Whether you write memoir, fiction, creative nonfiction, or narrative poetry, getting the words on the page is only the beginning of the sculpting process. In this class for intermediate writers, we will experiment with a series of tools to turbo-power your work so that it is resonant and unforgettable.  Tools will include: wordplay/diction, emotion and empathy, “killing your darlings,” and the good kind of theft. Each session is generative, where participants will focus on a craft point, exercise it through…

According to H.P. Lovecraft, a horror tale possesses "a certain atmosphere of breathless and unexplainable dread of outer, unknown forces." He continues: "There must be a hint of that most terrible conception of the human brain--a malign and particular suspension or defeat of those fixed laws of Nature which are our only safeguard against the assaults of chaos and the daemons of unplumbed space." In other worlds, horror fiction dramatizes the sinister destruction of our ordinary, everyday lives. Strange. Why…

‘We conclude then, that succession of time is the department of the poet, as space is that of the painter.’ –Gotthold Ephraim Lessing, Laocoön: An Essay on the Limits of Painting and Poetry, 1767 In this class, we will look at the concept of Ekphrasis as applied by the Belfast poets of the 1960’s and beyond (Seamus Heaney’s “North,” Ciaron Carson’s “Still Life,” Sinead Morrissey’s “Parrallax” and Stephen Sexton’s “If All the World and Love Were Young” in particular). We…

Returning members, new writers from Introduction to Creative Nonfiction & Memoir, and new members with CNF writing experience will actively write and workshop original work while taking a deeper look at the essential craft elements of writing that polishes the truth. We will learn the power of the first person and the limitations & benefits of writing in the third, practice and refine research and memory habits and techniques, continue to learn how to give and take constructive critique, and…

The Advanced Fiction Workshop continues with returning members, writers from The Fiction Workshop level, and new members with advanced fiction workshop experience. Having learned and refined the essential craft elements of fiction writing, it is time to actively write and revise our original short stories and chapters of novels. We will continue to master the art of constructive critique in our workshop, offering thoughtful suggestions that will lead to meaningful revision of our work. All members of the group will…

From the meet-cute to the crucial HEA (or happily ever after), a well-crafted romance is a joy to read and to write. The Advanced Romance Workshop is for experienced romance writers working on a romance manuscript (or women’s fiction with a romance arc). We’ll focus on reading and providing feedback for our peers. Please note: This class is an online class. To participate, students must have a stable internet connection with a computer or device with a webcam and microphone.

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…

Returning members, new writers from Introduction to Creative Nonfiction & Memoir, and new members with CNF writing experience will actively write and workshop original work while taking a deeper look at the essential craft elements of writing that polishes the truth. We will learn the power of the first person and the limitations & benefits of writing in the third, practice and refine research and memory habits and techniques, continue to learn how to give and take constructive critique, and…

The Fiction Workshop continues with returning members, new members from Introduction to Fiction Writing, and new members with fiction writing 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. We will refine the understanding of POV and the limitations & benefits of those choices, learn revision on the sentence level, continue to learn how to give and take constructive critique, and master writing active…

This workshop will work with advanced writers to explore the unique elements of writing for teen and young adult readers. Members of the group will actively write and revise original short stories and chapters of novels and submit material for review. You will have at least two to three opportunities to be critiqued during the session. This advanced workshop is open to all writers who have read at least three young adult novels within the last two years (title recommendations…