Native Reads
Analysis Workshop
As an author, you can discover how to evaluate a story for authenticity. Join me, Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer, as I give an in-depth analysis of Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann, and answer your questions.
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What is it?
In this workshop, I select a book that prominently features American Indian characters. During the live session, you watch me evaluate the role of Natives in the story via a Zoom meeting with other authors. After my two-hour analysis, I’ll answer pre-submitted and live questions. The Native Reads Analysis Workshop is designed to help you take away practical, applicable insights for your own writing.
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Who is it for?
If you’re writing Native American characters in your story, this is tailor-made for you. I take misconceptions (such as stereotyping and romanticizing) and show you what those mean in real-world examples. I also cover aspects I feel were well done on the part of the author.
This is advanced training, so I recommend you take my Fiction Writing: American Indians digital course first, but it’s not a requirement.
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Why should you join?
This Native Reads Analysis Workshop takes principles in the Fiction Writing: American Indians digital course and applies them by using examples in a published work.
If you haven’t taken the course, you’ll still gain valuable insight and begin learning how to do your own analysis of books and movies.
“Having taken the full Fiction Writing: American Indians course, I really appreciated the application of some of the concepts Sarah talked about in the course, like the idea of romanticizing. I've found myself approaching several scenes differently as I was writing this week, because I thought about some of the things Sarah said when she analyzed Jane Kirkpatrick’s book.”
—Misty Beller, course student and USA Today Bestselling Author of the Call of the Rockies series
If we haven’t officially met…
…halito! I'm Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer. As a tribal member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, I’ve written and published 17 historical fiction books with Native main characters, over 275 non-fiction articles on Native artists and organizations with representatives from dozens of North American tribes, and a biography of a Choctaw, Chickasaw, Cherokee, Irish WWI hero.
I’ve been honored as a Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian Artist in Leadership fellow, and I’m a former First Peoples Fund Artist in Business Leadership fellow.
I’m the creator of the digital course, Fiction Writing: American Indians that equips authors to write accurate, authentic stories.
Workshop Details
The book:
Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann
The time:
March 27, 2024, 8:30 am PT / 11:30 ET
The cost:
$49 (Replay included.)
Here’s how to join the
Native Reads Analysis Workshop
01. Register for the workshop.
Once you enroll here, I’ll send you a welcome email with detailed instructions on what to do before the live workshop. (If you can’t attend live, you will have access to the replay afterwards.)
02. Read the book…
…if you can. Stacking another book on the teetering pile by your bedside may spell disaster. While you’ll get more from the discussion if you’ve read the book, I will recap sections when possible to keep you in the flow. (Get a copy of Killers of the Flower Moon here.)
03. Show up live.
The workshop will be 2.5 hours on March 27, 2024, 8:30 am PT / 11:30 ET. A good internet connection and full attention is all you need. If you miss the live workshop, don’t worry. The replay will be available in your student account.
"Seeing the abstract ideas brought down to specific examples is so much easier to internalize. It is one thing to understand a concept, but another to see it applied, and the application is such a critical step in learning."
—Lizzie Redkey, author and Fiction Writing: American Indians course student
FAQs
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No. Though the book we are analyzing for this workshop is historical nonfiction, the lessons apply to all fiction genres.
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Attending live is best so you can take part in the Q&A, but if you can’t, I’ll have a Google form for you to pre-ask questions pertaining to the book that you’d like answered during the discussion.
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Being in FWAI lays the foundation for authors who want to write about American Indians. In the FWAI course, you learn pillars you need to create authentic Native characters in a story.
This workshop is advanced training intended to build on the lessons learned in the FWAI course, but taking the course isn’t required if you want to join this workshop! You can take the course afterwards, and come back to your Native Reads workshop with an in-depth perspective.
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You’ll need to get your own copy of the book. You can do this through purchasing a paperback or ebook copy. You could also check with your local library or a library app like Libby.
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When I begin my analysis portion, I’ll turn off all video and audio (except my own) until the discussion. Then we’ll be back in the Zoom room together. If you want to ask questions, you can unmute your mic.
BUT, I understand not wanting to be on camera or feel pressured to speak. You can engage through the meeting chat, asking questions and interacting in the discussion.
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Yes, when you register, you have unlimited access to the training material.
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In my analysis, I’m breaking down issues specific to writing Indigenous people of North America. However, there are universal themes around writing ethnic characters, so you’ll gain value as an author no matter what you write. Just be aware it’s slanted heavily toward authors who are writing Native characters.
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Sure! I’d love to have you join and observe or even take part in the Q&A time, though we will keep a tight focus on the skills authors need to write authentic Native characters. If that sounds fun and beneficial to you as a reader, register for the workshop below.