fiction from Caribbean and Diaspora Creators
  •  Part II: Defining the Caribbean
    A. Breakout Session: Define the Caribbean Geography; History; Cultures; Peoples; Languages; Religions; Clothing; Dance; Music; Foods; Politics
  • Part III: The Art Worldbuilding
    A. Breakout Session: Define Worldbuilding What is worldbuilding?; The components of worldbuilding; The tools of worldbuilding; Perils and pitfalls in researching; Crafting your world
    B. Breakout Session: Build a World
    C. Share Our Worlds
  • Part IV: Weaving Folklore
    A. Breakout Session: Define Folklore What is folklore?; Caribbean folklore
    B. Breakout Session: What Folklore Do You Know? How do we use folklore in storytelling?; How do we use folklore in worldbuilding?
    C. Breakout Session: Weave Folklore into Your World
    D. Share Our Creations
  • Part V: Writing Exercises and Q&A

Capacity: 20

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Led by

  • P. Djeli Clark Photo - Marsha Massiah Large

    P. Djèlí Clark

    P. Djèlí Clark

    Phenderson Djèlí Clark is the award winning and Hugo, Nebula, Sturgeon, and World Fantasy nominated author of the novel A Master of Djinn, and the novellas Ring Shout, The Black God’s Drums and The Haunting of Tram Car 015. His stories have appeared in online venues such as Tor.com, Daily Science Fiction, Heroic Fantasy Quarterly, Apex, Lightspeed, Fireside Fiction, Beneath Ceaseless Skies, and in print anthologies including, Griots, Hidden Youth and Clockwork Cairo. He is a founding member of FIYAH Literary Magazine and an infrequent reviewer at Strange Horizons.

    Born in New York and raised mostly in Houston, Texas, he spent the early formative years of his life in the homeland of his parents, Trinidad and Tobago. When not writing speculative fiction, P. Djèlí Clark works as an academic historian whose research spans comparative slavery and emancipation in the Atlantic World. He melds this interest in history and the social world with speculative fiction, and has written articles on issues ranging from racism and H.P. Lovecraft to critiques of George Schuyler’s Black Empire, and has been a panelist and lecturer at conventions, workshops and other genre events. At current time, he resides in a small Edwardian castle in New England with his wife, daughters, and pet dragon (who suspiciously resembles a Boston Terrier). When so inclined he rambles on issues of speculative fiction, politics, and diversity at his aptly named blog The Disgruntled Haradrim.

By P. Djèlí Clark

  1. . 
    master of djinn p djeli clark

    A Master of Djinn

    By P. Djèlí Clark

    Published by Tor

    PURCHASE

    Cairo, 1912: Though Fatma el-Sha’arawi is the youngest woman working for the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities, she’s certainly not a rookie, especially after preventing the destruction of the universe last summer.

    So when someone murders a secret brotherhood dedicated to one of the most famous men in history, al-Jahiz, Agent Fatma is called onto the case. Al-Jahiz transformed the world forty years ago when he opened up the veil between the magical and mundane realms, before vanishing into the unknown. This murderer claims to be al-Jahiz, returned to condemn the modern age for its social oppressions. His dangerous magical abilities instigate unrest in the streets of Cairo that threaten to spill over onto the global stage.

    Alongside her Ministry colleagues and a familiar person from her past, Agent Fatma must unravel the mystery behind this imposter to restore peace to the city—or face the possibility he could be exactly who he seems…

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About this series

Writing Workshops

We strive to make our classes the most inviting and rewarding available, offering an intimate environment to study with award-winning, world-class writers. Each class is specially designed by the instructor, so whether you’re a fledgling writer or an MFA graduate polishing your novel, you’ll find a perfect fit here.

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