The Deep Reading Workshop with Michael Duszat

Great literature is an immense source of know-how for writers; deep reading is the art of exploring it. Even in times of constant distraction, and without knowing much about literary history, it will help you understand and learn from the most challenging, bold, and original texts, encouraging you to take your own writing a step further.

In this one-day introduction to the practice of deep reading, we’ll also take a closer look at outstanding ‘weird’ fiction (e.g. Thomas Ligotti, Camilla Grudova) in order to understand the techniques that these writers use to compose their odd masterpieces.

In-class writing exercises will build directly on what you’ve learned and allow you to refine your own style with the same attention to detail. You’ll learn how to use rhythm and sound to tell a story, how to make mere description captivating, and how to create a voice or point of view in a few sentences.

Michael Duszat studied English and German Literature and Language, gradually discovering the virtues of slow reading while falling behind on his reading list. After getting a Dr. phil. in American Studies, he developed his own Deep Reading workshops as a way for readers and writers of all kinds to engage with literature. He likes writing collage essays, documentary poetry, weird short fiction, and other obscure forms. In his spare time, he offers editing and coaching services, as well as German language lessons.