The Lab
(2025)Experiments in Writing Across Genre
A non fiction book by Matthew Clark Davison and Alice LaPlante
PAPERBACK ORIGINAL
Two novelists and experienced writing teachers compile a multigenre guide with exercises that help writers move from initial impulse to final draft.
Many of today’s serious literary writers are moving out of traditional categories of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction to experiment with new types of writing that push the boundaries of form and meaning. The goal of this book is to help writers develop an artistic practice that incorporates craft and inspirational techniques from multiple literary genres.
Adopting elements of the scientific method to encourage observation (close reading), experimentation (writing and revising), and replication (using the techniques of others as a model), The Lab teaches writers to access their own creativity and unique voice through ten formal exercises with approximately ninety prompts. Drawing on the work of writers such as William Blake, Louise Erdrich, and Danez Smith, LaPlante and Davison present lessons on plot, character, form, rhythm, and more. This innovative, energizing book is an essential guide for any aspiring writer.
Two novelists and experienced writing teachers compile a multigenre guide with exercises that help writers move from initial impulse to final draft.
Many of today’s serious literary writers are moving out of traditional categories of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction to experiment with new types of writing that push the boundaries of form and meaning. The goal of this book is to help writers develop an artistic practice that incorporates craft and inspirational techniques from multiple literary genres.
Adopting elements of the scientific method to encourage observation (close reading), experimentation (writing and revising), and replication (using the techniques of others as a model), The Lab teaches writers to access their own creativity and unique voice through ten formal exercises with approximately ninety prompts. Drawing on the work of writers such as William Blake, Louise Erdrich, and Danez Smith, LaPlante and Davison present lessons on plot, character, form, rhythm, and more. This innovative, energizing book is an essential guide for any aspiring writer.