How To Write Mythology Retellings That Sing Like the Muses with Alicia King Anderson, Ph.D., Begins February 20
How To Write Mythology Retellings That Sing Like the Muses with Alicia King Anderson, Ph.D., Begins February 20
6-week class taught live, online via Zoom
Thursdays, February 20 – March 27, 2025
7 - 9 pm ET (NYC Time)
$185 Paid Patreon Members / $195 General Admission
All classes will be recorded for students who cannot attend
The Ancient Greek word “Mythos” refers to stories shared via an oral tradition. (Things that were written down were called “Logos.”)
Just like folklore, the value of mythos—or what we now call mythology—is that it can be changed, updated, and made relevant to current events, current ways of thinking, and the needs for entertainment and education in the living moment.
While there are a vast array of extant texts of mythology, in order for it to be useful and relevant, myths must be retold. The ongoing waves of mythology retellings that are being published show proof of this fact.From the Netflix series Kaos to the bestselling novel, Circe, we see our need to update our myths so they can continue to be relevant guides.
Over the course of six weeks, we will examine extant texts, translations, and resources for source materials and research. Grounding in theory, we will also deconstruct the myths to facilitate updating and retelling them. Finally, we will workshop ideas together in real-time, so students can see the process in action and ask questions throughout. The class will offer a space to workshop and discuss drafts of students’ own fairy tales, with the final session dedicated to sharing more polished work.
Resources, materials, and tools will provided to empower students to continue writing myth retellings throughout the course and beyond. Students will also have access to a virtual classroom that will include an archive of all videos, additional resources for homework between sessions, as well as links and downloads of supporting materials and suggested reading.
Although we will focus on Ancient Greek myths, the tools and practices are applicable to any body of work, and the instructor will be happy to provide resources and extant texts for other cultures. Students who are interested in reworking mythology, but aren’t sure how to start, will benefit from this course and writing workshop.
Ph.D. in Mythological Studies and Depth Psychology, Alicia K. Anderson is a writer, researcher, and storyteller. Her myth and fairy tale retellings have appeared in anthologies by seven small presses.Her dissertation on the Storyteller Archetype studied the roles and rules of storytellers when telling and retelling fairy tales. Alicia is based in the magic of New Mexico’s Sangre de Cristo Mountains.
Images: Pallas Athene, Gustav Klimt, 1898; Oedipus and the Sphinx, Gustave Moreau, 1864 (detail)