A campus is more than a setting. It is a collection of characters, a set of social mores, an intersection of identities, and a time capsule. Situated in its broader community, the campus is also a nexus of insiders and outsiders. In other words, it is a microcosm of society. Great campus fiction provides essential craft lessons on world-building and satisfies the question at the heart of creative writing: Why does this story matter? This lecture will examine campus fiction with the goal of identifying lessons for world-building that writers can apply across genres.

Anna Bruno is the author of Fine Young People and Ordinary Hazards. She holds an MFA in fiction from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, an MBA from Cornell University, and a BA from Stanford University. She lives in Iowa City with her husband, two sons, and blue heeler.