Brian Sonia-Wallace

Instructor Biography:

Author of The Poetry of Strangers. Mr. Sonia-Wallace’s reportage has appeared in Rolling Stone and The Guardian and he writes regularly for the LA County Department of Cultural Affairs. He is the founder of RENT Poet, which produces live, custom poetry for events, and he has been the Writer-in-Residence for Mall of America, Amtrak, and the Boston Harbor Islands.

Instructor Statement:

Few things are as beautiful or strange or terrifying as real life. I want to help my students hone their powers of perception to see the story in everything and to share what they see so clearly it's like the reader is in the story. At the same time, I'm a realist about writing professionally — I want students to develop a sixth sense for pitching and how to frame stories so that they catch and hold the attention of editors and readers.