SUNDAY ESSAY CLUB AUGUST // David Foster Wallace: This Is Water
Sun 30 Aug
|ONLINE
A monthly drop-in class for writers to read, dissect, and draw inspiration from iconic essays. We study form and voice in the first hour, then write through guided prompts in the second.
Time & Location
30 Aug 2026, 16:00 – 18:00 BST
ONLINE
About The Event
Each session centers around one iconic essay.
The first hour begins with a brief lecture introducing the author and contextualizing the work. We read closely and discuss technique — structure, tone, movement, voice — to understand what makes the piece work and how it can inform our own practice.
In the second hour, we write.
You’ll be guided through focused exercises and prompts designed to help you apply what we’ve discussed — whether you're working on personal essays, narrative nonfiction, or developing your voice on the page. Prompts are generative, flexible, and rooted in craft.
Reading material is provided one week in advance.
All levels welcome.
The Sunday Essay Club is hosted by bilingual writer and visual artist Sophia Hembeck. She has published three books of essays called: Things I Have Noticed, 2020 & Things I Have Loved, 2023 & Things That Are Different Now, 2025. Her bestselling substack 'The Muse Letter' is published every week, where she wonders about the meanderings of life. She holds a M.A. in Playwriting (Szenisches Schreiben, UdK Berlin) and has been teaching creative writing classes since 2020. She is represented by Zoe Martin from JE Literary Agency in Berlin.
📅 Upcoming Dates (2026):
Sunday, August 30, 4–6 PM
David Foster Wallace
Essay: "This Is Water"
Sunday, September 27, 4–6 PM
Virginia Woolf
Essay: "On Being Ill"
Sunday, October 25, 4–6 PM
Melissa Febos
Essay: "The Wild, Sublime Body"
Sunday, November 29, 4–6 PM
Essay: tbd
Sunday, December 20, 4–6 PM
Essay: tbd
Sunday, January 31, 4–6 PM
Essay: tbd