In this lecture, we’ll focus on moments of transformative and unforeseen intimacy between characters. A shared cigarette on a dive bar porch; a run-in at an empty bus station; a confession in the frozen foods aisle. How can we bring our characters together in ways that redefine their relationships and surprise the reader? We’ll look at authors who are masters of these moments—such as Elizabeth Strout, ZZ Packer, and Alexander Chee—and use prompts to create them ourselves.

Alina Grabowski grew up in coastal Massachusetts and holds degrees from the University of Pennsylvania and Vanderbilt University. Her debut novel, Women and Children First, was published by SJP Lit in 2024. She lives in Austin, Texas.