The genre of magical realism imposes magic on reality without explanation. This four-week class will explore the history, lineage, and uses of the genre, and is for lovers of unexplainable magic. We will read works by authors who have mastered this style, including Ben Okri, Carmen Maria Machado, Nghi Vo, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and others. Class readings will include one novella and several short stories or chapter excerpts. Each class will incorporate in-class writing, designed to unlock your creativity, with prompts relevant to the authors and themes we have discussed that week.  

No prior writing experience is required for this class, though an appreciation for strange magic is encouraged.

Instructor: Elyse Rudemiller

Dates: Begins Monday, July 7, 2025, and runs every Monday for four weeks

Time: 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Level: Beginner and above

8 seats max

Location: 719 N. Person St., Raleigh, NC

Cost:

$430: true price

$260: base price

$285, $310, $360: donate an extra $25, $50, or $100 to our scholarship fund

(Returning students receive 10 percent off).

A note on pricing:  the “true price” reflects the true cost of the class, which includes paying a fair wage to our staff and instructors, rental fees for the Redbud headquarters and for the community spaces where we host our classes, website and administrative/commerce fees, outreach and advertising to spread the word about our offerings, and the coordination and administration for our community classes, which serve people who could not otherwise access creative writing. We’re not a university or a large corporation and that means we don’t have an operating budget we can rely on; we’re proud to be a small, local, women- and minority-run business that is passionate about bringing the transformative power of the arts to our community. Your tuition helps Redbud with the critical work of keeping the arts accessible to the public. 

We also offer students a chance to donate to our scholarship fund. At check-out, you will be given the option of choosing a donor price. If you choose one of these prices, the extra $25, $50, or $100 will go towards scholarships for students who would not be able to afford our classes otherwise.  Thank you in advance for considering making a contribution to inclusivity and access!

Read the fine print, including our refund policy, here.