The Muse Writers Center

Register Now for a Summer Class!

We have an amazing Summer 2023 In-Person, Online, & Hybrid class, workshop, camp, and seminar schedule that continues through August. You can find the right class for you by genre or in a searchable calendar and register now. Tuition assistance and flexibility is always available if you need it. Just check that box on the payment form.

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.

Summer Classes Starting Now...

Writers Professional Development

  • Submit Your Work to Magazines, Journals, and Publishers: A hybrid class that meets Saturday, August 12, 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Instructor: Rick Eley. More information
  • Submitting to Agents and Query Workshop: A hybrid class that meets Saturday, August 12, 1-3:30 p.m. Instructor: Sylvia Liu. More information

Poetry

  • Story Pictures: Ekphrastic Poetry Suitable for Framing: 2-meeting in-person class that begins Sunday, August 13, 1-3:30 p.m. Instructor: Tracy Rice Weber. More information

Summer Camp for Adults

  • 1-Day Creative Writing "Camp" for Adults: An in-person day-long mini-camp that meets Friday, August 18, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Instructors: Kelly Sokol, Bridget Dolan, Lisa Cooper, Eddie Dowe, Kindra McDonald, Matt Friedman, Patrick Dacey, John Aguiar, Sylvia Liu, & Alison Schoew More information

Writers Craft

  • Making Historical Writing Real: A hybrid class that meets Saturday, August 19, 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Instructor: Chris De Matteo. More information
  • Parachuting Into a Brush Fire: A Workshop On Writing a Brevity Essay: 2-meeting hybrid class that begins Saturday, August 19, 1-3:30 p.m. Instructor: Emily Pease. More information

Writers Knowledge

  • Writing While White: How to be a Voice of Change: An online class that meets Saturday, August 19, 1-3:30 p.m. Instructors: Desiree Cooper, Patricia Ann McNair, & Christine Rice. More information

Storytelling

  • Deepening your Storytelling: 2-meeting hybrid class that meets Saturday, August 19 and Sunday, August 20, 1-3:30 p.m. Instructor: Sheila Arnold. More information

Nonfiction & Memoir

  • Parachuting Into a Brush Fire: A Workshop On Writing a Brevity Essay: 2-meeting hybrid class that begins Saturday, August 19, 1-3:30 p.m. Instructor: Emily Pease. More information

Register Now for the Last Adult Summer Camp This Summer

Join us for our last in-person 1-Day Creative Writing "Camps" (or Mini-Conference Days) for Adults this summer.

Learn more and register today. Hope to see you there!

For Adults

  • Friday, August 18: 1-Day Creative Writing "Camp" for Adults: with teachers/speakers: Kelly Sokol, Bridget Dolan, Lisa Cooper, Eddie Dowe, Kindra McDonald, Matt Friedman, Patrick Dacey, John Aguiar, Sylvia Liu, & Alison Schoew

Free In-Person, Online, & Hybrid Events

Write Now! with The Muse & Slover Library for Kids & Teens

Tuesday, August 8, 5-7 p.m., Online, More information
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.

Shut Up & Write Drop-in Session

Wednesday, August 9, 5:30-7 p.m., In-Person at The Muse and Hybrid, More information
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.

The Muse Neighborhood Jam

Friday, August 11, 7-10 p.m., In-Person at The Muse, More information
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.

Projects, Passions, and Possibilities Writing Group

Saturday, August 12, 1-3 p.m., Online, More information
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

Gathering Magic: A Fantasy Writers Group

Saturday, August 12, 1-3 p.m., In-Person at The Muse, More information
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.

757 Comic and Cartoon Creators

Saturday, August 12, 4-7 p.m., In-Person at The Muse and Hybrid, More information
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.

Teen Writers Club

Monday, August 14, 6-8 p.m., In-Person at The Muse and Hybrid, More information
Are you a teen? Do you like writing? Then join us at The Muse 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.

Rainbow Write-in

Tuesday, August 15, 5-7 p.m., In-Person at The Muse (and Hybrid), More information
What's a rainbow write-in, you ask? Well, it's just like a regular write-in, but more colorful! Join us every 3rd Tuesday in person at the Muse or online to spark your creativity and get some words on the page. Stay for the entire two hours or just stop in for 10 minutes; open to all--just come prepared to write. Please register in advance if you plan to attend via Zoom. Co-hosted by The Muse and Eleanor's Norfolk.

Writers Happy Hour

Thursday, August 17, 5-6:30 p.m., In-Person at The Green Onion, More information
Join us as we meet in-person for our Third Thursday Writers Happy Hour, an informal get-together where area writers and Muse teachers, students, and friends enjoy conversation, camaraderie, and drinks. This month's Happy Hour will be hosted by Michael Khandelwal and Timothy Norton. All welcome. We look forward to seeing your faces!

Writers Happy Hour

Friday, August 18, 5-6:30 p.m., In-Person at Plaza del Sol, More information
Join us as we meet in-person for a Special EXTRA Writers Happy Hour this month that follows our August Adult Summer Camp, an informal get-together where area writers and Muse teachers, students, and friends enjoy conversation, camaraderie, and drinks. This Happy Hour will be hosted by Michael Khandelwal and Sylvia Liu. All welcome. We look forward to seeing your faces!

The Norfolk Word Art Show: An Open Mic

Friday, August 18, 7:30-9:30 p.m., In-Person at The Muse, More information
Join us for an open mic for presenting any original written words--material from Poets, Songwriters, Comedians, Playwrights. If you can write it we’d like to hear it. Hosted by Teech. Featured Performer: Rome Creek. Sign up in person starting at 6:45.

Little City Poets Meeting

Saturday, August 19, 1-3 p.m., In-Person at The Muse and Hybrid, More information
This monthly meet-up will be a lively and productive session where we'll workshop new pieces, revise existing work, and move closer to publication. This is a great opportunity for anyone who loves poetry and wants to share their work with others. This in-person & hybrid club meets the third Saturday of each month and is hosted by Tina Carey.

A Page in the Life Memoir Group

Sunday, August 20, 2-4 p.m., In-Person at The Muse, More information
Memoirists unite once a month at The Muse to spend an hour working on their memoirs. Come to share your life stories or just sit and listen. All are welcome. This is an in-person club that meets on the third Sunday of each month and is hosted by Karen Kendall.

757 Comic and Cartoon Creators

Sunday, August 20, 4-7 p.m., In-Person at The Muse and Hybrid, More information
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.

Register Now for the Hampton Roads Writers Conference: Nov. 9-11, 2023

Voted Best Writers Conference in the State!

Early-Bird Discount Ends August 11

The Hampton Roads Writers Conference is live and in-person this year, November 9-11 in Virginia Beach. Now in its 15th year, the conference features 1 evening plus 2 full days of workshops, 2 best-selling keynoters (Dani Pettrey & Amy Collins), 2 first-ten-lines critique sessions, 50+ workshops during 10 breakout sessions, ten-minute agent pitches, cash prize contests for short fiction, short nonfiction, and poetry, complimentary 90-minute cocktail social, 2-hour open mic. Registration includes 2 breakfasts, 2 lunches, refreshments throughout the day, a meet and greet with complimentary hors d'oeuvres, a cocktail social (cash bar) with complimentary heavy hors d'oeuvres, the opportunity to enter all the writing contests, the opportunity to present at an open mic, entrance to all the sessions, and the opportunity to pitch to 2 literary agents.

The Muse is a proud sponsor of the conference, and we will be there! Please register today... If you are a Muse student, you are eligible for the HRW Member rate (just write "Muse student" in the comments box on the registration page and they will refund you the difference, or just become an HRW member and support another great local literary organization). They also have scholarships if you need a little help affording the conference. Learn More.

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..

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.
Become a Member/DonateEmergency UpdatesJoin the Writers Reservoir Group
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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