Writing the Zeitgeist: Weaving Pop Culture + Politics Into Essays
Want to write compelling essays that tap into the cultural moment and get published?
Paid Narratively Academy members get 20% off all classes, including this one. Scroll down to the bottom of the page to join—or to get the paid member promo code if you already are a member.
Cost: $95
Class Size Limit: 15
If you’re a voracious consumer of culture and find yourself obsessing over the latest literary, cinematic, or streaming sensation (or flop), then this course is for you. We'll discuss what cultural trends reveal — about our society, our fractured political moment, and even our human impulses and desires — and how to write about them.
This two-hour participatory intensive is led by experienced writing teacher and cultural critic Alizah Salario, whose essays, op-eds and criticism have appeared in The New York Times, Slate, The Los Angeles Review of Books and elsewhere. You’ll learn how to alchemize the raw ingredients of creative passion, meaning, and obsession into a cohesive essay concept that you can execute with clarity and confidence. Whether you're an extremely online writer or an analog artist, a pop culture generalist or a niche obsessive (say, Taylor Swift’s lyrics or the generational trauma in Succession) this course is for you.
Through lively discussion and guided exercises, you’ll turn inspiration into a concrete essay idea with a clear point of view.
During this two-hour intensive, you will:
Analyze a piece of cultural criticism for structure and tone
Unpack the meaning and importance of voice
Learn to differentiate a review and cultural criticism
Discuss how art, humor and satire are potent forms of resistance
Explore the process of honing expansive, fertile ideas
Scaffold examples that will serve as essay building blocks
This is the right class for you if…
You find deep satisfaction in thinking, talking, and writing about pop culture or high art that moves you.
You know you have important things to say and want to find the right way to frame them.
You have taken a stab at cultural essays before and want to learn more about how to frame them in a way that will help you get published.
This 2-hour online class takes place on Wednesday, June 15 from 1pm to 3pm ET. All Narratively Academy classes are conducted online and accessible to students anywhere in the world. This class will be recorded and shared with all enrolled students, but live attendance and participation is required.
Instructor Bio: Writer, editor and teacher Alizah Salario has been telling stories for over 20 years. Her current (and constant) cultural obsessions include RENT, satirical fiction, the -90s, female ambition, When Harry Met Sally, mominfluencers, all-girl bands, novels about mothers on the verge, identity and the politics of fashion. Her essays, op-eds and criticism have appeared in The New York Times, Slate, The Los Angeles Review of Books and elsewhere. A graduate of the Columbia J-School, Alizah was a longtime editor for local and legacy media, with roles at CNBC, Stacker Media, Time Inc. and more. Currently, she’s teaching and working on a novel about resistance and rebellion during WWII. You can find her semi-regular musings on Substack at Alizah Explains It All.
Registration Details: Seats in this class are limited and available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Prior to the start of your class you’ll receive an invitation to access the virtual classroom and view all class materials.
Cancellation Policy:
Full refund when canceling 7 or more days before the class start date.
50% refund when canceling less than 7 days before the class start date.
No cancellations after the class start date.
Scholarships: A limited number of sliding-scale, income-based scholarships are made available when possible. Apply for a scholarship here.
Questions? Email us at academy@narratively.com.