“Man lives in a sunlit world of what he believes to be reality, but there is unseen by most, an underworld. A place that is just as real, but not as brightly lit. A dark side.” Explore your poetic dark side through the genre of horror poetry. Students will learn the core elements of horror, examine examples of horror poetry, explore how humans react to fear in order to apply it to their writing, and learn how the use horror…

Your core story has nothing to do with your chosen genre or the fictional landscapes you love. It has everything to do with the themes, conflicts and emotions that compel you. Discovering your core story will empower you because you will realize you can take it anywhere. Join us and reach your core.

\When a song lyric hits you, it can take you back in time. In that mystical blend of melody and carefully crafted imagery, we can, for a time, be transported somewhere else. In Songwriting 2, we’ll bridge the gap between the tune and the lilt of the line, while finding our own, unique narrative voices. We will write 4 original songs during the class and workshop  them during weeks 3-6. Students will be invited to perform their work at a…

You’ve crafted your writing; now it’s time to get it published! From formatting to researching markets, tracking your submissions to keeping a positive attitude, we'll dive deep into the basics of submissions to the vast world of literary journals and magazines. Don’t let the fear of rejection--or an unfamiliarity with the process--get in your way. We’ll explore a few tips and tricks to help your writing get placed sooner than later. Plus, we'll explore the many reasons why most work…

You've written your book, and it’s ready to send into the world. But how? In this seminar, we’ll look at everything from crafting a grabbing elevator pitch and where and how to find an agent to what to do and say while pitching and what agents actually do after you’ve signed. Join literary agent Jessica Errera and explore everything that follows typing “The End” on the last page of your manuscript.

“For sale: baby shoes, never worn.” This six-word story, supposedly written by Ernest Hemingway, is often used to demonstrate how a whole story can be embedded in a small moment—in this case, a classified ad. In our two-meeting workshop, we’ll look at a number of pieces of flash fiction in order to uncover the deeper stories embedded within. Then, after considering a number of possible opening lines for our own works of flash fiction, we’ll dive in. Time will be…

Is Rap poetry? Well yes / I confess / with no jest / the answer is yes / but I digress! Explore the poetry of rap music in examples from legendary rappers like Mos Def, Lupe Fiasco, Andre 3000, and Eminem. Examine the use of poetic devices such as meter, metaphor, and in particular, rhyme. Students will use color-coded “rhyme maps” of rap lyrics to learn the major rhyme styles: end rhyme, slant rhyme, internal rhyme, and the very intricate…

Let’s face it. Writing from the first person is a heck of a lot of fun. Akin to the dramatic monologue, to stand-up comedy, to one-person shows (monodramas), it can lead writers into markets they might not have considered. The ”I” sees all. Learning to write from this point of view is not just a matter of using a given pronoun. In this seminar, you will learn how to: choose your revelatory character; manipulate the distances the “I” creates between…

Romance is one of the most popular--and most lucrative--literary genres, but it’s also one of the most creative! From edgy romantic suspense to sweet second-chance romance there’s something in the romance genre for everyone, even if they don’t realize it yet. This seminar will introduce participants to the basics of the romance genre, with a special focus on the structure of a typical romance novel, including character arcs and, of course, the romance arc—so if you’re a non-romance writer looking…