Voice with Matt Albren

Using examples from the Ploughshares archive, Editorial Associate of Readers Matt Albren will lead a generative workshop on voice. Together, participants will explore bringing the self onto the page, whether through memoir, autofiction, or poetry. How can we mine our own personal  “research”—our truths, relationships, obsessions, regrets, hopes, and the media that shapes us—to build entire narrative universes? Through guided prompts and brief discussion, the workshop pushes back against the idea of “navel-gazing,” emphasizing the power of singular expression: our experiences and perspectives matter, and they offer invaluable material for creative work. The session will conclude with optional sharing and supportive conversation, and participants will leave with practical strategies for drawing on the self across genres.

Part of "The Ploughshares Master Class Series at the Writer’s Room of Boston", this event is part of a five-week series for emerging and established writers alike. Each generative workshop riffs off an archival Ploughshares literary piece, inviting participants to engage directly with the journal’s rich history while creating new work of their own. Led by editors, poets, designers, and marketers from the Ploughshares community, sessions combine close reading, guided prompts, discussion, and optional sharing in a supportive space. Writers across genres will leave with fresh drafts and practical craft tools.

Excellent work generated by attendees in these sessions will be considered for publication on the Ploughshares blog.