“Writing sharp dialogue is tough,” says instructor Kristin FitzPatrick. “If you’re like me, you’re afraid it’ll go on too long, or every character will sound the same, or that what they say just won’t ring true.” In this class, we’ll learn how to get through the initial obstacles and write conversations that build tension in every line
“The best writing is physical, visceral, makes us feel that we are living a story rather than reading one on the page,” says instructor Gila Lyons. "As Anton Chekhov said, 'Don't tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass
Picture books provide one of the most exciting and innovative spaces for play in the book world today. Genres collide, stories become graphic novels, and nonfiction dances from the page in lyrical twists and twirls
Are you actively working on a screenplay or have a story in mind that could make a great feature film or TV series? Maybe you’ve written a treatment or started on the first draft, but now you find it hard to keep it moving forward. This class will provide the instruction, inspiration, and community to help you accomplish your screenwriting goals
Do you feel you have a story inside you, but you’re a little leery of getting thrown in the deep end? In this bi-monthly class, you’ll gently wade into the vast sea of memories and experiences you’ve been carrying around for your whole life
“In this course,” says instructor Nate Klug, “we will create prose and poetry that puts our hearts in conversation with the divine and the ineffable. Journaling, ghazal poems, tiny stories with God as protagonist, spiritual aphorisms, and haiku—our writing exercises will help us explore some of these forms, as well as our own urgent spiritual questions and concerns
In this class, you'll develop concrete skills and narrative techniques through fun writing exercises designed to help you master your craft. At the end of five weeks, you'll have a better grip on how to use these techniques (for developing character, setting, and plot) as tools for building your story
Whether you write fiction, non-fiction, or both, this class will show you how to draw on your own background to generate writing that is deeply meaningful to you, to the people you love, and even to complete strangers
It’s easy to forget, but poetry belongs to the body. Often, our senses know how to respond to a poem’s power before our minds can work out its exact meaning. Maybe this is what Emily Dickinson meant when she said that poetry began for her as a physical thrill
“Good writing is about empathy—how writers understand their characters and how the reader comes to share that understanding,” says instructor Cary Groner. “This course is designed to develop that empathy through exercises and assignments, then strengthen the writer’s craft through drafting and revision of a story