Five master classes occur each festival season, and the community is welcome to come and listen in. The format for the classes varies with each author deciding what elements of writing to address and how to address them, and Rollins students are schooled in the possible responses to their work. Imagine the thrill for undergraduate poets and undergraduate short story writers to have nationally and internationally known masters spend time with their work. Imagine, instead, hearing a National Book Award winner or the poet laureate speak extemporaneously about the art and craft of fiction or poetry. How does an early draft reach beyond its original potential? Can you know when a story is finished?

Master classes offer Rollins students and the often-large audience the opportunity to hear a secret now and then about the creative process.

Whenever the format for the class is a workshop, then you have the opportunity to read the work beforehand. Poems and stories will be posted here in January and February.

Carl Hiaasen

Thursday February 2, 2012
4 p.m. Master Class. Bush Auditorium

Kristen N. Arnett - The Fisherman

Don Glenn - The Hurricane

Nick Tucciarelli Making It Break  (2012 Recipient of the Laura van den Berg Scholarship) 

Mihaela Moscaliuc

Thursday February 9, 2012
2 p.m. Master Class. Woolson House

Ilya Kaminsky

Thursday February 9, 2012
4 p.m. Master Class. Bush Auditorium

Don Glenn - Shybones Shack

Ariana A. Garofalo - Earth Dance

Abigail Mills - Victory

Shelby Finch - Everyone Else

Deb Urdaneta - How to turn Spanish into English

Annie Goldman - Say

Amanda Hampton - Cancer

Paula McLain

Thursday February 16, 2012
4 p.m. Master Class. Bush Auditorium

Kristen N. Arnett - The Burr

Chelsea Cutchens -The Reason

Annie Goldman - Bible Studies

David Matteson -All That Glitters

Mandy McRae - The Dance

Abigail Mills - Go, Girl. Go!

Lisa Murray - Everybody Looks Better Wet

Holly Stallard - I'm Not Dead--Yet

Chiamanda Adichie

Thursday February 23, 2012
4 p.m. Master Class. Bush Auditorium

Arianna A. Garofalo- Many Peaked Mountains 

Nick Tucciarelli- Roscoe's

Adrian Alexander- Abandoned 

Thomas Kusuma- The Shakedown

Mandy McRae- Lila 

Cathyeryne Lowe- Beach Trip

Chelsea Cutchens- Red Sky in the Morning

Deborah Urdaneta- The Avocado Seed

Amanda Hampton- Where the Living Goes