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CNU Writers Conference is Saturday--Register Now
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Enjoy a keynote address, 11 breakout sessions, a writing contest, pitch sessions, an open mic, and an opportunity to network with fellow writers, publishers, and agents. Featured speakers include Pulitzer Nominee, Bill Glose and a dozen professional writers, poets, publishers, and agents. Discounts available for Muse Students, members of military, seniors, and full time students. Register now! Muse students receive a discount!
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Summer 2023 Class Schedule Announced!
You'll find our introductory classes and workshops in Poetry, Fiction, Memoir & Creative Nonfiction, Screenwriting, Comics/Graphic Novels, Songwriting, Storytelling, as well as many great classes for Young Writers and Teens . Plus we have a great series of all-new craft, creativity, knowledge, and professional development seminars
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In-Person, Online, & Hybrid Classes
- In In-person classes, everyone will meet at our physical center.
- Hybrid classes are where it's your choice whether to attend In-Person or through Zoom each class meeting. We have installed an excellent hybrid system to ensure both In-Person and Zoom students have the same great experience. The instructor will host the class in a physical Muse classroom.
- Online classes meet over Zoom; you can take them from anywhere.
What Should You Take Next?
In most of our genre areas, we have created a "#3" and "#2" class that comes in between the "#1" class-level and the workshop-level. If you don't see a higher-level class in your genre, then it's fine to move to the workshop-level. If you are already in the workshop-level, it's fine to stay with your teacher or explore other teachers or genres.
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In Addition to Our Regular Classes, Teachers from Around the Country Are Offering:
- Award-Winning Storyteller Sheila Arnold, teaching Storytelling 1 and Deepening your Storytelling
- SF/F Novelist Cassandra Clarke, teaching How to Jump from Fanfiction to Original Fiction, Creating a Great Villain, Building Tension, and Writing Great Sex Scenes
- Memoirist Deborah J. Cohen, teaching Writing About Parents
- Pulitzer-nominated Author Desiree Cooper, teaching Writing While White: How to be a Voice of Change
- Award-winning Novelist/journalist John DeDakis, teaching Writing as a Way to Heal from Grief and How to Write a Novel
- Virginian-Pilot Food Writer Rekaya Gibson, teaching How to Get Started in Food Writing
- New York Times-bestselling author Ayana Gray, teaching The Power of Worldbuilding
- Virginia Poet Laureate Luisa A. Igloria, teaching Poems Nourishing Bodies Nourishing Poems
- New York Times-bestselling author Jayne Ann Krentz, teaching From Core Story to Done Story
- Award-winning Novelist Sylvia Liu, teaching Submitting to Agents and Query Workshop
- Novelist Susan Isaak Lolis, teaching Writing a Sense of Place & Setting
- Decorated Officer Lt. Mike Lovely, teaching Writing Police Reform
- Award-winning Children's Book author Jen Malia, teaching Writing for Children
- Award-winning Journalist Patti McCracken, teaching How to Get Past Writer’s Block and How to Write True Crime
- Arkansas Poet Laureate Suzanne Rhodes, teaching The Poetry Workshop
- Award-Winning Author/Editor Kathleen Volk Miller, teaching Healing through Writing
- Award-winning Novelist Preslaysa Williams, teaching Creating a Strong Romantic Arc
- Award-Winning Novelist Michele Young-Stone, teaching The Fiction Studio
Last Chance for Spring Classes
Writers Craft
- Recognizing and Using Mythological Archetypes: A hybrid class that meets Sunday, May 7, 1-3:30 p.m. Instructor: Lisa Kendrick. More information
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Summer Camps for Youth & Adults Announced!
We are excited to announce the return of a full schedule of summer camps for Elementary, Middle, and High School writers as well as 3 completely different in-person 1-Day Creative Writing "Camps" (or Mini-Conference Days) for Adults this summer.
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Learn more and register today. Hope to see you there!
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For Youth
For Adults
- Saturday, June 3: 1-Day Creative Writing "Camp" for Adults: with teachers/speakers: Luisa A. Igloria, Cassandra Clarke, Desiree Cooper, Wilhelmine Bellevue, John Aguiar, Shawn Girvan, Donna Wynn, Synnika Lofton, Diane Fine, Rebecca Tigner, & Alison Schoew
- Monday, July 24: 1-Day Creative Writing "Camp" for Adults: with teachers/speakers: Tim Seibles, John DeDakis, Michael Krentz, Rebecca Tigner, Chris De Matteo, Donna Wynn, Bridget Dolan, Chay Jones, Lisa Kendrick, & Skye Zentz
- Friday, August 18: 1-Day Creative Writing "Camp" for Adults: with teachers/speakers: Kelly Sokol, Bridget Dolan, Lisa Cooper, Eddie Dowe, Kindra McDonald, Chay Jones, Patrick Dacey, John Aguiar, Sylvia Liu, & Alison Schoew
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Free In-Person, Online, & Hybrid Events
Writers Zoom Meet-Up
Join The Muse on the first Tuesday of each month for our monthly Writers Zoom Meet-Up, an informal get-together where writers from anywhere in the world enjoy conversation, camaraderie, and discussion about what we're working on.
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Writers Coffee Break
Join us as we come back together and meet in-person for our monthly 1st Friday Writers Coffee Breaks at Cafe Stella in Ghent. At these informal get-togethers, area writers and Muse teachers, students, and friends enjoy conversation and camaraderie over a (perhaps much needed) coffee break. This month's hosts: Michael Khandelwal and Skye Zentz. We look forward to seeing your faces!
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Queer Writers Meet-up at Eleanor's NFK
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Saturday, May 6, 10-11 a.m., In-Person at Eleanor's Books Norfolk, More information
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Calling all queer writers! Join us every first Saturday in person at Eleanor's Norfolk from 10-11 a.m. This is a space to meet up with other local creatives, meet new friends, and talk all things writing.
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Dr. Liz Groeneveld's Book Celebration
Please join us to celebrate the launch of ODU Women's Studies chair, Dr. Liz Groeneveld’s award-winning book, Lesbian Porn Magazines and the Sex Wars: Reimagining Sex, Power, and Identity, co-presented by ODU’s Friends of Women’s Studies and The Muse Writers Center. A festive community gathering, with enriching conversation and a book signing is open to all, with light refreshments and a cash bar. Copies of the book will be available for purchase.
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Teen Writers Club
Are you a teen? Do you like writing? Then join us at The Muse every 2nd and 4th Monday for the Teen Writers Club! This casual meet-up is part social hangout and part writing. The club is open to all teens with an interest in any creative writing form, including songwriting, comics, fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and anything else word related. You don't need to be a Muse student to participate.
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Student Reading at Plaza del Sol
Join The Muse as we celebrate the work of our Spring 2023 students as they share their writing from the past session. All are welcome. Readers must register in advance. Come and enjoy some food and drinks and a great reading!
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Write Now! with The Muse & Slover Library for Kids & Teens
Are you looking for a little inspiration? Come on down (virtually), join us and Write Now! A talented and qualified Muse teacher will lead you through an easy, fun, and creative workshop full of writing prompts and creative sharing. Free registration required.
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Shut Up & Write Drop-in Session
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Wednesday, May 10, 5:30-7 p.m., In-Person at The Muse and Hybrid, More information
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Need a little mid-week motivation to pick up your pen? Join us online or in-person at The Muse for this hybrid, drop-in writing session. If you decide to join via Zoom, you must register in advance to receive the Zoom link. Hosted by Art Klepchukov.
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The Muse Neighborhood Jam
Join us on the 2nd Friday of each month for an evening where everyone is welcome to make music, sing, read, laugh, or just hang out and listen. This is not an open mic with a sign-up list. We'll alternate between individual-led and collaborative performance and pure unplugged jams. Anyone is welcome... from beginners to professionals, whether you like to play an instrument or just listen, sing or be sung to, read your work or hear great stories and poems. Hosted by Dan Duke.
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Show & Grow Your Prose
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Saturday, May 13, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., In-Person at Gus and George's in Va. Beach, More information
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Join The Muse and Hampton Roads Writers for Show and Grow Your Prose. Presenters will read 10 minutes of their material, which will be followed by another ten minutes of feedback from our guest critiquers Lauran Strait and Michael Khandelwal. Reading slots are limited, and deadline to submit is 72 hours before the event. Non-presenting audience members are both welcome and encouraged to attend. Material is displayed on the screen so everyone can read along. The event is at lunchtime, and the full menu at Gus and George's will be available.
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Projects, Passions, and Possibilities Writing Group
A roundtable discussion open to all writers and generated by the interests of the participants to exchange and spread information. Free registration required. Hosted by author, Fran Ward
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Gathering Magic: A Fantasy Writers Group
Come join us for our monthly fantasy writers gathering. Some writing, come critique, some craft talk, some camaraderie with other fantasy writers--those of us who revel in wardrobe doors and rabbit holes, who would rather work on inventing a language than learning French, who long for something this world doesn't offer. Hosted by Leigh Kenyon.
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757 Comic and Cartoon Creators
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757 Comic and Cartoon Creators is a community group for local artists, specifically those interested in creating comics and animation. Writers are welcome as well. Come in-person or join us via Zoom.
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We are Astounded! Thank You!
Thank you to everyone who donated, shared, and/or sent great energy our way during Give Local 757 2023! We are so grateful to our amazing community of support. During Give Local, we received nearly $30,000 in donations from more than 525 people!
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Come to The Muse and Write
The Muse Writers Center's physical space is open for people to write, meet others, and learn more about The Muse four days a week: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, & Thursday from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. See our Locations, Hours, & Directions page for more information..
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The Muse has installed is installing an iWave-R air purification system that uses needlepoint bipolar ionization (NPBI) cold plasma technology to sanitize the air, killing viruses, bacteria, and mold.
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Stay Connected! Join The Writers Reservoir on Facebook
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Visit facebook.com/groups/WritersReservoir and connect with other writers and share articles, essays and personal experiences about being a writer in the world today as well as information about places to submit, contests, conferences, and more. The Writers Reservoir is more than a writers’ resource, it is a writers’ community! It is a place where writers can share, learn, connect and find that often elusive creative spark. The Writers Reservoir is a Facebook group. All writers are welcome to join and send invitations to join.
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The Muse Writers Center’s projects, classes, and events are made possible in part through sponsorship by the City of Norfolk Commission on the Arts and Humanities, the Business Consortium for Arts Support, the Virginia Commission for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the WeTransfer Creative Hubs Grant. Additional funding has been provided by Virginia Humanities and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act economic stabilization plan of 2020 as well as The Literary Arts Emergency Fund, the Hampton Roads Community Foundation and the Norfolk Department of Economic Development.
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