Creative Writing Classes & Seminars
Looking for a place to express your inner writer? In each of our three yearly sessions (winter/spring, summer, and fall), we offer creative writing classes on weekday evenings, weekday mornings, and the daytime on weekends. Classes range from those geared for novice writers or those with some writing experience who are looking for a structured environment in which to bloom to those geared for intermediate, advanced, or professional writers.
We offer classes for adults as well as pre-teen and teen writers. Genres and topics offered include a variety of creative writing classes in poetry, fiction, flash fiction, memoir and creative nonfiction, screenwriting, playwriting, storytelling, comic books and graphic novels, songwriting, food writing, science fiction, fantasy, children’s book writing, journaling, and multi-genre writing, as well as seminars in writers craft, research, and professional development.
Class size is usually capped at 8 or 9 students—classes with different maximum sizes are indicated in the class listing. We teach short seminars that meet once all the way to longer workshops that meet up to eight times.
Search our classes by genre, level, and time of day below.
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February 2022
Giving Voice: A Creative Writing Workshop for Women
“The function of freedom is to free someone else, and if you are no longer wracked in bondage, to tell your story.” (Toni Morrison and Anne Lamott) This workshop for women will follow the Amherst Writers Method of developing voice, craft and leadership through the practice of writing poetry, fiction and essays in a supportive group setting. This method has been highly effective with a wide variety of participants including those with marginalized gender, racial and socio-economic identities. It has…
Sundays, February 6 - February 27 @ 1:00 pm EST - 3:30 pm EST
Nonfiction in a Flash
In this workshop, creative nonfiction and memoir writers will explore the genre of flash creative nonfiction (between 500 and 1,000 words). We will discuss and discover the many craft elements that make flash nonfiction an engaging, experimental and exciting genre! Every session we will generate and critique our small memoir and nonfiction stories and essays and focus on the unique opportunities that flash gives every creative nonfiction writer. Working in a shorter form allows you to take a fresh look…
Mondays, February 7 - April 18 @ 7:00 pm EST - 9:30 pm EST
The Poetry Workshop
The Poetry Workshop continues with returning members and new members having poetry writing experience. Fresh, intriguing poetry prompts offer group members the opportunity to experiment with various styles, forms, subjects and themes, and in doing so, will clarify their own voices as they actively write and revise original poems. Each workshop will include consideration of an aspect of craft based on assigned readings, as well as close reading of select poems by outstanding poets past and present to open up new possibilities for students’ own work…
Mondays, February 7 - April 18 @ 7:00 pm EST - 9:30 pm EST
The Screenwriting Workshop
This workshop will focus on the all-important revision process in screenwriting, with members sharing the successes and difficulties encountered in the scripting process for feature-length, short, or TV scripts. You will have at least three opportunities to turn in pages of a screenplay for group review, workshop, and discussion—all in an atmosphere of mutual exploration and understanding. This class is open to continuing members as well as students who have either taken the Introduction to Screenwriting class, completed an early…
Tuesdays, February 8 - April 26 @ 7:00 pm EST - 9:30 pm EST
Writing Children’s Books
Do you have an idea for a children’s book? This fiction workshop will focus on children’s picture books, chapter books, and middle grade novels. Our discussions will include the unique voice, character development, plot, and world building needed to write in these different age categories. You will actively write and revise original picture books or chapters for book-length projects and submit them for review. You will have at least two to three opportunities to be critiqued during this course. This…
Tuesdays, February 8 - April 19 @ 7:00 pm EST - 9:30 pm EST
Poetry 2
Returning students and new members with poetry writing experience will actively write and revise original poems, focusing on elements of craft and analyzing select poems by our best poets that effectively model those elements. All group members will have the opportunity to submit material for the workshop. Your instructor will make every effort to tailor the submission schedule to your individual goals.
Wednesdays, February 9 - April 20 @ 7:00 pm EST - 9:30 pm EST
The Memoir Workshop: Tuesday Mornings
Workshop is for writers who want to think seriously about book-length memoir or collections in the context of narrative voice, structure and improving their craft. We’ll work with prompts, exercises, and consider strategies for revision to help you see your memoir in a new light. Each week we'll look at exemplary readings and tackle issues such as characterization, description, scene vs. narrative summary, time and pacing, arc, and real-world consequences and ethical considerations when writing and publishing true-to-life stories. You…
Tuesdays, February 15 - April 25 @ 10:00 am EST - 12:30 pm EST
The Memoir Workshop: Tuesday Evenings
Workshop is for writers who want to think seriously about their book-length memoir or essays in the context of narrative voice, structure and improving their craft. We’ll use exercises, discussion, readings, and peer review to give you strategies for revision or help you see your memoir in a new light. Each week we will workshop pieces from class members and discuss characterization, description, scene vs. narrative summary, time and pacing, arc, and real-world consequences and ethical considerations when writing and…
Tuesdays, February 15 - April 26 @ 7:00 pm EST - 9:30 pm EST
Fiction 2
The fiction writing journey continues where Fiction 1 left off. Returning students and writers new to The Muse (who have fiction writing experience) will be encouraged to produce and submit original work for discussion by the group. Using the students own work and stories published by established writers, the participants will take a deeper look at the essential craft elements of fiction writing. We will refine the understanding of POV and the limitations & benefits of those choices, learn revision on the sentence…
Wednesdays, February 16 - April 27 @ 7:00 pm EST - 9:30 pm EST
The Fiction Workshop: Thursday Mornings
The Fiction Workshop continues with returning members and new members with fiction writing workshop experience. Members of the group will actively write and workshop original work while taking a deeper look at the essential craft elements of fiction writing. Each class will include a short craft lecture covering topics such as POV, writing scenes, dialogue, plotting, POV, and more. Students will continue to learn how to give and take constructive critique and master writing active prose. All members of the…
Thursdays, February 17 - April 28 @ 10:00 am EST - 12:30 pm EST
The Fiction Workshop: Thursday Evenings
The Fiction Workshop continues with returning members and new members who have fiction writing workshop experience. Members of the group will workshop original work while taking a deeper look at the essential craft elements of fiction writing. Topics such as POV, scene writing, dialogue and more may be explored through short lectures or study of published stories. Students will continue to develop critiquing skills and master writing active prose. All members of the group will have the opportunity to submit material…
Thursdays, February 17 - April 28 @ 7:00 pm EST - 9:30 pm EST
The Advanced Poetry Workshop
The Advanced Poetry Workshop is open to students who have completed previous workshop-level classes at The Muse or those who have extensive workshop or graduate-level experience. This class focuses on writing, criticism, and the exploration of contemporary poetic discourse. Students at this level are writing poetry with an increased focus on creating an individual voice and emotional richness. Students will be expected to submit regularly and provide thoughtful feedback to classmates.
Thursdays, February 17 - April 28 @ 7:00 pm EST - 9:30 pm EST
Accessibility for Those with Disabilities
The Muse Writers Center strives to be a fully accessible facility. Please contact us if you have any questions or concerns or would like to request an accommodation.