The Practice of Imagination
with Rachel Khong

A six-week online workshop (Zoom)
Mondays, October 5 to November 9, 2026
4 to 6 p.m. PT / 7 to 9 p.m. ET 

 
Imagination is at the heart of fiction—yet it’s often overlooked in serious discussions of writing. There’s something elusive about it, both abstract and a little kindergarten. What is imagination, exactly? What makes for a well-imagined story? And how can we nurture our own imaginations, in order to write the fiction that is the most specific and particular to us—fiction that is original and alive? 

In this six-session generative course, we’ll engage in the practice of imagination. We’ll learn to cultivate and collaborate with our own imaginations. We’ll learn to write vivid fiction that invites readers to imagine alongside us. We’ll study the craft behind well-imagined fiction from concept to imagery to structure to characterization; we’ll read the work of writers who employ their imaginations masterfully and apply those lessons to our own work. We’ll explore where our ideas come from, and learn tools for imagining our way out of mental blocks. Through in-class writing exercises, you’ll experiment with stretching yourself imaginatively; you’ll cultivate tools to exercise your own imagination and sharpen your powers of description and observation. This course is both practical and hands on, at the craft level, and zoomed out and holistic: I hope you’ll leave this course writing with greater specificity and originality, and with new imaginative practices in place. 

At a time when our world feels especially hostile to individual imagination, we’ll consider its role as a tool of resistance and reinvention. Imagination isn’t just playful—it’s powerful. It’s anti-authoritarian. Our intact imaginations are necessary to creating new worlds, both on and off the page. 

This class is for fiction writers at any level. This class expects your live attendance, participation, and practice. Each week, expect reading assignments, with a focus on short stories (under 20 pages), as well as timed journaling and writing prompts (30 minutes per week). Students who read the assigned materials, complete the writing exercises, and attend class regularly will get the most out of this course. You’ll have additional optional opportunities to build community with your classmates, if desired. Please note this is a generative class: expect a focus on writing assignments and prompts, rather than written or verbal feedback—though there will be opportunities to share your work with your teacher and classmates. 

We’ll study how writers have used imagination to better understand and metabolize current events, and do the same in our own work. Hopefully, we’ll surprise and delight ourselves in the process. 

October 5: The whys and hows of imagination
October 12: Evoking imagination in the reader
October 19: Real toads in imaginary gardens
October 26: Our world but different (reality and the speculative)
November 2: Imagination and physical space
November 9: Imagination and our lives

By taking this course, you will:
  • Develop a deeper understanding of what imagination is and how to tend to your own.
  • Learn practical techniques to cultivate more creativity in your busy life, and push past self-imposed limits.
  • Learn the foundations of well-imagined fiction: what makes characters, concepts, and images feel alive—and tools for writing evocative fiction of your own
  • Learn methods to make your fiction more vivid and original, and to encourage the reader to imagine alongside you
  • Study how other writers craft compelling, unique fiction, and learn to apply their techniques to your own work
  • Explore the role of imagination as a tool for personal and societal reinvention.
  • Generate new writing through guided exercises that will hopefully discourage overthinking, and invite imagination
  • Leave with a stronger imaginative practice that enhances your fiction

The full price for this course is $500, due upon registration. Registration will close on September 30. 
Partial scholarships are available for this course. The scholarship rate is two payments of $125 (one payable at registration, the other by September 30). Please apply for a scholarship at this link: https://forms.gle/jJKu75jLmx17vQi67.

About your instructor:
RACHEL KHONG is the author of the novels Real Americans, a New York Times bestseller, and Goodbye, Vitamin, winner of the California Book Award for First Fiction. Her story collection, My Dear You, was recently published by Knopf in April 2026. From 2011 to 2016, she was an editor of Lucky Peach, a quarterly magazine of food and culture. In 2018, Rachel founded The Ruby, a work and event space for writers and artists in San Francisco’s Mission District. With The Dream Side, Rachel has taught a variety of courses for adult students. Since 2021, she has mentored emerging writers with the Periplus Mentorship Collective. She is the summer 2026 Picador Guest Professor of Literature at the University of Leipzig, in Germany.

RECORDING: This course is conducted on Zoom and will be recorded. Recordings may capture student’s video, audio, chat messages, and shared resources, and will be shared with enrolled students in this course. Recordings from this course may also be reused in future offerings of this class, and may be shared with asynchronous students enrolled in later cohorts. 

Live participation—whether through video, voice, or chat—is deeply appreciated and helps create a vibrant, dynamic class environment. It also makes it possible for The Dream Side to offer more financially accessible versions of this course in the future.

Students who prefer not to appear on video may keep cameras off, adjust their Zoom display name, or request reasonable edits. Please feel free to contact the instructor to discuss options. 

CANCELLATION POLICY: We understand life happens. We charge a cancellation fee of 10% of the total course fee if you cancel your enrollment before September 30. We cannot offer refunds if you cancel after September 30, or after the course has begun.