In this 8-week class, we'll devote ourselves to the pursuit of hilarity, whether you're going for an out-and-out humor piece or writing a lifestyle magazine or newspaper feature.

In this class, students will:

• Read the works of humorists David Sedaris, Anne Lamott, Beth Lisick, Nick Hornby, E.B. White, and Maureen Dowd
• Dissect published works -- everything from reviews to profiles to personal essays -- to unlock the secret to making people laugh
• Practice with short, in-class writing exercises
• Write short nonfiction humor pieces each week focusing on elements such as tone, image, word choice, timing, subject matter, and the rules of humor
• Read and discuss one another's work with an eye toward abolishing clunkers, false notes and laugh grabbing
• Meet with a guest panel of editors to learn about current markets for humor
• Complete a final non-fiction piece suitable for submission to a national publication