Fiction

When writing a novel, we must know our primary characters inside and out. We need to understand their desires, motivations, and frustrations, their histories and their futures. This workshop will focus on the development of authentic characters. Participants will examine character as both autonomous and residing within the context of the other novelistic elements, and we will examine the challenge of creating and integrating these various elements into a cohesive and credible whole. Participants will explore the main character(s) in their novels-in-progress.

This workshop will help you understand the process of writing a novel so you can get started putting pen to paper. The workshop will focus on everything from generating ideas to developing characters to establishing point of view. Participants will discuss many elements of fiction (dialogue, scene, etc.) but the emphasis will be on discovering the writing process that works best for each writer.

Each week, participants will focus on a different stage of the revision and publishing process, including structural and line-level revision strategies, identifying common problems in manuscripts, understanding the role of agents and editors, and exploring different paths to publication. The workshop will combine discussion of craft principles, practical publishing guidance, and analysis of participant work in a supportive, workshop-based setting. By the end of the course, participants will have a clearer, more polished manuscript excerpt, a realistic understanding of its readiness for submission, and a practical toolkit for querying agents and navigating publication options with greater confidence. Participants should submit a draft of a short story or novel excerpt up to 3000 words to the first class.

Discover how creative constraints can unlock surprising new possibilities in your writing. In this four-week generative workshop, we will explore how playing with time, form, and omission can change stories and move them beyond the familiar. Through close reading, discussion, and in-class exercises, participants will experiment with techniques to play with their stories. By the end of the workshop, participants will have several new drafts as well as a toolkit of exercises and strategies for future work. Participants should come prepared to write and to read a small selection of flash fiction between sessions; no advance preparation is required for the first class.

Write your YA novel over the course of a school year with bestselling author Betsy Cornwell! In this intensive ten-month course, you'll take your young adult novel from concept to complete manuscript with guidance from New York Times bestselling author Betsy Cornwell, as well as mutual support from fellow participants. Watch the Virtual Info Session […]

Meet Rita Bullwinkel, instructor for our yearlong short story workshop, and have all your questions about the program answered! The Writer’s Center staff will be on hand, too, to address any logistical questions. Register below! About the Program Application Deadline: October 5, 2026 Workshop Dates: Begins October 21, meeting twice a month for ~10 months Cost: […]

This workshop deconstructs and demystifies the novel-writing process for struggling and/or aspiring writers. We'll go all the way from getting the nub of an idea to getting your book into the hands of expectant fans. Along the way, you'll learn how to stay organized, write in the voice of other genders, the art of rewriting, and how to overcome your writing and marketing fears. By the end of our time together, you'll be prepared to begin work on a novel and will be equipped with the skills to perfect it. The sessions will include time for writing and for being critiqued.

Can't find the time/energy/inspiration to get your novel written? This popular course, developed by the author of the book by the same name, will help you complete a rough draft in record time. During the 8 weeks of the course, students will receive encouraging guidance from professional writing coach Kathryn Johnson. Each author will commit to an aggressive writing schedule and learn the tricks pros use to create a productive working environment and meet their deadlines, despite life’s distractions. Each class will include accountability and progress reports from each student, live troubleshooting discussions, a brief lecture on a key skill of fiction writing, and the opportunity to submit a portion of the students’ works-in-progress to the instructor for individual feedback and guidance. (Note: This is not a work-shopping course. Further information will be sent to registered students, in advance of the first class.)

In a world where so much is vying for our attention, writers must hook agents, editors, and readers with an initial premise and be able to pitch their ideas succinctly. In this workshop you’ll learn three ways to create exciting ideas for novels and brainstorm a list of premises that are sure to get attention. You’ll then craft short written pitches—for your completed novel, work-in-progress, and/or one of your new premises—and practice pitching your ideas to the class. This workshop is perfect for anyone who is starting to write a novel, querying a completed manuscript, or preparing for an agent/editor meeting. The next time you find yourself in an elevator with an agent, editor, or potential reader, you’ll be ready when they ask, “so, what’s your book about?”

Whether you are an organized planner or a writer who flies by the seat of their pants, a novel still needs structure. In this workshop, participants will study the architecture of a novel and devise plans for plotting their novels. Using the three-act structure as a map, we will explore the basic components of a novel’s plot.

Strengthening the conflict in any type of fiction will bump up the tension and turn limp, ordinary fiction into an extraordinary tale that will keep readers turning pages. Whether you choose to write literary fiction, mysteries, family sagas, thrillers, historical fiction, sci-fi or fantasy—you can learn techniques for drawing readers into your tales through action, dialogue, setting details, and plot twists that make your work stand out from the crowd. Join us and leave with ideas to apply to your stories.

In this class, we will look at what makes effective openings in stories, how we draw readers in, introduce characters and begin creating their world, and how we develop resonant endings. We'll also discuss how beginnings set the tone for endings. Each week, looking closely at a few short story openings or endings, we'll discuss style, setting, characterization, and answer the often asked questions how to show and what to tell. Classes include generative exercises writing openings and endings, and guidance on developing a daily writing practice.

Learn techniques to write about mental health with intention. Along with general guidelines, examples from popular media will be reviewed so you can learn how to avoid clichés and dig deeper into what shapes people’s various experiences with mental health. Participants will apply psychological concepts to plot and character development.

Practice sharing your story and yourself Spend an evening practicing and learning about the art of public speaking. This in-person coaching session will give you the opportunity to bring your voice– and self– to the words you’ve written. You’ll learn how to become a more genuine and effective communicator of your work, which will in […]

Write new short stories with award-winning author and editor Rita Bullwinkel! Writing is a unique art medium in that it is both made and, generally, consumed in isolation. Through the space of the writers' workshop, an author can escape the isolation in which they made their work, understand their work from a consciousness other than […]

Fictional characters are the entry point for readers to engage with the worlds that writers create. In this class, we will explore three facets of character—tragic flaws, contradictory behavior, and backstory—and reveal how you can combine them to create characters readers will love. Come ready to write! This class includes hands-on writing exercises. Attendees will walk away with the tools they need to craft compelling characters.

Do the multitude of Point of View options elude you? We will look at everything from the first person point of view to the editorial omniscient, as well as some of the less traditional points of view, to help you choose the best voice to tell your story.

Are you serious about writing a novel but struggling? This intermediate course will examine the eight fundamental elements of the novel to help you find the strengths and weaknesses of your work-in-progress. From Concept to Conclusion, we will study the key components of a novel, with generative and evaluative exercises along the way. Written lessons, curated online resources, and targeted exercises (along with instructor and peer feedback) will help guide you as you continue to draft your novel. (Note: This course is a good follow-up to Tammy Greenwood’s Intro to the Novel workshop.)

This workshop introduces a revision strategy that uses interconnected generative prompts to re-enter an existing draft, uncover hidden emotional dynamics, and reveal new possibilities for character, conflict, and story. Through visual presentation, brief craft discussions, guided writing exercises, and opportunities to reflect and share, participants will use these prompts to push both themselves and their characters in unexpected directions, breathing new life into stalled scenes and rediscovering the emotional momentum of their work. By the end of the workshop, participants will have generated new material, uncovered fresh insights into their characters, and developed a practical revision technique they can return to whenever a draft loses momentum. Participants are invited to have work-in-progress—a draft, scene, chapter, or story they'd like to revisit.

This course focuses on writing and reading *very* short fiction. Together, we’ll investigate the following questions: what can a story accomplish in a single page? In a single paragraph? How can we, as writers, create character, place, plot, or voice in such a compressed form? What techniques are helpful for drafting and revising a super-short story? How does contemporary “flash fiction” or "micro fiction" relate to older forms—like the fable—and other genres, like poetry? What makes a piece of very short prose a "story" at all? Each week, we will workshop participants' fiction and do writing exercises to learn about this form. We’ll also read a range of published flash fiction from a craft perspective. By the end of the workshop, each participant will have written and received feedback on at least one very short story (under 2,000 words). The course will conclude with a discussion of strategies for submitting very short fiction to literary magazines.

Learn the methods professional writers use to come up with winning plots for their fiction.

Do you have a finished draft of a novel but don’t know what to do next? This workshop will take you through the revision and editing process step-by-step. From large-picture issues like plot and structure, characterization, etc… to line editing, we will look at what it takes to revise your own novel without the assistance of a professional editor.

Writing a novel takes commitment, but it doesn’t need to be daunting. Learn how to generate a handful of plots to choose from, methods for effectively planning your story, and simple hacks for fine tuning your basic fiction skills. Students will initiate a flexible writing plan that will keep their writing flowing. This is a great half-day session for the beginning long-form fiction writer, or for the more experienced author in need of a quick strategy brush-up.