Intro to Creative Writing: Fun with the Fundamentals

“Everyone is talented, original and has something important to say,” states Brenda Ueland at the beginning of her celebrated book, If You Want to Write. “I happen to agree with Ueland,” says Elaine Beale. “And when I teach at The Writing Salon, I see her assertion proved again and again. Students write such beautiful and amazing pieces. And many of them never considered themselves writers before. But by simply making the time to write and to learn about the craft they find that they are, in fact, talented and have something original and important to say.”

"We’ll do lots of in-class writing exercises," says Elaine. "We’ll talk about stories, essays, and poems by published writers, and what makes them come alive. We’ll also talk about how to pay attention to your daily world and use it to inspire your own work. And there will be assignments to help you find your own voice, learn how to develop vivid description and images, and create compelling drama on the page.

“We’ll create a supportive community of writers where we listen to each other's work and exchange feedback. Along the way we’ll talk about our obstacles and celebrate our achievements. And we’ll discuss the advice of Brenda Ueland and other writers who talk about the writing process – how to get started and how to keep going over the long haul.

“Most people who take this class are beginners who don’t have a lot of writing experience,” says Elaine. “But by the time class is over, I want everyone to leave with a lot more confidence in their own writing talents, work they are proud of, and a commitment to continuing to write.”

This class is designed to provide a taster of the various writing genres—fiction, nonfiction, personal essay, memoir, poetry—giving you a chance to try them out, find out what speaks to you and what makes each of them work.