Workshops & Events
Writing Nonfiction (in person or online)
May 3 & 4, 2025
“Creative nonfiction” can take so many forms: the profile or feature article, the travel piece, the review, the personal essay or memoir, and more. Compelling nonfiction transcends the mere factual.
Read Like a Writer
May 24 & 25, 2025
What does it mean to read closely? How can close reading deepen your writing?
At this workshop, we’ll work with a selection of short fiction. Overnight, you’ll write a short piece to turn in on Sunday. You’ll hear your work read aloud—anonymously. Then, the group will discuss the emotions your piece evokes in each of us.
Flash Fiction
June 21 & 22, 2025
What’s so great about very short stories? Well, you can read a work of flash fiction over a single cup of coffee. And writing a work of micro-fiction can be done in a day.
Simply Writing
July 12 & 13, 2025
Do you only write when you have an assignment? What obstacles do you experience to writing? How can you structure your life in order to keep writing? How, exactly, do you finish a piece of writing?
Past Workshops
Writing about Food (online)
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Writing about food can be deep, rich, rewarding. The goal of this workshop: to help you find your voice as a food writer. You’ll think, dream, and write about food.
Writing Memoir (in person or online)
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A personal essay is 3,000 percent easier to write than a short story, claims writer Carol Bly.
The essay is indeed a scalable form. In fact, this is our starting point for Writing Memoir: the personal essay. During this weekend, you’ll get the coaching to create a complete personal essay—from idea to first draft.
Writing Memoir (In person or online)
January 18 & 19, 2025
A personal essay is 3,000 percent easier to write than a short story, claims writer Carol Bly.
The essay is indeed a scalable form. In fact, this is our starting point for Writing Memoir: the personal essay. During this weekend, you’ll get the coaching to create a complete personal essay—from idea to first draft.
Revise Your Fiction
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How do you complete a work of fiction—whether it’s flash fiction, a short story, a novella, or a novel? How do you make it “as perfect” as it can be?
At “Revise Your Fiction,” we’ll define concrete steps for moving forward with your creative writing.
The Novel
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Writing a novel is often a marathon experience. The challenges are in starting; in keeping the faith; and, of course, in finishing.
The Short Story
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Writing a short story is a wonderfully intricate process; we make countless creative decisions in the course of telling a single tale. During these two days, we’ll explore the most vital creative decisions and find what works for you as a storyteller.
Beyond Writer’s Block
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Do you wish you were writing more—and more often? Join us for a practical, fun afternoon that may just transform your creative life.
The Art of Revision (online)
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“Writing is rewriting,” the adage tells us. But how do we rewrite? How do we decide what to leave in and what to take out? How do we determine the scope of a piece, divine its essence, know where to start and where to end?
New!
The Novella (online)Contact us for dates
What’s so elegant about the novella? It sings a long song, fluidly, and with style. And why is it difficult? Because, as Lauren Groff knows, “[the] writer must balance the looseness of a novel with the concision of a short story.”
What to Read Next: A Mini-workshop (online)
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For writers, reading is so consequential—a particular book can unlock new ideas, new thinking, even a way of finishing a project.
So, how do we decide what to read next?
Reading book reviews helps, of course, as does hanging around bookstores, trawling lit mags, talking to friends, fellow writers….
Writing for Peace (online)
This workshop has ended
War in the Middle East, in Ukraine, in Sudan….
Flooding, fires, and drought. Countless displaced people, immeasurable suffering. Wherever we are in the world, we’re enduring stark times. So how do we cope with witnessing these realities? How do we talk about the world of right now? And how do we speak out as writers and artists?
How to Write Funny (online)
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At “How to Write Funny,” we’ll practice 13 techniques to help free up your voice.
Read Like a Writer
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“If we want to write, it makes sense to read—and to read like a writer. If we wanted to grow roses, we would want to visit rose gardens and try to see them the way that a rose gardener would.” – Francine Prose
Write for Children (online)
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How do you write a memorable children’s book?
How do you create lovable (and hateable!) characters—in children’s and Young Adult fiction & nonfiction? How do you transform a story idea into scenes on the page? And what are the creative requirements for publishable children’s literature?
At this workshop we’ll explore writing for children versus writing for adults. We’ll analyze the range of categories, from picture books to Young Adult novels.
Advanced Fiction (online)
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Writer’s block. Narrators trapped inside their own heads. Stories with intriguing beginnings—but no clear ending. These are a few of the problems fiction writers may face.
Publishing: The Basics (webinar)
This webinar has ended
What is the sanest way to approach publishing your work? Learn from writers who have published fiction, nonfiction, and poetry.
The Poetic Voice (online)
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“I think the key is to listen, not necessarily to the poet’s reading aloud, but to the internal voice in the poem.” – Ming Di
National Novel Writing Month Kick-off
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November is National Novel Writing Month!
Each year, NaNoWriMo, as it’s called, draws tens of thousands of writers worldwide.
Poetry as Storytelling
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“Poetry as Storytelling” is a one-day poetry jam. You’ll spend the day hearing published poetry, learning more narrative craft, and writing. At the end of the day, you’ll hear your work read aloud (anonymously)—and get individualized feedback on your writing.
Travel Writing
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How do great writers evoke great cultural landscapes?
How do you frame travel experiences in writing?
This survey class covers many forms, from the travel blog to the travel article, the travel memoir to the travel guide.