This workshop is full. To be added to the waitlist, email Meghan at programs@mainewriters.org.
A Food Writing Workshop
Level: All Levels
My mother always says, “everybody has to eat.” While mothers are always right, eating can also be more than simply sustaining our physical bodies. Whether it is making your family’s rice in your dorm room to remembering the scent of clove and bay or that first meal after a return home, food is always served with a story. But how can food be used in poetry, prose, and social commentary? How can taste be read? How do we translate flavor into words? In this workshop, participants will explore food writing and dig into its expansive nature, diving deep into what kind of stories we can share through food, thoughtfully and critically. Our time together will consist of reading food writers such as Mayukh Sen, Alicia Kennedy, and Ruby Tandoh, short writing exercises, sharing in small groups, and discussions to guide us as we examine our own stories that stem from food and memory. We’ll talk about food media, avoiding exoticism, and examine the legacies of our cultural and contemporary history that continue to define our food system and, subsequently, how we write about it today.
+ PLEASE NOTE This workshop will occur online via Zoom. Students do not need to create an account to participate, but should test out Zoom before their class if they are first-time users. On Thursday, February 17 from 5:30pm to 6:00pm, MWPA staff will offer a tech help session on Zoom. Students are encouraged to attend the tech help session, which usually takes only 5-10 minutes, if they have any tech concerns, use Zoom infrequently, or simply would like to test their connection, and those who do not are responsible for ensuring that they are able to use Zoom on their own. The week of the workshop, students will be emailed a link that they may click to enter the test session and the class.
+ REQUIRED EQUIPMENT A reliable, fast internet connection (broadband wired or wireless (3G or 4G/LTE), speakers & a microphone (built-in or USB plug-in), and a webcam (built-in or USB plug-in).
If you would like to quickly and easily test your internet connection and your computer’s compatibility with Zoom, click HERE. Full details on supported Operating Systems, internet browsers, and more can be found HERE. To download and familiarize yourself with Zoom, click HERE.
Born and raised in Texas and Hong Kong, Alana Dao is a writer, mother, and restaurant professional in Portland, Maine. Her writing explores food, race, and identity and has been featured in Bitter Southerner, VICE, and The Huffington Post, among other publications. She received a B.A. from Smith College and a M.A. from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago where she wrote her graduate thesis on Hibachi restaurants and the performance of whiteness.
ADVANCE REGISTRATION REQUIRED
All MWPA workshops require advanced registration. We accept registration by phone, mail, and online via our website. We cannot guarantee registration in the final 24-hours before a workshop, and can rarely accommodate day-of registration.
PAYMENT & CANCELLATION POLICIES
If you need to withdraw from a class after registering for any reason, please email or call the MWPA immediately. You may be eligible for a partial refund or credit, depending on how far in advance you cancel. → MORE INFORMATION
QUESTIONS
For any questions regarding this workshop, please contact Meghan Sterling at programs@mainewriters.org.
REGISTER BY PHONE
Call 207-228-8263 and register with your VISA or MasterCard.
REGISTER BY MAIL
If you prefer to pay by mail, please print this registration form (downloadable PDF) and mail it to the MWPA with a check or credit card information.
SCHOLARSHIP
The MWPA is proud to offer one full scholarship to this workshop for members-only. Scholarships are awarded on a combination of need and merit. Application Due on February 10 at 9:00 a.m.
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MWPA WORKSHOP POLICIES
Registration in any MWPA workshop, program, or event constitutes your agreement to our terms and conditions. → MORE INFORMATION