The Lab: Experiments in Writing Across Genre

by Matthew Clark Davison, Alice LaPlante

Overview

Great writing doesn’t begin with form—it begins with obsession. Two novelists offer an inspiring guide to transforming that obsession, using whatever genre fits best.

Writers don’t need formulas; they need encouragement to take risks. The Lab offers a bold, hands-on approach, urging writers to embrace uncertainty, experiment with form, and investigate what haunts them.

The Lab features ten chapters and ninety exercises challenging writers to play with fiction, memoir, and poetry—or push toward hybrid or entirely new forms.

This is a book for those ready to dig deep and write fearlessly.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780393866681
Publisher:	Norton, W. W. & Company, Inc.
Publication date:	07/22/2025
Pages:	480
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 9.25(h) x 0.00(d)

About the Author

Matthew Clark Davison is the author of Doubting Thomas and founder of The Lab, a generative writing workshop. He is emeritus faculty in Creative Writing at San Francisco State University, and lives in Oakland, California with his husband.

Alice LaPlante is the author of the craft book The Making of a Story and the New York Times best-selling novel Turn of Mind. She has taught creative writing at Stanford and San Francisco State University and lives in Mallorca, Spain, with her family.

Editorial Reviews

"With its inventive exercises and deep respect for literary experimentation, The Lab urges writers to embrace uncertainty and create something entirely their own."

Miah Jeffra

"The Lab . . . [is] . . . about wrestling with the things that won’t leave us alone . . . and the truths we’re not sure we can admit."

Peter Orner

"Davison and LaPlante take a deep dive into the often mysterious alchemy of literary craft, and provide writers with a tangible roadmap to expanding their creative boundaries. The exercises that are liberally peppered throughout the book are more than prompts—they’re experiments that push you to stretch form and uncover what your voice is capable of."

Mieke Eerkens

"The Lab shakes off the tired rules of traditional writing guides and replaces them with something more electrifying: a call to action for writers who want to discover their fiercest, most authentic work."

K.M. Soehnlein

"The Lab: Experiments in Writing Across Genre is a masterclass in the creative process. This is an essential guide for writers navigating the rich, interdisciplinary possibilities of contemporary storytelling."

Evan Rehill

"Ideal for writers like me to keep on their desk for quick inspiration."

Toi Derricotte

"More than a craft book, The Lab examines what drives us to write . . . identifying what’s deeply true, strange, or compelling, then shaping that into a genre."

Alia Volz

"The Lab is the place to be in all stages of the writing process. This guide is crammed with ways to expand and reimagine your practice and project. Every page delivers an invigorating opportunity."

Jac Jemc

"Davison and LaPlante…turn writers’ hopes, ideas and aspirations into manifestations. Grab your pencil, pen, paper, or laptop. Then grab this book, embrace it as your guide, and start and keep writing."

Jerome Joseph Gentes