Teresa Jordan has taught fiction, creative non-fiction and memoir at colleges and universities throughout the West, including The Norhwest Writing Institute at Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon; as Writer in Residence for both the University of Utah and University of Nebraska; and as an adjunct at Great Basin College in Elko, Nevada. She has also led workshops for numerous writing organizations including Writers@Work in Utah, Fishtrap in Oregon, the Western Folklife Center in Nevada, and the Santa Fe Writers Conference in New Mexico.

Some Recent Offerings:

Creative Nonfiction and the Contemporary Essay

For more than a decade, creative nonfiction (also called literary nonfiction) and the contemporary essay have been among the most vibrant aspects of American Letters. Using the finest elements of the writer’s craft, creative nonfiction has proven to be a dynamic way to explore subjects ranging from memoir to science, from history to spirituality.

In this workshop, we will focus on various aspects of craft through a series of targeted in-class exercises. We will also study the best writers working today to see how they deal with similar challenges. Outside of class, each student will develop one or more pieces of writing for workshop critique and revision. In short, we will develop the three skills that form the foundation of good writing practice: reading well, writing well, and critiquing well.

The Illustrated Journal

The illustrated journal provides a rich way to interact with your world, both interior and exterior. You don't have to consider yourself an artist -- or even have any previous experience with art -- to create a journal that is satisfying to yourself and to anyone else you want to share it with. In this workshop, we will work with both writing and illustration to help you come up with a way of journaling that fits your particular interests, skills, and personality.

Although there are many ways to illustrate a journal, from pen-and-ink to pastels to collage, this workshop will focus on watercolor and is appropriate for those with no experience whatsoever as well as those who are already quite comfortable with the medium.

During the workshop, we will:

• Look at a rich variety of illustrated journals
• Explore watercolor techniques
• Explore journal writing techniques
• Work "in the field" to journal from experience
• Investigate different ways to bind our journals
• Discuss ways to incorporate the habit of journaling into our busy lives

Creating the Family Encyclopedia

When the family gathers around the table at a holiday or special event, all sorts of stories come up. But when we try to remember them to write them down, we often draw a blank. Creating a family encyclopedia is a way to capture the rich jumble of stories large and small that make up a family history. Using the letters of the alphabet as triggers, supplemented by a number of other provocative exercises, this workshop will lead you and your family in getting these stories down on paper in an accessible and entertaining form. This is a project that, once started, can grow over the years. Even family members who are far away can contribute ("Grandma, would you write about the time that armadillo moved into the chicken house?"). The workshop will cover storytelling, writing, and interviewing; how to incorporate photos, drawings and other visuals; how to assemble the book; and ways to keep the project going once it is underway. Appropriate for all members of the family from school age up, this is a way to bring the generations closer together.