# The Writer's Center
> Supporting writers and everyone who wants to write.
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## Posts
### [Bethesda Local Writer’s Showcase: 2026 Adult Essay Contest](https://writer.org/bethesda-local-writers-showcase-2026-adult-essay-contest/)
**Published:** June 26, 2026
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
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## I’m Greedy
By Joyce Siegel – Rockville, MD
1st Place
While looking out the window of my condo one day I saw a woman who appeared to be 30”ish” walking by. She had a sprightly gait and was dressed for the summer heat…short shorts, bare midriff, flip- flops.
I didn’t begrudge her the youthful outfit but I did envy her obvious youthful look (relative to my 92 years). I did envy her confident stride and perfect posture, neither of which I have. Once, maybe. Not now.
At my advanced age I’m using a walker. I have a wheelchair to use on an “as needed“ basis. For me, my longest self-propelled walk is in our apartment, from the kitchen to bedroom.
Most of what I want is on shelves that are now too high for me (I’ve shrunk). Grocery shopping, restaurant dining and theater going….almost everything I used to do have become more difficult. With restaurants it’s the usually crowded seating. The walker is always in someone’s way. Theater seating involves another problem since there are usually stairs and I need to be near an aisle because of the walker. It’s easier to just stay home.
I look in the mirror and don’t recognize ME. When about and around, my all-gray hair, my walker and my stooped posture announce OLD to everyone. Most people open doors for me and let me get ahead of them on lines. Some even help me unload my groceries from the shopping cart to the car.
Thinking about all of this and that young woman I saw from my window I think, too, about when I was about her age. I think of things I wanted to do but didn’t….about the trips I didn’t take and the books I meant to read…once or once again.
I feel greedy, even though I’ve had “my turn.” I feel greedy although I’ve done rewarding work (and received more than enough recognition for it.) Certainly I feel grateful too… especially grateful for my loving, attentive family (including my beloved eight grandchildren).
That gratefulness extends to my home. Unlike the majority of our earth’s population, I live in a secure, comfortable home, temperature seasonally adjusted. There’s a full fridge and artwork I enjoy on the apartment’s walls. I feel blessed. But, “blessed” is tempered by reality. The daily news is full of horror and despair. Anyone with an ounce of empathy must feel saddened and anxious in these troubling times. So, along with my “blessings” I worry about what’s ahead for my incredible grandchildren and for that 30ish, snappily dressed woman I saw from my window.
They’ll all have to figure how to deal with what’s ahead. They’ll have to face their inevitable aging. The only certainty is that nobody gets out of here alive. I envy them their problems. I’m greedy for more of that precious and so often taken for granted element …time.
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## Love in the Time of Alzheimer’s
By Kristin O’Keefe – Kensington, MD
2nd Place
You will have been married nearly 50 years when one of you forgets the way home. Some couples go to the doctor together to get an Alzheimer’s diagnosis; they cry and discuss plans and treatment. You will not take this route. You’ll laugh off forgetfulness, together. When one of you starts to misplace things, the other will quietly move them. You will start forgoing trips; you will accompany each other most places. You make it through this phase by silent but mutual agreement.
The next phase of Alzheimer’s arrives at the same time as Covid, just as you started exploring a senior living community. You are somewhat relieved, for you did not like the idea of moving. There are challenges: one of you forgets to turn off the stove, the other has issues with eyesight and mobility. It is harder to shower and manage all the steps. But there is joy in family meals outside, the slow walks around the neighborhood, the comfort of your cozy house in the woods. Every day you sit together in the family room, and every night you curl into each other.
Then you fall. The medical professionals say your house and its many steps are unsafe. You move to a senior living apartment near your daughter. Your art and couch are placed just so, to feel like home, but it is not the same. Still, you’re together. You go to meals in the main dining room, concerts, and lunch with old friends. But Alzheimer’s marches on, and one of you forgets even more, like how to cut with a knife, take a shower, get out of bed, and have a conversation. There are more and more battles.
You thought the first move was hard; this one is agonizing. It means you will not share a bedroom for the first time in 55 years. One of you is unaware until the move happens, the other is wracked with guilt, even though everyone says you are a good spouse. It does not feel that way, but you need more help.
Now you live one floor apart. Memory care is better than you imagined; the staff is kind and the residents have daily activities, including your beloved music. It is still hard—hard to wake up without you, eat without you, and watch tv without you.
But one thing is unchanged. Every night, without fail, you lie down together on the bed in memory care and hold each other until one of you falls asleep. The nurse says she hopes her husband loves her in old age the way you two do. When one of you moves to a wheelchair and it’s time for a hospital bed, you get a double, even though Medicare will only cover a single.
It is worth it, this most expensive bed you’ve ever owned. Because lying together, in each other’s arms, is what it feels like to be truly and fully you again.
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## A Small Visitor
By Diego Tovar – Chevy Chase, MD
3rd Place
When I was a child, summer was the world. Heat wavered above the ground, and the lush woods behind our house felt vast enough to keep secrets. The trees rose like familiar giants, their branches stitching patterns of shade across the path. Every trail felt like a doorway to something I hadn’t met yet.
One afternoon, the air turned so still that even the cicadas sounded unsure of themselves. I wandered into a clearing where an old oak had fallen seasons ago, its trunk now a low, rough bench. I climbed onto it and traced idle lines in the dust. My shirt clung to my back. A bead of sweat slid down my cheek and vanished into the soil, as if the ground had been waiting for it.
That was when the fly arrived.
It settled on the back of my hand, light and sure. Its calm weight kept me perfectly still. Up close, it was nothing like the nuisance people swatted away. Its body flashed with shifting greens and bronze, as if small lanterns burned beneath its shell. Its wings were clearer than glass. Even the fine hairs along its back caught the faintest strands of light.
The fly lifted one slender leg and drew it across another with the unhurried ease of a creature entirely at home. In its eyes, the clearing broke apart into countless tiny mosaics—the fallen oak, the soft green shimmer of leaves, and somewhere inside those fractured reflections, me, watching.
For a few breaths, the woods seemed to hold still with us. A lizard whispered through the brush. The branches above creaked tiredly. The world, usually restless, slipped into a softer rhythm, and I felt myself harmonize with it. I was no longer just watching but sharing a brief accord with a tiny neighbor.
I didn’t understand it then. I only knew a fleeting, tender grace was unfolding, bright and fragile as a soap bubble in the sun—a moment I wasn’t meant to look away from. My breathing eased. Curiosity widened, then settled into a feeling very close to awe.
When the fly finally lifted away, it rose as if carried on a thought, drifting into the sunlit air. My hand tingled where it had rested. I watched my palm all the way home, hoping another visitor might choose it.
After that day, the woods never felt quite the same. Every path seemed to listen back. Even now, I think about that brief meeting in the shade. It taught me what I couldn’t yet name: that every small life carries its own quiet story, and that the world sometimes opens through the narrowest of doorways, if we are willing to stop and look.
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## Keeping Vigil at the Party
By Joy Einstein – Bethesda, MD
Honorable Mention
No one ever talks about how sad first birthdays can be. They tell you to celebrate, inventory your miracles, count the ways you survived the longest, shortest year. But when she exhales upon that single, trembling flame and smears blue frosting in her hair, I do not feel triumphant. I feel the slow, sad burn of goodbye. I am not celebrating, I am mourning.
I know what the end of year one means. It means that pretty soon she won’t be my baby anymore, not like this—giggly, soft, and wild. It feels like a small vanishing. I can hear the future breathing in the next room, clearing its throat, like a speaker ready to take the podium. I am not ready to stand and let it in.
Lately I’ve been keeping vigil, fearing the slightest shift. I hoard her laughter, her baby belly laugh, as if I could tuck it in a drawer and open it again later. As the truly bereaved do, I record everything, living in fear that this or that might be the last time and I will forget to capture it.
I’ve been reevaluating religion too, just like I imagine people do when staring down death. Suddenly, I find myself reevaluating Buddhism and the idea of time circling back on itself. Reincarnation begins to sound less like theology and more like a vow: I will live, and live, and live again until I live the life that brings me back to her. Other times, I call her my angel and wince at myself, and then do it again, because somehow it is true. I can almost believe in angels and heaven, both of which I long since dismissed, because love like this keeps insisting on an origin I can’t explain.
I’ve been bargaining lately too, like I suppose the truly sorrowful do. Give me one more baby, I say out loud to no one. I won’t spend so much time at the office with this one, I promise to the void. I won’t put this next one in daycare, I swear in the darkness, if you could just give me one more. I’ll be softer, slower, more grateful. But the night does not respond. The quiet knows what I know: I am older and more tired now than I want to admit, and another is not a possibility. And besides, even the next one would have a first birthday too.
Instead, with my fragile, shaky heart, I pose for pictures and lick cake off of her chubby fingers. It is a small ceremony with balloons and plastic toys yet underneath, a wake.
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## The Harvest
By Holly Mason Badra – Clifton, VA
Honorable Mention
My mother loves persimmons. I tried my first bite in the kitchen of the house where I grew up. I held out my hand for more. I bought some in my adult life and wasn’t as thrilled. Perhaps it was my mother’s love for the fruit that made it taste so good? Perhaps it was that my mother knew how to pick them out or knew when they were properly ripe?
I waited until I was six months pregnant to tell my parents. After two years of fertility treatments, I was focused on a healthy pregnancy and worried that the stress of their response would affect me. So, I waited.
Many years before this moment, when I came out to my mother, one of her arguments was “but you would be such a good mom.” I assured her, “I can still be a mom.” To which she replied “a child deserves both a mother and a father.” After I married my wife, once we started the fertility process, I tried to ease my parents into the fact that we would indeed one day be having a child.
In the summer heat, I put on my tennis shoes and walked my almost third-trimester bump around the neighborhood. I gave myself a pep talk trying to pluck up the courage to call them. Starting the conversation was always the hardest. I rehearsed my lines. I reminded myself I am a married, meaningfully employed, home-owning, 35-year-old woman. Shouldn’t they be proud of me? Instead, I felt like a teenager figuring out how to confess shocking news.
Kids ran by me waving their pool noodles, flip flops slapping the concrete. My neighborhood is the perfect cozy, suburban community for raising a child. I remember when we first looked at our house; the tall oak out of what would be the nursery window was turning red and orange, bikes rested in front lawns, and I pictured us becoming three here.
I rested my hand on my belly, passing a neighbor walking their dog. I said a quick hello and unlocked my phone. I called. I told them what should be “good” news. My father filled the silence with questions. My mother didn’t say a word, and I wouldn’t hear a word or see a word from her until after Iris was born. A text. The morning she was born to be exact. Incredible timing.
Now as I mother my own daughter, I feel a new pain for my mother and a new pain for myself. For the desert between us. Sometimes, often, the fruit is bitter.
A large persimmon tree in my neighbor’s backyard spills over the gate and onto the sidewalk. My brother says we should gather some. I bring them home, cut one when ripe, hand a slice to my toddler, and watch for her reaction.
Sometimes, sweet.
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## Packing Up Patan: The Weight of Memory
By Tara Prakash – Chevy Chase, MD
Honorable Mention
*Note: this was written on October 14, 2025, while in Nepal on my gap year. We spent three weeks in a city called Patan, and I wrote this piece the night before we left.*
We’re leaving Patan tomorrow morning. I’ve just finished dinner, and I’m packing my final items into my backpack and my extra-large duffel, which lay wide open on my bed.
I take with me my homestay sister’s giggle, the Saturdays waking up with her in the doorway to my room, ready for a game of Ludo. I’d slip on my house shoes and chase after her, calling her the affectionate name my parents called me 14 years ago, when I was her age: *badmas*. Mischevious. I take with me the surge of independence I felt, riding the bus alone one Saturday morning to Durbar Marg to explore the Nepal Point archives, using my ever-improving Nepali to navigate (“*Rutna Park kahaa*?”). Following suit from the other passengers, I cranked open my window and watched known landmarks pass me by. Ascend, the rock-climbing gym. The Kathmandu roundabout. The bakery I bought barfi from for my homestay mom, who mentioned it was her favorite sweet. I take with me the mint-green kurta I wore on Dashain and the generosity of my aunt, who refused to take it back when I tried to return it to her, thinking she gave it to me to borrow. “*Tapailaai*,” she said. For you.
I take with me my notebook, full of Nepali phrases, useful for haggling items down, finding directions home, clarifying a metal-working technique. I take with me the Sunday morning doing handstands at the Garden of Dreams, the walks to Labim mall, traversing the potholed city streets. I take a copy of the Nepali Times, picked up during a trip to Patan Bookshop. I read it voraciously that evening in my room, even annotating the Gen Z editorials, drawing question marks in the margins of dense paragraphs or underlining especially resonant sentences. I take with me ‘chiya guffing,’ gathering for tea in Swotha with different guest speakers.
I take my half-finished Buddha idol from my metal-working study project, packing it last, wrapped in cloth. My mentor gave me the instructions on how to complete it, along with a file, nail, and hammer. I take with me those afternoons in the studio, fingers and back aching, eyes trained on a single spot of the statue, memories that will surely come back to me as I continue the statue at home in the coming months.
My bag is heavy, so I leave things behind too. I don’t pack my inhibition, the awkward, unsure feeling when I asked someone, in Nepali, if we could have six eggs at the supermarket. I leave behind the Messi poster I bought for my 10-year-old homestay brother Samyak, the most adamant Messi fan I know in a family of Ronaldo diehards. He tapes the poster above his bed that evening, the room where we spent hours playing FIFA. I leave behind a wooden comb for my homestay aunt, who braided my hair every day before I left for the program house, different designs each time, fishtail and hairband and Dutch.
Walking the now-familiar route from Durbar Square to the program house, I lug my duffel bag and backpack. Both are heavy, stuffed full, bursting with the weight of memory.
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For more information on the Local Writer’s Showcase, please visit <https://www.bethesda.org/bethesda/localwriters>
**Categories:** Uncategorized
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### [Bethesda Local Writer’s Showcase: 2026 High School Essay Contest](https://writer.org/bethesda-local-writers-showcase-2026-high-school-essay-contest/)
**Published:** June 26, 2026
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
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## The Weight on the Bench
By Nolan Chen – Poolesville High School
1st Place
I sit on the black bench, my hands gently poised above the field of monochromatic keys. Golden rays of summer sunlight illuminate the room in hazy shades of comfort. As my fingers begin to run across the piano, the bench shifts in weight: a silent presence joins me. I momentarily pause to look down at him. Deaf as he was, he somehow still listened along to my practice.
When I stumbled through sight-reading in October, he was there, meowing loud enough for the neighbors to hear. I’d lightly scold him before resetting my hands and trying again. He was there when I completed a Liszt piece in January, stoically sitting nearby. He’d walk around me on the bench, inconveniently switching sides. And again in May, as I nervously dressed for competitions, he watched me distantly from the cushioned armchair. He’d been there for it all, and I’d never questioned it or considered what it meant.
In early spring, he was still there. Still switching sides on the bench, still meowing so loudly. I didn’t know then that these would be some of our final moments together, nor did I think to savor the weight of him beside me.
Summer arrived quicker than expected. He had aged significantly, his movements sluggish and forced. I painfully watched him adjust his stride to match his fatigued body, watched him struggle to stand up. Each day, I lost a little more of him, until there was nothing left to lose.
At first, I didn’t feel much. The house was quieter, but I continued through my daily routines, unchanged. Thick clouds carried my mind, holding me aloft in undesired ignorance. Gradually, I noticed the little things—his empty food bowl, quiet and cold; the medicine unused; his fish plush, still on his bed. Each remembrance stacked upon itself, pummeling the clouds until they finally broke. I’d thought the memories would comfort me, that they would bring me solace and peace. I was wrong—I’d never hear his meow again, never feel his roughened fur, and most of all, the bench would remain still, never shifting in weight.
Today, as I walk to the black bench, I open the curtains. Orange-yellow afternoon sunlight, reminiscent of better days, seeps through. Yet the walls are illuminated without comfort. I sit again, and I close my eyes. Somewhere, I can faintly feel his presence, can still hear his distant meows.
The piano sounds the same, the notes feel the same. The rhythm, too. But it somehow feels empty, as if a piece is missing. The bench no longer shifts. He couldn’t hear a single note I played, yet he made the music matter. I once thought that musical perfection was everything, that practice, skill, and talent were all it took to be the best. I’d never noticed the weight on the bench next to me, never thought of the overly loud meows, never valued the presence that needed no words or hearing. Skill means nothing without someone to share it with.
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## The Women Called Mom
By Nila Amin – Walter Johnson High School
2nd Place
My heartbeat slowed as the echoes of the slammed door faded. My mother’s stern voice traveled up the stairs. It was another typical afternoon between us, one that began with conversations and ended in pointless arguments. Over time I accepted that this was simply our fate, mother and daughter under the same roof but worlds apart. Still, I wondered why it was so hard for us to understand each other. We should have been closest, yet my mother treated my feelings as if they were alien to her. I figured there was no point in dwelling on it, this must have been how she’d always been.
One morning I was called down to help move old boxes from storage. We worked quietly until she relocated upstairs, leaving me unaccompanied. As I continued, I found a box much older than myself and unable to resist, I looked inside. I saw photographs of people I didn’t recognize, worn-out uniforms, and letters in languages foreign to me. But what caught my eye was a card. It was nothing extraordinary; soft yellow with “Come Celebrate” written in delicate lettering. Only then did I realize it was a birthday invitation from my mother. Without my noticing, she appeared in the doorway and was watching the card in my hands. Approaching me slowly, a faint smile tugged at her lips, as in a trance of memories. She explained it came from her sixteenth birthday and recounted that day.
As she told her story her voice shifted into something I’d never heard before, bright with a girlish happiness. I tried to picture her then, nervous and hopeful, wanting to be seen and understood. I listened carefully, taking in every word as if the nostalgic joy might vanish. When she finished, she headed toward the door, but before disappearing upstairs she hesitated and asked me to think about what I would want for my birthday.
As I faced my mother during dinner I silently imagined that 16 year old girl sitting in front of me. I imagined her complaining about having peppers for dinner or telling a story from school and despite never seeing eye to eye with my mother I found myself surprised at how similarly I had pictured her to be like myself. Over the next few weeks I observed my mom in a new light, I took notice of the actions she did and I saw them not from the stoic mother I had been familiar with but as the 16 year old girl who had never stopped trying to navigate her life. As I paid more attention I learned about her and also myself. I traced my clothing taste back to her, and even my love for cinnamon cookies, but more importantly, I recognized how I’d caged her within the role of “mom.” From that day on before the occasional argument we had, I pictured that young girl in front of me and remembered once that she’s walked my path before.
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## Half and Whole
By Annabel Taylor – Walt Whitman High School
3rd Place
Eden Center, a Vietnamese shopping center in Falls Church, Virginia, lives among the sun-drenched memories of my childhood — there’s the waft of bánh bao, the neon lights of “open” signs and the sounds of karaoke reverberating from the inner depths of the mall. My family would go to the restaurant Rice Paper most often. I always ordered the same thing — a coconut juice and Bún Chả Hanoi, which consists of vermicelli noodles, rice paper and marinated pork.
Afterwards, when the sun dipped lower in the sky, we would get boba or red bean cakes shaped like fish. This was the place where I felt most at peace, swinging hand-in-hand between my parents, making silly faces with my brother, trailing behind my grandparents as they navigated the grocery aisles. At Eden Center, I never questioned whether being mixed-race invalidated my connection to my heritage.
Having never been to Vietnam, little me wondered if this was what it was like — rows and rows of *pho* and *banh mi* shops bubbling with energy, racks of *ao dais* and Buddha trinkets, a little community where one could do everything from buy custom made jewelry to get their dry cleaning done. As I got older, I realized that Eden Center was not an exact replica of Vietnam, only a microcosm that developed its own traditions, culture and crowd of diverse individuals. Similarly, my America isn’t my parent’s America. It’s completely and utterly mine, built from the experiences that only I can fully understand being mixed race.
I may never be able to speak Vietnamese fluently (or even proficiently) with the perfect intonation of a Northern accent, but I have a strong passive understanding for it, listening in on the conversations around me. I may not look fully Vietnamese, but I do comprehend the intricacies of the South Asian values my mom and grandparents taught me about family, wellbeing, humility and perseverance. Though I may never feel acclimated to the American traditions I watch my friends’ families taking part in, I do understand the complexity of growing up in a political environment that is constantly fluctuating. I may have grown up with a different background, but I have a deep affection for the old American films and music that my dad introduced me to.
Now I know that I don’t have to fill in one racial checkbox or another, figuratively speaking. The beauty of multiculturalism lies in its aversion to assimilation. Being two races shouldn’t force me to deduct one from my identity. Instead, being biracial allows me to exist at ease in the cultural sphere I’ve always known — Vietnamese and American. I am a constantly evolving amalgamation of the cultures I grew up with and am still learning about. Half does not mean broken in any sense of the word. It means that I am full — of tradition, novelty and the love of my family, ancestors and above all, myself.
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## The Sheep
By Abigail Araya – Thomas S. Wootton High School
Honorable Mention
“Your hair is really big. It looks like a sheep”
Slowly, I remove my focus from the spread of chalk melting into the blacktop. I meet the eyes of the boy standing behind me – with straight and flat black hair. Streams of the afternoon sunlight beamed onto my face from behind his shoulder. I squint; sunlight penetrates the hair enveloping my face as fast as his words can pierce through each layer of curls.
Thick and warm fur, plagued with insects and tattered with grass. The image of a sheep stains my thoughts as the day continues. We are sitting in our respective spots on the mat for Mrs. Daugherty’s read aloud, beads of sweat settle on my cheek as the pounding of my chest begins to slow down. My classmates recover from the activities of recess and my mind remains restless. Diligently, I am scanning each row of the mat in front of me. Amelia’s hair is dirty blonde and flows effortlessly down her back. Eric’s hair is parted to the side, the coarse black neatly dented by the teeth of his comb. Jude’s brown waves brush against his chin before they are constrained by a tuck behind his ear. My eyes dart from one sleek and polished head of hair to the next. I notice one thing all of my classmates have in common, and one thing only.
My lunchbox swings in my hand as I march off the bus, prepared to tame the beast that was my hair- to turn into a shining replica of my peers. My hand latches onto the light switch and the plastic stool bounces across the white tiles of my bathroom floor. I step onto the stool, met by a reflection of the black, lusterous mane I once loved. Heedfully, each curl is placed in between the 350 degree titanium, followed by a smell I could only compare to a lit match, synchronized with an unfamiliar cloud of steam. My curls now lay straight and stiff, the rounded silhouette a shell of life that can only be broken by water.
The smell of burnt hair follicles fill the bathroom like light satisfies the dark. Promptly, my hour as a hair dresser is disrupted by the smell of lamb cascading through the seams of the door. Instinctively, I pick up the scent like breadcrumbs.
“Honey, who did that to your hair?” My mother looks at me from across the kitchen, concern consuming her face as she stands over my favorite slow cooked lamb. Before I know it, I sink into her turmeric stained sweater.
A sheep would not come home with remnants of the sandbox falling through her dense hair, and she wouldn’t sit criss cross applesauce in front of Amelia for a fishtail. She snaps hairbrushes in half, she runs through fields while her rows of braids do not move an inch. She is proud and carefree.
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## The Stage Between Worlds
By Andrea Chen – Thomas S. Wootton High School
Honorable Mention
As I step into the opera house, a chill threads along my arms, yet I scarcely notice. The seats, a royal red so deep it almost hums, stretch in precise, endless rows. Above me, the ceiling arches like the spine of a golden leviathan, filigree twisting into arabesques, silver catching the last stubborn light before it fades. The walls breathe color—crimson, beige, umber, gold—and for a moment, I feel as though I could drown in it, lose myself entirely. When the lights dim and the curtain rises, the stage exhales—and I am both awed and unshielded, a visitor in a world larger than myself, yet one I ache to disappear into.
I have always loved theater and film. The flicker of a scene, the sweep of a gesture, the weight of a single line—these are worlds I can step into, where I understand what ordinary words cannot capture. Watching performers summon stories to life, I imagine the lives they carry within them, the possibilities they reveal, and I recognize the courage I wish to claim in my own.
Yet beneath the awe, another voice stirs. STEM. Grades. Internships. The path prescribed for a first-generation daughter of Chinese immigrants. Their sacrifices, whispered in the quiet of our townhouse, press heavier than the chandeliers above. The rigid rows of seats, straight and unwavering, feel like the life others have drawn for me. And yet it is not only their expectations I carry. I have absorbed them, made them mine. Every hesitation, every decision, is measured against standards I have internalized—the proof of worth in scores, the quiet terror of failure, the belief that duty must eclipse desire.
Every possibility is charged with weight. Every choice is a test. And still—the pull of performance persists, threading possibility through the tension. Each actor whispers courage, rebellion, vulnerability. I see myself both beneath the spotlight and in a lab coat, a body split between duty and desire, and I feel the ache of wanting both, suspended between lives I cannot fully inhabit.
The orchestra swells, a single note suspended like held breath. I close my eyes and let it fill me. Perhaps it is enough to move forward, even imperfectly. Perhaps it is enough to choose a path that quickens the pulse rather than calms it, that honors heritage, internal expectation, and heart alike.
The curtain falls. Applause rises and fades. The room empties. I linger, seated, imagining the lives I could live, the roles I could explore, the person I might become. I am both student and dreamer, expected and aspiring, and in that tension—beautiful, bitter, and unrelenting— I discover a fragile, luminous truth, a life still forming, a stage still set, a story waiting for its lines.
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## Glacial Rebound
By Cooper Gregg – Walt Whitman High School
Honorable Mention
Glacial rebound is the recovery of land that was depressed by large glacier sheets. Many of Alaska’s great cities are brought forth from the snow-fields now whittled down with time. These glaciers carved the complex peaks and valleys of the last frontier’s mountain ranges, plummeting 10,000 feet of ice to the tops of the sleeping giants we see today. But as centuries pass since Earth was frozen over, these heavy celadon blocks pour out of valleys and melt back into the sea. Giving way to the coastal towns. In the past few hundred years, though, it appears that ice-packed earth has begun to bounce back towards the sun. At almost 0.76 inches each year, the ground forgets a little less and heals a little more. Still molded by weight it once held, our mountains are the product of colder years; dizzy summits forged by ice still lie like piles of blankets sweeping across the shore.
The night before we left, all six of us piled under my duvet. Our last few hours together for the indefinite future, after years attached at the hip. Tied in knots beneath technicolor quilts; all we could bring ourselves to say was “I love you” and “I wish we didn’t have to go.” We melt into one another as we sleep. By morning, one by one, we spill out of the house, bodies still begging to stay intertwined. Slipping away until the bottom bunk sits empty again. My apartment, hollowed from the loss of five other sleeping figures, aches in the shape of the dent in my mattress still carrying the memory. The topography of my room bares their absence, draped in strewn clothes, an ecosystem weighed down with mourning.
Many essays written on the subject say that Alaskan mountains once carried so many tons of ice, scientists couldn’t predict how long until the coastlines would return to their previous levels, or what that would look like. Sometimes there are questions only time can answer. It is now known that certain areas of the tundran landscapes will take over 10,000 years to heal. It’s unsure what this could mean for the homes that have settled in the mountains’ curves. If the ground will rise up and push out the leavetakers who dig their heels in a land meant to be inhospitable. Will whole communities be swallowed up or eroded into the sea like the glaciers all those years ago? Does to move on mean to destroy the life that came before? What does normal look like after so great a loss?
It’s been a long time since I lay nestled between those girls or, let alone, seen their faces. The people who most molded the landscapes of my heart. Having lost the girls who I grew wild and weedlike with, the hurt left a dent in me. I will grow up, move on, get taller, but the rough grooves of my being stay cast by their love.
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## Everything, Everywhere, All at Once
By Anesu Pimhidzai – Winston Churchill High School
Honorable Mention
Home. Formally described as a place that one resides in permanently, mainly as a member of a family or household. Before I was even a year old, my parents began moving around. Traveling to Uganda was the first time my mom and I ever boarded a plane, I couldn’t even utter my first word when we moved, but I learned English through a British children’s show and even developed a British accent before my parents sent me to daycare, then I picked up an Ugandan accent, and before I could read my first sentence I was transferred from my home again and moved to D.C., a city where the teachers couldn’t understand me and I was stripped of the short-lived accent. Three-year-old me quickly adapted to the American scene and stopped pronouncing the “t’s” in words like water. The American accent stuck, but my residence did not. I moved abroad, and my *American* accent wasn’t understood. Everywhere I went, my mom would have to translate my English into English, but in *her* accent, or I would always have to repeat my words and make sure I enunciate the t’s. Although I’m grateful for the opportunities and the empathy that I’ve gained from traveling around, the multiple homes and multiple areas of belonging have made it hard to have a stable sense of identity. Every country that I move to, a new physical identity comes with it. In my home country, I am the white-washed girl who can’t speak her own language; in Vietnam, I was the black girl, and here, I am the introverted, shy girl with a name no one can pronounce. I have been one out of five of the black girls in my grade, and the five-letter, three-syllable name of mine, which shares the same alphabet as most English-speaking countries, has always been a problem for me. The one memory that constantly replays in my mind is a day during my freshman year of high school, when I moved back to the place my accent belonged, and when I thought I would experience the American dream. I was seated in my engineering class and on my 10-inch green stool with my two other friends. A girl we had just spoken to a week ago stopped at our table, and when she came by, she whispered in the other girl’s ear, “What is her name again?” thinking that I wouldn’t hear. My name is branded on me. In the grade book, my birth certificate, my passport, and even this application. So everywhere I go, I am someone else. I am Ah-Nee-Sue, Anne-Sue, Uh-Neh-Sue, and Uh-Nee-Sah. I take the identity of whichever place my name is pronounced, the white-washed girl, the black girl, and the girl with a foreign name that no one can say.
---
For more information on the Local Writer’s Showcase, please visit <https://www.bethesda.org/bethesda/localwriters>
**Categories:** Uncategorized
---
### [Bethesda Local Writer’s Showcase: 2026 Adult Poetry Contest](https://writer.org/bethesda-local-writers-showcase-2026-adult-poetry-contest/)
**Published:** June 26, 2026
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
---
## Weeding Fish Mint
By Thu Nguyen – Gaithersburg, MD
1st Place
I call you by all your names: Chinese lizard tail,
fish leaf, heart leaf, chameleon of my yard.
The man with Roman numeral tattoos tears a bit of
your fishy flesh from the bolted weedy bed as he
pretends to gag, throws a piece of you into the grass.
*I hate that stuff*, he says; last time he touched you
he could smell and taste you for the rest of the day
and week, and I think he’s exaggerating, but I hope
he isn’t. As I watch him continue to dig and toss
dirt and roots, I think: he’ll have to keep coming back
if he’s that careless. I hear my mother tell me
*this is what you get when you hire a white gardener
to do the things you don’t want to do*. He doesn’t know
where you came from, that I grew you along
the border I shared with my neighbor who never says hello,
hoping you’d spread your volatile oil so she’d have no choice
but to notice me. He doesn’t know the magic of how
you’ll haunt him: regrow rhizomes from any
segment of foliage, propagate by division. He doesn’t know
all the good you can do picked tender: how you taste
wrapped around a spring roll, how my grandmother
swears you help her with her memory. There’s so much
he doesn’t know, I might never make him understand,
not without grabbing a fistful, shoving some in his mouth,
making him eat a whole salad of fish mint and dirt,
tell him it’s ok, it’s good for him, isn’t it good?
---
## They Say Getting Old is Not for Sissies
By Tara Prakash – Chevy Chase, MD
2nd Place
but what about the people sitting by the hospital bed, the people waiting
for the hospital bed to be delivered to the house. See, I just returned from three months
in Nepal and walking from the airport baggage claim to our car in the parking lot, I learned that my grandfather has a catheter in his penis because he hasn’t peed
in six days. And the first few days home, I was in bed with a stomach bug, bacteria I’d picked up at Kathmandu Burger or some other street food place, and my grandmother kept calling me asking to see me. “Dadi, I’m sick. I don’t want to get you sick,” I kept saying,
and she kept calling back with the same request, because she has dementia and Alzheimer’s
and how can you blame a woman with dementia and Alzheimer’s? And I’m tired of telling her the same thing again and again, but she is the one who is in a rehab center, who sleeps in the cold because they won’t turn up the heat, who thinks there are mice all over her feet and keeps asking the nurse to get the mice off her, and yesterday evening after waiting all day at my grandmother’s
home for the hospital bed to be delivered, my dad told me he sat on the kitchen carpet and cried
and he only ever cried when watching Where the Red Fern Grows, and I know getting old is not for sissies, but watching your parents get old is not for sissies either, and watching your parents watch their parents get old is not for sissies either. My point is none of it is for sissies,
and when I’m feeling better and am no longer contagious, I visit my grandmother
in her rehab center, and I sit in the chair by her bed and she is squirming and twisting her ankles underneath the thin sheets and “I’ll get the mice off of you,” I say, I keep saying. “We’ll get the mice off of you.”
---
## bodi no be wood
By Chioma Urama – Lorton, VA
3rd Place
this bodi will break one thousand times
\+ you will burn through her again
sinew to soot
soot to soil
this bodi made of wind chime
\+ stardust + mud + pieces borrowed
from hands that will turn them
over again + again this
bodi make war
make good on its promise to
fade + falter + break
to chant + sing + dance +
fold
to be home in an
erring world this bodi
this delicate thing
made of water
---
## Eldest Son
By Charlotte Clymer – Washington, D.C.
Honorable Mention
There’s a word for the eldest son in many cultures: In
Korea, it’s *jangnam*;
In Japan, it’s *Chōnan*;
In Nigeria, it’s *Okpara*;
In Germany, it’s *erstgeborener Sohn*.
Go to New Delhi and over chai, a proud Amma
May tell you about her *baṛā beṭā*.
In Moscow, frigid in bone and spirit, children are
Told fairytales of the antagonizing but ambitious *starshiy syn*,
Who often fails, only to be usurped by his kid brother.
In England and France and Spain, the firstborn son
Was once prized to save royal bloodlines and whole heads.
There is nothing so illustrious to be found In
the trailer parks of Central Texas.
I was “the man of the house” in More
bereft circumstances.
I was *bubba* in moments of pride.
I’d slip back into my room at night, understanding
All that was expected of me for every tomorrow to come, And
falling asleep, I’d whisper my name for myself
And hope to someday meet her.
---
## A Letter From Gaza
By Hania Qutub – Vienna, VA
Honorable Mention
I have to tell you about how hard it is to lose
an arm a leg an eye
while being a kid in Gaza
I have to tell you about how hard it is to be
in a wheelchair in a place where
all the wheelchairs are filled with children
And all the graves are filled with small shrouds
But the hardest thing I have to tell you
is how hard it is to have
no parents no uncles no grandparents no brothers no sisters no cousins
They bombed our house.
And killed them all.
They say we are terrorists.
I have to tell you
We are the terrorized We are the starving We are the thirsty
We are shot and gassed when we try to find food and water
For 4 generations we moved from place to place
running from their bombs, prisons, fires, and guns.
I have to tell you
We have had enough and We are dying
What will you say in return?
---
## Brush with Royalty
By Marina Ruben – Washington, D.C.
Honorable Mention
When I cracked,
The dentist gave me a temporary crown–
Wouldn’t give me a real one, for reasons not fully explained at the coronation.
Does a temporary crown make me a temporary princess?
Like Diana
Or Meghan Markle
Who shed the crowns they wore,
Like how I tore off my preschool Cinderella costume with its gasping plastic mask.
Back in the throne room,
My temporary crown popped off, as if resisting the title. The dentist re-cemented it,
But, when it fled again, we both gave up,
Accepted the impossibility I could manage that level of responsibility,
And I remembered the foil falling from my faux slippers,
Revealing my Velcroed chariots.
Accepted a future that flowed through straws,
A life spent never needing to chew
On that one, impossible side of my mouth.
---
For more information on the Local Writer’s Showcase, please visit <https://www.bethesda.org/bethesda/localwriters>
**Categories:** Uncategorized
---
### [Bethesda Local Writer’s Showcase: 2026 Young Poet Contest Winners](https://writer.org/bethesda-local-writers-showcase-2026-young-poet-contest-winners/)
**Published:** June 26, 2026
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
---
## Who Said?
By Eve Browne – Thomas S. Wootton High School
Who says there has to be sadness?
Who said I couldn’t just touch my fingers to the earth And let my love flow into the soil?
God knows our roots need it. Who says there has to be chaos?
Who said I have to quarter Famine and War and Pollution in my head And let them ravage me?
Their kingdoms stretch too far already – they don’t get my heart, too. Who says life has to be gray?
Who made living vicariously, vociferously, vivaciously a crime punishable by death?
Don’t we dish our dimes for color, don’t we sell our souls for art? Aren’t you sick of seeing gray on grey on gray?
Who says life’s got to be hatred?
Who said that my love has no roots here? Who says I can’t pour out my diamond words
And refuse to believe those who call them rocks? Who says I am not –
Who said I cannot be – Magic?
---
## Where the Shadows Wait for You
By Jacy Duan – Richard Montgomery High School
i don’t remember the first time i saw you, only that the room forgot how to hold me.
when you smiled, your eyes crinkled like the pages of a fairytale romance,
but the one that tries to forget its own ending. you were once punctual,
like daylight staining a room
before the darkness learned its name. first you stopped arriving on time,
then you stopped arriving at all.
now i practice your name soundlessly, so the broken, untouched mug of coffee is unable to reject it;
so the ceiling fan doesn’t pause its spinning to listen.
but after all, you told me red was the color of love, so i never questioned the stain in the margins.
i didn’t ask what happens when the blood turns to ash. only now do i recall that you cannot read this.
not because you choose not to, but because the words i write require a pulse to understand.
---
## Betrayal It Is
By Lily Gough – Poolesville High School
*Khara Khoto (The Black City) was a kingdom in the Gobi desert, established in the reign of Genghis Khan. It prospered during the Silk Road, serving as a pit stop for travelers. During the Ming Dynasty, military forces took over their river. This caused everyone to die of thirst. Mythology in the surrounding area states that the ruler, Khara Bator, killed his wife and family so they would not have to suffer.*
Cowardice, you called it to leave our people to die. For as they supported us with their crops, we must support them now
I was a mere figurehead standing next to you silently It was such torture watching you slowly shrivel
Like that of the meadow crane’s bill, wilting swiftly as winter approaches. You slowly drying up, like that of the water thyme after a drought
Even the Gruiforme flees when the fish dry up. Begging, pleading for you to leave with me, knowing you never would. Even as I gaze at you now, peaceful in death, grief and guilt suffocating my heart
Our love, like that of Orpheus and Eurydice, doomed from the start to be ended prematurely
Peering out the window, the people wake with the sun
Children running to wake their friends to play, their joy hardly masking the sunken eyes and dry skin
Running without care for the bodies around them, the corpses’ hair blowing silently as the wind picks up
I return back to your words, a reminder of all I have yet to do I lay beside you, my body crumbling slowly
Finally I may join you, my burdens leaving my shoulders. The giggling of children still ringing in my ears, growing fainter
Betrayal you will call it, betrayal it is
---
## Dear Jim
By Shibani Mishra – Richard Montgomery High School
i’m not sure if you are seeing this, if you believed you could (perhaps you were an atheist).
when i drove by, your name was in colored graffiti on some nearby tunnel next to the word RIP.
whether in a new life, or in heaven, or in a rich patch of soil, i hope you are- resting in peace that is.
i envision you as a businessman, with a wife and two kids,
who wore a striped tie on the weekdays and a shirt that said “man of the house.” who walked crooked on friday nights and brainstormed sobriety test ideas the next morning.
who went fishing with his friends and wrote poetry on the docks.
who clapped when planes landed and held the door open for strangers.
but the truth is i’ll never know.
maybe you were scared of heights and hated children.
maybe you had instagram comments taken down and one too many bans from the liquor store.
maybe you couldn’t read or tie a tie or eat seafood.
i guess that’s what hope is.
it’s a glint of stardust amidst a black hole, the anchor’s crown, hardly hanging on through the storm.
it’s my decision to give you the benefit of the doubt,
the last grain of stardust even as the world plummets into shambles.
you jim, to whom i can attribute nothing but a sloppy, bubble-lettered name, yet still have hope in the reasons it was remembered on a random tunnel.
---
## We Already Had Our Own
By Evvaleen Robinson – Montgomery Blair High School
Our cries, our polaroid tears, unto the world which has Triumphed in war and prides itself on singing the people,
Because of the melanin on our skin which they believe to be unrighteous-
Because of the melanin on children’s skin, which they believe to be impure whilst we do nothing but coat our fingertips in paint and let our canvas reflect the blunt end of the scrutiny we face in this new land,
This new land which has existed infinitely shorter than dreams have
And purposefully burning into the skin of our people a warning to conform,
To become an erasure of the museum that is us, our history, a mutation of our own voices; They called it “art”- We already had our own
I must retreat to my own dreams to remember a world in which I might speak,
And if I so choose, the world would not cave in on itself and create an inferno beneath our very museums
The dream is simple, as much as laying down to rest and tearing through the nebula of my eyelids We view everything as celestial, beautiful, an act of preservation, so that in our heads we may at least dream of that world in which we were not burned when we came to this country,
Which, and we hold each others hearts with rusted nails as we say this-
Will have shamed us for desiring the treatment of our neighbor whose ancestors despised our foreign land, and scorned us for mastering their language if our skin did not allow it in their minds I found myself chasing after the dream with a camera, in the middle of a desert plain carved to fit circuses bearing strange fruits, that don’t jest but be truthful, that I am meant to archive by this modern device
The ringmaster juggles bottles of wine sealed with cork, threatening to spill and intoxicate the world with revolution; The world where video evidence of our dream will shatter the dreams of our oppressors
---
## murmuration
By Mina Simon-Ogan – Montgomery Blair High School
you are watching the sky fold itself into motion a hundred bodies shifting as one
a shape that changes with each heartbeat and somehow always survives
you think of your mother, her hands soft and steady how she lifted you before the world could
and your aunt’s voice calling from the porch teaching you to move together
when danger brushed the edges of your life
you learned how one glance could ripple through the circle how instinct could become choreography
and grace could be learned in fear
the village was never just a place
it was arms, and eyes, and whispers hands braiding futures into hair songs hummed under breath
you did not know the word murmuration but you knew its shape
that beauty could rise out of defense and no one needed to lead
---
## Sweet and Sour Smells
By Annabel Taylor – Walt Whitman High School
Rice fields teem with fatigued, bent over workers
Laboring through the stifling days — hot and sticky like xoi rice
At the orphanage, salty tears sting young eyes Men and women with yellow hair visit
They come from lands far away to give them toys, pens, books and hugs Then they leave, for they do not know our story
Tourists look down from high perched balconies, Oblivious at what lies beneath the beauty
They bask on our beaches
Where the driftwood is weathered and yellow like the skin of plantains Where the peppercorn sand is raw and black
Humid nights are sunken in despair A country drunken in hot air
The sunsets are sanguine red,
an artist’s canvas of rouge pigments — and blue for the gushing riverbend
The war, now fought in memory, melds into the landscape We watch our dreams ripen, then rot
But we return to our gardens every spring and sow new seeds under the soggy earth
Those who could, fled
Those who couldn’t continue to breathe the smells of Vietnam The sweet and the sour
---
For more information on the Local Writer’s Showcase, please visit <https://www.bethesda.org/bethesda/localwriters>
**Categories:** Uncategorized
---
### [A Slow Descent Toward Hope - Interview w/ Zach Powers](https://writer.org/zach-powers-interview/)
**Published:** April 14, 2026
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
## A CONVERSATION WITH TWC DIRECTOR ZACH POWERS ABOUT HIS NEW NOVEL, *THE MIGRAINE DIARIES*
**By Amy Freeman**
When I was asked to interview Zach Powers, who is not only my friend, but also my boss, my only question was, “How annoying can I make this for him?” Given free rein, I decided to ask him questions about his latest novel, *The Migraine Diaries*, from the perspective of the protagonist’s headaches. Here’s how that went:
---
**Migraine: I’m a little miffed that, although I’m arguably the backbone of the novel (if a migraine can be a backbone), I’m not a proper noun. You refer to me as “the hurt,” or “the pain.” In your own words, I *threaten*. I keep you moored to the spot. I sleep in a corner of your head. I’m a main character, I’m never capitalized. Why not?**
Zach Powers: Damn, migraine, you’re coming right out with the hard hitters. I think when it comes to illness narratives, the way we talk about the illness is intricately tied to how we *experience* the illness. The illness has undeniable power over a person’s life, so I think it’s important, whenever possible, to not give in to the temptation (because it is tempting!) to grant the illness even more power. Migraine, you’ve mucked up my life more times than I can count, which inspired the narrator’s experience, so I’m not willing to grant you personhood. In reality you’re not a person. You’re literally in the narrator’s head. And fight you as much as he might, you can’t be a true villain because—I think I get into this in the book as well—you’re his self hurting himself. Turning oneself into the villain would add harm on top of harm for a person with chronic illness.
**I, physical pain, first appear while the protagonist grapples with the emotional pain of a close friend’s death. Would this story even exist if the protagonist didn’t have to grapple with both kinds of suffering, in tandem and in perpetuity?**
I wanted to write about the experience of you, migraine, but I also worried that would be a hard sell for readers. So, I decided to tie that to an experience I know readers love the heck out of: grief. It’s a little bit of a bait-and-switch. But also, the experience of pain and the experience of grief become metaphors for each other. From a writing perspective, that’s always where I get interested. I like to discover how two elements play against each other, and how the evolution of one reveals new things about the other, which then evolves itself, and they go back and forth redefining each other and further evolving.
**This book holds a lot of pain, both physical and emotional, to wit: headaches (obviously), bruising, anaphylaxis, and immense grief. Can you talk about how the physical pain I inflict on the protagonist (sorry about that, but it’s my raison d’etre) informs the emotional suffering he’s enduring?**
I think one of the interesting things that emerged from the interplay of the two pains is that they *interfere* with each other. Instead of compounding, the physical interrupts the processing of the emotional and vice versa. In a way, this still ends up as a form of compounding, because neither pain gets properly dealt with. Also, grief is inherent to chronic illness. In the novel, it’s manifested in a separate cause of grief, a friend’s death, but in real life, to become sick is to lose some part of oneself. That’s a sort of partial death. That’s grievable. I’m not a mind-body dualist, so to me that means the emotional has a physical component and the physical an emotional component. To hurt is to grieve and to grieve is to hurt.
**The protagonist searches for a cure for, well, me, as he tries to heal from the loss of his friend. He’s looking for…something else. How does hope factor into this story?**
One of the things I try to show in the novel is the unmaking of a life. A significant enough chronic illness can cause fundamental changes in a person. Hope, then, comes in the form of accepting, if not embracing, those changes. There’s no other side of a chronic illness. You don’t get better. The narrator doesn’t seem likely to stop having migraines. But there is another side to the *unmaking* (as opposed to the illness itself). So, maybe more accurately, hope comes from the process of remaking a revised version of self that accounts for the illness. Or something like that? In this way, illness narratives resist traditional story structures. I don’t want to spoil too much of the novel, but I can say that “endurance” can’t be a key moment or an event, much less a climax in the traditional sense. Maybe, then, the climax is the first migraine in the opening scene and everything after is denouement, a slow descent toward hope.
**Personally, I’m not crazy about the whole “beauty is pain” trope I’ve seen bandied about. Yet, I think there’s some truth to it. I mean, you attribute moments of wonder to my appearances, like when you describe the twinkling phosphenes I show you. (A phosphene is the phenomenon of seeing light without light actually entering the eye. I looked up the term.) Sometimes, the phosphenes form constellations, like the close friendship structures altered by KJ’s death. What’s your take on whether there is beauty in pain? And how does that affect the protagonist?**
One of the instigating questions when writing this novel was whether or not it was possible to make art from this particular negative experience. The catch is that I don’t think there’s any beauty inherent to the experience. At the same time, I’d say there’s no beauty inherent to a clear blue sky or cherry blossoms. Beauty comes from the interaction of a human mind with a subject. So, it’s possible to take a crappy subject, like debilitating pain, and explore it, after the fact, in a way that leads to poetry or insight or meaning. I was interested in that poetical potential. I was interested in what my mind might discover if I dwelled in a place I would usually not want to dwell.
**If you pen a sequel, can I have my own narrative arc?**
Sorry, pal, no sequel this time. Anyways, a narrative arc implies chronology, and the first thing to go during a migraine is a sense of time. Instead of an arc, the novel’s structure is an infinity symbol. Migraine—like grief—is timeless and endless at once.
**Categories:** Uncategorized
---
### [Telling & Retelling](https://writer.org/telling-retelling/)
**Published:** June 2, 2025
**Author:** Blogger
**Content:**
## Michele Evans on her debut collection, *purl*
By Emily Holland
Michele Evans’s debut poetry collection, *purl*, readers are taken on a journey through voice and time. *purl* brings forth new and traditional forms and unheard voices in poems that give life to women from the *Odyssey* and poems that bring those stories to the present. Michele talked with *Poet Lore* editor Emily Holland about her path to publication, re-seeing the *Odyssey*, and the importance of the writing community.
*This interview has been edited for length and clarity.*
---
**EH: First, congratulations on publishing *purl*! How did this book come to be? What was your path to publishing this collection with Finishing Line Press?**
ME: When Covid shut down schools in March 2020, Beth Konkoski, a Virginia writer and colleague of mine, invited me to sign up for a virtual writing workshop led by Moira Egan, a Baltimore native and poet, and sponsored by the Keats-Shelley House in Rome, Italy. It was just the break I needed from the novel \[I had been working on\], so I registered. When I learned I had to bring a poem to the first meeting, I panicked. Because I was in the middle of teaching a unit on Homer’s *Odyssey* and using Emily Wilson’s translation and Madeline Miller’s *Circe* as ancillary texts, I wrote a poem in the voice of a woman who could have been Athena, Penelope, or a woman from today’s world. During one of the workshops, I recall making a list of all the women I could remember in the books of the *Odyssey*, and whenever an idea for a poem popped in my head, I returned to that list to see if I could make a connection.
In 2021, I took a Writer’s Center workshop with Meg Eden called Poetry Chapbook Workshop. At the time, none of the *pur*l poems had been published individually. I wrote my first writer’s bio and cover letter in that course. I recall someone telling me that new writers may receive as many as 25 rejections before their writing is accepted anywhere, so I prepared to be disappointed. *purl* was first submitted as a chapbook to Finishing Line Press for the New Women’s Voices Series in Although I didn’t win the Finishing Line Press competition, they offered to publish *purl* anyway.
**Many of the poems here reinvent or reimagine the stories and characters from the *Odyssey*. What initially drew you to these elements for your poems? And what is the challenge of using familiar material to create something wholly new?**
For years I taught Homer’s *Odyssey* using what I call a traditional approach. My students learned the elements of epic poetry, like the qualities of an epic hero and the hero’s journey. And then one year I added Margaret Atwood’s Penelopiad and “Siren’s Song” to the syllabus. For years I had given so much attention to Odysseus, and his crew, and his son, and Poseidon, and the Cyclops Polyphemus, and I was ready to try something different. Reading Atwood reminded me there are so many women in the books and when their stories are told, they are narrated by men and from a man’s perspective and then retold by bards. Like the childhood game Telephone, readers are left wondering about the real story.
In *purl* I wanted to give women from past and present a chance to tell their stories, so I began by making them the speakers of my poems. And then when I started drafting the poems, I realized their stories stripped down are like those of women today. The whole: We are more alike than we are different. Because I am a Black woman, the intersection of race and gender plays a pivotal role in the way I use this classical text to create something new. I don’t remember studying any Black writers until I went to college in the early 90s. And one of the first Black poets I encountered was Phillis Wheatley Peters. I felt a connection to her because she was so well versed in Latin classics and her poetry was also influenced by Homer. *purl* takes its name from a line in one of her poems, “An Hymn to the Evening.” And the line is also the epigraph of the collection.
While on this personal writing journey to reclaim my voice, I was also trying to amplify others.
**The *Odyssey* is a complicated story of family and tragedy, but it also ignites so many conversations about storytelling and agency — whose story is worth telling? Or who has a voice in their own destiny? With *purl*, you also pull readers to think about these questions by bringing forth voices from Black women who were silenced or unable to tell their stories in their time. Can you talk about this process of weaving these narratives together?**
While I was writing the *purl* poems, many horrific and unsettling events were happening around the country. Two that come to mind happened in the same month. In May 2020, Christian Cooper was bird watching in New York City’s Central Park when a woman called the police on him for asking her to leash her dog, and George Floyd was arrested and murdered in Minneapolis moments after leaving a convenience store. As a mother of two Black sons, I am constantly fearful of their safety, fearful they will be targeted because of their race, fearful they will be profiled, mistaken for someone who “fits the description,” fearful police officers will show up at my door to deliver news, fearful I will get a call telling me to rush to the hospital.
My poem “anticlea,” which won the ASP Bulletin Poetry Contest in October 2023, paints a portrait of a protective mother of a son. The poem is named after Odysseus’s mother who dies of a broken heart after years of waiting for her son to come home after fighting in the Trojan War. A mother waiting for her son to return home is something I think all mothers of sons can relate to, especially Black mothers. From Mamie Till to Wanda Cooper-Jones, the list of Black mothers losing their children due to hate crimes, excessive police force, profiling, racism, and other reasons is growing. And mothers who are already mourning the loss of a son will also have to deal with the way people will try to destroy their sons’ character as well.
**The poems also remind me of the musicality of Greek epics, the way those poems were performed rather than written. So many of the poems in *purl* reference music or have a strong sense of musicality in their lines. How do you work to focus on the music of a poem?**
When everything shut down during Covid, I added writing and walking to my daily schedule. While walking I either listened to a podcast or a playlist and some of my ideas for poems came to me while I was listening to music. Often, I would stop in the middle of mile two to record an idea in the notes section of my phone after hearing the lyrics of a song. Many of the women in the *Odyssey* were weavers and singers. So it made perfect sense that the voices of the women in *purl* would also be musical. The sirens were famous for their ability to lure sailors with their enchanting voices. In the *Odyssey*, they are enchanting and beguiling. But like so many of the women and feminine forces, we don’t have access to their stories, only their interaction with Odysseus.
**We cannot talk about *purl* without talking about form! From haiku to visual poems to the sestina and the sonnet crown, form plays a huge role in moving the reader through the different parts of the book. What is your relationship to form, in general? What was the writing process like when you approached these forms for purl?**
I consider myself an emerging poet who writes primarily in free verse. I like the freedom to break rules and write without always having to count syllables, follow patterns, or use words that rhyme. Most of what I’ve learned came from studying poets and reading their poetry in classes and workshops. I think I am learning just by writing, and rewriting, and reading and listening to poetry and taking generative workshops.
When form poems show up in *purl*, it’s safe to say the first iteration was probably free verse. One of the concerns I had while working on the collection was figuring out how much of the *Odyssey* readers would need to know in order to understand some of the allusions in my verses. In addition to providing definitions for all of the poems’ titles, which are names of women and places (for the most part), I also wrote the arias and the sonnet crown to help readers who may need more context and background information. Like the arias, the sonnets are numbered, but each one highlights one of the feminine forces in the epic poem.
**I always rush to a book’s acknowledgements because the acknowledgements tell us a little bit about the writer’s community. Can you talk about your writing community and its impact on your work?**
Simply put, they have been incredible. None of this would have been possible without them. From a very young age, my parents, especially my mother, encouraged me to write. She was my first advocate and I am so happy that she is able to experience this with me. My husband and kids have watched me prioritize other things over writing for years, so they have been incredibly supportive when I lock myself up for hours on end to write (and read). My son, Harrison, is a gifted artist and created the blue queen that is on the cover as well as two different line art drawings on the inside. He is an emerging artist and I am so happy to share this accomplishment with him.
When I started writing the poems in *purl*, I read at the Reston Used Book Store in Virginia and at Moco Underground in Sandy Springs, Maryland. Having the opportunity to read in front of a kind and welcoming audience did wonders for my confidence. I still get nervous, and my hand still shakes whenever I am reading — but I have come a long way since those first events. Organizations, presses, and spaces like The Writer’s Center, Day Eight, The Inner Loop, Zora’s Den, Washington Writers Publishing House, Alan Squire Publishing, Artemis Journal, and Yellow Arrow in the DMV area have been so helpful to me by amplifying my voice and showcasing my poetry.
In addition to Moira Egan, Teri Ellen Cross Davis, Saida Agostini, and Brooke Obie all wrote blurbs for *purl* and were really supportive in their own way. When it came time to provide Finishing Line with endorsements, I was so fortunate to have this talented group of women writers in my corner. For anyone who is just beginning to write, I would tell them to join a writing group, get a writing accountability partner, seek out organizations in your community. It’s so important. I learned so much from them.
2023.
**Categories:** Uncategorized
---
### [Bethesda Local Writer's Showcase: 2025 High School Short Story Contest](https://writer.org/bethesda-local-writers-showcase-2025-high-school-short-story-contest/)
**Published:** July 17, 2025
**Author:** Emily Holland
**Content:**
---
### High School Short Story Contest – 1st Place
#### **Beneath the Frozen Moon** By Max Bakelar – Georgetown Preparatory School
His gaze flicked toward the boy.
“You think you’re too good for this food?” he asked, his voice low and mocking. “Sitting there, barely touching it. You think you’re better than me?”
“No, sir,” the boy said quickly, his throat tight.
“Then eat,” the man snapped. “And don’t make me tell you again.”
The boy forced himself to take a bite, the dry meat sticking in his throat. His little sister glanced at him, her wide eyes filled with worry. The older sister kept her head down, her hands moving mechanically as she cleared another plate.
The man leaned back in his chair, his eyes still on the boy. “You think you’re a man now, huh?” he said. “Talking back to me out there? You think you’re tough?”
“I didn’t mean to—” the boy began, but the man cut him off.
“Shut up,” he said, his voice sharp. “Finish your food and meet me outside. Now.”
The yard was darker now, the faint glow of the moon obscured by thick clouds. The boy stepped out into the cold, his breath visible in the icy air. He didn’t look back at the house as he walked to the center of the yard, his boots crunching against the snow. He stopped and waited, his heart pounding in his chest.
The man followed a moment later, the shotgun resting against his shoulder. He took his time, his heavy boots leaving deep impressions in the snow. When he reached the boy, he lowered the gun, pointing it straight at the boy, making him look through the very barrel of it. Two shells sat there, smirking at him.
“You think you can talk to me like that?” the man said, his voice low and venomous. “In my house? After all I do for you?”
The boy didn’t answer. He kept his eyes on the ground, his hands clenched into fists at his sides.
“Look at me,” the man said. When the boy didn’t move, the man stepped closer, raising the barrel of the gun to point at his chest. “I said, look at me.”
The boy raised his head slowly, his breath coming in shallow bursts. The barrel of the gun seemed impossibly large, a black void that swallowed the faint light around it.
“You think you’re tough,” the man said, sneering. “You think you’re a man? Let’s see how tough you really are.”
The boy’s chest tightened, his heart slamming against his ribs. He glanced toward the house, where he knew his sisters were watching, their faces pale and pressed against the frost-rimmed window.
“I’m waiting,” the man said, his voice louder now. “Say something.”
The boy closed his eyes. He thought of the summer sun on his back, the sound of his mother’s laughter, the warmth of a life he could barely remember. He thought of his sisters, their wide eyes and trembling hands. He thought of the cold snow beneath his feet, waiting to catch him.
The blast shattered the night.
---
### High School Short Story Contest – 2nd Place
#### **Turtles**
By Hana Sor – Montgomery Blair High School
She had never really done anything memorable. She had never seen a play that made her cry, had never given herself a haircut she later regretted, gone to the zoo, fallen in love, worn something risque. She had never traveled to another country. She had never experimented with what she liked, never been kissed, never felt pleasure nor heartache.
As she walked, she passed by mannequins waving in form-fitting wedding gowns and bustiers that made them look like pinup dolls. She saw herself in the reflection. She was wearing a white strapless dress with a veil covered in embroidered flowers, and under, a face of unshed tears and the purest of joy. She saw a lithe body, no remnants of her boyish hands to be seen. She was taller, her hair cascaded in rivulets down her shoulders, dripping onto the lace of her dress.
She blinked, the dress returning to its place. A clerk caught her looking, and, ashamed, she turned around, back onto the sidewalk.
Isabella felt herself getting lightheaded, and her hospital gown blew this way and that. She sat down on a bench that looked across the neighborhood she had always lived in. The same man sold newspapers beside the corn nut stand, and the same group of Old people walked hand in hand to their yoga classes. The sky was dotted with clouds, and a bluebird perched herself on a lamppost.
She felt a figure plop down next to her on the bench, and when she slowly looked to her left, a small girl, no more than six years old, wearing a baby pink shift dress with a ribbon in her hair, was opening a box, a box she knew all too well. They were Turtles.
She had a small smile on her face, her short brown hair tangled from playing, and she carefully pulled the chocolates out of their encasing. The little girl looked up at her, a thoughtful gaze coasting across her eyes. She stretched out her short arm, a Turtle on top of her palm, gesturing to Isabella. “Wanth one?”, she asked, her mouth full with sticky caramel. Isabella stared down at the chocolate. It had the deep rich color of Jorge Ramons eyes, and the little girl had a sweet tooth. She smiled at the girl, taking the chocolate carefully from her grasp. “They’re my favorite.”, Isabella said, opening her mouth to take a bite. Her eyes closed.
The next morning, Isabella was back in her bed, unmoving. Marjorie was in the bathroom calling her nephew, and the trees blew all the same outside. Nurses frantically checked her diagnostics, and time slowed down. Isabella was drifting away, to a place with chocolates and love and little girls who would offer her sweets from their small hands. She couldn’t hear the nurses, all she could do was look down at her hands and wait. She thought about her parents. She thought about Jorge Ramon, and about the little girl with the pink shift dress. And even now, sitting limp on this hospital bed, she thought of Turtles. A nurse waved in her face, then resumed her work with her heart monitor. She closed her eyes. And then suddenly, hidden in her molar, almost imperceptible, she found a piece of caramel stuck to her teeth.
---
### High School Short Story Contest – 3rd Place
#### **The Runaways**
By Asha Akkinepally – Richard Montgomery High School
The year was 1954 when two twenty-two-year-old girls slipped out of the comfort of their Bethesda homes and into the waiting August night.
Their families were unaware of their departure; it wouldn’t have been permitted. They carried little luggage, as few things are necessary when starting a new life. Leaving is the most important part. And they were leaving everything they had ever known.
Both of the girls had fallen in love, and now they were running to it.
According to everyone, Adelaide Miller was trouble.
Trouble wound its fingers through her frizzy curls, it hid in the creases of her unironed clothes, it crouched in corners of her small house, it buckled next to her in her brother’s Ford, and it lingered at the corners of her mischievous smile, a smile that brought a slight feeling of trepidation upon the person it was directed towards.
Oh, and she was strange. She was an oddity, out of place. She couldn’t even be compared to a sore thumb, because at least that could be explained. Adelaide was like people who hated chocolate—she didn’t make sense.
Nothing, it seemed, could make people think of her as anything more than trouble.
Nothing except the love of her life.
January 5, 1943
Otherwise known as the day Adelaide Miller fell in love.
“I can’t believe Mark is going to juvie,” Charlie, the youngest of her brothers and the one closest to her in age, said sadly. “He’s so nice—I find it hard to believe he was stealing.”
“Not just stealing—he robbed a month’s worth of profits,” Robby pointed out.
“Allegedly. I think he was framed for the crime. Besides, why would he do it?” Billy said. “Let’s hurry, we don’t want to be late.”
They all filed into the court, wedging into one of the back rows. They had gone to see the trial of Billy’s friend, Mark, who had been accused of stealing from a jewelry store. But most of the audience were people who knew him, and knew there was no possible way he could have committed the crime. He was the type who helped old ladies cross the street, the kind that would remember everything about everyone. Not a thief.
The court was soon called to order and the trial proceedings began. From the first words of the opening statements, Adelaide was entranced. Mark had been framed, his lawyer proved. In just a few hours, something they had all thought to be true, a belief, weighty in their minds but substanceless elsewhere, had formed into a solid, indisputable fact. It was, Adelaide felt, its own sort of magic.
Sitting there, in that courtroom, sandwiched uncomfortably between her brothers, Adelaide Miller decided that she wouldn’t follow the path her parents had laid for her. She refused to become a housewife. She would become a lawyer because she had fallen in love with the law.
How unfortunate.
---
### High School Short Story Contest – Honorable Mention
#### **Kit**
By Lila Grosko – Montgomery Blair High School
I close my eyes and listen to the car rolling into the driveway, the sound masking the low growl of my empty stomach. I squeeze Christopher Ferret as hard as I can, inhaling his airy, clean scent. It feels as if he is squeezing me back, wrapping his fluffy paws around my back to protect me.
I know this is impossible, of course; Ryan Hyden told me so. He laughed and said that Chris is filled with stuffing and has no muscles. He explained that you need muscles to pick someone up, and then he swung me around the living room and dropped me onto the couch. Ryan was mommy’s last boyfriend, and he smelled like he had been in a fire. I remember his name because it sounds like a hydrant, which I learned is what firemen use to put out house fires. I learned that because my mom set our house on fire last month. The name Ryan Hyden also rhymes, kinda. Ms. Rena told me that words that kind of rhyme are called slant rhymes. I fumble with the covers on my bed and turn myself over so that I am lying on my stomach. I do this sometimes when the emptiness in my belly becomes too much. It helps with that cold feeling that seems to grow up past my ribs and into my throat.
I hear the back door opening and closing and the sound of voices moving into my kitchen. Three, I guess, one belonging to mommy and two others I don’t recognize. I lean over the bed and push my ear against the door, listening more closely. My mommy’s voice echoes through the house, which is only one and a half stories.
The half comes from her lofted bedroom, which she built herself two years ago. My mommy was much younger two years ago, and you can hear it in her words. These days, her throat makes raspy noises after every sentence, and she coughs 63 times a day. That’s not an exact number, of course, just a rough estimate.
I ask Chris if my mommy is calling for me, but he tells me she is not. I’ve asked him this before, because he has much better hearing than me.
One cool fact is that ferrets can hear earthquakes coming before they happen.
Chris tells me that Mommy is calling for a pill or a bill or a thrill, but he isn’t sure which. I close my eyes again, because I know it must be late, though I don’t have a clock on my nightstand.
The growling in my stomach has gotten louder, and it’s impossible to ignore. I am well aware that I haven’t had anything to eat since my dinner last night. On Thursday nights, my mommy’s shift ends at eight, and she comes straight home. She always cooks us peanut butter sandwiches with English muffins and extra crunchy peanut butter. Chris much prefers jelly sandwiches, but he never complains because he doesn’t want to hurt my mommy’s feelings.
---
###### For more information on the Local Writer’s Showcase, please visit <https://www.bethesda.org/bethesda/localwriters>
**Categories:** Blog
---
### [Bethesda Local Writer's Showcase: 2025 Adult Short Story Contest](https://writer.org/bethesda-local-writers-showcase-2025-adult-short-story-contest/)
**Published:** July 17, 2025
**Author:** Emily Holland
**Content:**
---
### Adult Short Story Contest – 1st Place
#### **Rubina**
By Asma Dilawari – Bethesda, Maryland
The kettle whistled and she poured the boiling water over tea in the saucepan, recalling one of the first times she had gone through these motions, now practically muscle memory. Her shoulders tensed as she remembered the audition of sorts, older aunties watching as she brought chai to them on a tray with masked confidence. They had intensely gazed at the curves in her teenage body as their sagging faces sipped chai from thin mugs she had worried about breaking. She recalled feeling so stressed about the tea preparation that she had enlisted her cousin’s help, her only confidante at the time. But B. was not an orphan like Rubina. B. was in a proper family of 6, with servants to make tea and a father who would give her money to buy sweets, so she had been quite useless in this task and had only giggled with her in the kitchen. Rubina had relied on her memories, of people standing over saucepans on gas flames, of gentle tilts of milk poured onto boiling brown water, smells of cloves and cardamom, and the sparkles of sugar granules cascading generously from a box. She had not realized then how many times she would repeat those motions in the years that followed, and how easily she would learn to prepare tea for others.
That afternoon was deemed a success; she was accepted as a potential wife to her older male cousin at the age of fifteen. This man who hid behind his mother at gatherings bore no resemblance to the image of a husband she and B. had dreamed of, with Bollywood movies and magazines feeding their imaginations. When her sister-in-law had asked if she agreed to the marriage, Rubina had felt numb, staring past her face as if there were another option behind it. …
Rubina knew what was being asked of her, that she not become a burden and find a way to live her life without being dependent on them. So, she had agreed to be married and asked only if she could still continue going to school. Years later, she would scold herself for being so naive when her sister-in-law agreed. She hadn’t realized then what the word “wife” really meant, that the tasks she would be expected to do would have no resemblance to life in a schoolyard with carefree lunches and homework; any decision about her life would be made by her husband and his mother. The lessons she had needed were not those her lovely teacher had taught her. There were no classes in school on massaging your mother-in-law’s callused feet, on how to lie perfectly still and pretend to sleep, or to stifle screams from boredom while being confined to a house to wait for summons….
After her marriage, she regretted trying so hard to look attractive; her appearance had only gotten her an early marriage and squashed any hopes of continuing school. It would be decades before she got a ticket to a new life.
---
### Adult Short Story Contest – 2nd Place
#### **Red Christmas**
By Laura Kuhlmann – Rockville, Maryland
Their eyes are glued to the TV, lips parted as they watch Ceauşescu raise his arm and swing it back and forth, to the steady cadence of his speech. His voice rising, his hair in disarray.
“I do not recognize this tribunal, I only answer to the Grand National Assembly.” He repeats it over and over again. He repeats it as two men grab him from behind the bench and tie his arms behind his back.
He only stops when his wife starts yelling: “Take your hands off me, you animals!”
(…)
The camera cuts to a grey courtyard. One black and one white silhouette lean against a concrete wall. Firecracker noises erupt from the TV speaker. The cameraman follows the captain, still holding his rifle, as he approaches the two people, now crumpled at the foot of the wall. The image zooms in on Ceauşescu—his eyes open, his shirt, showing through the unbuttoned winter coat, soaked red.
“Daria,” Ana yells, “go to your room. Now.”
Daria sprints to her bedroom and slams the door behind her. (…)
Through the door, she can hear Ana’s sobs, and Varvara’s phlegmy voice:
“You must go home, Ana. He’ll be back from Târgovişte. This big burden is off his shoulders now. He’ll need you. And plus, what about your child? Once he’s born everything will be better between you two, you’ll see.”
Ana’s sobs grow louder. “I don’t know if I can take him anymore.”
“Now listen here.” Varvara clears her throat, and her voice turns harsh. “Your family, your country is not something you discard when you think you’re tired. My son did his duty to this country and by God he will do his duty to this family. And so will you.”
The sobbing intensifies.
“This is a new beginning,” Varvara says in a softer voice. “For this country, for our family. You’ll see. Everything will be different.”
Daria grabs the wood chair sitting next to the door and drags it across the carpet, toward the window. She pulls the drapes apart and climbs on the chair. Her forehead rests against the cool glass, as below her streetlights come to life. Rain pummels the building. This year, there had been no snow. (…) Daria tilts her head to study the small hole that has appeared in the wall, just outside her window. The little pockmark is full of rainwater, oozing out and dripping down the concrete.
“Beginning.” Her grandmother’s words echo in her head. Does this mean it’s now safe to go outside? Daria touches her palm to the glass and pushes against it with all her strength. The invisible barrier holds firm, no matter how hard she presses. The bed of her tiny nails are blue from the cold, so Daria pulls the sleeve of her scratchy wool sweater over her hand. The imprint of her fingers lingers on the glass—an incriminating ghost.
---
### Adult Short Story Contest – 3rd Place
#### **Waterfall**
By John Simpson – Germantown, Maryland
“If we don’t get this under control, the Old Man’s gonna replace us both with robots!”
Peters grunted by way of reply, more than the comment deserved. No robot ever made could replace human experience, or be flexible enough to adapt in an emergency — which is what they were in right now. Absent a great deal of luck, the whole system would collapse. God only knew what might happen then.
A veteran spacer at forty-two, Jock Peters was Station Engineer, and the last thing he needed was to be told his job: not by the trillionaire whose cost-cutting layoffs and sub-spec construction methods had caused this mess, and certainly not by some snotnosed college boy pretending to be his superior.
Kid’s not completely wrong, though, he thought. Things are FUBAR. At least lives aren’t at risk. Then, reconsidering, he grimaced. I hope.
Aloud he said, “Check the pressure on number three dehumidifier.”
His downy-faced boss did so. “Thirty-eight and dropping. When it gets below dew point, atmospheric moisture will start condensing.” The kid’s voice cracked. “All the roots will get wet, mildew and rot. We’re gonna lose this whole crop!”
The least he could do is give me a hand, Peters thought unfairly. It takes skill to trace an electrical fault in even a simple device, and this orbital station, with ten miles of solar panels, a quarter million grow lamps, a hundred times as many underground irrigators, and perhaps ten billion individual support components all working together in an intricately balanced system, was anything but simple. The lad’s degree was in agricultural management. Damned college kid. An electrician’s ticket would at least have been useful.
Peters worked steadily, testing one circuit at a time manually until he reached the next short. Sparks showered as the whole panel tripped — again. “Fault in Circuit 32,” he said laconically as he worked his way back down the resets, stopping at 31. More cross-wiring, dammit! I’m getting too old for this. For a moment he glared resentfully at the burnt-out hulk that had once been the computerized controls. Then he shook his head and got back to work.
“How long ’till night?” he asked, marking 32 and starting again at 33. His so-called manager mumbled unintelligibly and he asked again, louder.
“How should I know?” whined the boy.
With that, the long-suffering engineer finally ran out of patience. He stood, marched to where his nominal superior sat sulking, and… gently placed his hands on the young man’s shoulders. Boy’s trembling. Terrified. Their eyes met, locked. “Listen, kid. There’s exactly two people on this whole station: you and me. Sink or swim, we’re in this mess together. You can choose to help, or else you’re part of the problem. Get me?”
---
### Adult Short Story Contest – Honorable Mention
#### **Mama Bird**
By Olivia Ikenberry – Silver Spring, Maryland
The plan was simple. Galvine’s unearthly beauty, part of the curse, made this seemingly easy to execute. It proved more difficult. Though her curse had an enchantment element, her hostile and often violent behavior overshadowed any sorcery. She often enraged or insulted potential suitors. Occasionally, they would flee for personal safety. One such young man lost two fingers when she “flirtatiously” bit them off. Exasperated with his daughter, he took her to the forest for a walk. He told her the truth about his family and her curse. She realized she would never be free of her wickedness and flew into a rage, lunging at her father. He bashed her head with a large rock, rendering her unconscious. When she awoke, she found herself at the bottom of a well. Her head was ringing and spinning. She could feel the crusted, dry blood of the wound on the side of her head. She struggled to get her bearing when she heard a shout from above.
“Hello, below!!” the voice of a young man rang with enthusiasm. The sun was too bright for her to get a good look. Frankly, she didn’t care to. His voice hurt her head. She was content with this well as her tomb. She said softly,” Please go away, Sir. Your assistance is not needed nor is it wanted here.”, hoping to deter further interest in her plight. “Your father sent me here to fetch you and paid me handsomely to do so. I am an honest man of my word. Having promised your father that I would fetch you and you will be indeed be fetched. I have fallen into this very same well several times. Thrice as a child and once this past spring. I am more than capable of fetching you.” Galvine, in a last effort, pleaded, “I am not fit for society. I beg you to leave and don’t look back. I am not what you suppose I am. Leave me in peace.” He did not. He jumped into the well, tied her to his back, and scaled the wall brick by brick with no hesitation. On land, he untied her from himself. He looked at her and was instantly enchanted.
Funny enough, Galvine felt a hint of enchantment too. How could someone be such a fool, she wondered. She wanted to follow him and see his world. Her curiosity about this man almost took the stinging throb out of her head wound. “ You surely are the most beautiful and rare woman in all the world, as your father promised. He also promised your hand in marriage. You are too special to take…” He stood up to walk away. “Sir, you do not take. I give.” she surprised herself with these words. “I cannot. I am not worthy.” “You can, and you will.” she grasped his hand. With his hand holding her hand, there was a stillness in her, at least for the moment. They were married at dawn the next day.
---
###### For more information on the Local Writer’s Showcase, please visit <https://www.bethesda.org/bethesda/localwriters>
**Categories:** Blog
---
### [Bethesda Local Writer's Showcase: 2025 Young Poet Contest Winners](https://writer.org/bethesda-local-writers-showcase-2025-young-poet-contest-winners/)
**Published:** July 17, 2025
**Author:** Emily Holland
**Content:**
---
#### **Mundanity**
By Leah Bulson – Richard Montgomery High School
```
Do you mind if I set these here?
whispering
dogs with their heads hanging out of car windows
hugs at the airport
the rainbows that soap bubbles sometimes make (only sometimes)
ice cream trucks on the highway
the moon during the day
knees bouncing to the beat of a song
pinky promises
train tracks
car headlights illuminating rain when it's dark
pinwheels spinning in the wind
the unique light of each person's smile
and their laugh, the distinct notes of their laugh too
something challenging
when you smell something, hear something that triggers a specific memory
lists
Thanks,
You can keep them if you would like.
```
---
#### **Middle Name**
By Chloe Chang – Poolesville High School
There is a garden growing with white forsythia and petrichor,
plum blossoms and *mugunghwa*, in my name.
There is the sound of banging drums, cracking of fresh bamboo *jeogalak*,
chopsticks, and the bubbling of Korean kimchi stew in my name.
Mother, her calloused hands and wrinkled eyes, calling *ddal*, daughter, before calling my name.
You see birthmarks dotting a sea of olive skin, before you hear my name.
On foreign soil gardens are pruned, roots severed.
Squeezed, pressed, squashed into the middle, the new version of my name
Hides behind an initial, concealing leaves of ginkgo and persimmon branches,
a history of freedom fighters and farmers behind my name.
Yet after my last breath joins the heavy Mid-Atlantic wind, after
my tongue atrophies and my lips shrivel, what is left is only my name.
The same boom of hands against drums, harmony of soft flesh and splintering bamboo,
laughter around the dinner table, remains in my name.
Slithering in whispers, traveling through the West and crossing seas
until gales carry it back to the Kingdom of *Choseon*; my name.
With open arms I embrace the crackle of flames to join the symphony,
should Lady Liberty’s copper torch set ablaze my name.
Translations:
Hanbok: Traditional Korean clothing
Mugunghwa: Common Hibiscus, the Korean national flower
Choseon: The last and longest imperial dynasty of Korea
---
#### **The Sky**
By M Downs – Richard Montgomery High School
The world is pretty rough, right now. There’s a *whole* bunch of stuff going on.
And most people spend the day looking down at their phones. A screen full
Of bad news and scams and social media and views and followers and likes and all of that.
And people are looking down, all the time, at the screens in their hands. But you know,
How about you try something? How about you look up? Why don’t you look up at the sky?
‘Cause, you know, the sky is blue.
Or maybe it’s pink, maybe it’s red, orange, yellow, maybe it’s gray. But it’s *colorful.*
It’s bright, maybe it’s not. Maybe it’s nighttime, maybe there’s stars, maybe there’s a moon.
Maybe there’s clouds, maybe they’re fluffy, maybe they’re shaped like something recognizable.
And maybe the sun’s out; maybe the sun is shining, maybe the sun is setting.
Maybe the sky is exploding in warm colors. And maybe it’s cloudy, maybe you can’t see the sun.
Maybe it’s raining. Maybe the sky is full of storm clouds, and the clouds are darker,
And maybe they look a little scary, but maybe if you turn around the sky is blue.
Maybe you’re only on the edge of a storm.
Maybe it’s snowing, maybe the sky is white and so is the ground. Maybe it’s cold but, you know,
It’s snowing! How can you be sad when it’s *snowing?*
And the thing is, you can’t see any of this if you’re looking at your phone, can you?
If you’re focused on all the bad stuff, you can’t see the beauty, can you?
So maybe once in a while, take a step back. Look up. At the sky.
Because, you know, the sky is pretty.
---
#### **Amore**
By Charles Gray – Richard Montgomery High School
I’ve only ever
Been electrocuted once
On accident
I was trying to plug in a charger
And my finger touched the socket
It send waves
Waves of pulsating pain
They traveled up my arm
But I pulled my hand before they spread
When we held hands that night
It felt the same
But it didn’t hurt
It was warm, and exiting
I became a lightning rod
With your electricity flowing through me
My entire body
My whole being
And I never wanted to let go
---
#### **Fructophobia.**
By Katherine Parra – Paint Branch High School
A fear of fruit.
If I was a fruit, I’d have trouble choosing just one.
I’d want to be a strawberry: sweet and always reliable.
I’d want to be a banana: always the superior fruit.
Each fruit you lay eyes on has unique characteristics.
Each person you encounter is like a fruit.
It defines who you are.
If a singular fruit was able to represent the way I am,
I’d choose a pomegranate: messy, staining, difficult.
A protective shell that’s complex to unfold,
One created to protect what’s on the inside, away from the harm of others around it.
When handled by the wrong soul, the pomegranate starts to seep.
It begins to bleed, staining everything and everyone around it unwittingly.
Its issues become a mess for others to handle.
Once they notice the mess, they give up and abandon the pomegranate.
They discard it: Tossing it away and deeming it a hassle not worth cherishing.
It wasn’t the pomegranate’s fault it turned out that way, it didn’t intend to be difficult.
All the pomegranate desired was to be cared for, it sought out a gentle heart.
For those delicate enough to pick apart every flaw and admire what it’s truly destined for.
A fruit worth the mess that comes with it,
Surely in another lifetime I’m worth the mess I bring upon as-well.
---
#### **Inaugural Poem**
By Nina Richards – Richard Montgomery High School
America is a statue
Like any statute, its internal aspects are not exposed
These cracks and crevices remain invisible to the public
If they were to be exposed, there would be a concern
Concern that the contents of our curated society are crass
We preach this rhetoric of “unity”
Yet the country is so divided, lost-sighted, and not reminded of what we could be
Hope cannot take form until we are aware
We cannot shield ourselves from the past, it would not be fair
We come from the ills of slavery and bondage
Discrimination runs through our country’s blood
We fail to live up to the morals of the golden rule
The crown jewel of a ‘perfect union’
Luckily, we are not starting from scratch
We must latch to what we already have and grow upon it
The progress we have made has been astronomical
Yet the things we still must work on are quite comical
We are armed with power
And it is the hour to strive for progress
Do it for the future generation
Make them love their nation
---
###### For more information on the Local Writer’s Showcase, please visit <https://www.bethesda.org/bethesda/localwriters>
**Categories:** Blog
---
### [Bethesda Local Writer's Showcase: 2025 Adult Poetry Contest](https://writer.org/bethesda-local-writers-showcase-2025-adult-poetry-contest/)
**Published:** July 17, 2025
**Author:** Emily Holland
**Content:**
---
### Adult Poetry Contest – 1st Place
#### **North of the Accents**
By John Whelan – Columbia, Maryland
North of the eastern Canadian Providences,
the Celtic lilt dissipates, disappearing into the big empty.
Above Churchill Falls, the mother tongue
meanders through spruce and aspen forest,
as softly as a foot falling into fresh snow.
These ancient dialects, shaped by barometric pressure
and artic cold fronts,
constrict syllables to the sound of a branches bending.
North of the accents, words have utility.
Spoken not to pontificate or to linger frivolously on frozen ears,
but as a tool to turn a phrase or tighten up an expression
around the close confines of a fire.
Southern words, with their slow cadence and elongated vowel sounds,
don’t survive up here, they harden and contract,
eventually snapping during the first hard freeze in August.
Wind, the eternal shape shifter, has the last word.
Whooshing the people’s prayers over the snowy expanse and sea ice,
answering their invocations with thunderous roars and sustained howling.
Amidst the calamity, an Inuit child falls asleep
to a low whistling sound outside her window, a reply she finds comforting.
---
### Adult Poetry Contest – 2nd Place
#### **This year**
By John Heath – Washington, D.C.
Skeletons on suburban lawns
never used to scare me. Sometimes you would spot them
lounging in Adirondack chairs with rakish hats,
leering at passersby. Rigged with live wires
their jaws chattered inanely, their eyes winked, and their arms waved.
Sometimes they raised Martinis to putative lips never
meant for kissing. But this year the skeletons
are ten-feet tall, not seated but crouching,
ready to pounce. Spiders the size of dinner plates
scuttle up their legs and bats feather silently
by sightless eyes, for this is
the Year of the Drone, so many lives taken in so many
forgotten corners. One moment a child is hugging a doll in the dust,
seconds away from the fond ministration of that
eye in the sky, whose purpose is to ensure
that the unexpected lilt of a smile in the rubble
should be recast as a rictus.
—October 31, 2024
---
### Adult Poetry Contest – 3rd Place
#### **Taking the Late Train**
By Chelsea McGlynn – Walkersville, Maryland
Tired men with handmade signs block the trains from leaving
Aguas Calientes. Stuck, we scramble through the ruins
of Machu Picchu again, take the waters at the hot springs again,
sip our café con leches and ask our waitress *¿Quien?*
and *¿Por que?* She answers us: *Agua.* All our water is worth
fighting for. Before the train tracks were laid, your own
two legs were the only way to travel here, and still today,
there are no roads to Aguas Calientes. We could walk back
to Cusco on the Inca trail— those steps cut out of sheer cliffs,
only as wide as a llama’s haunches— and touch the same stones
that the last Incan emperor walked before Pizarro sentenced him
to death. The Catholic priest that took his final confession asked
Emperor Atahualpa if he was baptized, which translated to
“bathed in the sacred waters”. *Yes, yes*, he said, *all our water is sacred.*
So they strangled him, instead of burning, in respect of his final,
Catholic wishes. We do not walk home on the Inca trail,
merely wait at the bar for the police with submachine guns to clear
the train tracks and tell the bartenders making our Pisco Sours
*Please, hold the ice.*
---
### Adult Poetry Contest – Honorable Mention
#### **Water Over Stones**
By Carol Jennings – Washington, D.C.
1
The Navajo guide offers me a stone from Canyon de Chelly. I hesitate,
consider its weight in my luggage, consider how much my ancestors took
from his ancestors, consider the weight of his own story – forced to leave
home for a boarding school where children were struck for speaking their
native language. Then I accept his gift, lightly, in the way it is offered.
2
In the creek of my childhood, water over stones was my favorite season –
not March snow-fed waters that could overflow banks, nor the August
rivulets that ran between hot, dry stones. It was the shallow waters in
early summer that urged me to come close to stones shining wet, small
fish darting above, sometimes my own reflected shadow. I thought
I held the future in my hand as it cupped those waters. I didn’t, but
water over stones is a music that runs through me still.
3
I bend to pick up a stone at the edge of a lake, summer setting of a younger
self in love. Its reddish curve fits my palm, smooth against skin. I stroke it
like a memory not to be let go, like a vision of myself in an earlier life, like
a dream that does not end upon waking. These waters can be rough with
waves like ocean surf, cause boats to capsize, people to drown. I could
keep this stone to hold in times of dark or loss. Instead, I give it back
to the lake.
---
### Adult Poetry Contest – Honorable Mention
#### **The Long Way**
By Thu Nguyen – Gaithersburg, Maryland
There are days for shortcuts and then there are the others:
taking the back of my knife to lemongrass, bruising better
for the flavor, peeling ginger skin with a spoon,
frying and tasting, stirring and tasting,
looking for the gold, still tasting.
The kitchen steams like the fog so thick
this morning I could barely make anything out
but if anything makes sense,
it’s that flowers are unavoidable the week of your death;
die on the 13th of the second month of the year,
and you guarantee yourself bouquets,
a beautiful altar for as long as you’re remembered.
I take my cues from you: never interested in fame,
and never in a rush. I set your place while I wait
for finally the curry almost the color of mangos,
smells warm and ripe like they do in summer.
But it’s not mango season,
your favorite season, so I make this offering
knowing how much it lacks; I’ve cooked
all morning for you the long way,
like a prayer, like penance.
---
### Adult Poetry Contest – Honorable Mention
#### **The Gardener**
By Dylan Tran – Washington, D.C.
The sun sets, and I find myself tending
to an abandoned garden, its rusted fence
a crown, its subjects long buried.
And groups of flies take turns
kissing the edges of my ears, once
for every person who’s forgotten me.
Weeds grab at my ankles like memory;
leave my life’s footprints in the tough soil;
I wonder how a soul can be like a garden.
Traveling pollen tickles the back
of my ungloved hands. Aphids make
homes in the undersides of stones;
I displace them anyway, my shovel
digging into bone, dirt flying.
---
###### For more information on the Local Writer’s Showcase, please visit <https://www.bethesda.org/bethesda/localwriters>
**Categories:** Blog
---
### [Bethesda Local Writer's Showcase: 2025 Adult Essay Contest](https://writer.org/bethesda-local-writers-showcase-2025-adult-essay-contest/)
**Published:** July 17, 2025
**Author:** Emily Holland
**Content:**
---
### Adult Essay Contest – 1st Place
#### **Golden Gifts**
By Sarah Craven – Cabin John, Maryland
Golden apples falling at your feet. This was a phrase my father often used to remind me of the many gifts and privileges in my life. Lately, I have reinterpreted his adage through the lens of golden plumeria —the tender and fragrant blossoms of the tropics.
In 1969, my parents moved our family from Maryland to Honolulu. My mother famously told my father she was willing to live there for “one year—and not a day more.” Yet, by the following year, they were signing the deed to a house on Wa’a Street—the Hawaiian word for canoe. The house, small and open-air, sat on the curve of the street under a rainbow shower tree shading the carport. A prodigious mango tree stood sentry at the corner of the lot, and the back garden brimmed with golden plumeria trees. Neighbors often knocked on the door, asking for a few ripe mangos or plumeria blossoms to string into leis.
We made our leis with long wire needles from Long’s Drug Store, threading them with dental floss. A plumeria lei could welcome a visitor, mark a birthday, or celebrate a graduation. Even a single plumeria tucked behind the ear carried meaning—on the right if you were single, on the left if you were committed. The plumeria’s delicate fragrance and fleeting beauty became part of the rhythm of our lives.
This spring, my mom, now 99, reluctantly moved from her beloved home to The Ivy, a senior living community a short drive away. The irony of the name Ivy – a plant non-indigenous to Hawaii – did not go unnoticed. Her new studio apartment overlooks a serene garden filled with fragrant plumeria trees. In the early days of her transition, she sighed wistfully, noting, “They are pretty trees but they’re not MY trees.”
Recently, a Wa’a Street neighbor texted, upset about plumeria blossoms from my mother’s trees drifting into her yard. I promised to trim the tree but couldn’t resist sharing how, years ago, those blossoms were treasures, not troubles. She wasn’t swayed. Perhaps I’ll send her a lei needle.
Two plumeria plants thrive in my Bethesda home, once mere sticks hastily bought from the Honolulu airport gift shop on a trip back. To my surprise, they blossomed, offering three or four flowers at a time. I tenderly care for them, floating the infrequent but cherished blossoms in a small dish of water so their gentle fragrance seasons my home with memories of Honolulu.
Some things change—our homes, our stages of life—but some endure, like plumeria blossoms, quietly falling, a testament to beauty’s persistence. These small, simple treasures have been a constant through decades of change, bearing silent witness to our joys and sorrows, milestones and departures.
My father’s wisdom lingers: golden blessings abound if we’re willing to notice. Sometimes, they fall at our feet, waiting to be gathered. Life, like the plumeria, offers fleeting beauty and connection. We must pause to honor them, weaving a lei of memories, an offering of gratitude.
---
### Adult Essay Contest – 2nd Place
#### **Rage, Rage Against the Dying of the Light**
By Kathy Wei – Bethesda, Maryland
Summertime used to feel like magic, where the air itself shimmered with excitement. Anything was possible. You could feel it in the smell of dew through an old screen door, the sound of tattered sneakers kicking up dirt in the yard, the taste of a sticky popsicle as it melted down your arm. It was humid enough that just standing still caused a thin layer of sweat to settle over your skin. But rather than feeling oppressive, the heat was pure freedom.
Maybe it was because school was out for months, which at the time felt like forever. Maybe it was because Mom and Dad were busy, so the kids were left to ourselves. Maybe it was because there was nothing to do inside, and so much to see outside. Whatever it was, the magic was strongest at night. The dark of summertime is soft, like a velvet blanket. It nestles quietly overtop everything it touches, dulling each of your senses. Your eyes are muffled by a deep orchid tint, your ears dulled by the constant chatter of grasshoppers, your body slowed through the thick air that clings to your every movement. Summer nights are sluggish. The harder you try to fight it, the more the heat weighs you down. And when you are too tired to look forward and keep going, you lie down and look up.
When the sun dips under the horizon, only the faint glow of the sky lights your way. The concrete sidewalk fades beneath your feet. The road you follow instead is above your head, a vast plain broken into paths by the silhouettes of the treetops. It is under this cover of darkness that a society emerges. The neighborhood children meet after dinner under the gnarled old tree in the apartment complex’s courtyard. James picks the first game, because he is the oldest and the tallest. They race each other up and down the road until it no longer holds their interest. Panting, they lie on the grass and begin to trade their treasures. Three acorns go for a smooth pebble. A forked stick for a bouquet of dandelions. Two children argue angrily if a noisy brown toad is worth four or five muddy crystals fished from the creek. All of a sudden, they stop. The real prize has arrived.
Twinkling lights appear in front of their eyes, floating lazily in meandering loops. The stars have come to down to play. The children swiftly swish their jars through the air, lids already sloppily poked to allow their captives to breathe. They marvel as they do the impossible, holding pure light in their hands. Long ago, people looked to the night sky and read patterns in the millions of stars. By the time we were young, those stars had all but disappeared from our view. But it didn’t matter to us, because had stars we could touch. No one thought to ask: what do we do when the fireflies are gone too?
---
### Adult Essay Contest – 3rd Place
#### **Object Permanence**
By Lisa Park – Fairfax, Virginia
My daughter used to wave at me from the school bus window and blow me kisses. Now, she gives me a hug and traverses the big steps onto the bus. I follow her shadowy outline as she finds a seat with a friend. I wave to the back of her head.
She used to love peek-a-boo. I covered my face with her favorite blanket, *Where’s mama?* then dropped the blanket. Her face—all chub and cheek back then—erupted into an elfin cackle. I did it again. Cackle. The best sound.
She had developed object permanence. When babies realize that objects out of sight still exist, they search in expectation. She anticipated my return.
On Sunday nights, an ache would begin somewhere between my heart and head. I couldn’t localize it; it was nowhere anatomic. I kept busy, kept going. I packed milk for the next day. I stuffed my work bag with breast pump and clean bottles. By Monday morning, as we stepped through the daycare doors, I held her tightly to my chest, inhaling her baby shampoo and milk scent. *She’ll be okay,* the teachers said. *You can go now.*
I wonder how long my daughter watched my outline through the door. I imagined her looking and looking, crying at this game of peek-a-boo gone wrong.
Her teachers sent me pictures. My daughter finger painting, red paint crossing over paper margins to color the table, my daughter sitting, dimple-thighed on the grass; in each picture, she was attached to another being—the teacher’s arms around her, the teacher’s hand holding her hand. I held her pictures while I sat in my office pumping milk for her.
When I picked her up after work, our bodies relaxed into each other. Our brains had mastered object permanence, but our bodies had not been sure.
The way to make separations less painful, they say, is to make sure your child knows that you will come back. Practice the returns. The moment when the blanket drops, and you both are there, face-to-face.
My third grader sits in the back of the bus with the big kids. As her confidence grows, my trust in the world wanes. She has object permanence, but I waver. I can’t forget an image of an elementary school-age girl crying in the window of a bus, after a school shooting, being driven somewhere to reunite with her parents. I don’t even remember which school shooting. The world is impermanent. So are people.
Because I’m the parent, I keep these thoughts to myself. I hold them back when I would rather hold onto her. I stay steady and calm so she stays steady and calm. The tense muscles in my neck tell the truth, but only to me.
The best part of the day is when she returns from school. The ache relents. The muscles relax. Her delighted face, inches from my delighted face. When I’m not sure what to do, I remember the returns.
---
### Adult Essay Contest – Honorable Mention
#### **On Exile**
By Kyi May Kaung – Chevy Chase, Maryland
There was this friend of mine, who sent me a masthead from a journal on Immigration, suggesting I write for it.
I replied, “I am not at immigrant. I did not come to immigrate. I was not emigrating. It would take too much energy to try and prove I am an immigrant.”
I didn’t write anything then.
I came on a Fulbright Fellowship for a doctoral program at the University of Pennsylvania. Fulbright and the Burmese military dictatorship decided my field should be Transportation Economics, but by the time I finished my coursework, I found that Transportation Economics was not the answer for Burma.
Specifically, I saw a report from Fort Bragg that showed the surface of the Myitkyina Airport, probably from satellite photography.
In Burma you could not study Political Science. You could only study Marxism, and there were only two textbooks. I started reading Pol. Sci. on my own in van Pelt Library. I discussed things with the professors. One who always wore blue jeans to class, said, “You’re already at Penn, which is a good place to be, so I suggest you look around for a political scientist to be your dissertation supervisor.” I found the late Henry Teune. I also found my dissertation chair Herbert Levine, a Russia expert.
By the time I finished my Comprehensive Exams, the 1988 mass pro-democracy demonstrations took place in Burma. The clampdown started on September 18th.
Fulbright insisted their agreement was with the Burmese Government, and pulled our scholarships. My childhood friend would later tell my sister, she did not finish at Wharton because she was disturbed by me calling her on the phone and discussing my personal problems.
As I remember it, I only called her two times, during our asylum applications. Penn found us a lawyer.
So I am an asylee, a political refugee, who sought refuge and asylum.
In one fell swoop, I lost continent, country, city, job, marriage in Burma.
It’s not a disaster, as Elizabeth Bishop wrote. To apply for asylum, I had to prove that I in particular, would be in danger.
It was not enough to say the whole country was in turmoil.
I am not “pure Burman,” I am third generation Sino-Burmese-Mon, as in Mon-Khmer. My friend was Burmese-Muslim, but she was “more Burmese” than I. She spoke of her grandmother who kept her hair in a *sadone*, on top of her head. She wore her *longyi* (sarong) all the time on the unsafe Penn campus, where a police officer came and briefed us to wear clothes and shoes we could run in. We also attended sessions on date rape.
I don’t know the immigration rules for Burmese right now when there is an all-out civil – (uncivil) war, going on, the junta bombing towns and villages daily.
Burmese diaspora, Burmese massacres are accepted terms now, like Tamil Massacre, Rohingya Genocide, Cambodian Genocide.
Nabokov wrote in *Speak Memory*, that his mother did not need anything because she remembered everything.
---
### Adult Essay Contest – Honorable Mention
#### **Handkerchief**
By Celina Santana – Bethesda, Maryland
The contents of my grandfather’s ninety-eight-year-old life are sorted into the following piles:
1. Keep
2. Scrap metal
3. Recyclable
4. Salvageable parts
5. Flammable and better off flamed
6. Worthy of auction
7. Unidentifiable and to be snuck off the premises while he sleeps
8. Useable and likely wanted by neighbors
9. Objects he swears are worth a fortune that we’ll dispose after his death
\#
I balance on the balls of my teenage feet as the wagon bumps and jerks behind the tractor. My jeans have dirt pods for knees. The tails of my brother’s old church shirt are tied below my belly button; it’s rolled-up sleeves are bulky rings around my wrists.
The baler’s hydraulic arms pack eighty pounds of alfalfa and binds it in string. It spits out one, then a second, and my grandfather reaches forward and plunges steel hooks into each. It smells of spiced grass and honeysuckle. He swings both bales by their fresh cut bellies and tosses them to the back of the wagon, casting a rainbow of sweat, purple lucerne, field dust, and strain.
\#
Molasses brown juice diluted thin with saliva streams through week-thick stubble. To see the iron-proud chin of my grandfather stained and overgrown is the first understanding that time lacks compassion. How insignificant the decision might seem to anyone in the regular pace of the world. But here, in between thick West Virginia walls, the choice to blot again a handkerchief against his chin, or not, is profound. Both the dribble and the remedy are an assault on the long-earned pride of a man that once built steel structures to scrape the sky. I cannot suggest he unstuff his lip of the loose leaves that grow from his hand-tended land: it is all the man has left to tend. Fledging leaves of tobacco yearn for water, refuge, and time the way his children and grandchildren no longer do.
Yeah right, I say to the thick breeze in his wake. Moving away means a fresh start. I pull the tie out of my hair and let it fall over my shoulders. It feels heavy in the afternoon heat, shimmering with the glare of the sun. I get a clean slate.
---
### Adult Essay Contest – Honorable Mention
#### **Are You My Mother?**
By Lindsey Wray – Arlington, Virginia
Are you my mother?
You, who taught me how to sound out the short “a” for “apple,” but who could no longer read the word “apple.” You, who didn’t know an apple is the sweet and crispy fruit you used to slice up for my little fingers to handle.
Are you my mother?
You, who planned birthday parties that were the envy of my friends — custom-made games and cakes with homemade frosting — but who no longer knew when either of us was born.
Are you my mother?
You, who adeptly sewed Halloween costumes and school play outfits, and who helped me learn to sew for school projects. But you, who didn’t understand what to do with a needle and thread.
Are you my mother?
You, who read books to me in bed, on the couch, at the kitchen table, again and again, and then listened when I read them to you. You, who later couldn’t make sense of the blur of words spoken to you.
Are you my mother?
In the children’s book “Are You My Mother?” by P.D. Eastman, a baby bird hatches while his mother is away finding food. The bird leaves its nest and begins exploring the wide world in search of his mother. He asks a dog, a cow, and even a bulldozer: “Are you my mother?” He’s not sure how to recognize her.
“I have to find my mother!” the bird exclaims at one point. “But where? Where is she? Where could she be?”
At the end of my mother’s journey with Alzheimer’s disease, I wasn’t sure where she was some days. I recognized *her* less and less, but still more than she recognized me. *Where is she? Where could she be?* Alzheimer’s erased her from the pages of her own book, yanking her out of the nest she worked so hard to build.
The little bird in Eastman’s book remains determined to locate his mother: “I have to find her,” he says. “I will. I WILL!”
As my mother entered her final decline, finding her got more difficult. Sometimes I’d see her searching, too — leaning down, seeming to eye an item just beyond her gaze. Looking for something lost, perhaps, or for something familiar.
Yes, yes, you are my mother. I have found you. And I think what you were looking for was a way to fly.
---
###### For more information on the Local Writer’s Showcase, please visit <https://www.bethesda.org/bethesda/localwriters>
**Categories:** Blog
---
### [Bethesda Local Writer's Showcase: 2025 High School Essay Contest](https://writer.org/bethesda-local-writers-showcase-2025-high-school-essay-contest/)
**Published:** July 17, 2025
**Author:** Emily Holland
**Content:**
---
### High School Essay Contest – 1st Place
#### **The Painting in the Mirror**
By Logan Moran – Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School
As I step into the powder room adjacent to my attic bedroom, I take in my surroundings. The afternoon light streams through the stained glass window, dappling the walls with color. The messy array of pastes, sprays, and brushes are strewn across the surfaces, each exactly where I left them. I turn on the faucet, waiting for the water to warm. As it washes over my face, I feel refreshed, and when I’m done, I reach for my towel to carefully pat my face dry. I stand up, and when the towel drops, I catch a glimpse of the painting in the mirror.
Some days it’s a Picasso, and I see not a unified person but rather a combination of different features, both feminine and masculine.
I see the wide “cow eyes,” as my sister used to call them when she wanted to put me down. Attached to those are the long and dark eyelashes that my ophthalmologist used to say she was jealous of. I poke and prod at my cheeks as I try to figure out where fat ends and bone begins. They are rounder than I’d like—a still lingering reminder of my childhood and the first part of my adolescence, when estrogen ran through my veins.
The testosterone brought with it the thick eyebrows of my mother’s side and the sharper nose of my fathers side. I see the adam’s apple which accompanied the long-awaited voice drop. I see what could be the beginnings of a beard.
If I stare long enough, my features start to distort. I see what I hope to be my future, and I see the girl I used to be. I can see everything except the real face that stares back at me. I know these features create a coherent face, one that’s perceived by others just as I perceive theirs, but on Picasso days I can’t imagine it. Try though I may, I can’t combine these features into a person. They exist individually, reminding me of the progress I’ve made and the things I will never be able to paint over.
The pain has eased, as the testosterone replaced the estrogen. Now most days are Van Gogh days—aesthetically pleasing but never perfectly smooth.
Painter and painted, with each injection and exercise I make contact with the canvas once again, but the paint is not without its flaws. The acne that plagued my face for two years has left scars. A side effect and therefore a constant reminder of my transition. I didn’t have to take the testosterone. I was choosing to do this to myself. Still, it was the right decision.
Each brush stroke builds upon the previous layer until the canvas is transformed. Each stroke will never be as smooth and the feeling never as warm as a Rembrandt or Vermeer. Nevertheless I continue to paint, content with the beauty found in imperfection.
---
### High School Essay Contest – 2nd Place
#### **What Silence Held** By Caroline Easley – Walt Whitman High School
My siblings and I gathered at the wooden dining table in our grandparents’ kitchen. The soft beeps of various appliances blended with creaks from Grams’ well-worn wooden table. She placed a few paper plates at each of our placemats while Grandaddy prepared bread rolls. Each roll was carefully buttered––eight in total, so each of us could have two. His quiet presence anchored the room. Now, I realize how much silence can hide.
The excitement among my siblings and me was palpable. Nothing was more thrilling than spending the night at our grandparent’s. We could barely contain ourselves, waiting to dig into the meal in front of us. But we held back until Grams and Granddaddy joined us. Once they sat down, the scene at the table erupted: mouths were full, and manners were out the window. The scent of warm bread and the sound of laughter saturated my grandparents’ kitchen.
But even the warmest kitchens grow cold.
\*\*\*
The next time we gathered, a seat was missing. The room’s warmth dissolved into a suffocating chill. The lines on Grams’ face had hardened. Grandaddy had taken his own life.
A nebulous dread clouded the memories of our time together. The snow globe that once danced with snowflakes had cracked. The fond memories of my childhood drained slowly––seeping into my hands, and slipping through my fingers. I tried to patch the crack, but the effort only delayed the inevitable. The memories fell, scattering like shattered glass across the cold tile floor.
Now, I see Grandaddy at the dining table again, his eyes fixed on the meal before him. What I once thought of as quiet shyness has the weight of something heavier, something unspoken. He excuses himself from the table to rest in bed.
I picture him: his tired eyes, the dark shadow looming behind him. I wish I could go back, stand beside him, and fight the shadow myself––tear it away, just for a moment. At the time, I didn’t know its weight, suspended by my ignorance. Now, that burden has fallen on me, waking me too late to change anything.
I see him battling the shadow. The pill organizer, each compartment containing capsules of hope––each pill a fragile promise, an ephemeral victory against ceaseless blows.
Eventually, Grandaddy’s armor grew rusted and worn. The blows became too much to endure.
I do not fault his surrender, but wish his opponent had been weaker. Only after years of reflection do I begin to grasp the complexities of his struggle. Now, I carry his memory not as a broken snow globe, but as a reminder of the strength it takes to battle what we can not see. I remind myself to carry light, even when shadows remain invisible.
---
### High School Essay Contest – 3rd Place
#### **The Intricate Process of Pottery Production**
By Michaela Levy – Winston Churchill High School
Like they have countless times before, my hands push against the clay on the wheel with purpose as I apply the force needed to drive a boulder. This is the first step, centering the clay. Even after finding the perfect middle, the structure is precarious. If I’m not meticulous with my hands, the entire piece will be thrown off center, asymmetrical, imperfect, but everything else is still undetermined. What will it be? A cup? Maybe a vase? The spontaneous, ever-changing nature of clay makes the creation process so interesting.
When I was younger, I perceived myself as off-centered. My mother is single, I have no father, and I’m adopted from China. Life felt normal until I found out I had a unique family. I remember sharing my story with classmates for the first time. Their faces twisted into hesitant expressions, and one said my mother wasn’t my real mother because we weren’t bonded by blood. My mom was real; I came home to her each day, she made warm food and sang songs to me. For years, this comment stuck like a leech that I couldn’t shake off, and deeply affected how I believed others perceived me.
In creating pottery, a wall can get too thin to continue throwing. At times, I have been hesitant to continue a piece out of fear that the structure could collapse. Fearing my own collapse in middle school, I became reserved about sharing my family origins, afraid to again feel vulnerable. Even after making friends with Chinese kids, I felt different, divided by our lack of shared experiences. Surrounded by people who looked just like me, I still felt like my walls would crumble at any moment.
Even after throwing the walls for height, the clay must be formed into a shape. To morph it into what it will become. Stepping into my first high school art class, the huge bucket of clay caught my attention. Some students gagged at the feeling and smell of the wet mud on their hands, but I was captivated by the potential of the sludge. I took in every moment as if I were consuming water after being deprived for days in the desert.
When drawing first lured me into the artistic world, I would cover my work with my arm like a wall to protect it from judgment. In my high school setting, however, I couldn’t stop showing off my creations because I was surrounded by people who had the same passion for art. The newfound sense of belonging in my school’s art community sparked a flourishing bud of self-acceptance toward my adoption. Our shared love of art held us together like a bandage, slowly healing my definition of what belonging means.
The final step in completing a ceramics piece before placing it into the kiln is to trim it. I’m still “trimming” my definition of belonging, and while I believe it will be ever-changing, with each refinement I come closer to discovering who I’ll become.
---
### High School Essay Contest – Honorable Mention
#### **Lucky Number Make a Wish**
By Marin Brow – The Potomac School
I find myself praying at 11:11 each day for a better me. I find myself pleading for signs, depending on a god I swear I don’t believe in. The unconscious repetition soothes me. It’s not planned, nor do I take any measures to stop it. Every day, I find myself succumbing to the wits of a higher being, burning for a heaven I ostracize myself from.
I go to church almost every weekend, never of my own accord, but I go nonetheless. I take this time to search for myself; I evaluate if I have been flawless. I’ll never be. I find that I’ll never live up to the version God made for me. I find myself in need of salvation, yet I will never accept it. I find myself relying on a welcome I’ll never trust.
I was confirmed two years ago. A couple of days beforehand I worked myself up to finally denounce this God to my mother. But I got no response, only more questions left unanswered. Confirmation was a game to me; toying with the idea I could be accepted, burned by the realization I was dreaming. A dream of running naked through the gardens with Adam by my side. Life is what I make of it, yet no matter if I choose hunger or satisfaction, the ending never changes.
Death is a reverie, a cap to an overflowing bottle, pushing to contain a never-ending flow; the desire to be known. I know how God comforts, it’s not a coincidence we are suddenly church regulars once my aunt and grandfather died. I just don’t understand it. It’s an illusion of liberty, you are always tied down – the only difference being the choice of shackles. I am restrained by my naiveties and my fault in understanding. I need to die knowing my mere existence doesn’t put me on a speed train to hell. I need to live knowing my prayers are more than what I believe in. I need to look back on the past and think. Why did God make me like this?
I was ten when I knew I was gay. I was nine when I knew this entrusted me to evil. At no point was I ever allowed to live with myself without the wary shadow of hell. The stark and waiting outline of my sins. A candle can be reformed once burned, do I get the same mercy?
I lay at night staring at my clock, itching for it to turn to 11:11. The one time I can rely on a peripheral thought. One where I don’t care that God knows me; only that he hears me. And as another year ticks by, the first sermon of January meets me, singing an alarm to me. Wake up. “One must bear fruit worth repenting in order to be forgiven.” But I don’t want to be forgiven, I want to be accepted.
---
### High School Essay Contest – Honorable Mention
#### **Familiar Scent**
By Eleham Salo – Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School
Oneness between the cook and the ingredients can be recognized by a simple scent.
Nine year old me would wear goggles when watching my mother cut onions; her hands moving with delicacy from years of experience, chopping each part completely unfazed. That effortlessness ingrained itself into me, as I ultimately dropped the need for accessories and upheld discipline against the strength that onions brought to my eyes. Though our eyes might’ve stung, we never complained.
It fills the air as we cook, so we close our closet doors tightly and keep the windows open—a quiet ritual passed down to keep the strong scents from settling into our clothes and haunting our rooms. Regardless of our efforts, the scent lingers in the halls, filling up the empty voids. It’s stubborn. But that’s okay, it brings warmth to our home as familiarity is one’s strongest sense of comfort. And when we close the closets, it’s not out of shame but out of respect, for the routine of onions to claim a space and announce their promise of a fulfilling dish.
Often, both of my environments clash. I have my American side, which puts less emphasis on onions, while my Ethiopian side values them as the heart of the meal. They are the beginning of my favorite dishes, ranging from Doro Wat to Tibs, recipes that consistently follow years of traditions. There’s no emotion that they aren’t able to appeal to. Seemingly fitting every mood—whether annuals, festivities, or funerals—that scent will always strengthen the presence of community, and the love that was put into making it is recognizable and heart-felt.
Never excluded from the grocery list, it has been a scent I grew up learning to tolerate and appreciate, a scent my mother has brought with her to preserve the cultures of back home. At the center of many memories, good and bad, the act of cooking is complemented by this one ingredient. We start every dish by chopping onion pieces in a gushing pan of oil before being joined by garlic and spices. Even as tears stream down our faces, we conserve it, as it is a process that places value onto our meals, and allows the cycle to continue.
The sharp stinging of the once unbearable onions has taught me that life’s bitterness is not meant to be permanent. To cry eventually softens, much like the moments in life that seem unbearable but, as time passes, leave us stronger and wiser. It has always been, “Worth the tears,” I’d say.
---
### High School Essay Contest – Honorable Mention
#### **Mornings Topped with Sprinkles and Loss**
By Katja Treadwell – Walt Whitman High School
Mornings at my grandparent’s house began with *sprinkle-waffles.* My Farfar’s1 creation—rainbow sprinkles melted into golden batter, ladled into a sizzling waffle iron as their sweet scent wrapped like an arm around me. Sometimes, the sprinkles crowned the top, sometimes they nestled on the side—but their placement didn’t matter. All I expected was to descend the stairs of their quaint brick home and be hit with the smell of cooking batter in Farfar’s kitchen. With the sound of crescendoing classical music and the sight of pulpy orange juice sifting in green-glass stained cups, or the cookie tin filled with sewing supplies.
I sat with Farmor2 and waited for the leavened batter to hit my plate, the music providing a score to her fluttering eyes and swaying fingers. When the tune finished with a hollow thump of the record player, the home was content, full of photographs of pudgy grandchildren tacked to the bulletin board and decades-old abstract paintings lining the walls. That was all I expected, but perhaps I expected too much.
I didn’t question my parents when I visited the little brick home a little less often. At first, it felt like a temporary shift—slow weekends at the grandparents were filled with family errands and sports practices. But over time, I couldn’t recall the taste of cakey sprinkles in my mouth or what Farmor was listening to. I begged to return, fearing that the source of my once-excitement could slip into a vague memory.
But it seemed to me even from the outside that the house was naked of the life it once harbored—the record player no longer hummed with warmth, as if to mourn its obsolescence, and the smell of cooking *sprinkle-waffles* was replaced with a faint medicinal tang as if to mock what I had taken for granted. When I stepped inside, Farfar was a shell of his former self, all droopy eyes and sunken skin. He was too sick to make the waffles, my parents told me. Eventually, he passed away in 2021.
Soon after, Farmor—who once swayed to the music—stared blankly ahead, her fluttering eyes replaced by an unreachable gaze. She could no longer eat the waffles, her mouth sewn shut with the cookie tin’s threads. I naively believed she didn’t speak because if she opened her mouth, a stream of dead memories too overwhelming to swallow would spill out. But I began to see that her remembrance had hazed as much as the comforting scent. Her house, my name, even her Farfar were lost to Alzheimer’s.
I had begged to return, thinking I could preserve the mornings I once looked forward to. But those memories were already gone—buried beneath medical bills and loss. I still have trouble chewing the idea that nothing in life is finite, least of all the moments you thought would always last. Now, all I can cherish is the relic of time baked within my Farfar’s *sprinkle-waffles*.
---
1: Grandfather in Danish
2: Grandmother in Danish
---
###### For more information on the Local Writer’s Showcase, please visit <https://www.bethesda.org/bethesda/localwriters>
**Categories:** Blog
---
### [Inspiration Through Tragedy](https://writer.org/inspiration-through-tragedy/)
**Published:** May 7, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
## A Writer’s Journey
### By Miriam Chernick
If not for the attack on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, I probably would not have become a writer. When the first plane hit at 8:46 a.m., I was home on maternity leave with my third child, just a month old. We lived in Battery Park City, a residential community across from the WTC in a light-filled apartment. I loved our place for its view of the Twin Towers, whose fall I witnessed that morning.
My family was uninjured, but our apartment was damaged and the neighborhood evacuated, so we moved to a hotel for five months. Within the year, we’d left our beloved Battery Park City and relocated to Maryland to be closer to family and to work through our trauma.
The change for me was sudden and drastic; I’d quit my full-time job, moved to a house with a yard, learned the rules of baseball and soccer, and was driving a minivan every day and everywhere. Another change, a delightful one, was a new daytime schedule featuring the kids: eating, playing, and reading books. Also changing diapers, doing laundry, and…did I mention driving?
Fancying myself a creative type, I started to make up stories, which I’d share with “the sleepy three,” all under the age of five, at bedtime. Though they listened attentively, kids being kids, their responses were honest—brutally so. “That makes no sense,” one declared. “What kind of an end is *that*?” another asked. Alas, their one-star reviews screamed, “You can’t tell a story!” And they were right.
Humbled, I was determined to do better. A quick search led to the perfect opportunity — a workshop on writing for children taught by Mary Quattlebaum at The Writer’s Center. My story about a girl who rescues an injured pigeon in New York City elicited kind and encouraging comments. I was inspired. I was hooked.
I committed to honing my craft by attending other workshops, joining writing groups, and traveling to conferences. A large file cabinet took up residence in my small office and was soon full of notes and poems and research and manuscripts. Many, many manuscripts. A few pieces made their way to publication, but what I really wanted was to publish a novel, so I went back to school for an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults at the Vermont College of Fine Arts. After graduating in January 2020, confident in my storytelling, I looked forward to polishing my thesis submission and sending it out. It was time to publish a book.
But in March of that year, another traumatic event — the Covid-19 pandemic — intervened. The kids, now young adults I called “the nocturnal three,” returned home. My older brother, born with a rare disease called Prader-Willi syndrome and designated high-risk for Covid, also came to live with us. Quite suddenly, I was busy shopping, cooking, caring for my family and worrying they’d catch Covid, all of which impeded my creative process and plans. I stopped writing. I couldn’t focus. I deeply despaired over being thrust into a new role parenting a disabled sibling. My life, like that of so many others, had turned upside down.
Though I could not concentrate on my YA novel, I resolved to at least write *something*. Reminiscing with my brother helped me fill a journal with memories from childhood. Talking with him for hours each day had me scribbling scenes from life in lockdown. Then, in December 2020, to escape the cold winter, my husband and I drove my brother to Los Angeles. During that intense forty hours, cozy in our car, a storyline took shape. With my brother’s distinctive voice playing in my head like an earworm, I crafted a teenage character who loves baseball, using my brother’s words and turns of phrase. Then I added a younger sister who loves animals like I do. Both voices came out in first-person point of view.
Writing this new story was therapeutic. It was a way to understand my role as caregiver to my brother. A way to manage the fear of him catching Covid before he could be vaccinated. A way through the cycle of worry that his life was in my hands. Unexpectedly, while my circumstances during the pandemic initially impeded my writing, in the end they inspired a novel told in alternating voices, *The Zuzu Secret*, out in May 2025 with Charlesbridge Publishing.
In hindsight, I realize that two tragic events helped me become a storyteller, revealing a strong writer’s voice. Tragedy inspired my dream to publish just one book before I die.
Now that my dream is coming true, I’m feeling greedy. Time for another book.
**Categories:** Uncategorized
---
### [A conversation with essayist Morowa Yejidé about her new book, Creatures of Passage](https://writer.org/a-conversation-with-essayist-morowa-yejide-about-her-new-book-creatures-of-passage/)
**Published:** January 1, 2021
**Author:** Manuela Galindo
**Content:**
By Zach Powers
*DC-based author Morowa Yejidé joined The Writer’s Center for a chat about her forthcoming novel, the craft of writing, and the inspiration of our city.*
**ZP: My favorite literary genre (using that term loosely) is the fantastical. What draws you to imagined and magical places?**
MY: DC is a place where people live out their lives, where all kinds of forces are at play. I wanted to write a story about the unseen Washington. I think DC is a landscape like no other because it is a place where the terror and wonder of life exist side by side, where hidden realities lay just below glittering myth—the perfect conditions for the fantastical. Creatures of Passage depicts the paradox of DC with both real and imagined places. With real places, the magic is in how DC is experienced or perceived (the city quadrants, rivers, and bridges). With imagined places in the book, the magic is in how DC is experienced through the mythology of that setting—as in the Isle of Blood and Desire (Anacostia) or the scrap yard.
My family came to Washington, DC, from the South at the turn of the twentieth century. I imagine the leaps of faith taken, the great triumphs, and the losses suffered. My grandmother was among the first female cab drivers in the city, one of three. The early seeds of what became Creatures of Passage grew out of wondering about the people who got into her car, the stories attached to the places she took them, and the kind of fortitude it must have taken for her to drive through the adversities she endured. The interior of the car in the book is the ultimate imagined “place”—a motif for the mystery of people traveling from one place to another, moving from one generation to another.
**I was struck by how well you deploy various methods of characterization. In the first chapter we learn so much about Nephthys from the physical space of her apartment. In the second chapter there’s a paragraph that describes typical reactions people have to Amber. Is this indirect characterization something you strive for?**
I think layering a story with multiple views of a character, dropped in bit by bit as we move through the book, adds a kind of richness and mimics how people are often viewed through the eyes of others. It can also have a kinetic feel as the reader realizes something about the character from another character’s point of view that then shifts, but deepens, how they look at that character’s actions/ purpose. I love to use physical spaces to cue a character’s internal world and state of mind—like in the case of Nephthys in her cluttered apartment “lair” or Amber in her house “at the bottom of the hill at the edge of the world.”
**You’ve got a deep-diving third person omniscient narrator. Why did you want access to all these characters’ thoughts as you wrote?**
I’ve always loved the omniscient point of view because to me it is just one more landscape alongside setting and time to be used to paint the picture of the story. Omniscient can feel unlimited and I love that sense of freedom. I use it as a tool to deliver a view into the mind in doses, in freeze-frame revelations dropped into the mix of the happenings at a given point in the story. A character’s thought at a moment in time within a situation can add marvelous layering to what drives or holds back that character as the story moves. So the character’s thought is a kind of lens that I use to scope in and out—where I invite the reader to know something that the character knows or to bear witness to what the character doesn’t yet realize. I think it heightens the mystery and drama of the storytelling and adds depth to how that character processes a situation and looks out at the world.
**How do the different points of view interact? Are there any deliberate steps you took during writing or revision to make sure different chapters spoke to or against each other?**
The concepts I built that drive the story help me set the rules of engagement in how the characters interact. Each chapter that frames a character is conceptually driven, and I can therefore move them around in my mind to set them against each other or create symmetry between them. For instance, the watery blue realm of Nephthys in her car is set against the fiery red realm of her brother. I like my stories to read like a hologram—where depending on how the reader “turns” there are complementary or opposing scenes, tones, and themes. Similarly, the chapter circumstance is the looking glass through which a character sees and experiences the happenings in the book (murder, molestation, searching, running, reconnecting, discovery). But I use the conceptual themes of the story and the various character arcs as my compass for how the storytelling is constructed and what drives each plot line to its end.
**How do you maintain such a consistent tone throughout? When did the tone form in the writing process?**
I usually set the tone of a story from the onset of the concepts that inspire me to write the story. I am very image driven in my storytelling. In Creatures of Passage, the color spectrum was also part of the tone—with varying shades of blue being the predominant because our story’s heroine is a cab driver of sorts, ferrying people around the “waters” of life. Language can be a tremendous aid in setting tone. For example, the “symbiotic language of twins” in the book is the Gullah language of the Sea Islands of Georgia and Carolinas where two of the characters come from. I also used a specific taxonomy to invoke tone and connotation throughout, where the White House is described as the “Acropolis,” the country as “the territories,” and the surrounding states and counties are “kingdoms and fiefdoms.”
**What makes good writing about trauma?** **All the characters are living through and/or inflicting trauma, ranging from the everyday to violent. As a writer, how do you craft scenes of trauma that explore but don’t exploit these occurrences?**
I think with writing trauma, the author has to decide when the eye stares, blinks, or turns away. I have found that adding trauma in specific places and cutting the trauma scene off at a very precise moment or “fading to black” can heighten the effect when read because the reader then fills in the rest of the “happening” with his/her own imagination based on the clues they’ve already been given. At the same time, I chose specific chapter scenes where the unblinking eye is trained on what the act conveys within the larger context of the characters’ lives and the story. To me, that mix between the said and unsaid, shown and not shown, is where the reader bears witness to trauma with more layers and nuance—which can actually “feel” even more ominous and terrible, and perhaps give deeper understanding to the scope of the trauma and what it means within the story.
**Finally, what’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone working on their first novel?**
As you write that novel, realize that there is no “writing life.” There’s just your life and how writing fits into it. There’s only your story and how you tell it. Hammering at your book may not be easy but realize it’s worth the fight because only you can make it the story it’s meant to be. And that means you’ve got to be willing to climb that mountain when you sit down to write. Every word. Every day.
**Categories:** Uncategorized
---
### [WRITE THE FULL STORY](https://writer.org/write-the-full-story/)
**Published:** January 1, 2021
**Author:** Manuela Galindo
**Content:**
A conversation with First Novel Prize winner Jasmin Darznik
By Grace Mott
Remember the flight, for the bird is mortal. —Forugh Farrokhzad
This year we’re honored to award Jasmin Darznik the First Novel Prize for Song of a Captive Bird. This debut work of fiction is a truly unforgettable story set in 1950s Iran and told from the perspective of Forugh Farrokzhad, who is a real Iranian poet that lived from 1934-1967.
In this fictionalized account told from Forugh’s perspective, we are given an intimate look into Iranian society through the eyes of a woman who fearlessly rejects the strict demands forced upon women during the years leading up to the country’s revolution. Despite everything working against her—an oppressive marriage, a demanding family, an unforgiving society—Forugh publishes her controversial poetry and suffers the consequences of refusing to be silenced.
Forugh remains a cultural icon today and is personally significant to the author, who was born in Iran and moved to the US at the age of five. Thanks to Song of a Captive Bird, English speakers are now able to read stunning translations of Forugh’s poetry that, along with the book’s beautiful prose, pull us into the setting of its creation.
I spoke with the author about her writing process, her inspiration, and her motivation to share Forugh’s life with those who have yet to know and appreciate her legacy.
**GM: How would you describe your personal connection to Forugh, and what led you to write from her point of view? Was there a single instance that inspired you to write her story, or did the inspiration develop gradually?**
JD: Forugh’s last book of poems was the one book my mother brought to America in 1979. Her work energized and inspired so many Iranian women, so
I’d long had a fascination with her. There are many myths about how she died, and I wanted to write my way to an answer—or at least a theory. Since Iran can seem foreign and forbidding to American readers, I knew a first-person narrator could bring Forugh closer, faster. It also helped me really dig into her story, telling it from the inside out.
**I was eager to learn more about Forugh after finishing the book, and was surprised to find very little written about her online. Could you tell us a bit about filling in those gaps of information and what the research process was like? Were there any particularly memorable moments of discovery?**
There’s a quotation by the German writer Novalis that comes to mind: “Novels rise out of the shortcomings of history.” What often most intrigues me about biographies is all they leave out. Iranian history is full of untold stories. Given the enormous weight of censorship and self-censorship, biographers and historians have not been able to write the full story of women’s lives in Iran. As a novelist, you can delve right into those silences. For instance, when I discovered she’d been imprisoned during the uprisings in 1962 in Iran, there were few details about the episode, but it became a major plot point in the novel, one that revealed a great deal to me about the persecution of artists and writers as well as their response to that persecution.
**Did your connection/relationship with Forugh change at all during the writing process? What, if anything, was different for you after completing it?**
By writing the book I had to see her as a woman, not an icon. What were her days like? What did she think about when she wasn’t writing? I still have a feeling of reverence for her poems, but I understood better the soil from which they emerged—and it’s not so different, I think, from the soil that makes up many people’s hurts and hopes and fears. She wanted to be seen. She wanted to express herself. We’re all driven by these desires. Writing the novel made me see that.
**How do you manage the interplay of fact and fiction when developing your characters?**
I had a rule for myself, which was that I could not make up anything that was dissonant with something I knew to be true or false. If Forugh loved someone in real life, for example, I couldn’t make her hate them in the novel. I did invent characters and scenarios, but I sought to keep them consonant with the truth.
**How would you describe what remains today of Forugh’s work and legacy, especially in the collective memory of Iranian society?**
Forugh is a legend in Iran. She embodies the stillunrealized dream of democracy, feminism, and human rights in Iran. Young Iranians have embraced her with as much passion as earlier generations. Her longing to be free, to live and write as she pleased, remains deeply relevant. As a consequence, her poetry’s been continually censored since the 1979 Revolution. In fact, she’s still such a lightning rod that thousands gather at her gravesite on the anniversary of her death. When Song of a Captive Bird was published in Iran, her name was not included on the cover or jacket material because it likely wouldn’t have made it past the censors. She’s still that alive in the Iranian consciousness.
**What is your writing process like? Do you have a daily routine?**
On days I’m not teaching I keep regular hours, 9am-3pm. In the evenings I will sometimes dip back into the research. I’m constantly reading novels when I’m working on my own. It’s an essential part of keeping my brain in a creative mode. I am an obsessive editor.
When I’m in the later stages of writing something I can work eighteen hours a day, no problem. That pace is totally unhealthy and unsustainable, but for short bouts of time it’s bliss.
**Who are some of your favorite writers? Favorite books?**
I love Sarah Waters’ novels, especially Tipping the Velvet. She’s got an extraordinary eye and ear for period detail. Paula McClain’s The Paris Wife has been a huge inspiration to me in the realm of historical fiction. I probably read as much creative non-fiction as I do nonfiction—I truly believe we’re living in a golden age of memoir and biography. Maxine Hong Kingston, Vivian Gornick, and Rebecca Solnit are writers I go back to often, both for their fierce visions and glorious prose styles.
**What advice would you give to someone writing their first novel?**
It’s important to trust your instincts. If something interests you, do not let it go. Let it obsess you. I think I’ve found my most interesting stories when I’ve allowed myself to pursue odd or errant threads. It can be a very small thing, but if you can’t get it out of your head, it’s a good sign you’ve found something good.
**Categories:** Uncategorized
---
### [A Little Help from My Friends](https://writer.org/a-little-help-from-my-friends/)
**Published:** September 1, 2021
**Author:** Manuela Galindo
**Content:**
THREE WRITERS ON THE BENEFITS OF WRITING GROUPS
By Amy Freeman
Writing is, of course, a solitary pursuit, which is perhaps all the more reason that writing groups are such a boon. They can meet in person or virtually, live or asynchronously. They can provide focus, accountability, inspiration, skills, or any mix thereof. I reached out to folks in different types of writing groups to talk about what each strives to achieve.
*Jiadai Lin is in a group of three women who, although sharing thousands of words, live on different parts of the planet and have never met in person. Despite a bit of a recent slow-down, the group has worked together since 2017. The group focuses on editing long-form fiction.*
**AF: Jiadai, how did you and your partners find each other?**
JL: We found each other on Facebook through a large writing/networking group. One woman (who we soon learned is a born organizer) made a post looking for novel manuscript critique partners and I responded. I’m generally shy about social media, but the timing was so fortuitous. I was starting yet another rewrite of my manuscript and struggling with returning to a non-writing day job. I needed community and inspiration (in addition to really great critique partners) and our group has provided all of that to me and more.
**As strangers, how did you build trust?**
I think it starts with a leap of faith. You don’t know these people but you know that they are ostensibly making a writing commitment and something about that alone places them in your community. And then real trust is built over time. It was pretty obvious from our early weeks that my partners were great writers and smart editors, but it took months of consistent emailing, feedback, encouragement, and support to really develop our writing friendship (in my inbox, I count 227 threads among us over the past 4.5 years). I think we also recognized in each other a similar attitude of being acceptive of critiques and not taking things too personally. We all wanted to be better writers. We saw the dedication that each of us put into this shared goal and I think we really developed a respect for one another along with trust.
**Logistically, how has the group shared work?**
For the first year or two, we shared pages and chapters from our manuscripts on a weekly basis or so. The other two women had full drafts; I was still working as I was sharing. We did everything through email, with inline comments on Google docs, and it worked well. Sharing feedback only through writing allowed us to provide fully formed and edited comments, which, as an introvert, I really liked.
We share work less consistently now, but still with such genuine enthusiasm and support. Some of us have finished our manuscripts, queried, submitted to publishers, started new jobs, moved cities, had babies, etc. We’ve all worked on other writing projects and written in other genres. We’ve been there for each other through lots of personal things that we might not even easily share with our “real life” friends. Our friendship is the best thing by far to come out of our group.
**What has been the most helpful aspect of this partnership?**
At first, it was the consistent critique and feedback. It was having a small writing community to help me stay motivated and working and writing. Now, it’s the friendship, which still comes hand-in-hand with community, critique, and feedback.
**You’ve gotten to know each other by sharing your work, which can be an intimate experience. Yet you three could pass each other on the street and not recognize each other! If you were able to work together in person, would you want to?**
Yes! But I will say that one thing that I think helped our writing group succeed is the fact that we weren’t friends in real life at the outset. There’s baggage that comes with having someone who knows you read your work. We didn’t have that; we just had shared dedication and appreciation of craft. We got to know each other as writers first, then friends. And even though we’re good friends now, I think we appreciate going into our writing mindsets and working on each other’s work from a technical perspective, which includes giving honest critiques in one paragraph and talking about our kids in the next (although all of our “talking” remains written!).
*Fiction writer and essayist Vonetta Young participates in several standard-format writing groups. During the pandemic, though, she found herself in a bit of a writing rut. She tweeted as much, and someone she knew from a past writing workshop said she was in the same boat. Seeking inspiration, the two formed a loose partnership they call “Saturday, Caturday.”*
**AF: Ummmm, what’s with that name?**
VY: Great question! We meet on Saturday mornings and we needed something to get us writing, and rhyming came to our minds, even though neither one of us is a poet. We use two words that rhyme or are homophones, just to open us up: “bar” and “guitar,” “would” and “wood,” “stair” and “stare,” etc.
**How does this “group” work?**
There’s only two of us, so we login to Google Meet or Facetime, catch up on life, pick our words, then get to writing. We spend 20 minutes on mute free writing, then we read what we wrote. We usually do that twice, if we have time.
**Can you really create something coherent in twenty minutes?**
It depends! I’ve been impressed with how coherent some of the pieces come out. Of course, they usually begin with “What am I going to write that has anything to do with these words” or something “throat-clearing” like that, but it gets the mechanism going. We usually wind up touching on something emotionally resonant eventually, getting to the heart of the piece in really unexpected ways.
**Have you or your partner turned any of the sprints into finished pieces?**
I’ve been able to take what I’ve started with and turn them into longer essays, or, in one case, I was able to revive a whole short story based on what I started one Saturday morning in that 20 minutes. I’m pretty sure my writing partner has published a piece or two from what she’s drafted during our time together. Even if we don’t wind up finishing something (or it is incoherent babble, which happens sometimes), we wrote something. Mission accomplished!
*A poet, Chad Robinson wasn’t quite sure how to find critique partners; reaching out to strangers can be pretty daunting. Discovering that The Writer’s Center trains volunteer leaders and oversees dozens of writing groups, Chad decided to throw his literary hat into the ring.*
**AF: What made you decide to launch a group? What were you hoping to find?**
CR: I loved the idea of a group specifically focused on poets reciting poems to the fellow group members. There are several real benefits to reading your work aloud, and I knew I personally needed a literal sounding board. I was hoping that others would have this same need.
**How did the launch go?**
Well, I was trying to have fun pretending to be clever by writing poems for the website’s group description. I thought a little couplet and tanka could be a fun way to introduce the group to people, but it clearly didn’t excite anyone else the same way that it excited me. After a month, I hadn’t had a single person reach out to me. There was also concern about the planned group location, so we decided to make the group an online group.
Within a week, we had the folks we needed to get launched. I’m taking this as a sign that I should probably stop pretending to be clever.
**How are you and your partners deciding what the group should look like? How often to meet, how many words to share, etc.?**
We are currently meeting on a monthly basis, and we had our first monthly meeting this week! It was really fun to put faces to names and words to poets.
Right now, I’m mostly struggling with how much to share about myself and how much to share with the other group members about one another. I know that this past year has been a source of some serious challenges for most of us, and I wouldn’t want to add to anyone’s anxieties by oversharing their personal information with a bunch of strangers.
So much of poetry can be deeply personal, so I can appreciate that some group members might come to the group with their guard up. For that reason, I’m also encouraging the recitation of other poets’ works. I want our group to focus on reading poetry, whether the person reciting it wrote it themselves or not. My hope is that they get comfortable enough with the group that they become ready and willing to read their own work before the group.
I was surprised by how excited I was to make sure I was working on my poems to read to the group. I was certainly excited to read some things, but the night before the first meeting I was tweaking a poem I started months ago so it would be ready. I wasn’t prepared for how the opportunity to share the work would drive me to get more done. It was truly a pleasant surprise!
**Categories:** Uncategorized
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### [Bethesda Local Writer's Showcase: 2024 High School Short Story Contest](https://writer.org/high-school-short-story-contest-2024/)
**Published:** June 26, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
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### High School Short Story Contest – 1st Place
#### **The Coffee Shop** By Abigail Ott
Kendra checked her phone again. She had already been waiting 15 minutes for her date to show up, but he hadn’t even texted to say he was going to be late. She tried not to judge him. After all, he might have had an emergency at work and not had a chance to text her. She knew she dealt with emergencies often enough, though she always tried to text her dates when she was going to be late. She fiddled with her necklace. She had to remind herself why she was doing this. She needed to find someone who could support her as she fought for her people. She knew she needed someone ordinary to show people that Unalans could be loved and appreciated, not just feared and despised. She didn’t meet a lot of ordinary people in her day-to-day life, so she had gone on dating apps to find someone.
Kendra got up, restless, and went into the bathroom to check her makeup in the mirror. She looked pretty today. Her honey-colored skin glowed in the sunlight. Her glossy black hair was pulled back into a loose twist, but some shorter pieces had come out and framed her face nicely. Her eyes, which were naturally a red-orange color so bold they looked like they were aflame, were hidden under dark brown contact lenses, specially designed by a friend so that she could scan for U-rays, which were emitted by all Unalans, including herself. They weren’t always scanning, or she would be able to distinguish very little when she was with her friends, but by looking right at someone and doing a specific sequence of blinks, she could see whether or not they were Unalan. It was handy for days like today, when she wanted to get a read on someone without giving away her own position.
She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and went back out. Sitting down again, she took another sip of her coffee and glanced out the window, then back down at her phone. Still nothing. One of the baristas came out to give her a refill. “He stand you up, Kendra?”
“I’m going to give him a bit longer. Maybe he had an emergency or something. Thanks, though, Annie.”
Annie shook her head. “Always wanting to believe the best of people. I like that about you. How ’bout this: Every cup of coffee from now until he shows up or you leave is free.”
“But then I’ll never want to leave.”
Annie put her hand on her hip and looked down at Kendra. “Well, we close at 10, as you know, so you’ll have to be gone by then.”
“If I’m right, he’ll have shown up or texted me long before then.”
“We’ll see.” Annie shook her head again and moved off to another table.
Kendra smiled. She had been coming here for years, so she knew all the baristas and many of the regulars personally. She had had almost all of her first dates here, from the ones who had never shown up to the ones who had broken up with her after a few months because she “just didn’t prioritize their relationship” or she “worked too much” or they “felt like she was holding part of herself back” or something like that. A small portion of the regulars were guys who had fallen in love with the coffee shop when she had introduced it to them and kept going there even after they had broken up with her. She didn’t hold a grudge; she knew her job was demanding and had known from the beginning how hard it would be to find someone willing to put up with it. So far, she hadn’t been able to find that person, but she just kept swiping right and trying again.
She had finished her coffee and gotten a third cup before the bell on top of the shop door rang to announce Jered’s entrance. He was rather handsome: a tall white man with dirty blond hair and pale green eyes. As he spotted her and strode over, she scanned him for U-rays, but with a negative result.
“Kendra Mayfire?” he asked.
“That’s me,” she replied. “Jered Peters?”
He nodded and sat down. She expected him to apologize for being so late, or at least offer an explanation, but he didn’t even mention it. Not a good sign.
As they started conversing, she fiddled with her necklace—apparently unconsciously—drawing his eyes down to the amethyst pendant, but he didn’t react to it. Not a Friend, then, either.
She slowly and expertly guided the conversation, as she had done so many times before, until she could work in how something “reminded her of Janet.”
He naturally asked who Janet was.
“Oh, just a girl I knew in middle school,” she replied casually. “She was actually Unalan.”
The effect was immediate. His face darkened. His mouth twisted up in disgust. “Unalans.” He said it like a curse word. “They’re evil. Demon spawn come to terrorize us with their twisted forms and unnatural powers.”
Kendra went still. “You think so?” she asked, her voice icy cold.
“You want to know what I think? I think they should all be hunted down and killed like the monsters they are.”
Kendra had heard enough. This privileged, bloated white man was condoning the centuries of torment and fear that her people had gone through, championing the Midnight Massacre that had decimated their numbers and traumatized so many, spitting on the graves of brave heroes like Amethyst, Malcolm, her father, and so many others who had sacrificed their lives for their fellow Unalans. It was disgusting.
The fire inside of her flared, tingling invisibly just beneath her skin, as she started in a falsely calm voice, “Did you know that most Unalans don’t look that different from ordinary people?”
“What do you mean?”
“Most Unalans just have tiny differences: an odd hair color, sparkling skin, something that can easily be disguised with cosmetics or another little fix. They’re all around us, just living their lives.”
He was silent: half-confused, half-stunned. She smirked.
“In fact, you probably know at least one already. And they’re not trying to—how did you put it—‘terrorize you with their unnatural powers.’ Most of them are just trying to survive. And hunting them down? That’s already been tried. Multiple times.” She was standing now. “But it’s never going to work. You know why? Because there’s always going to be someone willing to stand up for their people, to fight back against the murderers.” She leaned forward, blinking twice quickly to turn off the tinting on her contact lenses and allow the fire in her eyes to shine through. “Someday, we’re going to have our own haven, a safe place for anyone in danger, where we don’t have to hide who we are. But until then, I, Kendra Mayfire, chief of the Unalans, am responsible for keeping my people safe from idiots like you, Jered, who want to hurt them.” She held her fist up, the back of her hand facing him so he could see some of the scars on it, and shot a spurt of fire out of the knuckle on her middle finger, which formed into the shape of a bird as it flared up. Then, she turned and marched out of the coffee shop.
+
The next day, Kendra returned to the coffee shop, a hood pulled low over her face so she wouldn’t be recognized. She had been practically yelling by the end of her rant yesterday, and she knew every eye in the coffee shop had been on her when she had stormed out. She had no idea what the reaction had been, so she needed to test the waters to see if she could keep going there. She was especially nervous because this place was so close to her heart and she didn’t want to lose it.
She paused outside the shop. They had drawn some new art on the window, which wasn’t very unusual as they changed it up regularly, but this art was different. It was a coffee cup with steam rising out of it, which wasn’t unexpected, but the steam seemed to be in the form of a phoenix, like the one she had formed with her flame yesterday. It was a good sign, but even better was the chalkboard set up outside the shop. It was always there, but since yesterday, someone had added some stick-on rhinestones in a little pattern on the top. It wouldn’t have been significant, but all the jewels were purple, like the amethysts all Unalans and their supporters, known as “Friends,” wore. It made her slightly hopeful, but it wasn’t enough to keep her from covering her face as much as possible when she walked in.
The moment the bell on the door rang, everyone in the shop looked up. It was more crowded than usual, as if all the regulars had decided that particular day and time to stop by. Most were wearing something purple, some more subtle than others, but all purposeful. As she went to the counter, they all went back to what they had been doing, but a lot of them nodded and smiled at her as she passed.
When she got to the counter to order, she noticed that two of the drink names had been changed. A cold drink made with blueberries that had been called the Ambrosia Berry Cooler Drink was now called the Amethyst Berry Cooler Drink, and a coffee drink with chile powder, the Warm Heart Spicy Latte, her personal favorite, was now the Phoenix Fire Latte.
“One of your usual?” the barista, Annie, asked, smiling.
“Yes, please,” Kendra got out her wallet to pay.
Annie shook her head. “It’s on us. Least we could do after your horrible date yesterday.”
Kendra noticed that her name tag was decorated with purple rhinestones. “Thank you,” she said sincerely. “It’s nice to see this much support.”
“Of course! Now go sit down, and we’ll bring your drink to you.” Annie nodded over to Kendra’s usual table, which, despite the unusual crowd of people, was free.
As she walked to her table, more people smiled and nodded at her. She was almost tearing up by now at the incredible show of support from this community. When the barista brought her coffee with a note of support signed by all the other employees of the shop, tears actually welled in her eyes. She had never expected this much solidarity from everyone. It was incredible.
+
A few months later, the coffee shop had changed even more. A lot of the decor was now in various shades of purple, and most of the drinks had been renamed things that had hidden meanings for Unalans. Even the coffee shop itself had gone through a rebranding. Where before it had been The Cozy Coffee Corner, it was now Rebirth Coffee, a change outsiders assumed was an effort to stay “cool” and “hip,” but was really an allusion to the phoenix rising from the ashes, which was how many Unalans viewed their people under Kendra’s leadership. The sign was even a phoenix made of steam rising out of a coffee cup.
The culture of the shop had changed as well. At Kendra’s suggestion, they had hired a new barista who could sense Unalans’ powers, and more Unalans felt safe coming to the shop because of her. Those regulars who didn’t approve of Unalans gradually came to feel that they were not wanted, so they found other shops to visit. The shop didn’t suffer from their loss, however, as many Unalans and Friends saw it on the internet, or just noticed it as they walked by, and, correctly interpreting the hints, realized that this shop was welcoming to those like them and started to visit regularly.
Kendra herself got coffee there every day, and the shop gave her hope. There would always be people like Jered in the world, people who hated and feared Unalans, but there would also be places like this, where Unalans could gather without fear, where they could come together in an actual community. She started to believe even more that her dream would one day come true. Maybe Unalans could get their own territory someday; maybe, eventually, people would stop hating them. But even if that didn’t happen in her lifetime, there would still be havens like this, where people could come together to love and support one another, and where Unalans could truly be free.
---
### High School Short Story Contest – 2nd Place
#### **A City Storm**
By Syndey Tamashasky
The humid air consumed the city, smothering the skyscrapers in an oppressive heat. An angry breeze wrapped itself around the city blocks, causing trees to whistle and dogs to howl. Clouds crammed together in the sky, and the ground underneath darkened. Footsteps quickened, a new sense of urgency filling the streets.
Max watched out the townhouse windows as his father hurried home. Head down, pace quick. He watched others doing the same, their only concern reaching shelter. Averting his eyes from the sidewalk, he noticed the white-throated sparrow perched in a nearby crepe myrtle. Its eyes darted back and forth nervously as it fluffed its gray feathers. It hopped along the myrtle’s branches and watched the people rush by. Suddenly, the door burst open, snapping Max back to attention.
“Max? Linda?” called his father. “Anyone home?”
Max rushed to the front door to greet his father. “I’m home! Hi, Dad.”
“Hey, buddy!” His father ruffled his hair. “I’m glad you’re home, seems like it’s gonna storm real bad.”
Max’s eyes drifted back to the window and fixed on the desolate street.
“So, is your mother home?”
“She’s upstairs.”
The sound of his father’s footsteps echoed through the house before fading. Max scanned the branches of the crepe myrtle, but couldn’t pinpoint where the sparrow had gone. A strong gust of wind swept through the street, shaking the trees with such strength that the pink and orange leaves tumbled out, getting caught in the breeze and carried to the ground.
A young girl jogged down the street, her school bag slung over one shoulder and her jacket lifted over her head. The first drops of rain began to fall. Softly at first, then larger, and more frequent. With a loud crack of thunder, the clouds opened up and rain came crashing to the ground. The girl disappeared around the corner.
“Sounds like it’s started!” Max’s mother said as she and her husband walked into the kitchen.
Max’s gaze remained set outside. He watched in fright as the rain thudded onto the ground, flooding the street. The wind blew stronger and out of the crepe myrtle tumbled a small, soaking-wet sparrow. Max gasped. “Mom! Dad! Look!”
His parents glanced out the window.
“Looks nasty out there,” remarked his father.
Max stayed silent for a minute, watching the little bird try to stand. But the rain cascaded down, imprisoning the sparrow and knocking it to the ground. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the neighborhood stray, Yoshi, darting down the strip of grass next to the sidewalk. Yoshi’s paws landed in the dirt, coating him in a brown paste. He skidded to a halt under the sparrow’s tree, his fur dripping from the rain and mud.
The sky lit up as a bolt of lightning struck the ground. Thunder followed, a deep roar in the sky. The plants drooped with the weight of the rain. A loud crash sounded from the top of the street. Max turned to see the neighbor’s trash cans knocked over, with garbage spilling out and being swept into the gushing water.
“What are you doing, kiddo?” Max heard his mother ask.
“Can’t we go help? There’s trash everywhere and it’s terrible out there!”
His mother shook her head in dismissal. “No, we shouldn’t go outside. Besides, it’s not our problem. People will take care of it.”
“But who?”
“The trash collectors, fire department, whoever,” she said, just as a telephone wire detached from its pole, splitting the wood. It dangled in the air, tossed in every direction by the wind.
Max’s mother left the room. From the kitchen came his parents’ muffled voices.
“What’s up with Max?” asked his father.
“He’s just worried about the storm. Thinks we should do something,” replied his mother.
“Aren’t there people who take care of these things?”
“That’s what I told him.”
They shrugged it off. But Max watched as the clouds began to lighten. As they separated, a rainbow revealed itself. Max tugged on his sneakers and called, “Be right back!” to his parents.
He ran out the door, surveying the damage. He began to make his way to the tree, cautiously, so as not to slip. The door to the brick townhouse across the street opened, and Susie, a girl in his year, came out.
“Max!” she called.
He waved in response, his face scrunched in concentration.
Susie walked over to him and gasped. “Yoshi!” She scooped the cat up and ran her palm over his head until he began to purr. “I’m going to get him clean,” she stated, before turning to go back to her house.
Max lifted his head and realized that all the children on his street had begun to come out. Up the street, the twins were collecting the trash. The girl with the backpack joined them, trash bag in hand. An older boy was on the phone with the electrical repair company, and Susie was now on her doormat with Yoshi, drying him with a soft pink towel. Max smiled to himself and knelt in the mud. He found the sparrow chirping under a clump of wet leaves, cupped it in his hands, and lifted it up. He wiped the dirt off its wings and carried it over to his steps to dry.
The door cracked open and his parents stood there. “What’s going on out here?” they asked.
“It looks better!” remarked his father. He paused. “We would’ve helped if we’d known we could, you know?”
Max just shrugged and smiled at him. He looked over his shoulder at the children who had stepped up. Then he turned back to his parents. “We’ve got this.”
---
### High School Short Story Contest – 3rd Place
#### **The Arm-Wrestling Match**
By Noah Grosberg
It was a very big day for the Birmingham Elementary third graders. Today was the day that Archie Wood𑁋a strong and pale boy, who was by far the most popular in the grade𑁋and Kirin Acharya𑁋a flimsy lad of Pakistani descent, who was quite shy, to say the least, have the famed arm wrestle that all of the children in the third grade had been waiting for, for over a week.
Last Tuesday, during lunch hours, all of the third grade (which was only 43 students) participated in an arm-wrestling tournament led by none other than the strawberry-blond, Archie Wood. The tournament had lasted for two days, with Archie Wood winning and winning and winning. Archie would prance around the linoleum floors of the cafeteria, flexing his biceps in triumph after each victory. Many of the other boys, and a couple of girls, would follow Archie from table to table, marveling at Archie’s brute strength and pulsating purple vein in his right bicep.
If you could not tell already, Archie was a very proud boy. He was proud of his strength. He was proud of his height, for he was the tallest in the grade, if only by half an inch. And he was proud of his golden curls which he said resembled those of Aquaman’s hair perfectly.
An arm-wrestling tournament was an event nothing out of the ordinary for the third graders of Birmingham Elementary, or any third graders for that matter. I’m sure you remember a time in your adolescence when everything was about seeing who was the fastest, the strongest, the tallest, and the smartest. This was no different for Archie and his classmates. Just a month before the arm wrestling, the third graders had raced from the football net to the jungle gym, again created by Archie and won by him. Although some whispered behind Archie’s back claiming he was too boastful and perhaps a little conceited, they could not deny the boy’s strength and brilliant ideas of fun.
So, Archie continued to win and continued to move on from one child to the next. However, Kirin Acharya was the only one who refused to participate in the tournament, but nobody really cared because he was so unpopular. That was at least until Archie had beaten 41 of the 42 other students.
On Thursday, Archie had strutted across the cafeteria, with his little gang of admirers following at his heels, asking who he had beaten in the arm wrestling. Of course, Archie knew, but it was just another way to assert his glory and show off to the girls. He was a king, a pioneer, an emperor, and Archie had just conquered the grade, at least he thought.
Archie went to every table and asked every child until he came to Kirin who was sitting by himself, eating a turkey and cheese sandwich on whole wheat bread, and reading a comic book about Spider-Man, a character he admired dearly.
Now, you must understand that Archie was not a nasty boy at heart. He just liked to get what he wanted. Pompous and overbearing, yes. Unpleasant at times, but Archie was not mean and nasty, at least not most of the time. This time, however, Archie may have crossed the line.
“Kirin, have I beaten you in an arm wrestle yet?” Archie said in an obnoxious tone as he tapped Kirin on the shoulder
Kirin, who was very surprised to be spoken to by Archie, just mumbled and stuttered. Kirin couldn’t think of the last time Archie had spoken to him. Why was he speaking to him now? Now, many of the other kids in the grade, in addition to Arhcie’s little gang, had gathered around Kirin’s table, watching him with scrutiny.
Kirin finally said quietly, “Uh..uh. I-I don’t know.”
“What d’ya mean you don’t know? We either wrestled or we didn’t,” Archie hissed, now starting to get annoyed. Archie didn’t have time to argue with someone so irrelevant and unimportant as Kirin.
Kirin just sat there and took a bite of his sandwich. Unfortunately for him, a bit of mustard had smeared onto his chin, and the other children snickered.
“Kirin, mate, have ‘ya lost your marbles? I think he has.” Archie jeered to no one in particular. Archie was a crowd-pleaser and his followers laughed at this.
“Answer the question, man,” Oliver, Archie’s best friend, shouted.
Kirin began to quiver and his almond-brown eyes started to water. Finally, Kirin looked up and said shyly, “I don’t think I have, but I really don’t want to. ”
“Bloody hell mate. Ya don’t have an option. I want to be the arm wrestling champion of the grade, and that means I must beat everyone in the grade, so ya must wrestle,” Archie roared.
“I said I don’t wanna. You’ve beaten everyone else. Isn’t that enough?” Kirin whispered. He looked up to meet Archie’s cold blue eyes. That look was as an answer as any.
“You must arm wrestle,” all of the children shouted in excitement.
A small tear grew at the bottom of his right eye. Kirin was about to lift his arm to wrestle when a voice rang over the intercom, calling Kirin to the office. Kirin was relieved to remember that he had a dentist appointment that afternoon.
Kirin quickly rushed from the cafeteria, but not before Archie yelled, “We wrestle after school, in the back alley next Friday. Ya better be there.”
When Archie got into his sister’s Ford Puma, he began to cry. It was only Maya’s second day back home from University for the winter holidays, and now her younger brother who had been so cheerful, since she arrived, was crying in her backseat. Maya asked Kirin what was going and Kirin told her the whole story. He knew he could always count on his sister to know what to do in difficult situations like this one.
“That conceited bastard,” Maya said aloud when Kirin had finished telling her the story. “Archie Wood…his brother was in my grade, Trenton Wood. Also a conceited and pompous bastard. He always pranced around in a turtleneck, boasting about his A-Level results.”
Archie had stopped crying by this point and laughed a little. He loved how his sister was not afraid to express her opinion about anything to anyone. He trusted her advice the most out of everyone, except maybe his parents.
“You know what you have to do, Kirin? You just gotta not arm wrestle him. Don’t give him the satisfaction of victory.”
“Hey!” Archie said defensively, “What makes you think I can’t win?”
Maya laughed. “You look like a stick, Kir. I’m not trying to be mean. It’s just a fact, but you’ll get bigger. You just gotta give it time,” she said not in a mean way, but rather lovingly.
Kirin hung his head dejectedly but knew it was true.
“I guess so,” Kirin said, “But then everyone will just make fun of me for wimping out. I don’t know if I can not do the arm wrestle.”
“It won’t matter in the long run. Nobody’s gonna remember this in a couple of weeks. Just trust me. Don’t give in. Don’t give that little bastard the satisfaction.”
Archie nodded but wasn’t so sure about what his sister had said. That kind of humiliation of backing down would certainly last a lifetime, he thought.
That night, Kirin decided to not take his sister’s advice. The embarrassment of not participating would be too much to bear. Anyway, he was the underdog. If he lost, no one would be surprised. He had nothing to lose.
Kirin spent the next week preparing for the match. He found his dad’s old resistance bands in the closet and did curls with them. He locked the door to his room and did pushups and situps on the carpet while listening to “Eye of the Tiger.” Kirin envisioned a victory and the shocked faces of his classmates when he pinned Archie’s hand to the table. Maybe, just maybe, Kirin could pull off the unthinkable.
It was now Friday, the fateful day of the arm wrestling match. A little wooden table was set outside in the grubby back alley, in the middle of two scraped stools. Soon, the bell rang, marking the school day’s end and the third graders dashed to the alley to watch the arm wrestling match. It had just rained only 30 minutes ago, so puddles filled the alley, but none of the children cared. Although their trainers would get wet, and although the alley smelled faintly of vomit, all of the third graders were there to watch the much-anticipated match.
Archie walked through the crowd of children grinning rather cockily. He had rolled up the sleeves of his uniform to his elbows, and now took off his tie and handed it to one of his friends. Kirin ambled about 10 feet behind Archie, eyes fixed on the wet asphalt. He had trained for a whole week for this moment but did not feel ready.
The boys took their spots on each side of the table, Archie with triumph already bright in his eyes and Kirin wearing a timid frown. Right behind the table, Oliver stood and procured a whistle, ready to referee the match.
Everyone leaned in with great eagerness, even though they knew that Archie was going to win. It was undeniable. Victory for Archie was inevitable. Bets were placed, and a few hopefuls placed a couple of pounds on the underdog, hoping to win big. But there was just no way that Kirin would win.
However, every person, whether they’re British or Scottish or Welsh, or even American, has a bit of resilience and internal strength that can be someone else’s physical strength. That was what Kirin was thinking at the very second before the match began. Kirin had read David vs. Goliath just the night before and envisioned himself as David fighting Archie. It could be a Cinderella story, like Luton beating Man City, Kirin thought as Oliver’s whistle pierced the air. He could do this.
Kirin and Archie gripped hands, biceps straining, and tried to force the other boy’s arm to the table. Each boy’s knuckles whitened in the strain of the moment.
“I can do this,” Kirin yelled in his mind. In a way, he felt he had won just being there.
This, however, is no fairy tale, and certainly not a Cinderella story. There was a brief struggle and Archie pinned Kirin’s arm to the table. The spectators cheered, and Archie stood up victorious. Kirin had been defeated to no one’s surprise.
---
### High School Short Story Contest – Honorable Mention
#### **Hydrangeas**
By Juniper Sohn
I grew a sunflower in kindergarten for a class project. It grew and it grew and it grew in my backyard garden until it was taller than my parents. It loomed over my head until it was gone one morning. I rushed to my mother, swearing that someone must’ve stolen it. She took my hand in hers, and gently showed me its fallen corpse, buried in a flurry of tall grass. I couldn’t see it until she lifted up the head against the light coloring of my house.
I watched lavenders in my middle school gardens grow during classes. I loved when the rooms were right above them, especially if my seat was by the windows. As I spectated the small budded flowers spread throughout the grass, they slowly faded. By my second graduation, I had to sit by the edges of the wooden fence to see them. I don’t think anyone watered them enough.
I passed by the same bunch of flowers when I went to high school every morning. They were tulips. I could tell by the shape of their petals and how they fell around each other. Sometimes it was hard to tell how many there were. I saw four when I began high school. There were only two when I graduated. I found out there were actually six before I left for university. I never saw the others wither. Maybe they blended into the sidewalk.
I decided to grow an orchid when I went to college. It stayed perched on top of my dorm desk. I watered it every day and tried my best to take care of it. I liked orchids because they don’t blend in with everything else. They stand alone. My roommate and I were close then. Sophomore year, she knocked the orchid over while making out with her boyfriend. I couldn’t find it from the dirt it was lying in for a minute too long. I don’t like them anymore—the flower or my roommate.
In my second year of college, I decided to study art. My subjects were almost never people; they were predominantly flowers. Sketching was easy enough—just outline the shapes I’ve noticed since I could comprehend sight. Pointed ovals for the petals, thin skeleton-like cylinders for stems, and varying oval or circle shapes for leaves depending on the species. Painting was another thing entirely. The tones become muddy if I blend too much, the lines unsalvageable, colors sporadic and nonsensical. For some reason, this matured nicely into my signature, my style. A sort of abstract wonderland of colors that didn’t make any sense with the objects they were paired with. Suddenly, my paintings boomed, catching the attention of an art professor and his network. I wasn’t sure if this was a blessing or a curse, but I suppose, as long as I could earn good money, it didn’t matter.
I had earned enough after an especially successful exhibit when I moved out from home for the last two years of college and a few years after that. I bought a lot of plants and flowers for my new apartment. They took up half of the living room, next to my sliding glass door that led to a balcony of even more greenery. It was my own household museum. I was the curator. Dark, light, mid-toned, dark, light, mid-toned, dark. As long as this pattern wasn’t interrupted, I could see them. Each and every one. I painted them from a variety of angles and arrangements to later be displayed in my public exhibits.
I started seeing her three years after I started publishing my art. We met at one of my exhibitions of a collection that I’d personally attended—I enjoyed after graduation freed my schedule of rigorous school projects and exams. She loved my work, asking about where I got my inspiration. I told her the truth: my plants. I had seen other people before, of course, but they had gotten tired of my obsessions with flowers, my obsession with work. But she—she was obsessed too. The first night together I watched her skin contrast with the roses covering my bedroom wall. She was beautiful. She told me I was too, as her eyes stared into my soul. Did I love her? I forgot about the roses that night.
She moved in a year later. The boxes overcrowded the living room, fighting with my plants for territory. I felt shy about them for the first time then. I apologized for the cramped space. I was ready to throw the lilies out of my balcony. She pet my head, making my tidied hair into a stringy mess. I didn’t mind. She told me it was alright. She told me she liked it. She told me she loved me.
I told her I loved her the next Valentine’s Day. We had gotten rid of some of the plants. Not all of them, not even the majority. Just a few, to make room for our dancing at night, with the best records, spinning on our turntable, lights off, the moon shining like a disco ball. We went out for a dinner date. But it rained and we didn’t bring an umbrella, and the restaurant we wanted to go to needed a reservation and we didn’t know. It was a disaster. I told her I was sorry, probably a million times, but she only laughed, took my hand, and led me to the nearest floral shop. She told me to pick out a flower, any flower. I stood there for a while, taking in the various shapes and sizes, until I picked a potted lipstick plant. It looked whimsical—like her. After we bought it, we ran like madmen through the rain and to our apartment. She helped take care of it.
She asked me to marry her two and a half years later. It wasn’t exactly a surprise, but it was close enough. I suppose if you’ve been with someone that long, you’d know if they’re planning an engagement. She took me to my favorite floral shop the week before, and asked for my favorite plant. Hydrangeas. The colors change based on the soil’s pH. Purple and pink and blue, mixing like confetti and paint. They’re supposed to be beautiful, and when I explained this to her I told her that I wanted nothing else but to be able to see it. She looked at me sadly, then. So sad it was almost endearing. So, she bought me a hydrangea, and coincidentally, there was a jewelry shop on the way home from the shop. She begged me to go in with her. We looked through the rows and rows of rings. She was so fixated on them, I found it hilarious how serious she was taking it. I told her I liked one ring, with the metal brought up and shaped like petals around a small gem. She nodded vigorously. The next week she proposed to me in our living room as the sun was setting, bathing us in a vivid curtain of light. She opened the ring box and revealed the ring I picked out. I kissed her, smiling ever so softly. She pulled back, asking what my answer was. I noted a hint of panic in her tone, and laughed. *Yes*.
She gave me the glasses a year after we eloped. We got married in the local courthouse. After it was over, I asked her if it was really okay not to hold a wedding with a ceremony and a reception and months of planning. She said she was saving for something, and we could have the wedding later. What could have been so important to buy? It’s an investment, she said. Looking back, I feel a bit bad, but she knew what she was doing. I can’t really blame her. I can’t even blame myself. I can only blame the hydrangeas. She handed them to me in a box during sunset again, in the living room again, surrounded by flowers again. I asked if this was another proposal, and she laughed, telling me to just open it. I examined the shiny black leather, the gold letters that spelled “OSMO.” When I lifted the latch, I was confused. I already have reading glasses. I already have sunglasses. I looked up, and her hands were clasped under her chin, excitement exuding from her expression. She told me to put them on. Slowly, she cautioned. Hurry, she urged.
I saw her for the first time then. I saw her coral lips, peach skin, tan eyes with blue and green frilled around the edges, brown hair dyed a dark red with the roots grown in. I saw it all. Look around, she said. As I turned my head slowly, I took in the shades of green covering a fourth of the room, the bright yellow fading into a gradient of orange and pink and red scrambling through the window, the varying purples, blues, browns, yellows, reds, pinks, white, black. The shapes and sizes were suddenly unimportant, mushing together into a magnificent watercolor painting in my eyes as tears streamed down my face. She put her hands around my face to be parallel to hers. It’s overwhelming, I know. She was crying too. You’re beautiful, I whispered. We kissed and wept and loved each other; and when I woke up the next morning, I left her in the bedsheets to put on the glasses and face my hydrangeas on the balcony. One was green in the center and purple around the edges. The other transcended from swirls of light blue to deep shades of pink.
We held the ceremony six months after that. The venue was held outside in a fairytale-like garden, with bunches of varied flowers hung in an arch shape over the altar and stringed soft yellow lights following our guests and us from the thin, unpredictable ivy-green and walnut branches of the trees surrounding it. She went first with her father at the cue of the music, and as I prepared for my entry, I could feel my chest warm from the friction of my rapid heartbeat. I took a deep breath and pushed up my ironically black glasses to fit better over my eyes. I had to see all of this. I walked down a couple minutes after, by myself, over the stone path, never departing my eyes from my wife. God, she’s beautiful. Her ivory dress framed her in such a glorious manner, everything else ebbed away into the background as I got closer. I clutched my bouquet of vibrant, red-orange lipstick flowers, dripping tears while we read our vows and put our rings on each other’s fingers. When we kissed, she threw her bouquet, pulled my waist to hers, and met my lips with such colorful magic I knew then that I had surely been enchanted by her. As we prepared for reception, we walked back up the aisle, fingers intertwined. On the red carpet behind us, hydrangeas remained.
---
### High School Short Story Contest – Honorable Mention
#### **Protocol 7**
By Kalina Peterson
An alarm blared across Creya’s consciousness, and she stirred, knowing what the sound meant, but not quite ready to acknowledge it.
“Time to wake up Creya,” whispered a slightly motherly voice, right in her ear.
Creya let out a small moan and stretched. “Ugh Lexie, why?”
“Umm, school? Remember?”
“Oh.” Creya promptly turned around and face-planted into her pillow.
“Creya,” Lexie said warningly. “Do I have to initiate Protocol 7?”
“NO! No, no no. I’m up, I’m up.” Creya thrust aside her covers and hopped out of bed. “See?”
Lexie laughed. “That’s what I thought.”
Creya glanced at the tiny device in her ear, which held her personal AI Lexie. She wondered how she’d gotten to the point in her life where a tiny AI got her out of bed and wide awake at the mere mention of Protocol 7. She had only experienced it twice since she’d gotten her iPro, and it was not something she wanted to relive anytime soon. Protocol 7 was an override program installed by the government, where the AI could take any measures necessary to have citizens keep the law. And since citizens were forbidden to remove the AI, Protocol 7 could get pretty ugly, pretty fast.
Sighing, Creya quickly made her bed in the military style her dad had taught her. Stomping over to her dresser, she plucked out a pair of black cargo pants and a gray T-shirt. Then she grabbed her green camo jacket, gaze lingering on the worn cuffs and slightly faded colors.
The jacket had once been her brother’s before he had been drafted for the war. He had given it to Creya when he had to trade it in for his military uniform. Creya hadn’t seen him ever since. She shrugged it on and sat on the edge of her bed, pulling on some socks.
Standing up, Creya walked down the stairs, grinning as she caught her first glimpse of the kitchen. It was decorated with pink and red streamers, and a banner that read “Happy Birthday Lia” was strewn across the wall. Two birthday presents sat under a triage of balloons, and a stack of pancakes sat right next to it.
Lia, Creya’s now 6-year-old sister, sat at the table gobbling down some pancakes.
“Happy birthday!” Creya said, sitting beside her sister and pulling up a chair.
“Thanks!” Lia said through her breakfast.
Their dad, Lieutenant Venten, strode into the room, his uniform immaculately pressed and clean. “Lia! Happy birthday.”
“Daddy!” Lia ran towards him. He caught her and spun her around, laughing. She giggled and he set her down, squatting down so he was at her eye level.
“Are you excited?” he exclaimed.
“Super excited. I’m one of the first kindergarteners to get their iPro!”
“I’ll bet you are. So, do you have any idea what—” He cut off and looked straight ahead, standing up. “Incoming call,” he muttered. “sorry.”
He brought a hand to his black iPro and switched on his mike. “Yes, sir.” He paused to listen to whoever was on the other side. Creya and Lia shared a glance. “I’m moving to a discreet location now, sir.”
He gave his daughters a quick wave before stalking off down the hallway towards his office.
Creya boarded the school bus, choosing a seat near the front. She set down her backpack and, out of reflex, reached for the seatbelt, but then realized that it wasn’t there. After self-driving automobiles came out, the government made it mandatory for all vehicles to be self-driving. So, seatbelts weren’t needed anymore because car crashes became a thing of the past.
The bus started up and Creya gazed out the window, watching as apartment buildings sped by. Occasionally, she’d see a tree or two on the street, but nowadays, most gardens were on the roofs of the apartment buildings. As they sped by, Creya glimpsed multiple ads for the latest iPro model. War advertisements littered the streets, each one motivating young men to join the army and fight for their country. Occasionally, Creya would spot a Wanted poster for Alan Cypher, the most dangerous criminal in the nation.
From what the wanted ad claimed, he was an abolitionist, and he had been terrorizing the country for more than four years. He was the leader of a group of rebels that had been fighting the government for years. The attacks had gotten worse as he grew up, making him smarter, stronger, and faster. The government tried to cover up the damage that had ensued from his attacks, but some were harder to hide than others. One time, Cypher had blown up an entire fleet of military jets and got away clean. The government was still scrambling to figure out how he did it.
His wanted poster seemed like some sort of joke. The picture of what he looked like was just an extremely blurred photo of him running. Nobody had been able to make out any of his features, so the probability of citizens identifying him was pretty low. The reward for information about him varied, depending on how useful the information was, but the reward for bringing him in was enough to feed any citizen for a lifetime.
Creya leaned away from the window and sighed. Hopefully, Cypher would be caught soon.
Hours later, Creya sat on a bench at the bus stop after school, waiting for the bus that wouldn’t come for at least another twenty minutes. Lexie was quizzing her so she could study for the history test on Friday.
“What did the 53rd Amendment do?”
“It made self-driving cars mandatory.”
“Good,” said Lexie approvingly. “How did President Miachels solve the American housing problem?”
“He signed the Vertical Housing Act, which required all buildings to be at least three stories high and have a basement. It also cleared out a lot of rural land and replaced it with apartment buildings.”
“And?” Lexie prodded. “What else?”
Creya bit her lip. “Uh… it moved many farms onto rooftops?”
“Nope.” Lexie corrected crisply. “President Micheals ordered all of the—”
Lexie cut off abruptly.
Creya paused, waiting for the AI to finish her sentence. No audio came.
“Lexie?” She asked cautiously, tapping her iPro. No response. “Lexie, are you there?”
Nothing.
Creya’s brow furrowed. This had never happened before. The AIs never faltered. Confused, she tapped her iPro again. It couldn’t be broken, could it? And it couldn’t be an internet crash, all iPro’s ran on the government’s server. But why would the AI not respond? Creya couldn’t think of any plausible reason for Lexie’s disappearance.
Fear clutched at Creya’s throat. What if the government thought she had purposely disabled her AI? She could be thrown in prison!
“Lexie?” Creya asked frantically. “Where are you? What’s going on?”
Again, nothing. Creya racked her brain trying to figure out what she could do to get her AI back online. She didn’t dare take it out and inspect it, then she would certainly be breaking the law. The iPro didn’t come with a reset button, mainly because the government didn’t want people tampering with the device.
Creya glanced around hoping nobody else would realize that her AI was offline. But when she looked up, she was shocked. Time had seemed to stop. Everyone that had been walking purposefully to go about their business had stalled. Many stood still with confused and terrified expressions clear on their faces. And almost every voice seemed to be saying their AI’s name.
“Emma?”
“Mike?”
“Daniel?”
“Hunter?”
“What’s going on?”
“Layla?”
“Is this a prank?”
“Susan? Where are you?”
It slowly dawned on Creya that not only had her AI stopped working, but everyone’s iPro had seemed to crash. Nobody seemed sure what to do. The government had explained that, in an emergency, the AIs would explain what to do, or relay government messages to the public, so everyone was safe in an emergency. But the government had never explained what to do if the AIs crashed.
Creya swallowed nervously. What should she do? She couldn’t contact her dad, she couldn’t call for help, she wasn’t sure where the nearest safe location was, she didn’t know how to get home, she wasn’t even sure if the school was open so she could ask a teacher.
Looking around, Creya spotted yet another impossibility. The cars and trucks speeding on the road in front of her slowed, then stopped.
Every. Single. One.
Creya stood up to look at the road further ahead. Again, all the auto cars slowed, then stopped. The occupants seemed shocked. Automobiles never stopped unless they were at the desired location. Creya whipped her head around and stared at the street behind her. All the auto cars there had stopped too.
People slowly began filing out of the cars and buses, unsure what had happened. From the bewildered and panicked looks on their faces, Creya could tell that their AI had stopped working too.
Something flickered in the corner of her vision, and Creya turned, finding that all the TV screens showing ads were flickering. Some cut out into static. Others flicked back and forth from the ad, to a blank screen. A couple of gasps and shouts started. People pointed and whispered at the flickering screens, marveling at yet a third impossibility. Since when did TV screens all cut out at once? Then, suddenly all the billboards, all the TVs.
A teenage boy, probably a couple of years Creya’s senior, stood in front of the camera. He had dark brown hair and caramel eyes. His face was bloody and bruised, his nose crooked from what looked like a punch. He wore a black jacket with a singular white stripe on the sleeve. But most frightening of all, he had no iPro in his ear. Creya gasped as she realized who the young man must be.
Alan Cypher.
“Citizens of the US!” he cried. “My name is Alan Cypher, and, though many of you know me as a criminal, I want you to see that what our rebellion is doing is right! The government has been controlling you! The AIs, friends you trusted, monitor your every move, your every choice! You have no freedom. Your life is being controlled by a robot!”
“Your privacy has been stripped away the moment you first put on your iPro. The government has access to all of your legal and personal information. Our lead scientist investigated the device you all wear right now. It records every word you have ever said and sends it to the government. People of the US, stand with us! Realize that what the government has done is wrong and fight against it.
“This used to be a country of freedom and choice, where citizens had the right to privacy. Let’s make it that way again.”
Alan raised a hand, in it lay a black iPro.
“This used to control my life,” he said. Then he curled his fingers into a fist and smashed it, the CRUNCH of a broken iPro echoing across the streets. He looked straight into the camera. “Don’t let it control yours too.”
The feed cut out, leaving all the ad screens black.
The crowd stood in stunned silence.
Nobody seemed sure quite what to do. No one near Creya seemed brave enough to take the first step. Everyone either stared at the black screens in shock or glanced at the people around them, unsure how they would react if they decided to remove the convoluted device.
Creya’s mind was racing. Had it all really been a trick? Lexie had acted like her friend, but all along she had been sending everything to the government. Every message she sent, every call she made, every conversation, every minute of her life had been shown to people she didn’t know.
Creya felt like she could see clearly for the first time. How could she not have seen this? She had no control over life, and as if that wasn’t bad enough, the reason was a device she had willingly kept in her ear for eight years. Creya felt more afraid than she ever had in her life, yet somehow she knew that the decision she was about to make was the right one.
The lack of movement and sound seemed suffocating.
Her hand shaking, Creya slowly reached toward her iPro. Then it all went wrong.
Then the pain started. Pain she had only felt twice before.
Protocol 7.
It came in waves, each one more powerful than the one before. Creya cried out and tried to identify where the pain was coming from. She was tingling all over, like her entire body had fallen asleep. Each wave of pain was like an electrical shock. Then it began to fade, first in her head. Then her neck. shoulders, elbows, hands, hips, knees, feet. It was all gone. She was numb. She couldn’t move. The ground rushed up towards her and seconds later she realized she was lying sideways on the sidewalk.
She hadn’t felt the impact.
The noise sounded in her ear, loud enough to make her want to cry. Gunshots, train horns, doors slamming, trumpets playing sour notes, sirens wailing. Her head throbbed painfully. Tears filled her vision. She tried to blink it away, but she couldn’t. She couldn’t feel anything. Blobs lay on the ground beside her. Creya panicked as she realized they were the people who had been with her at the bus stop.
Protocol 7 had been initiated for everyone.
Creya tried to cry out for help, but she couldn’t move her lips. She couldn’t feel them. Trying to stem her rising panic, Creya began counting the seconds. Seven hundred fifty-three seconds had passed when Creya heard a strange sound. Jet engines. Faintly, she heard a hatch opening and footsteps approaching. Ears straining, Creya tried once more to cry out for help, but it was in vain.
The footsteps stopped a good distance away and someone sighed. “A shame, I know. But it had to be done.” the voice said. It sounded male.
“Sir? What should we do with the bodies?”
Creya felt a surge of hope. That was her dad’s voice! He’d see her and take her home. Relief washed over her, it felt like the first thing good that had happened in hours.
“Send battalions to return citizens to their homes. Tech support is working on sending out a nationwide memory wipe, by the time the numbness wears off, no one will remember Cypher’s message.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Thankfully, we were able to trace the feed from the rebels. I’ve sent out troops to scour that area, they should be reporting back soon. Once I get that report, I want you to head to the area and see if you can find anything.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Good.” A sigh came again. “Truly a shame. But it had to be done, for the good of the country.” the man said.
“Yes, sir.”
---
### High School Short Story Contest – Honorable Mention
#### **The Knight**
By Naomi Bortnick
A bench. Black swirly armrests, long wooden braces holding up a man and his chess set. His name is Jason. He went to the park to play, with whom he didn’t know. Yet.
The sparrows sing; kites dot the clear blue sky; the flowers slowly open up to the start of spring. The pigeons peck at the crust of the sandwich that the children forget to eat. People laugh, people grieve, people live.
That’s what happens at the park.
He comes here every day, his place to think. To watch. To reflect. To learn. He’s at the age where there are regrets, but he doesn’t dwell. Life’s too short for that.
He brings the chess set, hoping someone will sit down and play. Like how he did when he was a child.
Like when he met Lance. The closest friend he’s ever made in his life.
But then he moved his rook too fast and lost him. Forever.
The old man closes his eyes, reaching for the familiar memory. Lance’s smile, a glowing rainbow on a rainy day. His freckles, dotting his nose and rosy cheeks. The old man remembers brushing each one, and with each touch, Lance would reward with a bubble of laughter.
He opens his eyes. A child is learning how to ride a bike in the park, her father running after her as she practices leaving the security of the training wheels. He is with her the whole time, won’t allow anything to happen to her. The old man remembers learning how to ride a bike for the first time. His father was also running with him, down the neighborhood road. He fell, scraped up his knee, tears spilling down his face. His father comforted him that day, absorbed some of the pain. Why did that have to change? His father wasn’t there for him later, not when he confessed.
Lance, his deep brown skin, wavy curls falling over his eyes. The man Jason loved, but didn’t disobey his father for. The man Jason kissed many times, but pushed away when his father pushed back.
The man Jason thought he was protecting.
*They were in Jason’s room, talking. Playing chess. Laughing. One of Lance’s brown curls fell over his eyes, and Jason took it between his fingers and tucked it behind his ear. He kept his hand there for a moment, cupping Lance’s face, tracing his thumb over Lance’s dimple that appeared whenever he smiled.*
*Jason’s bedroom door opens. His dad barges in.*
*“Jason, I need you to–” Jason jerks his hand away from Lance’s face, but Jason’s father had already seen enough. Lance’s dimple disappears. Jason’s stomach drops; his heart rate accelerates.*
*“Get the hell out of my house.” Jason’s father’s firm, quiet voice rings loudly in Jason’s ears. Lance stands up and walks out, head lowered. Jason peers up at his father’s icy stare, his bottom lip trembling.*
*He shakes his head, jaw clenched. What his father whispers next stabs Jason like a sword.*
*“Disgrace.”*
*Jason curls up on his bed. His body won’t stop shaking, his mind won’t stop racing, his tears won’t stop pouring. He squeezes his eyes shut as his emotions swarm him like bees.*
*Each a painful, lasting sting that Jason will always remember.*
A couple is sitting on the bench next to the old man. Their dog is running around, chasing after the sticks they throw. Lance had a dog. A big gray husky, icy blue eyes, always hyper. They used to walk her every morning before school started, even when they were forced to wake up before the sun rose. But after that day, Jason didn’t meet Lance outside his house anymore. Jason ignored the smile Lance gave when they passed each other. Jason would only steal a glance when no one was looking.
The old man sits on the bench, staring mournfully at his chess set. Someone else joins him. A hand moves a pawn up two squares. The old man looks up, and gasps. A familiar face, bright brown eyes, gray curls falling onto his forehead. Freckles dotting his nose and cheeks. Brown skin containing the wrinkles of old age, a bright smile.
“Your move, Jason.”
---
For more information on the Local Writer’s Showcase, please visit <https://www.bethesda.org/bethesda/localwriters>
**Categories:** Uncategorized
---
### [Bethesda Local Writer's Showcase: 2024 Adult Poetry Contest](https://writer.org/adult-poetry-contest-2024/)
**Published:** June 26, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
---
### Adult Poetry Contest – 1st Place
#### **Chinatown**
By May-Mei Lee – Alexandria, Virginia
On 7th street,
before the fire,
there was a restaurant,
the one with the roast pork in the window
next to the Walgreens that used to be a CVS that used to be a Peoples Drug that used to be
the knick-knack store that displayed the musical pencil case I coveted,
where the cooks knew my parents,
so tossed in extra pineapple buns.
The Chinese sign tells me it will be *Owl Restaurant*.
*Hooters* – intentionally lost in translation.
---
### Adult Poetry Contest – 2nd Place
#### **The Mothers**
By Taylor Franson Thiel – Springfield, Virginia
Of whom we know nothing.[\[1\]](#_ftn1)
Of whom we do not even know the birthplace.[\[2\]](#_ftn2)
Of whom we know almost nothing. 56 years, one town.[\[3\]](#_ftn3)
Of whom we know almost nothing. Outlived her husband.[\[4\]](#_ftn4)
Of whom we know very little. Outlived her daughter.[\[5\]](#_ftn5)
Of whom we know very little. Witnessed two centuries from one town.[\[6\]](#_ftn6)
Of whom we know even less. Daughter of Peder. Strong Dane Kvinde.[\[7\]](#_ftn7)
All we know of her: shaved headed mohawk woman. Lost her baby on the boat to America.[\[8\]](#_ftn8)
A midwife against the dangers of long dresses. Tripping hazard. Harder to run.[\[9\]](#_ftn9)
A way her obituary betrayed her: a name like Birdie, yet they called her Mrs. John.[\[10\]](#_ftn10)
Hair like her beehive state. Honey-stunning. The first time I’ve ever loved my nose.[\[11\]](#_ftn11)
Called abuser, called angel. Called, most importantly quiltmaker. Steady hands regardless.[\[12\]](#_ftn12)
A teacher, seeking pianohands in every crowd. Refused to hit her children. Cyclestopper.[\[13\]](#_ftn13)
She wants only for you to know she loves me.[\[14\]](#_ftn14)
---
[\[1\]](#_ftnref1) Inger (1610-1664)
[\[2\]](#_ftnref2) Maren (1634-1700)
[\[3\]](#_ftnref3) Ane (1674-1720)
[\[4\]](#_ftnref4) Anna (1710-1788)
[\[5\]](#_ftnref5) Marie (1740-1831)
[\[6\]](#_ftnref6) Johanne (1770-1830)
[\[7\]](#_ftnref7) Marie (1793-1866)
[\[8\]](#_ftnref8) Karen Johanne (1831-1853)
[\[9\]](#_ftnref9) Ane Cecilie (1858-1955)
[\[10\]](#_ftnref10) Carrie Birdie (1884-1958)
[\[11\]](#_ftnref11) Laura (1908-1992)
[\[12\]](#_ftnref12) Emma VerNae (1931-2021)
[\[13\]](#_ftnref13) Susan (1952-)
[\[14\]](#_ftnref14) Jenny (1975-)
---
### Adult Poetry Contest – 3rd Place
#### **Spring Comes to the Iowa River**
By Gary Stein – Silver Spring, Maryland
In early March
ice moans
as a boy skids and skates
testing the surface.
An old man stands
in ruffled grass
on the last edge
of winter wondering
if the mud sucking
his shoes means ice
may soon surrender
its secret to sunlight.
How many hours, how
much heat can it bear
before cracking starts,
before white sheets shoot
the air? Should he yell
the boy in? Must he belly
crawl out with a long stick
to pull the young fool,
numb as a fish,
from the cold, wet maw
of the world? Or trust
and just go home to warmth
and let the lone boy
melt into the thin ice
of memory, laughing
at the wind’s punch
while the river moans
like a humpback whale
or a mourning mother,
washing over them both.
---
### Adult Poetry Contest – Honorable Mention
#### **Grief in Diptych: A Golden Shovel after Emily Dickinson**
By Emma Berver – Arlington, Virginia
***This golden shovel uses the line “I measure every grief I meet” from the poem with the same name by Emily Dickinson. Each line ends with a word in this phrase.***
my chest, flung open like a locket, thrums and I
feel you — still beating like hummingbird wings. each measure
I take to quiet you breathes weightlessly, a hollow bone. every
pang comes to me as a diptych, a two-fold grief:
the birds, perching hungrily on empty feeders, while I
deal double solitaire out of habit, the card’s edges refusing to meet.
---
### Adult Poetry Contest – Honorable Mention
#### **Sproutling**
By Susie Chen – Potomac, Maryland
Wee little seed.
Tiny
miracle.
Tucked in a blanket of water.
A head has formed,
reaching for the sky.
Only wanting to thrive.
Give it
Nourishment,
Warmth,
Love,
and Hope
it grows up
Healthy,
Strong,
Resilient,
Happy.
Watching, caring, waiting, nurturing
for its simple
Blossom.
---
### Adult Poetry Contest – Honorable Mention
#### **I come from . . .**
By Kyi May Kaung – Chevy Chase, Maryland
I come from – dried chilies and dust
I come from stupas gilded with real gold.
I come from – people shot on the street.
I come from – child soldiers.
I come from – rape as a weapon of war.
I come from – nothing but fish paste and broken rice to eat.
I come from crows and sparrows shot and netted for food.
I come from dengue hemorrhagic fever
I come from all my friends and relatives — dead.
All my students – disappeared.
My professors – lost.
I come from – everything – state-owned.
I come from – soldiers — everywhere.
I come from — no more — universities.
I come from elephantiasis
Money not worth the paper — it’s printed on.
I come from her six foot son come home in a five foot coffin.
I come from – hello goodbye
*Arnahdé* — or feeling bad to say – No.
But in life it is necessary to say — No – often.
---
Adult Poetry Contest – Honorable Mention
#### **Dora the Explorer is the visionary and role model we all need and I’m dying on that hill or at least going over it to get to the river and treasure chest.**
By Maggie Rosen – Silver Spring, Maryland
She is always ready to go somewhere and do something. She doesn’t care
If her companion is a monkey with only boots on. She is fine talking to
a know-it-all mansplaining map.
She will codeswitch when needed. She looks ahead but not
Consistently. Sometimes she just looks you in the eye and remembers
that the connection is what is most important–
Do you see a mountain?–
even if it means
she will lose her way.
She was born thinking ahead (she has a catchphrase for anticipated theft)
and she is ready to mediate
a way out of any awkward situations.
Witch stole the prince? Bunch of rowdy pirate pigs? Give her fifteen minutes.
My favorite part:
She thinks in threes, gaming the process so that once you have two things done
you are more than half way through. Really it’s genius. I want all things
to come at me in threes now.
Sticks the landing, then celebrates. Always.
---
For more information on the Local Writer’s Showcase, please visit <https://www.bethesda.org/bethesda/localwriters>
**Categories:** Uncategorized
---
### [Bethesda Local Writer's Showcase: 2024 Young Poet Contest Winners](https://writer.org/young-poet-contest-2024/)
**Published:** June 26, 2024
**Author:** Blogger
**Content:**
---
#### **Ms. Angelou’s Sweet Song Smells of Honey**
By Lauren Ajebon – Winston Churchill High School
I’m so sorry white America.
My bootstraps have been cut off,
the seams ripped from the back of my shoe.
With every inch I crawl, my parent’s poverty shackles my ankles
and drags me into the depths of hell.
With every brilliant poem I write comes a pat on the back, yet
a little white girl earns her wings for every adlib she fills in.
Still I Rise.
it’s got nothing to do with the back of my shoes.
It’s got nothing to do with the money lining my daddy’s wallet—which is none.
It’s got everything to do with the disadvantage you placed me at,
10 paces behind the starting line before I could even walk.
So when I make it, it won’t just be because I’m damn good,
it’ll be because I’m better than every Ashley and Hannah you applauded in my wake.
Because I pumped my little legs with the resilience of my ancestors.
Because I was bottle fed with the rage of my grandmother.
Because I was swaddled with the spite of my mother as she rocked me to and fro.
And when I reach that finish line you’ll know.
I’ll snatch that rusty pair of scissors your grandaddy passed down right out of your hands.
And all the little black children waiting single file with their boots at the ready
will be whooping and hollering in your face.
---
#### **Vessel**
By Aigerim Bibol – Sidwell Friends School
i remember / echoes of a legacy
bound by blood / we are the wilting petals
listen closely and you might hear
whispers in the wind / empty spaces echoing with
unspoken words / this discord of our kin
you smashed your mother’s china set / cut your hand
on the tile / periwinkle-blue flowers dotted with red
i glimpse my reflection in the fractured
teacups / these porcelain vessels, reduced to
fragments of a fragile bond / shadows
inherited from my father from his father /
we are not broken / just shards of a whole
you told me to forge my own path / take
these scraps and piece my life into a mosaic / so
i searched for meaning in tea leaves / found
ghosts in the attic, tethered to the past / heirlooms,
tarnished by the weight / of bitter reminiscence
a frayed tapestry, woven with threads of sorrow /
a sepia-toned photograph, weathered through time /
a box of memories, unopened
---
#### **A Lesson in Mythology**
By Katherine Erceg – Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School
Would you have set out across the wine-dark sea
If you had known what would come to be?
When the land churned with perennial promise,
Darker, less hazy than the sea foam oratory,
All trees and wrists bound by a certain wanness;
You might have known what would come to be,
Rich fumes promising a tainted plea.
When the land beyond flushed like adonis,
Blood rich with figs and boars and the old tree,
Surely no wine would burn with acrid rawness—
Then you knew what would come to be:
Wine-dark land, too wronged for any deity,
Only faced with the churning of a restless sea.
---
#### **My America**
By Raquel Liriano-Dieguez – Richard Montgomery High School
I do not have pale skin with blonde silky hair
My skin is dirty and my hair evil, the color of soot
I do not have beautiful captivating blue eyes
My eyes are filled with dirt and drowned in mud
Though I am hideous and grisly
We all have skin, hair, and eyes
I grew up with you, you’re all I know America!
I love you my America!
Wait what?
Does my repulsive and grotesque exterior disgust you that much?
Why do you hate me my America?
When all I do is show you respect and restraint
Why must you label me my America?
When I cannot even label myself
Is it always going to be like this?
I love you my America!
Even if you will never love me.
---
#### **To Have Been Born Mexican**
By Ariana Vazquez-Avalos – Paint Branch High School
To have been born Mexican.
I blow on the wind so that
My eagle of pride may fly
To have been born Mexican,
I mop my floors for the
sweet scent of fabuloso
To have been born Mexican,
I fight stereotypes
To have been born Mexican,
Others assume i’ve been in gunfights
To have been born Mexican,
I pray to the Virgin Mary
To have been born Mexican,
I carry my families burdens
To have been born Mexican,
The sun doesn’t burn my skin
but only turns it bronze
To have been born Mexican,
I grow in the aztec blood
To have been born Mexican,
I can only hope for a better tomorrow
---
#### **Catharsis**
By Jennifer Wan – Richard Montgomery High School
what would icarus have been
without the sea to embrace him?
if those golden entrails above
dense, smoldering, suffocating
swallowed him whole
as if beneath those wax wings
was just a burden
waiting to be martyred by desire
what story would it have been
if there was no liberation to his tragedy?
now, where would i have been
if i had no sea to
catch my tributaries?
no sea to treat me as if every breath
spoke a thousand words
while the winds whisper in agreement
to catch all my fallen pieces
and stitch me whole again
from the inside out
---
#### **Fire**
By Max Zonov – Albert Einstein High School
Some say they burn with fire.
Some claim they melt to it.
Some believe it lights up their desires.
But oh my child, it’s always wild.
Turn away from life and it’s all silent.
Blink you once and it all falls.
Cry it out but it will always flow.
The tears you shed just make it glow.
Your god is not for your life savior.
It’s just the fuel for your own pain.
The wish that holds within your soul
Will break your sacred pure white skull.
Our minds will flood with kerosene.
From made-up meaningless routine.
The Nature’s green,
Will pull you to your knees.
And oh the fire,
The free desire,
Will flow again into your veins.
The mother’s promise has been lift off.
And Nature’s rose will once more grow.
---
For more information on the Local Writer’s Showcase, please visit <https://www.bethesda.org/bethesda/localwriters>
**Categories:** Blog
---
### [Dissecting the Craft of Writing](https://writer.org/dissecting-the-craft-of-writing-w-samuel-ashworth/)
**Published:** February 24, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
## A Conversation with Novelist Samuel Ashworth
##### By Zach Powers
Sam Ashworth is one of the first writers I met when I moved to the DMV in 2017. Since then, he’s been one of the people I talk with most about the writing life. He’s published magazine features and essays, ghostwritten bestsellers, and now I’m excited to add “novelist” to his list of accomplishments. He was kind enough to share his thoughts on the craft of writing, and how *The Death and Life of August Sweeney* came to be.
**Get the book from your local independent bookseller or [online from Bookshop.org »](https://bookshop.org/a/22600/9781951631413)**
---
ZP: This novel is told, in part, through the autopsy of one of its main characters. First, how did this premise come to you? Second, what does this mode of storytelling open up for you that might not have been available in a “default” narrative form?
**SA: The book actually began with the premise. I was sitting in a bar in Boston in 2011, talking to someone about dead bodies. Very normal, very regular bar conversation. But out of my mouth fell the words, “it would be interesting to tell a person’s life story by dissecting their body.” And then I stared into the middle distance for what felt, at least, like whole minutes. Because the entire book assembled itself in that instant. Not the characters and the drama and sex scenes, but the book *itself* *–* the work it would take, the learning I’d have to do, the pull of the story. It all cohered in that moment. Then the person I was with told me about Mary Roach’s *Stiff*, which is all about “the curious lives of human cadavers,” and that was pretty much it.**
**For the next 10 or so years it took to write it, I never deviated from that premise. The only question was who the dead body was, and who was telling his story by dissecting him. The big decision that happened—and really made the book possible—was that initially the plan was to have the dissector be a first-year med student in Gross Anatomy, so the cadaver they’re dissecting is pretty long-dead and preserved. But when I really started writing I realized a medical student didn’t have the knowledge that I needed to tell the story. So she became a proper doctor, which meant the body changed. Now he’s a man who died the night before. And in the end, the book took the form of an autopsy report.**
**If anything, I have learned I can’t really write without a premise like this—something to legitimize the delusional act of writing a whole book about something that never happened.**
You spent time in both restaurant kitchens and autopsy rooms to research the novel. Can you you share a bit about your research process, especially these more immersive types of research? And how do you integrate the facts discovered through research into the story?
**I profoundly envy movie actors who get to prep for roles by getting paid to go to a five-week fencing bootcamps or train in tap dance or sew a ball gown or whatever. As a novelist, I see my job as a less-subsidized version of that.**
**My hero on this was Ian McEwan. When he was writing *Saturday*, he spent two years shadowing neurosurgeons. At one point, he was observing a surgery, when two young residents mistook him for a doctor and asked him to explain what was happening. To his astonishment, he could. That was the level I felt I had to hit with Maya Zhu. I had to make her not only knowledgeable, I had to make her brilliant.**
**But I didn’t have two years, I had the summer of 2017. Fortunately, I was still a graduate student, and people are a lot more willing to let grad students observe them than journalists. Also, I didn’t have kids yet. That summer, my friend Nick was doing his residency in pathology at Pitt, and he happened to be doing his autopsy rotation under basically the one guy in America who was cool with letting some shmuck spend two weeks in his lab, observing and even helping out. (They didn’t let me cut anything, which was for the best.) I had actually written a few chapters of the pathologist’s story, and within ten minutes in the lab I knew I’d have to throw every word of it out. If I hadn’t had that experience, I’d never have finished the book. I’d been basing my imagination of an autopsy lab on what I’d seen on TV. You might as well base a novel about astronauts on *Star Trek*.**
**For the cooking side, I’d worked in restaurants and bars since I was 18, but always in the front of house. I knew the world much better, but had little concept of what it was like to work a line. I was given a grant by the Alan Cheuse International Writers Center at George Mason University to go be a *stagiaire*, or trainee, at a Michelin-starred restaurant in a little town in the south of France. I’ve written about this** [**experience at some length,** ](https://www.eater.com/2019/8/12/20799538/french-brigade-system-stage-chef-michelin-restaurants)**but the short version is that it was invaluable to the book, and I’d also take the dead bodies any day of the week. I still don’t know how to work a line. I can *concasse* the shit out of some tomatoes, though.**
**However you do it, the real trouble with research isn’t doing or organizing it, it’s deploying it. Early versions of the book (maybe even the final version, I don’t know) suffered from Maya Zhu going into such detail on human anatomy and physiology that it overwhelmed the reader. When you write characters who are experts in something, you have to remember that expertise manifests not in knowing *all* the things, but in being able to immediately extract the thing that actually matters to them in that moment.**
The novel is told in alternating sections: flashbacks to August’s life and scenes in the autopsy room with Maya. How do you manage the two narrative threads so that they communicate with each other across the chapter break? In other words, what makes two threads one story?
**The thing that makes the two threads one story is that they’ve been laid out, printed, bound, shipped, and sold as one story. Publication does amazing things for an author’s credibility. The reader assumes that because they bought this book with money I must know what I’m doing. Therefore they trust subconsciously that *somehow* these two disconnected stories will cohere into one—and if, in the end, they don’t, they will want to punch me.**
**Fortunately, they do cohere (and it doesn’t even take that long). The structure is simply that the book covers August’s entire life, plus one day. The point being that there is still life left in the body, as long as we know how to look for it. Maya’s story begins right where August’s ends, and it’s her job to give him that ending. What I like most about the interlaced structure is that it allows me to mix up the time signature of the book. Maya’s story takes one day, but is paced slowly, with the scenes building to a crescendo; August’s story covers 52 years, so decades can happen at a gallop.**
You’re a bestselling ghostwriter and you’ve had pieces in top-tier publications, but this is your first novel. How are the various aspects of your writing life connected? What from your other experiences influenced the novel? Conversely, have you found anything to be unique to novel-writing?
**What’s funny (not ha-ha) about this is that the novel was finished before most of those other things. Which is another way of saying I am very tired.**
**The answer is that as a writer I’m remarkably boring: the thing that gets me out of bed in the morning is solving writing problems. I think a lot of writers are motivated by a love of storytelling, which, sure, but what I love specifically is figuring out how to give that story the kind of galvanic jolt that will make it jump off the page. And I don’t really give a hoot whether that story is mine or someone else’s. As a journalist or ghostwriter, I get to take really interesting stories and figure out how to apply that voltage to it, while subtracting all the anxieties that most authors feel about publication, reception, and sales. That last thing matters, to be clear. I consider writing my own work to be my job. If you want to take me away from that work, you have to pay me enough money to make that hiatus worth it. Because when I’m ghostwriting, I’m not just giving the client my time, I’m also renting them all my creative energy for a few months. And I think writers should put a serious price tag on that.**
**The other thing I like is that journalism and ghostwriting expose me to worlds I might not ever explore otherwise, like politics, business, and PTSD recovery. I see my job as a novelist similarly. I am not ever going to be the kind of person who writes intimate relationship dramas, or generational sagas, or (God forbid) novels about writers. I’m just not emotionally interesting enough for that. I like to write about work. I like to write about people who do extraordinary things for so long that those things have become routine, and then the book begins on the day that it ceases to be routine. Ghostwriting allows me to plunge in my clients’ worlds, which (if they’re of a stature that justifies hiring a ghost) are usually pretty rad.**
**I’m being completely serious when I say that I think one of the great American books is Andre Agassi’s *Open*, by JR Moehringer (who also wrote Prince Harry’s *Spare*)*.* It can go toe-to-toe with any literary memoir out there. I want to write that kind of book every bit as much as I want to write fancy fiction. I desperately want to write the memoir of a baseball player, or a member of the USWNT. I could have gotten a goddamn masterpiece out of, like, Snooki**
When we host author Q&As at the Center, we almost always get a question about an author’s process: how and where and when they write. You and I just chatted about this category of question the other day, and you had some interesting thoughts. Would you care to share?
**I understand the process question, I really do. The problem is that it’s worthless.**
**There is an old George Price New Yorker cartoon that my father used to keep in his office. It was a painter in his garret, impoverished-looking, with his harried wife behind him. And the painter says, “I haven’t suffered enough. Why don’t you go whip up some of your curried pork balls and refried rice for dinner?” I feel like the process question is really asking “how much did you suffer to make this book?”, as if a book’s quality is proportional to its Suffering Quotient. (If it helps sales, I suffered plenty for this one. You try deep-cleaning a walk-in fridge while it’s still running.)**
**The problem is, writers *love* to talk about their process, since it’s often the one element of the writing life over which we have any real control. Most of our lives are about enabling ourselves to have and maintain any semblance of consistency. Despite the fact that there is a pretty colossal industry devoted to marketing writer’s processes as if they were dietary supplements, learning how one writer writes so will never be of any value to anyone else. Knowing that Balzac drank enough coffee to kill God every day, or that Haruki Murakami runs a daily 10k, or that Lauren Groff writes everything longhand, does nothing but make us feel bad about ourselves. Because there are no answers out there. The only answers are \[taps chest\] in here. There is no** [**Joe Manganiello’s Workout Regimen**](https://www.elle.com/beauty/health-fitness/a38304/joe-mangianello-diet-workout-regimen/) **for writers; there are no efficiency hacks or Jedi mind tricks. A writer’s process consists of whatever it takes to make ourselves do the only three things writing requires: sitting, typing, and deleting. *Sitzfleisch* and words on the page. The rest is commentary.**
**People want to know how the writer pulled it off in the same way they want to know how the magician got out of those handcuffs. They imagine that the question will give them some kind of deeper insight into the text. It won’t, because writing is such a black box—even to the writer. The difference between a writer and a magician is that the magician *could* tell you how they got out of the handcuffs, but they won’t, while a writer would *love* to tell you how they wrote the book, but they can’t. My book feels like mine, but it also feels like it was written by someone else. And I have no idea how that guy did it.**
Finally, what’s one piece of advice you’d give to an author just starting out?
**There are so many more ways to be a writer than you think. I grew up imagining that to be a writer meant you wrote a book, sold a book, then wrote another book, then sold that, and so on until you died. I knew that not all books were bestsellers so I would have to teach, too. That was what I thought I was supposed to do.**
**Today, I am a novelist, a screenwriter, a ghostwriter, a journalist, an essayist, an editor, and a professor. My job is words and stories and I make pretty good money doing it. But the thing I’m most proud of in my career is that I’ve reached a point where when an opportunity arises to do something I’ve never done before, I never say, “I don’t know how to do that.” I say yes, the picture of confidence, and then as soon as the other person is out of earshot I call a friend and say, “Oh, God, help me.”**
**Categories:** Blog
---
### [Write What You Repeat](https://writer.org/write-what-you-repeat-w-lauren-francis-sharma/)
**Published:** February 24, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
## A Discussion with Lauren Francis-Sharma
##### By Zach Powers
Lauren Francis-Sharma’s new novel, *Casualties of Truth*, is both thrilling and thoughtful. I’d also call it timely — but as an author myself, I know that by the time a book reaches the public, it can have already existed, in some form, for years. Still, some of the book’s themes, rooted in South Africa in 1996, remain resonant. So maybe instead of time*ly*, the right word is time*less*. Lauren was kind enough to talk with me about how this entertaining and enlightening book came to be.
---
ZP: I think it’s always interesting to discuss why writers choose to write what we do. Approaching this from a writer’s perspective, what was the origin of this book? Why this topic and these characters, why now, and why this instead of something else?
**LFS: If there was any gift that Covid offered, it was the gift of time. I spent many hours dreaming of leaving my home and one of the ways I coped with being in lockdown, was forcing myself to remember the places I’d visited in my life and the stories I’d accumulated in my travels. Recently, I heard Alexander Chee in an interview where he was encouraging nonfiction writers to focus on writing the stories that they often repeat at cocktail parties. While listening to Alex it occurred to me that my law school internship in South Africa, when I was 24 years old, had become my very unsuccessful cocktail party story. I say “unsuccessful” because I never quite figured out what the experience of being there meant to me, and so the story always felt incomplete when I told it. During Covid, I had time to think deeply about that particular story, think about what it meant to bear witness to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Amnesty Hearings and for people to actively seek a way past immense pain. My main character, Prudence, like me, interned in South Africa just as the hearings were beginning. When we meet her she has run into a man, Matshediso, whom she knew from her time in Johannesburg. He turns up at an intimate dinner, quite unexpectedly, and Prudence finds herself in the most challenging situation of her life. Prudence embodies all the uncertainties and hopes of a post-Apartheid South Africa, and she must reckon with the fallout from that period too.**
The first part of the book is told in alternating timeframes. I’m always fascinated by how parallel narratives work, and how the separate storylines work together to achieve something that one or the other might not on its own. First, how do you approach writing parallel narratives — do you bounce back and forth or do you draft each independently? Second, how did each of these sections a¤ect the other? Is there anything that you discovered because of their juxtaposition?
**First, let me say that employing alternating timeframes is far simpler than employing alternating timeframes coupled with multiple POVs! I used that structure in my last novel, *Book of the Little Axe* and would not recommend it! And yet, I’m drawn to narrative jumps in time because this is how the human brain seems to work. Think about how I answered your previous question — there I was, living my Covid lockdown life, but also living in South Africa as a younger woman, reliving my first safari, my first white-water rafting trip in Zimbabwe, and sitting in the balcony of the City Hall building, listening to accounts of Apartheid horrors. So, of course, it felt natural for my character Prudence to experience this same mode of thinking. Perhaps the reason I’m so drawn to history, and maybe even to writing itself, is that I need time to process what I see in the world, to formulate my questions. When Prudence meets Matshediso again, it frightens her to feel her past and her present converge, and immediately she is thrust back to Johannesburg, thinking of the experiences she and Matshediso shared. Of course, she can’t stay in this state of reverie during the entire dinner, so she has to be pulled out when the present moment requires it. So, yes, I bounce back and forth, but what’s essential is that for the ins and outs of this remembrance to work, it must be triggered by something, and the execution of this transition must feel like a natural extension of the present story. These transitions certainly allow Prudence (and me) to see just how much her time in South Africa changed her and just how similar the experience of being in South Africa is to being in America, in good ways and in not so good ways.**
The novel draws from your experience witnessing South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Hearings, and I assume a fair bit of research on top of that. What’s your process for turning the bare facts into an interesting, gripping narrative? Conversely, how do you prevent the narrative from becoming fact-heavy or didactic? How do you achieve that balance?
**I mentioned earlier that I started thinking about my time in South Africa during lockdown, but what I didn’t mention is that I went into my basement searching for notes that I had taken during the Amnesty Hearings. What makes someone keep notepads filled with transcribed testimony for nearly thirty years? The answer is the stories. I couldn’t throw away the stories of people who had lived through the terror of Apartheid. My cocktail party story always included the group of boys who had been lured to their death by a Black, undercover, South African Police operative. Their parents were in the audience while I was there, and it was the first time they’d heard the account of what had happened to their children. It was horrifying and gripping, and I’m not sure I could ever properly convey what it felt like to be in that room, listening to former police agents speak about murdering children, but I tried to do so through Prudence. I put her there so she could absorb the bare facts into her personal narrative and show how witnessing something like that changes the entire way someone sees the world and sometimes the very trajectory of a life *if* that someone allows themselves to be changed by the stories of others.**
I’d call this novel a literary page turner. What advice do you have for writers about keeping the prose robust while maintaining narrative forward motion?
**I certainly wanted to write this so you wouldn’t want to put it down, so I’ll happily accept “literary page turner” as the description for this novel! Thank you! But I also love long sentences and I love forcing my characters to take note of the natural landscape around them. If you’ve read my previous books, you know I strive for vivid scenes and I’m not afraid of long sentences. With this book, I had to ensure that every one of those scenes and sentences was earned. In the opening of *Casualties of Truth*, a South African police officer leaves his house when it is still dark. He realizes his tires have been slashed and as he walks along his driveway, buffalo thorn tree buds fall and he crunches them beneath his boots. I don’t pause long enough to describe the tree hanging over the driveway, but because he’s stepping on buds, the hope is that the reader visualizes the tree. I had to be more economical in this book, but I also tried to deliver the same vividness that I have always delivered.**
This is book number three. I wonder if you’re able now to look back and see things you’ve learned along the way? What processes and techniques did you discover writing the first two books that informed writing this one? In the opposite direction, what parts of the process have been new each time?
**Many other writers have said this, but the thing you learn when you get to book three is that you can actually write a novel. Ha! With that said, I failed at writing the novel I started just after *Til the Well Runs Dry*. I thought I could figure it out and I still think I can, but I’ve concluded that it is simply not the right moment for that book. There are times when the story or something about the character comes easy to the writer, so that you can feel the energy of it in your fingertips, feel ideas unfolding before you as you write or even as you think about the story while doing something mundane like washing dishes. That, of course, doesn’t mean you don’t have long moments of uncertainty or digression, it just means that more often than not, you hit the flow. I’ve learned to trust that flow. But even with this said, every time I begin, I think about how I cannot believe this doesn’t get any easier! I am stunned when I start a new book as I realize once again that there is simply no way around spending months or years in the same chair trying to reveal something important about the world to strangers. It is magic. And it is also hard.**
As Assistant Director of Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, I bet you get to experience a lot of amazing writers talking about the cra£ of writing. Since we last interviewed you in 2020, do you have any new or particularly interesting writing advice you’d like to share?
**I have the incredible luck to spend ten days every summer with the most amazing writers who come to a mountain in Vermont to teach and learn about the craft of writing. Many of our lectures and readings are free online, accessible to those who want to listen. This summer, Garth Greenwell was with us and he did a lecture on James Baldwin, where he said something like, “We live in the irreparable. We need art to help us live in the irreparable.” That has stayed with me. The art gets us through the worst of our days. The music, the movies, the books, the art of humans, and the art of nature, make each day bearable and sometimes even injects it with joy. My novel is so much about confronting the irreparable and in it there are moments of joy too. I hope one day it may be viewed as a piece of art that helps us see and cope with the irreparable.**
**Categories:** Blog
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### [STEVEN LEYVA ON PUBLISHING, COMMUNITY, AND COPING WITH REJECTION](https://writer.org/steven-leyva-on-publishing-community-and-coping-with-rejection/)
**Published:** January 1, 2021
**Author:** Manuela Galindo
**Content:**
By Emily Holland
*Steven Leyva was born in New Orleans, Louisiana and raised in Houston, Texas. His poems have appeared or are forthcoming in 2 Bridges Review, Scalawag, Nashville Review, jubilat, Vinyl, Prairie Schooner, and Best American Poetry 2020. He is a Cave Canem fellow and author of the chapbook Low Parish and author of The Understudy’s Handbook, which won the Jean Feldman Poetry Prize from Washington Writers’ Publishing House. Steven holds an MFA from the University of Baltimore, where he is an assistant professor in the Klein Family School of Communications Design.*
Ahead of our Craft Happy Hour chat with Steven Leyva, we talked with him about the journey from manuscript to publication, working with a small co-op press, and the importance of finding a writing community. This interview has been edited for style and clarity.
**EH: I remember your Cafe Musé reading a little over a year ago, and you mentioned that you were sending out the manuscript for publicationcan you walk me through the process of creating this book? How long have you been working on these poems? How long was the manuscript out for submission?**
SL: The earliest poems in this manuscript were written around seven years ago. And there were several things that I experienced or that I had the opportunity to participate in during that time. One of the things that I was doing at the time is that I had finished my Cave Canem fellowship. Some of the poems in the manuscript began at the Cave Canem retreat.
I also was able to go for a month to the Vermont Studio Center and do a residency up there, so there are many poems in the manuscript that I wrote while I was in Vermont. And that was great. There was a whole community of writers and visual artists all interacting with one another. It was definitely one of those things where the environment was so stimulating that I know I carried that back when I went to my studio there to write. A lot of that energy was already churning, and it helped me to produce a lot of new work.
I would say that in terms of sending it out, I probably sent it out in this current form for about two years. I resisted some changes that were actually really important changes that came from feedback from mentors and friends that really helped me to kind of get over the hump. Some of it was just I was probably letting my frustration with the book not being selected affect my ability to see where it could grow and get better. It was a semifinalist for the New Issues Press first book prize, so there were a couple of things like that happening in between that were affirming, but nothing is as affirming as someone telling you yes to your manuscript, so I was really excited when I got the call from Washington Writers’ Publishing House.
**Right, it’s kind of like getting those warm rejection letters where it’s nice that it isn’t a straight rejection, but you really wanted that acceptance.**
Yeah, rhetorically it’s the same. We tell ourselves the narratives to not fall into despair. But really I think what might actually be more useful, and obviously I’m not a counselor or a psychologist, but something that’s been useful for me is to simply acknowledge that the narrative of having “tough skin” is a failed one. You can’t have tough enough skin. A rejection is always going to affect you. So why not just let it affect you a little bit so that you can move on? Rather than pretending that there are these strata or hierarchy of rejections. Just feel what you gotta feel and keep moving. I’m not trying to set up anything prescriptive for anyone, rather that that’s a paradigm shift that helped me as the rejections piled up. Although there weren’t an overwhelming amount of them. I probably undersubmitted, I would say.
**You mentioned kind of resisting some changes to the manuscript that maybe ended up helping it get accepted. Could you talk about that transformation in yourself, as a writer?**
I don’t know that there’s a direct relationship between the changes I made and the acceptances, but I do know that the manuscript overall was better, so we might draw that correlation. Essentially, what I think I had to let go of is a narrative that I did it all on my own. There’s a pervasive and kind of insidious sort of thing to be able to say, whether implicitly or explicitly, that “I did it all out of my own genius” or, you know, “it was my great ideas, it was my hard work, I just stuck at it” and sometimes obscuring the ways that people have helped you.
I think that people were trying to say things like “Hey, I think you should change these section titles.” I had all these Greek theatre terms for section titles and several folks giving me feedback were like “I don’t know if these are the right ones, here are some reasons why.” I had a friend, Cynthia Manick, who’s got a fantastic book Blue Hallelujahs, who sort of reached out to me and said, “Hey, I’ll give you a manuscript review for free because I can tell that you’re really in the weeds with this.” And she made some similar suggestions that I’d heard before, but I think I had begun the process of not being afraid to ask for help and not sort of trying to guard my own ego there. Ultimately, I said to myself I would rather have the book picked up than I would have the narrative that I did it on my own.
I don’t need the sort of false, fierce independence, you know? Community helped me, which is I think mostly true for how many people get their manuscripts picked up. They get introduced to an editor at a party. Somebody recommended them. They met somebody at a retreat. It’s a lot of that interpersonal interaction that, from the outside, can sometimes be deformed into a sort of nepotism, like everything is this rigged system, but it really isn’t that. I think the better way to say it is that relationships play a role in the way that people find your work. So you can’t be an asshole and then expect that to somehow not play a role in how people find and engage with your work.
So I was kind to people, I’m a generally affable and kind person, so it wasn’t really that. It just simply was that I think I might have been trying to manage my frustrations by holding tight to this value of wanting people to see my hard work rather than letting the previous work of relationships help me to do hard work.
**I’m thinking, too, about the structure the Washington Writers’ Publishing House has, that kind of co-op where previously published authors help run the press, and how that forms its own kind of community. What was the process like working with them as a publisher and seeing the book go from accepted to now printed?**
It’s really been a dream working with Washington Writers’ Publishing House. They’ve been very, very good to me. One of the things I think that the co-op and collective structure of the press allows for is that I had a lot of autonomy in making some choices about the book that at another press I might not have had.
For example, I got to pick my own cover designer and I chose to work with someone who I knew from grad edition of school whose work I really, really enjoyed. His name is Writer’s Andrew Center Sargus Magazine Klein, and he works for the Enoch October Pratt Free 10, 2020 Library here in Baltimore City. Being able to have a dialogue with somebody who I already had a relationship with I think helped the process of getting a cover that I thought was unique and representative of the book and interesting and kind of evoked curiosity.
The idea that everybody on the press who’s working in an editorial role is also a published author on the press I think lends itself to allowing for greater autonomy to happen along the production process.
But also I just got really good and attentive editorial feedback about how to polish the manuscript from what I submitted and what was selected for the Jean Feldman Poetry Prize into what became the final thing we sent to the printer. There was just a lot of wisdom I think born of a deep and sincere belief in the artistry of the book, not simply in just how much money the book might make. Which for poetry is always nebulous anyway.
They believed in the poems, and I knew that that belief was born out of their own engagement with writing poems themselves and writing fiction. I couldn’t have been happier. They were excellent to work with and the right fit for my quirky little book and my sensibility. It felt like an easy home to be welcomed into, and I felt very welcomed at every stage of the process.
**Categories:** Uncategorized
---
### [PERSISTENT DREAMING](https://writer.org/persistent-dreaming/)
**Published:** January 1, 2021
**Author:** Manuela Galindo
**Content:**
The Story of a Debut Novel
By Dina Brumfield
I wanted to be a writer as a young child. That was a world away both in place and time. My family and I then lived in Shanghai, China when the country was still closed to the world.
It was a hot summer night when the seed was planted. My father brought home a battered copy of *The Count of Monte Cristo* by Alexander Dumas. He started reading, or rather narrating, to my sisters and me. At the time, the Chinese Communist government had banned the book and almost all the other books, except Mao’s red-book of his official writings. It had taken my father a lot of effort to score a copy that had survived purges and book burnings. The story was so fascinating that I couldn’t wait for my father to come home from work every day to continue. I thought it’d be wonderful to write a tale like that.
I moved to the United States in 1989 when I was in my early twenties. Though I still vaguely harbored the dream to be a writer, I also told myself that writing in English, the language in my adopted homeland, is like fighting someone with one hand tied behind my back. I had no formal training in the language. English is such a difficult language, and its subtlety is hard to comprehend for an immigrant like me.
However, the dream persisted and my husband encouraged me to give it a try. Luckily, I live in Bethesda. I did some research and found The Writer’s Center was a few minutes from my home. I enrolled in a basic fiction writing class. That was in 2007. I remembered how I struggled for two weeks to write a two-page scene. Those two pages later became part of the second chapter of my book, *Unbound, a Tale of Love and Betrayal in Shanghai.* Though it was poorly written, my instructor told me that my writing had merit. Some of the classmates asked me to join their writing group. I gladly agreed and we met regularly. It was in the lower level of The Writer’s Center with my writing friends that I shaped up my novel.
The rest is history. My novel was finally published on August 4, 2020. It’s now in every Barnes & Noble within 25 miles of Bethesda. What I learned in the classroom (I took many courses and learned an enormous amount) and in the discussions at The Writer’s Center nurtured the seed buried deep inside of me. It made my dream come true.
**Categories:** Uncategorized
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### [The Ingredients](https://writer.org/the-ingredients/)
**Published:** January 1, 2021
**Author:** Manuela Galindo
**Content:**
A chat with the editor of Taco Bell Quarterly
By Amy Freeman
*MM Carrigan is the Editor Grande Supreme of Taco Bell Quarterly—yep, that’s a real and prestigious literary journal. TWC sat down with her to find out what goes on in the journal’s backroom.*
**Let’s start with the obvious question. For the uninitiated, what the heck is Taco Bell Quarterly?**
Taco Bell Quarterly is a literary magazine that publishes “Taco Bell-adjacent” and “spiritually Taco Bell” fiction, poetry, essays, CNF, art, and more. We are also a literary movement, encouraging writers to think outside the bun in terms of their writing, their talent, their movement through the slog of the writing life, and rejection. We absurdly approach writing through a lens of Taco Bell to disrupt the writing process, destroy it, and put it back together. We also imagine that is how Taco Bell approaches making food.
**There are lots of interviews with you about TBQ’s origins, in publications ranging from Salon to Food and Wine to Vox, so let’s use this interview to instead pull back the curtain on how you make a journal. What happens to my work, on your end, after I hit “submit?” Who reads it? Do you have multiple readers weighing in? What’s the next step, if a reader thinks “yes,” “no,” or “meh?”**
First I read it, and then I pass it onto our “day crew,” a volunteer group of talented writers and poets, as well as a few non-writers whom I think provide an important point of view. Everyone gives their thoughts, which I take into consideration. I don’t believe in a meritocracy and ranking when it comes to what makes great writing. I believe every submission has a unique merit worthy of publication.
At the same time, when a piece isn’t working, it just isn’t working.
**What makes a submission sing?**
A great opening sentence, an established point of view that we can immediately relate to, and a profound truth that makes us sigh.
**Conversely, what’s going to get my submission dinged?**
You can tell when people are writing with too heavy of hand, when you can really just see the writer working through it on the page, when it’s still a rough draft. We’re essentially a writing prompt about Taco Bell, and writing prompts are actually challenging to do successfully, because you do end up with a lot of plodding and muddling through the prompt. When Taco Bell disappears into the background as white noise, that’s where you should start writing.
**How do you feel about writers following up, if they haven’t heard back about a submission and are feeling antsy?**
Do it.
**Some publications give tiered rejections, as in, a flat “no, thank you” if you don’t like the quality or style of the writing, or a “no, thank you, but please submit again,” if it seems like the writer could be a good fit, but not with that piece, or a revise/ resubmit request if you think it’s almost there? Or in that last instance, would you work with the writer on edits?**
I love to publish “almost there” pieces actually. Writing is a spectrum, from draft to “there.” Most writing probably exists within the “almost.” I read books by big name, big 5 authors that I think are “almost there.” We should always be writing to get to that place, and we’ll all be lucky if we make it “there” a few times. When we reject writers, it has very little to do with merit, and much more to do with the overall story the issue is shaping up to tell.
**Some publications post new pieces all the time. What factors come into play when you’re assembling a magazine? Do you consider how the pieces work together?**
Yes, I’m very interested in the magazine working as a small novel or maybe as an album, with the pieces speaking and singing to each other. Each writer is doing solo material within the entire band of writers.
**What’s the worst response you’ve ever received from a writer, after sending a rejection?**
Everyone has been cool and professional. Mean people don’t like Taco Bell. Have you ever seen a mean person in a Taco Bell? Nah, everyone is chill, happy, sipping on Baja Blasts. Our writers are like that. We’re not Long John Silver’s Review. I imagine everyone who eats Long John Silvers is having the worst day of their life. That would be a terrible magazine.
**What’s your view on simultaneous submissions (where a writer sends a piece to multiple outlets at the same time)?**
Do it.
**Now three issues old, TBQ is still quite new, but it’s a hot byline. If someone reading this wants to submit, are there common themes you’re seeing and of which you’ve had enough?**
Don’t go balls to the wall. You don’t have to start with werewolves, nuclear war, serial killers, and hot air balloons. A lot of people come into it with a head full of steam, writing the biggest, wildest story of their life taking place inside of a Taco Bell. I admire that power move, but it’s probably still a first draft. Serial killers and hot air balloons need to simmer until the 3rd or 4th draft. Take some time to really sit in that Taco Bell.
**I’ve seen you on Twitter, doling out free taco coupons to writers who share rejections from other pubs. What’s that about and may I have one, too?**
We occasionally have a stash of free tacos to give out from Daddy Taco—I mean, Taco Bell, ahem. We’re not affiliated whatsoever, but it never hurts to ask for free food, so we ask them for it and give it out to writers. Follow us for occasional free food, great writing, and dreaming mas.
*@TBQuarterly / tacobellquarterly.org*
**Categories:** Uncategorized
---
### [DIGGING OUT A NICHE](https://writer.org/digging-out-a-niche/)
**Published:** January 1, 2021
**Author:** Manuela Galindo
**Content:**
A conversation between Justin Sanders, editor of The Horror is Us (Mason Jar Press) and dave ring, editor of Glitter + Ashes: Queer Tales of a World That Wouldn’t Die (Neon Hemlock Press).
*Justin Sanders is a ghost from Baltimore. His words have appeared most recently on the city’s walls. Find him on Twitter at @ghostmoan.*
*dave ring is a queer editor and writer of speculative fiction living in Washington, DC. He is the publisher and managing editor of Neon Hemlock Press, as well as editor of the anthology Glitter + Ashes: Queer Tales of a World That Wouldn’t Die. His short fiction has been featured in numerous publications, including Fireside Fiction, The Disconnect, and A Punk Rock Future. Find him at www.dave-ring.com or @slickhop on Twitter.*
**dave: Justin! It’s been almost a year since we last saw each other at Baltimore Book Festival. What a harrowing and wild bunch of months it’s been. But amidst all that, we did some shit, right? We edited these books! I’m excited to talk about them with you. I think I was actually in the middle of reading open submissions for *Glitter + Ashes* in November 2019, so it really has been a full year. You did open submissions too, right?**
Justin: Thanks for putting this together, dave! I’m super excited to talk with you, buddy. Hell yeah, look at us.
Yup, we did open submissions, too. I think we got 350 stories in, that I picked eight out of. So I wanna say I’m so very sorry to the people at Mason Jar who don’t like reading horror. I really put them through a lot. That said, I think all their hard work generated an incredible anthology. How’d that process go for you, my friend?
**Hey, they knew what they were signing up for when they asked you to edit the collection, right? Hopefully there weren’t too many nightmares that came out of it. I had a volunteer helping me for a bit, but I realized that my tastes were a little too specific, so I ended up reading the ~225 submissions myself. I had solicited eight (and two poems) from writers that I knew I wanted in the antho and then picked the other sixteen from the slush.**
**How much of a theme did you end up having in the anthology? Does it explore a spectrum of the genre, you think, or did you end up specializing a bit?**
225 is a hell of a job, man. Kudos. That’s really doin’ some work, brother.
The anthology ended up exploring a range of horror—really everything from campfire tales to monster stories. They’re all social horror stories because they’re about things and have things to say. But whereas I originally conceived the anthology as being more overt commentary than stories, these are stories that gave me a lot to think about. So it really worked out for the best.
Your book has a little bit of everything as I understand, from poetry to fiction and even a roleplaying game as well? Is that accurate? I think that’s incredibly fucking cool, and I’m curious, firstly about the RPG, and then, and this totally may be asking you too much, but the choice to focus on queer joy and hope and beauty in the midst of so much ugliness and cynicism strikes me as so poignant. Could you just speak about that choice to focus on hope and community?
**Yeah, we’re a little all over the map, content-wise, but I think it all makes sense when you read it, as far as themes. The RPG is *Dream Askew* by Avery Alder, one of my favorite game designers (if you haven’t played *Monsterhearts* you are robbing yourself of the closest experience I can think of to being part of the most trashy and meaningful teen vampire show you never heard of). *Dream Askew* tells stories right on that knife-edge of joy and disaster, which is what we wanted to explore with the anthology. The timing of the ugliness and disaster we’re seeing in the real world is not what we intended, of course, but I think it does make the sweetness in these stories come through even stronger.**
**What do you think your anthology is in conversation with, in terms of other similar projects? Or is it starting the conversation? Like, for me, *Glitter + Ashes* is 100% in conversation with *Broken Metropolis: Queer Tales of a City That Never Was* (that I edited for Mason Jar) as well as *Beyond II: The Queer PostApocalyptic* and *Urban Fantasy Comic Anthology,* but I also feel like it had a bit of a niche that I was digging out, as well.**
Oh, that’s awesome. I like that term “digging out a niche.” I’m gonna be using that in the future. I guess I see The Horror is Us more as starting a conversation. One lesson I took from the submissions we got is that horror means a lot of things to a lot of people, and I find that fascinating, ya know. It’s a conversation I want to continue.
For the works you picked, what did they have that made them stand out? I guess I mean that both generally and, if you’re cool with it and we can talk specific stories in the anthology, which ones did you read and immediately know you wanted to accept? What are the moments where you were reading and thought like, Oh shit, they just did THAT, or like, Damn, this author’s got some moves on them?
**Ooh, good question. One of the first commissioned stories that I read, “When the Last of the Birds and the Bees Have Gone” by C.L. Clark, was an ode to Jamaica Kincaid that really managed to channel the love and frustration of “Girl” with the themes of the anthology. Another piece, “Champions of Water World” by Elly Bangs, took the aesthetics and ridiculous excess of Mad Max and showed how love and community could break it apart. What about you? Any stories that tore you apart?**
Oh man, right off the bat I read and loved “The Heroines Eyes are Enormous and Terrified” by Jan Stinchcomb. That story has so much style and atmosphere to it. It’s spooky and the imagery is haunting and the narrator in it recalls for me some of my favorite more melancholic tone-poem type 80’s horror like *Ghost Story* or *Changeling*.
“The Enthusiastic Butcher” is one of those incredible horror stories that’s grotesque and monstrous and gross, and I mean all of that in the most complimentary way. For me it does that thing good horror should do: make me keep looking even when I wanna look away.
I remember I read “Rise” by Abigail Teed and I thought it was just a scary, deeply engrossing, fuckin’ mean little story. Just really crawled into my eyes and I enjoyed reading it.
Any upcoming readings? Cool plans to promote Glitter + Ashes? Regular plans to promote Glitter + Ashes?
**We’ve had some cool readings already, but I’m looking forward right now to our joint horror reading in conjunction with Argo Bookshop \[held in October\]! Jordan Kurella and A.P. Thayer wrote the two creepiest stories in my anthology. I think you’ll like them. And then we’re doing an Instagram Live reading \[held in November\] with our three Baltimore contributors! Saida Agostini (who also has a poetry chapbook, *STUNT*, coming out from us), Anthony Moll, and Aun-Juli Riddle. What else have y’all got going on?**
Yup, it’ll be super cool to read with you again, bud! Taylor Sykes and Laura Walker will be reading on Halloween for White Whale Books. We’ve got our official release reading on \[October\] 28th with the Ivy Bookshop. We’ve got one with Greedy Reads coming up in November and Scott Bryan Wilson will be there for that one. Definitely some very cool readings that I’m looking forward to.
**Rad. Can’t wait to see you there. Thanks for catching up with me!**
It’s been great talking with you, my friend!
**Categories:** Uncategorized
---
### [When the Words Flow](https://writer.org/when-the-words-flow/)
**Published:** May 1, 2021
**Author:** Manuela Galindo
**Content:**
THE STORY OF A DEBUT NOVEL
By
Priyanka Champaneri
After graduating from college in 2005, I worked an office job full time while taking graduate creative writing courses at night. I didn’t quite know what I was doing with myself or my life, but I knew I loved books, with a passion that has run unabated since I was a child sitting up in bed reading, not noticing that hours had passed, the sun had gone down, and perhaps I should turn on a light. Then—and in some ways, even now—writing a book has always seemed like an impossible thing, but taking a class was a smaller commitment that I could handle. I passed my days between work and school with hours of reading and dreaming and thinking, filling the spaces between.
During that time, a friend sent me a message with a link to a Reuters article titled “Check in and Die in Two Weeks, or Get out.” As I read the article, which detailed the death hostels of Banaras, including their function and their necessity, I felt my interest
catch, but I tucked the email into a folder and went on with my day. I was intrigued by Banaras, a city on the river Ganges in northern India, but my knowledge of the place was limited to its appearances in what I had read as a child—the Amar Chitra Katha comic book versions of The Mahabharata, Savitri, and Tales of Shiva; K.M. Munshi’s Krishnavatara series; and the many fairy tale collections curated by Andrew Lang and Joseph Jacobs. Those stories mentioned the city under its spiritual moniker of Kashi, and I confess that I thought of it more as a setting for fairy tales than as a real place existing in a modern world.
I also felt overwhelmed by how much India held that I still did not know. It is impossible for any one person to thoroughly know her country, even if she is born in the place her people have called home—but I think for those who are born away from their homeland, the need to know everything about the place, no matter how vast and how storied its history, can become a mission, a way to earn a place of belonging. I wasn’t prepared to push that particular rock up a mountain.
A few years later, I had left my job and was in my first year of graduate school in an MFA program, and one of my assignments for class included writing the flap copy for a potential novel that I might write. I reached back into my memory and pulled that article out, and I felt that long-ago interest catch at me once again. I was still overwhelmed at the thought of writing about a place and a community I could not call my own, but this was only flap copy—and so I wrote out a 100-word synopsis for a book set in a death hostel.
A few months later, for the same class, I wrote the first chapter of the book I’d envisioned in that flap copy. But that was only an exercise, a place for me to play and dream, never something that might become real, because who was I—a person who had been to India twice, but never to Banaras, and who was Indian in blood and name and spiritual heritage, but perhaps nothing else—who was I to write about this city?
It was easy to bar myself from that space, and so I did. And yet I saved the issue of Little India magazine that came to my house, with its feature story about Banaras. I placed a bookmark in the chapbook of Ramprasad Sen’s poetry to mark “Tell Me Brother, What Happens after Death?”, a poem whose lines ran through my head on an endless loop. I watched Forest of Bliss, an almost wordless documentary about Banaras that showed me a city entirely real and modern, yet—to my mind—frozen in a time unto itself. I flipped through public television channels and somehow landed on a rough travelogue based in Banaras. I bought a copy of End Time City and felt as if ghosts were wafting up from the pages of Michael Ackerman’s photographs as I gazed at each one. I watched YouTube videos of people doing nothing more than holding their smartphone cameras up as they walked through the winding narrow lanes of the city, recording the sights and sounds of all that they passed, a trompe l’oeil of cinematography that made me feel as if I were the one walking those lanes, absorbing the city’s sighs.
Whether by accident or by chance, the city sought me out, and I grasped at everything that came my way. And though I still felt I had no right to create work about a space I did not belong to, my brain continued to hum on its own, with no qualms. More insistent than my fear of not knowing enough were the questions drumming their way through my head, questions I’d pondered for years about death and reincarnation, about forgiveness and redemption, about the capacity of every single person to live multiple lives within the single one they occupied at that present moment.
Finally came the point, midway through graduate school, when my fingers and my pen also thought, as I had more than a year before—why not? Why not write some words down, and see what happened?
And so, I did. I wrote, and the pages I produced by the time I was set to graduate became my thesis. I got another full-time job, and I continued to write. Self-doubt crept in daily, but when the words flowed, I felt that even if I did not belong to Banaras, even if it did not belong to me, at least the story and the characters did, because each day I put pen to paper, I understood a little bit more about them. And I wanted to find out what would happen to them. In the end, any motivation I had to continue writing was driven not so much by self-discipline or any kind of belief in myself or confidence in my understanding of the city. Instead, I was propelled by the thing that made me continue to turn the pages in bed all those years ago, long past the time when the light from the windows was enough for me to see the words on the page, one question at the forefront: What happens next?
It’s a question that took me more than 10 years to answer. By the time I finished, the story I discovered was very different from the one I’d written flap copy for years before. But my intentions, from hesitant first words to sure-footed last lines, remained exactly the same: The City of Good Death is my love letter to the city, a book that I hope holds some seeds of recognition for the people who have been there, and some seeds of wonder for the people who have not.
*Priyanka Champaneri received her MFA in creative writing from George Mason University and has been a fellow at the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts numerous times. She received the 2018 Restless Books Prize for New Immigrant Writing for The City of Good Death, her first novel.*
**Categories:** Uncategorized
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### [An Unconventional Journey to Landing a Literary Agent](https://writer.org/an-unconventional-journey-to-landing-a-literary-agent/)
**Published:** May 1, 2021
**Author:** Manuela Galindo
**Content:**
In September of 2019, authors SHANON LEE and JODI SAVAGE paired up to encourage each other through the process of writing their first book proposals. By the following year, Lee was represented by Agnes Carlowicz of the Carol Mann Agency and Savage signed with Mariah Stovall at Howland Literary. In this conversation, they reflect on their writing journey and unconventional path to landing a literary agent.
Shanon Lee: When did you know you were a writer? I knew when I was a young child. I have always written poetry and songs. I remember going up to my parents and they were like “You didn’t write that, where did you get that from?!”
Jodi Savage: I was in Mrs. Steinburg’s 6th grade class and she told us to write a poem. My first poem was called “Confidence.” From that moment on, I was like “I am a writer. I want to be a poet, like Phillis Wheatley, and the editor in chief of Essence magazine one day!”
SL: I remember being obsessed with the library. I loved walking the aisles and looking at all the books. I was the kid that read the dictionary for fun. I always had a love for words and the English language. I either wanted to be a writer, or an attorney.
JS: It is funny you would say that. In 7th grade, I selfpublished a book of poetry. That was my first book, my collection of poems. Then, I wrote short stories and wrote for the school newspaper in high school. I wanted to be a writer, but thought I should do something more professional and responsible—like become an attorney.
SL: I did some of the same things. I wrote for my high school newspaper, etc. Both my parents pushed education, but my dad was a creative. My mom was never here for living an artist’s life.
JS: How did you decide to be a full-time writer as a career? Because that is a brave choice. Black folks feel like we need to pick a career that allows us to give back to our community and make a difference, and you are able to do both while writing about social justice.
SL: I went through various careers. I joined the military at age 19. I worked in insurance and human resources for a while. One of my earliest stories was about substance misuse, and it was syndicated in HuffPost. I was studying clinical mental health counseling in grad school, and I was able to see how my writing resonated with others.
JS: You end up having more of an impact than you thought you would. My first published essay was about my experience caring for my grandmother, who had Alzheimer’s disease, and our interaction with the police. That story resonated with so many people, whether they were caregivers, living with mental illness, or had a similar interaction with the police.
SL: How did you determine which of the topics you write about should be developed into a book?
JS: I look at topics I am obsessed with and stories I keep returning to and determine a common thread. I return to Alzheimer’s and grief, but I look at grief from so many different perspectives: community, individual, and political. I keep returning to grief as a topic that is most important to me. You do not see a lot of conversation around grief in the Black community and how Black women process grief throughout our lives.
SL: What was your biggest misconception about writing a book proposal and querying?
JS: I thought you needed to take a year or more to work on your book proposal and query hundreds of agents before you reached even one that would be interested in asking for sample pages. \[laughs\] I also thought I needed to hire a coach to demystify the process. I felt whatever it took—I needed to do a lot more work to get to that point until I got you as a friend and was encouraged to start the process.
SL: I definitely thought it was supposed to be a lengthier process, and that it was very complicated. No disrespect to anyone that is more methodical, but the conversation around attempting a book proposal is intimidating. I considered working with a coach, but the process seemed so straightforward I decided it was not a good fit for me.
JS: We drag out the timeline by focusing on the minutia. We obsess over details that do not matter, like what order our chapters should be in, how long our chapter summary should be—ultimately your agent will change the order and you will have to edit it before it goes out on submission anyway. A lot of it is self-doubt.
SL: It is definitely imposter syndrome. However, I see the value of coaching if you need an accountability partner. Just completing a consultation made my goals more tangible. What I knew would work better for me was pairing up with someone in the same step of the process—that’s why I posted on Facebook.
JS: That was the best idea ever. When you said we were going to get our proposals done in a month, I said ‘but don’t we need like three months?’ But, it was such a good process for us! Every week, we had an assignment—whether it was working on the overview, the marketing section, or the chapter summaries. Had we not partnered on this, I would definitely still be working on my book proposal.
SL: It would still be on my to-do list! I knew I needed a nudge and I was willing to put myself out there and see what would happen. But when you responded, not only did I not know you well—I didn’t like what I knew of you. \[laughs\]
JS: I know, we had to make up first. I had to be like “Look girl, I know we have history…” \[laughs\]
SL: I considered being petty, but ultimately—it was about the work. I had to consider, “Is this someone as serious about meeting her goals as I am?” You have to be in the headspace to write a book proposal. As writers we are always dealing with imposter syndrome. There will always be a more accomplished writer—whether they write better or have more access to opportunities. The bar is high. We are not going to be Toni Morrison or Alice Walker.
JS: Exactly, we can only be the best Jodi Savage or best Shanon Lee we can be.
SL: We were able to help each other. We set goals and we were not chasing perfection. The feedback I got from you was invaluable, it was practical and it gave me the perspective of a first-time reader. What was the process like for you?
JS: It is important to find your tribe, or create your own tribe if you have to. You need a community, and we tapped into that and got it done. We traded feedback on everything from possible comp titles to anything in the proposal that was unclear as a reader.
SL: Writing a book proposal reinforced my feelings that I had a book that should be on the shelves. I was not consistently seeing the level of discourse around the topic of misogynoir in pop culture that I wanted to read. Criticism is still male-dominated, but Black women are fully capable of thought leadership, leading critical conversations, and writing books.
JS: I became even clearer about my vision when I started writing my book proposal. I thought I was writing a book about one thing, but when I looked atmy chapter summaries—I realized it was a book about something else. Actually sitting down to write a book proposal and figure out what is going to go in each chapter and figure out how you want to structure it is totally different. It helped me clarify my vision, because there was refining that needed to happen in my head about what book I actually wanted to write.
SL: Did you walk away understanding your book has a place in the market?
JS: I did. I got to that place through all of the steps we took.
SL: I knew we just needed a draft and it didn’t need to be perfect. If I didn’t have a draft completed when I was referred to my agent, that would’ve been a lot of pressure. How did you eventually connect with your agent?
JS: I saw her tweet. She announced her first agent deal and I followed her on Twitter. A few weeks later, she tweeted she was open to queries. I sent her my query letter and she responded about a week later. She requested my book proposal and I told her I would submit it in a week. Because we had done all that work, I was able to just polish it and get it to her.
SL: I did the same thing. I took a week to submit my book proposal, not knowing if taking additional time would look bad. But, a one-week turnaround was realistic for me. What advice would you give to writers on the fence about starting their book proposal?
JS: Get your feet wet by writing about your subject. It will give you an idea of whether you are passionate enough to write a book about it.
SL: What was the last piece of bad advice you received before landing an agent?
JS: I spoke to an agent at a conference about my book idea. They told me if I was serious about writing I should take this super-expensive writing workshop I could not afford. It gave me an idea of how narrowly people define “real writers” and made me wonder why she didn’t view me as one.
SL:
I remember when you mentioned that experience. To be clear, we entered this process with a body of work behind us—we are not newbies.
JS: Right! I was at the conference to speak on a panel. You have to surround yourself with a community of people that remind you of your talent. You taught me to brag on myself and how I needed to highlight all of my accomplishments. Throw it all into your query letter because you need to impress agents.
SL: I remember meeting with an acquisitions editor that works for a Big 5 publisher. I was told I needed to grow my social media following in order to have any chance at landing an agent. My articles have always done well, and I am active on social media, but hyperfocusing on building followers seemed like a losing battle. For me, it has always been more about the work—the writing itself—not the image of being a writer. This is a lifelong journey for me. Realizing you have the rest of your life alleviates some pressure.
JS: We have to stop thinking we are not ready—we are. The fact that we got the agents we did is also due to that. It is important to know who you are as a writer. There are people out there who will see the value of your writing and your stories. ◊
**Categories:** Uncategorized
---
### [The Right Mix](https://writer.org/the-right-mix/)
**Published:** May 1, 2021
**Author:** Manuela Galindo
**Content:**
NOVELIST MELISSA SCHOLES YOUNG ON THE ART OF GETTING PUBLISHED
By Amy Freeman
*Melissa Scholes Young is the author of the novels The Hive and Flood, and editor of Grace in Darkness and Furious Gravity, two anthologies of new writing by women writers. She is a contributing editor at Fiction Writers Review, and her work has appeared in The Atlantic, Washington Post, Poets & Writers, Ploughshares, Ms., Literary Hub, and elsewhere. She has been the recipient of the Bread Loaf Bakeless Camargo Foundation Residency Fellowship and the Center for Mark Twain Studies’ Quarry Farm Fellowship. Born and raised in Hannibal, Missouri, she is an associate professor in Literature at American University.*
Melissa, who has published with presses both large and small, sat down with TWC to talk publishing.
**AF: First, let’s meet the Fehler fam! Can you tell us a little about The Hive?**
MSY: The Hive is a novel of sisters, secrets, and survival. It’s a Midwestern family saga. The Fehlers run a fourth-generation pest control business in rural Missouri and when the patriarch suddenly dies, the surprising details of succession in his will are revealed. He’s left the company to a distant cousin, assuming the women of the family aren’t capable. The matriarch of the Fehlers is a doomsday prepper, but she wants to trade responsibility for romance. Facing an economic recession and new civil war amidst the backdrop of growing Midwestern fear and resentment, the Fehler sisters unite in their struggle to save the family foundation they’ve built. There’s bees and bed bugs too.
**For those unfamiliar with the publishing industry, can you give us a quick overview of the types of companies out there?**
In traditional publishing, meaning a publisher buys your work and sells it for you, there are five big houses: Penguin, Hachette, HarperCollins, Macmillan, and Simon & Schuster. You need a literary agent to pitch your work to those ranks. They have hundreds of imprints. They represent about 80% of the market. Then there is a huge list of independent publishers and small presses. Graywolf, Algonquin, Catapult, Europa, Melville House, and Turner, just to name a few. University presses fall in the small category but are well-respected. There’s no one way to publish a book in the industry and the odds are very much against writers. But still, here we are and it’s mostly grand.
I’ve had a wide range of experiences, and to be honest, I’ve been honored and pleased with the results. I published a chapbook, Scrap Metal Baby, last year with independent micro press Summer Camp Publishing. My first novel, Flood, came out from Hachette, one of the big five publishers. My second novel, The Hive, is being published by Turner Publishing, a large independent, with a new imprint, Keylight Books, that features books to film. The Hive comes out this summer. The film rights were immediately optioned to Sony, and the audio rights were sold to Dreamscape. I edited Furious Gravity and Grace in Darkness and published them through a partnership between American University and Politics & Prose Bookstore. I prefer to mix my work among big, medium, and small and lean toward editorial teams super enthusiastic about my books.
**When deciding where to shop a manuscript, what factors do you consider?**
I pay attention to who is publishing authors I admire and books I’m reading. My literary agent and I talk about the industry. It’s a business decision about art. Writers have to be able to pivot. The industry changes daily, it seems, especially during a pandemic. Writers have to be flexible. Mostly, writers have to keep writing. It gives you something useful to do during the waiting. And there is so much waiting.
**You’re not only a writer, but you’re an editor, and teach writing. How do your many hats affect your process, once a publisher says “yes”?**
The many hats help me understand the publishing process. There is less mystery and that is a relief. As editor of the Grace & Gravity series, my entire job is to champion women writers. When a publisher says “yes” to my own work, I remind myself to do that for me too. I’m much better at celebrating and cheering other writers, but I’m learning to be a better advocate for myself. I also have to get my ‘ask’ hat on because when you have a book coming out, you have to ask for a lot. Most people say yes. Some can’t. The generosity of writers is astounding.
**Can you share any insider tips on getting published?**
Decide what publishing success looks like to you before you query. Maybe you want to print twenty copies of your memoir and share them with family. That’s success. Maybe you’re thrilled with a hundred-print run from a prestigious academic press. That’s success. Maybe you want to write an amazing book and keep it in your nightstand. That’s success, too.
**What writing \[or publishing\] advice would you give Younger Melissa?**
I’d tell Missy (oops) that not knowing about the industry will serve her well. A younger Melissa knocked on a lot of doors that she probably shouldn’t have, but some of them opened. Why not her? Why not you? Rejection just means you’re in the game. It’s not personal. Women writers, in particular, need to dust themselves off and get back up to bat. Research shows that women writers are less willing to submit again to a journal or publisher that has rejected them. We have to change this strategy to win the game.
*The Hive (Turner Publishing) launches on June 8, 2021.*
**Categories:** Uncategorized
---
### [This Is What America Looks Like: Publishing in the Time of Pandemic](https://writer.org/this-is-what-america-looks-like-publishing-in-the-time-of-pandemic/)
**Published:** May 1, 2021
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
**By Kathleen Wheaton**
It was February 2020 when Washington Writers’ Publishing House decided to put out a new fiction and poetry anthology—that is, a lifetime ago. A staff meeting at my house: everyone crowded into a small living room, barefaced, handing around mugs of tea and pretzels without thinking about who else had touched them—remember gatherings like that?
Our purpose was to introduce the 2020 WWPH Fiction Prize winner, Adam Schwartz, and the 2020 Jean Feldman Poetry Prize winner, Steven Leyva, to the other members of the press. In addition to having submitted stunning manuscripts, both Steven and Adam seemed like good folks, which is a plus when you’re a part of a cooperative.
WWPH was founded by hippies—their word, not mine—in the mid-1970’s, when four DC poets got a National Endowment for the Arts grant to start a nonprofit publishing house. Their idea was that the poets they published would then volunteer for the press: “poets working on behalf of other poets” was their visionary motto. Their book distribution method, known as Drop-and-Split, involved sneaking into bookstores, squeezing freshly printed volumes onto the shelves, then dashing out to a waiting getaway car.
Despite obvious flaws in the business plan, WWPH has persisted for almost five decades, publishing more than 120 volumes of poetry and fiction. Nowadays, our books are sold in bookstores, not planted like revolutionary pamphlets. And yet much remains as the founders dreamed. The staff is still all-volunteer, comprised of previous winners of an annual blind-judged contest open to writers and poets living within 75 miles of the Capitol. The press functions a bit like a long-running group house, with inevitable hitches but a sense of common purpose. Some people fulfill their two-year responsibility and move on; others—like that guy on the third floor who knows how the boiler works—have been around forever.
It’s a nice community, for one thing. Temperamentally and/or vocationally inclined towards introversion, writers often don’t realize they need a community until one is thrust upon them. Though because the press is small, with barely the human and financial capital to put out two books a year, it can—like a group house or an island nation—become insular.
In 1995, WWPH broadened its reach with an anthology, *Hungry As We Are*. The 122 DC-area poets gathered in that volume represent a poetic Who’s Who of the late 20th century; the poems themselves—referencing Latin American wars, the fall of Communism, the Oliver North/Fawn Hall scandal—make it very much a portrait of its era.
It was at the meeting last February that 2018 Fiction Prize winner Caroline Bock suggested it was time to put out a new anthology. She already had a title in mind: *This Is What America Looks Like*, the chant that had echoed through the January 2017 Women’s March following Trump’s inauguration. Like the march itself, this anthology should be diverse, inclusive, big, joyous. It should contain both poetry and fiction. We should expand our geographical boundaries to include all of Maryland and Virginia. We should have an eye-catching, colorful cover.
The proposal sounded so right, so optimistic. Financially, we felt as on firm footing as a shoe-string operation ever does: we had events planned for Steven and Adam’s books at Politics & Prose in DC and The Ivy Bookshop in Baltimore, as well as at The Writer’s Center. We agreed to suspend the regular contest for a year to accommodate the work and money the project would consume. The 2018 Poetry Prize winner Jona Colson joined Caroline as the anthology’s poetry editor, and they put out a call for submissions.
It was maybe like planning a group photo in a meadow before a plague of locusts descends, followed by a hurricane. Two weeks later, the world went into pandemic lockdown. A handful of submissions trickled in. Then came the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, the Black Lives Matter protests. The trickle of manuscripts dried up. In times like these, we wondered, maybe the whole idea of a literary anthology was frivolous. Maybe we should scrap it altogether.
Hours before the deadline, there came a flood of submissions. “I was astounded and gratified the way the prompt, *This Is What America Looks Like*, resonated,” Caroline Bock says. “Writers were taking on the big issues of death, of social justice, of the pandemic, of the daily, grinding frustration of our divisive political times.” We had flash fiction from homebound parents and frontline medical workers; poets exploring loneliness and loss in real time. We got new work from writers we admired, pieces by emerging writers for whom the anthology would be a first publication.
“The best thing about editing this anthology was being able to read all the poems that were submitted,” says poetry editor Jona Colson. “Some were more experimental in form and required closer readings. Other poems were more traditional and had a clearer narrative. I didn’t find that a particular style worked better—and actually, having a narrow range of style was something I wanted to avoid.”
Working on a collaborative project in lockdown presented its own problems, Caroline says: “With the pandemic, we couldn’t meet in person. We couldn’t spread out all the work on the table. We had jobs, our families, partners, pets to worry about in addition to this quixotic literary task. We had to trust one another and the words, our own and the writers we accepted.”
In terms of production, almost everything that could go wrong did, during this annus horribilis—delays along supply chains and with the postal service. After the January 6 riot, the Library of Congress closed, briefly halting the issuing of its publication data. Compared to the violence and terror experienced in the Capitol, this was minor, but it wasn’t nothing. It was another reminder of the fragility of institutions we’d taken for granted, before.
It was sheer luck that *This Is What America Looks Like* made its publication date, February 2, 2021—again, by hours. Contributors didn’t yet have books in hand on February 5, when The Writer’s Center hosted a virtual launch for the anthology. But many attendees ordered copies, and for that we were deeply grateful. Like restaurants, small presses depend mightily upon being able to show people a good time. At a reading, attendees laugh, maybe sniffle, and are moved (okay, maybe there’s subtle peer pressure) to meet the author and buy a book. Getting back into local bookstores, into festivals and neighborhood book clubs, will be crucial to our survival.
At the same time, *This Is What America Looks Like* has thrown open the doors and windows of WWPH, and we’re determined to keep them that way. We plan to publish new short stories and poetry bimonthly on a revamped website. Having learned to work and collaborate over Zoom may mean that we can expand our geographical boundaries permanently. We cast a wide net with this anthology having no clue what was about to befall us. That it came together is thanks to the alchemy of community, and we want to ensure that the voices gathered will be heard again, loud and clear, in the post-pandemic world.
*Kathleen Wheaton worked for 20 years as a freelance journalist in Spain, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, and Bethesda, and now interprets Spanish and Portuguese for Montgomery County Public Schools. Her fiction has appeared in many journals and three anthologies, and she is a five-time recipient of Maryland State Arts Council grants. Her collection,* Aliens and Other Stories*, won the 2013 Washington Writers Publishing House Fiction Prize. Since 2014, she has served as president and managing editor of WWPH.*
*Originally published in* The Writer’s Center Magazine.
**Categories:** Blog, TWC Magazine
---
### [BEHOLDEN TO CHARACTER](https://writer.org/beholden-to-character/)
**Published:** September 1, 2021
**Author:** Manuela Galindo
**Content:**
A Conversation with Philip Dean Walker about his new story collection, Better Davis
By Zach Powers
**ZP: Better Davis is a sequel, or a continuation of, your first book, At Danceteria. So, you’ve been working on stories set in this cultural, historical moment—celebrities during the AIDS epidemicfor at least five years, and likely much longer. How do the newer stories differ from the earlier ones? Have you learned anything along the way in terms of research, writing, or selecting a subject?**
PDW: I really have learned a lot of new things since the last book and I’m glad you asked this question. Or maybe not “new” per se but more like refinements of things I was already doing in the first book. How to research and what sources to pull that research from. One of the biggest differences, I think, is that I wrote Better Davis from beginning to end knowing that it would actually be a book. That was not the case with At Danceteria. The majority of the stories in that book were written and originally published separately. In a way, I think this new book completes the “project” started by the first book, but it really exists on its own. There was this sense in the first book of “we’ve got to have fun and party our asses off because we might all die tomorrow!” and an emphasis on escaping the epidemic by way of the thrill of the night life. The dance. Better Davis has a “the show must go on” kind of mentality and is a more direct engagement with the creative arts.
Once I came up with the driving theme of this collection, it became so easy to tie the stories together. I would say that my level of research increased for this book and became, at times, almost exhaustive. But I think that ultimately helped shape the book.
**Now that I’ve read thirteen of these stories over two collections, I’m extra impressed with how you select (and imagine) your scenes. You place your celebrities in human moments. And I suspect you deliberately avoid the most obvious moments from their lives, even if those moments are close. How do you find the moments where you want to set your scenes? If it’s not a “grand” moment, what makes a scene interesting for you?**
I always let the research guide me to the moments in which I want to set my scenes. Sometimes it happens very late in the research process, too. There was a small paragraph in one of the books I was reading about Michael Bennett that described a costume party that Michael and the cast of A Chorus Line attended in 1982 and I was just like, “Bam—that’s it.” Sometimes you just know, instinctually. It can also be the most ordinary scene (waiting in a doctor’s office for test results, for example) that can become “grand” when it gets dissected and sifted through. I love doing that. I always knew I wanted to set Natalie Wood’s story on the night of her drowning. There was so much I wanted to do and say in that story. A casual dinner out turned out to serve as the perfect backdrop.
**These stories are all about real celebrities, but fictionalized versions of them. How do you balance research and imagination? How do you take a real person and convert them into your own fictional character?**
I treat each character in these stories as I would treat any character that I was making up from whole cloth. They have to be three-dimensional. They must demonstrate all the messy emotions, bad decisions, and believable dialogue that I would give any other character. I never wanted to rely on the associations the reader would naturally bring to the story once they knew who the character was. Why my research often lasted so long was because I felt like I couldn’t write the character until I had discovered the “human” behind the “icon.” These are very boldfaced names but I never wanted to rely on cheap tricks to show the reader who the character was. The reveal that the “Elizabeth” in the story “Elizabeth/ Regina” is actually the Elizabeth Taylor mostly works because, at that point, you might be suspecting who the main character is, but she’s just having this very human moment and not, like, sashaying in a commercial selling her perfume White Diamonds or walking a red carpet at the Oscars. In that sense, I never saw myself as converting them into my own characters but really more like melding the inside with the outside persona with which we might all already be familiar. It is always such a fine balance. I’m happy to hear that I might have (mostly) struck the right chord in this new book.
**After reading stories about celebrities I didn’t know as much about, I often went straight to Google to learn more about them. How do you consider your audience as you write? Do you hope your readers already have some knowledge of your subjects? Do you hope that they’ll be like me and go look up more info? Or do you hope the stories can stand alone?**
Building on my last answer, I always feel like my stories should be able to stand alone. But I love the idea of people getting so invested in what they just read that they want to look up what happened to that person or read up on their lives. Every celebrity was chosen for a reason and brings their own special gaze to the book. And several of them aren’t very well known to readers, so I’m happy to bring them back to life, so to speak. Especially the ones who are no longer alive. In “Brainstorm,” I began to see myself as an advocate to tell Natalie Wood’s version of the events of that night since she’s the only one not here to talk about it. That story, in particular, became a story about domestic violence and it didn’t necessarily start out that way.
**Most of the stories are absolutely about the AIDS epidemic, but also not quite about the AIDS epidemic. They’re about characters who were alive during the epidemic and influenced by it and maybe lost to it. I think that indirect approach is executed brilliantly. How do you write about a subject, but keep yourself grounded within the humanity of your characters?**
I appreciate that compliment. I thought the indirect approach was oftentimes the best way into the story. No one’s life is about one thing all the time. I wanted the AIDS epidemic to haunt certain stories without ever taking center stage. I like the way you phrased that about maintaining the “humanity of the characters.” I think by not treating the characters simply as mouthpieces to deliver a “message” about AIDS is honoring their humanity. It’s so boring and obvious when writers do that. I am always beholden to the characters above all else and I think readers appreciate that and have connected with the characters because of that.
**Last time we talked, you recommended that writers must write the thing they’re afraid of. Excellent advice! Do you have another piece of advice for aspiring writers?**
My new piece of advice is to just take a second and recognize that you are the only “you” this world has got and your writing is singular. Don’t worry about anyone else’s “career” or book deal or Twitter following or whatever. Own the fact that you yourself are a unique, one-of-a-kind “product” and act accordingly.
**Categories:** Uncategorized
---
### [Along for the Ride](https://writer.org/along-for-the-ride/)
**Published:** September 1, 2021
**Author:** Manuela Galindo
**Content:**
VARYING METAPHORICAL DISTANCE IN PROSE
By Zach Powers
I moved from Savannah, Georgia, to the metro Atlanta area with my family in 1991. Because Savannah was our hometown, we drove between the two cities six or seven times a year, every major holiday and some minor holidays and some long weekends that weren’t holidays at all. The entire trip could be completed on two interstates, I-75 out of Atlanta, picking up I-16 in Macon.
In the mid-1990s, I-16 was a stretch of road for which you had to gameplan restroom breaks. Exits appeared only at wide intervals, and there was no guarantee an exit meant a gas station. All you could be sure of on the drive was pine trees. Several trillion lined the highway, a coniferous wall broken only by the occasional farm, cotton and corn and some crops I only now realize I never properly identified.
As a sufferer of severe motion sickness, I was never able to read in the car or do much of anything except look out the window. I know that narrow swath of landscape cut across middle Georgia about as well as I know childhood backyards.
It was on these long, boring trips that I first noticed the way motion works, how nearby objects zoom past while objects in the distance seem to float by, boatlike. This is, of course, an issue of my perspective and not one of differing speeds, and I was old enough even then to know it. This realization was hardly revolutionary. I wasn’t the only kid in a car, looking out the window and wondering at the distance.
Peter Mountford observes this same phenomenon, though in a chillier climate than Georgia, in his novel The Dismal Science: “Rows of plowed mud, frozen stiff, zipped by, a pure blur in the foreground, making an orderly fan of lines farther back.”
Noting variations in motion depending on the relative location of a narrator is a useful piece of writerly craft in itself, but it seems likely it’s one most of us intuit. We never stop to think about so much of our experiences.
It’s similarly helpful to know that large objects appear to move slower than smaller objects. A 747 going the same speed as a tiny prop-driven Cessna will appear to lope through the sky in comparison. This has to do with the fact that the smaller plane covers its own length more rapidly, or so I’ve been told. If I write an extra-large plane viewed from an extreme distance, I end up with a jumbo jet that seems to hover in place. That’s a detail I’ve just imagined only by thinking about the nature of motion, and it’s a detail I quite like.
I think, however, there’s even more potential in using the gradation of apparent motion if we apply it metaphorically to other areas of craft. How can I use this idea structurally, rather than simply to write accurate or interesting details?
Writers often talk about slowing down or speeding up time, how quickly a moment goes by in relation to the number of words dedicated to it. A single second can be expanded almost indefinitely. We can span centuries in the four words “hundreds of years later.” Considering the compression of time in terms of distance, though, reveals a perhaps counterintuitive insight: Less time tends to pass per word the closer we are to the narrator’s consciousness.
As the reader, imagine yourself in the passenger seat of a car and look out the side window at the passing narrative. If the narrative occurs in the distance, we can take it all in with a broad glance, using little space on the page: “A silo slid by in the distance.”
On the other hand, try to pay attention to everything whipping by right next to the car, and we get more information per moment: “The mile marker, the untrimmed weeds, cracks in pavement like the bulged veins in my dad’s hand on the steering wheel, the way the car’s draft pushes the grass in opposition to the wind, skid marks from a semi, starting dark and fading to nothing.” Too close, and the information can overwhelm the moment, obliterating time completely.
In my second example, a bit of characterization emerges in the comment about the father’s hands. This could be expanded with more direct thoughts from the narrator. Emotions, memories, and ideas all serve to slow down the passage of time, even as these elements require more words and therefore can pick up the pace of the prose.
The car window in the previous paragraph was both literal and metaphorical, but it can exist as pure metaphor in which sparer prose styles are more distant observations and wordier styles stay closer. Continuing our ride in this metaphorical car will allow us to consider how we naturally shift our attention from object to object (or, in our case, subject to subject).
Here is a partial list of things I tend to notice on car trips: cows, JB Hunt tractor trailers (years ago my dad, who worked in freight logistics, told me they were then the largest trucking company in America and that’s always stuck with me), the same make of car that I drive, horses (especially white ones, “White Horse” being a simplistic car game passed down from my grandparents), police cars, accidents, funny place names on exit signs, weird billboards, air strips for crop dusters, those giant oscillating sprinklers in fields, old farm buildings in a state of collapse, and Waffle Houses.
Notice that in my list, some objects were given a single word or phrase, while others required some explanation as to why I notice them. From our metaphorical car window, the simple explanations are more distant observations, and the longer ones are nearby.
No distance is inherently better or more valuable than another. My attention bounces from one object to another while driving without valuation. But the bouncing itself is important. My attention shifts not just from object to object but from depth to depth. Active, engaging prose tends to do this, too.
Note in this passage from Amelia Gray’s novel Isadora how some details seem to flit by (are distant) while others stir more extended reflections from the character (are near):
“Something was off about the furniture, Elizabeth decided. The wood was so dry she could feel the desire it held for her skin’s own moisture. She wanted desperately to rub a teak oil into the dresser, as close as it sat to the sun and salt air. Cover the wood and keep it fine, that was her thought. If it were up to her, they’d oil up the desk, the armoire, and the bed frame as well. They could fit a cloth cover on the heavy oak door, another for its brass knob and the filigree on the base of the bed and the glinting pulls on the desk. It’s a sad task indeed to keep the old things nice but sadder to see them go.”
If you ever find a passage-in-progress turning stale, look to see if you’re stuck observing from a single distance, writing time at a single pace. For emotionally close moments to resonate, they generally need to be contrasted by emotional distance. A novel that always stays close to a character’s feelings can get repetitive. A brief glimpse into the distance gives the reader a needed break. Again, distance here doesn’t have to be literal. A crumb on a table can create emotional distance as effectively as a light on a dock in West Egg.
Speaking of lights on docks, distancing the attentions of your characters can automatically create symbols in your writing. Objects observed from an emotional/metaphorical distance earn significance by the very fact they stand alone. Varying distances, then, also serves to create webs of meaning. Close to the narrator, we get interpretation and elaboration. Far away, we get pure objects less tainted by authorial intent. The more a narrative varies distance, the more strands of meaning it creates, stretching between and interconnecting the literal and interpretive, and the stronger the narrative weave becomes.
The following short list of details, from Raven Leilani’s novel Luster, comes in the middle of a paragraph that consists of more reflective observations (as the narrator considers what is likely her doomed relationship): “There is a brief sunshower that curls my hair. A bird that is not a pigeon. An old white woman watching me through a slit in her blinds. I check my bank account, and my automatic student loan withdrawal has left me with thirty dollars.” These details are quite distant, two of them not even warranting complete sentences, but taken in context, they complicate the narrative web, reemphasizing her sense of out-of-placedness.
As with all suggestions in writing, varying distance is not a universal technique. There are fantastic examples of writing that stick mostly to a single distance. In Call Me Zebra, author Azareen Van der Vliet Oloomi stays close to the narrator’s streaming consciousness, the energy of which is amplified by wordplay and philosophical musings alongside rapid-fire emotions:
“We made our way to one of the food stalls and sat at the counter. Ludo ordered for the both of us while I looked through the glass display case at a row of tourists sitting at the opposite counter. I felt a palpable hatred toward them, those stupid tourists with their white-gloved inspection of the most marketable qualities of another nation, another culture, their experience purified of the painful clutter of the past, of the horrifying traces of the accretion of history. While I pasted onto my face the same vacuous grin I witnessed on theirs, Ludo ordered wine, squid, poached eggs.”
Except for the final four words, all the details come with interpretation. This creates a frenetic pace throughout the whole book that effectively mirrors the workings of the narrator’s mind. So yes, an author can stick with one distance, but I would note here that the decision seems to have been made to achieve a deliberate narrative effect. In general, the more experimental or nontraditional a piece of writing, the less any talk of craft is applicable.
Often, meaning exists in the things an author chooses not to say. Meaning arises in the gaps. The reader makes the necessary associations to have a personal, emotional experience. The primary goal of varying distance in your writing might be to create more of these gaps. There’s no need to explain why an internal thought pairs with an external observation. The reader will be encouraged to look at the space between, to follow the strand, hopping into the passenger seat of co-creation with the author, and meaning will take care of itself.
**Categories:** Uncategorized
---
### [When the Words Flow - The Story of a Debut Novel](https://writer.org/when-the-words-flow-the-story-of-a-debut-novel/)
**Published:** October 6, 2021
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
**By Priyanka Champaneri**
After graduating from college in 2005, I worked an office job full time while taking graduate creative writing courses at night. I didn’t quite know what I was doing with myself or my life, but I knew I loved books, with a passion that has run unabated since I was a child sitting up in bed reading, not noticing that hours had passed, the sun had gone down, and perhaps I should turn on a light. Then—and in some ways, even now—writing a book has always seemed like an impossible thing, but taking a class was a smaller commitment that I could handle. I passed my days between work and school with hours of reading and dreaming and thinking, filling the spaces between.
During that time, a friend sent me a message with a link to a Reuters article titled “Check in and Die in Two Weeks, or Get out.” As I read the article, which detailed the death hostels of Banaras, including their function and their necessity, I felt my interest catch, but I tucked the email into a folder and went on with my day. I was intrigued by Banaras, a city on the river Ganges in northern India, but my knowledge of the place was limited to its appearances in what I had read as a child—the Amar Chitra Katha comic book versions of *The Mahabharata*, *Savitri*, and *Tales of Shiva*; K.M. Munshi’s *Krishnavatara* series; and the many fairy tale collections curated by Andrew Lang and Joseph Jacobs. Those stories mentioned the city under its spiritual moniker of Kashi, and I confess that I thought of it more as a setting for fairy tales than as a real place existing in a modern world.
I also felt overwhelmed by how much India held that I still did not know. It is impossible for any one person to thoroughly know her country, even if she is born in the place her people have called home—but I think for those who are born away from their homeland, the need to know everything about the place, no matter how vast and how storied its history, can become a mission, a way to earn a place of belonging. I wasn’t prepared to push that particular rock up a mountain. A few years later, I had left my job and was in my first year of graduate school in an MFA program, and one of my assignments for class included writing the flap copy for a potential novel that I might write. I reached back into my memory and pulled that article out, and I felt that long-ago interest catch at me once again. I was still overwhelmed at the thought of writing about a place and a community I could not call my own, but this was only flap copy—and so I wrote out a 100-word synopsis for a book set in a death hostel.
A few months later, for the same class, I wrote the first chapter of the book I’d envisioned in that flap copy. But that was only an exercise, a place for me to play and dream, never something that might become real, because who was I—a person who had been to India twice, but never to Banaras, and who was Indian in blood and name and spiritual heritage, but perhaps nothing else—who was I to write about this city?
It was easy to bar myself from that space, and so I did. And yet I saved the issue of Little India magazine that came to my house, with its feature story about Banaras. I placed a bookmark in the chapbook of Ramprasad Sen’s poetry to mark “Tell Me Brother, What Happens after Death?”, a poem whose lines ran through my head on an endless loop. I watched *Forest of Bliss*, an almost wordless documentary about Banaras that showed me a city entirely real and modern, yet—to my mind—frozen in a time unto itself. I flipped through public television channels and somehow landed on a rough travelogue based in Banaras. I bought a copy of *End Time City* and felt as if ghosts were wafting up from the pages of Michael Ackerman’s photographs as I gazed at each one. I watched YouTube videos of people doing nothing more than holding their smartphone cameras up as they walked through the winding narrow lanes of the city, recording the sights and sounds of all that they passed, a trompe l’oeil of cinematography that made me feel as if I were the one walking those lanes, absorbing the city’s sighs.
Whether by accident or by chance, the city sought me out, and I grasped at everything that came my way. And though I still felt I had no right to create work about a space I did not belong to, my brain continued to hum on its own, with no qualms. More insistent than my fear of not knowing enough were the questions drumming their way through my head, questions I’d pondered for years about death and reincarnation, about forgiveness and redemption, about the capacity of every single person to live multiple lives within the single one they occupied at that present moment. Finally came the point, midway through graduate school, when my fingers and my pen also thought, as I had more than a year before—why not? Why not write some words down, and see what happened?
And so, I did. I wrote, and the pages I produced by the time I was set to graduate became my thesis. I got another full-time job, and I continued to write. Self-doubt crept in daily, but when the words flowed, I felt that even if I did not belong to Banaras, even if it did not belong to me, at least the story and the characters did, because each day I put pen to paper, I understood a little bit more about them. And I wanted to find out what would happen to them. In the end, any motivation I had to continue writing was driven not so much by self-discipline or any kind of belief in myself or confidence in my understanding of the city. Instead, I was propelled by the thing that made me continue to turn the pages in bed all those years ago, long past the time when the light from the windows was enough for me to see the words on the page, one question at the forefront: What happens next?
It’s a question that took me more than 10 years to answer. By the time I finished, the story I discovered was very different from the one I’d written flap copy for years before. But my intentions, from hesitant first words to sure-footed last lines, remained exactly the same: *The City of Good Death* is my love letter to the city, a book that I hope holds some seeds of recognition for the people who have been there, and some seeds of wonder for the people who have not.
*Originally published in* The Writer’s Center Magazine*, Summer 2021*
**Categories:** Blog, TWC Magazine
---
### [Helping Writers Write – The Washington Writers Conference Continues Its Mission](https://writer.org/helping-writers-write-the-washington-writers-conference-continues-its-mission/)
**Published:** April 14, 2023
**Author:** Manuela Galindo
**Content:**
**By Garinè Isassi**
On May 12 and 13, 2023, the Washington Writers Conference is celebrating its 10th conference — in its current form, that is! That final caveat leads us to a bit of local literary history. It turns out that this mainstay event of the DMV literary scene is actually an inspiring comeback story.
There was an annual writers’ conference throughout the 1990s and into the 2000s organized by The Washington Independent Writers (WIW), an association mainly made up of freelance journalists and nonfiction writers. Over the years, due to the unfortunate decline of the newspaper industry, WIW membership shrank, and eventually, they stopped putting on the conference.
David O. Stewart was a member of the WIW Board in its final years. He secured his agent via the WIW Conference agent sessions and knew how valuable a local writers’ conference experience could be. He and several other board members wanted to continue the mission of WIW, which was to help writers at every stage of their careers. So, they decided to launch The Washington Independent Review of Books, often shortened in conversation to the Independent.
“It was an era of disappearing newspapers and disappearing book review sections,” Stewart said. “So, we hoped the Independent would give reviewers an outlet for their work, would help readers find books, and give writers a valuable resource.” Stewart is currently on the board of both the Independent and The Writer’s Center.
To continue their mission and to help support the website financially, they revived the annual conference, including the hallmark attraction, agent sessions. Attendees were thrilled with the new version of the conference, and more attendees have found their agents through the event, including Paula Tarnapol Whitacre. She attended in 2014 and 2015 to pitch her non-fiction manuscript.
“The first year, I wasn’t quite ready,” Whitacre commented, regarding her agent sessions, “but it was a great experience to have the meetings and figure out how to interact.”
After her first conference, she combined what she learned from there with classes at The Writer’s Center. “The nonfiction course taught by Ken Ackerman was hugely helpful. In fact, he had us create a several-page summary of our idea, and I used a version for my second, ultimately successful pitch.”
The Washington Writers Conference and The Writer’s Center share the important vision of creating a supportive and inclusive community for writers at every stage of their careers. While The Writer’s Center mainly focuses on helping writers develop their craft, the Conference shares information about how to get writers and their work out into the world.
“The conference fills a niche by focusing on the business side of writing, because there is so little good information about how publishing really works — and most writers really want their work published,” noted Jenny Yacovissi, the President of the Independent.
Regarding how the conference helped her, Whitacre added, “The agency pitches were, of course, the most memorable. But the whole atmosphere was great, and I felt like I was really part of the Washington writing community. That is still important to me today, but it was especially validating before I had published.”
For 2023, the organizing committee is hard at work, putting together another great event. They make a point to make the atmosphere easy for attendees and fun.
“The conference always gets high marks from the attendees for being well-organized and well-run,” Yacovissi said, “And I believe we have exceptionally good panels and speakers. This year we are particularly excited about our keynote speaker, Dolen Perkins-Valdez. She is the author of three *New York Times* bestselling novels and chair of the PEN/Faulkner Foundation here in DC.”
Additional highlights of this year’s conference include over a dozen literary agents scheduled to attend and the following panels and writers:
- **Historical Fiction: In Living Memory** with Anthony Marra, Cheryl Head, and Louis Bayard, moderated by Mary Kay Zuraleff
- **Thrillers & Horror & Crime: Oh, My!** with S.A. Cosby, Alma Katsu, and E.A. Aymar, moderated by Anjili Babbar
- **Small Press Publishers** with Monica Price of SFWP, Jennifer Harris of JackLeg Press, Michael Tager of Mason Jar Press, and Annie Marhefka of Yellow Arrow Publishing, moderated by Caroline Bock with the Washington Writers’ Publishing House
- **Voices Across Genres** with Bethanne Patrick, Mary Kay Zuravleff, Leeya Mehta, and Diana Parsell, moderated by Tara Campbell
- **An Agent, an Editor, and a Publisher: Publishing’s Holy Trinity** featuring Monica Price of SFWP, moderated by Chloe Yelena Miller
- **Muzzled Expression: The Alarming Rise in Book Banning** featuring Nadine Farid Johnson of PEN/America, and David Payne of Enoch Pratt Public Library, moderated by Sarah Trembath
The Washington Writers Conference is an event where writers learn from other writers, connect with publishing professionals, and become part of a vibrant literary community.
---
Garinè Isassi is active in the DMV literary community and a member of The Writer’s Center. She is the author of novel, *Start with the Backbeat*, and on the organizing committees of both the Washington Writers Conference and the Gaithersburg Book Festival. GarineTheWrite.com
**Categories:** Uncategorized
---
### [The Mechanical Engineer, Larry Brown, and the Lake](https://writer.org/the-mechanical-engineer-larry-brown-and-the-lake/)
**Published:** June 20, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
**By John Richard Saylor**
A dozen or so years ago, in early January, when the land in South Carolina is brown, mostly mud and dead leaves, and right around the time when I was promoted to professor of mechanical engineering, the highest rank in an academic
department, I lost the fire in my belly. Up until that point, I rose early, worked late, and was happy to do so. But on this January day, I just wasn’t interested in pushing any more. I am motivated by challenges, difficult things, things I haven’t done before. To be sure, the path from assistant professor to associate professor to professor was nothing if not challenging. It had plenty of firsts along the way: first time teaching a class, first masters student graduated, first doctoral student graduated, first awarded grant… There were many firsts, but now I’d done them all. From this point forward it was just a numbers game. How many papers published at the end of my career? How many doctoral graduates before the gold watch? How much grant money brought in? I couldn’t find a number that excited me, and my mind drifted.
Though I have four degrees in mechanical engineering, literature has always been an important part of my intellectual life. I was perhaps the only graduate student of mechanical engineering at Yale University who read Chekhov, Dostoyevsky, and Solzhenitsyn. I was perhaps the only assistant professor of mechanical engineering at Clemson University that read Larry Brown, Kazuo Ishiguro, and Amy Hempel. I am fairly sure I am the only professor of mechanical engineering who reads Plato, Homer, and Herodotus. Had I been prevented from pursuing a career in mechanical engineering, literature would have been my second choice. It was, I decided that day in January, time to explore this other part of my brain.
And so I divided my professional life into two neat parts. One focused on continuing my career as a professor: teaching, research, writing articles in scientific journals, a simple continuation of all I’d been doing. But now, I decided, I would spend my mornings on this new thing: creative writing. And so it began. Before the sun rose each morning, I would roll out of bed, make coffee, and explore this new world. As the sun slowly reddened the sky and the chickadees and cardinals awakened, chittering and flitting about the leafless branches outside my window, I would read. In The Intellectual Life, Sertillanges quotes Lacordaire who alone in his little room was able to create “…a horizon wider than the world.” And on those mornings I felt like I was creating such a horizon. While reading, I went everywhere, travelling the back roads of Mississippi in Larry Brown’s pickup truck, a cold beer in hand; jostling on horseback past windswept fields in Russia with Anton Chekhov; listening to stories of great battles between Greek and Barbarian at the feet of mighty Herodotus. I would write, working on short stories that were at first (of course) awful, and then a little better, and then submittable. I worked on novel ideas and on novels. A few years passed. I wrote and I revised. My novel drafts got better; my stories appeared in literary journals. I assumed the first book-length publication would be a work of fiction.
The thing was, this division of my time and labor was not as clean as I thought it would be. My old life as a professor of mechanical engineering and all its associated tasks was one thing. The bright new world of novels and short stories was another. But there was a lot that fell in between.
I am a person who becomes fascinated by odd tidbits of knowledge about the natural world. After a hike in a place near where I live called the Eastatoe Creek Heritage Preserve, I learned that in this magical wet green gorge, a fern can be found, one that exists nowhere else in North America, the Tunbridge filmy fern, its nearest brethren found in England. It seems that the flow of the Eastatoe Creek, channeled through a very narrow gorge, creates a high-humidity microclimate that is so unique that nowhere else in North America can this particular fern survive. I couldn’t stop thinking about it.
I am fascinated by things in the natural world that have long ago been discovered. The simple existence of the Venus flytrap overwhelms me. Photosynthesis fascinates me. Every carbon atom in our body ultimately came from a carbon dioxide molecule that a plant turned into plant matter via photosynthesis. I can stare out the window and think of such things for hours.
There are a lot of magical things out there in the natural world. But, as it turns out, nowhere is this truer than in lakes, at least for me. I discovered this when some colleagues and I completed a project on evaporative loss from lakes. We had developed a method for estimating lake evaporation using satellite measurements (a thing of some use to people who manage reservoirs and other water resources), and we wanted to publish it in a limnology journal, a journal focused on the study of lakes. None of us knew the vocabulary and overall style that such journals use and so someone had to do a bit of background reading. That someone was me, and I am glad for it. I spent a little time reading articles in limnology journals, but I kept getting diverted to popular science articles on lakes, articles on topics that were mind-blowing. I read an article on a group of lakes called the Carolina bays. Located along the Atlantic Coastal Plain from southern New Jersey to northern Florida, these lakes are perfectly elliptical in shape. Moreover, the long axis of these elliptical lakes all point in the same direction, as if they are pointing to something, trying to tell us where they are from. Once I’d learned of these lakes, I would spend hours on Google maps, gazing at them, both at these elliptical lakes themselves, and their greener counterparts, drained Carolina bays. They are everywhere, once you start looking (a good place to start if you would like to do so is just west of Elizabethtown, NC). In some places they are so dense that they overlap—sometimes you will find one inside of another. Many of these lakes have been drained to enable farming, and so from a satellite view you will often see them as green elliptical fields, with the crosshatching of furrows plowed into them. What made these lakes even more intriguing was that their formation mechanism is not understood, and is in fact somewhat controversial.
From Carolina bays I was led to another lake, one I’d read about years earlier but was reminded of as I searched more literature in support of the journal article. I read about Lake Nyos, one of a group of so-called “killer lakes” that can be found in Cameroon. These are a type of volcanic lake, lakes that have formed in the craters or calderas of long-dormant volcanoes. Typically, such lakes do little to threaten the lives of those who choose to live nearby. But in 1986, Lake Nyos erupted in the middle of the night, spewing not hot lava, but a tremendous amount of cool carbon dioxide, a gas that had accumulated in its depths. As much as a quarter of a cubic mile was emitted, and it raced down the slopes, killing over a thousand people who slept in the small towns beneath the volcanic peak.
The world is full of fascinating lakes. There are subglacial lakes, enormous lakes, some as large as Lake Ontario, that exist beneath a mile of ice in Antarctica. These are lakes that exist in complete darkness, their water having not seen the atmosphere in perhaps a million years. And yet there is life down there, life that is only now being explored. There are lakes that exist for only days, landslide dam lakes that often cause massive loss of life when the dam fails and enormous quantities of water go rushing downstream. The list goes on and on.
Flash forward to 2018. I had been awarded a residency at the Helene Wurlitzer Foundation in Taos, New Mexico, and I was sitting in a small casita, deciding what to do with the weeks of free time on my hands. The residency provides writers with a block of time away from all distractions, time to be used to do nothing but write. Nothing but write! It sounds great until you sit down, alone in that little casita and stare at that very blank page. I had several ideas for writing projects, but the thing I found myself thinking about the most was lakes. “Someone really needs to write a book on the magic of lakes,” I kept thinking. I began putting together a book proposal, a task that took up probably more of my time in Taos than anything else. The idea drew me in. It is odd the things that catch your imagination. The thing I really wanted to do was publish a novel, but the thing that made my pen move across the page was the idea of a book on strange and magical lakes. Perhaps not surprisingly the book proposal got done quickly and caught the attention of an agent who in turn caught the attention of a publisher, bringing me to where I am now, four years later, touting my recently published book, *Lakes: Their Birth, Life, and Death*, a copy of which I hope you will buy and enjoy.
People sometimes say that children don’t come from us, they come through us. I’m not sure if that is true of children, but I am positive it is true for books. Birthing a novel results in something that is recognizable by its author, but whose ultimate form can never be thought of as completely intentional. What is in there and what is absent is the result of so many twists and turns; it is due to innumerable influences from other people, from things that we stumble upon along the way, from the tone and color of something we read the night before. One might foolishly think that in the world of non-fiction, it is just a matter of organizing facts in your own unique way. Nothing could be further from the truth. Like characters, facts (in my case lakes) can be presented in an infinity of ways, giving the material an enormous range of possible hues. This book could have been written in so many different ways.
I live in a place filled with lakes. I often walk along their shores on the weekends. I drive past one of them every day. These lakes were, of course, the template I often thought of when I worked on the different chapters of this book. I often wonder how the book would have been different if it had been some other lake or lakes that I’d interacted with while writing. What would the book have been like if I lived and wrote on the shores of Lake Tahoe? Lake Superior? Lake Okeechobee? It is hard to know. The lakes I live near make almost no appearance in this book on lakes; they served as an exemplar in my mind, but never seemed to fit into the story I was trying to tell. Perhaps living near Lake Superior would have only served to ensure its absence from the book. Who knows?
What I do know is that I am glad that I wrote the book. It is, of course, imperfect, and I avoid reading it since I tend to obsess over how various paragraphs and passages could have been written better. But I am glad I wrote it, this thing, this idea that would have just taken my attention away from whatever else I was working on. I no longer think, “Someone needs to write a book on the magic of lakes.” Now I can work on a character or a scene and I can focus on that character or that scene. My book is out there, in the world, no longer dancing around in my thoughts as a potentiality, a thing that could be created. It is there for you, this thing that came from me. This thing that came through me.
**Categories:** Blog, TWC Magazine
---
### [Writing After College](https://writer.org/writing-after-college/)
**Published:** June 20, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
**By Anu Altankhuyag**
The idea of fully committing to my dream of becoming an author was frightening, but I decided to go through with it and study Creative Writing for my Bachelor’s degree. However, once I was getting to the end of my senior year, I realized I hadn’t the faintest idea of what I wanted to do next. Before I could stop procrastinating and strategize a concrete plan that would set myself up on the path to success, the graduation caps were already flying in the air.
I knew I wanted to continue writing as more than a hobby. I wanted to one day be able to walk through a bookstore and see my name on the shelf. Every writer does. The challenging part is knowing what you can do to get there. To gather the information I needed, I interviewed a few writers and educators who could shed some light on my questions.
ABDUL ALI was most recently program director of the Maryland State Council’s County Arts and A&E Districts programs. And before that, he was the program coordinator at the Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC) of The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation grant. Ali has held teaching appointments at Johns Hopkins University, Howard
University, and Goucher College. He is the recipient of The Robert Deutsch Foundation’s 2019 Ruby Grant. His debut collection of poems, *Trouble Sleeping*, won the 2014 New Issues Poetry Book Prize. He is also a volunteer leader at THREAD, which serves academically challenged young people in Baltimore City Public Schools. In 2021, he co-founded and is Co-Chief Executive Officer at Thrive Arts, a service organization that seeks to provide capacity building to communities of color. You can find him at abdulali.net.
GABRIELLE LUCILLE FUENTES is the author of the short story collection *Are We Ever Our Own*, winner of BOA Editions Short Fiction Prize, and the novel *The Sleeping World*. She has received fellowships from Yaddo, Hedgebrook, Willapa Bay, Millay Colony, Anderson Center, and Blue Mountain Center. Her work has appeared in *One Story*, *The New England Review*, *The Common*, *Slice*, *Pank*, *Western Humanities Review*, and elsewhere. She holds a BA from Brown University, an MFA from the University of Colorado, Boulder, and a PhD from the University of Georgia. She is an Assistant Professor at the University of Maryland where she teaches creative writing and Latinx literature.
ART TAYLOR is the author of two collections—*The Adventure of the Castle Thief and Other Expeditions and Indiscretions* (forthcoming 2023) and *The Boy Detective & The Summer of ’74 and Other Tales of Suspense*—and of the novel in stories *On the Road with Del & Louise*, winner of the Agatha Award for Best First Novel. He won the 2019 Edgar Award for Best Short Story for “English 398: Fiction Workshop,” originally published in *Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine*, and he has won three additional Agatha Awards, an Anthony Award, four Macavity Awards, and four Derringer Awards for his short fiction. His work has also appeared in *Best American Mystery Stories*. He is the assistant director of the Creative Writing Program at George Mason University and an associate professor, teaching creative writing and literature. Find out more at arttaylorwriter.com.
GREGG WILHELM started as an acquisitions assistant at Johns Hopkins University Press, quite randomly because he simply needed a job, and fell in love with the process of how a manuscript becomes a book. After working for and launching other imprints, he founded CityLit Project, a nonprofit literary arts organization in Baltimore. They presented events, readings, and workshops—for adults, teens, and kids—and eventually launched an imprint called
CityLit Press. Meanwhile, he started adjuncting at several universities, earned an MFA from a low-residency program, and worked as a marketer and administrator for an art college. His current role is director of the BFA and MFA in Creative Writing programs at George Mason University. Learn more about the Creative Writing program at creativewriting.gmu.edu.
**Anu: What do you think is the most important thing MFA programs do to help students get started in their writing careers?**
**Art**: I’m a graduate of Mason’s MFA program in addition to working now on the faculty and administrative side, and I hope what I experienced as a student might still hold true for new students today! One of the things that was most useful to me was being part of a community of people who identified as writers—and who were taking time to make their writing a priority. It’s a luxury in many ways to devote two or three years to focusing on your craft and to have people offering encouragement and feedback and conversation about writing. That enthusiasm, that seriousness. Ideally, the MFA years should provide writers a chance to hone their craft but also to find out what works best for
them as writers—both in terms of what they want to write and how they want to write (establishing a routine)—and to continue enjoying that sense of community beyond graduation as well.
**What are some things in MFA programs that you feel students should be aware of that they’re not taking full advantage of?**
**Gregg**: Mentorship, and that means different things to different mentees and is provided in different ways by different mentors. However, mentorship is built on relationship building, and that’s always been hard for introverted bookish types in general and exacerbated by the pandemic with ongoing trends toward social isolation (even remote learning!). Being proactive is key, students have to ask, because what an MFA program can provide isn’t always codified in its handbook.
**How do you believe the writing industry has changed since you first started compared to how it is now?**
**Gregg**: When I first started, there were the “Big Seven” New York-based publishing houses, a writer wanting to break into that world almost had to be in New York because that was where the agents were, Borders and Barnes & Noble dominated the retail space, this thing called Amazon.com was new and only sold books, and getting on Oprah was the moonshot. By the end of this year, it will likely be the “Big Three” publishers in New York, excellent agents and editors live and work everywhere nowadays, Borders is gone and B&N has shrunk, independent booksellers have resurged against Amazon, and Tik Tok might be the best place for book promotion. However, the best literary art starts on the sentence level for prose writers, on the line level for poets. If writers don’t excel at their craft, what changes around us actually matters very little.
**What advice would you give for managing a day job while writing?**
**Art**: Working a full-time job, being in a relationship or raising a family, dealing with many other demands—finding time to write in the midst of all that can surely be a challenge. I have friends who try to write x number of words each day or set aside x amount of time (minutes? hours?) for their writing, and those goals can work; even now I take part in online writing sprints with two groups: a Tuesday/Thursday lunchtime zoom and another on Friday morning. But ultimately, I find what helps most is checking in regularly—no matter how many words or how long a stretch of time. Drafting a scene, revising a paragraph, even making a note keeps you engaged in the project at hand; some days you’ll accomplish more than others, but maintaining some momentum is key.
**Gabrielle**: I pursued a career (teaching at the college level) that intertwines my writing and my job. Publishing and being a part of the literary community is a major part of my job, which has benefits and drawbacks. Even though I have to write to keep my job (itself a strange pressure), I still have to purposefully carve out time for my writing. I balance this better at some times and worse at others. I would suggest trying different methods: maybe writing in the morning works for you, or maybe picking a day out of your week to write. Make a choice and try to stick to it for a few months. Rely on habits and remove temptations (for example, I don’t allow my laptop or phone near my writing desk, I have rules about internet use), rather than trying to trust your willpower, which waxes and wanes. But also be gentle with yourself. The important thing, I think, is to schedule writing into your life, and prioritize it as an important aspect of your life. Building a writing community really helps with this!
**Are you part of a writing community?**
**Art**: A couple of ways to answer this. First, I do belong to several writing organizations: Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime particularly, which are useful both for their official programming (seminars and meetings) and for the camaraderie with other writers within my genre. But I’m also a member of two writing groups, one of which has met monthly for more than 10 years now; in each of those, we share drafts, give feedback on one another’s work, and lean on one another for perspectives on the business of writing, too. Lots to value in all those communities!
**What is your advice about keeping an ongoing healthy and engaged writing group?**
**Abdul**: Keep it organic. Sometimes some things need to die a quiet death and bring forth something new and more exciting. That’s just the rhythm of life. \[…\] Just being attuned with the folks you are in community with. \[…\] We all want community, we all want to be seen and heard. So I think that is something important when building community.
Make it an inviting space. Not a competitive one. \[…\] I don’t care if you have started writing poetry today or if you have been writing for thirty years. Every voice matters. Everyone counts. It’s our responsibility to make sure that they have a pleasant experience, you know? A joyful experience engaging in this artform. Because it is quite lonely. We write alone. And then we come out and we share it. \[…\] Make the community diverse. It can’t all be people who look like you, love like you, or write like you. It should be different. So it keeps it exciting.
**What are some recurring literary events that you recommend college students and recent graduates participate in to begin networking and making connections?**
**Art**: Many writing organizations offer discounted memberships to younger writers, and I think it can be good to officially join such groups for whatever resources they offer and also for informal connections and networking. Writing can seem a lonely business, but we’re not alone in it, and I’ve often learned about anthology calls or made useful contacts from just chatting with people. I’d also encourage writers to attend readings at bookstores or at PEN/Faulkner in DC or—yay!—at The Writer’s Center! Being a good literary citizen is important, respecting and appreciating what others are doing, celebrating all of us—and hopefully, someday, being appreciated and celebrated yourself too, of course!
**Gabrielle**: I really enjoy The Inner Loop, In your ear, and Little Salon reading series. The University of Maryland hosts Writers Here & Now, with readings from stellar writers every semester.
**Abdul**: On the community level, going to a local poetry slam, going to a poetry reading, going to the library. Being a part of the literary community, maybe there is a lecture at a local college that a poet is doing. Even if you don’t go to that college, usually these things are free and open to all. Be connected. Don’t just say “I’m a writer” and you don’t read writers, you know? Have discussions about the work and figure out how the work speaks to your life and your spirit.
**Categories:** Blog, TWC Magazine
---
### [Inescapable Themes – An Interview with Novelist E.A. Aymar](https://writer.org/inescapable-themes-an-interview-with-novelist-e-a-aymar/)
**Published:** June 20, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
By Amy Freeman
Anthony Award-nominated E.A. Aymar’s most recent thriller, *They’re Gone*, was published in 2020 to rave reviews in Publishers Weekly, Kirkus (starred), and was named one of the best books of 2020 by the *South Florida Sun Sentinel*. His next novel, *No Home for Killers*, is coming out in 2023 by Thomas and Mercer. Prior to that, his 2019 thriller, *The Unrepentant*, received similar critical enthusiasm. He writes a monthly column for the *Washington Independent Review of Books*, is a former member of the national board of the International Thriller Writers and, for years, was the managing editor of The Thrill Begins, an online resource for debut and aspiring writers. He has hosted and spoken at a variety of crime fiction, writing, and publishing events nationwide.
**Amy Freeman: You know, of course, that there are writers who plot before writing, and those who go by the seat of their pants (plotters and pantsers, respectively). I’ve heard that authors who write thrillers have to have a pretty clear idea of where the story’s going to go before they sit down to write. Thoughts?**
E.A. Aymar: I am slavishly devoted to organization and really despise unpredictability. I need to write down everything in my life by pen in a day planner (I’m thousands of years old), and I even meticulously schedule my weekends. You’d imagine that, when it comes to writing, I’d take the opportunity to separate life from art but, nope. I outline everything
in advance.
There’s a notion that outlining kills the chance for spontaneity. It doesn’t, at least for me. Outlining is like charting a course through river rapids. Yes, you know where you’re going to go, from start to end, but the ride there is full of unpredictability.
And there is usually a moment that occurs, during the course of writing a book, where an idea occurs to me—outside of the outline—that is so jarring and emotional that I can’t disabuse myself of it. It’ll upset the entire book and scar the characters. As much as I resist it, that moment always ends up needing to go into the book. Maybe it’s so upsetting because my characters have been successfully navigating this river, but none of us had any idea about this sharp rock around the bend.
***No Home for Killers* is your third dark thriller. Are there any through-lines among the books? Themes you can’t seem to put down? Themes you don’t want to put down? Or is each book a whole new world for you?**
I think it was Fitzgerald who observed that every writer tells the same story throughout their writing life, and I think your question is exactly what he was touching on. Not many writers can escape the one theme that arches over their books and stories.
*The Unrepentant* (my first dark thriller) was an examination of the horrors of sex trafficking, and that research still haunts and informs me. As someone who grew up in male-dominated cultures, I was often a quiet witness to the abuse of power and embrace of privilege that happens so often in groups exclusive to men. My study of sex trafficking—an act almost entirely controlled by men, and for the excesses of men, and for which men are usually held blameless—reinforced that belief.
Power and violence are probably my central themes, although I find myself wearying of both. Actually, in writing this response, I’ve had a realization of sorts—the themes we write about aren’t necessarily the themes we choose. But I’ve written enough to know that, regardless of the story, they are the ones to which I’ll return.
**How, exactly, does one research murder, assault, and other forms of violence? Not only the physical aspects, but also the emotional. For instance, in this novel, one woman is a vigilante. What was it like digging into how she might feel as she metes out her form of justice?**
The thriller has traditionally been a stronghold of a certain type of male character, most famously Jack Reacher. Strong, aloof, handsome, violent, sexually active and single, attractively scarred. And probably a clinical psychopath but, again, attractively so…which is just kind of weird? I actually greatly admire Lee Child’s writing and I don’t have a problem with that type of character, but I don’t find men like Reacher terribly interesting. Or, rather, I would, but his type populates so many male thrillers. Lee’s outstanding prose was a boon for his books. This isn’t the case with so many others.
My violent characters are often written in response to that stereotype. Although Emily—the female vigilante of *No Home for Killers*—employs violence, she doesn’t escape its damage. That’s important for me to write. By the end of the novel, Emily’s choices have determined her fate, and I doubt readers will find her violence forgiving.
The real question, for me, is why a woman would choose violence when, statistically, it’s often the province of men? It was my editor who helped answer that question. The plot of *No Home for Killers* revolves around the murder of Markus Pena, an abusive and successful musician, a murder that drives his estranged sisters—Emily, the vigilante,
and Melinda, a burned-out social worker—to unite and find out what happened. Markus’s violence is what informs his sister’s actions, and it’s something Emily embraces and Melinda rejects. They’re both, even without realizing it (and even without me realizing it in early drafts), living their lives in opposition to him.
And there are those recurring themes: power and violence.
**The story unfolds through the perspectives of two sisters. I know that writing female protagonists, especially those with unlikeable aspects, can be, shall we say, frowned upon. Can you talk a little about that, as well as where you think the genre is going, in that respect?**
The best writers in crime fiction today are women, and I think it’s precisely because those writers are fearlessly testing the boundary of character. Not only that, but they’re covering deeper emotional insight than most male writers typically do. Books by Jennifer Hillier and May Cobb and Katie Gutierrez and Sally Hepworth and Jess Lourey are checking the boxes for compelling crime fiction, and they are fiercely devoted to examinations of their female protagonists— their loves and hates, the doldrum and excitement of their lives, their attitudes toward sex and lust and other women and children and husbands and wives and just such a rich palette of subjects. And (admittedly anecdotally) I see this wonderful depth more often in women-written crime fiction.
It’s good for the genre, both creatively and commercially. Gillian Flynn took the reins of crime fiction with *Gone Girl* and fiercely yanked it into a different direction with the psychological thriller (she wasn’t the first, but she was arguably the most successful). And I see so many writers heading in that direction; better said, the market has been proven for the kinds of stories they’re writing. The characters are growing more complex, genre-specific taboos of sex and likability are being crossed. It’s a fantastic rebellion to witness.
My books aren’t specific to that wide-ranging category. Stylistically, they’re probably noir or hardboiled, if we’re going alongside classic definitions of subgenre. But the women I write are indebted to the strides today’s female writers in crime fiction are making, and it doesn’t matter much to me whether my characters are entirely likable. I just hope that, when women read my book, they find something in my characters relatable.
**Not having written thrillers, I’m kinda curious. Do you have to be in a particular mood to kill off a character?**
Ha! I hope, when I write violence, that it’s upsetting. I do think there are sometimes good reasons for violence, but mostly violence is the result of brutal stupidity. And so, when someone dies in one of my books, I really want that death to be earned and felt.
I’ve said before that I want to write like fast food, and I understand that sounds self-effacing, but it’s not meant to be. I want someone to read my books like they eat fast food. Ideally, they’ll read in a rush. And then, afterward, feel a bit sick. I want the taste to linger uncomfortably.
But I want them to return because they like it.
All that to say that I want death to be serious in my work. If there are moments where the violence is necessary, and the violence is exciting, that’s fine. But I never want it to be easy or nonchalant.
**What’s next for you?**
My next book is called *Sunset Heroes*, and it’s about a young couple on the run from a criminal organization, and the man hired to hunt them down, a real estate agent who keeps his criminal side a secret from his family. I actually don’t know why it’s titled that, but I really like that title and I hope it still makes sense when the book is completed.
**Categories:** Blog, TWC Magazine
---
### [Coloring within the (Out)lines](https://writer.org/coloring-within-the-outlines/)
**Published:** June 20, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
**By Virginia Hartman**
As I’ve been doing readings and Q & A sessions about my new novel, *The Marsh Queen*, one set of questions seems to recur: How did you come up with these characters, and how did you arrive at this particular story? When faced with these questions I’m reminded of a well-known dichotomy between two types of writers: those who are outliners (or “plotters”) and those who are “pantsers.” You may already know that the second group has earned their name by “flying by the seat of their pants”—letting the story develop as it will, wending its way to and fro, until they have a completed draft.
So how can a lack of detailed planning lead to a good story? The author behind the rangy amalgamation of narrative elements, characters, and a general excess of words must read and re-read draft after draft, rewriting sections as she learns more about the characters she’s put down on the page, looking for themes and patterns and connections. The outliners do a lot of organizing on the front end. The pantsers do a lot of re-organizing, shaving, and refining on the back end.
Oh, how I long to be an outliner. I resolve that on the next novel I start, I’ll do the preliminary work that will save me the overwhelming management task of arranging, rearranging, disassembling, and reassembling my raw material. I want to spare myself all this damn revising. I am, however, well into writing a second novel—which I did not begin with an outline. I now find myself at one of the many difficult points the non-outliner must contend with as she tries to construct a well-crafted novel. Some might say it’s one of the fun parts, but making everything connect is so much work! I started out with a couple of dissimilar narrative elements and put them together. Then the story grew as I followed my intuition. I drafted scenes and ideas, but the action didn’t flow. So I edited, reconstructed, threw whole sections out, changed my mind about where the center should lie, and found a better shape, all the time asking myself, “What is the essence that must run all the way through?”
Outliners probably know this from the beginning. James Ellroy, author of 19 popular novels to date, has said that each of his books is “mapped right down to the paragraph break. The outline is written by hand.” He has an assistant type his outline and “it’s there at my desk. I come over to it and refer to it all the time, and then I write the book.”(1)
Those of us who do not outline are constantly reading the manuscript and trying to get it all to make sense. I often do so much of this I can hardly look at it anymore. Then I have to put it away, forget about it, and work on some other obsession for a while. When I come back, I can see what I’ve left hanging, fix that, and then show it to other trusted writers and readers who tell me what else I have yet to tie together. It’s time consuming and often vexing.
For *The Marsh Queen*, when people ask the question about how the story came to be, I’ve given one of two answers. The first comes from a Virginia Woolf quote from A Writer’s Diary, which I copied and stuck on my office wall: “Arrange whatever pieces come your way.” That would sound a bit haphazard if it weren’t for the word “arrange.” The Marsh Queen is filled with snippets of overheard dialogue, a facial expression I saw and never forgot, and the kinds of specific physical impressions that I’ve carried around for years.
The second way I talk about the evolution of this particular story is to say that when I’m not writing, I like to make quilts out of colorful fabric scraps. Though it gives me a break from words and provides visual, tactile, and spatial pleasures, quilting does share qualities with assembling a novel. The fabric scraps have different textures, weight, color value, and tone, but if you throw them all up on a design wall, take some out, reposition others, and put just the right colors and shapes next to each other, the process can result in a large, satisfying pattern that makes sense to the eye and, when finished, can comfort the person snuggled within it. Like a novel, the quilt can be stunning or intriguing or fun, depending on the particular placement of scraps.
But there’s a problem with these two descriptions: both of them congratulate the pantser. And the pantser is a status I wish to renounce! So why am I so drawn to Alice McDermott’s craft advice in her book What About the Baby? when she says,
> The novelist at her desk, in the midst of composition…can, indeed, relive the pivotal incident; she can, in fact, remake it, reshaping it to match its consequences; she can tweak the trivial moment until it resounds down the years; she can turn a barely noticed character trait into an unavoidable, already-composed fate; she can not only return to discover what Frank O’Connor calls the moment after which nothing else is ever the same, but can return and insert that moment—if only she will reread what she has already set down.(2)
To be fair, outliners probably do this as well, just not as much, perhaps, as the meanderers.
Writer Art Taylor, who teaches English at George Mason University and has won many awards for his fiction, said in a recent conversation that he rides the line between “plotter” and “pantser.”
“I’d say I’m a ‘plantser,’” he laughed, combining the two terms. “I sketch out the sense of the overall scope of a story and map out the journey, but the detours or wrong turns can often take me to a better place, so I’m open to changes along the way, especially when I find that a plot complication needs to be more tense or layered.”(3)
Alice McDermott also refers to writing as a sort of journey.
> “…if you have courage enough to sail your novel into the unknown, then you will, inevitably, encounter the unexpected. And if the unexpected is what we hope to find as readers, shouldn’t we welcome it as writers, as well? And if welcoming the unexpected means our original scheme for the novel gets swamped, if it means that we look back at what we’ve written thus far and see no prospect of life in it, fine.”(4)
Jeffery Deaver, a writer with at least 40 novels under his belt, has said he wants to eliminate as many wrong turns as possible. “\[M\]y outlines are very extensive…about a hundred pages long.” He explained that the pre-planning saves him time. “Some of my ideas probably won’t work. And if I start out with an outline, I learn within a week or so—ten days—that it’s not going to be a book, and I throw it out. If I start writing, and have 100, 200, 300 pages of decent prose and then realize it’s not going anywhere, look how much time I’ve wasted.”(5)
I can see his logic, but I’m not sure I trust myself to color within strict lines. Still, I refuse to give up on my ambition! Art Taylor’s assertion that you can map out your book and still be surprised as you go along gives me courage to believe there will still be room to clarify patterns and probable causes, raisons d’etre, and the palpable but unnamable quality that fiction must have if it is to seep into readers’ pores, grab them by the throat, and allow them to live the story through their bodies.
Do I outline a quilt? Sure I do. I sketch it out, but within my plan I leave room to improvise and try new things. Can I outline the next story I tell? Please, God, let the answer be yes.
Virginia Hartman’s novel *The Marsh Queen* just came out this fall from Gallery/ Simon & Schuster. She has an MFA from American University, and teaches at George Washington University and at The Writer’s Center.
1\. Berkowitz, Joe. “How to Write a Crime Novel Like James Ellroy,” Fast Company, October 13, 2014.
https://www.fastcompany.com/3035957/howto-write-a-crime-novel-like-james-ellroy, accessed 10/20/22.
2\. McDermott, Alice. What About the Baby? New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2021, pp 108-109.
3\. Taylor, Art, personal interview, 10/20/22.
4\. McDermott, p 121.
5\. Jeffery Deaver’s comments come from a YouTube interview he did with a representative of HEC Books May 18, 2020. youtube.com/watch?v=JNizU4jpF-8, accessed 10/20/22.
**Categories:** Blog, TWC Magazine
---
### [Write By Feeling – An Interview with Debut Novelist Nyani Nkrumah](https://writer.org/write-by-feeling-an-interview-with-debut-novelist-nyani-nkrumah/)
**Published:** June 20, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
By Amy Freeman
Nyani Nkrumah was born in Boston and raised in Ghana and Zimbabwe. She developed her love of reading and writing from her mother, who taught English Literature and Language and encouraged her children to recite poems and Shakespeare soliloquies. After graduating from Amherst College with a dual major in Biology and Black Studies, Nkrumah received her master’s at the University of Michigan, and a PhD from Cornell University. She has lived in the Washington DC region for the past twenty years. *Wade in the Water* is her first novel.
**Amy Freeman: This incredible novel follows a Black girl and a white woman in rural Mississippi. I don’t want to give away any plot points, so I’ll just ask where this story came from? Was it an idea that grew and changed, or did you know where you wanted to go from the outset?**
Nyani Nkrumah: I always wanted to write an intimate novel about the intersection of race and society and within this context, how our personal stories shape our innate behaviors and character. The ultimate question being, are we truly tied to our individual histories, and can we break free? I examine this wider question through a number of lenses—the race lens in this novel adds a layer of intrigue, but within that, an opportunity for introspection. There are other lenses I use to describe the relationship between Ella and Ms. St. James—lenses based on culture, and familial ties that are created, very early on, during childhood, and of course the lens of friendship and love which can also be very powerful.
My storyline has definitely changed over time. I write mostly by feeling, letting the characters lead me on their own journey. Not using a plot outline means that the direction of the story may alter frequently, but that brings a certain freedom, and therein lies the joy of writing. When I finish a chapter, I do stop, reflect, and spend countless hours editing and refining each word and action to arrive at the feeling or thought I want to convey to the reader.
It is indeed difficult to pinpoint where the story came from. I liken it to a kaleidoscope of imagination, experiences and perspectives, with each part bringing meaning to the whole. I have a different background from the characters, but that too brings in its own perspective. Growing up partly in Ghana, racial distinctions did not exist and therefore had no meaning or context, but my geographical moves later, to Zimbabwe, a post-apartheid society, and then back to the US, meant that I was forced to try to understand racial dimensions and origins. Ella’s unique placement in her family was drawn from a true story I was told. So like most writers, I draw on the things around me.
**The book is set in the 1980s. While that’s not exactly ancient history (at least to this interviewer!), obviously you had to do some research to get the details right. What was your process?**
The story is set mainly in the 1980s, with some flashbacks to the 1960s. I am very familiar with the music and entertainment scene of the 80s having been a teen during that decade. In terms of research however, I used a variety of sources—relevant books, academic journals and other articles, movies, visits to the Lorraine Hotel museum in Memphis, Tennessee and our own National Museum of American History and Culture, as well as a trip to rural parts of Mississippi and small towns, including Philadelphia, Mississippi. I had to do some final edits during the height of the pandemic, and the internet, particularly Google Maps street views, came in very useful. You can practically visit anywhere in the world sitting at your desk. There are some aspects of my research that I deliberately did not incorporate. For example, the use of the word Mama is very southern but I ultimately decided not to use it to refer to Ella’s Ma because the word is a powerful one, denoting love and warmth, whereas Ella’s Ma is the antithesis of this. Also, the houses on Ricksville road are two storied, not one storied as in many rural Mississippi towns. I rely on a lot of movement in the novel to ensure the characters are not static, and I felt it was important to have distinct spaces for Ella to move around in.
**What was it like writing not only as a child and an adult, but also alternating between Black and white voices? Can you share any particular challenges in getting into the characters’ minds?**
What a great question!
I think writing from the two different character’s points of view allows the reader to get into the character’s head space and feel what they are feeling,and understand those feelings. It is a very intimate and revealing process that is an important aspect of the novel—For example, how else would a white reader understand a black child’s thought processes, and vice versa for a black reader reading about a white woman. However, getting into the characters’
headspace as a writer was not always easy. It came a lot more naturally with Ella, perhaps because she is a character that I have worked with longer, and I have children, so conjuring up her raw emotions and the terrible circumstances of her life was much easier, including seeing the world through her eyes. Writing from the POV of Ms. St. James was a little more difficult, partly because she is a more complex and nuanced character. There were certainly aspects of her life that came easily to me, for example when she was on her university campus, because that life is very familiar to me, but my inability to access her head space came across in my early drafts. My review readers were quick to tell me that they needed more.
I went back to the drawing board, remembering that as children we are at our simplest, and our most accessible, and started re-writing. I took Ms. St. James all the way back to the age of 5. Once I did this and began to understand Ms. St. James, the writing took on a life of its own. After that, the pages just wrote themselves and these very pages are woven into the novel.
**Did you use sensitivity readers? At what point?**
A sensitivity reader will read your book with the view of ensuring that it doesn’t have stereotypes or biases, etc. To get feedback, I had a variety of people read the story and incorporated key feedback. There was one description I ultimately removed because it might have been sensitive for people who had faced a similar circumstance. In addition, my agent and publisher had their own set of readers, and they also reviewed the document. Some language which may be considered offensive today was kept in because the story takes place in a particular context—the 1980s and a bit of the 1960s—and so it was important to ensure that the story was realistic within those two contexts, and that it accurately represented the thoughts and feelings of the characters at those two moments in time.
**For me, this was one of those books that I both wanted to know the ending and didn’t want the story to end! What do you want the reader to take from the story?**
Thank you! I am so glad you enjoyed it.
I was part of a DC ladies book club for about 8 years and enjoyed discussing many books. I was always struck by our sometimes opposing interpretations of the same novel. Because of this, I do not have an exit sound bite in mind. I wanted to write a novel that was worthy of discussion and thought. My aim is to set up a story where readers are so engrossed in the lives of the characters and the tensions within the story, that when they come up for air they are
changed by what they have read.
If readers want to go deeper, a set of book club questions can be requested at nyaninkrumah.com.
**What was your path to publication?**
I have to thank The Writers’ Center because I pretty much followed what I had learned in my classes—I took a lot of classes to improve my writing, to get feedback from teachers and fellow writers, and to understand the publishing process. I also went to the Algernon Pitch Conference in New York, which taught us, over the course of 2 days, how to write a pitch for our novel. The big draw was that we received one-on-one feedback from two big publishing house editors. This became the basis for my query letter and the entire experience was very positive and encouraging. I used Query Tracker to track queries and find agents, and Publishers Marketplace to find which agents had recently sold a novel. However, how I got my agent was pretty much a miracle. I never sent her a query because she was closed to queries, and yet out of the blue, I got a call from her saying that she wanted to represent me. Perhaps another agent I had queried sent her my manuscript. My agent has been exceptional. She worked with me to fine tune the novel and within a few weeks after it was accepted as final, I had a deal with HarperCollins, Amistad.
I should clarify however that this entire process I have described did not happen in months, but years.
**What’s next for you?**
That’s a big question—I have a full-time work life outside of my writing which quite often requires me to travel internationally. But even sitting in a hotel room somewhere offers a window to write. With my youngest child almost out of the house, I anticipate that being an empty nester will provide more opportunity for writing.
**Categories:** Blog, TWC Magazine
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### [Journeys from The Writer’s Center](https://writer.org/journeys-from-the-writers-center/)
**Published:** June 20, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
**By David Goodrich**
*Originally published in the Winter/Spring issue of* The Writer’s Center Magazine
My friends know that I ride my bicycle quite a bit. Some years back, I started a job in Geneva, Switzerland, and for the first few weeks I was living in a hotel with only my bike for wheels. In my spare time, I would explore nearby France in ever widening loops, in the general direction of the Jura Mountains, which have roughly the same dimensions as the Blue Ridge. On one of my widest orbits, I came to the foot of the Jura. In my pidgin French, I asked for directions to the Route Forestière (Forestry Road), which would take me over the mountains, according to the map. The gentleman pointed me to the entrance, and then said, “Bon courage.” I remember thinking, “I wonder what he means by that.” The road quickly turned to rough gravel and the grade to serious vertical. I didn’t last long.
The Writer’s Center has been like that for me. Before coming to The Writer’s Center, I’d done some long rides, including out to Oregon, and had been blogging along the way. I knew that I wanted to write something but had no idea how to publish, or more importantly, how to write. I started doing my little concentric circles virtually, out of The Writer’s Center, and had my share of “bon courage” moments. I took workshops from Ellen Herbert, Sara Taber, John Morris, David Taylor, and Desirée Magney.
Probably the most important workshop, though, was by Lynn Stearns. In her sessions, she worked through my draft story about riding across Kansas. That was what it took. The first piece appeared in the Winter 2013 issue of *Potomac Review*. After a few more pieces in journals, I had enough of a portfolio to approach an agent, then an editor. My third book, about riding the Underground Railroad, comes out in February.
A big part of the writing process for me has involved my writing group, which was formed after a workshop in 2015. We’re friends now, and we’ve gotten accustomed to each other’s strengths and foibles. Probably because of that friendship, we can dish out rougher criticism than one might expect from strangers.
Sometimes the journeys start almost literally from Bethesda. When my first book about riding across the US came out, I did a reading at The Writer’s Center. A cycle gang was in attendance, the Babes on Bikes group, who rode over from Virginia. One of them, Lynn Salvo, hung around after, and it turned out that we were both riding across some piece of Canada that summer. The mantra came to be Meet Me in Moose Jaw (Saskatchewan). After a whole lot of prairie, we did. She also rode with me following Harriet Tubman’s route from the Maryland Eastern Shore to Ontario, the setting for the first half of the new book, On Freedom Road. The following excerpt comes from the book:
> One stop along the way was Troy, New York, north of Albany, the site of one of Harriet Tubman’s most famous rescues. Charles Nalle had escaped from his enslavers in the Virginia Piedmont and settled in Troy. Two years later, slave hunters sent from Virginia kidnapped him off the street and were preparing to send him back south. Tubman, who happened to be in town, dressed as an old woman and slipped into the US Commissioner’s Office, where Nalle was being held. Grabbing him and yelling to the crowd outside, she incited a riot outside that shortly led to Nalle’s escape.
I was still obsessed by Nalle’s saga three years after the original ride through Troy. As I read more into his story, I realized that he had been enslaved not so far from where I lived. So it came to pass that Lynn and I rode near Culpeper, Virginia, in the middle of a 70-mile day, looking to find the place where Blucher Hansbrough held his half-brother Charles Nalle in bondage. On a prominent ridge east of town, we parked the bikes on a gate marked “No Trespassing” by the American Battlefield Trust. The Trust had given us permission to enter this now overgrown hillside. For Hansbrough’s Ridge, site of the plantation, has its own history. In the winter of 1863-64, it was the winter camp of the Army of the Potomac and its newly appointed commander, Ulysses Grant.
I walked up the Ridge with Lynn and with my wife Concetta, who had been driving support for us. The trail hadn’t been easy to find. The first road to the Ridge shown on Google Maps turned out to be a soybean field. In the thick midday heat, we made false turn after false turn on rutted, gravel roads. Finally, just off the main road, I caught sight of the Trust’s sign. We made our way past the gate up a path through second-growth forest. Nothing remains of the plantation. We walked to a place where we could look out on the Virginia Piedmont laid out below us. Off in the distance, the great blue shoulders of what is now Shenandoah National Park filled the horizon.
In 1864, Hansbrough’s Ridge was a canvas city, part of the 120,000-soldier winter encampment of Grant’s army. Its presence was well-documented. In photographs of the time, one can almost smell the smoke rising from campfires and hear the neighing of horses. There’s a certain camaraderie and warmth to the image of cold camp life in the Army’s hilltop fortress. Two and a half years into the war, the young men must have carried a quiet dread of the coming spring and the campaign from which many of them would not return.
Today the woods have reclaimed the encampment, but faint trench lines still run through the forest. Hansbrough’s Ridge is sometimes known as the Union’s Valley Forge. In May of 1864, the Union Army broke camp there to deliver the final blows that would finish the Confederacy: the Wilderness, Spotsylvania, North Anna, Cold Harbor, Petersburg.
The winter before, the gray eyes of Ulysses Grant looked out from where Charles Nalle had been enslaved to the sites of the battles to come.
So, my capsule advice to those taking on a writing project is this: Start slow, and don’t take on the Jura right away. Recognize that writing is a craft, and take advantage of the resources that The Writer’s Center offers.
In an event at the Center several years ago, author Richard Russo passed on the following:
> You see a cello, and you immediately notice that it looks like a thing that will take years to master. Writing doesn’t announce itself as difficult, but it is. After all, we’ve been telling stories since we were eighteen months old. But writing is much harder than it looks. So cut yourself some slack.
*Image: Members of the 18th Pennsylvania Cavalry Regiment pose in their camp, with horse saddles and newly built*
*winter huts, in February 1864 on Hansbrough’s Ridge. Civil War photographs, 1861-1865, Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division.*
**Categories:** Blog, TWC Magazine
---
### [Q&A with Jona Colson and Caroline Bock](https://writer.org/qa-with-jona-colson-and-caroline-bock/)
**Published:** June 20, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
New Presidents of The Washington Writers’ Publishing House, a DMV Literary Institution
The Washington Writers’ Publishing House (WWPH) is a forty-seven-year-old cooperative, nonprofit, small press based in DC with a mission to celebrate and publish writers from DC, Maryland, and Virginia. On June 1, poet Jona Colson and fiction writer Caroline Bock became co-presidents. They first met one another in 2018, when Jona won the Jean Feldman Poetry Prize from WWPH for *Said Through Glass*, and Caroline won the Fiction Award for *Carry Her Home*. They worked together on the 2021 WWPH anthology *This Is What America Looks Like: Poetry & Fiction from DC, Maryland, and Virginia*, which featured 100 writers and 111 works, and last spring, launched *WWPH Writes*, a bi-weekly spotlight on writing from the DMV. For this issue of *The Writer’s Center Magazine*, they realized that they had a few unanswered questions for each other.
**Was there a specific moment when you realized: I want to be a writer?**
Jona: I don’t know if there was a specific moment, but I always would write in my journal…sometimes they became what I thought were poems. This was around middle school. I kept writing in high school, then in college, I got more serious and took workshops.
Caroline: I was one of those kids who always had a book with me, who was first on line for the Bookmobile at my elementary school each week. I was assigned to write a poem in third grade and never looked back, though it took me until I was forty years old to see myself as a writer. So, while I love talent of all ages, those that come to writing as a second act have a special place in my heart.
**What is the first thing you look for when you read for publication?**
Jona: I look for image and craft, and I always want a surprise. I want to learn something from the poem. I’m drawn to lyric poetry, but not exclusively. I love what other poets have said about what makes a poem a good poem: that it should move to action.
Caroline: In a short story, especially those that are 1,000 words and less, roughly what we accept for *WWPH Writes*, our bi-weekly literary journal, I read the piece through the first time and then close my eyes and ask myself, what stood out—voice, character, lyricism, plot? I’m not looking to be surprised but for something that resonates. And then I re-read the work again, and often a third time, seeing if I can envision it with WWPH. I don’t want to sound too mystical, but I do like it when a sentence sings to me. I am always hoping to discover new writers and to publish a writer from an underserved literary community. In 2022 and beyond, I also hope WWPH can be one of the first places a writer from DC, Maryland, or Virginia thinks of for publication.
**What’s on your nightstand/TBR list?**
Jona: I’m reading Diane Seuss’ *Frank: Sonnets*, which just won the Pulitzer Prize, and *Best Barbarian* by Roger Reeves. I’ve also had *Cat on a Hot Tin Roof* on my list for a long time!
Caroline: I’m in the middle of Anthony Doerr’s *Cloud Cuckoo Land*. I’m looking forward to Susan Coll’s novel, *Bookish People*, because I believe it was inspired by a bookstore that many of us in the DC area know well! I love fiction that has a strong sense of place. I am also very drawn to speculative fiction and am slowly reading through Octavia Butler’s stories and novels. I usually read 3-4 books at a time so the pile grows, as if on its own.
**If you could organize a literary dinner party with any three writers, who would they be?**
Jona: Ha! I love this question! And, I would need to have multiple parties to get everyone I want. But, I guess, the first party would be Anne Sexton, Stephen King, and Toni Morrison. There would be some very interesting conversation!
Caroline: Can I come to one of your dinner parties, Jona? I’d like to sit around a table once more with two of my former teachers Jack Gilbert and Raymond Carver, as well as have Octavia Butler there so we can dive into the future as well as the past.
**What author or book do you keep saying to yourself I must read but haven’t?**
Jona: I need to read more fiction! I have a short attention span, so feel free to recommend something. I’m embarrassed to say that I have never read *The Portrait of Dorian Gray* by Wilde, so maybe I should start there.
Caroline: I didn’t realize that you thought you had a short attention span! I want to read more from small presses around the country, not just because I want to see what our ‘competition’ is doing but because I think some of the most innovative, diverse writing is happening outside the so-called ‘Big 5.’ Okay, I’ll admit I do have a marketing/public relations background and a competitive streak!
**What advice do you have for writers submitting to WWPH? Manuscript contests for poetry, fiction, and now in 2023, creative nonfiction, open September 1 – November 1 and offer $1,500 in prize money, publication, and launch events at an independent bookstore and The Writer’s Center.**
Jona: I would suggest that they read what we’ve published, check out our website, and see what we do and who we are. Since we are a cooperative, volunteer press, the next winner will be working with us. We want writers who also give back to the community and pay it forward.
Caroline: To expand upon what Jona says, read winners from past years, especially recent winners because they will very likely be on the judging committee. Read Adam Schwartz’s *The Rest of the World*, a stunning collection by a longtime Baltimore public school teacher, and our 2020 Fiction Winner. Read Suzanne Feldman’s *The Witch Bottle and Other Stories*, which beautifully blends speculative and realistic fiction, our 2022 Fiction Winner. However, keep in mind that all work is judged blind. Most of all, send us your literary work that reflects your authentic, finely-crafted writing.
**What writing advice do you give to new writers?**
Jona: To keep writing and trying to surprise yourself. Prompts and workshops that push you in a new direction even if you think you can’t write about it. Try a new theme or form. Also, writing about writing inspires and provokes. I wrote the foreword to Myra Sklarew’s *Atlamira* (a WWPH new edition), and I found that reflecting and responding to other writers makes you think more about your own work.
Caroline: Before the dishes, the laundry, the phone calls, or emails or texts, give yourself permission to write, for say, fifteen minutes. An inspiring poet and master teacher, one of the co-founders of WWPH, Grace Cavalieri, recently said to me it was about giving yourself ‘the courage to write.’ (You will find the essay/interview I did with Grace in the foreword to the new edition of *Why I Cannot Take A Lover*, published in June 2022 by WWPH). Give yourself the gift of time to think and to write; that’s what I say to myself, most early mornings.
**Do we have any more questions for one another?**
Jona: I am sure we do. We’ve just started, haven’t we?
Caroline: We’ll have to keep on talking, reading—and writing.
At The Writer’s Center, the Washington Writers Publishing House will celebrate the publication of its 2022 books with an in-person reading by Suzanne Feldman (*The Witch Bottle and Other Stories*) and Anthony Moll (*You Cannot Save Here)*, winner of the 2022 Jean Feldman Poetry Award. Jona and Caroline will host the event and be available for any questions that you might have on publishing with WWPH. Join us at our open-to-the-public celebration at The Writer’s Center, Sunday, October 23, 2022, 2pm. RSVP at [writer.org/wwph22](https://writer.org/wwph22).
For more about the Washington Writers’ Publishing House, including how to submit to *WWPH Writes* or to our annual manuscript contests in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction go to [washingtonwriters.org](https://www.washingtonwriters.org/).
**Categories:** Blog, TWC Magazine
---
### [Discoveries Along the Way: A Conversation with Memoirist Steve Majors](https://writer.org/discoveries-along-the-way-a-conversation-with-memoirist-steve-majors/)
**Published:** June 20, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
**By Zach Powers, The Writer’s Center**
*Maryland-based writer Steve Majors recently published his gripping, startlingly honest debut memoir,* High Yella*, with The University of Georgia Press. He talked with us about the challenges of crafting this book and what he’s learned as an author.*
**ZP: I’d like to start after the book ends, so let’s look at the acknowledgements. You address the fact that the depictions of some family members are unflattering. How do you balance an honest recounting of trauma with compassion?**
SM: It is true that some of the ways that I depict my family members could be considered unflattering. But for me it was important that these depictions first be honest and authentic. As I’ve written in the book, the dark family stories that I recounted were ones that my family often retold each other. It was a way to make meaning of some of the traumatic events in our lives. So, these stories were common family knowledge—they were part of our oral tradition. In that way I was certain that they were true and matched our common experience. Even so I was very conscious of my need to take a balanced approach and to ensure that I was also treating my family members with compassion. I sought to achieve that by also telling true stories about their humanity, about the love they showed to me and about the courage and resilience they displayed in the face of some extraordinary forces including poverty, intergenerational trauma, and societal racism. Some of their negative behaviors were in response to those forces. Ultimately, I hope I’ve portrayed my family as three-dimensional people who try and want to be their best, but sometimes fall short.
**The book is told in two parallel timelines, your childhood and your adult/parenthood. And then within these, there’s a not-quite-linear flow of time. The chapters are often organized by thematic development rather than strict chronology. How did this arrangement come about?**
I’m a first-time author and when I set out to write this book I spent quite a bit of time studying memoir. I’ve always been a fan of memoir and understood the basic structure of the genre, which is often chronological. But in telling this story, it was important for me to make sure there was an equal emphasis on the story of my childhood and the story of my adulthood. The first draft of the book was written in chronological order. But as I went back and reread what I had written I felt like there was an imbalance and that it was missing an emotional arc. Some of the heavier and darker chapters were weighing down the front of the book. In addition, I felt that some of the thematic parallels that I was trying to convey between my experiences as a child and my experiences as an adult were going to be hard for the reader to connect if they had to wade through it in chronological order. So, I spent quite a bit of time trying to figure out how to rectify that. I should say I am a big media buff and the parallel structure is one that you often see in movies and television. Subconsciously I think the answer came from there. Subsequent revisions of the book really involved me outlining and re-outlining the stories in a way in which I felt the book was balanced between the two stories I was trying to tell.
Some of the stories in the book began as essays that I self-published or included as anecdotes in essays that were published in outlets over the years. When I finally came to the realization that there was a larger story to tell by including these stories in a memoir, I started by sketching out an outline and noted stories/chapters that I had already written and sketched out stories/chapters I would need to write to create an overall narrative. I took a six-week sabbatical at work and set a goal to write at least two chapters each day. After I returned to work, I dropped that goal to one and the first draft was probably finished in 12 weeks. But the book was far from finished. The final, polished manuscript took another year and is probably about 50% different from that first draft. I learned, as all first-time authors do, that your first draft is not the book you will publish. At every step of the writing to publication journey, I kept reminding myself that the process would be harder and take longer than I wanted it to. But I also told myself not to give up.
**There’s a lovely thought later in the book that sums up one of the main themes: “Once again I was okay to exist somewhere in the murky middle of an identity.” So this book isn’t about a perfect resolution or a neat character arc. In the absence of that traditional story shape, how do you maintain forward motion?**
I think the search for identity is never neat and for many of us is never finished. But in that search, there is always discovery along the way — we learn more about ourselves or we learn more about the factors and forces that are standing in the way of us truly knowing ourselves. So there’s an inherent tension. I think the tension of people continually searching, yet sometimes failing to find answers, is what can keep a story moving forward and a reader hooked. Also, readers will note that the subtitle of the book is *A Modern Family Memoir*. It’s not just solely my story, but it is the intertwining tales of my two families—the family that I was born into and the family that I created. Obviously, I’m part of those two families. I’d like to think that the emotional climax of the book comes as one of those families comes to the poignant end of its search for an identity, just as another sets off on a potentially more hopeful journey.
**You, as a real life human, don’t come out of this book squeaky clean. You’re incredibly honest with a couple personal shortcomings. Did you plan from the beginning to include your own humanity so transparently? Or was this honesty something you had to work toward as you wrote and revised?**
I could not have written this book any earlier in my life, because I’m sure my ego and need for self-protection would have gotten in the way. I felt that if I was going to be completely honest about the shortcomings of my family, I had to be honest about my own. That was an issue of fairness to them. Secondly, showing yourself as a flawed human being helps readers accept you as an honest narrator. But ultimately, the transparency was for me. People have often asked me why I wrote the memoir. I believe as memoirists, we write primarily for ourselves. It’s a way for us to make meaning out of the events and people in our lives. If I had taken my imperfect self out of the narrative, I would have been lying to myself about my own life.
**Finally, what’s one piece of advice you’d offer to a writer just starting out?**
I’ll stick to my personal experience of writing memoir and offer the advice that story decides structure. *High Yella* might have been written in chronological order. It might have just been the story of my childhood. And it might have worked as a published collection of short essays. But my decision to lengthen the story timeframe, use a parallel structure, and create the through-line that memoir requires was determined by the story that I needed to tell. Writing is both art and craft. First explore the art of your storytelling and then be intentional about how you use the craft to tell that story.
**Categories:** Blog, TWC Magazine
---
### [Bethesda Local Writer's Showcase: 2024 Adult Essay Contest](https://writer.org/adult-essay-contest-2024/)
**Published:** June 26, 2024
**Author:** Blogger
**Content:**
---
### Adult Essay Contest – 1st Place
#### **A Bold Lip**
By Raegan O’Lone
Raspberry Glade. Bamboo Pink. A Different Grape. These were shades my mother pulled from her purse when I asked her what lipstick she wore. Mom never left the house without hued lips. Every trip in sweatpants from our trailer to the corner store warranted application of a shade of red. The lipstick itself had armor—a hard case with a narrow mirror affixed to the inner lid. Mom always checked proper lipstick placement before entering my grandmother’s home. Nan preferred things just so. Later, when Nan, whose memories were escaping her with greater frequency, moved in, to go out, she insisted on her wool coat, pillbox hat and a bold lip.
I resisted wearing makeup, thinking it a diversion I couldn’t afford, separating myself from the lipstick-clad women who had made me.
When my brother suddenly fell ill, I flew home from Boston, where he had led the family caravan to take me to school a few years prior. The day of his funeral, I drove with Mom and Nan, both of their lips vivid when everything on my body was dark. We stepped out of the car in front of the funeral home, and as we trudged up the walk, Nan stopped, lines of worry deepening across her face. “Who died?”
My bare lips could find no words. My mother’s garnet mouth summoned the strength to tell Nan that her grandson had died. Nan’s lips twisted with the realization, again, but for the first time, that we were burying my brother. Mom held out her arm. Nan straightened, pressed her lips together in an impenetrable line and hooked her arm in Mom’s. I followed as they pushed the door open. We laid flowers in my brother’s casket, his lips rosier than I could accept for the coldness of his skin to my touch. Next to his grave among those gathered, the boldness of Mom’s words hovered, a beacon sheathed in red against the dense fog of my grief.
Avoiding colorless days that snowballed into a haze, nights became a haven, the flatness of the dark obscuring at least pieces of what was missing. Pawing through boxes of memories, I found a lipstick someone had given me that I’d tossed aside. I covered my lips in a vermilion glaze, preferring a small mirror to evade my own eyes. Then again and again, hoping the color might bleed into the day. To brave the convenience store, burgundy-stained lips complemented my sweats. I dared to venture on longer walks, the daylight buffered by my reflection in storefront windows, lips intense, leading. I poured myself into work, lips increasingly coated, wielding a deep brick to defend the thesis I dedicated to my brother.
My shade now is raisin. Another different kind of grape: one exposed to the elements, toughened, composition concentrated after what it has lost. Applied to my lips in layers and for every occasion. Pairs well with sweatpants and grit.
---
### Adult Essay Contest – 2nd Place
#### **The Yellow Floor**
By Kyra Swantkowski
Situated in the quiet countryside in Korea, my family would travel at least twice a year to visit my mom’s childhood home. We reminisce over the persimmons dangling from the trees and playing hide and seek between the clay pots—whose interiors housed preciously fermented cabbages and homemade pepper paste—but nothing beats our memories of the yellow floor.
My grandmother was always preparing food. There were fish hanging in the kitchen, peppers drying out in baskets, and blocks of bean curds solidifying in the main room. When it was time to cook the side dishes for our ancestral veneration ceremony, the women would lay out newspapers underneath a small, portable griddle on the floor and beginning frying all types of jeon—a Korean savory pancake. The kids would sneak bites while the men grilled the meat outside. Our gluttony had to be kept in check to leave some for when we bowed in front of our ancestors’ portraits.
When the smell of oil filled up the main room, my grandmother would bring a metal bowl full of pure joy: rice cakes covered in soybean powder. She would adamantly stuff us with her treats while we sat around her on the floor. This was her way of showering us with love, and we gladly accepted her sweet, irresistible offers.
My grandfather would sit in his one-seater sofa, rarely leaving it empty. He was stuck to his chair like rice paste, his eyes fixed on the television. Even though he was often rough with his words, he cared for us in his own way. With the sofas occupied by adults, the kids were content on the floor.
After our daytime activities, we would gather and sit to play word games. The loser would get bopped on the back by the winners which signified the start of the next game. After a few more rounds, the kids would end up giving their parents massages, and laughter would fill the house.
When it was finally time to sleep, the rooms were divvied between the different siblings, but the kids always got the floor. With the underfloor heating to keep us toasty and warm throughout the night, we kept in our tiny grievances. We picked our favorite pillows and blankets from the mother-of-pearl cabinets that smelled of mothballs. My uncle would light a few mosquito repellent coils to keep our skin safe. The botanical smell meant it was time to close our eyes.
Life on the floor was happy. Even after my grandfather left his favorite chair and became a frame we bowed in front of, we continued to sit there and chat. Now, I greet my grandmother through a phone on the holidays, hoping she remembers she is not alone. As her memories get fuzzier and our distance apart seems too wide, I will remember for the both of us how her hard and bare floor filled us with an unforgettable warmth.
---
### Adult Essay Contest – 3rd Place
#### **Of Costco & Whiskers**
By Jonathan Kronstadt
The only thing I hate worse than having whiskers on my face is the act of shaving them off. This is, as you might imagine, a duality I had to come to grips with years ago, and the compromise my twin loathings produced is that I only shave about once a week.
Subsequently, I don’t buy a ton of shaving cream. But I was at Costco a while back, and you know how one gets at Costco, so when I saw six-packs of cartoonishly tall cans of Gillette Edge sensitive skin (my brand!) I chucked one into my cartoonishly large shopping cart and went on my Costco-y way. I’d use it all up eventually, and this way I could cross shaving cream off my shopping list for the foreseeable future. But later, while unloading, I had an unnerving thought: What if I don’t outlive it?
I did some quick Googling followed by some even quicker multiplication, none of which eased my mind in the slightest. Gillette says you should get 50 shaves from a 7-ounce can, but mine were 14-ouncers, so at one shave a week it’d take me two years to get through one can and a full dozen to polish off the six-pack. I just turned 66, and while my plan is to still be here at 78, I’m not sure what the Vegas line would be on my prospects, and I don’t love the idea of having to itemize health and beauty products in my last will and testament.
Now I’m no happier than you are about the logical extension of this line of thinking, but it’s inescapable; there must be an actuary at every Costco checkout stand to flag potential purchases that have, let’s say, a 50% or better chance of outliving their purchasers. Kind of like the “you must be this tall to ride this ride” prohibition, just at the opposite end of the life cycle, as in “you must be this young to buy this 128-ounce can of shaved white truffles.”
I’m getting to an age where one starts looking at things with an increased focus on finality, resolution, and other gut-wobbling perspectives. We do a much better job of helping people lead healthy enough lives to reach old age than helping them figure out what to do once they get there. And so, like much of life, elder learning is a lot of trial and error, though the error stakes get exponentially higher with each passing year. I used to yell at my kids when they came down stairs while looking at their phones; now that I’ve entered the demographic for which falling is a leading cause of not being able to get up ever again, I pause before each stair descent, making sure to have whatever faculties already haven’t fled the scene locked and loaded for the increasingly perilous journey. In fact, at this point, the only thing I fear more than a trip downstairs…is shaving.
---
### Adult Essay Contest – Honorable Mention
#### **The Marble Egg**
By Charlotte Clymer –Washington, D.C.
I was 19 when I held an urn for the first time.
Two months prior, I had graduated from Army basic training and got assigned to the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard), the unit based in Washington, D.C., that carries out the military funerals in Arlington National Cemetery.
You ever see soldiers carry a flag-draped casket in Arlington? That was my unit.
But I was the new soldier, which meant I’d have to earn my way on to a casket team, which meant, in the meantime, I was put on detail at The Columbarium, tasked with handling the cremated remains of service members and their loved ones.
The Columbarium detail is simple compared to casket funerals. As the lone private on these details, I was tasked with ceremoniously transporting the urn with all respect and military bearing.
I was not supposed to stand out. If the family never remembered me after the ceremony, I had completed the mission to perfection. Be forgettable, and don’t drop the urn.
The supervising sergeant said that to me on the first day. He was on this detail because he got bumped off a casket team. He got bumped off a casket team because he wasn’t very good at it. He wasn’t very good at it because he would constantly forget things.
For example, he forgot to tell me to wet my gloves. We wore cotton white gloves, which need to be held under a faucet prior to a funeral, so that they have a better grip. Somehow, no one had told me this, and the sergeant didn’t bother to check.
The first two funerals at The Columbarium were completed to perfection. Both times, I carried small wooden boxes and marched crisply (but forgettable) to the inurnment location. My role was no more than 60 seconds.
My confidence was beginning to replace my anxiety. I had been way too nervous, I realized. I began to let my nerves settle a bit.
The third funeral came in the late afternoon. I got the requisite head nod from the sergeant and ceremoniously walked up to the car that was transporting the urn. I stopped at the open door of the passenger seat and bent down.
But I didn’t see a wooden box.
It was a marble egg. There’s no other way to describe it. A beautiful marble egg. It was certainly fitting and appropriate to transport remains, but still: a smooth and heavy marble egg.
My gloves were not wet. Cotton slides easily on marble. This was, I would guess, a 30-pound marble egg. No edges. No real grip. So heavy. So slippery.
That was the longest walk I’ll ever take. I was gripping this egg for dear life, certain it was going to slip out of my cotton gloves at any second.
But I eventually made it. I handed off the urn. I walked away. I sat in a car, a bundle of nerves.
I was completely forgettable.
---
### Adult Essay Contest – Honorable Mention
#### **Palmetto Bugs**
By Rachel Coonce
We’re moving to Gainesville, and I’m finally getting out of this podunk, nowhere town, where everyone thinks I’m a slut. I walk down our street for the last time. I’m leaving this place: I’m leaving Highway 90 and the one square block they call downtown, I’m leaving all the skater boys, and our ranch-style house squatting under the oak tree that drips palmetto bugs into its walls.
Palmetto bugs are all I know cockroaches to be: black and shiny, as big as my father’s big toe, with wings that carry them to the tallest thing in the room, which is usually someone’s head. I felt the silkiness of their wings when I pulled one out of my combat boot. I felt the tickle of their feet as one crawled onto my hand while I sat on the living room loveseat, waiting for Robbie in the dark. I felt the crunch of their exoskeletons when I accidentally stepped on one, sneaking barefoot onto the back carport. That didn’t kill it though. Killing them requires multiple direct hits with the hardest weapon in the house—a hard back book or a hard-soled shoe. They can be sucked up in the vacuum, if it’s a particularly powerful vacuum, not clogged up with animal hair, human hair, and dust. But then the vacuum radiates a warm smell of dead cockroach until the whole house is filled with what Lily insists is the smell of Dr. Pepper.
Palmetto bugs terrorize us through the house, crawling up through crevices, swooping down from ceilings, occupying every dark corner. They scurry across the ceiling, as Lily and I hide under a blanket. We clutch each other atop a dining room chair as they scuttle under foot. We scream horror-movie, guttural cries of true terror when Stephen chases us through the house with one of their dead bodies. Even when they aren’t around, I imagine them everywhere: all over my body, creeping up my widening thighs, or crawling over my pockmarked face with their furry legs and wavering antenna. Maybe they venture inside—my mouth, or my ears, or worst of all, my hair. My long, curly hair—they get lost, fluttering their wings through the tangled weave of auburn strands, the red shimmering against their dark bodies, their wings pounding against my head to fight their way out. The harder they struggle, the deeper they’re buried.
But all of that is behind me now that we’re getting out of Lake Shitty.
Robbie rides up beside me on his skates: They still have palmetto bugs in Gainesville, you know. You may be getting out of here, but you’ll still be in the swamp.
Yeah right, I say to the thick breeze in his wake. Moving away means a fresh start. I pull the tie out of my hair and let it fall over my shoulders. It feels heavy in the afternoon heat, shimmering with the glare of the sun. I get a clean slate.
---
### Adult Essay Contest – Honorable Mention
#### **Fist Bump**
By Hope Randall
“What’s queerness?” asked my 10-year-old niece. Holding my phone, she’d paused on a photograph of a sticker that said, *Your queerness is divine.*
Where to start? I went with, “It means, like, being gay or lesbian.”
“But that’s not YOU!?”
I froze, feeling my cheeks turn warm. I saw shock in the big, brown eyes fixated on mine. What else? Disgust, horror, judgment?
I had to look away. Staring at the table, I stammered. “I—um. A friend. She gave it to me.”
“Oh.” She continued to scroll. I casually remarked on unrelated travel photos while butterflies churned my stomach and scenarios raced through my mind.
*We rarely get this one-on-one time together. This is the right moment.*
*But it’s late. She’s tired. I missed my chance. If I say something now, it’ll seem like a big thing. Her mom might get upset.*
She lost her place in the photos and had to start again from the top. I waited to see if she’d land again on the sticker. She didn’t, but her return to the beginning of the reel felt like an energy shift, an opening to return to the topic in the most nonchalant way I could manage.
“Oh, so, the queer thing.” She stopped scrolling and looked at me, attentive, like she already knew. “I *am* that, actually.”
Before I could even process what to say next: “Oh, that’s OK!” She patted my arm twice, a silent *There, there*.
“Thank you,” I exhaled, releasing the in-breath I’d held for years. But her attention had already returned to the photos.
Astonished, I wondered if she’d actually understood what I said. With Mom, there were tears; with my sister, skepticism. Within myself, heaviness.
I couldn’t trust the ease. Overanalysis kicked in. *Did she say “It’s OK” because she thinks it’s a flaw and loves me in spite of it?*
Desperate to sound unaffected, I told her it was time to turn off the digital devices and get ready for bed. Then, my pounding heart muffled the sound of my voice as I quipped, “Hey, you know that there’s nothing wrong with being gay, right?”
An exasperated head tilt, playful eye roll, impish grin: “Ahh, I know.” She held up her hand, fingers curled into a ball: “Fist bump!”
I laughed. We fist bumped. The breezy, bemused ease of her gesture knocked my doubts aside, decentered my fearful core. With good-natured impatience, she was asking, *Can we move on now?* One day, I’ll thank her for showing me how.
---
### Adult Essay Contest – Honorable Mention
#### **The Maternal Line**
By Dian Seidel
I didn’t know my great-grandmother Esther—she died 13 years before I was born—but I know a little about her. Records my mother discovered say she came from Volyn, a region in the Pale of Settlement, the Russian Empire’s vast Jewish ghetto. As an ancestral homeland, Volyn doesn’t entice me; I don’t know which shtetl she lived in or whether it’s in present-day Ukraine, Poland or Belarus. When her daughter, my grandmother, remembered the place she lived until age 16, she called it simply The Old Country.
All the rest of what I know about my great-grandmother comes from things she gave my grandmother. Things my grandmother gave my mother, and my mother later gave me. Things from The Old Country.
When my great-grandmother packed for the voyage from Volyn to America, she didn’t pack light. Suspended from my kitchen ceiling, her three long-handled copper pots resemble a set of measuring cups, but at eye level they dwarf my biggest stockpot. I’ll never know what she cooked in them. Her recipes are long gone. And I’ll never know what spice mixes or medicines she concocted in the pocked brass mortar and pestle that now sit on a shelf in my dining room. Like the pots, they are industrial-sized. If I were to drop them, they could surely shatter floor tiles or phalanges. Esther’s brass candlesticks aren’t quite as heavy, but I imagine they’d be serviceable self-defense during a pogrom or a home invasion.
Clearly, my great-grandmother didn’t mind schlepping, or asking someone else to schlep, all this heavy metal. In 1909, after the overland and trans-Atlantic journey, an Ellis Island inspector with a buttonhook declared her husband’s eye infected and the family ineligible for entry. So they and all their belongings detoured to Argentina, where they remained for two years before returning and settling in Chelsea, Massachusetts.
About those candlesticks. I don’t know if Esther lit Shabbat candles, but I know her daughter did. Most Friday nights, Esther’s simple brass candlesticks graced my grandmother’s table, but on special holidays she used her silver set. After my grandmother died, my mother rarely used either pair, but she polished both regularly and kept them on display, each in its own nook of the gridded shelving that separated our dining room from our living room.
When, in her 90s, my mother fretted over the fate of the family heirlooms, my sister, named for Esther, took the silver candlesticks. I took the brass and copper. Like my mother, I put it all on display but never put it to use.
Three years ago my daughter married a man who observes the Sabbath as a day of rest. Esther’s candlesticks now live with them. For the first time in decades, the brass shows the wax drippings of weekly use.
It’s hard for me to picture Esther schlepping her housewares around the world. But I’m grateful for the light that shines on the face of her newborn great-great-great-granddaughter.
---
For more information on the Local Writer’s Showcase, please visit <https://www.bethesda.org/bethesda/localwriters>
**Categories:** Blog
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### [Bethesda Local Writer's Showcase: 2024 Adult Short Story Contest](https://writer.org/adult-short-story-contest-2024/)
**Published:** June 26, 2024
**Author:** Blogger
**Content:**
---
### Adult Short Story Contest – 1st Place
#### **They Did(n’t) Dance**
By Bari Lynn Hein
**1. They Didn’t Dance**
1.
1.
This is Neil’s bliss: this restaurant, these people—his hardworking staff who fill the kitchen with the aromas of garlic and tarragon and thyme, his guests who fill Beaumont’s with the sounds of clinking and laughter and cheers.
He walks past inverted glasses glistening beneath candle chandeliers, past four tables covered in white linen and fine silverware, past a serving tray from which his headwaiter, André, is extracting steaming plates of coq au vin and boeuf bourguignon.
Nine times out of 10, when a guest has asked to speak with Neil Beaumont, it’s to pay the restaurant owner a compliment; Neil has no reason to think this time will be any different. He approaches table seven expecting to find it occupied by smiling strangers sipping after-dinner aperitifs; instead, he sees his closest friends, Will and Julia.
Will stands and extends a hand. “Dude!” The men are 48, but when brought together they become schoolmates again. They grasp one another’s hands and clap each other’s backs. Julia rises and reaches for a hug.
Eighteen years is a long time for Neil to be in love with his best friend’s wife.
Her eyes are two shades of brown, like cloves. She lowers her lids as she always does when her gaze meets Neil’s. Recently, since reading Julia’s latest novel—*Pendulum*, about a woman who becomes obsessed with her husband’s brother—Neil has wondered if perhaps his feelings are reciprocated.
“We’re celebrating tonight, dude,” Will says. “Guess who made the bestseller list this week.”
“*Pendulum*?” Neil says.
Julia smiles. Her cheeks flush.
“This is huge!” Neil turns around and calls over to André. “Let’s get my friends a bottle of Champagne. On the house.” He holds out a hand like a game show host. “We have a bestselling author here.”
A few other patrons look over and make approving sounds. Neil didn’t mean to embarrass Julia. He knows how much her writing means to her. He knows more about her than just about anyone else, perhaps more than Will.
André arrives with two glasses and a bucket housing a bottle of Champagne. Will says, “Would you mind bringing a third glass?” He turns to Neil. “You have time to join us in a toast?”
“Of course.” While he waits on a glass, he wraps a napkin around the bottle and removes the foil seal. “So, any Hollywood buzz?”
Julia laughs. “No talk of a movie yet. I’m No. 16 in hardcover fiction.”
Neil twists off the bottle’s cage and releases a satisfying pop. “I read a review last week: ‘Manus has given us the word mastery we’ve come to expect from her, along with some raw honesty we did not know about.’ ”
Julia is beaming. “Good job memorizing that.”
“Way to go, Manus. You’ve got the whole package: word mastery and raw honesty. Do you have any idea how proud I am of you?”
“Hear! Hear!” Will raises his glass. “To No. 16!”
The threesome tap glasses.
They talk about the book, Will dominating the conversation, as usual, but showing no real understanding of the characters Julia created. Neil wonders if Will has even read *Pendulum*. He once confessed he hadn’t read any of Julia’s first four published novels. Maybe he will now that a bestseller list has validated his wife’s work.
“Tell me about Violet,” Julia says after she and Will have placed dinner orders with André. “What’s she been up to?”
Neil pulls out his phone, finds a recent photo that Siobhan sent of their 7-year-old and passes it to Julia.
“Oh, Neil, she’s gorgeous.”
“Gotta agree with you on that,” Neil says. Violet’s first sentence was: “Pick me up, Daddy.” The last thing she said, before he boarded a recent flight back east, was: “Do you have to go, Daddy?”
Julia has shared with Neil her regrets at never having had children. He sensed her longing whenever she was around Violet, during those two brief years his daughter lived under his roof, senses her sorrow now as she gazes at the little beauty on his cellphone screen.
When André arrives with dinner, Neil excuses himself. Later, he walks his friends out and lights a cigarette. Watching smoke curl toward the stars, his mind is consumed by a litany of what-ifs. What if Siobhan had never walked into his restaurant? Violet would not exist, so it’s hard to wrap his mind around that. What if Will hadn’t smiled at Julia first, hadn’t made the first move? What if, 18 years ago, when Neil Beaumont first laid eyes on Julia Manus, they had danced?
**2. They Danced**
Julia has always known she would end up here, on this section of sidewalk, standing in front of one of the biggest publishing houses in New York City, a tower so tall that the high-rises reflecting off its windows barely reach its midsection. She’s always imagined she would be preparing for an event like the one that awaits her tomorrow at noon, a reception honoring those who’ve received literary distinction in a national writing competition. What never occurred to her—at least not during the years of her youth, which seemed endless at the time but in retrospect passed far too quickly—was that the recipient of first prize in the category of original fiction would be someone who once fit into the crook of her arm. Julia is overwhelmingly proud of Katrina, who can put words together in ways that Julia has never been able to. She places an arm across her 16-year-old daughter’s shoulders.
Katrina wears a furtive smile; she already knows she’s headed for great things. So does Ansel, who is by now a block ahead with Neil, waiting to cross Broadway. Yesterday, outside the five-story brownstone that houses one of the country’s leading acting schools, Ansel stood with his head held high, his shoulders back, his eyes closed for a meditative moment.
When the family has cleared the crosswalk, Neil says to the kids, “You know where this pizza place is?”
They point down Broadway.
“And the theater?”
“We’ll be fine,” Ansel says, with ill-concealed impatience.
Neil kisses them on both cheeks, the way his own father used to kiss him. Julia hugs her kids and reminds them to send a text message when they’ve reached the theater.
Now it’s just the two of them. As Neil has reminded Julia recently, in a couple of years, both kids will be off at college and they’ll be alone all the time.
“So, what’re you hungry for?” Neil says.
“I’m not really hungry yet. Can we just walk a bit?”
They start to backtrack along Broadway. This time, as they walk in the shadow of the publishing behemoth, Julia is overcome by sadness. She sees her downturned lips reflected off the oversized sunglasses of a woman walking past. Car horns and a distant police siren play a suitable accompaniment to her melancholia.
“What’s on your mind?” Neil asks.
Julia tells him she’s fine and picks up her pace. Self-pity has no place here. She has no right to feel this way.
She and Neil are still in love, after 18 years. Their children are making imprints on the world. Their house is almost paid off. The music store that Neil inherited from his father still stands, and groceries will always be in demand, so Julia’s job as a supermarket cashier is secure. She and Neil can afford to provide for their children’s dreams, can even spend a few nights in New York City to celebrate their children’s accomplishments.
They’ve reached Rockefeller Plaza. Traffic sounds are now muffled by flags flapping overhead and by the trickle of a fountain down below. Julia leans against the wall overlooking dozens of pink umbrellas and thousands of pink flowers.
She sat at one of those tables in the plaza with Neil 18 years ago, shortly after they met, to celebrate her 30th birthday. They’d allowed themselves to imagine what it would be like to live in New York City. Neil would soon start training at L’Ecole des Arts Culinaires and pick out a prime location for his restaurant. Julia would get her foot in the door of the publishing industry as an assistant to an acquiring editor, a position her grad school adviser [\[SW1\]](#_msocom_1) had helped her to land. At night, she would write novels and eat gourmet meals that Neil had prepared. The last time they were here, 18 years ago, Neil’s father was still alive. They had no idea a child had been conceived.
Neil stands beside her now, stares at her, waits for an honest answer to his question. The sun makes his brown eyes look almost as golden as the statue of Prometheus just beyond Julia’s reach.
“You’ll think I’m the most selfish person in the world,” she finally says.
“Try me.”
The flags continue to flap. The fountain continues to cascade. Prometheus continues to shine. Julia cannot speak. Instead, she cries.
“Hey.” Neil wraps his arms around her and brings her head to his chest.
“In a year, Ansel will probably be going to school here,” she sputters.
“Right. I hope so.”
“And Katrina will be applying to colleges. She’ll probably be published by then, knowing her.”
Neil strokes Julia’s back. “I expect she will be.”
“And I’ll still be asking, ‘Paper or plastic?’ ”
A long pause follows, a long flag-flapping, fountain-trickling pause.
“And I’ll still be telling kids not to smack the cymbals with their bare hands,” Neil says.
“So where did we go wrong?”
“I’m not sure that we did go wrong.”
“I had dreams, Neil. I mean—I didn’t necessarily think I’d be a bestselling author, but I thought people might enjoy my books, and maybe be affected by them for a little while. And you thought people would be flocking into your restaurant, in this very city.” The sky has turned from cerulean to indigo and long shadows stretch from the skyscrapers across the cab-dotted, bus-blocked street. The flags overhead whack the air with intensified energy from a gust. “I feel like we wasted a lot of years.”
Neil’s been staring at her for several seconds, waiting for her eyes to meet his. “But we had fun.”
“Yeah, but—”
“No. Think about it. We had fun. Camping out on the bed right after Ansel was born? Taking the kids out on my Radio Flyer? Those backyard barbecues when Will and Pat would bring their kids over and they’d all splash around in the wading pool?”
“You made the best burgers,” Julia says, drifting for a moment.
“How ’bout reading to the children at bedtime?” Neil takes Julia’s hands into his. “How about the bike rides? And fishing and flying kites by the lake? Seems we were always detangling fishing lines and kite strings from trees.”
She gazes at the pink umbrellas surrounding the fountain and remembers 10-year-old Ansel as Oliver Twist singing “I’d Do Anything” with the little girl who played Nancy. They’d spun a pair of umbrellas across the elementary school stage, and for the duration of the song, had made the audience believe they were riding in a carriage. “I keep coming back to the elementary school plays, for some reason. Reliving those years.”
“We still have another year of school plays. And then who knows what lies ahead for all of us once Ansel comes here.”
For a moment, Julia envisions her son performing on Broadway.
“It was all so much fun and it went by so unbelievably fast,” Neil says. “Last September, at Back-to-School Night, when I introduced myself to Katrina’s English teacher, you know what she said? She said, ‘Aren’t you lucky.’ ”
“We are lucky.”
On the corner, a musician has unpacked a saxophone from its case. He raises his instrument to his lips and plays the first few strains of “What a Wonderful World.”
“It wasn’t just the kids who made the last 18 years fun, you know,” Neil says when the song is finished. “It was you, too. Whenever I’m with you, I feel—how should I put this?—I just feel right. Even when we’re mad at each other, I feel right. Does that make sense?”
“Yes.” Julia watches the water incessantly flow off the sides of the fountain. “We could’ve ended up with different people. We would’ve missed out on everything.”
“I think we would’ve ended up together, sooner or later. I think that’s just the way it was meant to be.”
She considers that possibility for a moment. Her sadness is dissipating. It’s hovering over her now, rather than pressing down on her. “Maybe burgers.”
“Burgers?”
“You asked me what I’m hungry for. Ever since you brought up those backyard barbecues—”
“Burgers it is.” Neil drops a few bills into the musician’s case and reaches into his pocket. Julia knows what he’s going for: the app that found them their hotel rooms, directions to the acting school, the perfect place for breakfast this morning, the show the kids are about to see. She doesn’t want an app to pick the restaurant where she and Neil will eat their dinner tonight.
“Put it away,” she says.
Neil slips his phone away, and wordlessly, they head toward the intersection of 51st and Fifth Avenue. Prometheus is illuminated now, as are the streetlights. The traffic signal turns green. Hand in hand, Julia and Neil cross over.
---
### Adult Short Story Contest – 2nd Place
#### **English Breakfast**
By Naomi Louie
Every morning, Poppy makes tea. She puts the kettle on with just enough water for one cup—she hasn’t made tea for two in almost a year—and listens for its whistle as she butters her toast. Most days she takes it off the heat as soon as the water’s boiling, but some days she lets it go on and on until her ears ring, until it starts to sound like a voice of its own, filling the apartment with its shrill song.
Today is one of those days. She lets it boil for seven and a half minutes. It’s better than this endless quiet.
It’s been so quiet since Henry went away.
She spends those seven and a half minutes picking out a mug. It’s a tough call, but she finally settles on a blue one dotted with buttercups. She takes the wailing kettle off the heat and reaches for a teabag.
Poppy is a firm believer in the superiority of English Breakfast (but only when she makes it—Henry always over-steeps his tea). She’s tried 46 varieties of tea, from a pomegranate-rose rooibos to a smoky three-year-aged Pu-erh, but none of them compare to a steaming cup of Weatherby’s classic blend (an English import, smooth and refined, her mother’s favorite). She keeps the tea bags in an old Weatherby’s tin—the company’s cut costs in recent years, so they’re only sold in cardboard boxes now, but she always empties the boxes into the little copper tin on her kitchen table. Thirty-five bags per box. She buys another box on the eighth of every month, so the tin never runs empty.
But today, she peers inside and finds she’s taken the last one.
“Time to restock,” she says. Her words hang in the air, painted birds with nowhere to land. Suddenly aching, she addresses the tea bag instead, watching swirls of amber drift up as it sinks. “Poor thing. You must have been awfully lonely in there.”
She finishes her toast, grabs her purse, tucks her nicest cashmere sweater in the crook of her elbow. In the downstairs lobby, she checks her mail: a telephone bill, a book of coupons, this week’s *New Yorker.* No letter from Henry, and no news of him.
She squeezes into the sweater on her way out. It is September 15th, and there’s a chill in the air.
——————-
The 91st Street European Grocery is, as the name would imply, on the corner of 91st and Park, tucked between Silvio’s Fine Tailoring and Gold Fortune Chinese Restaurant. It’s 20 blocks away from the apartment, but Poppy doesn’t mind. She’s taken this pilgrimage a hundred times without tiring, each one different from the last. New storefronts, new people, new ink-black spots of sidewalk gum.
There’s nowhere else in the city she can buy Weatherby’s, not since the dingy little tea shop by the university closed. She had spoken to the tea shop owner at the clearance sale, a slender, crane-like woman with graying hair and a thick Oriental accent. *My country is burning,* the woman had said, busying herself with the jars behind the counter, a restless tremor in her voice. Everyone was restless then, the war still a silhouetted figure at the threshold, soon to step into the light.
Poppy had paid for a silver teaspoon with a hundred-dollar bill. *Keep the change,* she’d said, pressing the money into the woman’s hand. *For your family.*
Sometimes, when she prays for Henry, she prays for the woman too.
——————-
When she finally reaches her destination, her hands are cold and her knees are beginning to ache. She chalks it up to the nights she’s spent pacing around her living room until her feet grew sore, trying to ward off nightmares: gunfire and shadows and raw-faced, bloody corpses wearing Henry’s wedding band.
She steps into the 91st Street European Grocery, blinking hard to adjust to the harsh light. It’s brighter than she remembers. Larger, too, and cleaner, all gleaming metal shelves and freshly waxed tiles. The musty, spiced aroma of the cluttered aisles is gone, replaced with a strange sterile smell. No portly mustachioed man at the register. No wine racks. No Spanish ham.
“Can I help you?” says the lanky, mop-haired boy at the checkout counter. He looks about 20 or so, not much younger than Henry was when he proposed.
The memory strikes her like a blow to the gut—her dark-eyed darling kneeling in his best blue shirt, the top two buttons undone, taking her hand with impossible softness. She thinks of how he’d looked up as he kissed her knuckles, the gaze he reserved for her and only her, always warm around the edges. Then she thinks of the men she’s seen returning, all sunken cheeks and vacant stares. She thinks of the men who don’t return. The woman in apartment 408, wailing for her son, as a uniformed officer struggles to hold her upright. The twins, who play hopscotch outside the deli every weekend, left forever fatherless. And Henry, his brother’s dog tags slung around his neck, his mouth set with terrible certainty, turning away away away—
*No. No*. He’ll be home any day now. Any day now.
“Sorry, what?” the boy says, and Poppy realizes she’s spoken aloud. Her mouth is dry, and her breaths come quick and shallow. The light makes her temples throb. The quiet hum of machinery becomes a sudden roar.
She stumbles outside, head spinning, twisting her ring so hard it hurts. The boy calls after her, just barely audible over the panicked thrum of her heartbeat. She scans the street, frantic, searching for anything familiar, anything at all. There’s no Silvio’s, no Gold Fortune, no 91st Street European Grocery. Just her, adrift and alone.
The cool breeze makes her shudder. She sways, unsteady. The mop-haired boy bursts through the door just in time to catch her as her legs give out. His face looms close in her tear-blurred vision, but his voice seems to come from the far end of a tunnel. “Hey, ma’am? Hello? Are you okay?”
He’s warm. Solid.
God, how long has it been since someone held her like this?
“Hello?” the boy says again, jolting her out of her thoughts. “Can you hear me? Should I call an ambulance?”
Bracing herself against his arms, Poppy stands. She’s feeling better already, though her hands are still trembling. It takes her a moment to find her voice. “No, no. Thank you. I’m all right.” She blinks until the world comes back into focus. “Just a little dizzy.”
The boy frowns. “I can call you an ambulance?”
“That really won’t be necessary. I’d rather just go home.”
“Can someone come pick you up? Children? Husband?”
“No,” she says, sharp and bitter. She clutches the boy’s arm a little tighter. “My husband enlisted.”
“Oh,” says the boy. “I take it he didn’t return?”
Poppy’s stomach twists with sudden fury. She shoves the boy away, and he staggers backward, bewildered. “He will,” she snaps, turning to fix her sweater. “I know he will.”
Even to her, the words ring hollow.
The boy clears his throat behind her. “Ma’am? I, uh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you. I think you’re just a little confused. I’ll call you an ambulance, okay?”
“Thank you for the offer, but I don’t need one. I’m going home.”
She starts in the direction of the apartment, but the boy follows, quick as a foxhound and twice as eager. It’s no use trying to lose him—he’s tall enough to match her stride with ease, talking as he goes. “I really don’t think you should walk there.”
“I’ll be fine.”
“Ma’am. Please. It’s cold out.”
“Then go back to your nice warm shop and leave me alone.”
“Look, I’m sorry for what I said earlier. I just want to help, and—”
“I don’t *need* help!” Poppy snarls. It comes out louder than she intended—several passers-by across the street stop to gawk—but she can’t bring herself to care. She whirls around to confront the boy, a bit too fast to keep her balance. Before she can even react, he’s there, his hands on her shoulders, holding her steady until she regains her footing.
“See?” he says, bending to meet her gaze. His eyes are the color of fresh-brewed Ceylon green, light and piercing. She looks away, mortified. “You shouldn’t be out walking, ma’am. Especially by yourself. Please just let me help you.”
“I… I don’t want an ambulance. I just want to go home.”
The boy sighs, letting go of her shoulders. “If you’re absolutely sure, I’ll drive you. Just give me a minute to lock up. And don’t go anywhere. Okay?”
Poppy takes a long, deep breath, drawing the sleeves of her sweater down over her ring. A shiver runs through her. He’s right—it’s getting chilly.
——————-
Poppy and the boy take the shop vehicle, a small white junker of a box truck with *QUALITY PRODUCE* emblazoned on the sides, accompanied by cheerful, chipped paintings of various fruits and vegetables. The ride is brief and quiet, the low grumble of the engine broken only by distant honks. Poppy watches the city go by—brownstones, bodegas and boutiques all blurring into each other. The whole world trickling away.
“Is this it?” the boy asks, pulling up outside of her building. She nods, and he double-parks, putting his hazards on.
“Thank you,” she says. Her purse feels heavy as a boulder in her lap, but she opens it anyway, rummaging for cash. She comes up with a fistful of ones. “Here. Take these.”
He laughs, shaking his head. “No, ma’am. I couldn’t possibly—”
“Take them,” she insists, stuffing the bills into the cup holder as she zips her purse. “Consider it an apology for lashing out. I know you meant well.”
“I don’t need the money. Really. But—”
“Too bad. It’s yours.”
“But ma’am—”
“Thank you again, and goodbye.”
“*Wait!*”
Poppy stops, already halfway out the door, and glances back. “Yes?”
The boy hesitates. He’s fidgeting with the steering wheel, his slender fingers tapping along to the beat of the blinkers. “There’s nobody I can call for you?” he says at last.
A thousand memories of Henry flash through her mind: the first kiss they’d shared at the top of the Coney Island Ferris wheel, the way only his left cheek dimpled when he laughed, the drowsy *good morning* he’d whisper into her neck every time she woke up by his side.
But above all, she remembers that night. How he’d kissed her forehead and squeezed her so tight it hurt, his brother’s dog tags pressing against her skin, cold as the moon. How stark he looked in the hallway light, like a man carved from stone, the harsh line of his mouth unmoved by her tears. How she’d fallen to her knees and begged him to stay and he’d left her there, sobbing on the hardwood floor, her heart hollow.
“No,” she says, closing her eyes. Her wedding band feels like a vise. “Not now. Not anymore.”
“I could walk you to your apartment?” the boy offers. “Make sure you’re settled in. Even leave you my number in case you need anything.”
When Poppy looks up, he’s gazing at her searchingly. His face is softer than Henry’s, rounder in the jaw, but handsome in its own way. As he reaches toward her, a few stray locks of shaggy hair fall across his forehead. She’s overcome with an inexplicable temptation to brush them away.
The boy takes her hand carefully, like she’s made of paper, his thick brows knitting together with concern. His palm is smooth and dry against her own. “You don’t have to do this alone, you know.”
She could invite him upstairs and tell him everything. It’s commonplace for military wives to seek solace in the company of other men—frowned upon, perhaps, but not unusual. An abandoned wife makes a more sympathetic character than the wife of a draftee, of course. It would be only natural for the boy to comfort her, to let her melt into the warmth of his arms. And from there, anything could happen.
Emotion rises in her, shame and rage and aching loneliness all knotting together at the base of her throat. For one treacherous moment, she allows herself to *want*.
Then she pulls away and gets out of the truck. “I’ll be all right.”
——————-
The boy doesn’t leave until Poppy is safely inside. She waves goodbye from behind the glass door and watches him drive away. The truck grows smaller and smaller until it rounds a corner and disappears completely. As if it were never there at all.
In the downstairs lobby, she checks her mail: a telephone bill, a book of coupons, this week’s *New Yorker.* No letter from Henry, and no news of him.
It’s warm in the building. She pulls off the sweater on her way up.
Her tangled emotions have faded to a bone-deep exhaustion. It takes a couple of clumsy tries to unlock her front door—her fingers are still numb from the cold. She puts her purse on the kitchen table, then pauses.
Someone’s made her a cup of English Breakfast.
She takes a sip. It’s cold and bitter. Over-steeped.
Poppy sinks into her chair, hope sparking in her chest, startling her with the breadth of it. She raises the mug to her lips again with shaking, age-spotted hands, eyes trained on the door, and waits for her man to come home.
---
### Adult Short Story Contest – 3rd Place
#### **Ebony Hair**
By J. Millard Simpson
It was deep winter the night the child came. If Grandpere hadn’t answered a call of nature, surely she’d have frozen to death.
“What is that? Is someone there?”
Was that a piece of dropped firewood? He squinted, and the black blur resolved not into bark but hair. *It was a small girl.*
Swiftly, he scooped her up and ran to the dining hut. The cook was abed, but the fire yet blazed for Sleipnir, down with fever in the sickroom behind. Kicking the cook’s assistant from his pallet before the fire, he placed the child as near the hearth as he dared. “Boil water,” he ordered, and went to fetch Axelrod, our carpenter and what passed among us for a surgeon.
I bunked near Axel, and when he went, I followed. The whole camp woke and crowded into the dining hut, craning to see the new arrival. Our din woke Au Jus, the cook, from his fetid nest in the storeroom.
“What’s all the racket, Hap?” he demanded, rubbing his eyes. I hate *Happy*, which mocks my scarred smile, but *Hap* I can live with. I told him what little I knew, and he grimaced, pushing forward toward his kitchen.
By now Axel had had enough. “Shoo! Back to bed with you! You’ll all hear in the morning. Go!”
So fierce was his aspect that we all left uncomplaining. Even Au Jus fled before his scowl, latching his door behind him.
+
Axel addressed us over breakfast. “We bathed her in hot water until she warmed. I think she’s safe from frostbite, and her breathing is regular again. Children often survive many things that would fell a grown man, but she’s so young, perhaps only five winters. She’ll need more care. I’ll stay with her.”
He was true to his word, nursing her while the rest of us went to work at the mine.
All day, we spoke together of the tiny guest fate had sent us. There were no villages up here in the high valley, and she was so small! She must somehow have made it through the pass despite the heavy snow.
“Perhaps she’s light enough to have come over the crust,” suggested Bosch, a stuttering, oft-silent German. Such was her effect even before she awakened that the most taciturn spoke freely. Only mute DuBois kept silent, though near enough to follow the discussion.
We marveled at her survival in the harsh weather and wondered what extreme could have forced her to venture here, deep in the Carpathians. We knew well what had driven us, though we didn’t speak of it: war at home, and the lure of easy wealth in this place the locals all feared.
We hoped she might be a sign of changing fortunes, a good omen long overdue. Six of our number had died this year, by accident or disease. Yes, there were fortunes to be made, but the price—! Yet now, perhaps….
After dinner, Axel told the assembled company he thought her out of danger. “Her cheeks are pale as snow, but there’s red in her lips now. I’ll sit with her in case she should stir.”
Eustace, the cook’s boy, was evicted for the night, and Axel set up a chair in his spot, feet outstretched near the hearth. Though exhausted, he would brook no other in his place. He was dozing when the last of us left the table.
+
Eustace found him the next morning when he went to start breakfast. He ran and got Au Jus, who sent him for the rest of us. White-haired Douglass and I arrived next.
Eustace brought the girl out into the main room and played with her while we tended to poor Axel in the back. He’d been found lying on the floor, a grotesque look on his face. A bitten apple lay nearby; perhaps he’d choked.
The child immediately took to the cook’s assistant, who talked softly with her and kept her by him as he prepared our breakfast. She stayed silent.
Ah, but Axel! I could not close his eyes, however hard I tried, and that grimace—
In the end, we covered his face with a cloth. To this day I think of him in the dark of his grave, eyes forever staring….
The winter had been brutal, and death had taken a third of our company. Axel, though, had been hale and healthy, and it came as a shock. We buried him in our small cemetery, breaking open the frozen earth with picks. Douglass, who’s older even than Grandpere, read a few words. Then we went off to work the mine. Sleipnir, though weak, was well enough to help, and Eustace now tended to our foundling. It was he who started calling her Bianca.
It was days before the wee girl recovered enough to be fully aware of her surroundings. She remained pale, with no roses in her cheeks. The only color in her face was the red of her lips, striking against the deep black of her hair. Yet she seemed sturdy enough.
I spent several days hiding my scarred face from the child, for fear I’d frighten her. Then, one evening at dinner, I looked up to see her standing by my table, staring. She reached her small hands toward my face, and I bent down to let her touch where my cheek had been cut through. When she was done, she nodded to herself, then climbed in my lap for the rest of the meal.
Bianca never did speak, though she had no difficulty hearing. I believed her voice had been frightened out of her. We learned through gestures that her father was dead and her mother had driven her away, young though she was. The least mention of her mother visibly terrified her, poor thing.
+
We were shorthanded, and every man was needed to work the mine. We’d assembled the Baron’s share of the ore, but now we needed as much again to cover our stake. Fortunately, Sleipnir was better, and the cook and his boy did double duty. Poor Eustace was unused to hard labor but did his best. Often, we sent him back at midday, worn out.
As the land was wild and untamed, we warned little Bianca to stay close to camp while we worked. Ever obedient, she did as she was bidden, and made herself useful by cleaning, carrying water from the stream, and performing such small chores as she was capable of.
It’s a strange thing, but sometimes the roughest souls can be the gentlest. Before long, her sweet nature had won over even the most antisocial among us—and our occupation does not drawthe genial. Stuttering Bosch sang lullabies, and DuBois the silent capered about and pulled comic faces to make her smile. Even scowling Grandpere, foul-tempered as they come, would have walked over hot coals for her. We found ourselves competing in small ways to please her, some offering a tasty treat, others carving small toys. In return, she bestowed on us her complete trust and the unconditional love of which only a child is capable.
We debated over Bianca’s future, worrying it between us like dogs with salt beef. Eventually, we decided to send her to the Baron with the first ore train. Our valley would be cut off by deep snow for weeks yet, though, so we gave her one of our barracks huts and crowded into the other two. The hardship was to us as nothing. She brought us such joy. She delighted in her own space, though she often left to be with her friend, the cook’s boy.
When Eustace died, she was inconsolable.
+
As with Axel, he was found on the kitchen floor in the morning, his face twisted with strong emotion. In his hand were the splintered remains of a hair comb he’d been carving, perhaps broken in a convulsion. Another grave was dug in the frozen earth as Douglass and I tended to his body.
“So young,” Douglass said to me. “Axel at least lived a full life, but Eustace… I don’t know, Hap, I really don’t.”
I was deeply grieved myself, but even so, I was amazed to see tears running down the seamed face of my old friend. We had become inured to loss these past months as our numbers steadily dwindled. Then I realized part of it was fear Bianca might be next—and of the unknown. Death without cause was a new terror.
We all talked after the burial and decided to post a watch for the next few nights. We had much to do and little time, but if something out there was killing our fellows, we had little choice. We would stand guard in pairs. Every man among us resolved to do with less sleep.
+
Open cliff-face mining is fundamentally unsafe, and we were pushing ourselves to make up for lost numbers. In hindsight, we should have expected it. One of our shorings, built without Axel’s expertise, collapsed, and Bart died outright in the rockfall. George and Corny were both badly injured. We did what we could, tending them in our sick room, but both soon succumbed.
All three were buried as soon as weather permitted. Again, Douglass said the words; again; we went straight back to our labors. Slowly, the ore piles grew, as did our profits, if such they could still be said to be. We’d paid a blood price for every rock.
In the beginning, we’d rested on the Sabbath, but now there was no time. The Baron’s man would come with the thaw to tally our haul, and without our pay, we’d never survive the summer. Instead, we took turns resting in camp to guard Bianca, preparing dinner while the rest worked the mine; for Au Jus was especially strong, and we could not spare him.
As the weeks progressed, first Dexter and then Ferdinand fell sick with a wasting ailment. When they could no longer work, they took to the sick room.
“It is some *strega* cursing us, sending poisons,” muttered Grandpere. “The child’s mother is out there, watching.”
We decided to search the valley, but that night the spring rains came. The cliff face that was our dig site flooded, and for better or worse our work was done. For three days the storm raged, and we stayed indoors, resting at long last. The morning of the fourth we went out in the mud to bury our fellows, both dead the night before.
+
Douglass stood once more at the stone that served as an altar, and read once more from our Bible. Bianca clung to the bier and cried freely, and so too did those few of us who survived. We had been 20 in the autumn; today we numbered but eight including the girl. The invisible specters of our absent fellows loomed large in our midst.
We had no warning at all. The child’s demented mother appeared as if from nowhere. She was soaked to the skin, frostbit, and dressed in rags. In her hand she carried a broad-bladed hewing axe.
Before any of us could react, she rushed into our midst, seized the girl, and slew her with one stroke.
+
Two of us bound the woman and locked her in the hut. She didn’t resist, a small mercy. She only wept piteously, her eyes wild and unfocused. So did we, grown men though we were.
Perhaps we should have hanged her as punishment, according to custom. Instead, we resolved to leave it to our betters, either Church or Baron. I think we’d all seen enough death.
Surely, this mother was mad. Looking at her, it was hard to imagine so slight a woman could have carried out such a brutal attack. Only that unnatural strength the insane possess could have driven the axe clear through her victim, burying it so deeply into the wooden bier that we’d broken the haft trying to remove it.
But was she the cause of the mysterious deaths of Eustace and Axel? Could the madwoman have somehow poisoned Ferdinand or Dexter? And if so, why had we seen no sign of her before now? We could make no sense of it.
“At least now we can stop standing watch of nights,” said Au Jus. I looked at him quizzically; he shrugged. “We’ve nothing left to lose.”
I could not argue with him.
Grandpere, weeping silently, did his best to make Bianca’s pitiful little corpse look presentable for her burial. Tenderly, he hid her wounds beneath cloth scavenged from coat linings and spare linens, tying a wide bow of scarlet ribbon to conceal the gaping wound that once had been her throat. The innocent beauty of her still form was a clawing agony, unbearable; yet bear it we did, somehow.
That evening we laid her out on a white bedsheet. On her chest, we placed the wooden cross from the storeroom door. Then we took turns standing vigil throughout the icy night.
The Baron’s man arrived with the dawn. Young, strong, and well-favored, he stood head and shoulders above the rest of us. By comparison, we looked soiled and uncouth; yet he treated us with respect. He listened closely as Douglass recounted the tale of Bianca, the child that had found us, the joy she’d brought to our miserable lives, and then her sudden awful death. He agreed to take charge of the madwoman and to see she faced justice for her crime before the Baron himself.
Then the lordling knelt with us in the mud by the small grave and sent up his prayers. He helped plant the wooden cross from her breast that would be her only marker. When the time came to lay her to rest, he bent over the small body to kiss her forehead.
At that moment a loud crash came from the shed where her mother had been imprisoned. While her guard was at the burial, she had burst free, and even now she ran toward the gathering shrieking. We stood still, watching as if transfixed.
Suddenly, the madwoman fell to her knees. Her eyes widened in horror, and she pointed. We all turned back and saw behind us what the mother had seen: tiny white hands reaching up to embrace the young nobleman as if his kiss had somehow miraculously returned her to life.
Then his body fell aside, life’s blood pooling on the muddy ground. The scarlet ribbon streamed away and up she sat, restored, her lips red with fresh blood and skin gleaming snow white against the ebon blackness of her hair.
---
### Adult Short Story Contest – Honorable Mention
#### **The Snallygaster**
By Michael Norton
“A mummified turd.”
That’s what my little brother called it, but I know that’s just boy-talk and meant to make me squirm and squeal and toss our family treasure into the fast-flowing river where the cornhusks and animal waste and women go.
It’s a tooth. An ebony cuspid from the Snallygaster that has been in the family for years and years, and if I’m wrong then our father is wrong, and so is his mother and her father and his mother, and if you don’t defend your family, you might as well be a mud-scrapper outside the town gates, even if you’re defending it from your own brother.
And anyway, you can’t mummify a turd because a turd doesn’t have a heart or a spleen or lungs or a soul, and anyone who ever knew how to mummify anything is long gone and buried, their graves washed over and their stones, engraved with one of the great dead languages, stand at the bottom of the sea.
My brother just wants me to feel bad. I’m not sure why. I don’t think he really knows why either. Here are the things that I do know for certain:
*One.* That the tooth is a tooth and that it came from the gnarled maw of the Snallygaster.
*Two.* That I am not allowed on the hunting trip today, nor tomorrow, nor tomorrow’s tomorrow, and that I’ll “be ready when I’m ready,” which is awfully confusing and awfully unclear, and clarity is the soul’s true cry (*I think*).
*Three.* That I’m not a child anymore. I see the children of the town, and I’m definitely not one of them, though I was quite recently. I thought, back then, that one day I would magically transform into an adult, that I would be tall enough to look down on everyone, and be cocksure and savvy and know about a hundred thousand things and have these marvelously stable opinions that would never bend or break like reeds in the wind but rather would stand unwavering, but instead I turned into what I am now, which doesn’t really have a satisfactory name, so I feel like some halfway creature, like the Snallygaster, just a bunch of mismatched components. I have to stand in the part of the river where the sandbars slow the current with the other women every month by the light of the mocking moon. No one ever confuses me for an adult. The Snallygaster has feathery wings, but no one ever confuses it for a bird; it has a scaly body, but no one ever confuses it for a lizard. Its tentacles don’t make it an octopus. Of course, living memory does not contain the beast. These reports and rumors of its appearances are older than the tooth that is 100 percent not a turd, and this tooth hung around my great-grandfather’s neck, so no, my great-grandfather who survived the end of mostly everything did not waltz around with a turd around his neck, thank you very much.
*Four*. I don’t have anyone to talk to about this, but if I did, they would appreciate the cool clarity of a numbered list because they would be like me. And no one is like me. And clarity, I think, died in the Flood.
The hunt is today. Hunt days make me feel small and worthless. I want to go. I want to be out there. I want to see the monster. I don’t, however, revel at the thought of holding the blunderbuss.
“Wouldn’t even fire if they tried. It don’t work no more, and anyway, they filling it with acorns and acorns isn’t bullets,” and on this point, I reluctantly agree with my stupid little brother. But Still: It’s a gun and guns are abhorrent things.
Getting eaten by the Snallygaster is an abhorrent thing too. So is having to wade into the river when no one is splashing or swimming, so are crimson eddies and how water sweeps away everything, and so is having to squeeze string-bugs all day instead of traveling to the edge of the known world to try—and heroically fail—to find and defeat the dreaded Snallygaster.
String-bugs are so sad and stupid, which is why I think I love them. Killing them for their strands of string is so awful, but no one cares but me.
The ways in which I’m like a string-bug: String-bugs are disposable little things with squishy pale bodies and hungry little mouths; they eat whatever is given them, and never ask for more or less. They never leave the town. Born indoors, they are squeezed by society and then left to die in a low boil to extract every last inch of the precious string that is used for everything from fishing nets to Sunday bests.
The ways in which I’m not like a string-bug at all: String-bugs have a purpose.
In the winter, when every other animal is smart enough to sleep. Instead, we, non-string-bugs, huddle in the hearth glow and whisper summer stories to keep ourselves warm. The adults in town get bursts of all-consuming boredom that blisters into either unutterable acts in the snow or arts-and-crafts. Last winter, it was the latter, and the collective energy of a people, of a people who have managed to survive after time stopped, after the world died, of a people of which I’m presumably part and parcel, created a statue to honor a bug. “The string-bug,” the Mayor’s speech started. I hate speeches so I left and didn’t hear the rest. Something about sacrificing ourselves for the greater good, I bet. The Mayor’s job is to give speeches and disappear for months on end; my job is to squish bugs.
The hunt is today, and I’m angry. My anger sits inside my throat, making it impossible to speak, so everyone enjoys assuming that I’m a daisy or the downy edge of a feather or a tiny pebble, taciturn. No one knows that I’m a forest fire, terrible heat and sound, and my throat is choked by blue-black ash.
I want to go a-hunting. Please don’t misunderstand me (she says to no one, she says to herself): I abhor violence. I abhor the blunderbuss and all its connotations and context, and I even abhor the acorns, though I know it’s not their fault. I abhor the looks on their faces: Martha Soot with her bandanna and blades, grinning; Albert Stone snarling, eyes forward like a picture of a tiger I saw once in a half-burnt book; Charity Lightheart licking her lips like a hungry cat; and my father with his straight little mouth and straight little gaze, a tight little determination to do today what his mother and her father and his father couldn’t ever do: find and kill the Snallygaster.
When the communal kitchen burned to smolders in the night, it was the demon-thing (and not the watchmen’s juniper gin and heavy eyes). When the rotting-egg rains blew in from the west and curled the leaves of the crops and stung the eyes of those unwilling to stay indoors, it was the demon-thing (and not the past). *When sickness fouls the air, the demon’s breath is near.*
We’ve never seen the demon-thing.
I want to a-hunting. I want to see the gummy stump where the night-black tooth around my neck once stood proud and shone in the starlight like an obsidian beacon before my ancestor ripped it from the mad beast’s mouth (*or, at least, that’s the story I’ve curated for myself*).
I want to rub it in my brother’s face.
See? *Nah nah nah*, you see it? The missing cuspid! *How can you see something that’s not there?* he’d probably say in his sing-song voice. He is stupid but quick with comebacks.
After I squeeze my allotted bushel of string-bugs, I’m done for the day. I’m done for the day, and the sun is still rising, I’m done for the day, and the hunters won’t be back for weeks. One hunt lasted a month, and I’m done for the day.
I followed the path down to the edge of the forest.
“There is nothing beyond the edge,” a popular town adage. On clear summer nights, the light-showers explode and shimmer over where we all know other towns must be. Whether a warm invitation or a fiery warning, the light show is spectacular. Since there is nothing beyond the edge—except, of course, the hunting grounds of the Snallygaster—no one talks about the light-showers. Framed in the flares of many-colored fires, we all look up, and never into each other eyes. To do so would be the highest form of insult.
The hunters leave in the earliest spring, one step behind the melt line, hoping to catch the Snallygaster just waking up from hibernation, a vulnerable sliver of time. I’m watching them from the farthest point of my tether, invisible, tight as string-bug string. I’m bound here in the town that kept going after so much else ended. The hunters go on and on, and I’m jealous. I need to see it.
When I get like this, I clutch the tooth on its chain around my neck. It feels like a dagger. I don’t take it off anymore. After the anger often comes this shaking stillness, heartbeat in the tip of my toes, wobbling. And then a true silence, a true stillness, though without calm, without peace. I want to go a-hunting in the sylvan mist in the morning when the moon isn’t mocking, but rather beaming down an approving smile, a hymn for adulthood, amen.
The hunting party is gone. And the town has shrunk, collapsing in on itself like a bad redberry pie. The waiting is the hardest part. And I’ve been done for the day for most of the day, and the river fractals out to about a hundred thousand little streams, and the biggest of them winds its way past the edge of the town, and no one has told the water that there is nothing beyond the edge. The water doesn’t know that where it’s coming from and where it’s flowing to does not exist.
I dip my feet up to my ankles in theoretically impossible water, which is cool and smells like stone. I’m still in that state of sacred stillness after the rage of anger. It’s sacred because it’s mine and no one can take it from me.
Something moves in the bushes on the other side of the narrow stream, and I assume it’s a ground pheasant or a woodland rat. But it shakes the bushes too violently for me to be right. If I were to scream, I don’t think anyone would come a-running. I sit and wait for whatever it is to emerge.
I bet it’s my brother trying to scare me. I tell myself that over and over until I see a flash of scaly skin. Or, at least, I think I did. Lightening erupted in my legs and I ran home without looking back.
Home, holding the monster’s tooth against my body, I am breathing hard and heavy. I had to tell someone. I couldn’t keep this all inside.
So, I’m telling myself, the only one I can trust for now.
---
### Adult Short Story Contest – Honorable Mention
#### **Maria and Maria and Maria**
By Silvia Spring
July in Boston was an ocean of heat that kept Mari indoors, on the couch next to the air conditioning, which hummed at a middle setting. Buses hissed down the street outside. Squirrels panted as they clawed up the trees by the window. She’d leave next week for a YMCA camp.
She looked at the dial on the A/C and thought of her mother leaving the apartment that morning. “If I find that thing on HIGH when I get home tonight,” she had warned. “I swear to God, Mari.”
Mari’s sixth-grade summer reading books, full of dull sentences that took her nowhere, lay on the table. She wandered in circles around the house, opening the fridge to its plastic-wrapped contents, eating a cup of Jell-O, picking at the hard stain of something spilled and dried on the carpet, and opening her mother’s closet and letting her hands run through her blouses, which stirred with the smell of perfume, a bitter orange.
In the back of her mother’s closet, behind rows of blouses and dresses and the rack of leather shoes with worn-down heels, three cardboard boxes sat stacked in the corner, “Perez” scrawled across them in permanent marker. Mari knew they held her grandmother’s things. Her grandmother, Wella, was, in her mind, both the old woman curled in a wheelchair, chewing her food so slowly that Mari couldn’t stand to watch, and the beautiful young one in the photo on her mother’s nightstand, posing in her wedding dress, an angel to pray to before bed.
When Wella died a year ago, Mari had tried to comfort her mother. She held her hand as she sobbed, the phone to her ear, hearing the news. The idea of losing a mother was terrifying to Mari. Like considering her own death, it opened a pit in her stomach. What could it feel like to be left behind without your mother, your only parent?
“Do you wish you could see her again?” Mari asked.
“More than anything,” her mother said. “I’d give everything for one more minute.”
Mari had grown up on family stories. Wella had been courageous, leaving Havana alone with her only daughter to wait in Boston for a husband who never followed. She left her life behind to create a better one for her daughter—and granddaughter. The sacrifices had been enormous, and Mari’s mother, Toni, reminded her of them, over and over, anytime her daughter complained about the bus that took forever, the gross food at her school cafeteria, her old sneakers.
“Think of everything Wella did for us,” she said. “Imagine having none of this. Nothing.”
Wella had earned most of the money that paid for the apartment Mari and her mother lived in, money Wella had saved for over 30 years working as a secretary in a dentist’s office. Her handwritten recipes for *arroz con pollo*, *plátanos* and flan peeked out of her row of cookbooks on the kitchen counter, recipes Toni never made. In death, Wella was a spirit larger than both of them, the one they prayed to for help finding lost keys, a parking spot, or passing Mari’s fifth-grade math tests and her mother’s nursing exams.
“Mami, Mami, Mami,” Toni would say under her breath, a prayer for whatever she needed.
It was Toni’s birthday, and when she got home from work, they planned to go to the Lucky Garden for pork dumplings and fried rice. Mari’s stomach rumbled. She wanted to do something special for her mother, a surprise better than a construction paper card, something that would get her attention, delight her, make her laugh, roll her shoulders down from where they stressed up by her ears all day. Mari wanted to show her that she wasn’t some demanding baby who needed to be scolded before she’d even done anything wrong. It was just the two of them—it had been since Wella moved into a nursing home—and Mari felt that she was growing up. She could be someone her mother could trust, lean on, even talk to.
The cardboard boxes peeked at her through the blouses. She bent down and slid them out one by one onto the carpet next to her mother’s bed. She looked at her grandmother’s wedding photo, in its silver frame, a rosary hung over its side, its wooden beads careful to overlap only over the train of the veil.
Mari had an idea.
She went back to her room to get the scissors from her desk. The tape cracked as she opened the first box to find a small blue vase wrapped in newspaper and a wooden cigar box full of paper cards, each decorated with its saint on one side and prayer on the other.
*Dios te salve, Maria.*
*Llena eres de gracia.*
Mari’s mother never spoke Spanish with her, so she couldn’t understand the words. She opened the second, which was packed with folded tablecloths. The third box had what she wanted. Inside a plastic cover with a long zipper, she could see its white lace and pearly buttons. She pulled it out by the hanger and laid it across her mother’s bed: her grandmother’s wedding dress, which Wella had always said would be hers one day.
Mari was named after her mother and grandmother, all three Marias. Her mother went by her middle name, Antonia, or Toni, and no one ever called Mari her full name either. She had curlier hair, a darker complexion, than both of them.
Mari was 11, still growing, but she couldn’t see how her short calves and round face would ever lengthen out into the graceful beauty her grandmother had possessed. There was a refined and delicate world her Wella had come from, a black-and-white Caribbean, that she couldn’t touch and even her mother said she couldn’t remember. It was lost, but maybe there was a way for Mari to bring it back, just for today, to show herself and her mother that she could be glamorous too. They were all so alike, the three of them, and wouldn’t it make her mom happy to see that?
Wella had a beautiful life when she was young. Married young to a handsome doctor, she lived in a white house near the ocean, with her own seamstress and fruit trees in the backyard. Toni remembered the mangos well enough to know that nothing in the US tasted nearly as good. And forget the guavas.
All up and down their sea-breezed block lived their extended family, Wella’s parents next door, sister and brothers, great aunts and uncles, all with names that sounded to Mari like children’s book characters—Tiki and Pollo and Chea and Juanpi—all of them dropping by for parties, games of tennis, drives for ice cream. Toni didn’t talk much about those memories, but all the photos mixed with Wella’s stories made Mari feel she had seen it, been there too and missed it awfully.
“*Mi Cubanita*,” Wella called her, letting Mari sit in her lap.
“Make sure that media-Cubana’s gringa bones don’t crush you, Mami,” Toni had warned, always nudging her to give Wella more space.
When the revolution came, Wella and her husband had decided she should take Toni to Boston, where he had attended medical school, to wait safely until it passed. Wella got a small apartment she paid for with the cash she had snuck out, rolled up inside a pack of cigarettes. They had only a few suitcases. It was supposed to be temporary.
But they stayed long enough for Wella to realize her daughter’s braces needed attention. She made an appointment with a dentist she found in the phone book, and when she couldn’t pay the bill, offered to work in the office organizing the files she saw were obviously a mess. The dentist laughed and accepted, not imagining she’d stay with the practice for decades, long after his son took over.
“What about your dad?” Mari asked, and her mother would shrug. There were rumors. He was in Mexico. He’d run away with a nurse from his practice. She heard things from her cousins.
“I didn’t need one, and neither do you,” her mom always said. Toni had never married and said she never would.
But Wella didn’t stop hoping her husband would arrive. The buzzer on her door read Dr. and Mrs. Perez until the day she moved into a nursing home. She never moved her wedding photo from her dresser. She was buried with her rings.
Mari unzipped the plastic cover and ran both hands over the dress’s bodice. Sequins spiraled all over the lace, hand-sewn in a pattern that narrowed at its waist. Its sweetheart neckline, rounded like the top of a pair of lips, felt stiff in her hands, its delicate piping yellowed. As she lifted it, layers of the tulle skirt unfurled under the silk. When she moved her hand, it left behind a red Jello thumbprint. She hoped her mother wouldn’t notice.
Mari checked the clock: it was just after three. Her mother finished her shift at the hospital at four, so she still had time. She stood in front of the full-length mirror and took off her clothes, staring for a moment at her white cotton underwear and training bra. Sweet Nothings, the tag said, which had made her mother laugh and laugh at the department store.
She turned the dress around looking for a zipper. Instead, a line of silk buttons ran down the back, each a delicate knot to be undone. She wiped her hands on her mother’s bedspread and got to work. Each loop a thin thread, several burst from the seam as she tried to untangle them, but she made her way carefully to the bottom, where the skirt began, and she saw with relief that she would likely be able to fit it, snugly, around her waist.
She put it on as she did all her dresses, over her head. She got lost in the skirt several times, its dusty citrus smell caught in her nose, but finally emerged, as if from underwater, and patted the fabric down around herself, smoothing it like sand.
In the mirror, there was too much dress. The hem tangled around her feet, and she saw that in several places it had torn slightly, despite her extreme care. The bodice hung loose, and she realized there was no way for her to button it up behind her back. She swiveled it around and did as many as she could, breaking a few more of the gentle loops, until she got to the top. She was pleased it wasn’t too small but now realized the two cups where her breasts should be were empty, sweet nothings. She walked carefully in half steps to her mother’s sock drawer and took two pairs, balled them up, and tucked them below her neckline. Perfect.
Back in the dress’s storage bag, the veil tied to its golden comb lay wrapped in its own layer of tissue paper. She raked it into the top of her head.
Her reflection looked back at her, a doll in costume. She wouldn’t be able to move very far without the dress shifting down her body, making her trip, or the socks wriggling out, but she didn’t look awful. She looked, actually, good. And how amazed her mother would be, to see Mari in the dress she prayed to every night. She’d laugh, of course, and the silliness of this unexpected vision, but then maybe she’d help Mari do her make-up, her hair, to complete the look. She’d send a picture to all her cousins, like, *Can you believe this kid*?
Mari looked back at the photo and tried to recreate Wella’s modest pose, her head tilted down over her left shoulder, eyes closed, her right hand resting gently on the silk of the skirt.
“Mari, what in God’s name?”
She opened her eyes to her mother in the doorway, home early. Sweat stained small circles under the armpits of her scrubs. Flowers leaned against the inside of a paper grocery bag, a present to herself. She dropped her purse and put both hands to her forehead.
“I wanted to surprise you,” Mari said, less certain, “for your birthday.”
Her mother looked around the room, to Mari’s shorts and T-shirt on the floor, the open boxes, and the Jell-O container on her dresser.
The sun leaned hard against the windows, the day nowhere near over. Sweat tickled Mari’s back, somewhere deep under the buttons she would never reach.
“What have you done?” Her mother asked, even though Mari had just told her.
Mari didn’t answer.
Her mother spoke slowly. “Take that dress off. Immediately.”
Mari thought her mother might help her, but she didn’t move. Instead, she stared at Wella’s photo, the most beautiful bride, in the pose Mari could never match.
Mari twisted the back of the dress in front of her chest so she could get to work undoing the tiny loops. Her mother moved toward her and ripped the dress apart down its middle, sending the buttons flying in arcs like grains of thrown rice, a few tapping against the mirror before landing on the rug.
“Not even on my birthday can you give me one day of peace, one day for me,” she shouted into Mari’s face. “Do you have any idea what this dress meant to your poor grandmother?” She pointed to the framed bride, who looked solemn now, frozen in her place.
Mari shook her head. “Wella said this dress was for me.”
Her mother’s eyes had followed the small shower of buttons on the floor, considering the mess, before she looked at Mari again. She shook her head. “There is nothing for you in that dress,” she said. “Mami had a terrible life. The selfless forever wife with no husband. Pining for someone who abandoned her. That’s no way to live.” She slapped her own chest, jolting the gold chains around her neck. “I’m not raising a daughter on some romantic tropical fantasy, so you—” She punched Mari’s chest with her finger, again and again. “You don’t even think about it.”
Mari stood in her bralette and underwear; the veil still light on her shoulders. She reached up and took it out carefully, handing it to her mother, who tossed it on the bed.
“Go take a shower,” her mother said, quietly. “With soap. That dress was filthy.”
In the bathroom, Mari looked at her own reflection, stripped back down to her bra, the temporary magic of the dress, and all the promise it had held all those years that she imagined it waiting for her, gone. She stepped toward the shower and felt something under her foot. It was one of the silk-covered buttons. She squeezed them in her hand, a small piece of Wella she could keep for herself. +
When Mari looked again, days later, the boxes were gone, broken down and thrown out. Her mother’s sewing kit was in the living room, maybe a sign of mending. Mari searched for the dress under her mother’s bed and in the hall closet, hoping to see it and touch in one more time, but she couldn’t find it anywhere. She had wanted it to be hers and now it was gone. Months later, looking for bobby pins on her mother’s dresser, Mari found two silk-covered buttons inside a small ceramic box, like pearls inside an oyster. She took them and hid the three surviving buttons together in her room, where she hoped her mother wouldn’t find them.
---
### Adult Short Story Contest – Honorable Mention
#### **A Surprise Visitor**
By Karen Sandler
He sat on the edge of my bed with one long leg flung over the other, appearing bored while slowly stroking my dog, Lucy. She looked so relaxed I thought she might be dead. His frigid red eyes gave him away, although it took me a minute to bring him into focus. He’d woken me up, after all.
“What have you done to my dog?” I asked.
“Oh, silly girl! I could hardly gain your confidence by killing your precious little dog. I like her name, by the way. You named her after me, didn’t you? She’s just blissfully happy. I have that power, you know.”
He had luxuriously thick, curly black hair that hid his horns pretty well, so I didn’t see those until later. I didn’t notice his tail at all until he made his exit. I’m not sure how he hid it since he was dressed in black skinny jeans and a black long-sleeved turtleneck. He wore red Chucks on his feet with black laces, the ultimate hipster, excruciatingly handsome. Even the pinkish scales on his hands didn’t diminish his appeal.
“You’re not what I expected,” I said, still trying to rub the sleep from my eyes.
“It’s that dratted Bram Stoker and those inane New Yorker cartoons,” he sneered. “I have never greased back my locks or had a widow’s peak. In fact, my hair does whatever it likes. I couldn’t slick it back if I wanted to.”
“I know the feeling,” I said, amazed at how calm and safe I felt. In spite of the evident power of this creature, I still felt as though I was in control.
“You know,” he sighed, “I find this aspect of my first introduction to someone exceedingly tedious. I must always endure this weighing of my appearance against expectations; but you are a quick study, my dear. That’s clear.”
He produced a very long, curved ivory toothpick, curled back his upper lip, and began picking his teeth. He took it away and leaned toward me to display his perfectly white, dazzling teeth. “See? No fangs, either. People have a particularly annoying habit of confusing me with Dracula.”
“Wow,” was all I could say.
“So, let’s focus on you. Having quite a lie-in today, I see. It’s already noon! Rough night?”
“Don’t you have omniscient powers or something? I suspect you know all sorts of stuff about me already, don’t you?”
He rolled his eyes and shook his head in exaggerated exasperation. “I’m not here to give away the secrets of the ages for nothing, you know! I can answer all your questions, but I want something in return.”
How insidious, how dastardly, how fiendish was this? He was just going to pique my curiosity to the point where I would fall into his trap. This was clearly his playbook for English majors who couldn’t resist a good yarn—and dangerous territory for me. I’d have thought he was just going to offer me something I’d do anything to get, but no. He must have known I am particularly lacking in ambition, and so another tack would be required.
“Well, as much as I’d love to know why you’re here and what you want with me, I most want you to go away. Besides, I’m an atheist and I don’t believe in an eternal afterlife, heaven and hell, and all that stuff.”
He let out a terrific laugh, right from his gut. It wasn’t one of those horror film cackles at all; it was infectious, the kind that makes you smile in spite of yourself. “Ooooh! I love a challenge, my dear. Besides, true atheists are quick to work with me because they believe they have nothing to lose, so I’m game. Okay, I’ll give you a tidbit, because I know you’ll find this fascinating, and it’s clear to me you have a quick and curious mind.”
“Flattery will not work, okay? So just go away.” I was starting to feel less self-assured.
“I am an opportunist. I have my broader, long-range goals but I don’t have a detailed schedule. I’m not a glorified project manager after all. I can only visit someone when they are in the throes of sin, as you are today. Look.” As he had with the toothpick, he produced an object out of thin air and showed it to me. It looked like a gleaming onyx iPad, with a glowing red gauge in the middle of it. ‘Sloth-o-Meter’ was encrusted in rubies under the gauge, and a sparkling needle in it jumped wildly back and forth, especially as he brought it closer to me.
“Oh please!” I protested. “Sloth is a victimless crime. This is the 21st century if you haven’t noticed! Everyone is overwrought all the time. It’s ridiculous! I think some occasional sloth is healthy—everybody thinks that whatever they’re doing is so vitally important, and most of it is just bullshit! We need a little sloth from time to time to recharge and get our priorities straight. I think it can be a virtue.”
He arched one eyebrow, looking at me as he tilted his head.
“That’s my girl!” His eyes glowed a little redder and that radiant smile spread across his face. “And it’s Friday. You called in sick today. Are you sick? A little untruth thrown in with your sloth?”
“Things must be really tough for you if this is the best you can do. Aren’t there millions of people out there with murderous thoughts or dreams of world domination?”
“I have my minions to handle those. They’re just too easy. Even I can’t be in more than one place at a time, although I do have a bit more flexibility with time management. But let’s not digress. What about that report your boss wants on Monday? If you get fired, you’ll wish you hadn’t blown me off so quickly.” He glanced down at his perfectly buffed nails at the end of his long, tapered fingers. He obviously thought he was making headway.
“Was that a threat? Because if any of my literary instincts are correct, you have no power over me unless I crack. And I would think that would extend to the hard drive on my computer, so I can get that report done this weekend without any help from you.”
“Getting testy, are we? As I noted, you are a clever one. It’s true that I cannot crash your computer, but you haven’t even heard what I have to offer.”
“I don’t want to hear it. You can hang out here all day and it won’t matter. ‘They also serve who only stand and wait,’ and all that,” I yawned.
I must have hit a nerve because the corners of his mouth fell and his eyes became hooded. And then I understood—John Milton! He probably had the Bible quoted to him all the time and he could refute all that. But Milton, that’s another story. I spoke:
“’*The mind is its own self, and in itself*
*Can make a heav’n of hell, a hell of heav’n’*”
“Are you actually quoting that odious little prig Milton to me? You impudent sluggard!”
“Sluggard?” I laughed. “You are showing your age! And as for Milton, I may be a sloth, but I’m an educated sloth, and I did my senior thesis on Milton, so there’s more where that came from:
*“‘He who reigns within himself and rules his passions, desires, and fears is more than a king*’”
“This is beyond wearisome,” he said, stifling a theatrical yawn of his own. (*Does he even sleep?* I wondered.) “I thought you and I could have had a little fun together, but you are such a bore! Well, I’ll grant you your wish and leave you now, and you’ll never know what my offer was to be. You are correct. I do have some very impressive powers, one of which is to know what you really want better than you know yourself. So just put that slothful, little head of yours back down on your pillow and try to imagine the opportunity you missed. Adieu!”
With that, he sprung up from the bed, causing Lucy to jump. She and I watched as he disappeared into a foggy mist that had spontaneously appeared at the foot of my bed. The last thing I saw was a flick of his pointed tail.
I felt smug, believing I had cheated fate. I stretched and snuggled back down into the covers. It was only one o’clock in the afternoon. There was nothing pressing to attend to at the moment.
Still, I wondered what he could possibly have offered me that would have been so tempting….
Lucy settled back down and rolled over on her back so I could rub her tummy. She turned her head toward me, and I could swear her big brown eyes shone with a newly acquired reddish glow.
---
For more information on the Local Writer’s Showcase, please visit <https://www.bethesda.org/bethesda/localwriters>
**Categories:** Uncategorized
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### [Bethesda Local Writer's Showcase: 2024 High School Essay Contest](https://writer.org/high-school-essay-contest-2024/)
**Published:** June 26, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
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### High School Essay Contest – 1st Place
#### My Two Worlds
**By Hannah Brunick**
I stare blankly at the mirror as she smears charcoal eyeliner into a wing on my face. She says the shape, paired with her ridiculously placed smudges of highlighter, will bring out the Asian in my eyes. I am a confounding collage of features: a biological representation of two cultures intertwined, yet they have never felt anything but separate.
My Western traits are admired by Korean aunts and grandmothers. They praise my large eyes and double eyelids. They paint me in the light of coveted American beauty. I did not feel this American beauty when I opened my lunch box and the other kids covered their noses. I did not feel this American beauty when they pulled their eyes back with their fingers and sneered, “*Ching chong*.” In these instances, I feel only the burden of that foreignness inside me. I am *other*.
I have my mother’s eyes when I smile; when my face is all scrunched with joy, people suddenly believe I hold some resemblance to every Korean relative I have. My sporadic moments of Korean beauty are hailed as a trend—an aesthetic. I do not feel this Korean beauty as I watch my culture become an internet fad, frequently fetishized to the point where I am disgusted to be myself. I do not feel this Korean beauty as I grapple with the ability to speak in the language of my family, nauseatingly conscious of the way I am allowing my heritage to slip between my fingers. Now, I fear myself in a different way. I am not foreign *enough,* just another uncultured girl amidst the ranks.
There is no question as to whether or not I have felt either side of this beauty. Undoubtedly, I have felt both, but I have yet to feel them on the same occasion. My two sides have always remained just that: distinct halves that cannot fuse.
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### High School Essay Contest – 2nd Place
#### Mortality and a Rainbow School Bus **By Sofia Guyer**
There comes a point in your life where mortality extends its shadowy hand to claw something beloved away from you. This shadowed figure manifests itself in different ways—maybe the death of a childhood pet, or the passing of a grandparent. This devastating event permanently alters how you perceive existence. Although it robs you of a certain innocence, of a belief in a world free of suffering and mortality, it can mark a certain awareness in your life.
Although there are infinite literal ways to react to death, philosophical reactions typically fall under two camps. The first is the common reaction—the submission to nihilism, the insurmountable, crippling depression, and the loss of faith in the world. The second reaction is a choice to believe in the better parts of existence and look at loss as an opportunity to explore parts of the world they hadn’t appreciated before. I’ve witnessed my relatives experience both types, and the difference in how they’ve been able to continue their lives has been astronomical.
My Nai-Nai1 passed away in 2016. I watched as my Ye-Ye’s2 spirit seemingly died with her. The man I once knew as a hard-working, passionate, and considerate first-gen immigrant capable of making a life for himself in a whole new continent became a ghost of his former self. Even at the young age of 8, I could tell something was horribly wrong with my beloved Ye-Ye. The bags under his eyes became heavier, he lost weight from not eating, he rarely left the house, and most noticeably the light in his eyes was gone. He spent the next few years haunted by the death of my Nai-Nai. He hoarded old portraits, pictures, and books, and closeted himself away in his room. He fell under the more common category.
My grandpappy lost his wife to cancer in the summer of 2018 and he defined his life according to his conscious decision to live bigger and brighter than ever. He sold his house. He bought an old school bus and painted it rainbow. He took that rainbow school bus and drove it all over the country. He drove down the Pacific Coast Highway, across the Midwest, and after weeks, he arrived in Maryland, to the quaint pink house my family was nestled in.
I could see the age and traces of grief in my grandpappy’s face, but most prominent was his endless love for life. You could see it in his smile lines, his wind-ruffled salt and pepper hair, his effervescent blue eyes. Although he had lost the love of his life he had found more to live for. He found the quiet, holy moments on the road where it was just him, the wheel, and whatever was playing on the radio. He came to savor those moments of just existing.
My grandpappy fell under the category of embracing life—and he was much better off as a result.
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### High School Essay Contest – 3rd Place
#### **Suture Your Future**
By Ariana Miranda
I love needles. Their versatility is incredible. From creating vibrant designs out of piles of yarn to providing life-saving medical treatment, the power a simple metal rod holds is astounding.
Each needle I own represents a different phase in my life.
When I was 6, I was given two small pink knitting needles. During the summer my parents went to work so I stayed with my grandmother, Serafina; wherever she went I followed, and whatever she did I copied.
*“¿Qué estás haciendo?”*
*( what are you doing?) I asked her*
*“Estoy tejiendo, ¿quieres que te enseñe?”*
*(I am knitting. Do you want me to teach you?)*
Knitting requires using two or more knitting needles working together to create something out of yarn. My grandmother held my hands in hers and showed me how to knit. While she was cooking dinner, I would sit on her stool, and start knitting, just like her. When I was first learning, I would constantly ask for guidance and be terrified of ruining our creation. Row by row, we completed them together.
After my grandmother left America, those needles became meaningful to me. Whenever I use them, I am reminded of our time together. I remember the sound of metal rods constantly clicking against each other and the smell of her *humintas*—a Peruvian cornbread wrapped in corn husks—coming from the oven. It was truly perfect.
*“Tengo dos agujas de tejer, uno para mi y uno para ti.”*
*(I have a pair of needles, one for you and one for me.)*
Crochet needles and hypodermic needles are currently my most used needles. A crochet needle stands on its own, a singular tool used to create a diverse array of new things. I taught myself how to crochet during the global pandemic, when navigating a new and unknown normal, isolated from both friends and family. They have become a personal talisman of mine representing my growth and development from constantly depending on my family, especially my grandmother, to an independent teenager. Although a crochet needle isn’t alone, it’s independent and capable of creating so many things. While many people fear hypodermic needles, to me they represent healing and my future career path in the medical field. This powerful yet simple needle is used every day to save and protect lives, with vaccines, EpiPens, and more.
Suture needles are the needles that I strive to use in my future career. Only specially trained medical professionals can properly wield them. They literally put people back together with a needle while using incredible technique.
Needless to say, needles have constantly been a part of my life. They have been with me in the past, present, and hopefully the future. They have been a physical reminder of how I’ve developed as a person.
No matter the distance, I know my grandmother and I will always be connected through the needles she passed down to me, and as a first generation American, someday I will pass down needles of my own.
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### High School Essay Contest – Honorable Mention
#### Be Water, My Friend; But Also, Be Granite
**By Winnie Chen**
“Please remember what Bruce Lee said: ‘Be water, my friend!’”
At weekly flute lessons, my teacher often disapproved of my attempt to perform perfectly. Her philosophy was that to be a superb flautist, it’s essential to “flow” with elastic and ongoing motion. Yet the flute is also a highly responsive instrument that demands the opposite: control as intense as granite.
That paradoxical blend of water-like fluidity and granite-like solidity also applies to the creative realm. I’m both a classical and a jazz musician, and everything from cadenzas to improvisation requires a sophisticated mixture: of *fluid* spontaneity and interpretation combined with a *solid* base of knowledge and practice.
Playing a jazz riff, for example, demands solid knowledge of music theory so that I can invent magical sound creations that can develop in unexpected directions. Balancing those contradictory approaches of fluidity and solidity has been a challenge throughout my life.
In illustration, while growing up in Shanghai, I was a popular student who ate with different friend groups each lunchtime and always felt a relaxed sense of belonging: if my life then were a flute choir, it would be exceptionally harmonious.
However, when I moved to America just before high school, I slammed into a cultural granite wall. Indeed, while adjusting to my new school, I was so ashamed about my lack of belonging that I hid in the restroom for the entire lunch period, anguished day after day.
Therefore, my life felt like a staccato flute composition with lengthy and bewildering pauses. I was struggling to process no longer being the girl whom everyone knew and liked, but instead, a “Who is *that?”* Over time, though, I made many friends and attained a waterfall-like social life, but I still am processing differences between adolescence in America and in China.
Experiencing an intercontinental move had benefits, though. In the process of adjusting to a radically novel culture, I discovered my delight in making the most of any opportunity that flowed my way: eagerly navigating the challenging rapids of my new circumstances, rather than resisting them.
That’s why I began participating in parliamentary debate, where the topic is provided topic only on the day of tournaments. My impromptu speech skills transformed rapidly, and I’m proud that in just three years, I’ve morphed to someone who masters torrents of words: clearly articulating arguments, effectively refuting opponents’ points, and robustly affirming stances.
Lee’s advice about fluidity continues to serve me well in all aspects of life, yet he developed his thoughts further. He also claimed that water embodied the “very essence of *gung fu”* because no matter how fiercely he hit water, he couldn’t damage it. I’m determined to embody that contradictory position: fluid and open, yet concurrently so solid in my values that I cannot be harmed.
Consequently, my unique personal philosophy—after adjusting to life in a new country and thriving—is a twist on his guidance: “Be water, my friend; *but also, be granite!”*
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### High School Essay Contest – Honorable Mention
#### The Tarnish that Remains
**By Joanne Fan**
One day, I looked down and noticed the tarnish between the keys of my flute instead of its usual shiny luster. It seemed dull and lifeless. I can’t recall when it exactly happened, but this darkness continued to resurface relentlessly like an uninvited guest at my doorstep until I felt I had no choice but to let it in.
This darkness became my reality, and in this new familiarity, I found comfort. After coming home from school, I hurried to my bedroom windows, closing the white shutters that drooped lazily against slivers of scorching sunlight inching their way through. I collapsed on my bed, wishing to be forever held in the quiet embrace of my bedroom. Confined to my own little world of serene blue walls and childish clutter, I closed my eyes in an attempt to turn day into night.
As a highly sensitive person, I often feel deeply. Sometimes, it is as if I am being crushed by the weight of the world, the planets and the stars while I stand helplessly still as a statue. In my family, I feel so much like the odd one out that I entertain the thought of being adopted. While everyone else is driven and practical, I am idealistic and sentimental. I can shed tears over a line in a book, a song or someone sitting alone in a restaurant while my parents furrow their eyebrows in confusion.
The pandemic was one of my darkest times. But Wednesday nights as a flutist in my new youth orchestra changed everything. During rehearsals, our passion sometimes prevailed over our technique. My conductor called it a “beautiful problem,” his tone ever so optimistic. This phrase resonated in my mind, as even a positive adjective could be paired with a negative noun. Life isn’t simply black and white; we can choose how we perceive and react.
On the concert stage, I felt the sorrow, the joy, and the emotions in between. But here, they became my strength as I poured them into every note I played. Our passion radiated like a hundred hearts beating as one, and the music washed over me like a rainstorm after a year-long drought. The mouthpiece of my flute transformed into a mouthpiece for my soul. It grew into a vessel for all the words that go unspoken. Through music, not only could I heal myself, but I could also heal others.
My flute and I shone upon hospitals, senior homes, concert halls and classrooms in China. Laughter echoed across screens on Sunday mornings as I taught elementary schoolers, relishing conversations about cat allergies and Squishmallow collections while celebrating new fingerings mastered.
One day after practicing, I looked down at my flute. Again, I saw the spots of tarnish persistently nested between keys. I smiled. Like old friends, my flute and I have journeyed across brightly lit stages, towering concert halls and crowded warm-up rooms. Our scars don’t make us less beautiful; they brighten the joy that eventually comes after.
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### High School Essay Contest – Honorable Mention
#### Swimming
**By Chelsea Zhu**
*Dedicated to father*
The first time you take me swimming, I confuse your arms with a lifeboat. Believing I’m ready for the deep end, you let go and mistake my pleas for prophecy—you believe I’m born for the waves. Choking on chlorine, I try to scream your name. The weight of the water pushes my pulse out of my larynx. My body sinks. Seconds ago, you said, *One day, this will be you*—pointing to the swimmers wearing knee skins. Separated by a pool rope, I watch their freestyle kicks act like anchors. How they make these waters their cove of sanctuary. When you sign me up for swimming lessons, I swallow another wave whole—my stomach green.
\*\*\*
During practice, I never complete the swim sets on time. Instead, I take turns with my friends to see how far we can swim down 13 feet. While I touch the bottom of the pool, the first time with my feet and the next time with my hand, I open my eyes. This is the first time I hear the ocean. Crescendos and decrescendos. For the first time, everything seems connected. Then, your face emerges in front of me. You shake your head, realizing the stroke you taught me to swim is my slowest. When I rise to the surface, I see the divers practicing their somersaults and twists. This pattern of jumping so high and hovering in the air in the tiniest moment—only to fall back into the water again.
\*\*\*
If only I knew my skin would become a stranger to the pool.
\*\*\*
It was all my fault. Please forgive me. Please remember all I want is to stop the water from digging into my body—too sore to climb out after all these meters. I forget about the evening swims—us two finding peace in the electric blue. You swim butterfly while I drift on my back, the sky shining over us. No matter how much I love drowning into the tune of the crickets and your lyrical splashes, I tell you I never want to swim again when you enter my room. This is when I burst out of the ocean, leaving my body behind—and you, engulfed in algae bloom.
\*\*\*
I didn’t understand how I was not racing against other swimmers—but racing for a memory with you. Stuck in between two colliding waves, I’m castaway from your dreams.
\*\*\*
Throughout the years, I remember you saying there are many concepts you can’t explain, you don’t know, and I think it is still beautiful if the oysters we find don’t have pearls inside them. The Earth becomes more forgiving when we find reassurance in the rock bottom. When we know that we can survive in the deep sea. I will swim back to where I left you. Today, I’m still waiting to discover what lies in these waters.
---
For more information on the Local Writer’s Showcase, please visit <https://www.bethesda.org/bethesda/localwriters>
**Categories:** Uncategorized
---
## Pages
### [Home](https://writer.org/)
**Published:** January 1, 2014
**Author:** Admin
---
### [What's On Stage](https://writer.org/free-events/whats-on-stage/)
**Published:** October 15, 2026
**Author:** Charlotte Van Schaack
**Content:**
### The Allan Lefcowitz Theater at The Writer’s Center
> The Writer’s Center welcomes rentals from theater companies and individual performers throughout the year. Find the upcoming theater schedule and ticket information below.
Friday, October 9, 2026 through Sunday, October 25, 2026
[Best Medicine Rep](https://www.bestmedicinerep.org/)
Monday, October 26, 2026
[Clown Caberet](https://clowncabaret.com/)
Friday, October 30, 2026
[Luna Rei Burlesque](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/diamonds-and-desire-tickets-1989327912337?aff=oddtdtcreator)
Saturday, October 31, 2026
[The Magic Duel](https://tickets.themagicduel.com/?_gl=1%2A1c7qzz1%2A_gcl_au%2AMTA4MTM0NTgwMS4xNzkxOTk1MDU3%2AFPAU%2AMTc5MzIxMTkzNC4xNzkxOTk1MDU2%2A_ga%2AMzA3NTU2NjM1LjE3OTE5OTUwNTc.%2A_ga_W4SZTGZHEV%2AczE3OTE5OTUwNTckbzEkZzAkdDE3OTE5OTUwNTckajYwJGwwJGg5Njc0Mzk4NDU.%2A_fplc%2AZEVCcXo1U2J3WHFXa29KYVJKYXg0MnJnQjhMejQ3S0xqJTJGbFVsa3VhM3kzVGZ6QUxyMm1oYnBKY3ExNlBtRVNSTGtLVVVaZ0RqRCUyQnF2UXRNMk5pR1d5TldzQkFOclVEcm1YUDlNWFZRUFRJc2FhSGdZR21wVEkxUVNjOXk4USUzRCUzRA..)
Sunday, November 8, 2026 and Sunday, November 15, 2026
[The CapitalKomedi Theatre aka CapitalKapustnik](https://www.capitalkapustnik.com/)
Friday, November 27, 2026 and Saturday, November 28, 2026
[The Magic Duel](https://tickets.themagicduel.com/?_gl=1%2A1c7qzz1%2A_gcl_au%2AMTA4MTM0NTgwMS4xNzkxOTk1MDU3%2AFPAU%2AMTc5MzIxMTkzNC4xNzkxOTk1MDU2%2A_ga%2AMzA3NTU2NjM1LjE3OTE5OTUwNTc.%2A_ga_W4SZTGZHEV%2AczE3OTE5OTUwNTckbzEkZzAkdDE3OTE5OTUwNTckajYwJGwwJGg5Njc0Mzk4NDU.%2A_fplc%2AZEVCcXo1U2J3WHFXa29KYVJKYXg0MnJnQjhMejQ3S0xqJTJGbFVsa3VhM3kzVGZ6QUxyMm1oYnBKY3ExNlBtRVNSTGtLVVVaZ0RqRCUyQnF2UXRNMk5pR1d5TldzQkFOclVEcm1YUDlNWFZRUFRJc2FhSGdZR21wVEkxUVNjOXk4USUzRCUzRA..)
Tuesday, December 1, 2026
[TEDxBethesda: Play](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tedxbethesdaplay-tickets-2002910626601?aff=oddtdtcreator)
Saturday, December 12, 2026
[SonDeBaril Flamenco](https://www.sondebaril.com/)
Sunday, December 13, 2026
[MidAtlantic Improv](https://www.midatlanticimprov.com/bah-humbug-a-christmas-carol-mostly-improvised)
Friday, December 18, 2026 through Sunday, December 20, 2026
[Bel Cantanti Opera](https://www.eventbrite.com/o/554133974)
Saturday, December 26, 2026 through Monday, December 28, 2026
And Saturday, January 9, 2027
[The Magic Duel](https://tickets.themagicduel.com/?_gl=1%2A1c7qzz1%2A_gcl_au%2AMTA4MTM0NTgwMS4xNzkxOTk1MDU3%2AFPAU%2AMTc5MzIxMTkzNC4xNzkxOTk1MDU2%2A_ga%2AMzA3NTU2NjM1LjE3OTE5OTUwNTc.%2A_ga_W4SZTGZHEV%2AczE3OTE5OTUwNTckbzEkZzAkdDE3OTE5OTUwNTckajYwJGwwJGg5Njc0Mzk4NDU.%2A_fplc%2AZEVCcXo1U2J3WHFXa29KYVJKYXg0MnJnQjhMejQ3S0xqJTJGbFVsa3VhM3kzVGZ6QUxyMm1oYnBKY3ExNlBtRVNSTGtLVVVaZ0RqRCUyQnF2UXRNMk5pR1d5TldzQkFOclVEcm1YUDlNWFZRUFRJc2FhSGdZR21wVEkxUVNjOXk4USUzRCUzRA..)
Friday, January 22, 2027 through Saturday, February 6, 2027
[Perisphere Theater Company](https://perispheretheater.com/)
Friday, February 19, 2027 through Sunday, March 21, 2027
[Constellation Theater](https://www.constellationtheatre.org/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=10866833241&gbraid=0AAAAADkleDTcUqQ2-zkvvScOakpqfSgjH&gclid=CjwKCAjw88HWBhA3EiwAo2Zd6JjXpBtbyBts7KJ9URXygAVIFN_gXy2qC7qATxRc0UuNLgqb3akvXxoCwZAQAvD_BwE)
Saturday, March 27, 2027
[The Magic Duel](https://tickets.themagicduel.com/?_gl=1%2A1c7qzz1%2A_gcl_au%2AMTA4MTM0NTgwMS4xNzkxOTk1MDU3%2AFPAU%2AMTc5MzIxMTkzNC4xNzkxOTk1MDU2%2A_ga%2AMzA3NTU2NjM1LjE3OTE5OTUwNTc.%2A_ga_W4SZTGZHEV%2AczE3OTE5OTUwNTckbzEkZzAkdDE3OTE5OTUwNTckajYwJGwwJGg5Njc0Mzk4NDU.%2A_fplc%2AZEVCcXo1U2J3WHFXa29KYVJKYXg0MnJnQjhMejQ3S0xqJTJGbFVsa3VhM3kzVGZ6QUxyMm1oYnBKY3ExNlBtRVNSTGtLVVVaZ0RqRCUyQnF2UXRNMk5pR1d5TldzQkFOclVEcm1YUDlNWFZRUFRJc2FhSGdZR21wVEkxUVNjOXk4USUzRCUzRA..)
Friday, April 9, 2027 through Sunday, April 24, 2027
[Perisphere Theater Company](https://perispheretheater.com/)
---
### [Book Farm @ The Writer's Center](https://writer.org/bookfarm/)
**Published:** June 13, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
## Where your stories grow into novels, memoirs, collections & more!
**The Writer’s Center hosts a series of workshops for serious writers to complete book-length projects, generate new work for publication, or master the elements of craft within a specific genre.**
You’ll **work with an acclaimed author**, guiding you through 4-12 months of lessons, workshops, and revisions. Our instructors are all accomplished educators with a track record of student success. **Limited enrollment** with rolling admission up to the application deadline, so apply right away to secure your spot!
**To learn more about each Book Farm workshop and to apply, visit the links below.**
---
All Book Farm participants receive an exclusive tote bag, a craft book recommended by the instructor, and a $100 gift certificate good toward future TWC workshops. Participants also receive exclusive access to The Writer’s Center staff, all of whom are accomplished writers with extensive experience in editing and publishing.
---
*The fees for Book Farm workshops range from $2,000 to $5,400. The Writer’s Center also offers hundreds of* [***writing workshops starting at $60***](https://writer.org/workshops/) *and dozens of* [***free events for writers***](https://writer.org/reading-events/) *every year.*
## The Art of the Short Story w/ Rita Bullwinkel
**Write new short stories with award-winning author and editor Rita Bullwinkel!**
In this year-long short story intensive, students will read and discuss the work of their peers, and have the opportunity to submit four of their own short stories for group discussion. Students will also read the work of contemporary short story writers alongside the work of their peers in order to identify how their own work, and the work of their peers, is situated within the contemporary literary landscape.
**APPLICATION DEADLINE: October 5, 2026**
**Workshop dates: October 21, 2026 – July 28, 2027**
**Twice a month on Wednesdays, 7:00pm – 9:00pm ET**
**$5,400**
[Learn more & apply!](https://writer.org/event/the-art-of-the-short-story-w-rita-bullwinkel/)
## The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll
**Write your novel in a year with bestselling novelist Susan Coll!**
Whether you have been thinking about writing a novel for years but are not sure how to get started, or are already published but embarking on a new project, this year-long workshop is intended to help get the next book off the ground.
**APPLICATION DEADLINE: January 12, 2027**
**Workshop dates: January 26, 2027 – November 30, 2027**
**Twice a month on Tuesdays via ZOOM, 7:00pm – 9:30pm ET**
**$5,400**
[Learn more & apply!](https://writer.org/event/the-novel-year-w-susan-coll-2/)
## The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner!
**Through reflection, community, and practice, you’ll awaken the artist within and build a creative life that feels aligned and alive.**
Whether you have been thinking about writing a novel for years but are not sure how to get started, or are already published but embarking on a new project, this year-long workshop is intended to help get the next book off the ground.
**APPLICATION DEADLINE: January 25, 2027**
**Workshop dates: February 6, 2027 – December 4, 2027**
**One Saturday a month at The Writer’s Center, 11:30am – 1pm ET, with self-paced work in between meeting**
**$2,000**
[Learn more & apply!](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way-a-year-of-creative-reawakening-w-lindsey-van-wagner-2/)
## Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung
**Work on your memoir or collection of essays with bestselling author Nicole Chung!**
This intensive workshop is open to writers working on a memoir, memoir-in-essays, or essay collection. You’ll have the opportunity to participate in lively craft discussions, reflection/writing exercises, and in-depth workshops designed to help you identify and hone your strengths as a writer. If you have an idea for a book project and are looking to jumpstart it—or are already underway, but struggling to maintain your momentum—this class will help you take concrete next steps and deepen your craft in a supportive and generative community.
**APPLICATION DEADLINE: January 30, 2027**
**Workshop dates: February 9, 2027 – November 16, 2027**
**Twice a month on Tuesdays via ZOOM, 7:00pm – 9:00pm ET**
**$5,400**
[Learn more & apply!](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year-w-nicole-chung-2/)
## Manuscript Incubator w/ C Pam Zhang!
**Transform your manuscript!**
These one-on-one sessions are geared for early- and middle-stage works in progress whose authors are looking to make significant changes, as well as for more polished manuscripts. This format is especially useful for writers who have hit a wall in their writing, those who want to rekindle a sense of joy and excitement, and those who have had negative experiences with soliciting feedback in the past. Writers will leave this experience with not just one edited manuscript, but insights and a tool kit that allow them to work through many versions of the manuscript on their own.
**APPLICATION DEADLINE: Currently accepting new applications!**
**$2,300**
[Learn more & apply!](https://writer.org/manuscript-incubator-w-c-pam-zhang/)
---
---
### [Book Club @ The Writer's Center](https://writer.org/book-club/)
**Published:** February 10, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
## *A Monthly Book Club that Centers Independent Publishers and brings Authors directly into the Room*
The Writer’s Center hosts a series of **FREE Book Clubs**.
This is no *run-of-the-mill book club*. Visiting writers will read excerpts, join the discussion, and answer your questions about craft, process, the publishing industry, and getting advice for our own writing! We’ll hang and eat snacks with the authors and escape your doomscrolling.
***Poetry Book Club*** will meet on Zoom ***every second Wednesday*** of the month with a new poet.
***Fiction Book Club*** will meet on Zoom ***every third Sunday*** of the month with a new author.
Come build community and read amazing books that the Big 5 didn’t have the sense to publish!
# Fiction Book Club
[RSVP for the Next Meeting!](https://writer.org/event/fiction-book-club-w-caroline-bock/)
# Poetry Book Club
[RSVP for the Next Meeting!](https://writer.org/event/poetry-book-club-w-melanie-mccabe/)
## Book Club Host
**Hannah Grieco** is a writer, professor, and editor in Washington, DC. Her short story collection *First Kicking, Then Not* is out now from Stanchion Books. She writes the monthly SpotLIT column for Washington City Paper, and you can find more of her work in The Washington Post, Al Jazeera, Brevity, Craft, The Rumpus, Shenandoah, The Offing, Wigleaf, Fairy Tale Review, and more. Find her online at [www.hgrieco.com](http://www.hgrieco.com/) and on most social media @writesloud.
---
### [Events](https://writer.org/free-events/)
**Published:** June 16, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
## Events for Writers!
The Writer’s Center offers dozens of events every year. We invite writers to have fun, explore the craft of writing, and connect with the literary community. Join us in-person and online.
29 events found.
# Events
## Events Search and Views Navigation
Search Enter Keyword. Search for Events by Keyword.
Find Events
### Event Views Navigation
List
- [ List ](https://writer.org/events/list/?hide_subsequent_recurrences=1&shortcode=7d57c255)
- [ Month ](https://writer.org/events/month/?hide_subsequent_recurrences=1&shortcode=7d57c255)
Genre\* -- Select a Genre Fiction Kid Lit Mixed Genre Nonfiction Poetry Professional Writing Publishing Stage and Screen
Location\* -- Select a Location The Writer's Center Wet Ink Zoom
Level\* -- Select a Level Advanced Level Advanced/Master Level All Levels Beginner Level Beginner/Intermediate Level Intermediate Level Intermediate/Advanced Level Master Level
- ### October 2026
#### [ Virtual Craft Chat w/ Lauren Francis-Sharma & Jennifer Grotz, Editors of Welcome to the Mountain ](https://writer.org/event/welcome-to-the-mountain/ "Virtual Craft Chat w/ Lauren Francis-Sharma & Jennifer Grotz, Editors of Welcome to the Mountain")
October 20 @ 7:00 PM EDT - 8:00 PM EDT
[Zoom](https://writer.org/venue/zoom/ "Zoom")
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of writing! We’re joined by editors Lauren Francis-Sharma and Jennifer Grotz for a discussion of their new anthology, Welcome to the Mountain: A Portable Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference. They are in conversation with Zach Powers, author and Executive & Artistic Director at The Writer’s Center. RSVP below to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). FREE and open to the public, all times Eastern We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or directly from the publisher » About the Book What \[…\]
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/welcome-to-the-mountain/)
Free 251 spots left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/welcome-to-the-mountain/#rsvp-now)
#### [ An Evening of Tributes to Tobias Wolff ](https://writer.org/event/tobias-wolff/ "An Evening of Tributes to Tobias Wolff")
October 23 @ 7:00 PM EDT - 8:00 PM EDT
[The Writer’s Center](https://writer.org/venue/bethesda/ "The Writer’s Center") 4508 Walsh Street
Bethesda, MD 20815 United States
[Google Map](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=38.97949%2C-77.090791)
A Free Fitzgerald Festival Event Co-sponsored with The Writer’s Center The F. Scott Fitzgerald Festival and The Writer’s Center present a reading in tribute to legendary author Tobias Wolff. Featuring multiple award-winning author Richard Bausch, award-winning novelist Varun Gauri, PEN/Faulkner winner Mahreen Sohail, plus concluding remarks by Wolff. FREE and open to the public. RSVP required below. Tobias Wolff is the author of the memoirs This Boy's Life (1989) and In Pharaoh's Army (1994), and he has also written novels and short story collections, including Our Story Begins: New and Selected Stories (2008). His novel The Barracks Thief (1984) won the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction. He received a National Medal of \[…\]
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/tobias-wolff/)
Free 31 spots left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/tobias-wolff/#rsvp-now)
#### [ Search Party: Find Your Writing Group ](https://writer.org/event/search-party-oct-26/ "Search Party: Find Your Writing Group")
October 25 @ 2:00 PM EDT - 5:00 PM EDT
[The Writer’s Center](https://writer.org/venue/bethesda/ "The Writer’s Center") 4508 Walsh Street
Bethesda, MD 20815 United States
[Google Map](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=38.97949%2C-77.090791)
Looking for a writing group? We want to help you meet other interested writers! The Writer's Center and The Inner Loop invite you to Search Party, a social event connecting writers to other writers interested in forming/joining a writing group. Simply show up, fill out a nametag with your genres and other areas of interest, and mingle. You can: Visit themed tables for specific genres. Follow our guide to ask a few useful questions. Collect names and contact information on a handy form provided to all registrants. Enjoy complimentary refreshments! FREE and open to the public. RSVP below. Suggested donation of \[…\]
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/search-party-oct-26/)
Free 1 spot left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/search-party-oct-26/#rsvp-now)
#### [ Daniel Nayeri Book Release ](https://writer.org/event/daniel-nayeri/ "Daniel Nayeri Book Release")
October 26 @ 7:00 PM EDT - 8:00 PM EDT
[The Writer’s Center](https://writer.org/venue/bethesda/ "The Writer’s Center") 4508 Walsh Street
Bethesda, MD 20815 United States
[Google Map](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=38.97949%2C-77.090791)
The Writer’s Center and Politics and Prose welcomes writer Daniel Nayeri for a reading from his new book, This Is a Door. Daniel is in conversation with poet and Events Director at The Writer’s Center, Brandon Johnson. This is a PAID event. Your ticket to this event includes a copy of This Is a Door. Buy your ticket using this link Daniel Nayeri is an award-winning author of children and teen fiction, including most recently, The Teacher of Nomad Land. After being born in Iran and immigrating to Oklahoma, Nayeri attended NYU. He currently lives with his family in New Jersey. A groundbreaking hero's journey \[…\]
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/daniel-nayeri/)
#### [ A Conversation & Reading with Petra Hůlová and Alex Zucker ](https://writer.org/event/petra-hulova/ "A Conversation & Reading with Petra Hůlová and Alex Zucker")
October 27 @ 6:00 PM EDT - 8:00 PM EDT
[The Writer’s Center](https://writer.org/venue/bethesda/ "The Writer’s Center") 4508 Walsh Street
Bethesda, MD 20815 United States
[Google Map](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=38.97949%2C-77.090791)
The Writer’s Center one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary Czech literature, Petra Hůlová, and her longtime translator Alex Zucker for a reading and conversation about her provocative new novel, The Long Version.Hůlová and Zucker will read from the novel and discuss the ideas behind the book, contemporary Czech literature, and the unique relationship between an author and her translator. The conversation will be moderated by poet and translator Katherine E. Young. FREE & open to the public. RSVP using this link>>> Petra Hůlová is the recipient of several of Czechia’s most important literary honors, including the Magnesia Litera, Josef \[…\]
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/petra-hulova/)
#### [ Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center ](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-oct2026-2/ "Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center")
October 28 @ 7:00 PM EDT - 9:00 PM EDT
[The Writer’s Center](https://writer.org/venue/bethesda/ "The Writer’s Center") 4508 Walsh Street
Bethesda, MD 20815 United States
[Google Map](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=38.97949%2C-77.090791)
Prose, poetry, and spoken word Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center! All writers are welcome to come and share 4-5 minutes of their latest work. Sign-up starts at 6:45pm, and readings begin promptly at 7pm. Limited to 20 readers, so arrive early if you plan to read. Sponsored by Poet Lore, America’s oldest poetry magazine. FREE and open to the public. Please note that we no longer offer advance sign-up. If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services. Enjoying \[…\]
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-oct2026-2/)
Free 85 spots left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-oct2026-2/#rsvp-now)
#### [ Virtual Craft Chat w/ Author Amber Blaeser-Wardzala ](https://writer.org/event/amber-blaeser-wardzala/ "Virtual Craft Chat w/ Author Amber Blaeser-Wardzala")
October 29 @ 7:00 PM EDT - 8:00 PM EDT
[Zoom](https://writer.org/venue/zoom/ "Zoom")
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of fiction! We’re joined by author Amber Blaeser-Wardzala for a discussion of her debut novel, Another Name for Red at the End. Amber is in conversation with Amy Freeman, author and Development Director at The Writer’s Center. RSVP below to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). FREE and open to the public, all times Eastern We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or online from Bookshop.org » Amber Blaeser-Wardzala is an Anishinaabe writer, beadwork artist, and jingle dress dancer. She \[…\]
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/amber-blaeser-wardzala/)
Free 290 spots left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/amber-blaeser-wardzala/#rsvp-now)
#### [ Richard Hoffman Book Release ](https://writer.org/event/richard-hoffman/ "Richard Hoffman Book Release")
October 29 @ 7:00 PM EDT - 8:30 PM EDT
[The Writer’s Center](https://writer.org/venue/bethesda/ "The Writer’s Center") 4508 Walsh Street
Bethesda, MD 20815 United States
[Google Map](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=38.97949%2C-77.090791)
The Writer’s Center welcomes poet Richard Hoffman for a reading from two New and Selected collection, Each Child a Disappearance and Mundus et Infans. Richard is joined in conversation by poet Richard Smith. FREE & open to the public. RSVP below. Richard Hoffman is the author of seven books of poetry: Without Paradise; Gold Star Road, winner of The Barrow Street Press Poetry Prize and the Sheila Motton Book Award from The New England Poetry Club; Emblem; Noon until Night, which received the 2018 Massachusetts Book Award for Poetry; People Once Real; and his most recent, Each Child a Disappearance: New \[…\]
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/richard-hoffman/)
Free 86 spots left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/richard-hoffman/#rsvp-now)
- ### November 2026
#### [ LGBTQ+ Writers Mixer ](https://writer.org/event/lgbtq-writers-mixer-nov26/ "LGBTQ+ Writers Mixer")
November 5 @ 5:30 PM EST - 7:30 PM EST
[The Writer’s Center](https://writer.org/venue/bethesda/ "The Writer’s Center") 4508 Walsh Street
Bethesda, MD 20815 United States
[Google Map](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=38.97949%2C-77.090791)
Are you a writer who identifies as LGBTQ+? Let’s hang out and talk writing! Come join us for an informal gathering at The Writer’s Center. Please bring a drink or an appetizer that serves six. You’re welcome to bring a friend, too. FREE & open to all DMV writers who identify as LGBTQ+. RSVP required below. Attending? We encourage you to become a member of The Writer’s Center for only $65/year »
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/lgbtq-writers-mixer-nov26/)
Free 81 spots left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/lgbtq-writers-mixer-nov26/#rsvp-now)
#### [ 50th Anniversary Celebration ](https://writer.org/event/50th-anniversary/ "50th Anniversary Celebration")
November 7 @ 6:00 PM EST - 9:00 PM EST
[The Writer’s Center](https://writer.org/venue/bethesda/ "The Writer’s Center") 4508 Walsh Street
Bethesda, MD 20815 United States
[Google Map](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=38.97949%2C-77.090791)
This year The Writer's Center turns 50! No writer succeeds alone. For fifty years, The Writer's Center has been a place where writers gather, learn, revise, encourage, and inspire one another. This anniversary celebrates the relationships that make writing possible. For three hours, we'll look back on our history with a building-wide scavenger hunt and a reading from each decade of the organization and the current Compass Fellow and Ruth Lilly and Dorothy Sargent Rosenberg Poetry Fellow, Xochi Quetzali Cartland. With a buffet, books, and booze, we'll reminisce on the community that made possible our past fifty years. Can't attend? Donations \[…\]
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/50th-anniversary/)
$50.00 72 tickets left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/50th-anniversary/#tribe-tickets)
#### [ John DeDakis Book Launch ](https://writer.org/event/john-dedakis/ "John DeDakis Book Launch")
November 10 @ 7:00 PM EST - 8:30 PM EST
[The Writer’s Center](https://writer.org/venue/bethesda/ "The Writer’s Center") 4508 Walsh Street
Bethesda, MD 20815 United States
The Writer’s Center welcomes writer John DeDakis for a reading from his new book, Plot Twists: A Memoir on Writing and Living. John is joined by writer Austin S. Camacho. FREE & open to the public. RSVP below. John DeDakis is a former editor on CNN's "The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer." DeDakis, a former White House correspondent, is the author of six traditionally published novels in the award-winning Lark Chadwick mystery-suspense-thriller series. DeDakis is a motivational speaker, podcaster, one-on-one writing coach, manuscript editor, and regularly teaches novel and memoir writing at The Writer's Center, and other literary centers, bookstores, and \[…\]
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/john-dedakis/)
Free 88 spots left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/john-dedakis/#rsvp-now)
#### [ Poetry Book Club w/ Melanie McCabe! ](https://writer.org/event/poetry-book-club-w-melanie-mccabe/ "Poetry Book Club w/ Melanie McCabe!")
November 11 @ 7:00 PM EST - 8:00 PM EST
[Zoom](https://writer.org/venue/zoom/ "Zoom")
Poet Lore, America’s oldest poetry journal and The Writer’s Center welcomes poet Melanie McCabe to our monthly Virtual Poetry Book Club for a discussion of her collection, All The Signs Were There. Melanie is joined by Book Club Host, Hannah Grieco. We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or online » FREE & open to the public. RSVP below. Melanie McCabe is a writer of poems, essays, memoir, and most recently, fiction. She is a lifelong Virginian and was a high school English and creative writing teacher in Arlington for twenty-two years. Her debut novel, Road Longer \[…\]
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/poetry-book-club-w-melanie-mccabe/)
Free 298 spots left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/poetry-book-club-w-melanie-mccabe/#rsvp-now)
#### [ Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center ](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-nov2026/ "Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center")
November 11 @ 7:00 PM EST - 9:00 PM EST
[The Writer’s Center](https://writer.org/venue/bethesda/ "The Writer’s Center") 4508 Walsh Street
Bethesda, MD 20815 United States
[Google Map](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=38.97949%2C-77.090791)
Prose, poetry, and spoken word Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center! All writers are welcome to come and share 4-5 minutes of their latest work. Sign-up starts at 6:45pm, and readings begin promptly at 7pm. Limited to 20 readers, so arrive early if you plan to read. Sponsored by Poet Lore, America’s oldest poetry magazine. FREE and open to the public. Please note that we no longer offer advance sign-up. If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services. Enjoying \[…\]
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-nov2026/)
Free 90 spots left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-nov2026/#rsvp-now)
#### [ Inner Loop Author’s Corner w/ Shelagh Johnson! ](https://writer.org/event/inner-loop-shelagh-johnson/ "Inner Loop Author’s Corner w/ Shelagh Johnson!")
November 12 @ 7:00 PM EST - 8:00 PM EST
[Zoom](https://writer.org/venue/zoom/ "Zoom")
A History of Existing Life is The Inner Loop’s Author’s Corner spotlight. The Inner Loop cultivates and promotes the distinctive literary culture of Washington, DC. Author’s Corner supports local authors’ independently published books by spotlighting them in community programming and collaborations. RSVP below to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). FREE and open to the public, all times Eastern We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or online from Bookshop.org » Shelagh Powers Johnson teaches English and Creative Writing at Bowie State University and is the faculty editor of the university’s literary magazine, The Torch. She received her MFA in \[…\]
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/inner-loop-shelagh-johnson/)
Free 293 spots left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/inner-loop-shelagh-johnson/#rsvp-now)
#### [ Ole Blue Claw: Tales from the Crustier Side of Maryland Anthology Launch ](https://writer.org/event/ole-blue-claw/ "Ole Blue Claw: Tales from the Crustier Side of Maryland Anthology Launch")
November 14 @ 6:00 PM EST - 8:00 PM EST
[The Writer’s Center](https://writer.org/venue/bethesda/ "The Writer’s Center") 4508 Walsh Street
Bethesda, MD 20815 United States
[Google Map](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=38.97949%2C-77.090791)
The Writer’s Center welcomes the Ole’ Blue Claw Maryland Anthology for a reading a celebration of a new anthology featuring twenty-three distinctive works, a mix of flash and short fiction, by writers from across Maryland. Join Maryland writers Preston Ford, Greta Ehrig, Ritchie Porter, Rhonda Zimlich, Cathy Tsang, and Theodore Carter for a reading of their anthologized work and to meet the editors as we celebrate Maryland storytelling. Free and Open to the Public. About Ole’ Blue Claw An Anthology of Place-Based Fiction Ole’ Blue Claw is the brainchild of Diana Friedman, Kim Gallagher Moses and Phil Hearn, three graduates of the \[…\]
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/ole-blue-claw/)
Free 58 spots left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/ole-blue-claw/#rsvp-now)
#### [ Fiction Book Club w/ Caroline Bock! ](https://writer.org/event/fiction-book-club-w-caroline-bock/ "Fiction Book Club w/ Caroline Bock!")
November 15 @ 2:00 PM EST - 3:00 PM EST
[Zoom](https://writer.org/venue/zoom/ "Zoom")
The Writer’s Center welcomes author Caroline Bock to our monthly Fiction Book Club for a discussion of her most recent collection, The Other Beautiful People, at The Writer's Center! Caroline is joined by Book Club Host, Hannah Grieco. We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or online » FREE & open to the public. RSVP below. Caroline Bock is the author of The Other Beautiful People (Regal House Publishing, 2026), a workplace love story, inspired by her two-decade career at AMC, Bravo, IFC, and IFC Films. She is also the author of the young adult \[…\]
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/fiction-book-club-w-caroline-bock/)
Free 88 spots left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/fiction-book-club-w-caroline-bock/#rsvp-now)
#### [ The Sum of Its Parts: Readings and Discussions from Three Anthologies ](https://writer.org/event/the-sum-of-its-parts/ "The Sum of Its Parts: Readings and Discussions from Three Anthologies")
November 17 @ 7:00 PM EST - 8:30 PM EST
[The Writer’s Center](https://writer.org/venue/bethesda/ "The Writer’s Center") 4508 Walsh Street
Bethesda, MD 20815 United States
[Google Map](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=38.97949%2C-77.090791)
The Writer’s Center welcomes editors, poets and prose writers featured in recently published anthologies from Bordighera Press, June Rose Press, and Motina Books to read from those anthologies and to discuss the publication process. Books will be available for sale and signing. Get started on your holiday shopping! FREE & open to the public. RSVP below. About Al di là del mare / Across the Sea This bilingual anthology of Italian and Italian American poetry is a bridge across place, language, culture, and history. Along with 15 poets, we journey from one side of the sea to the other, and discover \[…\]
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/the-sum-of-its-parts/)
Free 83 spots left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/the-sum-of-its-parts/#rsvp-now)
#### [ Virtual Craft Chat w/ Author Mathangi Subramanian ](https://writer.org/event/mathangi-subramanian/ "Virtual Craft Chat w/ Author Mathangi Subramanian")
November 19 @ 7:00 PM EST - 8:00 PM EST
[Zoom](https://writer.org/venue/zoom/ "Zoom")
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of nonfiction! We’re joined by author Mathangi Subramanian for a discussion of her new publication, Our Periods, Ourselves: An Empowered Teen's Guide. Mathangi is in conversation with Amy Freeman, author and Development Director at The Writer’s Center. RSVP below to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). FREE and open to the public, all times Eastern We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or online from Bookshop.org » Mathangi Subramanian, EdD, is an award winning neurodiverse, South Asian American author, educator, and advocate \[…\]
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/mathangi-subramanian/)
Free 288 spots left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/mathangi-subramanian/#rsvp-now)
#### [ Poet Carolyn Joyner Book Release ](https://writer.org/event/carolyn-joyner/ "Poet Carolyn Joyner Book Release")
November 14 @ 2:00 PM EST - 4:00 PM EST
[The Writer’s Center](https://writer.org/venue/bethesda/ "The Writer’s Center") 4508 Walsh Street
Bethesda, MD 20815 United States
[Google Map](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=38.97949%2C-77.090791)
The Writer’s Center welcomes poet Carolyn Joyner for a reading from her debut collection, Imagine His Mother Witnessing. Carolyn is joined in conversation by poets Joseph Ross and Abdul Ali. FREE & open to the public. RSVP below. Carolyn Joyner is the author of Imagine His Mother Witnessing (2026) which considers themes of loss, an epic battle with illness, mother-son deep bonds, and the sustaining power of art through our darkest hour. Joyner is a former WritersCorps instructor, volunteer poetry workshop leader for the DC Public Library and River of Words community project, and holds a Master of Arts degree in Creative Writing from \[…\]
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/carolyn-joyner/)
Free 89 spots left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/carolyn-joyner/#rsvp-now)
#### [ Melanie Hatter Book Release ](https://writer.org/event/melanie-hatter-book-release/ "Melanie Hatter Book Release")
November 22 @ 2:00 PM EST - 3:30 PM EST
[The Writer’s Center](https://writer.org/venue/bethesda/ "The Writer’s Center") 4508 Walsh Street
Bethesda, MD 20815 United States
[Google Map](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=38.97949%2C-77.090791)
The Writer’s Center welcomes 1455 to celebrate the launch of 1455 first annual book contest winner Melanie Hatter. This event features a reading by the author followed by a Q&A with 1455 Executive Director Sean Murphy. FREE & open to the public. RSVP below. Melanie S. Hatter is the author of Malawi’s Sisters, which was selected by Edwidge Danticat as the winner of the inaugural Kimbilio National Fiction Prize and was published by Four Way Books in 2019. Her debut novel, The Color of My Soul, won the 2011 Washington Writers’ Publishing House Fiction Prize, and Let No One Weep for Me, Stories of \[…\]
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/melanie-hatter-book-release/)
Free 85 spots left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/melanie-hatter-book-release/#rsvp-now)
- ### December 2026
#### [ Manav Sachdeva Poetry Reading ](https://writer.org/event/manav-sachdeva/ "Manav Sachdeva Poetry Reading")
December 5 @ 2:00 PM EST - 3:30 PM EST
[The Writer’s Center](https://writer.org/venue/bethesda/ "The Writer’s Center") 4508 Walsh Street
Bethesda, MD 20815 United States
[Google Map](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=38.97949%2C-77.090791)
The Writer’s Center welcomes poet Manav Sachdeva for a reading from his collection, Sufi's Garland. FREE & open to the public. RSVP below. Manav Sachdeva Maasoom (also known as Maasoom Shah, and MS Maasoom) is a poet, diplomat, chief international officer with McCann Kyiv, and writes literature in Urdu and English, with some contributions in Punjabi as well. His work is listed on Mr. Urdu Poetry website (mrurdupoetry.com). Manav Sachdeva Maasoom Shah was the New York City Luce Foundation and the United Nations Poet Laureate for 2015. His first book, The Sufi’s Garland, was published by Roman Books Kolkata in 2011. \[…\]
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/manav-sachdeva/)
Free 90 spots left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/manav-sachdeva/#rsvp-now)
#### [ Cafe Muse Literary Salon ](https://writer.org/event/cafe-muse-literary-salon-dec-26/ "Cafe Muse Literary Salon")
December 7 @ 7:00 PM EST - 8:30 PM EST
[The Writer’s Center](https://writer.org/venue/bethesda/ "The Writer’s Center") 4508 Walsh Street
Bethesda, MD 20815 United States
[Google Map](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=38.97949%2C-77.090791)
The Writer’s Center welcomes the Café Muse Literary Salon for a reading featuring writers from Washington Writer's Publishing House reading from the America’s Future Anthology. The evening begins at 7 PM with Michael Davis live on classical guitar. The readings begin at 7:30 PM with opening remarks by a Café Muse co-host. FREE & open to the public. RSVP on the Cafe Muse Website. Enjoying our free events? Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/cafe-muse-literary-salon-dec-26/)
#### [ Poetry Book Club w/ Kelly Grace Thomas! ](https://writer.org/event/poetry-book-club-w-kelly-grace-thomas/ "Poetry Book Club w/ Kelly Grace Thomas!")
December 9 @ 7:00 PM EST - 8:00 PM EST
[Zoom](https://writer.org/venue/zoom/ "Zoom")
Poet Lore, America’s oldest poetry journal and The Writer’s Center welcomes poet Kelly Grace Thomas to our monthly Virtual Poetry Book Club for a discussion of her collection, Future Tense. Kelly is joined by Book Club Host, Hannah Grieco. We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or online » directly from the publisher, Alice James Books. FREE & open to the public. RSVP below. Kelly Grace Thomas, poet, writer, and coach, is the author of Future Tense (Alice James Books, 2026) and Boat Burned (YesYes Books, 2020). She’s the winner of the Neil Postman \[…\]
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/poetry-book-club-w-kelly-grace-thomas/)
Free 295 spots left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/poetry-book-club-w-kelly-grace-thomas/#rsvp-now)
#### [ Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center ](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-dec2026/ "Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center")
December 9 @ 7:00 PM EST - 9:00 PM EST
[The Writer’s Center](https://writer.org/venue/bethesda/ "The Writer’s Center") 4508 Walsh Street
Bethesda, MD 20815 United States
[Google Map](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=38.97949%2C-77.090791)
Prose, poetry, and spoken word Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center! All writers are welcome to come and share 4-5 minutes of their latest work. Sign-up starts at 6:45pm, and readings begin promptly at 7pm. Limited to 20 readers, so arrive early if you plan to read. Sponsored by Poet Lore, America’s oldest poetry magazine. FREE and open to the public. Please note that we no longer offer advance sign-up. If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services. Enjoying \[…\]
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-dec2026/)
Free 90 spots left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-dec2026/#rsvp-now)
#### [ Writer John Edwards Book Launch ](https://writer.org/event/john-edwards/ "Writer John Edwards Book Launch")
December 12 @ 2:00 PM EST - 3:30 PM EST
[The Writer’s Center](https://writer.org/venue/bethesda/ "The Writer’s Center") 4508 Walsh Street
Bethesda, MD 20815 United States
[Google Map](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=38.97949%2C-77.090791)
The Writer’s Center welcomes writer John R. Edwards for a reading from his debut memoir, Polly: Takes Me on the Ride of her Life. FREE & open to the public. RSVP below. John R. Edwards is a Navy veteran, who retired as Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center deputy chief engineer, then became a hip hop dance teacher and won three TV dance competitions and performed in two Michael Jackson Videos. He was awarded Los Angeles Magazine’s Environmental Publisher’s award and a White House Closing the Circle Award for reducing ozone depletion from rockets. He is the co-inventor of the Darwin \[…\]
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/john-edwards/)
Free 83 spots left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/john-edwards/#rsvp-now)
#### [ Fiction Book Club w/ Diana Rojas! ](https://writer.org/event/fiction-book-club-w-diana-rojas/ "Fiction Book Club w/ Diana Rojas!")
December 13 @ 2:00 PM EST - 3:00 PM EST
[Zoom](https://writer.org/venue/zoom/ "Zoom")
The Writer’s Center welcomes author Diana Rojas to our monthly Fiction Book Club for a discussion of her most recent novel, They Hold Grudges, at The Writer's Center! Diana is joined by Book Club Host, Hannah Grieco. We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or online » FREE & open to the public. RSVP below. Diana Rojas is the author of the novel They Hold Grudges (Arte Público Press), the novella collection Litany of Saints: A Triptych (Arte Público Press), and the forthcoming children’s book, Clara’s Big Green Coat (Piñata Books, 2027). Her \[…\]
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/fiction-book-club-w-diana-rojas/)
Free 89 spots left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/fiction-book-club-w-diana-rojas/#rsvp-now)
#### [ Exile and Return: A Reading and Discussion ](https://writer.org/event/exile-and-return/ "Exile and Return: A Reading and Discussion")
December 13 @ 4:30 PM EST - 6:30 PM EST
[The Writer’s Center](https://writer.org/venue/bethesda/ "The Writer’s Center") 4508 Walsh Street
Bethesda, MD 20815 United States
[Google Map](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=38.97949%2C-77.090791)
The Writer’s Center welcomes graduate students of the American University MFA Program for a reading and discussion of their findings this semester. These graduate students are joined by poet, essayist, translator, musician, and American University professor, David Keplinger. FREE & open to the public. RSVP below. About the Event In this reading featuring ten graduate students of the American University MFA Program in Creative Writing, a selection of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction will map the experiences of exile that sometimes foist upon our human psyche a vision of the totality. As members of AU’s craft course, LIT 711, “Creativity and \[…\]
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/exile-and-return/)
Free 83 spots left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/exile-and-return/#rsvp-now)
- ### February 2027
#### [ Washington Writers’ Publishing House Award Winner Reading & Reception ](https://writer.org/event/wwph-2027/ "Washington Writers’ Publishing House Award Winner Reading & Reception")
02.07.2027 @ 3:00 PM EST - 5:00 PM EST
[The Writer’s Center](https://writer.org/venue/bethesda/ "The Writer’s Center") 4508 Walsh Street
Bethesda, MD 20815 United States
[Google Map](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=38.97949%2C-77.090791)
The Washington Writers’ Publishing House celebrates the 2027 winners of its annual book contests! Jason Gebhardt will read from Washington Writers' Publishing House's 50th Anniversary Editor's Prize winning, Dictionary of Air. Yael Kiken will read from the Washington Writers' Publishing House's Translation Prize winning, Zarpamos. Emily Holland will read from the Washington Writers’ Publishing House the Jean Feldman Poetry Prize winning, Notifications On, and Samantha Neugebauer will read from the Washington Writers' Publishing House's Fiction Prize winning, Villains. Reception to follow. FREE and open to the public. RSVP required below. About Washington Writers' Publishing House Washington Writers’ Publishing House is the longest, \[…\]
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/wwph-2027/)
Free 90 spots left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/wwph-2027/#rsvp-now)
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---
### [Events Calendar](https://writer.org/free-events-calendar/)
**Published:** June 16, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
## Events for writers!
The Writer’s Center offers dozens of events every year. We invite writers to have fun, explore the craft of writing, and connect with the literary community. Join us in-person and online.
35 events found.
# Events
- [ Previous month ](https://writer.org/events/month/2026-09/?hide_subsequent_recurrences=1&shortcode=3174d8bd "Previous month")
- [ Next month ](https://writer.org/events/month/2026-11/?hide_subsequent_recurrences=1&shortcode=3174d8bd "Next month")
[ This Month](https://writer.org/events/month/?attachment=admin-ajax.php&hide_subsequent_recurrences=1&shortcode=3174d8bd) 2026-10-18 October 2026 Select date.
## Calendar of Events
| S Sunday | M Monday | T Tuesday | W Wednesday | T Thursday | F Friday | S Saturday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ### 1 event 27 ### 1 event, [ 27 ](https://writer.org/events/2026-09-27/?hide_subsequent_recurrences=1&shortcode=3174d8bd) 1:00 PM EDT ### [ Latine Heritage Through a Literary Lens ](https://writer.org/event/latine-through-a-literary-lens/ "Latine Heritage Through a Literary Lens") [### Latine Heritage Through a Literary Lens ](https://writer.org/event/latine-through-a-literary-lens/ "Latine Heritage Through a Literary Lens") September 27 @ 1:00 PM EDT - 5:00 PM EDT Venue : The Writer’s Center [  ](https://writer.org/event/latine-through-a-literary-lens/ "Latine Heritage Through a Literary Lens") The Writer’s Center and Tintas DC presents a FREE, informative, and inspiring symposium exploring Latine heritage in literature and popular culture. The event will feature free creative writing workshops followed by a panel discussion with featured writers Dahlia Aguilar, Raffi "DJ Raffi" Umanzo, and María Amelia Viteri. The symposium concludes with a reception for all attendees. All events are FREE and open to the public. Limited space, registration required. The workshops are simultaneous, so please only sign up for ONE. Scroll down to register! Check In \| 1:00pm Workshops \| 1:30-3:00pm Please register for ONE workshop using the form below. Workshop registration includes \[…\] [Register](https://writer.org/event/latine-through-a-literary-lens/) Free | ### 1 event 28 ### 1 event, [ 28 ](https://writer.org/events/2026-09-28/?hide_subsequent_recurrences=1&shortcode=3174d8bd) 7:00 PM EDT ### [ Virtual Craft Chat w/ Author Rebecca Lee ](https://writer.org/event/rebecca-lee/ "Virtual Craft Chat w/ Author Rebecca Lee") [### Virtual Craft Chat w/ Author Rebecca Lee ](https://writer.org/event/rebecca-lee/ "Virtual Craft Chat w/ Author Rebecca Lee") September 28 @ 7:00 PM EDT - 8:00 PM EDT [  ](https://writer.org/event/rebecca-lee/ "Virtual Craft Chat w/ Author Rebecca Lee") The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of nonfiction! We’re joined by author Rebecca Lee for a discussion of her new publication, Rogues, Widows and Orphans: Mischief and Misadventures in the World of Books. Rebecca is in conversation with Amy Freeman, author and Development Director at The Writer’s Center. RSVP below to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). FREE and open to the public, all times Eastern We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or directly from the publisher>> Rebecca Lee is a senior editorial manager at Penguin Random House, \[…\] [Register](https://writer.org/event/rebecca-lee/) Free | ### 1 event 29 ### 1 event, [ 29 ](https://writer.org/events/2026-09-29/?hide_subsequent_recurrences=1&shortcode=3174d8bd) 7:00 PM EDT ### [ Bill Wilburn Book Release ](https://writer.org/event/bill-wilburn/ "Bill Wilburn Book Release") [### Bill Wilburn Book Release ](https://writer.org/event/bill-wilburn/ "Bill Wilburn Book Release") September 29 @ 7:00 PM EDT - 8:30 PM EDT Venue : The Writer’s Center [  ](https://writer.org/event/bill-wilburn/ "Bill Wilburn Book Release") The Writer’s Center welcomes writer Bill Wilburn for a reading from his debut novel, First Comes Winter. Bill is joined by Emily Barrosse for a discussion of his novel. FREE & open to the public. RSVP below. The son of a Navy pilot, throughout his dad’s career, Bill Wilburn grew up in seven locations in the U.S. and Europe. After college, he worked as a news reporter, eventually leaving the Associated Press to begin law school. In his career as a lawyer, he published numerous professional articles in prominent law reviews and journals. His literary and op-ed works have appeared in The \[…\] [Register](https://writer.org/event/bill-wilburn/) Free | ### 1 event 30 ### 1 event, [ 30 ](https://writer.org/events/2026-09-30/?hide_subsequent_recurrences=1&shortcode=3174d8bd) 6:00 PM EDT ### [ Virtual International Translation Day Celebration: Nao-Cola Yamazaki and Asako Yuzuki with translators Charlotte Goff and Ecre Karadag ](https://writer.org/event/international-translation-day/ "Virtual International Translation Day Celebration: Nao-Cola Yamazaki and Asako Yuzuki with translators Charlotte Goff and Ecre Karadag") [### Virtual International Translation Day Celebration: Nao-Cola Yamazaki and Asako Yuzuki with translators Charlotte Goff and Ecre Karadag ](https://writer.org/event/international-translation-day/ "Virtual International Translation Day Celebration: Nao-Cola Yamazaki and Asako Yuzuki with translators Charlotte Goff and Ecre Karadag") September 30 @ 6:00 PM EDT - 7:00 PM EDT Venue : Zoom [  ](https://writer.org/event/international-translation-day/ "Virtual International Translation Day Celebration: Nao-Cola Yamazaki and Asako Yuzuki with translators Charlotte Goff and Ecre Karadag") The Writer’s Center welcomes Charlotte Goff and Ecre Karadag for a FREE virtual chat to celebrate International Translation Day. Charlotte and Ecre will discuss the joys and challenges of translating Fiction with Charlotte Goff's translation of Nao-Cola Yamazaki's Beautiful Distance and Ecre Karadag’s translation of Asako Yuzuki’s Mari the Unwonderful Witch (Puffin UK). RSVP below to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). FREE and open to the public, all times Eastern We encourage you to order a copy of the books from your local, independent bookseller or directly from the publisher Beautiful Distance>> and Mari the Unwonderful Witch>> Charlotte Goff (trans. Beautiful \[…\] [Register](https://writer.org/event/international-translation-day/) Free | ### 1 event 1 ### 1 event, [ 1 ](https://writer.org/events/2026-10-01/?hide_subsequent_recurrences=1&shortcode=3174d8bd) 6:00 PM EDT ### [ Betsy Packard Art Reception ](https://writer.org/event/betsy-packard/ "Betsy Packard Art Reception") [### Betsy Packard Art Reception ](https://writer.org/event/betsy-packard/ "Betsy Packard Art Reception") October 1 @ 6:00 PM EDT - 8:00 PM EDT Venue : The Writer’s Center [  ](https://writer.org/event/betsy-packard/ "Betsy Packard Art Reception") The Writer’s Center is pleased to host an exhibition works by artist Betsy Packard, on display in the Center’s Joram Piatigorsky Gallery, October 1–November 4, 2026. Opening reception is FREE & open to the public. RSVP below. Artist's Statement I often respond to words on a page—words that I can see—more easily than I do the spoken word. The pieces exhibited here are a selection of works from 1978 to the present—where books, words, letters, and sometimes just the hint of a word or the shape of a letter, play a part. I have used books as material, to make new \[…\] [Register](https://writer.org/event/betsy-packard/) Free | 0 events 2 0 events, 2 | ### 1 event 3 ### 1 event, [ 3 ](https://writer.org/events/2026-10-03/?hide_subsequent_recurrences=1&shortcode=3174d8bd) 2:00 PM EDT ### [ 1455’s Women’s Writers Anthology Reading ](https://writer.org/event/1455/ "1455’s Women’s Writers Anthology Reading") [### 1455’s Women’s Writers Anthology Reading ](https://writer.org/event/1455/ "1455’s Women’s Writers Anthology Reading") October 3 @ 2:00 PM EDT - 3:30 PM EDT Venue : The Writer’s Center [  ](https://writer.org/event/1455/ "1455’s Women’s Writers Anthology Reading") The Writer’s Center welcomes 1455 to celebrate the launch of their Women Writers Anthology for a Q&A between 1455 Executive Director Sean Murphy and local author Hannah Grieco, followed by readings from the anthology. FREE & open to the public. RSVP below. About the Anthology 1455’s first Women Writers Anthology brings together original poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and hybrid work from women writers across the globe, each offering a unique perspective on identity, resilience, connection, and the complexities of modern life. As one of the inaugural titles from 1455 books, this collection reflects a commitment to accessibility, authenticity, and the enduring power of \[…\] [Register](https://writer.org/event/1455/) Free |
| 0 events 4 0 events, 4 | ### 1 event 5 ### 1 event, [ 5 ](https://writer.org/events/2026-10-05/?hide_subsequent_recurrences=1&shortcode=3174d8bd) 7:00 PM EDT ### [ Cafe Muse Literary Salon ](https://writer.org/event/cafe-muse-literary-salon-oct-26/ "Cafe Muse Literary Salon") [### Cafe Muse Literary Salon ](https://writer.org/event/cafe-muse-literary-salon-oct-26/ "Cafe Muse Literary Salon") October 5 @ 7:00 PM EDT - 8:30 PM EDT Venue : The Writer’s Center The Writer’s Center welcomes the Café Muse Literary Salon for a reading featuring writers Lola Haskins and Mary Sesso. The evening begins at 7 PM with Michael Davis live on classical guitar. The readings begin at 7:30 PM with opening remarks by a Café Muse co-host. FREE & open to the public. RSVP on the Cafe Muse Website. Enjoying our free events? Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation » [Register](https://writer.org/event/cafe-muse-literary-salon-oct-26/) | 0 events 6 0 events, 6 | 0 events 7 0 events, 7 | ### 1 event 8 ### 1 event, [ 8 ](https://writer.org/events/2026-10-08/?hide_subsequent_recurrences=1&shortcode=3174d8bd) 7:00 PM EDT ### [ Inner Loop Author’s Corner w/ Lenna Jawdat! ](https://writer.org/event/inner-loop-lenna-jawdat/ "Inner Loop Author’s Corner w/ Lenna Jawdat!") [### Inner Loop Author’s Corner w/ Lenna Jawdat! ](https://writer.org/event/inner-loop-lenna-jawdat/ "Inner Loop Author’s Corner w/ Lenna Jawdat!") October 8 @ 7:00 PM EDT - 8:00 PM EDT Venue : Zoom [  ](https://writer.org/event/inner-loop-lenna-jawdat/ "Inner Loop Author’s Corner w/ Lenna Jawdat!") 70,000 is The Inner Loop’s Author’s Corner spotlight. The Inner Loop cultivates and promotes the distinctive literary culture of Washington, DC. Author’s Corner supports local authors’ independently published books by spotlighting them in community programming and collaborations. RSVP below to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). FREE and open to the public, all times Eastern We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or online from Bookshop.org » Lenna Jawdat is a poet, writer, professor, and psychotherapist of Palestinian and Iraqi descent. Her writing, which explores trauma, identity and resilience, has appeared in journals such as Poet Lore, The Margins, Passenger’s Journal, \[…\] [Register](https://writer.org/event/inner-loop-lenna-jawdat/) Free | 0 events 9 0 events, 9 | 0 events 10 0 events, 10 |
| ### 2 events 11 ### 2 events, [ 11 ](https://writer.org/events/2026-10-11/?hide_subsequent_recurrences=1&shortcode=3174d8bd) 3:00 PM EDT ### [ BIPOC Writers Mixer ](https://writer.org/event/bipoc-writers-mixer-oct26/ "BIPOC Writers Mixer") [### BIPOC Writers Mixer ](https://writer.org/event/bipoc-writers-mixer-oct26/ "BIPOC Writers Mixer") October 11 @ 3:00 PM EDT - 4:30 PM EDT Venue : The Writer’s Center [  ](https://writer.org/event/bipoc-writers-mixer-oct26/ "BIPOC Writers Mixer") Calling all BIPOC writers in the DMV! Let’s hang out and talk writing! Come join us for an informal gathering at The Writer’s Center to meet new writers, make new friends, and share your love of the written word. Please bring a drink or an appetizer that serves six. You’re welcome to bring a friend, too. FREE & open to the public. RSVP required below. [Register](https://writer.org/event/bipoc-writers-mixer-oct26/) Free 7:00 PM EDT ### [ Venezuelan Poetry for Healing ](https://writer.org/event/venezuelan-poetry/ "Venezuelan Poetry for Healing") [### Venezuelan Poetry for Healing ](https://writer.org/event/venezuelan-poetry/ "Venezuelan Poetry for Healing") October 11 @ 7:00 PM EDT - 8:30 PM EDT Venue : Zoom [  ](https://writer.org/event/venezuelan-poetry/ "Venezuelan Poetry for Healing") The Writer’s Center welcomes DC-ALT, Vocales Verticales, and Tintas DC to celebrate Venezuelan Poetry. Poetry is a force for healing. We’ll be joined by Venezuelan, Latine and U.S. based poets, translators, and writers who will come together to read Venezuelan poetry in both Spanish and English—celebrating the power of poetry to connect us, hold memory, and help us heal. The event will also raise awareness about the earthquakes in Venezuela, ongoing relief efforts, and ways you can support communities affected by the disaster. FREE & open to the public. RSVP below. About the Organizing Partners DC-ALT’s mission is to foster a community \[…\] [Register](https://writer.org/event/venezuelan-poetry/) Free | 0 events 12 0 events, 12 | 0 events 13 0 events, 13 | ### 2 events 14 ### 2 events, [ 14 ](https://writer.org/events/2026-10-14/?hide_subsequent_recurrences=1&shortcode=3174d8bd) 7:00 PM EDT ### [ Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center ](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-oct2026-1/ "Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center") [### Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center ](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-oct2026-1/ "Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center") October 14 @ 7:00 PM EDT - 9:00 PM EDT Venue : The Writer’s Center [  ](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-oct2026-1/ "Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center") Prose, poetry, and spoken word Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center! All writers are welcome to come and share 4-5 minutes of their latest work. Sign-up starts at 6:45pm, and readings begin promptly at 7pm. Limited to 20 readers, so arrive early if you plan to read. Sponsored by Poet Lore, America’s oldest poetry magazine. FREE and open to the public. Please note that we no longer offer advance sign-up. If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services. Enjoying \[…\] [Register](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-oct2026-1/) Free 7:00 PM EDT ### [ Poetry Book Club w/ Taylor Byas! ](https://writer.org/event/poetry-book-club-w-taylor-byas/ "Poetry Book Club w/ Taylor Byas!") [### Poetry Book Club w/ Taylor Byas! ](https://writer.org/event/poetry-book-club-w-taylor-byas/ "Poetry Book Club w/ Taylor Byas!") October 14 @ 7:00 PM EDT - 8:00 PM EDT Venue : Zoom [  ](https://writer.org/event/poetry-book-club-w-taylor-byas/ "Poetry Book Club w/ Taylor Byas!") Poet Lore, America’s oldest poetry journal and The Writer’s Center welcomes poet Taylor Byas to our monthly Virtual Poetry Book Club for a discussion of her collection, Resting Bitch Face. Taylor is joined by Book Club Host, Hannah Grieco. We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or online » directly from the publisher, Soft Skull Press. FREE & open to the public. RSVP below. Dr. Taylor Byas, Ph.D. is a Black Chicago native currently living in Cincinnati, Ohio, where she is a Features Editor for The Rumpus, an Editorial Advisor for Jackleg Press, a \[…\] [Register](https://writer.org/event/poetry-book-club-w-taylor-byas/) Free | ### 1 event 15 ### 1 event, [ 15 ](https://writer.org/events/2026-10-15/?hide_subsequent_recurrences=1&shortcode=3174d8bd) 7:00 PM EDT ### [ Virtual Craft Chat w/ Poet Kirsten Kaschock ](https://writer.org/event/kirsten-kaschock/ "Virtual Craft Chat w/ Poet Kirsten Kaschock") [### Virtual Craft Chat w/ Poet Kirsten Kaschock ](https://writer.org/event/kirsten-kaschock/ "Virtual Craft Chat w/ Poet Kirsten Kaschock") October 15 @ 7:00 PM EDT - 8:00 PM EDT Venue : Zoom [  ](https://writer.org/event/kirsten-kaschock/ "Virtual Craft Chat w/ Poet Kirsten Kaschock") The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of poetry! We’re joined by author Kirsten Kaschock for a discussion of her poetry collection, AutoPortrait (as flotsam). Kirsten is in conversation with Brandon Johnson, poet and Events Director at The Writer’s Center. RSVP below to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). FREE and open to the public, all times Eastern We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or directly from the publisher Kirsten Kaschock is a poet and novelist who writes across several genres. Her background in dance has impacted her \[…\] [Register](https://writer.org/event/kirsten-kaschock/) Free | 0 events 16 0 events, 16 | ### 1 event 17 ### 1 event, [ 17 ](https://writer.org/events/2026-10-17/?hide_subsequent_recurrences=1&shortcode=3174d8bd) 3:00 PM EDT ### [ Washington Sculptors Group Annual Members’ Image Show ](https://writer.org/event/washington-sculptors-group/ "Washington Sculptors Group Annual Members’ Image Show") [### Washington Sculptors Group Annual Members’ Image Show ](https://writer.org/event/washington-sculptors-group/ "Washington Sculptors Group Annual Members’ Image Show") October 17 @ 3:00 PM EDT - 6:00 PM EDT Venue : The Writer’s Center [  ](https://writer.org/event/washington-sculptors-group/ "Washington Sculptors Group Annual Members’ Image Show") The Writer’s Center welcomes the Washington Sculptors Group (WSG) for a discussion of their artwork while images and videos are being presented. The Annual Image Show is a great opportunity to discover/rediscover the talent and highly diverse work of Washington area sculptors. DC area gallerists, curators, collectors, and art supporters are invited to attend. Twenty member artists will present their work, followed by Q&A. FREE & open to the public. RSVP below. About The Washington Sculptors Group Founded in 1984, the WSG is a artist-run organization committed to promoting an awareness and understanding of sculpture and the exchange of ideas among \[…\] [Register](https://writer.org/event/washington-sculptors-group/) Free |
| ### 1 event 18 ### 1 event, [ 18 ](https://writer.org/events/2026-10-18/?hide_subsequent_recurrences=1&shortcode=3174d8bd) 2:00 PM EDT ### [ \*\*\*CANCELLED\*\*\* Fiction Book Club w/ Hasan Dudar! ](https://writer.org/event/fiction-book-club-w-hasan-dudar/ "***CANCELLED*** Fiction Book Club w/ Hasan Dudar!") [### \*\*\*CANCELLED\*\*\* Fiction Book Club w/ Hasan Dudar! ](https://writer.org/event/fiction-book-club-w-hasan-dudar/ "***CANCELLED*** Fiction Book Club w/ Hasan Dudar!") October 18 @ 2:00 PM EDT - 3:00 PM EDT Venue : The Writer’s Center [  ](https://writer.org/event/fiction-book-club-w-hasan-dudar/ "***CANCELLED*** Fiction Book Club w/ Hasan Dudar!") The Writer’s Center welcomes author Hasan Dudar to our monthly Fiction Book Club for a discussion of his debut novel, Carryout, at The Writer's Center! Hasan is joined by Book Club Host, Hannah Grieco. We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or online » FREE & open to the public. RSVP below. Hasan Dudar is the author of the short story collection Carryout (University of Iowa Press). He is originally from Toledo, Ohio, and currently lives with his wife and daughter in Washington, DC, where he works in broadcast media. His fiction has appeared in Gulf \[…\] [Register](https://writer.org/event/fiction-book-club-w-hasan-dudar/) Free | 0 events 19 0 events, 19 | ### 1 event 20 ### 1 event, [ 20 ](https://writer.org/events/2026-10-20/?hide_subsequent_recurrences=1&shortcode=3174d8bd) 7:00 PM EDT ### [ Virtual Craft Chat w/ Lauren Francis-Sharma & Jennifer Grotz, Editors of Welcome to the Mountain ](https://writer.org/event/welcome-to-the-mountain/ "Virtual Craft Chat w/ Lauren Francis-Sharma & Jennifer Grotz, Editors of Welcome to the Mountain") [### Virtual Craft Chat w/ Lauren Francis-Sharma & Jennifer Grotz, Editors of Welcome to the Mountain ](https://writer.org/event/welcome-to-the-mountain/ "Virtual Craft Chat w/ Lauren Francis-Sharma & Jennifer Grotz, Editors of Welcome to the Mountain") October 20 @ 7:00 PM EDT - 8:00 PM EDT Venue : Zoom [  ](https://writer.org/event/welcome-to-the-mountain/ "Virtual Craft Chat w/ Lauren Francis-Sharma & Jennifer Grotz, Editors of Welcome to the Mountain") The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of writing! We’re joined by editors Lauren Francis-Sharma and Jennifer Grotz for a discussion of their new anthology, Welcome to the Mountain: A Portable Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference. They are in conversation with Zach Powers, author and Executive & Artistic Director at The Writer’s Center. RSVP below to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). FREE and open to the public, all times Eastern We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or directly from the publisher » About the Book What \[…\] [Register](https://writer.org/event/welcome-to-the-mountain/) Free | 0 events 21 0 events, 21 | 0 events 22 0 events, 22 | ### 1 event 23 ### 1 event, [ 23 ](https://writer.org/events/2026-10-23/?hide_subsequent_recurrences=1&shortcode=3174d8bd) 7:00 PM EDT ### [ An Evening of Tributes to Tobias Wolff ](https://writer.org/event/tobias-wolff/ "An Evening of Tributes to Tobias Wolff") [### An Evening of Tributes to Tobias Wolff ](https://writer.org/event/tobias-wolff/ "An Evening of Tributes to Tobias Wolff") October 23 @ 7:00 PM EDT - 8:00 PM EDT Venue : The Writer’s Center [  ](https://writer.org/event/tobias-wolff/ "An Evening of Tributes to Tobias Wolff") A Free Fitzgerald Festival Event Co-sponsored with The Writer’s Center The F. Scott Fitzgerald Festival and The Writer’s Center present a reading in tribute to legendary author Tobias Wolff. Featuring multiple award-winning author Richard Bausch, award-winning novelist Varun Gauri, PEN/Faulkner winner Mahreen Sohail, plus concluding remarks by Wolff. FREE and open to the public. RSVP required below. Tobias Wolff is the author of the memoirs This Boy's Life (1989) and In Pharaoh's Army (1994), and he has also written novels and short story collections, including Our Story Begins: New and Selected Stories (2008). His novel The Barracks Thief (1984) won the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction. He received a National Medal of \[…\] [Register](https://writer.org/event/tobias-wolff/) Free | 0 events 24 0 events, 24 |
| ### 1 event 25 ### 1 event, [ 25 ](https://writer.org/events/2026-10-25/?hide_subsequent_recurrences=1&shortcode=3174d8bd) 2:00 PM EDT ### [ Search Party: Find Your Writing Group ](https://writer.org/event/search-party-oct-26/ "Search Party: Find Your Writing Group") [### Search Party: Find Your Writing Group ](https://writer.org/event/search-party-oct-26/ "Search Party: Find Your Writing Group") October 25 @ 2:00 PM EDT - 5:00 PM EDT Venue : The Writer’s Center [  ](https://writer.org/event/search-party-oct-26/ "Search Party: Find Your Writing Group") Looking for a writing group? We want to help you meet other interested writers! The Writer's Center and The Inner Loop invite you to Search Party, a social event connecting writers to other writers interested in forming/joining a writing group. Simply show up, fill out a nametag with your genres and other areas of interest, and mingle. You can: Visit themed tables for specific genres. Follow our guide to ask a few useful questions. Collect names and contact information on a handy form provided to all registrants. Enjoy complimentary refreshments! FREE and open to the public. RSVP below. Suggested donation of \[…\] [Register](https://writer.org/event/search-party-oct-26/) Free | ### 1 event 26 ### 1 event, [ 26 ](https://writer.org/events/2026-10-26/?hide_subsequent_recurrences=1&shortcode=3174d8bd) 7:00 PM EDT ### [ Daniel Nayeri Book Release ](https://writer.org/event/daniel-nayeri/ "Daniel Nayeri Book Release") [### Daniel Nayeri Book Release ](https://writer.org/event/daniel-nayeri/ "Daniel Nayeri Book Release") October 26 @ 7:00 PM EDT - 8:00 PM EDT Venue : The Writer’s Center [  ](https://writer.org/event/daniel-nayeri/ "Daniel Nayeri Book Release") The Writer’s Center and Politics and Prose welcomes writer Daniel Nayeri for a reading from his new book, This Is a Door. Daniel is in conversation with poet and Events Director at The Writer’s Center, Brandon Johnson. This is a PAID event. Your ticket to this event includes a copy of This Is a Door. Buy your ticket using this link Daniel Nayeri is an award-winning author of children and teen fiction, including most recently, The Teacher of Nomad Land. After being born in Iran and immigrating to Oklahoma, Nayeri attended NYU. He currently lives with his family in New Jersey. A groundbreaking hero's journey \[…\] [Register](https://writer.org/event/daniel-nayeri/) | ### 1 event 27 ### 1 event, [ 27 ](https://writer.org/events/2026-10-27/?hide_subsequent_recurrences=1&shortcode=3174d8bd) 6:00 PM EDT ### [ A Conversation & Reading with Petra Hůlová and Alex Zucker ](https://writer.org/event/petra-hulova/ "A Conversation & Reading with Petra Hůlová and Alex Zucker") [### A Conversation & Reading with Petra Hůlová and Alex Zucker ](https://writer.org/event/petra-hulova/ "A Conversation & Reading with Petra Hůlová and Alex Zucker") October 27 @ 6:00 PM EDT - 8:00 PM EDT Venue : The Writer’s Center [  ](https://writer.org/event/petra-hulova/ "A Conversation & Reading with Petra Hůlová and Alex Zucker") The Writer’s Center one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary Czech literature, Petra Hůlová, and her longtime translator Alex Zucker for a reading and conversation about her provocative new novel, The Long Version.Hůlová and Zucker will read from the novel and discuss the ideas behind the book, contemporary Czech literature, and the unique relationship between an author and her translator. The conversation will be moderated by poet and translator Katherine E. Young. FREE & open to the public. RSVP using this link>>> Petra Hůlová is the recipient of several of Czechia’s most important literary honors, including the Magnesia Litera, Josef \[…\] [Register](https://writer.org/event/petra-hulova/) | ### 1 event 28 ### 1 event, [ 28 ](https://writer.org/events/2026-10-28/?hide_subsequent_recurrences=1&shortcode=3174d8bd) 7:00 PM EDT ### [ Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center ](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-oct2026-2/ "Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center") [### Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center ](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-oct2026-2/ "Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center") October 28 @ 7:00 PM EDT - 9:00 PM EDT Venue : The Writer’s Center [  ](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-oct2026-2/ "Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center") Prose, poetry, and spoken word Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center! All writers are welcome to come and share 4-5 minutes of their latest work. Sign-up starts at 6:45pm, and readings begin promptly at 7pm. Limited to 20 readers, so arrive early if you plan to read. Sponsored by Poet Lore, America’s oldest poetry magazine. FREE and open to the public. Please note that we no longer offer advance sign-up. If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services. Enjoying \[…\] [Register](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-oct2026-2/) Free | ### 2 events 29 ### 2 events, [ 29 ](https://writer.org/events/2026-10-29/?hide_subsequent_recurrences=1&shortcode=3174d8bd) 7:00 PM EDT ### [ Virtual Craft Chat w/ Author Amber Blaeser-Wardzala ](https://writer.org/event/amber-blaeser-wardzala/ "Virtual Craft Chat w/ Author Amber Blaeser-Wardzala") [### Virtual Craft Chat w/ Author Amber Blaeser-Wardzala ](https://writer.org/event/amber-blaeser-wardzala/ "Virtual Craft Chat w/ Author Amber Blaeser-Wardzala") October 29 @ 7:00 PM EDT - 8:00 PM EDT Venue : Zoom [  ](https://writer.org/event/amber-blaeser-wardzala/ "Virtual Craft Chat w/ Author Amber Blaeser-Wardzala") The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of fiction! We’re joined by author Amber Blaeser-Wardzala for a discussion of her debut novel, Another Name for Red at the End. Amber is in conversation with Amy Freeman, author and Development Director at The Writer’s Center. RSVP below to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). FREE and open to the public, all times Eastern We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or online from Bookshop.org » Amber Blaeser-Wardzala is an Anishinaabe writer, beadwork artist, and jingle dress dancer. She \[…\] [Register](https://writer.org/event/amber-blaeser-wardzala/) Free 7:00 PM EDT ### [ Richard Hoffman Book Release ](https://writer.org/event/richard-hoffman/ "Richard Hoffman Book Release") [### Richard Hoffman Book Release ](https://writer.org/event/richard-hoffman/ "Richard Hoffman Book Release") October 29 @ 7:00 PM EDT - 8:30 PM EDT Venue : The Writer’s Center [  ](https://writer.org/event/richard-hoffman/ "Richard Hoffman Book Release") The Writer’s Center welcomes poet Richard Hoffman for a reading from two New and Selected collection, Each Child a Disappearance and Mundus et Infans. Richard is joined in conversation by poet Richard Smith. FREE & open to the public. RSVP below. Richard Hoffman is the author of seven books of poetry: Without Paradise; Gold Star Road, winner of The Barrow Street Press Poetry Prize and the Sheila Motton Book Award from The New England Poetry Club; Emblem; Noon until Night, which received the 2018 Massachusetts Book Award for Poetry; People Once Real; and his most recent, Each Child a Disappearance: New \[…\] [Register](https://writer.org/event/richard-hoffman/) Free | 0 events 30 0 events, 30 | 0 events 31 0 events, 31 |
September 27
September 27 @ 1:00 PM EDT - 5:00 PM EDT
### [ Latine Heritage Through a Literary Lens ](https://writer.org/event/latine-through-a-literary-lens/ "Latine Heritage Through a Literary Lens")
September 28
September 28 @ 7:00 PM EDT - 8:00 PM EDT
### [ Virtual Craft Chat w/ Author Rebecca Lee ](https://writer.org/event/rebecca-lee/ "Virtual Craft Chat w/ Author Rebecca Lee")
September 29
September 29 @ 7:00 PM EDT - 8:30 PM EDT
### [ Bill Wilburn Book Release ](https://writer.org/event/bill-wilburn/ "Bill Wilburn Book Release")
September 30
September 30 @ 6:00 PM EDT - 7:00 PM EDT
### [ Virtual International Translation Day Celebration: Nao-Cola Yamazaki and Asako Yuzuki with translators Charlotte Goff and Ecre Karadag ](https://writer.org/event/international-translation-day/ "Virtual International Translation Day Celebration: Nao-Cola Yamazaki and Asako Yuzuki with translators Charlotte Goff and Ecre Karadag")
October 1
October 1 @ 6:00 PM EDT - 8:00 PM EDT
### [ Betsy Packard Art Reception ](https://writer.org/event/betsy-packard/ "Betsy Packard Art Reception")
Notice There are no events on this day.
October 3
October 3 @ 2:00 PM EDT - 3:30 PM EDT
### [ 1455’s Women’s Writers Anthology Reading ](https://writer.org/event/1455/ "1455’s Women’s Writers Anthology Reading")
Notice There are no events on this day.
October 5
October 5 @ 7:00 PM EDT - 8:30 PM EDT
### [ Cafe Muse Literary Salon ](https://writer.org/event/cafe-muse-literary-salon-oct-26/ "Cafe Muse Literary Salon")
Notice There are no events on this day.
Notice There are no events on this day.
October 8
October 8 @ 7:00 PM EDT - 8:00 PM EDT
### [ Inner Loop Author’s Corner w/ Lenna Jawdat! ](https://writer.org/event/inner-loop-lenna-jawdat/ "Inner Loop Author’s Corner w/ Lenna Jawdat!")
Notice There are no events on this day.
Notice There are no events on this day.
October 11
October 11 @ 3:00 PM EDT - 4:30 PM EDT
### [ BIPOC Writers Mixer ](https://writer.org/event/bipoc-writers-mixer-oct26/ "BIPOC Writers Mixer")
October 11 @ 7:00 PM EDT - 8:30 PM EDT
### [ Venezuelan Poetry for Healing ](https://writer.org/event/venezuelan-poetry/ "Venezuelan Poetry for Healing")
Notice There are no events on this day.
Notice There are no events on this day.
October 14
October 14 @ 7:00 PM EDT - 9:00 PM EDT
### [ Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center ](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-oct2026-1/ "Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center")
October 14 @ 7:00 PM EDT - 8:00 PM EDT
### [ Poetry Book Club w/ Taylor Byas! ](https://writer.org/event/poetry-book-club-w-taylor-byas/ "Poetry Book Club w/ Taylor Byas!")
October 15
October 15 @ 7:00 PM EDT - 8:00 PM EDT
### [ Virtual Craft Chat w/ Poet Kirsten Kaschock ](https://writer.org/event/kirsten-kaschock/ "Virtual Craft Chat w/ Poet Kirsten Kaschock")
Notice There are no events on this day.
October 17
October 17 @ 3:00 PM EDT - 6:00 PM EDT
### [ Washington Sculptors Group Annual Members’ Image Show ](https://writer.org/event/washington-sculptors-group/ "Washington Sculptors Group Annual Members’ Image Show")
October 18
October 18 @ 2:00 PM EDT - 3:00 PM EDT
### [ \*\*\*CANCELLED\*\*\* Fiction Book Club w/ Hasan Dudar! ](https://writer.org/event/fiction-book-club-w-hasan-dudar/ "***CANCELLED*** Fiction Book Club w/ Hasan Dudar!")
Notice There are no events on this day.
October 20
October 20 @ 7:00 PM EDT - 8:00 PM EDT
### [ Virtual Craft Chat w/ Lauren Francis-Sharma & Jennifer Grotz, Editors of Welcome to the Mountain ](https://writer.org/event/welcome-to-the-mountain/ "Virtual Craft Chat w/ Lauren Francis-Sharma & Jennifer Grotz, Editors of Welcome to the Mountain")
Notice There are no events on this day.
Notice There are no events on this day.
October 23
October 23 @ 7:00 PM EDT - 8:00 PM EDT
### [ An Evening of Tributes to Tobias Wolff ](https://writer.org/event/tobias-wolff/ "An Evening of Tributes to Tobias Wolff")
Notice There are no events on this day.
October 25
October 25 @ 2:00 PM EDT - 5:00 PM EDT
### [ Search Party: Find Your Writing Group ](https://writer.org/event/search-party-oct-26/ "Search Party: Find Your Writing Group")
October 26
October 26 @ 7:00 PM EDT - 8:00 PM EDT
### [ Daniel Nayeri Book Release ](https://writer.org/event/daniel-nayeri/ "Daniel Nayeri Book Release")
October 27
October 27 @ 6:00 PM EDT - 8:00 PM EDT
### [ A Conversation & Reading with Petra Hůlová and Alex Zucker ](https://writer.org/event/petra-hulova/ "A Conversation & Reading with Petra Hůlová and Alex Zucker")
October 28
October 28 @ 7:00 PM EDT - 9:00 PM EDT
### [ Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center ](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-oct2026-2/ "Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center")
October 29
October 29 @ 7:00 PM EDT - 8:00 PM EDT
### [ Virtual Craft Chat w/ Author Amber Blaeser-Wardzala ](https://writer.org/event/amber-blaeser-wardzala/ "Virtual Craft Chat w/ Author Amber Blaeser-Wardzala")
October 29 @ 7:00 PM EDT - 8:30 PM EDT
### [ Richard Hoffman Book Release ](https://writer.org/event/richard-hoffman/ "Richard Hoffman Book Release")
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---
### [Our Staff](https://writer.org/our-staff/)
**Published:** June 20, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
### Meet the folks behind the scenes!
### Amy Freeman
##### Development Director
With years of experience raising funds for nonprofits large and small, Amy brings her trademark zest to growing The Writer’s Center’s vibrant literary community. When not at TWC, Amy’s a freelance writer, with bylines in *The Washington Post*, Parents.com, Santa Fe Writing Project, HuffPost, *Furious Gravity* anthology etc. Contact Amy with questions or comments about ways you can support TWC.
[Contact Amy](mailto:amy.freeman@writer.org)
### Emily Holland
##### Executive Editor of *Poet Lore*, Communications Manager
Emily Holland (she/they) is a genderqueer lesbian writer. Their poems appear in publications including *HAD, Shenandoah, Black Warrior Review*, and the chapbook *Lineage*. They are the recipient of multiple fellowships from DC Commision on the Arts and Humanities. She is the editor of *Poet Lore*, the chair of OutWrite, and an adjunct instructor at GWU. She has an MFA in Poetry from American University. Contact her for any questions regarding *Poet Lore*.
[Contact Emily](mailto:emily.holland@writer.org)
### Brandon Johnson
##### Events Manager
Brandon Johnson (Blue) is a black, queer poet, translator, and educator from the D(M)V. They hold a MFA in Poetry from Arizona State University and their work sits at the intersection of the ekphrastic, the body, the erotic, and the contemporary Black experience. He also holds a Master’s of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Maryland and has worked with elementary and high school-age students in French and Creative Writing. His work has or will appear in *Foglifter*, *Frozen Sea*, *&Change*, and more. Their work is also featured in the Capital Pride Poem-a-Day event and has received support from Tin House, the Virginia G Piper Center for Creative Writing, and the Aspen Words Conference. His chapbook, *Snap.Shot*, has been published by Finishing Line Press and was named in Poetry Mutual’s Best Books of 2023. Keep up with their work at [brandonbluepoet.com](http://brandonbluepoet.com). Contact Brandon for literary event inquiries.
[Contact Brandon](mailto:brandon.johnson@writer.org)
### Elena Macdonald
##### Customer Service Associate
Elena Macdonald is a lesbian writer from Northern Virginia. They are one of the founding editors of Aftertouch Magazine. They received their MFA & BFA in Creative Writing from GMU. Their work has been featured in *Silly Goose Press, The Ekphrastic Review, and Kitchen Table Quarterly.*
[Contact Elena](mailto:elena.macdonald@writer.org)
### Kevin Montique
##### Events Associate
Kevin is a DMV native, born and raised in Maryland, who lives and writes in Derwood. After graduating from George Mason University’s BFA program with a degree in Creative Writing and minor in Marketing, Kevin has taken on his fair share of roles, whether that be a copywriting internship or freelancing as a Social Media Manager. Through it all, he has maintained his passion for writing by hosting weekly workshops with former George Mason graduates, where he continues to develop his novel manuscripts. Under the pen name MK Ralston, Kevin primarily writes fantasy that intersects science fiction, dramatic world building, and imaginative but realistic characters who crave justice, acceptance, and meaningful relationships. If he isn’t writing, you can find Kevin indulging his sweet tooth with chocolate chip cookies or Black Forest gummy bears while playing Brawl Stars.
[Email info@writer.org](mailto:info@writer.org)
### Zach Powers
##### Executive & Artistic Director
Zach is a native of Savannah, Georgia, and lives and writes in Arlington, Virginia. He is the author of the new novel, [*The Migraine Diaries*](https://zachpowers.com/the-migraine-diaries/), the novel [*First Cosmic Velocity*](http://zachpowers.com/firstcosmicvelocity/), and the story collection [*Gravity Changes*](http://zachpowers.com/gravitychanges/), winner of the Boa Short Fiction Prize. His book on the craft of fiction will be published by Boa Editions in 2028. He worked in television for a decade, winning four regional Emmy awards. He has worked and volunteered for numerous nonprofits, serving on the Board of Directors for the Flannery O’Connor Childhood Home and on the Board of Advisors for Georgia Public Broadcasting, teaching youth creative writing workshops for Deep Center, and co-founding the literary arts organization Seersucker Live, Inc. He was an Adjunct Professor of Writing at University of South Carolina Beaufort and Northern Virginia Community College. He has an MFA in Fiction from National University.
[Contact Zach](mailto:zach.powers@writer.org)
### Rhondalyn Primes
##### Customer Service Associate
Rhondalyn Primes is a practicing attorney with over 25 years of civil litigation experience. For the last six years, she has worked for the federal government in the area of administrative and regulatory law. Rhondalyn is the mother of two boys, Amare and Cameron. In her spare time, she enjoys running, tennis and writing. She is currently working on her first novel.
[Email info@writer.org](mailto:info@writer.org)
### Charlotte Seay
##### Customer Service Associate
Charlotte (Char) Seay (they/them) is an emerging poet based in the DMV area. Their work has been featured at Busboys and Poets and published under their pen name, atm (at the moment), in *The Blow Out::The Under Issue, Homies: A Seat at the Table*, and *One Poem Only*. They hold a BBA in Business Management from Hofstra University’s Zarb School of Business and bring nearly a decade of professional experience spanning music, media, and technology. This foundation led them to co-found Studio Somnus, a creative consulting agency, and host Conversation Through Annotations, a monthly book swap and poetry gathering where participants exchange books enriched with handwritten notes and reflections. Outside of writing and work, Char has an unfinished 5,000-piece puzzle sitting in their living room.
[Contact Char](mailto:char.seay@writer.org)
### Caroline “Cara” Siebert
##### Customer Service Associate
Caroline “Cara” Siebert is a poet and first-year MFA candidate at American University (which is also her alma mater!). Although she is originally from Chicago, over the past four years she has come to consider Washington DC her true home. Her poetry and personal essays have appeared in *AmLit*, and her poem “Elegy for the Racine County Jane Doe” was published in the anthology *Of Our Own Accord* by Flying Ketchup Press.
[Email info@writer.org](mailto:info@writer.org)
### Laura Spencer
##### Program Director
Laura is the cofounder and former poetry editor of the literary journal *Big Lucks*. Her poetry and photography have appeared in publications including *A capella Zoo, Cosmonauts Avenue, Everyday Genius,* and *Fifth Wednesday*. A Massachusetts native, Laura graduated from Chester College of New England where she earned a BA in creative writing. She is the writer in residence at Grow Food Northampton, writing quarterly articles for the *Daily Hampshire Gazette*. Contact her about teaching at The Writer’s Center.
[Contact Laura](mailto:laura.spencer@writer.org)
### Charlotte Van Schaack
##### Office Manager
Charlotte Van Schaack is a queer poet who was raised in North Carolina but now resides in Washington, DC after earning a BA in Creative Writing at American University. Their work often explores the relationship between identity, memory, and landscape. She is an associate creative nonfiction editor at JMWW Journal. In 2024 Charlotte was an Inner Loop writer-in-residence at the Woodlawn and Pope-Leighey Houses in Virginia. Find her work in *WWPH Writes*, *Dialogist*, and *Thimble Lit*. @cvanschaack.writes on Instagram.
[Contact Charlotte](mailto:charlotte.vanschaack@writer.org)
---
### [Compass Fellowship](https://writer.org/compass-fellowship/)
**Published:** June 16, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
Calling all DC-area emerging writers to apply to the Compass Fellowship!
The Writer’s Center Compass Fellowship is designed to support and recognize the talent, skill, and dedication of an emerging writer in our community. Each year, our fellowship introduces one new writer to our writing family, to help guide them along the next steps on their path, with $1000 in credits toward any TWC workshops within a two-year period, a $300 stipend, and opportunities to be published in *The Writer’s Center Magazine* and featured at TWC events.
We are looking for a writer who’s at the beginning of your writing journey. You’re committed to honing your craft, but you’re not yet published, or you only have a few publications to your name. (Certainly, no published books or chapbooks, including self-publishing)
Applicants must currently live and write in the DMV. Bonus points if you’re keen to be an active part of the literary community.
Instructors, staff members, board members and their families are ineligible for the fellowship.
### Application
No previous publication experience is necessary. Applicants must live in the DMV area and be able to travel to Bethesda. Please attach the following in a single email submission, **including your name on each attached document**. Please submit .doc, .docx, or .pdf files only:
- A 500-word Statement of Purpose to [compass.fellowship@writer.org](mailto:Compass.Fellowship@writer.org). The statement should introduce yourself as a writer and a human, as well as tell us more about your interest in community involvement.
- A work sample in a single genre:
- **Poetry** – 8 pages, no more than one poem per page
- **Fiction** – 10 pages or less, double-spaced, 12 point standard font.
- **Nonfiction (essay, memoir, etc.)** – 10 pages or less, double-spaced, 12 point standard font.
- **Screenplay/Script** – 15 pages, standard formatting.
### Benefits/Expectations
- $1000 worth of credit toward Writer’s Center workshops (to be used over a 2-year period, January through December)
- One-year subscription to *Poet Lore*
- Publish one piece (essay, book review, or interview) in *The Writer’s Center Magazine* (circulation 11,000)
- Fellowship award presentation/reception at The Writer’s Center
- Serve as a judge for subsequent fellowship submissions for 2 years
### Timeline
- - Applications open: September 1, 2026
- Application deadline: November 1, 2026
- Winner announced: December 15, 2026
- Fellowship period begins: January 1, 2027; all workshops to be completed within 24 months
Please note that we will expect the Fellow to submit a written evaluation of the Fellowship on its completion.
*Terms and conditions are subject to change without notice.*
---
### [TWC Magazine](https://writer.org/twc-magazine/)
**Published:** June 14, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
### The Writer’s Center Magazine
*The Writer’s Center Magazine* is our triannual print publication, featuring exclusive author interviews, craft essays, book reviews, fiction and poetry, and of course our complete workshop and event schedule. **It’s free to subscribe!** Just fill out the information below.
[Read the Current Issue](https://writer.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/TWC-Magazine_Fall2026_final_pages.pdf)
#### Get your free subscription to The Writer’s Center Magazine!
"\*" indicates required fields
Δ
Name\* First Last
Email\*
Address\* Street Address Address Line 2 City State / Province / Region ZIP / Postal Code
Submit
---
### [Manuscript Incubator w/ C Pam Zhang](https://writer.org/manuscript-incubator-w-c-pam-zhang/)
**Published:** May 19, 2026
**Author:** Emily Holland
**Content:**
## Transform your manuscript with acclaimed author C Pam Zhang!*
These one-on-one sessions are geared for early- and middle-stage works in progress whose authors are looking to make significant changes, as well as for more polished manuscripts. This format is especially useful for writers who have hit a wall in their writing, those who want to rekindle a sense of joy and excitement, and those who have had negative experiences with soliciting feedback in the past.
Inspired by Zhang’s [“Draft Zero” Novel Intensive](https://writer.org/event/fiction-intensive/) course, Zhang operates from the principle that novels are living entities that can change and grow significantly. She focuses on cultivating an atmosphere of curiosity and possibility that helps writers identify the core of their project, its fundamental identity, what makes it unique, and what levers can be pulled to keep the writer excited to keep writing.
Writers will leave this experience with not just one edited manuscript, but insights and a tool kit that allow them to work through many versions of the manuscript on their own.
---
# Format
- **Introductory call.** Prior to the full manuscript review, students will schedule a brief introductory call to discuss their needs, biggest questions, and provide context about their work and themselves as writers.
- **Ahead of the next meeting,** Zhang will read the manuscript and prepare a heat map of the book’s strengths and slack points, and perspectives on the work’s core “aboutness”: themes both hidden and obvious, what the work wants to be, and what it could be with revision. Zhang may also prepare questions, writing exercises, character analyses, reading lists, and plot suggestions; however, these are individualized for the particular manuscript in question.
- **Manuscript call.** Students will schedule a 60+ minute call to discuss ideas and possibilities for their manuscript. Students are encouraged to bring questions.
- **Written summary and heat map by email.** Zhang will follow up with a 2-5 page summary of the discussion within one week, as well as any additional follow-up suggestions, such as individualized writing exercises and reading lists. Zhang will also deliver the manuscript marked up as a heat map. Note that this format does not focus on line edits, as Zhang considers them insignificant at this stage.
- This opportunity is for fiction manuscripts up to 60,000 words, with the option to add words in increments of 15,000, for $250. Maximum manuscript length is 150,000 words.
---
# Principles
- Zhang operates from a radically humanist approach to work-in-progress as truly in progress: malleable, thrillingly alive with potential, and containing the seeds of its own “aboutness.”
- Deviates from traditional methods of workshopping and editing. This is not a critique that assumes a manuscript is flawed; rather, it is an articulation of possibilities.
- Every manuscript, however rough and early-stage, has an innate intelligence that Zhang and the writer will collaborate to uncover.
- Manuscripts can – and often should! – change enormously.
- Calls should be a space for inquiry and true curiosity. While Zhang will bring prepared notes, the writer is always encouraged to redirect the conversation, and calls often evolve in unexpected ways.
---
# Pricing
### Starting at $2300 \| Member price: $2200
---
# To Apply
Please send a 5-10 page fiction work sample along with a brief paragraph about your work, the total wordcount of your manuscript, and your writing goals to <emily.holland@writer.org>. Your work sample does not need to be from the project you are hoping to work on. This opportunity is filled on a rolling basis, with limited open spots. Apply early for preferred scheduling!
*Acceptance is required before registering.*
---
# Student Testimonials
“Pam provided me with a compass and map, showing me how to chase the joy on the page. \[…\] I experienced very little “writer’s block”. Instead, I learned how to fail hard and fast, and fail faster and better the next time. And while I made more progress in the year than I imagined possible, I learned that I was happiest when I came to the page with excitement.”
-Anna H., Draft Zero Novel Generator Class
“I especially appreciated the qualities \[Zhang\] unfailingly brought to her teaching, combining generosity, kindness, and unvarying commitment to upending the traditional workshop model. \[…\] Her craft lectures are among the most illuminating I’ve ever been exposed to and the one-on-one feedback she gave on my writing the most useful I’ve ever received.”
-Ki K., Draft Zero Novel Generator Class
“The space was warm, rigorous, and thoughtfully constructed. The craft workshops were meaningful and tightly run – I still think about different ways of editing through \[Zhang’s\] frameworks. \[…\] The greatest gift was to be told, directly and indirectly, that I ought to take my writing seriously. Thank you for this unforgettable experience.”
-Alina S., Year-Long Fiction Intensive Class
“I know I’m a sharper reader and writer. \[…\] The class was always a moment of fun, sharing, and growing, that I looked forward to and gave me something creative and wonderful to think about.”
-Kirsten I., Year-Long Fiction Intensive Class
“The anti-workshop helped me grow so much as a writer. I recently began the rewrite of my novel and it’s going surprisingly well. I’m feeling the “wind in my sails” so to speak, and I do believe it was the writing intensive that unlocked this flow.”
-Claire Z., Year-Long Fiction Intensive Class
---
C Pam Zhang is the author of two bestselling novels, *How Much of These Hills is Gold* and *Land of Milk and Honey*. She is the winner of the Academy of Arts and Letters Rosenthal Award, the Asian/Pacific Award for Literature, the California Book Award, and a National Book Foundation 5 Under 35 Award. She has received fellowships from MacDowell, the New York Public Library’s Cullman Center, and the American Library in Paris. Her writing appears in *Best American Short Stories*, *The Cut*, *The New Yorker*, and *The New York Times*. Her work has been translated into twelve languages. She has taught for Stanford University, the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, and Kundiman.
---
### [Writer Mixers @ The Writer's Center](https://writer.org/mixers/)
**Published:** January 6, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
## Meet local Writers and build your writing community!
The Writer’s Center hosts a series of FREE affinity mixers for writers of the DMV.
Whether you’re new to the area, new to writing, or just looking for more ways to expand your writing network, a Writer’s Center Mixer is the place to find your community! Join us for an informal gathering at The Writer’s Center to hang out, talk, and maybe even do some writing! Please bring a drink or an appetizer that serves six. You’re welcome to bring a friend, too.
**Mixers are limited to those who identify with the affinity noted in the title. RSVPs are highly encouraged.**
---
## BIPOC Writers Mixer Organizer
# Brandon Blue
Brandon Johnson (Blue) is a black, queer poet, translator, and educator from the D(M)V. They hold a MFA in Poetry from Arizona State University and their work sits at the intersection of the ekphrastic, the body, the erotic, and the contemporary Black experience. He also holds a Master’s of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Maryland and has worked with elementary and high school-age students in French and Creative Writing. His work has or will appear in *Foglifter*, *Frozen Sea*, *&Change*, and more. Their work is also featured in the Capital Pride Poem-a-Day event and has received support from Tin House, the Virginia G Piper Center for Creative Writing, and the Aspen Words Conference. His chapbook, *Snap.Shot*, has been published by Finishing Line Press and was named in Poetry Mutual’s Best Books of 2023. Keep up with their work at [brandonbluepoet.com](http://brandonbluepoet.com/). Contact Brandon for questions surrounding the BIPOC Mixer.
[Learn more & RSVP](https://writer.org/event/bipoc-writers-mixer-oct26/)
## LGBTQIA+ Writers Mixer Organizer
# Emily Holland
Emily Holland (she/they) is a genderqueer lesbian writer. Their poems appear in publications including *HAD, Shenandoah, Black Warrior Review*, and the chapbook *Lineage*. They are the recipient of multiple fellowships from DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities. She is the editor of *Poet Lore*, the chair of OutWrite, and an adjunct instructor at GWU. She has an MFA in Poetry from American University. Contact Emily for any questions about the LGBTQIA+ Writers Mixer.
[Learn more & RSVP](https://writer.org/event/lgbtq-writers-mixer-nov26/)
## Recent Grads Writers Mixer Organizer
# Charlotte Van Schaack
Charlotte Van Schaack (she/they) is an early career writer and editor whose work has been featured in AmLit Magazine and WWPH Writes. She hails from Greensboro, North Carolina, but has spent the last few years in Washington D.C., studying Literature and Education at American University. In 2024, they were an Inner Loop writer-in-residence at the Woodlawn and Pope-Leighey Houses. Contact Charlotte for questions about the Recent Grads Writers Mixer.
[Learn more & RSVP](https://writer.org/event/recent-grad-writers-mixer-sept26/)
## Women’s Writers Mixer Organizer
# Amy Freeman
With years of experience raising funds for nonprofits large and small, Amy brings her trademark zest to growing The Writer’s Center’s vibrant literary community. When not at TWC, Amy’s a freelance writer, with bylines in *The Washington Post*, Parents.com, Santa Fe Writing Project, HuffPost, *Furious Gravity* anthology etc. Contact Amy with questions about the Women’s Writer’s Mixer
[Learn more & RSVP](https://writer.org/event/women-writers-mixer-aug26/)
---
### [Our Board](https://writer.org/our-board/)
**Published:** June 21, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
### Meet our Board of Directors
#### Executive Committee
##### Chair
Steve Majors
##### Vice-Chair
Jim McAndrew
##### Secretary
Ariel Felton
##### Treasurer
Rachel Coonce
#### Board Members & Bios
## Rachel Coonce
Rachel Coonce is an award-winning nonfiction writer, literary arts community leader, and expert in broadcast audio and video production. Her nonfiction has received awards from *New Letters* magazine, *The Missouri Review,* and the Maryland State Arts Council. She is the recipient of an MFA from Sarah Lawrence College, a BA from St. John’s College, and a fellowship from the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts. She is cofounder and Executive Director of The Inner Loop*,* a literary arts nonprofit in Washington, DC.
## Mark Cymrot
Mark was the founder and leader of BakerHostetler’s International Arbitration and Litigation practice team. He is a member of the ICDR and AAA Commercial Panel of Arbitrators, and a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. His two books – written after taking Writer’s Center workshops – are *Squeezing Silver, The Trial of Nelson Bunker Hunt* (2018) and *The Case of the Welched Reward* (2023). His photography exhibition will be on display at the Center in July 2025. He has chapters in three prominent legal books, *Going First Makes A Difference: Decision-Making Dynamics in Arbitration* (Wolters Kluwer, 2017), *Enforcing Arbitral Awards against Foreign States* (Cambridge University Press, 2018) and the upcoming *Key Features of Arbitration and Litigation Involving Private Parties and Foreign States* (Elgar, 2025). He has numerous articles in professional journals such as “Cross Examination in International Arbitration in Disputes Resolution Journal,” “Barricades at The IMF: Creating A Municipal Bankruptcy Code For Foreign States,” *The International Lawyer*, and “Welcome to the Jury System: Supreme Court Limits Sovereign Immunity for State-Owned Companies” in *Business Law International*. As a speaker on litigation, arbitration, and sovereign immunity issues, he has appeared at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, the International Monetary Fund, the Inter-American Development Bank, and American Bar Association and International Bar Association conventions. He has represented foreign governments, major international companies, and businesspeople in litigation and arbitration nationally and internationally. He is ranked in Chambers Global and The Best Lawyers in America© and is listed in *Who’s Who in America*.
## William DeVinney
Attorney William DeVinney has a broad litigation practice that includes antitrust, intellectual property, employment, securities and other complex commercial litigation. He has extensive trial experience, both as a member of trial teams and as first chair in jury and bench trials, arbitrations proceedings, and regulatory hearings, and has argued cases before several federal and state appellate courts.
## Ariel Felton
Ariel Felton is a GA-born journalist and essayist with over a decade of experience in feature writing, travel writing, and copywriting. Her work has been published in *The New York Times, Vogue, The New Yorker’s* “Shouts & Murmurs” section, *The Washington Post, Bloomberg, The Bitter Southerner, McSweeney’s Internet Tendency, Savannah Magazine, Under the Gum Tree,* and more. Her essay “A Letter to My Niece,” first published in *The Progressive*, was listed as notable in *Best American Essays 2020*. Previously based in Savannah, GA, Ariel served on the boards of several literary nonprofits, including the Flannery O’Connor Childhood Home Foundation, the Savannah Book Festival and Seersucker Live.
## Varun Gauri
Varun Gauri’s debut novel, *For the Blessings of Jupiter and Venus*, was selected for NPR’s *Books We Love 2024*, chosen as a *Foreword* INDIES Book of the Year Award Winner in Adult Fiction, and won the 2024 Carol Trawick Fiction Prize. His short fiction has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize and recognized in *Best American Nonrequired Reading*. Varun teaches courses in behavioral economics and development economics at Princeton University. Previously, he was an economist in the World Bank’s research department, where he founded and headed the World Bank’s behavioral science unit, eMBeD. He has served on the editorial boards of the journals *Behavioral Science and Policy*, *BMJ Global Health*, and *Health and Human Rights*, as well as on the World Economic Forum Council on Behavior, the advisory board of the Center on Law and Social Transformation, the WHO Technical Advisory Group for Behavioral Science, the OECD Expert Group on Behavioral Insights, the Board of the Behavioral Economics Action Research Centre at the University of Toronto, and the American Political Science Association Task Force on Democratic Imperatives. His research has appeared in top journals in economics, political science, and philosophy and has been covered in *The New York Times*, *The Economist*, *Le Monde*, *The Hindu*, *The Guardian*, and *Frontline*.
## Shelby Settles Harper
Shelby Settles Harper is an award-winning fiction writer and an attorney with expertise in federal Indian law, civil rights, and civil liberties. She is an enrolled citizen of the Caddo Nation, an Indian tribe in western Oklahoma. Shelby’s writing explores race, class, gender, and identity. She holds a JD from the University of Colorado School of Law, an MA in Writing from Johns Hopkins, and a BA in Political Science from Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado. From 2014-2017, she proudly served as an ambassadorial spouse in Geneva, Switzerland. Shelby is from Muskogee, Oklahoma and resides in Chevy Chase, Maryland with her family.
## Marisa Kashino
Marisa Kashino is an author and former journalist. Her first novel, *Best Offer Wins*, was a Good Morning America Bookclub Pick, USA Today bestseller, Good Housekeeping Book Club Pick, and both an ELLE and BookRiot Best Mystery/Thriller of 2025. Her second novel is publishing in summer 2027. Marisa spent 17 years as a reporter and editor, mostly at *The Washington Post* and *Washingtonian* magazine. She graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in journalism and political science, and lives in the DC-area with her husband, two dogs, and one cat.
## Angie Kim
Angie Kim moved as a preteen from Seoul, South Korea, to the suburbs of Baltimore. After graduating from Interlochen Arts Academy, she studied philosophy at Stanford University and attended Harvard Law School, where she was an editor of the *Harvard Law Review*. Her debut novel, *Miracle Creek*, won the Edgar Award and the ITW Thriller Award, and was named one of the 100 best mysteries and thrillers of all time by *Time*, and one of the best books of the year by *Time*, *The Washington Post*, Kirkus Reviews, and the Today show. *Happiness Falls*, her second novel, was an instant *New York Times* bestseller and a book club pick for Good Morning America, Barnes & Noble, Belletrist, and Book of the Month Club.
## Steve Majors
Steve Majors is the author of *High Yella: A Modern Family Memoir* and the forthcoming graphic novel, *Light Bright.* Steve’s writing explores issues of race, class, culture and identity and his personal essays have been published in national outlets including the *New York Times*, *Washington Post*, *Boston Globe*, CNN.com and NBC Think.
Steve’s writing skills were honed as a journalist. For many decades he worked as a TV producer, first in major TV markets across the country, and then in New York where he held successive leadership positions at CNBC, MSNBC and NBC’s Weekend TODAY show.
Most recently, he’s led marketing and communications for national nonprofits. He is currently chief of external affairs at Teach For America.
## Jim McAndrew
Jim is a 40-year veteran of marketing communications. When asked to define marketing success, his answer is to find simplicity in complex ideas: “Marketing is selling people what they want or making them want what you have to sell.” As an innovator in traffic safety advertising, Jim has directed marketing campaigns that have focused on teen drivers and pedestrian safety, among other issues. His clients have included AARP, The Department of Energy, and Printing Industries of America. Prior to his work in advertising and marketing, Jim toured with and managed a music group called Happy Feet, which backed recording artists including Chubby Checker, Lou Rawls, and Chuck Berry.
## Karen Outen
Karen Outen’s debut novel *Dixon, Descending* (Dutton, 2024) was a *Library Journal* Editor’s Pick, was shortlisted for the Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence, and was longlisted for both the Crook’s Corner Book Prize and the Mark Twain American Voice in Literature Award. Her fiction has appeared in *Glimmer Train*, *The North American Review*, *Essence*, and in the anthologies *Where Love is Found* and *Mother Knows: 24 Tales of Motherhood*. Her essays have been published in *Scoundrel Times, Lit Hub, Electric Lit*, and the anthology *From Curlers to Chainsaws: Women and their Machines*. She received a 2018 Rona Jaffe Foundation Writers Award, a Careers in the Making Fellowship from the Institute for the Humanities at the University of Michigan, and a Pew Fellowship in the Arts. She has taught writing at the University of Michigan, where she earned an MFA, and at St. Mary’s College of Maryland. She is the 2025-26 Writer-in-Residence for the Howard County (MD) Poetry and Literature Society (HoCoPoLitSo).
## Alice Stephens
Born in Korea, Alice Stephens was among the first wave of intercountry, transracial adoptees. Author of the novels *Famous Adopted People* and *The Twain: A Tale of Nagasaki*, she is also a book reviewer, essayist, short story writer, editor, writing workshop facilitator, member of the Starlings Collective, and co-founder of the Adoptee Literary Festival. Her work has appeared in *LitHub*, the *Los Angeles Review of Books*, *The Margins*, the *Korea Times*, the *Washington Post*, various anthologies, and other publications. She has lived all over the world in between stints in the Maryland suburbs, and currently resides in Silver Spring.
## Meera Trehan
Meera Trehan took her first fiction writing class at The Writer’s Center and has been a fan ever since. Meera is a graduate of the University of Virginia and Stanford Law School. She practiced public interest law, with a focus on worker’s right, voting rights, and constitutional law before turning to creative writing. She is actively involved with the children’s writing community through the Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators and the Highlights Foundation. Her debut novel, *The View from the Very Best House in Town*, released in the US and UK in 2022 and was named a Junior Library Guild Selection (audio book and print book) and an Amazon’s Editor Pick. Her second novel is forthcoming in 2024.
## Mier Wolf
Mier, then Mayor of the adjacent Town of Chevy Chase, went over to welcome The Writer’s Center and Al Lefcowitz when the organization moved to Chevy Chase in 1992. Al immediately recruited Mr. Wolf for the Center board. Since then, Mr. Wolf has worked on a number of community outreach projects for the Center, most recently creating the high school writing competition. Mr. Wolf coordinated board officer nominations for some years as well. He is a retired attorney, having worked most of his career in the Office Of General Counsel at HUD in both litigation and grant advisory capacities. His non-professional life has been devoted to volunteer activities ranging from Town service to serving on boards of numerous organizations, including Round House Theatre. Mr. Wolf has received awards from the U.S. Congress, the State of Maryland, Montgomery County and the Town for his many years of volunteer efforts. He worked for Montgomery County as a part time Senior Fellow assigned to create an international Sister Cities program. Originally from Austin, MN (“Spamtown USA”), Mr. Wolf has a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania, M.B.A. from the University of Chicago and J.D. from St. John’s University.
---
### [Employment](https://writer.org/employment/)
**Published:** June 20, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
### Join The Writer’s Center family!
We’re a small staff of writers and nonprofit professionals, working to support other writers and everyone who wants to write.
---
**We don’t have any open positions at the moment, but please check back in the future!**
---
### [Resources](https://writer.org/resources/)
**Published:** June 14, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
## Resources for writers!
[Email Newsletter](https://writer.org/newsletter/)[TWC Magazine](https://writer.org/twc-magazine/)[Writing Coaches & Consultants](https://writer.org/writing-coaches-consultants/)[Blog](/c/blog/)
---
### [Rent Our Space](https://writer.org/rent-our-space/)
**Published:** June 21, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
### Welcome to your next meeting and event venue in Bethesda, Maryland!
From off-site business meetings in one of our classrooms to presentations in our Reading Room or Theater, we’re happy to host your next event in our 12,000-square-foot facility.
 **Versatile:**
Many of our spaces can be rearranged to accommodate a variety of events.
 **Comfortable:**
Want to spend the day in a bright, airy space? Our classrooms have you covered!
 **Convenient:**
We’re a short walk from restaurants and shops, including everything in Bethesda Row.
classroom anchor
#### Classrooms
###### 12-20-person capacity
Our classrooms are perfect for small groups looking for meeting and event space. With classrooms that can comfortably seat up to 20 people, consider The Writer’s Center for off-site business meetings, writing groups, book clubs, and more!
**Nonmembers**
$40/hr
**Members**
$20/hr (non-commercial use only)
[Submit Request Now](/space-rental-form/)
reading room anchor
#### Reading Room
###### 80-person capacity
Our Reading Room offers an ideal venue for medium-sized meetings and events. The room can be arranged with seating for 20 to 80 guests, and can accommodate food and beverage stations, too. A/V equipment available for additional fees.
**Nonmembers**
$150/hr
**Members**
$135/hr (non-commercial use only)
[Submit Request Now](https://writer.org/reading-room-rental/)
theater anchor
#### Theater
###### 120-person capacity
Our theater is available for conferences, theater productions, live music, and more. With tiered seating for 120, a broad stage, all new lighting and audio, and direct access to the rest of The Writer’s Center, the theater can handle a wide array of meetings and events. All weekend rentals have a 3 day minimum (Friday, Saturday, Sunday).
**\*\*\*Please note that our Theater is rented through May of 2027\*\*\***
Prices vary. Submit an Availability Inquiry to receive more information.
[Submit Availability Inquiry Now](/theater-rental-form/)
### How to Get Involved with TWC
Support your own writing life while helping the Center support the whole literary community.
[Become a Member](/become-a-member/)[Make a Contribution](/donate-today/)
 ### Don’t Miss Out on Our Magazine!
*The Writer’s Center Magazine* is our triannual print publication, featuring author interviews, craft essays, and more. It’s free to subscribe!
[Suscribe to TWC Magazine](/twc-magazine/)
---
### [Writing Coaches & Consultants](https://writer.org/writing-coaches-consultants/)
**Published:** February 13, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
–
## Eloquential
**Your words. Like never before.**
We’re a small team of editing and presentation coaches for veteran and aspiring writers. Coaching one-on-one or in pairs, we’re passionate about helping our clients transform their audiences through the written word. Polishing your manuscript, mastering the public reading, or preparing for storytelling or Moth-like events are just a few of our specialties. Learn more about how we can help you bring your most important story to the page, stage, or recording studio. A portion of the initial consultation fee is donated back to The Writer’s Center.
[Contact Eloquential](http://eloquential.net/)
## Best Writers
and Editors
**We make the complex clear**
We are a Washington, DC-based consultancy of internationally recognized writers and editors with extensive experience in journalism and a combined 210+ years on the job. We offer a full range of writing, editing, and coaching services to make your complex content clear. Our services include coaching in effective writing for individuals and organizations, selecting key ideas to sharpen your messaging, smoothing the roughest drafts with careful copy editing, and fine-tuning poetry. Explore how we can help you. A portion of our fee is donated back to The Writer’s Center.
[Contact Best Writers and Editors](https://bestwritersandeditors.com/)
### Sara Burnett
**Developmental Editing, Proofreading, Poetry Manuscript Review, High School Tutoring**
Sara Burnett (MFA, MA) offers developmental editing, proofreading, poetry manuscript reviews and high school ELA tutoring services. She is a poet, writer, licensed middle school/high school educator and freelance curriculum developer. Sara has published articles on education equity and immigration, developed curriculum to those aims, as well as published several poems and a chapbook. She most enjoys working 1-1 with clients offering specific and helpful feedback to achieve their writing goals or to fulfill an assignment.
[Email](mailto:srburnett@gmail.com)
### Camille Cabrera
**Fiction, Feedback, Query Letters**
Camille Cabrera is a 30-time #1 bestselling mystery author. She’s written over 11 novels and five short stories. Her works often range from cozy mystery to psychological thriller and noir. Cabrera’s work has also been shown in publications including Harvard Medical School’s medical humanities magazine, In Vivo. She offers personalized consultation services, manuscript feedback, and developmental edits. Cabrera specializes in fiction but also provides feedback on scripts and query letters.
[Email](mailto:camillecauthor@gmail.com)
### Nora Carrol
**Freelance Writing/Editing, Career Communications, Creative Coaching**
Nora Carrol has been a business owner, marketer, visual artist and adult educator. Her newest venture is NoraCarrol.com, providing writing/editing, career communications and creative coaching. Carrol received her B. F. A. and M. Sci. from Syracuse University and won two Teaching Innovation Grants from the University of Maryland University College, where she was an adjunct associate professor from 1995-2006. She holds three professional certificates: distance learning, nonprofit management, and public policy analysis. Since fall 2021, she has taught courses in entrepreneurship for the University of the District of Columbia, and interactive marketing, AAP graduate communications program, Johns Hopkins University. As an author, Carrol has published with PBS, *Distance Learning Magazine*, the *International Journal of University Adult Education*, and more. From 1998-2002, she was associate editor for North America, Educational Technology & Society. Learn more at her website.
[Website](http://noracarrol.com)[Email](mailto:ncarrol@noracarrol.com)
### Carolyn Clark, PhD Classics
**Writing Coach, Editing, Business Writing**
Carolyn Clark, PhD, Pushcart Nominee 2020 is a retired teacher who sometimes leads workshops at The Writer’s Center. She is the author of *Watershed – new Finger Lakes poems* (2023), *Poet Duet: A Mother and Daughter* (2019); *Choosing Lethe* (2017); *New Found Land* (2017); *Mnemosyne: the Long Traverse* (2013) and has four poems in the Covid-19 anthology *When the Virus Came Calling*.
[Website](http://pw.org/directory/writers/carolyn_clark)[Email](mailto:cclark707@gmail.com)
### John DeDakis
**Manuscript Editing, Personal Coaching**
John DeDakis is a former copyeditor on CNN’s “The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer.” DeDakis is the author of five novels in the Lark Chadwick mystery-suspense-thriller series. His two most recent novels have won five awards including Reviewers Choice and Feathered Quill. His editorial services include personal coaching and manuscript editing. For his manuscript editing service, DeDakis provides several options: a comprehensive deep-dive copyedit; a manuscript assessment; or a “weed whack” if your manuscript is too long but you don’t know how to cut it. For a complete breakdown of his services and fees, contact DeDakis through his website.
[Website](http://johndedakis.com)
### Meg Eden
**Manuscript Feedback, Developmental Edits, Proofreading, Author Website Evaluations and Assistance, Promotional Material Design Work**
Meg Eden’s work is published or forthcoming in magazines including *Prairie Schooner*, *Poetry Northwest*, *Crab Orchard Review*, *RHINO* and *CV2*. She has been teaching creative writing at the university level since 2013, and has worked individually with student novels at the University of Maryland, as well as mentoring debut authors at the small press California Coldblood Books. She is the author of five poetry chapbooks, the novel *Post-High School Reality Quest* (2017), and the poetry collection *Drowning in the Floating World* (2020). She runs the Magfest MAGES Library blog, which posts accessible academic articles about video games (<https://super.magfest.org/mages-blog>). Find her online at [megedenbooks.com](http://www.megedenbooks.com/) or on Twitter at [@ConfusedNarwhal](https://twitter.com/ConfusedNarwhal).
[Website](http://megedenbooks.com/)[Email](http://megedenbooks.com/contact)
### Melanie Figg
**Certified Creativity Coaching in all genres, Private Poetry Instruction (including Chapbook Editing), Developmental Editing in all genres, College Essay Tutoring**
Melanie Figg (MFA, PCC, CPCC) is a certified professional coach and an active member of the International Coaching Federation. She works 1-1 with writers on their novels, memoirs, personal essays, and poetry collections. Her award-winning book, [Trace](https://www.amazon.com/Trace-Mvp-Winner-Melanie-Figg/dp/0898233852?SubscriptionId=AKIAIXFKFJI6IH6DO5KQ&&tag=kirkus-20&&linkCode=xm2&&camp=2025&&creative=165953&&creativeASIN=0898233852), received a [prestigious Kirkus starred review](https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/melanie-figg/tracea/), and named it one of the top 7 inde books of 2020. Melanie’s work has been published in dozens of literary anthologies and journals The Iowa Review, The Rumpus, Nimrod, Hippocampus, Colorado Review, and others. She’s received many awards for her writing, including fellowships from the [National Endowment for the Arts](https://www.arts.gov/writers-corner/bio/melanie-figg) and the Maryland State Arts Council, and grants from the McKnight and Jerome Foundations, and the Arts & Humanities Council of Montgomery County. Melanie also offers women’s writing retreats and private classes. Through her website, she offers a free 30-minute consultation to talk about how she might help you with your writing.
[Website](http://www.melaniefigg.net/)
### Nikki Frias, Book on a Budget Coaching
**Writing Coach and Mentor**
Nikki Frias has contributed to *Forbes*, *The Daily Beast*, and *Boardroom*. She is an author, writing coach and teacher specializing in comedy writing. After noticing the struggles with finishing her own book, she started “Book on a Budget” coaching to help writer’s achieve their goals with an affordable a la carte style to help at any stage. Her book is titled “Does this Divorce Make Me Look Fat?” and she currently teaches sketch and comedy writing at The Writer’s Center.
[Email](http://nikki.frias1@gmail.com)[Book an appointment](https://girltellme.com/ola/services/writing-coach-consult)
### Claudia Gary
**Editing & Proofreading (Nonfiction, Fiction, Poetry), One-on-One Poetry Tutorials, Developmental Poetry & Nonfiction Editing, Meter/Form/Rhyme Coaching, Complete Chapbook Editing & Production.**
Claudia Gary teaches Villanelle, Sonnet, Natural Meter, Poetry vs. Trauma, and Whole-Brain Poetry workshops at writer.org (currently via Zoom). Her experience as a health/science writer, poetry editor, history magazine editor, and musician/composer all enrich her coaching, consultation, teaching, and editing. Claudia’s sonnets, villanelles, and other poems can be found online in international journals, and in anthologies including *Villanelles* and *Extreme Sonnets*. Author of *Humor Me* (2006) and chapbooks including *Genetic Revisionism* (2019) and *Epicurigrams* (2017), she is a three-time finalist for the Nemerov Sonnet Award and 2013 semifinalist for the Hecht award (Waywiser). Follow [@claudiagary](https://twitter.com/claudiagary).
[Website](http://pw.org/content/claudia_gary)[Email](mailto:claudiagary611@gmail.com)
### Jennifer Hamady
##### Finding Your Voice
**Presentation Development, Performance Coaching, Public Speaking, Vocal Training**
Jennifer Hamady is an author, therapist, and performance and voice coach specializing in self-expression. She works in private practice with writers and others to help them find their voices, manage performance anxiety, and authentically share themselves and their work. Jennifer writes for *Psychology Today* on creative and personal expression and leads workshops on public speaking, including for The Writer’s Center.
[Website](http://findingyourvoice.com/meet-jennifer)[Email](mailto:jennifer@findingyourvoice.com)
### Judith Harris
**Editing, Teaching, and Coaching (in all genres, including academic writing); Submission for Publication**
Judith Harris, PhD, has taught at several universities in DC including George Washington University and American University. She is the author of four poetry collections (LSU) and a critical book on psychoanalysis and literature, *Signifying Pain: Constructing the Self Through Writing* (SUNY). Her poetry has appeared in *The Atlantic*, *The Nation*, *The New Republic*, *New York Times* blog, *Slate*, *Hudson Review*, among others. Her articles have been published by AWP’s *The Writer’s Chronicle*, *College English*, *The Washingtonian*, *Tikkun*, *The American Journal of Psychoanalysis*, *Midwest Quarterly* and she is currently writing the book, *Poetry and Grief in Romantic and Contemporary Elegies* for Routledge. She is associate editor of The Psychohistory Forum. She has mentored books by authors that have been published or are forthcoming in print.
[Email](mailto:jlha@gwmail.gwu.edu)
### GG Renee Hill
Creative Coaching, Project Development, Platform Building
GG is a self-help memoirist and creative coach who specializes in helping writers build creative courage, resilience, and a sustainable long-term writing practice. She offers coaching services that include idea generation, process and planning strategies, and accountability. Her guidance includes insights from her experience building a writer platform through online storytelling and content creation, self-publishing and traditional publishing, and creative consulting for nonprofit and corporate clients. GG helps writers stay on track and work through blocks, and she serves as a sounding board to support with brainstorming and ideation, feedback, and process issues. In addition to working with individuals through 1:1 and group coaching, GG’s past and present clients include a diverse list of organizations including The Writer’s Center, The Recording Academy, University of Maryland, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Cornell University, and BAE Systems, Inc. to name a few. You can learn more about her work and review client testimonials on her website.
[Website](https://www.allthemanylayers.com/custom-creative-coaching)[Email](mailto:ggrenee@allthemanylayers.com)
### Kathryn Johnson
**Developmental Editing, Critical Reads, Private Coaching, Instructional Edits, Submission Guidance**
Kathryn’s à la carte services for novice and experienced writers offer gentle, comprehensive guidance in all genres of fiction, memoir, and creative nonfiction. An instructor at TWC for over 10 years, Kathryn is the author of The Extreme Novelist, inspired by her most popular course. (In print, digital and audio formats: <https://www.amazon.com/Extreme-Novelist-No-Time-Write-Drafting/dp/0692420835/>.) She has published over 40 novels with major New York publishers including Macmillan, Simon & Schuster, HarperCollins—and is the winner of the American Library Association’s Heart of Excellence Award and Romance Writers of America’s Bookseller’s Best Award.
**Website:** [**KathrynJohnsonLLC.com**](https://kathrynjohnsonllc.com/)
**Email:** [**Kathryn@KathrynJohnsonLLC.com**](mailto:Kathryn@KathrynJohnsonLLC.com) **or** [**Kathryn@WriteByYou.com**](mailto:Kathryn@WriteByYou.com)
[Website](http://kathrynJohnsonLLC.com)[Email option 1](mailto:Kathryn@KathrynJohnsonLLC.com)[Email option 2](mailto:Kathryn@WriteByYou.com)
### Jenn Koiter (Creative Focus Institute)
ADHD and Writing Coaching, Writer’s Block Coaching, Writing Mentorship (Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction, Screenwriting)
How would it feel to unblock, relax, and finally write your book? An ADHD and writing coach, as well as a breathwork guide, Jenn Koiter specializes in helping stuck people get unstuck. For writers, that usually takes the form of writer’s block (or writer’s resistance, if you prefer). Jenn knows exactly what that’s like, having suffered a five-year writer’s block after grad school. Once she figured out how to dissolve her block, Jenn finished and published her first book of poetry and wrote her first feature-length script. She went on to write and produce her first short film, which screened at twelve film festivals and won three awards. Jenn has a particular gift for working with neurodivergent writers, though she finds that the same techniques work for anyone who’s creatively stuck. A staunch LGBTQIA+ ally, Jenn also loves supporting queer folks. For all her clients, Jenn tailors her trauma-informed approach to each client’s individual needs, and, with empathy and humor, she works with them to break down and breathe through their creative blocks, so they can find their flow and finally do the writing they deeply desire to do.
[Website](https://creativefocuscoaching.com/)[Email](mailto:info@creativefocusinstitute.com)
### Laura J. Oliver, MFA
**Story Development Editor, Manuscript Assessment, Writing Mentor (all genres), Publishing Guidance**
Laura J. Oliver, MFA, is a story development editor, newspaper columnist, and weekly NPR contributor on *Morning Edition*, who provides writers with manuscript assessment and developmental editing to prepare fiction and memoir for publication submission. The author of *The Story Within: New Insights and Inspiration for Writers* (Penguin Random House), Oliver’s clients have landed book contracts with publishers such as Simon and Schuster. Oliver’s own work appears in national publications such as *The Washington Post, Country Living Magazine, The Writer Magazine, The Sun Magazine,* and numerous literary journals*.* Oliver won a Maryland State Arts Council Award Individual Artist Award, an Anne Arundel County Literary Arts Award, a Pushcart Prize nomination and has taught at the University of Maryland and St. John’s College.
[Website](http://www.thestorywithin.com/)[Email](mailto:Lauraoliver2@yahoo.com)
### Katherine Pickett
##### POP Editorial Services, LLC
**Copyediting, Proofreading, Developmental Editing, Self-Publishing Consultation**
Katherine Pickett is the owner of POP Editorial Services LLC, where she provides copyediting, proofreading, and developmental editing to authors and publishers across the country. A strong believer in the collaborative approach to editing, she adapts her style to fit the needs of her clients. She has been involved in the publishing industry since 1999 and has professional training in both fiction and nonfiction editing. She is also the author of the award-winning book *Perfect Bound: How to Navigate the Book Publishing Process Like a Pro*. Her articles have appeared on Publishing Perspectives, JaneFriedman.com, Writer Beware, *IBPA Independent*, and others. Find her blog at [thePOPnewsletter.com](http://www.thepopnewsletter.com/).
[Website](https://www.popediting.net/)[Email](mailto:katherine@popediting.net)
### Ann Quinn
**Poetry Mentoring, Manuscript Evaluation**
Ann Quinn is the author of Final Deployment and Poetry is Life and winner of the 2015 Bethesda Poetry Contest. In addition to classes through The Writers Center and other venues, she works with individual poets to hone their work for publication. In the words of one student, “Ann is sensitive to the feelings of fledgling poets but doesn’t pull her punches. She has a forensic eye for detail and spells out, without a hint of scorn or dogmatism, just what works—and more importantly—doesn’t work in a poem.” Current students have won awards and had chapbooks accepted for publication.
**Contact Ann through her website for a free phone consultation.**
[Website](http://www.annquinn.net/)
### Lynn Auld Schwartz
**Story Development Editing, Manuscript Assessment, Individual Instruction, Ghostwriting, Performance: Reading and Storytelling Coaching**
Lynn Auld Schwartz is a story development editor and ghostwriter for fiction, memoir, and performance works. For 20 years, Lynn has provided writers with manuscript assessments, developmental editing, and instruction—preparing writing for publication submission or performance. Lynn has received two Individual Artist Awards in Fiction from the Maryland State Arts Council; her plays/staged readings have been performed, including at Lincoln Center; and she founded NYC’s Temple Bar Literary Reading Series. A graduate of The City College of NY, Columbia University, and Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theater, Lynn has taught at St. John’s College and The Writer’s Center.
[Website](http://www.writerswordhouse.com/)[Email](mailto:lynnauldschwartz@gmail.com)
### Katherine Hutt Scott
**Writing coaching, Writing, Message Development, Developmental Editing, Copy Editing, Proofreading**
Katherine Hutt Scott is a recognized poet in the Washington, DC, area and loves all forms of beautiful writing. The Rose Theatre Co. performed two of her poems during Poetry & Music concerts at Glen Echo Park, in April 2024 and April 2025, and she won 3rd place in the 2018 Bethesda Urban Partnership poetry contest. Katherine has coached various professionals in effective writing, including health policy experts and entrepreneurs for the SBA’s Small Business Development Center in Washington, DC. She also has edited a book of poetry and helped a retiree with cognitive difficulties write his memoir about surviving brain cancer. Katherine has worked 15 years as an international communications professional and two decades before that as a journalist.
[Email](mailto:info@bestwritersandeditors.com)
### Marilyn W. Smith, PhD
##### The WordSmith
**Coaching and Consultation, Developmental Editing, Copy Editing, Group Facilitation, Encouragement**
Marilyn Smith earned her Ph.D. in Education Policy/Higher Education and an M.A. in Reading Education. She took numerous writing classes from The Writer’s Center and has taught a wide variety of courses/workshops/seminars since 1969. Marilyn has published two books—her memoir, *The Yin-Yang Life of a Baby Boomer*, and an anthology of medical memoirs, *Tales from Our Hearts and Other Body Parts: A Women’s Health Anthology*. Marilyn works with writers in memoir, family history, fiction, and non-fiction including academic writing and theses. She lives in Chevy Chase, Maryland, and thoroughly enjoys her work as The WordSmith! References available upon request.
[Email](mailto:drmsmith1@verizon.net)
### Susan Sonde
**Poetry Editing, Coaching, Manuscript Revision and Preparation**
Experienced, widely published prize-winning poet ready to help those at any stage of their careers. Whether you have a full-length manuscript or a select few poems, Susan will help you reach a wider audience through publication.
[Email](mailto:susansonde@msn.com)
### Elaine Stromquist
**Editing, Tutoring (English, French, Writing), Educational Consulting**
Elaine Stromquist is an educator, editor, and tutor. She has a BA and MA in French Language and Literature. She has taught and tutored all levels of French during her professional career. In addition, she has worked as an Editor and Educational Consultant, editing educational reports and publications and assisting clients with college essays and creative writing projects. She has had a lifelong passion for language, art, and international culture.
[Email](mailto:estromquist@verizon.net)
### Mathangi Subramanian
**High-quality editorial feedback; Personalized, private instruction on writing novels picture books, memoir, and nonfiction; Practical publication advice; Time management techniques; Specialized support for neurodiverse writers**
Do you dream of seeing a book you authored on a library shelf, but aren’t sure how to start, let alone finish? You’re not alone! At Moon Rabbit Writing Studio, writing coach, editor, and writer Dr. Mathangi Subramanian specializes in supporting socially conscious writers with seriously busy lives. With 20+ years of teaching experience, a doctorate in education from Columbia University, and an extensive list of accolades for her books and other publications, Mathangi provides editorial advice, one-on-one coaching, and private instruction to clients from diverse backgrounds, abilities, and learning styles. Her inclusive, compassionate approach has helped clients achieve everything from publication in magazines like *Newsweek* to securing book contracts. She is trained in differentiation and able to provide accommodations for a variety of neurotypes.
[Website](https://www.mathangisubramanian.com/coaching-for-writers)
### The Swayze Standard
**Developmental Editing**
Angela R. Swayze is a writer, editor, and English educator, as well as a graduate of Sarah Lawrence College, the celebrated writing school known for its literary rigor. Her work and research explore the nature of conflict – personal, communal, and global – which lies at the heart of every compelling story. She has edited both fiction and nonfiction, including *[Shaw](https://www.amazon.com/Shaw-Cora-Mack/dp/1483622673/)* by Cora Mack and *[Calvin Coolidge High School of Washington, D.C., 1940–1970](https://www.amazon.com/Calvin-Coolidge-School-Washington-1940-1970/dp/B0DJCFPLLP)*. Through her practice, The Swayze Standard, she helps writers clarify intention, deepen character, and strengthen structure, drawing on her studies in cross-cultural communication to help stories speak across boundaries. Her work is grounded in literary craft and informed by a lifelong inquiry into story, struggle, and what it means to be human.
[Email](mailto:theswayzestandard@gmail.com)
### Scott Swinney
**Individual and Group Coaching, Concept Development, Ghostwriting, Research, Proofreading and Editing**
I’ve taught college-level writing and research for 20 years, and I directed a university writing center for more than a decade. From the drawing board to the editing desk, I’ll be your discreet occasional collaborator or your affordable silent partner who helps you present your ideas clearly and concretely. I specialize in academic and professional writing, but I’ve worked with authors in many fields. I’ll also step in with a turn of phrase or an editor’s eye when you need it. Stop procrastinating! Let’s work together to make you a more focused, professional writer.
[Website](http://www.scottswinney.com/)[Email](mailto:scott@scottswinney.com)
### Sue Ellen Thompson
**Poetry Mentoring, Manuscript Evaluation**
Sue Ellen Thompson is the author of five books of poetry and winner of the 2010 Maryland Author Award. For more than 20 years she has been working with individual poets to revise their poems and improve their chances of getting published. She provides line-by-line feedback on specific poems either in person or via email; revised poems can be re-submitted for critique at a later date. She also work with poets who are preparing chapbooks or full-length manuscripts for publication. Several of her former mentorees have gone on to win contests and publish their books.
[Website](http://sueellenthompson.com)[Email](mailto:iambic@aol.com)
### Hank Wallace, JD
**Write & Speak Like the News**
“Lead with the future — not background” is the most important of 9 journalism skills hankwallace.com/agenda.html that will transform your writing and speaking. Become “concise as news, precise as law” with Hank Wallace, a Columbia Law School graduate who wrote the FCC’s plain-language newsletter. Preview how you’ll learn: [hankwallace.com/PDF/TrainLiketheNews.pdf](http://hankwallace.com/PDF/TrainLiketheNews.pdf).
[Email](mailto:hank@hankwallace.com)
### Sheila Wenz
**Creative & Business Copywriting, SEO Marketing, Slogans/tags/headlines, Scriptwriting, Comedy & Humor Writing & Coaching**
Sheila Wenz is the founder of Stand-Up Studios where she teaches and coaches in the comedy arts and comedy writing. She has a strong background in marketing communications and public relations, writing copy and online content for a variety of industries including real estate, luxury products, business, science, finance, medical, lifestyle and more. She is also versed in television and screenwriting and worked on series and films at CBS, ABC, Columbia Pictures, MGM, Warner Bros and on the writing staff of “The Tonight Show.” She writes script content for videos, tradeshows, promotions, advertising, radio, interviews and training.
[Email](mailto:sheilawenz@gmail.com)[Portfolio](http://swenzportfolio.weebly.com)[Website](http://standupstudios.com)
---
### [Reading Room Availability Inquiry](https://writer.org/reading-room-rental/)
**Published:** June 3, 2026
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
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Name(Required) First Last
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Include a specific date, multiple options, or a date range.
Number of Attendees(Required)
How many people do you expect to attend?
Intended use(Required)
Please give us a brief idea of your intended use for the space.
Disclaimer: Please note that no space is reserved until a contract is signed and payment is made. Rentals must be paid for in advance via credit card or check.
Submit
---
### [Classroom Availability Inquiry](https://writer.org/space-rental-form/)
**Published:** June 20, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
Δ
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Organization Name
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Include a specific date, multiple options, or a date range.
Number of Attendees(Required)
How many people do you expect to attend?
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Please give us a brief idea of your intended use for the space.
Disclaimer: Please note that no space is reserved until you receive a written confirmation. Rentals must be paid for in advance via credit card or check.
Submit
---
### [Donate Today](https://writer.org/donate-today/)
**Published:** June 20, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
### Celebrating 50 Years of Supporting Writers and People Who Want to Write!
This summer, The Writer’s Center turns 50! In celebration, we’re hosting the biggest spring appeal in our half-century.
We’re trying to raise $30,000. The great news: we already have $15,000 in hand as matching gifts. You can help us meet that match!
Your gift today ensures that we’ll keep offering innovative, thought-provoking classes and events for decades to come.
We rely on donors like you to help us maintain and enhance our public programming for the more than 4,000 community members who benefit from our services. Want to restrict your gift to supporting our scholarship program, for writers facing financial challenges? Just select “I want to honor someone with this gift” and put the word “scholarship” in the next box.
Δ
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Donation Amount(Required) $25
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Donation Frequency(Required) One-time
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honor or remember someone I would like to honor or remember someone with my gift
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**We also accept donations via Check, PayPal, and by Credit Card over the phone.**
- Make Checks Payable to: The Writer’s Center, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD 20815
- Paypal: info@writer.org
- Phone: 301.654.8664
*The Writer’s Center is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Our EIN is 52-1079969. Your donation is tax deductible as allowed by law.*
---
### [Become a Member](https://writer.org/become-a-member/)
**Published:** June 20, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
**Let’s be honest: writing is hard.**
To sit in solitude daily and work on your stories or poems or essays requires fortitude and determination. But you don’t have to go it all alone. At The Writer’s Center you’ll find a community of like-minded writers to support you every step of the way.
## Benefits
Every year, The Writer’s Center offers hundreds of workshops and dozens of free events. As a member, you’ll get instant discounts on workshops and exclusive access to even more programming for only $65 a year!
Members receive:
- Discounts on workshop registration ($10 off single-session workshops and $15 off 2- to 8-week workshops)
- Discounts on room rentals for non-commercial use
- Discounts on advertising space in *The Writer’s Center Magazine* for members to promote their latest books
- Access to the writing carrels during operating hours
- Use of workshop rooms for your own monthly writing groups, during operating hours
- Access to TWC’s Journal Library, featuring over 200 literary journals for your reference and inspiration
[Join or Renew Today!](/cart/?add-to-cart=57838)
---
### [Code of Conduct](https://writer.org/code-of-conduct/)
**Published:** June 20, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
We want everyone who comes to The Writer’s Center to have a great experience! To make that possible, we ask that you review The Writer’s Center’s Code of Conduct before participating in our programming, which applies to all participants, instructors, staff, and volunteers of The Writer’s Center.
---
The Writer’s Center commits to actively embracing a welcoming environment for all program participants, instructors, staff members, and volunteers regardless of race, ethnicity, age, religion, gender, gender expression, transgender status, sexual orientation, disability, appearance, class, culture, and other human differences. We expect participants, instructors, staff, and volunteers to treat each other with respect in all interactions and to conduct themselves in manners conducive to learning and creativity.
The Writer’s Center’s priority is to promote inclusivity, including preventing or halting harm that targets any aspect of our human differences. When assessing potential and actual harm, The Writer’s Center considers both an action’s impact on others and the intent of the person who dispatched the action. It is important to note that a person can cause harm even if that was not their intent.
### Code of Conduct
The Writer’s Center does not tolerate discrimination or harassment in any form. Discrimination and harassment could include offensive comments, writing, or actions. Harassment also includes written or verbal comments, images, or other communications that harmfully reinforce structures of oppression, such as deliberate intimidation, sustained disruption of the class or other events, inappropriate physical contact, or unwelcome sexual attention.
Discrimination and harassment do not include respectful disagreement or critique. Reading and creative writing, by their nature, can include exposure to controversial, challenging, and sometimes offensive language. However, TWC does not tolerate works that promote racism, bigotry, misogyny, homophobia, transphobia, xenophobia, ableism, bigotry against any or no religion.
### Violations of the Code of Conduct
Reports of any violation of the Code of Conduct can be made by email (<concerns@writer.org>), by phone to the Executive Director at 301.542.8664, or [via this form](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1jielOMsGGM-d8m4DTKPMXroOskzA0qm8iimJFvMeiIo/edit?ts=65240e00). If the Executive Director is unavailable or is a party to the complaint, contact any staff member ([emails available here](https://writer.org/our-staff/)), and they will forward the complaint to the Board of Directors. All reports will be promptly reviewed and resolved with the intent of resolution in an appropriate and timely manner. Parties to the reports should treat the process with discretion.
All incident reports will be investigated and handled as confidentially as possible. When the Executive Director or Writer’s Center Board receives a report or complaint of harassment or discrimination, she/they will take the following steps:
- Interview people involved and any forthcoming witnesses.
- Evaluate all information gathered.
- If the Writer’s Center finds that someone has violated the Code of Conduct, the Executive Director or Board Member will discuss the impact of the harmful action, regardless of intent, with the actor. The Executive Director or Writer’s Center Board will attempt to remedy the situation to the satisfaction of all parties.
- Implement any additional appropriate response, which may include warnings, reprimands, removal from a workshop without refund or pay, banning the person from The Writer’s Center activities including participating in future Writer’s Center programs or events.
TWC will maintain a confidential record of the complaint and its resolution.
These protocols are not necessarily exhaustive. Situations that exceed this scope will be addressed on a case-by-case basis.
### Distribution and Further Reading
For further information about equity and inclusivity in creative writing, The Writer’s Center recommends *Craft In the Real World: Rethinking Fiction Writing and Workshopping* by Matthew Salesses, [Racial Equity Tools](https://www.racialequitytools.org/), [Loyalty Bookstore’s Anti-Racist Reading List](https://bookshop.org/lists/antiracist-reading-recs), or [The Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County’s extensive resource page](https://www.creativemoco.com/equity-resources/).
### The Writer’s Center AI Policy
The Writer’s Center maintains strict rules regarding the use of Artificial Intelligence in our writing workshops, classes, and all other programming. [View our AI Policy here »](https://writer.org/ai-policy/)
---
### [The Writer’s Center AI Policy](https://writer.org/ai-policy/)
**Published:** February 20, 2026
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center (TWC) maintains strict rules regarding the use of Artificial Intelligence and Language Learning Models (collectively referred to as “AI” in this policy) in our writing workshops, classes, and all other programming. These rules are designed to maintain the integrity of the writing practice, protect the work of writers, and encourage personal growth and creativity.
- AI-generated work is not permitted in any TWC workshop, class, or program.
- This includes written comments or feedback on other writers’ work.
- Under no circumstances are participants allowed to upload other participants’ work to any AI platform.
- Furthermore, participants are not allowed to ask for individual permission to do so.
- These rules apply to TWC’s participants, instructors, staff, and volunteers.
These rules are not necessarily exhaustive. Situations that exceed this scope will be addressed with TWC’s staff on a case-by-case basis.
---
### [Scholarships](https://writer.org/scholarships/)
**Published:** June 13, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
### Ann McLaughlin Scholarship Fund
The Writer’s Center invites you to apply for a creative writing workshop scholarship, for one scholarship per year, for any class up to eight weeks. Our scholarship program is designed to assist promising writers with financial need.
Along with the application form, please submit a statement of interest (max word count 500). Submit the form and statement to: laura.spencer@writer.org.
Fine print: If for any reason The Writer’s Center has to cancel the chosen workshop, or the participant withdraws before the start date of the class, the amount awarded will be valid for one calendar year from its issuance as a credit. Terms and conditions are subject to change.
[Download Application Form](https://writer.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Ann-McLaughlin-Scholarship-Form-rev2024.docx)
### BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) Scholarship Fund
Are you a writer who self-identifies as BIPOC? The Writer’s Center invites you to apply for a creative writing workshop scholarship, for one scholarship per year, for any class up to eight weeks. Our scholarship program is designed to assist promising writers with financial need.
Along with the application form, please submit a statement of interest (max word count 500). Submit the form and statement to: laura.spencer@writer.org.
Fine print: If for any reason The Writer’s Center has to cancel the chosen workshop, or the participant withdraws before the start date of the class, the amount awarded will be valid for one calendar year from its issuance as a credit. Terms and conditions are subject to change.
[Download Application Form](https://writer.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/BIPOC-Scholarship-Form-rev2024.docx)
### Judy Neri Scholarship for Disabled Poets
The Writer’s Center is thrilled to invite you to apply for the Judy Neri Scholarship, supporting disabled poets. Judy was was a writer in Silver Spring, Maryland, and a passionate supporter of the DC area poetry community. [Click here to read more about her »](https://writer.org/judy-neri/)
In Judy’s memory, each year, The Writer’s Center will award scholarships of $250 to 4 recipients (which may be used toward 1 or more workshops at The Writer’s Center). **Applications will be open from September 15 to September 30, 2026**, and 4 applicants will be randomly selected as scholarship recipients by October 7, 2026. The Writer’s Center defines disability as a physical, mental, cognitive, or developmental condition that limits a person’s movement, senses, or activities.
To be included in the lottery, simply send your name, email, address, and phone number to <scholarships@writer.org>.
*Scholarships are valid for one calendar year. If for any reason The Writer’s Center has to cancel the chosen workshop, or the participant withdraws before the start date of the class, the amount awarded will be valid for one calendar year from its issuance as a credit. Terms and conditions are subject to change. Applications sent outside of the submission window will not be considered.*
---
### [Withdrawal & Refund Policy](https://writer.org/withdraw/)
**Published:** August 16, 2023
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
To keep The Writer’s Center running smoothly and to best support our instructors and participants, we follow the policies below concerning cancellations and withdrawals.
- The Writer’s Center reserves the right to cancel any workshop. If necessary, participants will be notified via email prior to the first workshop session. If TWC cancels a workshop, participants who have already paid will be given the option to receive a full refund, or they can elect to use their payment as a credit toward another workshop and/or a membership. **This credit must be used within one year of the original payment.**
- Workshop participants who have paid for a workshop and choose to withdraw must notify [info@writer.org](info@writer.org) **at least 48 hours before the start of the first session** to receive a **full credit toward a future workshop** (refunds for withdrawals are not offered). The credit must be used within one year to pay for another workshop and/or membership renewal.
- Workshop participants who cancel after the drop period will forfeit their full payment.
- No refunds or credits will be given for missed workshops or individual sessions.
- Exceptions may be made in the case of serious illness or other extenuating circumstances. In such cases a formal request in the form of an email must be submitted to the Executive Director (<zach.powers@writer.org>).
---
### [Watch Past Events](https://writer.org/video/)
**Published:** February 6, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
#### Virtual Craft Chats
Where we talk with authors a little less about *what* they wrote and a little more about *how* they wrote it. Featuring Hanif Abdurraqib, Kaveh Akbar, Kristen Arnett, Taylor Byas, Jose Hernandez Diaz, Vanessa Hua, Kelly Link, Patricia Lockwood, Deesha Philyaw, Karen Russell, and over a hundred more! **Watch highlights below and [browse all our past Virtual Craft Chats on YouTube »](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFVY2grUSNbCPC_KOoC_IlAsYkvo4fp8W&si=OPabPXib3Rl2Oeug)**
## Highlights
[View all 100+ Craft Chats on YouTube »](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFVY2grUSNbCPC_KOoC_IlAsYkvo4fp8W)
We’re joined by Pulitzer Prize finalist Karen Russell to discuss her new novel, *The Antidote*. March 20, 2025
We’re joined by National Book Award finalist Hanif Abdurraqib to discuss his new book, There’s Always This Year. October 10, 2024
We’re joined by poet, memoirist, and novelist Patricia Lockwood to talk about her stunning first novel, No One Is Talking About This. March 18, 2021
We’re joined by Kaveh Akbar to discuss his acclaimed new poetry collection, Pilgrim Bell. August 26, 2021
We’re joined by Pulitzer Prize finalist Kelly Link to discuss her highly anticipated new story collection, White Cat, Black Dog. April 20, 2023
We’re joined by 2020 National Book Award finalist Deesha Philyaw to talk about her remarkable story collection, The Secret Lives of Church Ladies. November 4, 2020
We’re joined by New York Times bestselling novelist Kristen Arnett to discuss her brand new novel, With Teeth. July 15, 2021
We’re joined by novelist Bryan Washington to talk about his celebrated first novel, Memorial. January 21, 2021
[Register for the YouTube Premiere](/event/cc2_e6/)
We’re joined by Chen Chen to discuss his new poetry collection, Your Emergency Contact Has Experienced an Emergency. October 6, 2022
We’re joined by Jami Attenberg to discuss her new essay collection, 1000 Words: A Writer’s Guide to Staying Creative, Focused, and Productive All Year Round, featuring writing advice from more than 50 accomplished authors. February 1, 2024
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---
### [TC Checkout](https://writer.org/tc-checkout/)
**Published:** April 3, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
---
### [First Novel Prize](https://writer.org/first-novel-prize/)
**Published:** June 20, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
### McLaughlin-Esstman-Stearns First Novel Prize
Each year, The Writer’s Center awards $3,000 to the author of an exceptional first novel published in the previous calendar year. Conceived and funded by former board member Neal P. Gillen, the McLaughlin-Esstman-Stearns First Novel Prize honors three dedicated writers and members of The Writer’s Center faculty—the late Ann McLaughlin, Barbara Esstman, and Lynn Stearns—each of whom have nourished and inspired students and fellow writers.
#### Congratulations to Jade Song, author of *Chlorine* and winner of the 2024 McLaughlin-Esstman-Stearns First Novel Prize!
**Jade Song** is a writer, art director, and artist. Their debut novel *Chlorine* was published by William Morrow (US) and Footnote Press (UK) and will be translated into French, Chinese, Turkish, and other languages. An American Library Association Alex Award winner, *Chlorine* was selected as a *New York Times* Editor’s Choice, lauded as “visionary and disturbing,” and listed as a must read book by *Buzzfeed*, *Cosmopolitan*, *Vanity Fair*, and other publications.
Song was selected for the 2024 Black List Writers Lab for her adapted screenplay of *Chlorine*. Their second novel, *I Love You Don’t Die*, and debut short story collection, *Ox Ghost Snake Demon*, are forthcoming from William Morrow in early 2026 and 2027.
### About the Novel
**In the vein of *The Pisces* and *The Vegetarian*, *Chlorine* is a debut novel that blurs the line between a literary coming-of-age narrative and a dark unsettling horror tale, told from an adult perspective on the trials and tribulations of growing up in a society that puts pressure on young women and their bodies… a powerful, relevant novel of immigration, sapphic longing, and fierce, defiant becoming.**
Ren Yu is a swimmer. Her daily life starts and ends with the pool. Her teammates are her only friends. Her coach is her guiding light. If she swims well enough, she will be scouted, get a scholarship, go to a good school. Her parents will love her. Her coach will be kind to her. She will have a good life.
But these are human concerns. These are the concerns of those confined to land, those with legs. Ren grew up on stories of creatures of the deep, of the oceans and the rivers. Creatures that called sailors to their doom. That dragged them down and drowned them. That feasted on their flesh. The creature that she’s always longed to become: the mermaid.
Ren aches to be in the water. She dreams of the scent of chlorine, the feel of it on her skin. And she will do anything she can to make a life for herself where she can be free. No matter the pain. No matter what anyone else thinks. No matter how much blood she has to spill.
### Previous Winners
Shelby Van Pelt for *Remarkably Bright Creatures* (2023), Robert L. Shuster for *To Zenzi* (2022), Sion Dayson for *As a River* (2021 prize), Jasmine Darznik for *Song of a Captive Bird* (2019)*,* Kayla Rae Whitaker for *The Animators* (2018), Sheila Martin for *The Coney Island Book of the Dead* (2017), Nadine Darling for *She Came From Beyond!* (2016), Bret Anthony Johnston for *Remember Me Like This* (2015), Raoul Wientzen for *The Assembler of Parts* (2014), Karen Thompson for *Walker for The Age of Miracles* (2013), Ismet Prcic for *Shards* (2012) Heidi Durrow for *The Girl Who Fell From the Sky* (2011). (No prize was awarded in 2020.)
---
### [Thank you for your interest in renting space at The Writer's Center!](https://writer.org/thank-you-for-contacting-the-writers-center-2/)
**Published:** June 13, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
We respond to all rental requests as soon as possible. Please note that no space is reserved until a contract is signed and payment is made. Rentals must be paid for in advance with check or credit card…
---
### [02 - Sample Page](https://writer.org/02-sample-page/)
**Published:** June 12, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
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donate now
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## Explore Our Past Events
[  ](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way-a-year-of-creative-reawakening-w-lindsey-van-wagner-2/) Sat 6 February 6 @ 4:30 PM EST – December 18 @ 6:00 PM EST
[The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way-a-year-of-creative-reawakening-w-lindsey-van-wagner-2/) The Writer’s Center
Through reflection, community, and practice, you’ll awaken the artist within and build a creative life that feels aligned and alive. This year-long journey through The Artist’s Way offers a sustained path for creative reawakening and artistic growth. Writers, artists, and creative seekers will move chapter by chapter through Julia Cameron’s classic text, reconnecting with their sense of purpose and play. The course offers the freedom to move at your own pace on Wet Ink, while monthly in-person gatherings provide structure, engagement, and a sense of shared creative energy. Participants will receive guidance, accountability, and community support as you nurture your creative \[…\]
[  ](https://writer.org/event/virtual-info-session-for-the-artists-way-a-year-of-creative-reawakening-w-lindsey-van-wagner-2/) Sat 12 December 12 @ 4:30 PM EST – 5:30 PM EST
[Virtual Info Session for The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner](https://writer.org/event/virtual-info-session-for-the-artists-way-a-year-of-creative-reawakening-w-lindsey-van-wagner-2/) Zoom
Meet Lindsey Van Wagner, instructor for The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening, 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: January 25th, 2027 Workshop Dates: Begins February 6, 2027, one Saturday a month with self-paced work in between meetings Cost: $2000 \| Members $1900 This year-long journey through The Artist’s Way offers a sustained path for creative reawakening and artistic growth. Writers, artists, and creative seekers will move chapter by chapter through Julia Cameron’s classic text, reconnecting \[…\]
[  ](https://writer.org/event/melanie-hatter-book-release/) Sun 22 November 22 @ 7:00 PM EST – 8:30 PM EST
[Melanie Hatter Book Release](https://writer.org/event/melanie-hatter-book-release/) The Writer’s Center
The Writer’s Center welcomes 1455 to celebrate the launch of 1455 first annual book contest winner Melanie Hatter. This event features a reading by the author followed by a Q&A with 1455 Executive Director Sean Murphy. FREE & open to the public. RSVP below. Melanie S. Hatter is the author of Malawi’s Sisters, which was selected by Edwidge Danticat as the winner of the inaugural Kimbilio National Fiction Prize and was published by Four Way Books in 2019. Her debut novel, The Color of My Soul, won the 2011 Washington Writers’ Publishing House Fiction Prize, and Let No One Weep for Me, Stories of \[…\]
[  ](https://writer.org/event/the-novel-year-w-susan-coll-2/) Tue 26 January 26 @ 12:00 AM EST – November 30 @ 2:30 AM EST
[The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll](https://writer.org/event/the-novel-year-w-susan-coll-2/) Zoom
Write your novel in a year with bestselling novelist Susan Coll! Whether you have been thinking about writing a novel for years but are not sure how to get started, or are already published but embarking on a new project, this year-long workshop is intended to help get the next book off the ground. Attend the Virtual Info Session Tuesday, December 8th, 2026 ZOOM, 7pm ET Meet Susan Coll, instructor for our Novel Year workshop, and have all your questions about the program answered! FREE RSVP >>> Over the course of twenty sessions, we will: create a fun, warm, and supportive \[…\]
[  ](https://writer.org/event/virtual-info-session-for-the-novel-year-w-susan-coll-2/) Tue 8 December 8 @ 12:00 AM EST – 1:00 AM EST
[Virtual Info Session for The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll](https://writer.org/event/virtual-info-session-for-the-novel-year-w-susan-coll-2/) Zoom
Meet Susan Coll, instructor for our Novel Year 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: January 12th, 2027 Workshop Dates: Begins January 26th, meeting biweekly for ~10 months Cost: $5,400 \| Members $5,300 Write your novel in a year with bestselling novelist Susan Coll! Whether you have been thinking about writing a novel for years but are not sure how to get started or are already published but embarking on a new project, this year-long workshop is intended \[…\]
[  ](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year-w-nicole-chung-2/) Tue 9 February 9 @ 12:00 AM EST – November 16 @ 2:00 AM EST
[Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year-w-nicole-chung-2/) Zoom
Work on your memoir or collection of essays with bestselling author Nicole Chung! This intensive workshop is open to writers working on a memoir, memoir-in-essays, or essay collection. You’ll have the opportunity to participate in lively craft discussions, reflection/writing exercises, and in-depth workshops designed to help you identify and hone your strengths as a writer. If you have an idea for a book project and are looking to jumpstart it—or are already underway, but struggling to maintain your momentum—this class will help you take concrete next steps and deepen your craft in a supportive and generative community. Attend the Virtual Info \[…\]
[  ](https://writer.org/event/virtual-info-session-for-memoir-year-w-nicole-chung-2/) Tue 15 December 15 @ 12:00 AM EST – 1:00 AM EST
[Virtual Info Session for Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung](https://writer.org/event/virtual-info-session-for-memoir-year-w-nicole-chung-2/) Zoom
Meet Nicole Chung, instructor for our Memoir Year 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: January 30th, 2027 Workshop Dates: Begins February 9th, meeting biweekly for 10 months Cost: $5,400 \| Members $5,300 Work on your memoir or collection of essays with bestselling author Nicole Chung! This intensive workshop is open to writers working on a memoir, memoir-in-essays, or essay collection. You’ll have the opportunity to participate in lively craft discussions, reflection/writing exercises, and in-depth workshops designed to \[…\]
[  ](https://writer.org/event/exile-and-return/) Sun 13 December 13 @ 9:30 PM EST – 11:30 PM EST
[Exile and Return: A Reading and Discussion](https://writer.org/event/exile-and-return/) The Writer’s Center
The Writer’s Center welcomes graduate students of the American University MFA Program for a reading and discussion of their findings this semester. These graduate students are joined by poet and American University professor, David Keplinger. FREE & open to the public. RSVP below. About the Event In this reading featuring graduate students of the American University MFA Program in Creative Writing, a selection of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction will map the experiences of exile that sometimes foist upon our human psyche a vision of the totality. As members of AU’s craft course, LIT 711, “Creativity and Exile,” these writers will \[…\]
[  ](https://writer.org/event/petra-hulova/) Tue 27 October 27 @ 10:00 PM EDT – 12:00 AM EDT
[A Conversation & Reading with Petra Hůlová and Alex Zucker](https://writer.org/event/petra-hulova/) The Writer’s Center
The Writer’s Center welcomes one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary Czech literature, Petra Hůlová, and her longtime translator Alex Zucker for a reading and conversation about her provocative new novel, The Long Version.Hůlová and Zucker will read from the novel and discuss the ideas behind the book, contemporary Czech literature, and the unique relationship between an author and her translator. The conversation will be moderated by poet and translator Katherine E. Young. FREE & open to the public. RSVP using this link>>> Petra Hůlová is the recipient of several of Czechia’s most important literary honors, including the Magnesia Litera, \[…\]
[  ](https://writer.org/event/manav-sachdeva/) Sat 5 December 5 @ 7:00 PM EST – 8:30 PM EST
[Manav Sachdeva Poetry Reading](https://writer.org/event/manav-sachdeva/) The Writer’s Center
The Writer’s Center welcomes James Jay Dudley Luce Poet Laureate, Manav Sachdeva, for a reading from his collection, Sufi’s Garland. Manav is joined in conversation by writer Sonja Horgen. FREE & open to the public. RSVP below. Manav Sachdeva Maasoom (also known as Maasoom Shah, and MS Maasoom) is a poet, diplomat, chief international officer with McCann Kyiv, and writes literature in Urdu and English, with some contributions in Punjabi as well. His work is listed on Mr. Urdu Poetry website (mrurdupoetry.com). Manav Sachdeva Maasoom Shah was the New York City Luce Foundation and the United Nations Poet Laureate for 2015. \[…\]
---
### [Location & Hours](https://writer.org/location-hours/)
**Published:** June 20, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
### Plan your visit to The Writer’s Center
#### The Writer’s Center
4508 Walsh St
Bethesda MD 20815
[Google Map](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=38.97949%2C-77.090791)
301.654.8664
<info@writer.org>
#### Hours of Operation
The Writer’s Center is currently open daily for limited hours, and members are encouraged to use our downstairs writing spaces. Check the [homepage](https://writer.org/) for holiday and weather related closings. Our inclement weather policy follows the [federal government](https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/snow-dismissal-procedures/current-status/) for delays and closures.
**Monday:** 10am – 3pm
**Tuesday – Thursday:** 10am – 9pm
**Friday:** Closed
**Saturday:** 10am – 2pm
**Sunday:** Closed
### Getting Here
**Public parking** is available directly across Walsh Street from The Writer’s Center in a county parking lot. The meters in this lot are effective 9:00am – 10:00pm. Meters accept payment through the [ParkMobile](https://parkmobile.io/) app. Additional pay parking is available in the Capital Crescent Garage (7171 Woodmont Ave, Bethesda, MD 20814), just a 5-minute walk from the Center.
**Metro**: The Writer’s Center is a ten-minute walk south from the [Bethesda Metro station (Red Line)](https://www.wmata.com/rider-guide/stations/bethesda.cfm).
**Ride On Bus**: Several nearby bus stops along Wisconsin Avenue are served by the [Ride On 34 route](https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/DOT-Transit/routesandschedules/allroutes/route034.html).
### Accessibility
The Writer’s Center welcomes all attendees to our writing workshops and events. The front entrance of The Writer’s Center features an ADA-compliant ramp, and a lift provides access to our lower level classrooms and the Writing Studio. If you have other accessibility needs or would like to know more about our programs, please contact us at info@writer.org.
---
### [Gift Certificates](https://writer.org/gift-certificates/)
**Published:** June 20, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
### Give the Gift of Writing!
The Writer’s Center Gift Certificates are now available!
Gift certificates are valid toward TWC workshops and membership. Workshops start at $60 (for a single session) and membership is $65. Visit [writer.org/workshops](https://writer.org/workshops/) for our complete workshop schedule.
*Gift certificate codes are emailed to either you or your recipient immediately after purchase.*
[Purchase a Writer’s Center Gift Certificate](https://writer.org/product/gift-card/)
---
### [01 - Sample Page](https://writer.org/01-sample-page/)
**Published:** June 13, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
Introduction. Maximum 50 words per paragraph. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Vitae et leo duis ut diam. Pellentesque elit ullamcorper dignissim cras. Consequat nisl vel pretium lectus quam id leo in. Pellentesque elit ullamcorper dignissim cras. Consequat nisl vel pretium lectus quam id leo in.
Introduction. Maximum 50 words per paragraph. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Vitae et leo duis ut diam. Pellentesque elit ullamcorper dignissim cras. Consequat nisl vel pretium lectus quam id leo in. Pellentesque elit ullamcorper dignissim cras. Consequat nisl vel pretium lectus quam id leo in.
## H2. Text-Only Block with CTA
Maximum 50 words per paragraph. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Pellentesque in aliquam lorem, in blandit mi. Duis non neque et neque vulputate aliquet vitae nec libero. Donec pulvinar vulputate tempor. Praesent orci velit, viverra non pulvinar in, pretium sit amet felis. Donec cursus tortor dolor. Vestibulum viverra gravida felis, in varius.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Pellentesque in aliquam lorem, in blandit mi. Duis non neque et neque vulputate aliquet vitae nec libero. Donec pulvinar vulputate tempor. Praesent orci velit, viverra non pulvinar in, pretium sit amet felis. Donec cursus tortor dolor. Vestibulum viverra gravida felis.
Read More
## H2. Text-Only Block. Large content
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Phasellus laoreet elit eu erat finibus, sit amet ultrices neque maximus. Quisque quis est eget erat vehicula auctor a at eros. Cras efficitur dolor vel rutrum finibus. Nulla pellentesque et diam non commodo. Phasellus sit amet condimentum mi. Morbi a est vel eros malesuada vestibulum. Nullam aliquam, justo nec venenatis tincidunt, tortor diam finibus quam, id bibendum ligula ante eu nunc.
> “Nulla rhoncus tellus est, nec sodales nisl dictum et. Praesent eu turpis sit amet tellus imperdiet convallis. Morbi sapien sapien, aliquam sed elementum vitae, consequat non nunc. Aliquam congue consectetur leo. Morbi dapibus pharetra tempus. Maecenas at mauris pellentesque, elementum ligula non, sollicitudin est. Mauris sed risus et arcu varius sodales id eget orci. Cras venenatis imperdiet sem, ut lacinia lectus pretium ut. Morbi at neque dui. Mauris nec pellentesque erat.”
Aenean ultricies neque eros, ac luctus turpis egestas eu. Vivamus varius libero sit amet dignissim vestibulum. Vivamus eget odio at erat fermentum ultrices sed nec purus. Quisque accumsan egestas volutpat. Proin ut leo ut sapien porttitor dignissim. Nulla pellentesque dui quis ante condimentum tincidunt. Sed quis vulputate nibh, eget mollis lectus. Duis metus nunc, auctor nec volutpat sit amet, interdum ut nibh. Phasellus ac eleifend urna. Quisque vulputate tempus nisl. Fusce quis mi ex. Donec in egestas.
### H3. Text-Only Block. Important text
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Phasellus laoreet elit eu erat finibus, sit amet ultrices neque maximus. Quisque quis est eget erat vehicula auctor a at eros. Cras efficitur dolor vel rutrum finibus. Nulla pellentesque et diam non commodo. Phasellus sit amet condimentum mi. Morbi a est vel eros malesuada vestibulum. Nullam aliquam, justo nec venenatis tincidunt, tortor diam finibus quam, id bibendum ligula ante eu nunc.
“Nulla rhoncus tellus est, nec sodales nisl dictum et. Praesent eu turpis sit amet tellus imperdiet convallis. Morbi sapien sapien, aliquam sed elementum vitae, consequat non nunc. Aliquam congue consectetur leo. Morbi dapibus pharetra tempus. Maecenas at mauris pellentesque, elementum ligula non, sollicitudin est. Mauris sed risus et arcu varius sodales id eget orci. Cras venenatis imperdiet sem, ut lacinia lectus pretium ut. Morbi at neque dui. Mauris nec pellentesque erat.”
Aenean ultricies neque eros, ac luctus turpis egestas eu. Vivamus varius libero sit amet dignissim vestibulum. Vivamus eget odio at erat fermentum ultrices sed nec purus. Quisque accumsan egestas volutpat. Proin ut leo ut sapien porttitor dignissim. Nulla pellentesque dui quis ante condimentum tincidunt. Sed quis vulputate nibh, eget mollis lectus. Duis metus nunc, auctor nec volutpat sit amet, interdum ut nibh. Phasellus ac eleifend urna. Quisque vulputate tempus nisl. Fusce quis mi ex. Donec in egestas.
#### H4. Lists with strongs
Maximum 50 words per paragraph. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Pellentesque in aliquam lorem, in blandit mi. Duis non neque et neque vulputate aliquet vitae nec libero. Donec pulvinar vulputate tempor. Praesent orci velit, viverra non pulvinar in, pretium sit amet felis. Donec cursus tortor dolor. Vestibulum viverra gravida felis, in varius.
- Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Pellentesque in aliquam lorem, in blandit mi. Duis non neque et neque vulputate aliquet vitae nec libero. **Donec pulvinar vulputate tempor**. Praesent orci velit, viverra non pulvinar in, pretium sit amet felis. Donec cursus tortor dolor. Vestibulum viverra gravida felis.
- Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Pellentesque in aliquam lorem, in blandit mi.
- Lorem ipsum **dolor sit amet.**
read more
##### H5. List with links
Maximum 50 words per paragraph. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Pellentesque in aliquam lorem, in blandit mi. Duis non neque et neque vulputate aliquet vitae nec libero. Donec pulvinar vulputate tempor. Praesent orci velit, viverra non pulvinar in, pretium sit amet felis. Donec cursus tortor dolor. Vestibulum viverra gravida felis, in varius.
- [Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet](#)
- [Donec cursus tortor dolor viverra gravida felis, in varius](#)
- [Pellentesque in aliquam lorem](#)
###### H6. Lists with Titles
Maximum 50 words per paragraph. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Pellentesque in aliquam lorem, in blandit mi. Duis non neque et neque vulputate aliquet vitae nec libero. Donec pulvinar vulputate tempor. Praesent orci velit, viverra non pulvinar in, pretium sit amet felis. Donec cursus tortor dolor. Vestibulum viverra gravida felis, in varius.
- Lorem ipsum Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Pellentesque in aliquam lorem, in blandit mi. Duis non neque et neque vulputate aliquet vitae nec libero. Donec pulvinar vulputate tempor. Praesent orci velit, viverra non pulvinar in, pretium sit amet felis. Donec cursus tortor dolor. Vestibulum viverra gravida felis.
- Lorem ipsum Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Pellentesque in aliquam lorem, in blandit mi. Duis non neque et neque.
Read MoreRead More
#### H4. Some Example of Title, Text and Landscape Photo in Columns
Maximum 50 words per paragraph. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Pellentesque in aliquam lorem, in blandit mi. Duis non neque et neque vulputate aliquet vitae nec libero. Donec pulvinar vulputate tempor. Praesent orci velit, viverra non pulvinar in, pretium sit amet felis. Donec cursus tortor dolor. Vestibulum viverra gravida felis, in varius.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Pellentesque in aliquam lorem, in blandit mi. Duis non neque et neque vulputate aliquet vitae nec libero. Donec pulvinar vulputate tempor. Praesent orci velit, viverra non pulvinar in, pretium sit amet felis. [**Donec cursus tortor dolor**](#). Vestibulum viverra gravida felis, in varius.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Pellentesque in aliquam lorem, in blandit mi. Duis non neque et neque vulputate aliquet vitae nec libero. [**Donec pulvinar vulputate tempor**](#). Praesent orci velit, viverra non pulvinar in, pretium sit amet felis. Donec cursus tortor dolor.
---
### [Sample](https://writer.org/2166609-2/)
**Published:** June 21, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
## Eloquential
**Your words. Like never before.**
We’re a small team of editing and presentation coaches for veteran and aspiring writers. Coaching one-on-one or in pairs, we’re passionate about helping our clients transform their audiences through the written word. Polishing your manuscript, mastering the public reading, or preparing for storytelling or Moth-like events are just a few of our specialties. Learn more about how we can help you bring your most important story to the page, stage, or recording studio. A portion of the initial consultation fee is donated back to The Writer’s Center.
[Contact Eloquential](http://eloquential.net/)
## Eloquential
**Your words. Like never before.**
We’re a small team of editing and presentation coaches for veteran and aspiring writers. Coaching one-on-one or in pairs, we’re passionate about helping our clients transform their audiences through the written word. Polishing your manuscript, mastering the public reading, or preparing for storytelling or Moth-like events are just a few of our specialties. Learn more about how we can help you bring your most important story to the page, stage, or recording studio. A portion of the initial consultation fee is donated back to The Writer’s Center.
[Contact Eloquential](http://eloquential.net/)
## Eloquential
**Your words. Like never before.**
We’re a small team of editing and presentation coaches for veteran and aspiring writers. Coaching one-on-one or in pairs, we’re passionate about helping our clients transform their audiences through the written word. Polishing your manuscript, mastering the public reading, or preparing for storytelling or Moth-like events are just a few of our specialties. Learn more about how we can help you bring your most important story to the page, stage, or recording studio. A portion of the initial consultation fee is donated back to The Writer’s Center.
[Contact Eloquential](http://eloquential.net/)
## Eloquential
**Your words. Like never before.**
We’re a small team of editing and presentation coaches for veteran and aspiring writers. Coaching one-on-one or in pairs, we’re passionate about helping our clients transform their audiences through the written word. Polishing your manuscript, mastering the public reading, or preparing for storytelling or Moth-like events are just a few of our specialties. Learn more about how we can help you bring your most important story to the page, stage, or recording studio. A portion of the initial consultation fee is donated back to The Writer’s Center.
[Contact Eloquential](http://eloquential.net/)
## Eloquential
**Your words. Like never before.**
We’re a small team of editing and presentation coaches for veteran and aspiring writers. Coaching one-on-one or in pairs, we’re passionate about helping our clients transform their audiences through the written word. Polishing your manuscript, mastering the public reading, or preparing for storytelling or Moth-like events are just a few of our specialties. Learn more about how we can help you bring your most important story to the page, stage, or recording studio. A portion of the initial consultation fee is donated back to The Writer’s Center.
[Contact Eloquential](http://eloquential.net/)
## Eloquential
**Your words. Like never before.**
We’re a small team of editing and presentation coaches for veteran and aspiring writers. Coaching one-on-one or in pairs, we’re passionate about helping our clients transform their audiences through the written word. Polishing your manuscript, mastering the public reading, or preparing for storytelling or Moth-like events are just a few of our specialties. Learn more about how we can help you bring your most important story to the page, stage, or recording studio. A portion of the initial consultation fee is donated back to The Writer’s Center.
[Contact Eloquential](http://eloquential.net/)
## Eloquential
**Your words. Like never before.**
We’re a small team of editing and presentation coaches for veteran and aspiring writers. Coaching one-on-one or in pairs, we’re passionate about helping our clients transform their audiences through the written word. Polishing your manuscript, mastering the public reading, or preparing for storytelling or Moth-like events are just a few of our specialties. Learn more about how we can help you bring your most important story to the page, stage, or recording studio. A portion of the initial consultation fee is donated back to The Writer’s Center.
[Contact Eloquential](http://eloquential.net/)
## Eloquential
**Your words. Like never before.**
We’re a small team of editing and presentation coaches for veteran and aspiring writers. Coaching one-on-one or in pairs, we’re passionate about helping our clients transform their audiences through the written word. Polishing your manuscript, mastering the public reading, or preparing for storytelling or Moth-like events are just a few of our specialties. Learn more about how we can help you bring your most important story to the page, stage, or recording studio. A portion of the initial consultation fee is donated back to The Writer’s Center.
[Contact Eloquential](http://eloquential.net/)
## Eloquential
**Your words. Like never before.**
We’re a small team of editing and presentation coaches for veteran and aspiring writers. Coaching one-on-one or in pairs, we’re passionate about helping our clients transform their audiences through the written word. Polishing your manuscript, mastering the public reading, or preparing for storytelling or Moth-like events are just a few of our specialties. Learn more about how we can help you bring your most important story to the page, stage, or recording studio. A portion of the initial consultation fee is donated back to The Writer’s Center.
[Contact Eloquential](http://eloquential.net/)
## Eloquential
**Your words. Like never before.**
We’re a small team of editing and presentation coaches for veteran and aspiring writers. Coaching one-on-one or in pairs, we’re passionate about helping our clients transform their audiences through the written word. Polishing your manuscript, mastering the public reading, or preparing for storytelling or Moth-like events are just a few of our specialties. Learn more about how we can help you bring your most important story to the page, stage, or recording studio. A portion of the initial consultation fee is donated back to The Writer’s Center.
[Contact Eloquential](http://eloquential.net/)
## Eloquential
**Your words. Like never before.**
We’re a small team of editing and presentation coaches for veteran and aspiring writers. Coaching one-on-one or in pairs, we’re passionate about helping our clients transform their audiences through the written word. Polishing your manuscript, mastering the public reading, or preparing for storytelling or Moth-like events are just a few of our specialties. Learn more about how we can help you bring your most important story to the page, stage, or recording studio. A portion of the initial consultation fee is donated back to The Writer’s Center.
[Contact Eloquential](http://eloquential.net/)
## Eloquential
**Your words. Like never before.**
We’re a small team of editing and presentation coaches for veteran and aspiring writers. Coaching one-on-one or in pairs, we’re passionate about helping our clients transform their audiences through the written word. Polishing your manuscript, mastering the public reading, or preparing for storytelling or Moth-like events are just a few of our specialties. Learn more about how we can help you bring your most important story to the page, stage, or recording studio. A portion of the initial consultation fee is donated back to The Writer’s Center.
[Contact Eloquential](http://eloquential.net/)
## Eloquential
**Your words. Like never before.**
We’re a small team of editing and presentation coaches for veteran and aspiring writers. Coaching one-on-one or in pairs, we’re passionate about helping our clients transform their audiences through the written word. Polishing your manuscript, mastering the public reading, or preparing for storytelling or Moth-like events are just a few of our specialties. Learn more about how we can help you bring your most important story to the page, stage, or recording studio. A portion of the initial consultation fee is donated back to The Writer’s Center.
[Contact Eloquential](http://eloquential.net/)
---
### [Theater Rentals](https://writer.org/theater-rental-form/)
**Published:** July 11, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
## Theater Availability Inquiry
Δ
Name(Required) First Last
Organization Name
Email(Required)
Phone(Required)
Address(Required) Street Address Address Line 2 City State / Province / Region ZIP / Postal Code
Website
Event Description(Required)
Date Range Requested (including setup, rehearsals, performances, and striking)(Required)
Total number of cast/crew(Required)
Please include anything else you would like us to know
Disclaimer: Please note that no space is reserved until a contract is signed and payment is made. Rentals must be paid for in advance via credit card or check.
Submit
---
### [Gift Card Balance](https://writer.org/gift-card-balance/)
**Published:** May 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
Email Address:
Gift Card Code:
Check Balance
Checking...
---
### [Gift Card](https://writer.org/gift-card/)
**Published:** May 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
- [## Gift Card](https://writer.org/product/gift-card/)[VIEW CARD](https://writer.org/product/gift-card/)
---
### [Workshops](https://writer.org/workshops/)
**Published:** June 13, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
## Writing Workshops
The Writer’s Center offers hundreds of writing workshops and classes every year. Workshops cover all genres and all experience levels. Join us in person and online.
67 events found.
# Events
## Events Search and Views Navigation
Search Enter Keyword. Search for Events by Keyword.
Find Events
### Event Views Navigation
List
- [ List ](https://writer.org/events/list/?hide_subsequent_recurrences=1&shortcode=7d60a806)
- [ Month ](https://writer.org/events/month/?hide_subsequent_recurrences=1&shortcode=7d60a806)
Genre\* — Select a Genre Fiction Kid Lit Mixed Genre Nonfiction Poetry Professional Writing Publishing Stage and Screen
Location\* — Select a Location The Writer’s Center Wet Ink Zoom
Level\* — Select a Level Advanced Level Advanced/Master Level All Levels Beginner Level Beginner/Intermediate Level Intermediate Level Intermediate/Advanced Level Master Level
- ### October 2026
#### [ Reading Your Work Out Loud ](https://writer.org/event/out-loud-with-jennifer-hamady/ "Reading Your Work Out Loud")
October 19 @ 6:00 PM EDT – 9:00 PM EDT
[Jennifer Hamady](https://writer.org/organizer/jennifer-hamady/ "Jennifer Hamady")
[The Writer’s Center](https://writer.org/venue/bethesda/ "The Writer’s Center") 4508 Walsh Street
Bethesda, MD 20815 United States
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 turn fuel a more authentic writing process and outcome. You’ll leave the workshop with an experience of camaraderie, community, and a more deeply rooted sense of your creative and expressive self. Please have on hand a number of pieces you’d be comfortable sharing during the meeting. \[…\]
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/out-loud-with-jennifer-hamady/)
$60.00 Sold out
#### [ Boot Camp for Writers ](https://writer.org/event/boot-camp-for-writers-5/ "Boot Camp for Writers")
October 20 @ 10:30 AM EDT – December 15 @ 1:00 PM EST
[Beth Kanter](https://writer.org/organizer/beth-kanter/ "Beth Kanter")
[Zoom](https://writer.org/venue/zoom/ "Zoom")
Each session of Boot Camp for Writers will begin with a prompt followed by writing time. Participants will have the opportunity to share and discuss their work as well as receive in-class feedback. The workshop is designed so that participants will have the start of six new pieces by the end of class. Former Boot Camp participants are always (and happily) welcome. Note: No meeting November 3 and 24.
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/boot-camp-for-writers-5/)
$350.00 13 tickets left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/boot-camp-for-writers-5/#tribe-tickets)
#### [ Introduction to Art Journaling ](https://writer.org/event/introduction-to-art-journaling-5/ "Introduction to Art Journaling")
October 20 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 27 @ 9:00 PM EDT
[Joan Waites](https://writer.org/organizer/joan-waites/ "Joan Waites")
[The Writer’s Center](https://writer.org/venue/bethesda/ "The Writer’s Center") 4508 Walsh Street
Bethesda, MD 20815 United States
Using quotes, poems and/or personal reflections, students will combine words with easy to follow art techniques to create an art journal reflecting their own personal style. \*Students should bring to all classes a blank watercolor journal, 8×8 or larger. All other art materials used in class will be provided by instructor.
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/introduction-to-art-journaling-5/)
$100.00 12 tickets left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/introduction-to-art-journaling-5/#tribe-tickets)
#### [ Reading like a Writer: Imitation as Generative Writing ](https://writer.org/event/reading-like-a-writer-imitation-as-generative-writing/ "Reading like a Writer: Imitation as Generative Writing")
October 20 @ 7:00 PM EDT – November 17 @ 9:00 PM EST
[Brandon Blue](https://writer.org/organizer/brandon-blue/ "Brandon Blue")
[The Writer’s Center](https://writer.org/venue/bethesda/ "The Writer’s Center") 4508 Walsh Street
Bethesda, MD 20815 United States
We all read for pleasure, but a writer also reads to learn. It feeds a writer’s writing practice. In this generative workshop, each week we will become familiar with the work of an established poet as a means to examine elements of craft and draft their own poems. This course also includes an optional workshopping element to receive feedback from your peers and the instructor.
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/reading-like-a-writer-imitation-as-generative-writing/)
$250.00 8 tickets left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/reading-like-a-writer-imitation-as-generative-writing/#tribe-tickets)
#### [ The Art of the Short Story w/ Rita Bullwinkel ](https://writer.org/event/the-art-of-the-short-story-w-rita-bullwinkel/ "The Art of the Short Story w/ Rita Bullwinkel")
10.21.2026 @ 7:00 PM EDT – 07.28.2027 @ 9:00 PM EDT
[Rita Bullwinkel](https://writer.org/organizer/rita-bullwinkel/ "Rita Bullwinkel")
[Zoom](https://writer.org/venue/zoom/ "Zoom")
Google Map
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 their own, and procure insight into how to further their creative projects into their fullest, most complex and potent, forms. In this year-long short story intensive, students will read and discuss the work of their peers, and have the opportunity to submit four of their own \[…\]
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/the-art-of-the-short-story-w-rita-bullwinkel/)
$5,400.00 4 tickets left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/the-art-of-the-short-story-w-rita-bullwinkel/#tribe-tickets)
#### [ Crafting Compelling Characters ](https://writer.org/event/crafting-compelling-characters-2/ "Crafting Compelling Characters")
October 22 @ 7:00 PM EDT – 9:00 PM EDT
[Katherine Pickett](https://writer.org/organizer/katherine-pickett/ "Katherine Pickett")
[Zoom](https://writer.org/venue/zoom/ "Zoom")
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.
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/crafting-compelling-characters-2/)
$60.00 13 tickets left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/crafting-compelling-characters-2/#tribe-tickets)
#### [ Managing Queries with QueryTracker ](https://writer.org/event/managing-queries-with-querytracker/ "Managing Queries with QueryTracker")
October 25 @ 12:00 PM EDT – 2:00 PM EDT
[Michael Chorost](https://writer.org/organizer/michael-chorost/ "Michael Chorost")
[The Writer’s Center](https://writer.org/venue/bethesda/ "The Writer’s Center") 4508 Walsh Street
Bethesda, MD 20815 United States
QueryTracker is a powerful tool for finding literary agents, sending them queries, and tracking their responses. In this course we’ll cover the basics: search tools, the who-represents-whom tool, and data view options. We’ll look at cool features that are a little harder to find: pasting in agency/agent notes, flagging agents by priority, and setting alerts for when closed agents become open. We’ll also discuss other resources like Publisher’s Marketplace. Coupons for a free year of premium QueryTracker membership will be provided for up to 10 attendees. Bring your laptop to follow along.
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/managing-queries-with-querytracker/)
$60.00 Sold out
#### [ Advanced Nonfiction ](https://writer.org/event/advanced-nonfiction-2/ "Advanced Nonfiction")
October 27 @ 1:00 PM EDT – November 17 @ 4:00 PM EST
[Eric Lichtblau](https://writer.org/organizer/eric-lichtblau/ "Eric Lichtblau")
[Zoom](https://writer.org/venue/zoom/ "Zoom")
This advanced class will go beyond the basics of nonfiction writing to provide an extra focus on fleshing out characters, incorporating a narrative voice, and developing more sophisticated tools for narrative storytelling.
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/advanced-nonfiction-2/)
$215.00 13 tickets left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/advanced-nonfiction-2/#tribe-tickets)
#### [ Dialogue Master Class ](https://writer.org/event/dialogue-master-class/ "Dialogue Master Class")
October 28 @ 7:00 PM EDT – 9:00 PM EDT
[Aaron Hamburger](https://writer.org/organizer/aaron-hamburger/ "Aaron Hamburger")
[Zoom](https://writer.org/venue/zoom/ "Zoom")
Dialogue is essential to characterization storytelling, yet can be incredibly tricky to master. In this course, we’ll look at transcripts of conversations from life and published work to develop strategies to make your dialogue shine in your writing. Then we’ll do some targeted exercises to explore different types of dialogue strategies that go beyond direct quotation to create a symphony of distinct speaking voices for your characters. All genres welcome.
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/dialogue-master-class/)
$60.00 14 tickets left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/dialogue-master-class/#tribe-tickets)
#### [ Memoir Tools from Start to Finish ](https://writer.org/event/memoir-tools-from-start-to-finish/ "Memoir Tools from Start to Finish")
October 28 @ 7:00 PM EDT – November 18 @ 8:30 PM EST
[Rachel Coonce](https://writer.org/organizer/rachel-coonce/ "Rachel Coonce")
[Zoom](https://writer.org/venue/zoom/ "Zoom")
Whether you are writing short pieces or are embarking on a full-length memoir, you need a roadmap. Over the course of four weeks, we will cover the tools you need to write a memoir from start to finish. We will discuss methods for starting a piece and getting content on the page. We’ll explore memoir structures and the relationship of form and content. We will learn editing techniques on both the sentence and big picture levels. Finally, we will talk about publishing options for memoir projects large and small. Participants will leave with the tools and confidence to start and complete a memoir project.
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/memoir-tools-from-start-to-finish/)
$215.00 18 tickets left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/memoir-tools-from-start-to-finish/#tribe-tickets)
#### [ Book Promotion Through Podcasting ](https://writer.org/event/book-promotion-through-podcasting-2/ "Book Promotion Through Podcasting")
October 29 @ 9:00 AM EDT – November 5 @ 10:30 AM EST
[Rob Jolles](https://writer.org/organizer/rob-jolles/ "Rob Jolles")
[Zoom](https://writer.org/venue/zoom/ "Zoom")
In this workshop we’ll focus on how to prepare your pitch materials, how to get booked on podcasts, how to be a great guest, and even how to create a professional podcasting environment.
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/book-promotion-through-podcasting-2/)
$100.00 6 tickets left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/book-promotion-through-podcasting-2/#tribe-tickets)
#### [ (Wet Ink) Fiction POV Workshop ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-fiction-pov-workshop/ "(Wet Ink) Fiction POV Workshop")
October 30 – November 20
[Tammy Greenwood](https://writer.org/organizer/t-greenwood/ "Tammy Greenwood")
[Wet Ink](https://writer.org/venue/wet-ink/ "Wet Ink")
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.
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-fiction-pov-workshop/)
$215.00 19 tickets left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-fiction-pov-workshop/#tribe-tickets)
#### [ (Wet Ink) Intermediate Novel Writing: The 8 Cs ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intermediate-novel-writing-the-8-cs/ "(Wet Ink) Intermediate Novel Writing: The 8 Cs")
October 30 – December 18
[Tammy Greenwood](https://writer.org/organizer/t-greenwood/ "Tammy Greenwood")
[Wet Ink](https://writer.org/venue/wet-ink/ "Wet Ink")
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.)
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intermediate-novel-writing-the-8-cs/)
$395.00 14 tickets left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intermediate-novel-writing-the-8-cs/#tribe-tickets)
#### [ Lessons and Inspiration from a Literary Life ](https://writer.org/event/lessons-and-inspiration-from-a-literary-life/ "Lessons and Inspiration from a Literary Life")
October 31 @ 1:00 PM EDT – 2:30 PM EDT
[Gwydion Suilebhan](https://writer.org/organizer/gwydion-suilebhan/ "Gwydion Suilebhan")
[The Writer’s Center](https://writer.org/venue/bethesda/ "The Writer’s Center") 4508 Walsh Street
Bethesda, MD 20815 United States
Reframe your understanding of the joys, purpose, struggles, and successes associated with being both a writer and a member of the wider literary community. In a presentation that spans my 40+-year career as a writer and literary advocate, I will share the hard-earned insights that have informed and inspired my life and work. Together, we’ll explore everything from balancing writing and work in late stage capitalism to membership in (and service to) the literary community. After the presentation, I’ll answer questions from attendees, who will also be able to sign up for one-on-one consultations at a later date. This presentation and \[…\]
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/lessons-and-inspiration-from-a-literary-life/)
$70.00 29 tickets left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/lessons-and-inspiration-from-a-literary-life/#tribe-tickets)
- ### November 2026
#### [ Whole-Brain Poetry ](https://writer.org/event/whole-brain-poetry-5/ "Whole-Brain Poetry")
November 1 @ 11:00 AM EST – November 29 @ 1:30 PM EST
[Claudia Gary](https://writer.org/organizer/claudia-gary/ "Claudia Gary")
[Zoom](https://writer.org/venue/zoom/ "Zoom")
“Whole-Brain Poetry” is an opportunity to explore some of the many ways poetry interacts with the brain, and to enrich your writing with that knowledge. This includes but goes beyond the use of metaphor. Through writing exercises, close examination of time-honored and recent poems, workshopping of participant poems, and brief reading assignments, we will examine the neurology and psychology of poetry, the relationship between time and memory, how science has influenced well-known poets, how poetry can help to heal trauma and prevent PTSD, and more.
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/whole-brain-poetry-5/)
$250.00 16 tickets left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/whole-brain-poetry-5/#tribe-tickets)
#### [ Revising Through Generative Prompts ](https://writer.org/event/revising-through-generative-prompts/ "Revising Through Generative Prompts")
November 5 @ 7:00 PM EST – 9:00 PM EST
[Atina Hartunian](https://writer.org/organizer/atina-hartunian/ "Atina Hartunian")
[Zoom](https://writer.org/venue/zoom/ "Zoom")
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.
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/revising-through-generative-prompts/)
$60.00 13 tickets left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/revising-through-generative-prompts/#tribe-tickets)
#### [ Poetry Workshop ](https://writer.org/event/poetry-workshop/ "Poetry Workshop")
November 7 @ 10:30 AM EST – December 19 @ 12:30 PM EST
[Judith Harris](https://writer.org/organizer/judith-harris/ "Judith Harris")
[Zoom](https://writer.org/venue/zoom/ "Zoom")
This workshop will offer a lecture each week, followed by workshoping participants’ poems. The class will focus on the elements of story, musicality, figuration, and most of all feeling. Open to all poets at all levels, who are curious about poetry and its craft and tools for revision.
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/poetry-workshop/)
$350.00 11 tickets left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/poetry-workshop/#tribe-tickets)
#### [ How to End a Poem ](https://writer.org/event/how-to-end-a-poem/ "How to End a Poem")
November 8 @ 1:00 PM EST – 4:00 PM EST
[Sue Ellen Thompson](https://writer.org/organizer/sue-ellen-thompson/ "Sue Ellen Thompson")
[Zoom](https://writer.org/venue/zoom/ "Zoom")
There is no “right” or “wrong” when it comes to deciding how a poem should end. But there are some options that might be more effective than others. This workshop will focus on closure—the strategies that poets have traditionally used to bring their poems to a clear, resonant conclusion. We will also discuss anti-closure—the resistance that so many feel toward poems that “click shut.” By looking at the work of several contemporary poets, we will discuss what worked best for their poems and might help yours.
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/how-to-end-a-poem/)
$60.00 20 tickets left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/how-to-end-a-poem/#tribe-tickets)
#### [ Self-Publishing 101 ](https://writer.org/event/self-publishing-101-2/ "Self-Publishing 101")
November 9 @ 6:30 PM EST – 8:30 PM EST
[Camille Cabrera](https://writer.org/organizer/camille-cabrera/ "Camille Cabrera")
[Zoom](https://writer.org/venue/zoom/ "Zoom")
Ever wanted to learn more about the self-publishing process? Then this workshop might be the right fit for you! Discover the core steps of self-publishing from a 40-time bestselling author. Explore editing, writing, and publishing tips intended to expedite the drafting journey. Delve into the core tools necessary to turn a strong draft into a memorable novel. Please come prepared with questions which will be discussed near the end. Live video conference: This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, Zoom. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants \[…\]
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/self-publishing-101-2/)
$60.00 28 tickets left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/self-publishing-101-2/#tribe-tickets)
#### [ Crafting Flash Fiction ](https://writer.org/event/crafting-flash-fiction/ "Crafting Flash Fiction")
November 10 @ 7:00 PM EST – December 15 @ 9:30 PM EST
[Ariel Katz](https://writer.org/organizer/ariel-katz/ "Ariel Katz")
[Zoom](https://writer.org/venue/zoom/ "Zoom")
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.
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/crafting-flash-fiction/)
$295.00 13 tickets left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/crafting-flash-fiction/#tribe-tickets)
#### [ How to Write Compelling Micro Memoir ](https://writer.org/event/how-to-write-compelling-micro-memoir/ "How to Write Compelling Micro Memoir")
November 14 @ 10:00 AM EST – 12:00 PM EST
[Laura J. Oliver](https://writer.org/organizer/laura-oliver/ "Laura J. Oliver")
[Zoom](https://writer.org/venue/zoom/ "Zoom")
In this one-night introduction, historian/biographer Ken Ackerman shares the tricks of the trade for investigating our family roots, going back generations, using archives, interviews, internet sources, family records, and memories – and ideas to organize and share our heritage with children and grandchildren.
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/how-to-write-compelling-micro-memoir/)
$60.00 39 tickets left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/how-to-write-compelling-micro-memoir/#tribe-tickets)
#### [ Mapping Strategies for Story Structure ](https://writer.org/event/mapping-strategies-for-story-structure-5/ "Mapping Strategies for Story Structure")
November 14 @ 10:00 AM EST – 12:30 PM EST
[Lynn Auld Schwartz](https://writer.org/organizer/lynn-schwartz/ "Lynn Auld Schwartz")
[Zoom](https://writer.org/venue/zoom/ "Zoom")
There is no one-size-fits-all strategy for story structure. Let’s discuss a plan that works for you. We’ll examine your story’s strengths and weaknesses, focusing on both the destination and the journey. Does your narrative feature a compelling character arc, a strong point of entry, well-placed flashbacks, and a transformative, resonant ending? Will readers care? We will use maps, sketches, and diagrams, emphasizing the importance of revising your initial plan as your story evolves. Bring your specific idea for a short story, memoir, or novel.
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/mapping-strategies-for-story-structure-5/)
$60.00 22 tickets left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/mapping-strategies-for-story-structure-5/#tribe-tickets)
#### [ Getting Your Poetry Published ](https://writer.org/event/getting-your-poetry-published-3/ "Getting Your Poetry Published")
November 14 @ 2:00 PM EST – 5:00 PM EST
[Michele Wolf](https://writer.org/organizer/michele-wolf/ "Michele Wolf")
[Zoom](https://writer.org/venue/zoom/ "Zoom")
This intensive one-day workshop will offer all poets—whether they have yet to submit their first poem to a literary journal or are ready to present a publisher with a book-length manuscript—hands-on advice on how to achieve their publishing goals.
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/getting-your-poetry-published-3/)
$60.00 21 tickets left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/getting-your-poetry-published-3/#tribe-tickets)
#### [ Show, Don’t Tell ](https://writer.org/event/show-dont-tell-3/ "Show, Don’t Tell")
November 18 @ 7:00 PM EST – 9:00 PM EST
[Nikki Frias](https://writer.org/organizer/2134161/ "Nikki Frias")
[Zoom](https://writer.org/venue/zoom/ "Zoom")
“Show, Don’t Tell” is an interactive writing workshop designed to help participants bring their stories, ideas, and experiences to life on the page. Through guided prompts, sensory exercises, and creative writing activities, participants will practice moving beyond explanation and into vivid, specific, emotionally engaging writing. This workshop invites writers to explore how detail, dialogue, action, setting, and perspective can create stronger connections with readers. Participants will have opportunities to write, reflect, share, and revise in a supportive environment. Whether they are working on personal essays, fiction, professional storytelling, or simply looking to strengthen their creative voice, this workshop offers practical tools to make writing more immediate, memorable, and alive.
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/show-dont-tell-3/)
$60.00 13 tickets left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/show-dont-tell-3/#tribe-tickets)
#### [ Researching and Writing Your Family History ](https://writer.org/event/researching-and-writing-your-family-history-3/ "Researching and Writing Your Family History")
November 18 @ 7:00 PM EST – 9:00 PM EST
[Zoom](https://writer.org/venue/zoom/ "Zoom")
In this one-night introduction, historian/biographer Ken Ackerman shares the tricks of the trade for investigating our family roots, going back generations, using archives, interviews, internet sources, family records, and memories – and ideas to organize and share our heritage with children and grandchildren.
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/researching-and-writing-your-family-history-3/)
$60.00 49 tickets left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/researching-and-writing-your-family-history-3/#tribe-tickets)
#### [ Writing Picture Books II ](https://writer.org/event/writing-picture-books-ii-6/ "Writing Picture Books II")
November 19 @ 6:30 PM EST – 9:30 PM EST
[The Writer’s Center](https://writer.org/venue/bethesda/ "The Writer’s Center") 4508 Walsh Street
Bethesda, MD 20815 United States
You’ve drafted your picture book, what’s the next step? Learn to revise and polish your picture book manuscript before submitting to an agent or publisher. A widely published author and an acclaimed illustrator will lead discussions in pacing, page turns, storyboarding, and visually dramatic storytelling. During this hands-on workshop, writers will be editing their own manuscripts and enhancing their skills as picture book creators. Bring your questions and two double-spaced copies of a picture-book manuscript that you’ve revised. Workshop may most benefit those who have taken Writing Picture Books or another picture book class.
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/writing-picture-books-ii-6/)
$60.00 9 tickets left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/writing-picture-books-ii-6/#tribe-tickets)
#### [ Plot Like a Pro ](https://writer.org/event/plot-like-a-pro-2/ "Plot Like a Pro")
November 21 @ 10:00 AM EST – 12:30 PM EST
[Kathryn Johnson](https://writer.org/organizer/kathryn-johnson/ "Kathryn Johnson")
[Zoom](https://writer.org/venue/zoom/ "Zoom")
Learn the methods professional writers use to come up with winning plots for their fiction.
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/plot-like-a-pro-2/)
$60.00 26 tickets left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/plot-like-a-pro-2/#tribe-tickets)
#### [ (Wet Ink) DIY Novel Revision ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-diy-novel-revision/ "(Wet Ink) DIY Novel Revision")
November 27 – December 18
[Tammy Greenwood](https://writer.org/organizer/t-greenwood/ "Tammy Greenwood")
[Wet Ink](https://writer.org/venue/wet-ink/ "Wet Ink")
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.
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-diy-novel-revision/)
$215.00 19 tickets left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-diy-novel-revision/#tribe-tickets)
- ### December 2026
#### [ Me Myself and I: Understanding Memoir ](https://writer.org/event/me-myself-and-i-understanding-memoir-3/ "Me Myself and I: Understanding Memoir")
December 1 @ 7:00 PM EST – 9:00 PM EST
[Julie Lythcott-Haims](https://writer.org/organizer/julie-lythcott-haims/ "Julie Lythcott-Haims")
[Zoom](https://writer.org/venue/zoom/ "Zoom")
This workshop is a two-hour seminar for those who want to better understand the genre of memoir and the craft elements required to write it well. In this course we will: Explore the tensions inherent in being author, narrator, and subject all at once; Unpack the subjectivity of truth; Commit to treat all characters fairly; Learn to report from the body; Realize why writing the story you can’t bear to share is your gateway; and Examine your obligations to the others about whom you will be writing.
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/me-myself-and-i-understanding-memoir-3/)
$60.00 29 tickets left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/me-myself-and-i-understanding-memoir-3/#tribe-tickets)
#### [ Your First (or Next) Novel ](https://writer.org/event/your-first-or-next-novel-8/ "Your First (or Next) Novel")
December 5 @ 10:00 AM EST – 12:30 PM EST
[Kathryn Johnson](https://writer.org/organizer/kathryn-johnson/ "Kathryn Johnson")
[Zoom](https://writer.org/venue/zoom/ "Zoom")
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.
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/your-first-or-next-novel-8/)
$60.00 27 tickets left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/your-first-or-next-novel-8/#tribe-tickets)
#### [ Syntax as Strategy ](https://writer.org/event/syntax-as-strategy/ "Syntax as Strategy")
December 6 @ 1:00 PM EST – 4:00 PM EST
[Sue Ellen Thompson](https://writer.org/organizer/sue-ellen-thompson/ "Sue Ellen Thompson")
[Zoom](https://writer.org/venue/zoom/ "Zoom")
How poets handle syntax—the arrangement of words in a sentence—is crucial to everything from establishing the voice of a poem to evoking a particular response from the reader. In this workshop, we will take a close look at how sentences are put together and how changing their structure can send a poem off in a new direction. We will also examine the relationship between the sentence and the line and how to control the tension between them.
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/syntax-as-strategy/)
$60.00 22 tickets left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/syntax-as-strategy/#tribe-tickets)
#### [ Virtual Info Session for The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll ](https://writer.org/event/virtual-info-session-for-the-novel-year-w-susan-coll-2/ "Virtual Info Session for The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll")
December 8 @ 7:00 PM EST – 8:00 PM EST
[Susan Coll](https://writer.org/organizer/susan-coll-2/ "Susan Coll")
[Zoom](https://writer.org/venue/zoom/ "Zoom")
Meet Susan Coll, instructor for our Novel Year 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: January 12th, 2027 Workshop Dates: Begins January 26th, meeting biweekly for ~10 months Cost: $5,400 \| Members $5,300 Write your novel in a year with bestselling novelist Susan Coll! Whether you have been thinking about writing a novel for years but are not sure how to get started or are already published but embarking on a new project, this year-long workshop is intended \[…\]
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/virtual-info-session-for-the-novel-year-w-susan-coll-2/)
Free 77 spots left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/virtual-info-session-for-the-novel-year-w-susan-coll-2/#rsvp-now)
#### [ Write Like the News ](https://writer.org/event/write-like-the-news-8/ "Write Like the News")
December 9 @ 7:00 PM EST – 9:00 PM EST
[Hank Wallace](https://writer.org/organizer/hank-wallace/ "Hank Wallace")
[Zoom](https://writer.org/venue/zoom/ "Zoom")
Lead with the future — not background — for lead-ership, especially in a crisis. That’s the most important of eight journalism skills that will transform your writing. The others: write your readers’ language, be positive (to be both clear and upbeat), lay out logically, be consistent, be precise, be concise and choose strong verbs. (Plus a Speak Like the News skill: avoid “uptalk?”) Emulate the vivid news examples you’ll see in this workshop, and you’ll strengthen your writing voice with lively, engaging news style. At 7 sharp, we’ll critique TheWallStreetJournal.com, seeing how to communicate your main point in just a few words. To cover as much ground as possible, we’ll have just a few writing exercises and most of them will take less than a minute each.
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/write-like-the-news-8/)
$60.00 30 tickets left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/write-like-the-news-8/#tribe-tickets)
#### [ How to Write a Lot ](https://writer.org/event/how-to-write-a-lot-8/ "How to Write a Lot")
December 12 @ 10:00 AM EST – 12:30 PM EST
[Kathryn Johnson](https://writer.org/organizer/kathryn-johnson/ "Kathryn Johnson")
[Zoom](https://writer.org/venue/zoom/ "Zoom")
You may think you don’t have the time, energy, or inspiration to write because of your hectic lifestyle. Wrong! We’ll share methods many professional writers use to complete their books in months instead of years, their short stories in mere weeks. Become the dedicated author you’ve always dreamed of being. (Ideal for writers who don’t have 8 weeks to dedicate to the Extreme Novelist course.)
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/how-to-write-a-lot-8/)
$60.00 26 tickets left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/how-to-write-a-lot-8/#tribe-tickets)
#### [ Sonnet Crash Course ](https://writer.org/event/sonnet-crash-course-5/ "Sonnet Crash Course")
December 12 @ 10:00 AM EST – 12:30 PM EST
[Claudia Gary](https://writer.org/organizer/claudia-gary/ "Claudia Gary")
[Zoom](https://writer.org/venue/zoom/ "Zoom")
Guided by an award-winning and internationally published author of sonnets, villanelles, and other metrical poems, you’ll first read time-honored sonnets to see how and why they work. Next the class will write a group sonnet, and then — with or without shortcuts — you’ll start one of your own. You’ll leave with at least one new (draft) or improved sonnet, as well as insights about how writing poems in form can unlock deeper meaning and enhance everything you write.
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/sonnet-crash-course-5/)
$60.00 17 tickets left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/sonnet-crash-course-5/#tribe-tickets)
#### [ Virtual Info Session for The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner ](https://writer.org/event/virtual-info-session-for-the-artists-way-a-year-of-creative-reawakening-w-lindsey-van-wagner-2/ "Virtual Info Session for The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner")
December 12 @ 11:30 AM EST – 12:30 PM EST
[Lindsey Van Wagner](https://writer.org/organizer/lindsey-van-wagner/ "Lindsey Van Wagner")
[Zoom](https://writer.org/venue/zoom/ "Zoom")
Meet Lindsey Van Wagner, instructor for The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening, 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: January 25th, 2027 Workshop Dates: Begins February 6, 2027, one Saturday a month with self-paced work in between meetings Cost: $2000 \| Members $1900 This year-long journey through The Artist’s Way offers a sustained path for creative reawakening and artistic growth. Writers, artists, and creative seekers will move chapter by chapter through Julia Cameron’s classic text, reconnecting \[…\]
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/virtual-info-session-for-the-artists-way-a-year-of-creative-reawakening-w-lindsey-van-wagner-2/)
Free 79 spots left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/virtual-info-session-for-the-artists-way-a-year-of-creative-reawakening-w-lindsey-van-wagner-2/#rsvp-now)
#### [ Virtual Info Session for Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung ](https://writer.org/event/virtual-info-session-for-memoir-year-w-nicole-chung-2/ "Virtual Info Session for Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung")
December 15 @ 7:00 PM EST – 8:00 PM EST
[Nicole Chung](https://writer.org/organizer/nicole-chung/ "Nicole Chung")
[Zoom](https://writer.org/venue/zoom/ "Zoom")
Meet Nicole Chung, instructor for our Memoir Year 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: January 30th, 2027 Workshop Dates: Begins February 9th, meeting biweekly for 10 months Cost: $5,400 \| Members $5,300 Work on your book with bestselling author Nicole Chung! This intensive workshop is open to writers working on a memoir, memoir-in-essays, or essay collection. You’ll have the opportunity to participate in lively craft discussions, reflection/writing exercises, and in-depth workshops designed to help you identify and \[…\]
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/virtual-info-session-for-memoir-year-w-nicole-chung-2/)
Free 78 spots left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/virtual-info-session-for-memoir-year-w-nicole-chung-2/#rsvp-now)
#### [ Personal Storytelling: Finding the Extraordinary in Everyday Life ](https://writer.org/event/personal-storytelling-finding-the-extraordinary-in-everyday-life/ "Personal Storytelling: Finding the Extraordinary in Everyday Life")
December 16 @ 7:00 PM EST – 9:00 PM EST
[Nikki Frias](https://writer.org/organizer/2134161/ "Nikki Frias")
[Zoom](https://writer.org/venue/zoom/ "Zoom")
Everyone has stories worth telling, they just don’t always recognize them. This interactive workshop helps participants uncover meaningful moments from their everyday lives and transform them into engaging pieces of writing. Through guided reflection, creative prompts, and interactive writing exercises, participants will explore memory, emotion, and observation to discover the stories hiding in ordinary experiences. Rather than focusing on perfect prose, this workshop encourages curiosity, authenticity, and play. Writers will experiment with different ways of approaching personal storytelling while gaining practical tools they can use long after the workshop ends. Participants will leave with new writing, a collection of prompts to inspire future work, and greater confidence in their ability to find stories wherever they go.
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/personal-storytelling-finding-the-extraordinary-in-everyday-life/)
$60.00 15 tickets left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/personal-storytelling-finding-the-extraordinary-in-everyday-life/#tribe-tickets)
- ### January 2027
#### [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll ](https://writer.org/event/the-novel-year-w-susan-coll-2/ "The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll")
01.26.2027 @ 7:00 PM EST – 11.30.2027 @ 9:30 PM EST
[Susan Coll](https://writer.org/organizer/susan-coll-2/ "Susan Coll")
[Zoom](https://writer.org/venue/zoom/ "Zoom")
Write your novel in a year with bestselling novelist Susan Coll! Whether you have been thinking about writing a novel for years but are not sure how to get started, or are already published but embarking on a new project, this year-long workshop is intended to help get the next book off the ground. Attend the Virtual Info Session Tuesday, December 8th, 2026 ZOOM, 7pm ET Meet Susan Coll, instructor for our Novel Year workshop, and have all your questions about the program answered! FREE RSVP >>> Over the course of twenty sessions, we will: create a fun, warm, and supportive \[…\]
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/the-novel-year-w-susan-coll-2/)
$5,400.00 12 tickets left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/the-novel-year-w-susan-coll-2/#tribe-tickets)
- ### February 2027
#### [ The Writer’s Center CraftCon – Now Accepting Panel Proposals! ](https://writer.org/event/craftcon/ "The Writer’s Center CraftCon – Now Accepting Panel Proposals!")
02.05.2027 @ 11:00 AM EST – 4:30 PM EST
[The Writer’s Center](https://writer.org/venue/bethesda/ "The Writer’s Center") 4508 Walsh Street
Bethesda, MD 20815 United States
[Google Map](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=38.97949%2C-77.090791)
The Writer’s Center CraftCon now accepting panel proposals! Do you have new ideas about the art and methods of writing that you can’t wait to share? If so, The Writer’s Center is now accepting panel proposals for CraftCon, a one-day virtual conference on the future of the craft of creative writing. We’re looking for writers and/or educators with ideas for new approaches to the craft of writing in and across all genres. Panel proposals should highlight new conceptualizations of craft or new angles on the old standards. We’re also interested in panels that propose new approaches to creative writing pedagogy. In \[…\]
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/craftcon/)
$100.00 – $125.00 499 tickets left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/craftcon/#tribe-tickets)
#### [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner ](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way-a-year-of-creative-reawakening-w-lindsey-van-wagner-2/ "The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner")
02.06.2027 @ 11:30 AM EST – 12.04.2027 @ 1:00 PM EST
[Lindsey Van Wagner](https://writer.org/organizer/lindsey-van-wagner/ "Lindsey Van Wagner")
[The Writer’s Center](https://writer.org/venue/bethesda/ "The Writer’s Center") 4508 Walsh Street
Bethesda, MD 20815 United States
Through reflection, community, and practice, you’ll awaken the artist within and build a creative life that feels aligned and alive. This year-long journey through The Artist’s Way offers a sustained path for creative reawakening and artistic growth. Writers, artists, and creative seekers will move chapter by chapter through Julia Cameron’s classic text, reconnecting with their sense of purpose and play. The course offers the freedom to move at your own pace on Wet Ink, while monthly in-person gatherings provide structure, engagement, and a sense of shared creative energy. Participants will receive guidance, accountability, and community support as you nurture your creative \[…\]
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way-a-year-of-creative-reawakening-w-lindsey-van-wagner-2/)
$2,000.00 20 tickets left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way-a-year-of-creative-reawakening-w-lindsey-van-wagner-2/#tribe-tickets)
#### [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung ](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year-w-nicole-chung-2/ "Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung")
02.09.2027 @ 7:00 PM EST – 11.16.2027 @ 9:00 PM EST
[Nicole Chung](https://writer.org/organizer/nicole-chung/ "Nicole Chung")
[Zoom](https://writer.org/venue/zoom/ "Zoom")
Work on your book with bestselling author Nicole Chung! This intensive workshop is open to writers working on a memoir, memoir-in-essays, or essay collection. You’ll have the opportunity to participate in lively craft discussions, reflection/writing exercises, and in-depth workshops designed to help you identify and hone your strengths as a writer. If you have an idea for a book project and are looking to jumpstart it—or are already underway, but struggling to maintain your momentum—this class will help you take concrete next steps and deepen your craft in a supportive and generative community. Attend the Virtual Info Session Tuesday, December 15th, \[…\]
[Find out more](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year-w-nicole-chung-2/)
$5,400.00 15 tickets left[Register Now](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year-w-nicole-chung-2/#tribe-tickets)
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---
### [Curated Conversation(s): a Latinx Poetry Show](https://writer.org/curated-conversations-a-latinx-poetry-show/)
**Published:** June 21, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
#### Deep Dives into Latinx Poetry
Curated Conversation(s) connects you with Latinx poets working in the United States, United Kingdom, and beyond.
## Season 2: Episodes 1-6
Join us for the second season of Curated Conversation(s): a Latinx Poetry Show, as we feature seven pairings of poets from the United Kingdom and the United States in transatlantic discussions of their work. Installments will launch on the fourth Tuesday of every other month at 7pm ET. And you can view all the past episodes below.
Episode 1
UK poet Maia Elsner and US poet Janel Pineda
Tuesday, February 28, 2023
Episode 2
UK poet Andrés N. Ordorica and US poet Christopher Soto
April 25, 2023
Episode 3
US poet José Olivarez and UK poet Oliver Sedano-Jones
June 27, 2023
Episode 4
UK poet Juana Adcock and US poet Raina J. León
August 29, 2023
Episode 5
UK poet Adriana Díaz Enciso and US poet Alexandra Lytton Regalado
October 24, 2023
Episode 6
UK poet Monika Radojevic and US poet Vickie Vértiz
Tuesday, December 26, 2023
[Register for the YouTube Premiere](/event/cc2_e6/)
Prologue
US poet Francisco Aragón and UK poet Leo Boix discuss their work and introduce Season 2
January 24, 2023
##### videoTextBlockModalseriesTitle
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Your browser does not support the video tag.
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Season two of Curated Conversation(s): A Latinx Poetry Show is a collaboration between The Writer’s Center, *Poet Lore*, Un Nuevo Sol, and Letras Latinas, the literary initiative at the University of Notre Dame’s Institute for Latino Studies. Season two is funded by the Poetry Foundation and the generosity of individual donors.
[  ](#) [  ](#) [  ](#) [  ](#)
## Season 1: Episodes 1-12
All Season 1 episodes now streaming! Join us to watch an interview with a Latinx poet who has recently published their first book. The debut poets themselves have selected their interlocutors.
Episode 1
Anthony Cody discusses *Borderland Apocrypha* with Keith S. Wilson
February 23, 2021
Episode 2
Jacqueline Balderrama discusses *Now In Color* with Cynthia Hogue
March 30, 2021
Episode 3
Benjamin Garcia discusses *Thrown In the Throat* with Dana Levin
April 27, 2021
Episode 4
Dr. Grisel Y. Acosta discusses *Things to Pack On the Way to Everywhere* with Yesenia Montilla
May 25, 2021
Episode 5
Michael Torres discusses *An Incomplete List of Names* with Diana Marie Delgado
June 29, 2021
Episode 6
Caridad Moro-Gronlier discusses *Tortillera* with Richard Blanco
July 27, 2021
Episode 7
Sara Lupita Olivares discusses *Migratory Sound* with Iliana Rocha
August 31, 2021
Episode 8
Ricardo Alberto Maldonado discusses *The Life Assignment* with Yvette Siegert
September 28, 2021
Episode 9
Liliana Valenzuela discusses *Codex of Love: Bendita Ternura* with John Olivares Espinoza
October 26, 2021
Episode 10
Antonio López discusses *Gentefication* with Cathy Park Hong
November 30, 2021
Episode 11
M. Soledad Caballero discusses *I Was a Bell* with Rebecca Morgan Frank
December 28, 2021
Episode 12
Darrel Alejandro Holnes discusses *Stepmotherland* with Hafizah Geter
January 25, 2022
##### videoTextBlockModalseriesTitle
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Your browser does not support the video tag.
Close Popup
Season 1 of Curated Conversation(s) is a collaboration between The Writer’s Center, Duende District, *Poet Lore*, and Letras Latinas, the literary initiative at the University of Notre Dame’s Institute for Latino Studies. Season 1 is funded by the Poetry Foundation and the generosity of individual donors.
[  ](#) [  ](#) [  ](#) [  ](#)
### Thanks to Our Poets for Being Part
of the Show!
Our featured poets shared their insights, passion for poetry, and time to make Curated Conversation(s) a success. Please support them by reading their work and purchasing their books.
 Caridad Moro-Gronlier
 Dr. Grisel Y. Acosta
 Benjamin Garcia
 Jacqueline Balderrama
 Anthony Cody
 Torres Michael
 Antonio López
 Darrel Alejandro Holnes
 Ricardo Maldonado
 Sara Lupita Olivares
 Liliana Valenzuela
 M Soledad Caballero
 Adriana Díaz Enciso
 Alexandra Lytton Regalado
 Andrés Ordorica
 Christopher Soto
 May 6, 2022; Francisco Aragon (Photo by Matt Cashore/University of Notre Dame) Francisco Aragon
 Janel Pineda
 José Olivarez
 Juana Girasola
 Leo Boix
 Maia Elsner
 Monika Radojevic
 Oliver Sedano Jones
 Raina J León
 Vickie Vértiz
 ## Join Us for More Free Events for Writers
The Writer’s Center hosts dozens of free events every year, online and in-person. You’ll learn about the craft of writing directly from acclaimed authors.
[Free Events calendar](/free-events-calendar/)
---
### [FAQs & Contact](https://writer.org/faqs-contact/)
**Published:** June 13, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
## General Questions
## Where are you located?
The Writer’s Center is located in Bethesda, Md right off of Wisconsin Ave. For directions to our building and operating hours, [click here »](/location-hours/ "Location & Hours")
## Where can I park?
Public parking is available directly across Walsh Street from The Writer’s Center in a county parking lot. The meters in this lot are effective Monday through Saturday, 9:00am – 10:00pm and free on Sundays. Meters accept payment through the [ParkMobile](https://parkmobile.io/) app. *Please note that The Writer’s Center is not able to make change for meters*. Additional metered parking is available in the Capital Crescent Garage (7171 Woodmont Ave, Bethesda, MD 20814), just a 5-minute walk from the Center.
## How do I see membership prices on the website?
If you are already a registered member, you need to login to view the membership prices.
## What is your refund policy?
If The Writer’s Center has to cancel a workshop for any reason, you will be notified via email and offered your choice of either a refund or a credit, which you have a year to use. If you withdraw from a course within the drop period, you will be given a credit good for up to a year. For our full refund and withdrawal policies, [click here »](/withdraw/)
## How do I withdraw from a workshop?
To withdraw from a course, please **click here** or call us at 301-654-8664. You will receive a credit code to apply to a future workshop or membership purchase. Credit is good for up to one year after you withdraw from a course. Refunds are not offered for withdrawals.
## What is your inclement weather policy?
The Writer’s Center follows the lead of the federal government in delayed openings and closures due to severe inclement weather. Workshop participants can check [opm.gov](https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/snow-dismissal-procedures/current-status/) status for the daily government status. If the government announces a two-hour delay, all morning workshops and events will be moved to virtual Zoom sessions; rentals and in-person events will be canceled. In the event of a government closure, all workshops (morning and evening) will be moved to virtual Zoom sessions; all rentals and in-person events will be canceled. Rentals can be rescheduled once the office is reopened. If hazardous weather develops during the day while the office is open, evening workshops and will be moved to virtual Zoom sessions and evening rentals will be canceled. Workshops and events originally scheduled for Zoom or Wet Ink will not be affected by closures.
## Online Workshops
## How do online classes work?
We currently offer online workshops in two different ways: live on Zoom, and asynchronously on Wet Ink. The workshop platform info will be listed under the workshop description on our website. After you register for a class, you will receive an email from us with login information a day or two before the workshop is scheduled to begin. Wet Ink is a platform that allows you to log in at any time to view weekly lessons from the instructor, post assignments, and respond to fellow writer’s work in discussion threads. Zoom workshops have a designated meeting time and take place live, as they would in person.
## Why doesn’t my workshop list a meeting time?
If your workshop does not list a meeting time, that means it is taking place asynchronously on Wet Ink, not live on Zoom. Wet Ink is a forum-based platform that allows you to work on your own schedule. You will be able to log in on the start date and then complete assignments, receive feedback, and interact with classmates at your own pace. Assignments are typically due at the end of each week.
## I’ve just registered for my first online workshop. Now what?
After your purchase, you will receive a confirmation email from The Writer’s Center to the e-mail address you provided at checkout. This confirmation will not include information on how to access your online workshop. Within 48 hours of the start of your online workshop, you will receive an e-mail from The Writer’s Center with a link to the online workshop space.
## Do I need any special equipment for an online workshop?
If you are taking an asynchronous workshop on Wet Ink, all you need is yourself, your computer, and internet access. If you are taking a workshop that meets on Zoom, you will need all the above plus access to your web cam and microphone.
## What about my workshop leader? What kinds of interactions will I have with them?
The Writer’s Center encourages workshop leaders to personalize their workshop space with their biographies, images, and syllabi which give you access to your workshop leader’s expectations for the workshop. You’ll also be able to write questions specifically to your workshop leader via forums, chats, or e-mail.
## What time does my asynchronous workshop start? What if I miss the first day or a whole week?
Our Wet Ink workshops are asynchonous classes, meaning there is no set meeting time. Your workshop leader will post lessons and assignments at the beginning of the week. You’ll have a whole week to read, prepare work, and post responses. If you miss a day, or even multiple days, there’s no need to worry! With asynchronous workshops you can participate when you’re ready.
## Are workshops recorded?
Because workshops may include the sharing of personal writing by participants, and because “thinking out loud” is encouraged, The Writer’s Center does not allow the recording of Zoom or in-person workshops. If you have to miss a session of a workshop, please contact your instructor for any missed materials or information.
## How long after my workshop can I continue to access the workshop?
Once the workshop has ended, the workshop web space will be available for one week. After this point, the workshop will be archived, so it is advisable to keep your own copies of any of the documents/resources you upload.
**If you have any additional questions, please contact us using the form below.**
## Contact Us
"\*" indicates required fields
Δ
Name\* First Last
Email\*
Phone
How Can We Help?\*
Submit
---
### [Workshops Calendar](https://writer.org/workshops-calendar/)
**Published:** June 21, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
35 events found.
# Events
## Events Search and Views Navigation
Search Enter Keyword. Search for Events by Keyword.
Find Events
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## Calendar of Events
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ### 14 events 27 ### 14 events, [ 27 ](https://writer.org/events/2026-09-27/?hide_subsequent_recurrences=1&shortcode=7cf7dbe4) 2026-01-20 [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/) The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll [### The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll ](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/ "The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll") January 20 @ 7:00 PM EST – December 1 @ 9:30 PM EST Venue : Zoom [  ](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/ "The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll") Bring your novel to life with best-selling author Susan Coll! Whether you have been thinking about writing a novel for years but are not sure how to get started, or are already published but embarking on a new project, this year-long workshop is intended to help get the next book off the ground. Watch the Virtual Info Session Meet Susan Coll, instructor for our Novel Year workshop, and have all your questions about the program answered! WATCH NOW >>> Over the course of twenty sessions, we will: create a fun, warm, and supportive writing community discuss and engage in exercises focused \[…\] [Register](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/) 2026-02-01 [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/) The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner [### The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner ](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/ "The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner") February 1 @ 12:00 AM EST – December 27 @ 12:00 AM EST Venue : Wet Ink [  ](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/ "The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner") Through reflection, community, and practice, you’ll awaken the artist within and build a creative life that feels aligned and alive. This year-long journey through The Artist’s Way offers a sustained path for creative reawakening and artistic growth. Writers, artists, and creative seekers will move chapter by chapter through Julia Cameron’s classic text, reconnecting with their sense of purpose and play. The course offers the freedom to move at your own pace on Wet Ink, while regular virtual gatherings provide structure, engagement, and a sense of shared creative energy. Participants will receive guidance, accountability, and community support as you nurture your creative \[…\] [Register](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/) $2,000.00 2026-02-03 [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/) Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung [### Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung ](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/ "Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung") February 3 @ 7:00 PM EST – November 17 @ 9:00 PM EST Venue : Zoom [  ](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/ "Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung") Work on your memoir with bestselling author Nicole Chung! This intensive workshop is open to writers working on a memoir or memoir-in-essays. You’ll have the opportunity to participate in lively craft discussions, generative exercises, and in-depth workshops designed to help you identify and hone your strengths as a writer. If you have an idea for a memoir and are looking to jumpstart it—or are already underway, but want some help to maintain your momentum—this class will help you take concrete next steps and deepen your craft in a supportive community. Watch the Virtual Info Session Meet Nicole Chung, instructor for our \[…\] [Register](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/) 2026-03-04 [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/) Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko [### Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko ](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/ "Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko") March 4 @ 8:00 PM EST – December 30 @ 10:00 PM EST Venue : Zoom [  ](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/ "Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko") Jumpstart your novel and writing practice in this ten-month intensive! If you’re wondering how to write a novel and sustain a writing practice in the midst of everything, Novel Club is for you. Together, with the guidance of an experienced mentor and author and the camaraderie of your Novel Club cohort, this is the year we will write and revise our novels. Through craft talks, workshops, and generative exercises, you’ll experiment, look at your blocks, and define your creative process, building a regular writing practice that works for your project and busy life. You’ll find a clear path forward for your \[…\] [Register](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/) $5,400.00 2026-09-04 [ (Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intro-to-the-novel/) (Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel [### (Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intro-to-the-novel/ "(Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel") September 4 – October 23 Venue : Wet Ink Sessions: 8 Sessions [  ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intro-to-the-novel/ "(Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel") 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. [Register](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intro-to-the-novel/) $395.00 2026-09-08 [ Writing the Truth: Lessons in Nonfiction Writing](https://writer.org/event/writing-the-truth-lessons-in-nonfiction-writing-3/) Writing the Truth: Lessons in Nonfiction Writing [### Writing the Truth: Lessons in Nonfiction Writing ](https://writer.org/event/writing-the-truth-lessons-in-nonfiction-writing-3/ "Writing the Truth: Lessons in Nonfiction Writing") September 8 @ 1:00 PM EDT – September 29 @ 4:00 PM EDT Venue : Zoom Sessions: 4 Sessions [  ](https://writer.org/event/writing-the-truth-lessons-in-nonfiction-writing-3/ "Writing the Truth: Lessons in Nonfiction Writing") The workshop is designed for beginning writers looking to gain a footing in non-fiction writing of different length and format, from first-person essays to long-form magazine writing and even book-length projects. You’ll learn both by reading and by writing. [Register](https://writer.org/event/writing-the-truth-lessons-in-nonfiction-writing-3/) $215.00 2026-09-09 [ Archival Research for Creative Writing](https://writer.org/event/archival-research-for-creative-writing/) Archival Research for Creative Writing [### Archival Research for Creative Writing ](https://writer.org/event/archival-research-for-creative-writing/ "Archival Research for Creative Writing") September 9 @ 4:00 PM EDT – October 7 @ 6:00 PM EDT Venue : Zoom Sessions: 5 Sessions [  ](https://writer.org/event/archival-research-for-creative-writing/ "Archival Research for Creative Writing") An introduction to archival research through narrative writing and experimentation. Learn how to work with and historical resources, interpret gaps, and reconstruct your own story as a public history tool. The workshop will include a presentation of examples from the instructor’s current research process, featuring archival imagery, documents and story iterations. Participants will engage in exercises to think and write through their own narrative projects, whether meant for personal memoir or public scholarship. Designed for emerging scholars, writers, and community members interested in recovering underrepresented histories. [Register](https://writer.org/event/archival-research-for-creative-writing/) $250.00 2026-09-14 [ (Wet Ink) Experimentation in Flash Fiction](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-experimentation-in-flash-fiction/) (Wet Ink) Experimentation in Flash Fiction [### (Wet Ink) Experimentation in Flash Fiction ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-experimentation-in-flash-fiction/ "(Wet Ink) Experimentation in Flash Fiction") September 14 – October 5 Venue : Wet Ink Sessions: 4 Sessions [  ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-experimentation-in-flash-fiction/ "(Wet Ink) Experimentation in Flash Fiction") 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. [Register](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-experimentation-in-flash-fiction/) $215.00 2026-09-14 [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/) (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice [### (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/ "(Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice") September 14 – November 2 Venue : Wet Ink Sessions: 8 Sessions [  ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/ "(Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice") Look beyond your inner critic and limiting beliefs to tap into the flow of your boundless creativity, as you discover the powerful impact of your authentic voice. Over eight weeks, we’ll be identifying unhelpful thoughts, deconstructing doubt, and building a sustained creative recovery practice that lets you write compelling pieces and foster a special connection with your readers. In a safe and supportive space, reintroduce your childlike wonder around creativity so you can write freely, reclaim your power, and uncover your true gifts. Unleash your brilliance and honor the impact of your stories, lessons, and innermost thoughts. Walk away feeling empowered with fresh awareness, confidence in your writing, and practical tools to stay inspired and let your art flow freely—long after the workshop ends. While the core workshop runs asynchronously on Wet Ink, it includes two optional live Zoom sessions, one at the start to meet as a group and set intentions, and one at the midpoint to check in, share progress, and troubleshoot together. Dates and times will be pre-set and shared upon registration; attendance is optional and encouraged, not required. [Register](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/) $395.00 2026-09-15 [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/) One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell [### One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell ](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/ "One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell") 09.15.2026 @ 11:00 AM EDT – 06.22.2027 @ 1:00 PM EDT Venue : Zoom [  ](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/ "One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell") 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 Betsy Cornwell, instructor for our yearlong YA novel workshop, and have all your questions about the program answered! https://youtu.be/4NLB6r0iyIw What to expect: Live classes every two weeks will focus on craft talks, close reading, and the development of a practical “tool box” of writing \[…\] [Register](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/) $5,400.00 2026-09-16 [ From Novice to Novelist](https://writer.org/event/from-novice-to-novelist-4/) From Novice to Novelist [### From Novice to Novelist ](https://writer.org/event/from-novice-to-novelist-4/ "From Novice to Novelist") September 16 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 21 @ 9:00 PM EDT Venue : Zoom Sessions: 6 Sessions [  ](https://writer.org/event/from-novice-to-novelist-4/ "From Novice to Novelist") 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. [Register](https://writer.org/event/from-novice-to-novelist-4/) $295.00 2026-09-20 [ Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories](https://writer.org/event/writing-the-fictionalized-autobiography-coming-of-age-stories/) Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories [### Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories ](https://writer.org/event/writing-the-fictionalized-autobiography-coming-of-age-stories/ "Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories") September 20 @ 1:00 PM EDT – October 18 @ 3:30 PM EDT Venue : Zoom Sessions: 5 Sessions [  ](https://writer.org/event/writing-the-fictionalized-autobiography-coming-of-age-stories/ "Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories") More and more, popular culture has been fascinated by narratives that depict coming of age from the perspective of the child in the form of memoir, often demonstrating cultural diversity. This workshop will focus stories drawn from participants’ own life experiences that have certain fictional elements and are structured like fiction. During each week of the course, we will write short pieces of memoir, based on the following: certain places and individuals you remember, certain traditions and even collective traumas that predate the first-person narrator, certain positive events as well as troubling events, with the liberty to fictionalize and embellish the autobiographical story. We will develop a foundation for the elements of fiction: plot, character, internal monologue, and dialogue while studying published works in the genre. [Register](https://writer.org/event/writing-the-fictionalized-autobiography-coming-of-age-stories/) $250.00 2026-09-23 [ The Extreme Novelist](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/) The Extreme Novelist [### The Extreme Novelist ](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/ "The Extreme Novelist") September 23 @ 7:00 PM EDT – November 11 @ 9:30 PM EST Venue : Zoom Sessions: 8 Sessions [  ](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/ "The Extreme Novelist") 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.) [Register](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/) $395.00 2026-09-24 [ Book Marketing On A Budget](https://writer.org/event/book-marketing-on-a-budget-7/) Book Marketing On A Budget [### Book Marketing On A Budget ](https://writer.org/event/book-marketing-on-a-budget-7/ "Book Marketing On A Budget") September 24 @ 9:00 AM EDT – October 1 @ 10:30 AM EDT Venue : Zoom Sessions: 2 Sessions [  ](https://writer.org/event/book-marketing-on-a-budget-7/ "Book Marketing On A Budget") You’ve written, or are writing your book; now it’s time to fight for it! In this workshop you’ll discover over 25 practical, budget-friendly book marketing strategies, from building a book launch to leveraging social media, blogs, podcasts, Amazon tools, press releases, and more. Each session will be fast-paced, idea-heavy, and packed with real-world tactics you can apply immediately. By the end of the program, you’ll walk away with a personalized, actionable marketing plan, and the confidence to promote your book like a pro. [Register](https://writer.org/event/book-marketing-on-a-budget-7/) $100.00 | ### 15 events 28 ### 15 events, [ 28 ](https://writer.org/events/2026-09-28/?hide_subsequent_recurrences=1&shortcode=7cf7dbe4) 2026-01-20 [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/) 2026-02-01 [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/) 2026-02-03 [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/) 2026-03-04 [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/) 2026-09-04 [ (Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intro-to-the-novel/) 2026-09-08 [ Writing the Truth: Lessons in Nonfiction Writing](https://writer.org/event/writing-the-truth-lessons-in-nonfiction-writing-3/) 2026-09-09 [ Archival Research for Creative Writing](https://writer.org/event/archival-research-for-creative-writing/) 2026-09-14 [ (Wet Ink) Experimentation in Flash Fiction](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-experimentation-in-flash-fiction/) 2026-09-14 [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/) 2026-09-15 [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/) 2026-09-16 [ From Novice to Novelist](https://writer.org/event/from-novice-to-novelist-4/) 2026-09-20 [ Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories](https://writer.org/event/writing-the-fictionalized-autobiography-coming-of-age-stories/) 2026-09-23 [ The Extreme Novelist](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/) 2026-09-24 [ Book Marketing On A Budget](https://writer.org/event/book-marketing-on-a-budget-7/) 4:00 PM EDT ### [ Finish Your Poetry Book ](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/ "Finish Your Poetry Book") [### Finish Your Poetry Book ](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/ "Finish Your Poetry Book") September 28 @ 4:00 PM EDT – November 30 @ 6:00 PM EST Venue : Zoom Sessions: 10 Sessions [  ](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/ "Finish Your Poetry Book") Whether you have just started your manuscript, or have made significant progress, this course will help you get over the finish line. We’ll learn how to structure the book in a way that adds layers of meaning to the poems within, generate new work to fill in the structure, and hone poems until they are book-ready. To finish, students will revise the book as a whole and make a publication plan. [Register](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/) $415.00 2026-09-28 [ Finish Your Poetry Book](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/) Finish Your Poetry Book [### Finish Your Poetry Book ](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/ "Finish Your Poetry Book") September 28 @ 4:00 PM EDT – November 30 @ 6:00 PM EST Venue : Zoom Sessions: 10 Sessions [  ](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/ "Finish Your Poetry Book") Whether you have just started your manuscript, or have made significant progress, this course will help you get over the finish line. We’ll learn how to structure the book in a way that adds layers of meaning to the poems within, generate new work to fill in the structure, and hone poems until they are book-ready. To finish, students will revise the book as a whole and make a publication plan. [Register](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/) $415.00 | ### 16 events 29 ### 16 events, [ 29 ](https://writer.org/events/2026-09-29/?hide_subsequent_recurrences=1&shortcode=7cf7dbe4) 2026-01-20 [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/) 2026-02-01 [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/) 2026-02-03 [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/) 2026-03-04 [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/) 2026-09-04 [ (Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intro-to-the-novel/) 2026-09-08 [ Writing the Truth: Lessons in Nonfiction Writing](https://writer.org/event/writing-the-truth-lessons-in-nonfiction-writing-3/) 2026-09-09 [ Archival Research for Creative Writing](https://writer.org/event/archival-research-for-creative-writing/) 2026-09-14 [ (Wet Ink) Experimentation in Flash Fiction](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-experimentation-in-flash-fiction/) 2026-09-14 [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/) 2026-09-15 [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/) 2026-09-16 [ From Novice to Novelist](https://writer.org/event/from-novice-to-novelist-4/) 2026-09-20 [ Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories](https://writer.org/event/writing-the-fictionalized-autobiography-coming-of-age-stories/) 2026-09-23 [ The Extreme Novelist](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/) 2026-09-24 [ Book Marketing On A Budget](https://writer.org/event/book-marketing-on-a-budget-7/) 2026-09-28 [ Finish Your Poetry Book](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/) 7:00 PM EDT ### [ Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing ](https://writer.org/event/fundamentals-of-persuasive-writing-3/ "Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing") [### Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing ](https://writer.org/event/fundamentals-of-persuasive-writing-3/ "Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing") September 29 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 20 @ 9:30 PM EDT Venue : Zoom Sessions: 4 Sessions [  ](https://writer.org/event/fundamentals-of-persuasive-writing-3/ "Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing") Learn how to pack a powerful punch when writing persuasively! This four-week workshop covers the processes involved in writing persuasively and with confidence, whether it is crafting newspaper op-eds and speeches or official emails, memos, letters and proposals. Everything starts with a core message. Think. Plan. Write. Participants will learn the techniques of audience analysis, message development, targeted research, organization, using persuasive language and effective use of “AI” in planning/strategizing. This class features hands-on writing instruction, engaging discussion and an extensive reading list. [Register](https://writer.org/event/fundamentals-of-persuasive-writing-3/) $215.00 2026-09-29 [ Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing](https://writer.org/event/fundamentals-of-persuasive-writing-3/) Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing [### Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing ](https://writer.org/event/fundamentals-of-persuasive-writing-3/ "Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing") September 29 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 20 @ 9:30 PM EDT Venue : Zoom Sessions: 4 Sessions [  ](https://writer.org/event/fundamentals-of-persuasive-writing-3/ "Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing") Learn how to pack a powerful punch when writing persuasively! This four-week workshop covers the processes involved in writing persuasively and with confidence, whether it is crafting newspaper op-eds and speeches or official emails, memos, letters and proposals. Everything starts with a core message. Think. Plan. Write. Participants will learn the techniques of audience analysis, message development, targeted research, organization, using persuasive language and effective use of “AI” in planning/strategizing. This class features hands-on writing instruction, engaging discussion and an extensive reading list. [Register](https://writer.org/event/fundamentals-of-persuasive-writing-3/) $215.00 | ### 15 events 30 ### 15 events, [ 30 ](https://writer.org/events/2026-09-30/?hide_subsequent_recurrences=1&shortcode=7cf7dbe4) 2026-01-20 [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/) 2026-02-01 [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/) 2026-02-03 [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/) 2026-03-04 [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/) 2026-09-04 [ (Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intro-to-the-novel/) 2026-09-09 [ Archival Research for Creative Writing](https://writer.org/event/archival-research-for-creative-writing/) 2026-09-14 [ (Wet Ink) Experimentation in Flash Fiction](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-experimentation-in-flash-fiction/) 2026-09-14 [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/) 2026-09-15 [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/) 2026-09-16 [ From Novice to Novelist](https://writer.org/event/from-novice-to-novelist-4/) 2026-09-20 [ Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories](https://writer.org/event/writing-the-fictionalized-autobiography-coming-of-age-stories/) 2026-09-23 [ The Extreme Novelist](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/) 2026-09-24 [ Book Marketing On A Budget](https://writer.org/event/book-marketing-on-a-budget-7/) 2026-09-28 [ Finish Your Poetry Book](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/) 2026-09-29 [ Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing](https://writer.org/event/fundamentals-of-persuasive-writing-3/) | ### 17 events 1 ### 17 events, [ 1 ](https://writer.org/events/2026-10-01/?hide_subsequent_recurrences=1&shortcode=7cf7dbe4) 2026-01-20 [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/) 2026-02-01 [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/) 2026-02-03 [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/) 2026-03-04 [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/) 2026-09-04 [ (Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intro-to-the-novel/) 6:30 PM EDT ### [ Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot ](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/ "Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot") [### Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot ](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/ "Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot") October 1 @ 6:30 PM EDT – November 19 @ 8:30 PM EST Venue : Zoom Sessions: 8 Sessions [  ](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/ "Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot") This workshop is an example of a mini-writers room. Lots of give & take and positive feedback. A true collaborative environment. [Register](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/) $395.00 2026-10-01 [ Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/) Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot [### Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot ](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/ "Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot") October 1 @ 6:30 PM EDT – November 19 @ 8:30 PM EST Venue : Zoom Sessions: 8 Sessions [  ](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/ "Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot") This workshop is an example of a mini-writers room. Lots of give & take and positive feedback. A true collaborative environment. [Register](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/) $395.00 2026-09-09 [ Archival Research for Creative Writing](https://writer.org/event/archival-research-for-creative-writing/) 2026-09-14 [ (Wet Ink) Experimentation in Flash Fiction](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-experimentation-in-flash-fiction/) 2026-09-14 [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/) 2026-09-15 [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/) 2026-09-16 [ From Novice to Novelist](https://writer.org/event/from-novice-to-novelist-4/) 2026-09-20 [ Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories](https://writer.org/event/writing-the-fictionalized-autobiography-coming-of-age-stories/) 2026-09-23 [ The Extreme Novelist](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/) 2026-09-24 [ Book Marketing On A Budget](https://writer.org/event/book-marketing-on-a-budget-7/) 2026-09-28 [ Finish Your Poetry Book](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/) 2026-09-29 [ Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing](https://writer.org/event/fundamentals-of-persuasive-writing-3/) 6:30 PM EDT ### [ Novel 101: How to Craft the Story ](https://writer.org/event/novel-101-how-to-craft-the-story-5/ "Novel 101: How to Craft the Story") [### Novel 101: How to Craft the Story ](https://writer.org/event/novel-101-how-to-craft-the-story-5/ "Novel 101: How to Craft the Story") October 1 @ 6:30 PM EDT – October 22 @ 8:30 PM EDT Venue : Zoom Sessions: 4 Sessions If you’ve always wanted to create your own exciting novel then this is the class for you. This class offers the key concepts of plotting and pacing while delving into different genres. Beginners have the opportunity to share their works with the class while also building confidence in their craft. Short homework assignments will encourage practice outside of assigned class hours. Students will leave with an evolved sense of fiction and the tools necessary to continue writing their own story. Live video conference: This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, Zoom. You can view brief tutorials on using the \[…\] [Register](https://writer.org/event/novel-101-how-to-craft-the-story-5/) $215.00 2026-10-01 [ Novel 101: How to Craft the Story](https://writer.org/event/novel-101-how-to-craft-the-story-5/) Novel 101: How to Craft the Story [### Novel 101: How to Craft the Story ](https://writer.org/event/novel-101-how-to-craft-the-story-5/ "Novel 101: How to Craft the Story") October 1 @ 6:30 PM EDT – October 22 @ 8:30 PM EDT Venue : Zoom Sessions: 4 Sessions If you’ve always wanted to create your own exciting novel then this is the class for you. This class offers the key concepts of plotting and pacing while delving into different genres. Beginners have the opportunity to share their works with the class while also building confidence in their craft. Short homework assignments will encourage practice outside of assigned class hours. Students will leave with an evolved sense of fiction and the tools necessary to continue writing their own story. Live video conference: This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, Zoom. You can view brief tutorials on using the \[…\] [Register](https://writer.org/event/novel-101-how-to-craft-the-story-5/) $215.00 | ### 17 events 2 ### 17 events, [ 2 ](https://writer.org/events/2026-10-02/?hide_subsequent_recurrences=1&shortcode=7cf7dbe4) 2026-01-20 [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/) 2026-02-01 [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/) 2026-02-03 [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/) 2026-03-04 [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/) 2026-09-04 [ (Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intro-to-the-novel/) 2026-10-01 [ Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/) 2026-09-09 [ Archival Research for Creative Writing](https://writer.org/event/archival-research-for-creative-writing/) 2026-09-14 [ (Wet Ink) Experimentation in Flash Fiction](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-experimentation-in-flash-fiction/) 2026-09-14 [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/) 2026-09-15 [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/) 2026-09-16 [ From Novice to Novelist](https://writer.org/event/from-novice-to-novelist-4/) 2026-09-20 [ Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories](https://writer.org/event/writing-the-fictionalized-autobiography-coming-of-age-stories/) 2026-09-23 [ The Extreme Novelist](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/) 12:00 AM EDT ### [ (Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-plotting-your-novel/ "(Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel") [### (Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-plotting-your-novel/ "(Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel") October 2 – October 23 Venue : Wet Ink Sessions: 4 Sessions [  ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-plotting-your-novel/ "(Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel") 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. [Register](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-plotting-your-novel/) $215.00 2026-10-02 [ (Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-plotting-your-novel/) (Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel [### (Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-plotting-your-novel/ "(Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel") October 2 – October 23 Venue : Wet Ink Sessions: 4 Sessions [  ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-plotting-your-novel/ "(Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel") 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. [Register](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-plotting-your-novel/) $215.00 2026-09-28 [ Finish Your Poetry Book](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/) 2026-09-29 [ Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing](https://writer.org/event/fundamentals-of-persuasive-writing-3/) 2026-10-01 [ Novel 101: How to Craft the Story](https://writer.org/event/novel-101-how-to-craft-the-story-5/) | ### 18 events 3 ### 18 events, [ 3 ](https://writer.org/events/2026-10-03/?hide_subsequent_recurrences=1&shortcode=7cf7dbe4) 2026-01-20 [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/) 2026-02-01 [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/) 2026-02-03 [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/) 2026-03-04 [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/) 2026-09-04 [ (Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intro-to-the-novel/) 2026-10-01 [ Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/) 2026-09-09 [ Archival Research for Creative Writing](https://writer.org/event/archival-research-for-creative-writing/) 2026-09-14 [ (Wet Ink) Experimentation in Flash Fiction](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-experimentation-in-flash-fiction/) 2026-09-14 [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/) 2026-09-15 [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/) 2026-09-16 [ From Novice to Novelist](https://writer.org/event/from-novice-to-novelist-4/) 2026-09-20 [ Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories](https://writer.org/event/writing-the-fictionalized-autobiography-coming-of-age-stories/) 2026-09-23 [ The Extreme Novelist](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/) 2026-10-02 [ (Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-plotting-your-novel/) 2026-09-28 [ Finish Your Poetry Book](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/) 2026-09-29 [ Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing](https://writer.org/event/fundamentals-of-persuasive-writing-3/) 2026-10-01 [ Novel 101: How to Craft the Story](https://writer.org/event/novel-101-how-to-craft-the-story-5/) 10:00 AM EDT ### [ Creating Conflict and Tension ](https://writer.org/event/creating-conflict-and-tension/ "Creating Conflict and Tension") [### Creating Conflict and Tension ](https://writer.org/event/creating-conflict-and-tension/ "Creating Conflict and Tension") October 3 @ 10:00 AM EDT – 12:30 PM EDT Venue : Zoom Sessions: 1 Session [  ](https://writer.org/event/creating-conflict-and-tension/ "Creating Conflict and Tension") 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. [Register](https://writer.org/event/creating-conflict-and-tension/) $60.00 |
| ### 18 events 4 ### 18 events, [ 4 ](https://writer.org/events/2026-10-04/?hide_subsequent_recurrences=1&shortcode=7cf7dbe4) 2026-01-20 [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/) The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll 2026-02-01 [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/) The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner 2026-02-03 [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/) Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung 2026-03-04 [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/) Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko 2026-09-04 [ (Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intro-to-the-novel/) (Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel 2026-09-09 [ Archival Research for Creative Writing](https://writer.org/event/archival-research-for-creative-writing/) Archival Research for Creative Writing 2026-09-14 [ (Wet Ink) Experimentation in Flash Fiction](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-experimentation-in-flash-fiction/) (Wet Ink) Experimentation in Flash Fiction 2026-09-14 [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/) (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice 2026-09-15 [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/) One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell 2026-09-16 [ From Novice to Novelist](https://writer.org/event/from-novice-to-novelist-4/) From Novice to Novelist 2026-09-20 [ Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories](https://writer.org/event/writing-the-fictionalized-autobiography-coming-of-age-stories/) Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories 2026-09-23 [ The Extreme Novelist](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/) The Extreme Novelist 2026-09-28 [ Finish Your Poetry Book](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/) Finish Your Poetry Book 2026-09-29 [ Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing](https://writer.org/event/fundamentals-of-persuasive-writing-3/) Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing 2026-10-01 [ Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/) Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot 2026-10-01 [ Novel 101: How to Craft the Story](https://writer.org/event/novel-101-how-to-craft-the-story-5/) Novel 101: How to Craft the Story 2026-10-02 [ (Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-plotting-your-novel/) (Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel 2:00 PM EDT ### [ Lyrical Memoir Writing ](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing-2/ "Lyrical Memoir Writing") [### Lyrical Memoir Writing ](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing-2/ "Lyrical Memoir Writing") October 4 @ 2:00 PM EDT – November 8 @ 4:00 PM EST Venue : Zoom Sessions: 6 Sessions [  ](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing-2/ "Lyrical Memoir Writing") How do we turn the fragments of memory into writing that resonates? In this workshop guided by award-winning poet Chioma Urama, you’ll learn the techniques of lyrical memoir writing—using image, rhythm, and voice to shape personal experience into powerful narratives. Through guided exercises and discussion, we’ll explore how to access subconscious thought and emotion, and how to find the deeper story hidden in everyday moments. With in-class prompts, shared readings, guided reflection, and a workshop, you’ll practice transforming raw memory into evocative writing that moves both you and your reader. You’ll leave with 2-3 new pieces of writing, a workshopped lyric essay, and inspiration to continue exploring your inner landscape. [Register](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing-2/) $295.00 2026-10-04 [ Lyrical Memoir Writing](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing-2/) Lyrical Memoir Writing [### Lyrical Memoir Writing ](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing-2/ "Lyrical Memoir Writing") October 4 @ 2:00 PM EDT – November 8 @ 4:00 PM EST Venue : Zoom Sessions: 6 Sessions [  ](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing-2/ "Lyrical Memoir Writing") How do we turn the fragments of memory into writing that resonates? In this workshop guided by award-winning poet Chioma Urama, you’ll learn the techniques of lyrical memoir writing—using image, rhythm, and voice to shape personal experience into powerful narratives. Through guided exercises and discussion, we’ll explore how to access subconscious thought and emotion, and how to find the deeper story hidden in everyday moments. With in-class prompts, shared readings, guided reflection, and a workshop, you’ll practice transforming raw memory into evocative writing that moves both you and your reader. You’ll leave with 2-3 new pieces of writing, a workshopped lyric essay, and inspiration to continue exploring your inner landscape. [Register](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing-2/) $295.00 | ### 19 events 5 ### 19 events, [ 5 ](https://writer.org/events/2026-10-05/?hide_subsequent_recurrences=1&shortcode=7cf7dbe4) 2026-01-20 [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/) 2026-02-01 [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/) 2026-02-03 [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/) 2026-03-04 [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/) 2026-09-04 [ (Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intro-to-the-novel/) 2026-09-09 [ Archival Research for Creative Writing](https://writer.org/event/archival-research-for-creative-writing/) 2026-09-14 [ (Wet Ink) Experimentation in Flash Fiction](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-experimentation-in-flash-fiction/) 2026-09-14 [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/) 2026-09-15 [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/) 2026-09-16 [ From Novice to Novelist](https://writer.org/event/from-novice-to-novelist-4/) 2026-09-20 [ Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories](https://writer.org/event/writing-the-fictionalized-autobiography-coming-of-age-stories/) 2026-09-23 [ The Extreme Novelist](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/) 2026-09-28 [ Finish Your Poetry Book](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/) 2026-09-29 [ Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing](https://writer.org/event/fundamentals-of-persuasive-writing-3/) 2026-10-01 [ Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/) 2026-10-01 [ Novel 101: How to Craft the Story](https://writer.org/event/novel-101-how-to-craft-the-story-5/) 2026-10-02 [ (Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-plotting-your-novel/) 2026-10-04 [ Lyrical Memoir Writing](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing-2/) 12:00 AM EDT ### [ (Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-the-art-of-the-pitch/ "(Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch") [### (Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-the-art-of-the-pitch/ "(Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch") October 5 – October 26 Venue : Wet Ink Sessions: 4 Sessions [  ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-the-art-of-the-pitch/ "(Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch") In this class, we’ll learn how to write a well-crafted pitch that can land you publication in top newspapers and magazines. Whether you are writing newsy personal essays or reported articles, we’ll learn how to catch an editor’s attention by pegging our pitch to a current event, and and showing that we’re the right person to tell this story. The teacher will share example pitches that have gotten her published, even with few credits to her name. You’ll leave class having sent 3-4 pitches to editors. [Register](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-the-art-of-the-pitch/) $215.00 2026-10-05 [ (Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-the-art-of-the-pitch/) (Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch [### (Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-the-art-of-the-pitch/ "(Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch") October 5 – October 26 Venue : Wet Ink Sessions: 4 Sessions [  ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-the-art-of-the-pitch/ "(Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch") In this class, we’ll learn how to write a well-crafted pitch that can land you publication in top newspapers and magazines. Whether you are writing newsy personal essays or reported articles, we’ll learn how to catch an editor’s attention by pegging our pitch to a current event, and and showing that we’re the right person to tell this story. The teacher will share example pitches that have gotten her published, even with few credits to her name. You’ll leave class having sent 3-4 pitches to editors. [Register](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-the-art-of-the-pitch/) $215.00 | ### 20 events 6 ### 20 events, [ 6 ](https://writer.org/events/2026-10-06/?hide_subsequent_recurrences=1&shortcode=7cf7dbe4) 2026-01-20 [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/) 2026-02-01 [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/) 2026-02-03 [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/) 2026-03-04 [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/) 2026-09-04 [ (Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intro-to-the-novel/) 2026-09-09 [ Archival Research for Creative Writing](https://writer.org/event/archival-research-for-creative-writing/) 7:00 PM EDT ### [ Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez ](https://writer.org/event/your-narrative-your-year-w-edgar-gomez/ "Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez") [### Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez ](https://writer.org/event/your-narrative-your-year-w-edgar-gomez/ "Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez") 10.06.2026 @ 7:00 PM EDT – 07.27.2027 @ 9:00 PM EDT Venue : Zoom [  ](https://writer.org/event/your-narrative-your-year-w-edgar-gomez/ "Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez") Write your memoir with award-winning author Edgar Gomez! In this intensive ten-month course, you will learn about the art of creative nonfiction and be given the tools to ready your \[…\] [Register](https://writer.org/event/your-narrative-your-year-w-edgar-gomez/) $5,400.00 2026-10-06 [ Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez](https://writer.org/event/your-narrative-your-year-w-edgar-gomez/) Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez [### Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez ](https://writer.org/event/your-narrative-your-year-w-edgar-gomez/ "Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez") 10.06.2026 @ 7:00 PM EDT – 07.27.2027 @ 9:00 PM EDT Venue : Zoom [  ](https://writer.org/event/your-narrative-your-year-w-edgar-gomez/ "Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez") Write your memoir with award-winning author Edgar Gomez! In this intensive ten-month course, you will learn about the art of creative nonfiction and be given the tools to ready your \[…\] [Register](https://writer.org/event/your-narrative-your-year-w-edgar-gomez/) $5,400.00 2026-09-14 [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/) 2026-09-15 [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/) 2026-09-16 [ From Novice to Novelist](https://writer.org/event/from-novice-to-novelist-4/) 2026-09-20 [ Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories](https://writer.org/event/writing-the-fictionalized-autobiography-coming-of-age-stories/) 2026-09-23 [ The Extreme Novelist](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/) 2026-09-28 [ Finish Your Poetry Book](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/) 2026-09-29 [ Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing](https://writer.org/event/fundamentals-of-persuasive-writing-3/) 2026-10-01 [ Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/) 2026-10-01 [ Novel 101: How to Craft the Story](https://writer.org/event/novel-101-how-to-craft-the-story-5/) 2026-10-02 [ (Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-plotting-your-novel/) 2026-10-04 [ Lyrical Memoir Writing](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing-2/) 2026-10-05 [ (Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-the-art-of-the-pitch/) 7:30 PM EDT ### [ Writing Poetry From Where You Live ](https://writer.org/event/writing-poetry-from-where-you-live/ "Writing Poetry From Where You Live") [### Writing Poetry From Where You Live ](https://writer.org/event/writing-poetry-from-where-you-live/ "Writing Poetry From Where You Live") October 6 @ 7:30 PM EDT – November 3 @ 9:30 PM EST Venue : Zoom Sessions: 5 Sessions [  ](https://writer.org/event/writing-poetry-from-where-you-live/ "Writing Poetry From Where You Live") Go beyond nature and love poetry to explore how you live and work in the suburb/city. Participants each week can expect to learn about basic poetry elements, such as line, image, point of view, and rhythm/music, as well as workshop poems each class as a group. Students will also learn how the themes of suburb/city can be used to create poetry that has relevance and purpose for readers and editors. By the end of the class, participants will learn how to go beyond their normal subjects for poems, as well as revise at least one poem. [Register](https://writer.org/event/writing-poetry-from-where-you-live/) $250.00 2026-10-06 [ Writing Poetry From Where You Live](https://writer.org/event/writing-poetry-from-where-you-live/) Writing Poetry From Where You Live [### Writing Poetry From Where You Live ](https://writer.org/event/writing-poetry-from-where-you-live/ "Writing Poetry From Where You Live") October 6 @ 7:30 PM EDT – November 3 @ 9:30 PM EST Venue : Zoom Sessions: 5 Sessions [  ](https://writer.org/event/writing-poetry-from-where-you-live/ "Writing Poetry From Where You Live") Go beyond nature and love poetry to explore how you live and work in the suburb/city. Participants each week can expect to learn about basic poetry elements, such as line, image, point of view, and rhythm/music, as well as workshop poems each class as a group. Students will also learn how the themes of suburb/city can be used to create poetry that has relevance and purpose for readers and editors. By the end of the class, participants will learn how to go beyond their normal subjects for poems, as well as revise at least one poem. [Register](https://writer.org/event/writing-poetry-from-where-you-live/) $250.00 | ### 20 events 7 ### 20 events, [ 7 ](https://writer.org/events/2026-10-07/?hide_subsequent_recurrences=1&shortcode=7cf7dbe4) 2026-01-20 [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/) 2026-02-01 [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/) 2026-02-03 [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/) 2026-03-04 [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/) 2026-09-04 [ (Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intro-to-the-novel/) 2026-09-09 [ Archival Research for Creative Writing](https://writer.org/event/archival-research-for-creative-writing/) 2026-10-06 [ Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez](https://writer.org/event/your-narrative-your-year-w-edgar-gomez/) 2026-09-14 [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/) 2026-09-15 [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/) 2026-09-16 [ From Novice to Novelist](https://writer.org/event/from-novice-to-novelist-4/) 2026-09-20 [ Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories](https://writer.org/event/writing-the-fictionalized-autobiography-coming-of-age-stories/) 2026-09-23 [ The Extreme Novelist](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/) 2026-09-28 [ Finish Your Poetry Book](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/) 2026-09-29 [ Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing](https://writer.org/event/fundamentals-of-persuasive-writing-3/) 2026-10-01 [ Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/) 2026-10-01 [ Novel 101: How to Craft the Story](https://writer.org/event/novel-101-how-to-craft-the-story-5/) 2026-10-02 [ (Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-plotting-your-novel/) 2026-10-04 [ Lyrical Memoir Writing](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing-2/) 2026-10-05 [ (Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-the-art-of-the-pitch/) 2026-10-06 [ Writing Poetry From Where You Live](https://writer.org/event/writing-poetry-from-where-you-live/) | ### 21 events 8 ### 21 events, [ 8 ](https://writer.org/events/2026-10-08/?hide_subsequent_recurrences=1&shortcode=7cf7dbe4) 2026-01-20 [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/) 2026-02-01 [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/) 2026-02-03 [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/) 2026-03-04 [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/) 2026-09-04 [ (Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intro-to-the-novel/) 6:30 PM EDT ### [ From Idea to First Draft ](https://writer.org/event/from-idea-to-first-draft/ "From Idea to First Draft") [### From Idea to First Draft ](https://writer.org/event/from-idea-to-first-draft/ "From Idea to First Draft") October 8 @ 6:30 PM EDT – October 22 @ 9:30 PM EDT Venue : The Writer’s Center Sessions: 3 Sessions [  ](https://writer.org/event/from-idea-to-first-draft/ "From Idea to First Draft") This class is designed for writers of all levels to help them find the story tapping them on the shoulder right now so they can put it on the page and begin the process of getting it out in the world where it belongs. The first session will focus on germinating new ideas or further exploring existing ones through prompts and discussion. The second is finding joy and harnessing the power of revision. The third and final session focuses on next steps and sharing your work. Writers will leave the class with a start of a new piece of creative nonfiction, memoir, or hybrid work. [Register](https://writer.org/event/from-idea-to-first-draft/) $150.00 2026-10-08 [ From Idea to First Draft](https://writer.org/event/from-idea-to-first-draft/) From Idea to First Draft [### From Idea to First Draft ](https://writer.org/event/from-idea-to-first-draft/ "From Idea to First Draft") October 8 @ 6:30 PM EDT – October 22 @ 9:30 PM EDT Venue : The Writer’s Center Sessions: 3 Sessions [  ](https://writer.org/event/from-idea-to-first-draft/ "From Idea to First Draft") This class is designed for writers of all levels to help them find the story tapping them on the shoulder right now so they can put it on the page and begin the process of getting it out in the world where it belongs. The first session will focus on germinating new ideas or further exploring existing ones through prompts and discussion. The second is finding joy and harnessing the power of revision. The third and final session focuses on next steps and sharing your work. Writers will leave the class with a start of a new piece of creative nonfiction, memoir, or hybrid work. [Register](https://writer.org/event/from-idea-to-first-draft/) $150.00 2026-10-06 [ Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez](https://writer.org/event/your-narrative-your-year-w-edgar-gomez/) 2026-09-14 [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/) 2026-09-15 [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/) 2026-09-16 [ From Novice to Novelist](https://writer.org/event/from-novice-to-novelist-4/) 2026-09-20 [ Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories](https://writer.org/event/writing-the-fictionalized-autobiography-coming-of-age-stories/) 2026-09-23 [ The Extreme Novelist](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/) 2026-09-28 [ Finish Your Poetry Book](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/) 2026-09-29 [ Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing](https://writer.org/event/fundamentals-of-persuasive-writing-3/) 2026-10-01 [ Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/) 2026-10-01 [ Novel 101: How to Craft the Story](https://writer.org/event/novel-101-how-to-craft-the-story-5/) 2026-10-02 [ (Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-plotting-your-novel/) 2026-10-04 [ Lyrical Memoir Writing](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing-2/) 2026-10-05 [ (Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-the-art-of-the-pitch/) 2026-10-06 [ Writing Poetry From Where You Live](https://writer.org/event/writing-poetry-from-where-you-live/) 7:00 PM EDT ### [ Writing Picture Books ](https://writer.org/event/writing-picture-books-6/ "Writing Picture Books") [### Writing Picture Books ](https://writer.org/event/writing-picture-books-6/ "Writing Picture Books") October 8 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 22 @ 9:30 PM EDT Venue : Zoom Sessions: 3 Sessions [  ](https://writer.org/event/writing-picture-books-6/ "Writing Picture Books") Learn how to write a picture book from a successful author of thirty award-winning books for children. Each session will begin with a short discussion of an aspect of writing for children, including story openings and arcs, characterization, plot/pacing, rhythm/sound, and marketing. Suggested readings, prompts, and feedback on in-class writing will inspire and guide writers in the class. By the end of the workshop, participants should have written and/or revised part or all of a picture book and have a better sense of how to create one in the future. Feedback will be offered on in-class exercises only rather than workshopping writing done outside of class. [Register](https://writer.org/event/writing-picture-books-6/) $150.00 2026-10-08 [ Writing Picture Books](https://writer.org/event/writing-picture-books-6/) Writing Picture Books [### Writing Picture Books ](https://writer.org/event/writing-picture-books-6/ "Writing Picture Books") October 8 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 22 @ 9:30 PM EDT Venue : Zoom Sessions: 3 Sessions [  ](https://writer.org/event/writing-picture-books-6/ "Writing Picture Books") Learn how to write a picture book from a successful author of thirty award-winning books for children. Each session will begin with a short discussion of an aspect of writing for children, including story openings and arcs, characterization, plot/pacing, rhythm/sound, and marketing. Suggested readings, prompts, and feedback on in-class writing will inspire and guide writers in the class. By the end of the workshop, participants should have written and/or revised part or all of a picture book and have a better sense of how to create one in the future. Feedback will be offered on in-class exercises only rather than workshopping writing done outside of class. [Register](https://writer.org/event/writing-picture-books-6/) $150.00 | ### 21 events 9 ### 21 events, [ 9 ](https://writer.org/events/2026-10-09/?hide_subsequent_recurrences=1&shortcode=7cf7dbe4) 2026-01-20 [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/) 2026-02-01 [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/) 2026-02-03 [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/) 2026-03-04 [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/) 2026-09-04 [ (Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intro-to-the-novel/) 2026-10-08 [ From Idea to First Draft](https://writer.org/event/from-idea-to-first-draft/) 2026-10-06 [ Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez](https://writer.org/event/your-narrative-your-year-w-edgar-gomez/) 2026-09-14 [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/) 2026-09-15 [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/) 2026-09-16 [ From Novice to Novelist](https://writer.org/event/from-novice-to-novelist-4/) 2026-09-20 [ Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories](https://writer.org/event/writing-the-fictionalized-autobiography-coming-of-age-stories/) 2026-09-23 [ The Extreme Novelist](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/) 2026-09-28 [ Finish Your Poetry Book](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/) 2026-09-29 [ Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing](https://writer.org/event/fundamentals-of-persuasive-writing-3/) 2026-10-01 [ Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/) 2026-10-01 [ Novel 101: How to Craft the Story](https://writer.org/event/novel-101-how-to-craft-the-story-5/) 2026-10-02 [ (Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-plotting-your-novel/) 2026-10-04 [ Lyrical Memoir Writing](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing-2/) 2026-10-05 [ (Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-the-art-of-the-pitch/) 2026-10-06 [ Writing Poetry From Where You Live](https://writer.org/event/writing-poetry-from-where-you-live/) 2026-10-08 [ Writing Picture Books](https://writer.org/event/writing-picture-books-6/) | ### 23 events 10 ### 23 events, [ 10 ](https://writer.org/events/2026-10-10/?hide_subsequent_recurrences=1&shortcode=7cf7dbe4) 2026-01-20 [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/) 2026-02-01 [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/) 2026-02-03 [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/) 2026-03-04 [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/) 2026-09-04 [ (Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intro-to-the-novel/) 2026-10-08 [ From Idea to First Draft](https://writer.org/event/from-idea-to-first-draft/) 2026-10-06 [ Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez](https://writer.org/event/your-narrative-your-year-w-edgar-gomez/) 2026-09-14 [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/) 2026-09-15 [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/) 2026-09-16 [ From Novice to Novelist](https://writer.org/event/from-novice-to-novelist-4/) 2026-09-20 [ Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories](https://writer.org/event/writing-the-fictionalized-autobiography-coming-of-age-stories/) 2026-09-23 [ The Extreme Novelist](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/) 2026-09-28 [ Finish Your Poetry Book](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/) 2026-09-29 [ Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing](https://writer.org/event/fundamentals-of-persuasive-writing-3/) 2026-10-01 [ Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/) 2026-10-01 [ Novel 101: How to Craft the Story](https://writer.org/event/novel-101-how-to-craft-the-story-5/) 2026-10-02 [ (Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-plotting-your-novel/) 2026-10-04 [ Lyrical Memoir Writing](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing-2/) 2026-10-05 [ (Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-the-art-of-the-pitch/) 2026-10-06 [ Writing Poetry From Where You Live](https://writer.org/event/writing-poetry-from-where-you-live/) 2026-10-08 [ Writing Picture Books](https://writer.org/event/writing-picture-books-6/) 10:30 AM EDT ### [ Preparing Your Work for Submission ](https://writer.org/event/preparing-your-work-for-submission/ "Preparing Your Work for Submission") [### Preparing Your Work for Submission ](https://writer.org/event/preparing-your-work-for-submission/ "Preparing Your Work for Submission") October 10 @ 10:30 AM EDT – December 12 @ 1:00 PM EST Venue : Zoom Sessions: 10 Sessions [  ](https://writer.org/event/preparing-your-work-for-submission/ "Preparing Your Work for Submission") 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. [Register](https://writer.org/event/preparing-your-work-for-submission/) $415.00 2026-10-10 [ Preparing Your Work for Submission](https://writer.org/event/preparing-your-work-for-submission/) Preparing Your Work for Submission [### Preparing Your Work for Submission ](https://writer.org/event/preparing-your-work-for-submission/ "Preparing Your Work for Submission") October 10 @ 10:30 AM EDT – December 12 @ 1:00 PM EST Venue : Zoom Sessions: 10 Sessions [  ](https://writer.org/event/preparing-your-work-for-submission/ "Preparing Your Work for Submission") 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. [Register](https://writer.org/event/preparing-your-work-for-submission/) $415.00 11:00 AM EDT ### [ Writing Beyond Genre ](https://writer.org/event/writing-beyond-genre/ "Writing Beyond Genre") [### Writing Beyond Genre ](https://writer.org/event/writing-beyond-genre/ "Writing Beyond Genre") October 10 @ 11:00 AM EDT – 1:00 PM EDT Venue : Zoom Sessions: 1 Session [  ](https://writer.org/event/writing-beyond-genre/ "Writing Beyond Genre") In this short workshop, we’ll explore writing that doesn’t care what you call it, work that resists easy attempts at categorization and chooses to wow us instead. We’ll read samples from some contemporary writers who are doing this best, and consider why anyone would bother to categorize their work at all, then we’ll get into prompts that lead us toward our own hard-to-classify texts. We’ll work through a few prompts of our own and leave the workshop with some short pieces to polish or expand, along with a better understanding of resisting genre. [Register](https://writer.org/event/writing-beyond-genre/) $60.00 |
| ### 22 events 11 ### 22 events, [ 11 ](https://writer.org/events/2026-10-11/?hide_subsequent_recurrences=1&shortcode=7cf7dbe4) 2026-01-20 [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/) The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll 2026-02-01 [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/) The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner 2026-02-03 [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/) Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung 2026-03-04 [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/) Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko 2026-09-04 [ (Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intro-to-the-novel/) (Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel 2026-09-14 [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/) (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice 2026-09-15 [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/) One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell 2026-09-16 [ From Novice to Novelist](https://writer.org/event/from-novice-to-novelist-4/) From Novice to Novelist 2026-09-20 [ Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories](https://writer.org/event/writing-the-fictionalized-autobiography-coming-of-age-stories/) Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories 2026-09-23 [ The Extreme Novelist](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/) The Extreme Novelist 2026-09-28 [ Finish Your Poetry Book](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/) Finish Your Poetry Book 2026-09-29 [ Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing](https://writer.org/event/fundamentals-of-persuasive-writing-3/) Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing 2026-10-01 [ Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/) Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot 2026-10-01 [ Novel 101: How to Craft the Story](https://writer.org/event/novel-101-how-to-craft-the-story-5/) Novel 101: How to Craft the Story 2026-10-02 [ (Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-plotting-your-novel/) (Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel 2026-10-04 [ Lyrical Memoir Writing](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing-2/) Lyrical Memoir Writing 2026-10-05 [ (Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-the-art-of-the-pitch/) (Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch 2026-10-06 [ Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez](https://writer.org/event/your-narrative-your-year-w-edgar-gomez/) Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez 2026-10-06 [ Writing Poetry From Where You Live](https://writer.org/event/writing-poetry-from-where-you-live/) Writing Poetry From Where You Live 2026-10-08 [ From Idea to First Draft](https://writer.org/event/from-idea-to-first-draft/) From Idea to First Draft 2026-10-08 [ Writing Picture Books](https://writer.org/event/writing-picture-books-6/) Writing Picture Books 2026-10-10 [ Preparing Your Work for Submission](https://writer.org/event/preparing-your-work-for-submission/) Preparing Your Work for Submission | ### 22 events 12 ### 22 events, [ 12 ](https://writer.org/events/2026-10-12/?hide_subsequent_recurrences=1&shortcode=7cf7dbe4) 2026-01-20 [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/) 2026-02-01 [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/) 2026-02-03 [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/) 2026-03-04 [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/) 2026-09-04 [ (Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intro-to-the-novel/) 2026-09-14 [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/) 2026-09-15 [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/) 2026-09-16 [ From Novice to Novelist](https://writer.org/event/from-novice-to-novelist-4/) 2026-09-20 [ Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories](https://writer.org/event/writing-the-fictionalized-autobiography-coming-of-age-stories/) 2026-09-23 [ The Extreme Novelist](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/) 2026-09-28 [ Finish Your Poetry Book](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/) 2026-09-29 [ Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing](https://writer.org/event/fundamentals-of-persuasive-writing-3/) 2026-10-01 [ Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/) 2026-10-01 [ Novel 101: How to Craft the Story](https://writer.org/event/novel-101-how-to-craft-the-story-5/) 2026-10-02 [ (Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-plotting-your-novel/) 2026-10-04 [ Lyrical Memoir Writing](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing-2/) 2026-10-05 [ (Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-the-art-of-the-pitch/) 2026-10-06 [ Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez](https://writer.org/event/your-narrative-your-year-w-edgar-gomez/) 2026-10-06 [ Writing Poetry From Where You Live](https://writer.org/event/writing-poetry-from-where-you-live/) 2026-10-08 [ From Idea to First Draft](https://writer.org/event/from-idea-to-first-draft/) 2026-10-08 [ Writing Picture Books](https://writer.org/event/writing-picture-books-6/) 2026-10-10 [ Preparing Your Work for Submission](https://writer.org/event/preparing-your-work-for-submission/) | ### 23 events 13 ### 23 events, [ 13 ](https://writer.org/events/2026-10-13/?hide_subsequent_recurrences=1&shortcode=7cf7dbe4) 2026-01-20 [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/) 2026-02-01 [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/) 2026-02-03 [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/) 2026-03-04 [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/) 2026-09-04 [ (Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intro-to-the-novel/) 2026-09-14 [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/) 2026-09-15 [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/) 2026-09-16 [ From Novice to Novelist](https://writer.org/event/from-novice-to-novelist-4/) 2026-09-20 [ Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories](https://writer.org/event/writing-the-fictionalized-autobiography-coming-of-age-stories/) 2026-09-23 [ The Extreme Novelist](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/) 2026-09-28 [ Finish Your Poetry Book](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/) 2026-09-29 [ Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing](https://writer.org/event/fundamentals-of-persuasive-writing-3/) 2026-10-01 [ Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/) 2026-10-01 [ Novel 101: How to Craft the Story](https://writer.org/event/novel-101-how-to-craft-the-story-5/) 2026-10-02 [ (Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-plotting-your-novel/) 2026-10-04 [ Lyrical Memoir Writing](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing-2/) 2026-10-05 [ (Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-the-art-of-the-pitch/) 2026-10-06 [ Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez](https://writer.org/event/your-narrative-your-year-w-edgar-gomez/) 2026-10-06 [ Writing Poetry From Where You Live](https://writer.org/event/writing-poetry-from-where-you-live/) 2026-10-08 [ From Idea to First Draft](https://writer.org/event/from-idea-to-first-draft/) 2026-10-08 [ Writing Picture Books](https://writer.org/event/writing-picture-books-6/) 2026-10-10 [ Preparing Your Work for Submission](https://writer.org/event/preparing-your-work-for-submission/) 6:00 PM EDT ### [ Building Your Author Platform ](https://writer.org/event/building-your-author-platform/ "Building Your Author Platform") [### Building Your Author Platform ](https://writer.org/event/building-your-author-platform/ "Building Your Author Platform") October 13 @ 6:00 PM EDT – 8:00 PM EDT Venue : The Writer’s Center Sessions: 1 Session [  ](https://writer.org/event/building-your-author-platform/ "Building Your Author Platform") In this hands-on workshop, discover three proven strategies to attract email subscribers, grow loyal social followers, and turn speaking opportunities into fans and clients. Walk away with clear calls-to-action and a platform strategy designed around your ideal reader audience. [Register](https://writer.org/event/building-your-author-platform/) $60.00 | ### 22 events 14 ### 22 events, [ 14 ](https://writer.org/events/2026-10-14/?hide_subsequent_recurrences=1&shortcode=7cf7dbe4) 2026-01-20 [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/) 2026-02-01 [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/) 2026-02-03 [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/) 2026-03-04 [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/) 2026-09-04 [ (Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intro-to-the-novel/) 2026-09-14 [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/) 2026-09-15 [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/) 2026-09-16 [ From Novice to Novelist](https://writer.org/event/from-novice-to-novelist-4/) 2026-09-20 [ Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories](https://writer.org/event/writing-the-fictionalized-autobiography-coming-of-age-stories/) 2026-09-23 [ The Extreme Novelist](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/) 2026-09-28 [ Finish Your Poetry Book](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/) 2026-09-29 [ Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing](https://writer.org/event/fundamentals-of-persuasive-writing-3/) 2026-10-01 [ Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/) 2026-10-01 [ Novel 101: How to Craft the Story](https://writer.org/event/novel-101-how-to-craft-the-story-5/) 2026-10-02 [ (Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-plotting-your-novel/) 2026-10-04 [ Lyrical Memoir Writing](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing-2/) 2026-10-05 [ (Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-the-art-of-the-pitch/) 2026-10-06 [ Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez](https://writer.org/event/your-narrative-your-year-w-edgar-gomez/) 2026-10-06 [ Writing Poetry From Where You Live](https://writer.org/event/writing-poetry-from-where-you-live/) 2026-10-08 [ From Idea to First Draft](https://writer.org/event/from-idea-to-first-draft/) 2026-10-08 [ Writing Picture Books](https://writer.org/event/writing-picture-books-6/) 2026-10-10 [ Preparing Your Work for Submission](https://writer.org/event/preparing-your-work-for-submission/) | ### 23 events 15 ### 23 events, [ 15 ](https://writer.org/events/2026-10-15/?hide_subsequent_recurrences=1&shortcode=7cf7dbe4) 2026-01-20 [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/) 2026-02-01 [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/) 2026-02-03 [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/) 2026-03-04 [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/) 2026-09-04 [ (Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intro-to-the-novel/) 2026-09-14 [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/) 2026-09-15 [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/) 2026-09-16 [ From Novice to Novelist](https://writer.org/event/from-novice-to-novelist-4/) 2026-09-20 [ Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories](https://writer.org/event/writing-the-fictionalized-autobiography-coming-of-age-stories/) 2026-09-23 [ The Extreme Novelist](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/) 2026-09-28 [ Finish Your Poetry Book](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/) 2026-09-29 [ Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing](https://writer.org/event/fundamentals-of-persuasive-writing-3/) 2026-10-01 [ Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/) 2026-10-01 [ Novel 101: How to Craft the Story](https://writer.org/event/novel-101-how-to-craft-the-story-5/) 2026-10-02 [ (Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-plotting-your-novel/) 2026-10-04 [ Lyrical Memoir Writing](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing-2/) 2026-10-05 [ (Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-the-art-of-the-pitch/) 2026-10-06 [ Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez](https://writer.org/event/your-narrative-your-year-w-edgar-gomez/) 2026-10-06 [ Writing Poetry From Where You Live](https://writer.org/event/writing-poetry-from-where-you-live/) 2026-10-08 [ From Idea to First Draft](https://writer.org/event/from-idea-to-first-draft/) 2026-10-08 [ Writing Picture Books](https://writer.org/event/writing-picture-books-6/) 2026-10-10 [ Preparing Your Work for Submission](https://writer.org/event/preparing-your-work-for-submission/) 6:00 PM EDT ### [ (Re)constructing Detailed Scenes ](https://writer.org/event/reconstructing-detailed-scenes/ "(Re)constructing Detailed Scenes") [### (Re)constructing Detailed Scenes ](https://writer.org/event/reconstructing-detailed-scenes/ "(Re)constructing Detailed Scenes") October 15 @ 6:00 PM EDT – 8:00 PM EDT Venue : The Writer’s Center Sessions: 1 Session [  ](https://writer.org/event/reconstructing-detailed-scenes/ "(Re)constructing Detailed Scenes") Whether you’re a fiction or non-fiction writer, evoking scenes in sensory detail is critical for holding readers’ attention. But knowing what to include and omit is difficult, especially when you’re \[…\] [Register](https://writer.org/event/reconstructing-detailed-scenes/) $60.00 | ### 22 events 16 ### 22 events, [ 16 ](https://writer.org/events/2026-10-16/?hide_subsequent_recurrences=1&shortcode=7cf7dbe4) 2026-01-20 [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/) 2026-02-01 [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/) 2026-02-03 [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/) 2026-03-04 [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/) 2026-09-04 [ (Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intro-to-the-novel/) 2026-09-14 [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/) 2026-09-15 [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/) 2026-09-16 [ From Novice to Novelist](https://writer.org/event/from-novice-to-novelist-4/) 2026-09-20 [ Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories](https://writer.org/event/writing-the-fictionalized-autobiography-coming-of-age-stories/) 2026-09-23 [ The Extreme Novelist](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/) 2026-09-28 [ Finish Your Poetry Book](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/) 2026-09-29 [ Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing](https://writer.org/event/fundamentals-of-persuasive-writing-3/) 2026-10-01 [ Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/) 2026-10-01 [ Novel 101: How to Craft the Story](https://writer.org/event/novel-101-how-to-craft-the-story-5/) 2026-10-02 [ (Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-plotting-your-novel/) 2026-10-04 [ Lyrical Memoir Writing](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing-2/) 2026-10-05 [ (Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-the-art-of-the-pitch/) 2026-10-06 [ Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez](https://writer.org/event/your-narrative-your-year-w-edgar-gomez/) 2026-10-06 [ Writing Poetry From Where You Live](https://writer.org/event/writing-poetry-from-where-you-live/) 2026-10-08 [ From Idea to First Draft](https://writer.org/event/from-idea-to-first-draft/) 2026-10-08 [ Writing Picture Books](https://writer.org/event/writing-picture-books-6/) 2026-10-10 [ Preparing Your Work for Submission](https://writer.org/event/preparing-your-work-for-submission/) | ### 26 events 17 ### 26 events, [ 17 ](https://writer.org/events/2026-10-17/?hide_subsequent_recurrences=1&shortcode=7cf7dbe4) 2026-01-20 [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/) 2026-02-01 [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/) 2026-02-03 [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/) 2026-03-04 [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/) 2026-09-04 [ (Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intro-to-the-novel/) 2026-09-14 [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/) 2026-09-15 [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/) 2026-09-16 [ From Novice to Novelist](https://writer.org/event/from-novice-to-novelist-4/) 2026-09-20 [ Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories](https://writer.org/event/writing-the-fictionalized-autobiography-coming-of-age-stories/) 2026-09-23 [ The Extreme Novelist](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/) 2026-09-28 [ Finish Your Poetry Book](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/) 2026-09-29 [ Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing](https://writer.org/event/fundamentals-of-persuasive-writing-3/) 2026-10-01 [ Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/) 2026-10-01 [ Novel 101: How to Craft the Story](https://writer.org/event/novel-101-how-to-craft-the-story-5/) 2026-10-02 [ (Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-plotting-your-novel/) 2026-10-04 [ Lyrical Memoir Writing](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing-2/) 2026-10-05 [ (Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-the-art-of-the-pitch/) 2026-10-06 [ Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez](https://writer.org/event/your-narrative-your-year-w-edgar-gomez/) 2026-10-06 [ Writing Poetry From Where You Live](https://writer.org/event/writing-poetry-from-where-you-live/) 2026-10-08 [ From Idea to First Draft](https://writer.org/event/from-idea-to-first-draft/) 2026-10-08 [ Writing Picture Books](https://writer.org/event/writing-picture-books-6/) 2026-10-10 [ Preparing Your Work for Submission](https://writer.org/event/preparing-your-work-for-submission/) 10:00 AM EDT ### [ Writing Marvelous Micros ](https://writer.org/event/writing-marvelous-micros/ "Writing Marvelous Micros") [### Writing Marvelous Micros ](https://writer.org/event/writing-marvelous-micros/ "Writing Marvelous Micros") October 17 @ 10:00 AM EDT – October 24 @ 12:30 PM EDT Venue : The Writer’s Center Sessions: 2 Sessions [  ](https://writer.org/event/writing-marvelous-micros/ "Writing Marvelous Micros") Draft and develop a series of micros (stories of 300 words or less) that are both standalone and/or link into a larger whole. [Register](https://writer.org/event/writing-marvelous-micros/) $100.00 2026-10-17 [ Writing Marvelous Micros](https://writer.org/event/writing-marvelous-micros/) Writing Marvelous Micros [### Writing Marvelous Micros ](https://writer.org/event/writing-marvelous-micros/ "Writing Marvelous Micros") October 17 @ 10:00 AM EDT – October 24 @ 12:30 PM EDT Venue : The Writer’s Center Sessions: 2 Sessions [  ](https://writer.org/event/writing-marvelous-micros/ "Writing Marvelous Micros") Draft and develop a series of micros (stories of 300 words or less) that are both standalone and/or link into a larger whole. [Register](https://writer.org/event/writing-marvelous-micros/) $100.00 10:00 AM EDT ### [ A Beginner’s Guide to Food Writing ](https://writer.org/event/a-beginners-guide-to-food-writing/ "A Beginner’s Guide to Food Writing") [### A Beginner’s Guide to Food Writing ](https://writer.org/event/a-beginners-guide-to-food-writing/ "A Beginner’s Guide to Food Writing") October 17 @ 10:00 AM EDT – October 24 @ 12:00 PM EDT Venue : The Writer’s Center Sessions: 2 Sessions [  ](https://writer.org/event/a-beginners-guide-to-food-writing/ "A Beginner’s Guide to Food Writing") Everyone has a food history. Learn to write yours in this short, two-week beginner course. In week one, students will learn the basics about what food history is and the different ways that they can write about it. They will also delve into how to write and publish food history blogs and articles. In week two, learners will explore the ins and outs of writing and publishing books and memoirs on food history. Students will finish the class with the knowledge and confidence to write and publish these four types of prose online and in print. [Register](https://writer.org/event/a-beginners-guide-to-food-writing/) $100.00 2026-10-17 [ A Beginner’s Guide to Food Writing](https://writer.org/event/a-beginners-guide-to-food-writing/) A Beginner’s Guide to Food Writing [### A Beginner’s Guide to Food Writing ](https://writer.org/event/a-beginners-guide-to-food-writing/ "A Beginner’s Guide to Food Writing") October 17 @ 10:00 AM EDT – October 24 @ 12:00 PM EDT Venue : The Writer’s Center Sessions: 2 Sessions [  ](https://writer.org/event/a-beginners-guide-to-food-writing/ "A Beginner’s Guide to Food Writing") Everyone has a food history. Learn to write yours in this short, two-week beginner course. In week one, students will learn the basics about what food history is and the different ways that they can write about it. They will also delve into how to write and publish food history blogs and articles. In week two, learners will explore the ins and outs of writing and publishing books and memoirs on food history. Students will finish the class with the knowledge and confidence to write and publish these four types of prose online and in print. [Register](https://writer.org/event/a-beginners-guide-to-food-writing/) $100.00 10:00 AM EDT ### [ Characters That Matter (Fiction and Memoir) ](https://writer.org/event/characters-that-matter-fiction-and-memoir/ "Characters That Matter (Fiction and Memoir)") [### Characters That Matter (Fiction and Memoir) ](https://writer.org/event/characters-that-matter-fiction-and-memoir/ "Characters That Matter (Fiction and Memoir)") October 17 @ 10:00 AM EDT – 12:30 PM EDT Venue : Zoom Sessions: 1 Session [  ](https://writer.org/event/characters-that-matter-fiction-and-memoir/ "Characters That Matter (Fiction and Memoir)") At the core of every good tale is a character with whom the reader wants to spend time. Discover how to move beyond the superficial and cliché, crafting characters who invite the reader to explore the human condition. Illustrations and exercises will help you uncover your character’s inner values (in memoir, that character is you), understand how flaws shape what a character wants and does, and recognize why a character must act—not just react—for a story to move forward. We’ll examine techniques for depicting yearning, internal conflict, and transformation, and consider what’s at stake if your character fails. This workshop will benefit those writing a novel, short story, or memoir. [Register](https://writer.org/event/characters-that-matter-fiction-and-memoir/) $60.00 11:00 AM EDT ### [ Writing About Mental Health Topics in Fiction ](https://writer.org/event/writing-about-mental-health-topics-in-fiction-5/ "Writing About Mental Health Topics in Fiction") [### Writing About Mental Health Topics in Fiction ](https://writer.org/event/writing-about-mental-health-topics-in-fiction-5/ "Writing About Mental Health Topics in Fiction") October 17 @ 11:00 AM EDT – 1:00 PM EDT Venue : Zoom Sessions: 1 Session [  ](https://writer.org/event/writing-about-mental-health-topics-in-fiction-5/ "Writing About Mental Health Topics in Fiction") 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. [Register](https://writer.org/event/writing-about-mental-health-topics-in-fiction-5/) $60.00 |
| ### 25 events 18 ### 25 events, [ 18 ](https://writer.org/events/2026-10-18/?hide_subsequent_recurrences=1&shortcode=7cf7dbe4) 2026-01-20 [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/) The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll 2026-02-01 [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/) The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner 2026-02-03 [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/) Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung 2026-03-04 [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/) Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko 2026-09-04 [ (Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intro-to-the-novel/) (Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel 2026-09-14 [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/) (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice 2026-09-15 [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/) One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell 2026-09-16 [ From Novice to Novelist](https://writer.org/event/from-novice-to-novelist-4/) From Novice to Novelist 2026-09-20 [ Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories](https://writer.org/event/writing-the-fictionalized-autobiography-coming-of-age-stories/) Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories 2026-09-23 [ The Extreme Novelist](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/) The Extreme Novelist 2026-09-28 [ Finish Your Poetry Book](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/) Finish Your Poetry Book 2026-09-29 [ Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing](https://writer.org/event/fundamentals-of-persuasive-writing-3/) Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing 2026-10-01 [ Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/) Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot 2026-10-01 [ Novel 101: How to Craft the Story](https://writer.org/event/novel-101-how-to-craft-the-story-5/) Novel 101: How to Craft the Story 2026-10-02 [ (Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-plotting-your-novel/) (Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel 2026-10-04 [ Lyrical Memoir Writing](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing-2/) Lyrical Memoir Writing 2026-10-05 [ (Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-the-art-of-the-pitch/) (Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch 2026-10-06 [ Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez](https://writer.org/event/your-narrative-your-year-w-edgar-gomez/) Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez 2026-10-06 [ Writing Poetry From Where You Live](https://writer.org/event/writing-poetry-from-where-you-live/) Writing Poetry From Where You Live 2026-10-08 [ From Idea to First Draft](https://writer.org/event/from-idea-to-first-draft/) From Idea to First Draft 2026-10-08 [ Writing Picture Books](https://writer.org/event/writing-picture-books-6/) Writing Picture Books 2026-10-10 [ Preparing Your Work for Submission](https://writer.org/event/preparing-your-work-for-submission/) Preparing Your Work for Submission 2026-10-17 [ Writing Marvelous Micros](https://writer.org/event/writing-marvelous-micros/) Writing Marvelous Micros 2026-10-17 [ A Beginner’s Guide to Food Writing](https://writer.org/event/a-beginners-guide-to-food-writing/) A Beginner’s Guide to Food Writing 1:00 PM EDT ### [ Writing Practices for Busy Minds ](https://writer.org/event/writing-practices-for-busy-minds/ "Writing Practices for Busy Minds") [### Writing Practices for Busy Minds ](https://writer.org/event/writing-practices-for-busy-minds/ "Writing Practices for Busy Minds") October 18 @ 1:00 PM EDT – 4:00 PM EDT Venue : Zoom Sessions: 1 Session [  ](https://writer.org/event/writing-practices-for-busy-minds/ "Writing Practices for Busy Minds") Traditional writing advice doesn’t work for every writer. Created with neurodivergent writers in mind, this workshop is also for anyone whose writing process is shaped by a busy mind, limited time or energy, or the competing demands of everyday life. If you think in loops and layers, struggle with focus, overwhelm, or organizing ideas, or find yourself caught between bursts of inspiration and periods of resistance, you’re not alone. Drawing from lived experience and years of teaching writers, we’ll explore writing practices that honor the way different minds create. You’ll learn to recognize your unique attention patterns, work with rather than against your creative process, and develop strategies for navigating common challenges such as idea overwhelm, perfectionism, non-linear thinking, executive dysfunction, and wavering motivation. You’ll leave with practical techniques to support each phase of the writing process—from prewriting and drafting to revisin —in ways that are flexible and sustainable. Whether you’re navigating ADHD or another form of neurodivergence, living with chronic illness, balancing caregiving responsibilities, experiencing burnout, or simply finding that traditional writing advice doesn’t fit your life, this workshop offers adaptable tools that help you build a writing practice that works with your mind and circumstances, not against them. [Register](https://writer.org/event/writing-practices-for-busy-minds/) $60.00 | ### 24 events 19 ### 24 events, [ 19 ](https://writer.org/events/2026-10-19/?hide_subsequent_recurrences=1&shortcode=7cf7dbe4) 2026-01-20 [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/) 2026-02-01 [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/) 2026-02-03 [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/) 2026-03-04 [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/) 2026-09-04 [ (Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intro-to-the-novel/) 2026-09-14 [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/) 2026-09-15 [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/) 2026-09-16 [ From Novice to Novelist](https://writer.org/event/from-novice-to-novelist-4/) 2026-09-23 [ The Extreme Novelist](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/) 2026-09-28 [ Finish Your Poetry Book](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/) 2026-09-29 [ Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing](https://writer.org/event/fundamentals-of-persuasive-writing-3/) 2026-10-01 [ Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/) 2026-10-01 [ Novel 101: How to Craft the Story](https://writer.org/event/novel-101-how-to-craft-the-story-5/) 2026-10-02 [ (Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-plotting-your-novel/) 2026-10-04 [ Lyrical Memoir Writing](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing-2/) 2026-10-05 [ (Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-the-art-of-the-pitch/) 2026-10-06 [ Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez](https://writer.org/event/your-narrative-your-year-w-edgar-gomez/) 2026-10-06 [ Writing Poetry From Where You Live](https://writer.org/event/writing-poetry-from-where-you-live/) 2026-10-08 [ From Idea to First Draft](https://writer.org/event/from-idea-to-first-draft/) 2026-10-08 [ Writing Picture Books](https://writer.org/event/writing-picture-books-6/) 2026-10-10 [ Preparing Your Work for Submission](https://writer.org/event/preparing-your-work-for-submission/) 2026-10-17 [ Writing Marvelous Micros](https://writer.org/event/writing-marvelous-micros/) 2026-10-17 [ A Beginner’s Guide to Food Writing](https://writer.org/event/a-beginners-guide-to-food-writing/) 6:00 PM EDT ### [ Reading Your Work Out Loud ](https://writer.org/event/out-loud-with-jennifer-hamady/ "Reading Your Work Out Loud") [### Reading Your Work Out Loud ](https://writer.org/event/out-loud-with-jennifer-hamady/ "Reading Your Work Out Loud") October 19 @ 6:00 PM EDT – 9:00 PM EDT Venue : The Writer’s Center Sessions: 1 Session [  ](https://writer.org/event/out-loud-with-jennifer-hamady/ "Reading Your Work Out Loud") 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 \[…\] [Register](https://writer.org/event/out-loud-with-jennifer-hamady/) $60.00 | ### 26 events 20 ### 26 events, [ 20 ](https://writer.org/events/2026-10-20/?hide_subsequent_recurrences=1&shortcode=7cf7dbe4) 2026-01-20 [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/) 2026-02-01 [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/) 2026-02-03 [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/) 2026-03-04 [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/) 2026-09-04 [ (Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intro-to-the-novel/) 2026-09-14 [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/) 2026-09-15 [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/) 2026-09-16 [ From Novice to Novelist](https://writer.org/event/from-novice-to-novelist-4/) 10:30 AM EDT ### [ Boot Camp for Writers ](https://writer.org/event/boot-camp-for-writers-5/ "Boot Camp for Writers") [### Boot Camp for Writers ](https://writer.org/event/boot-camp-for-writers-5/ "Boot Camp for Writers") October 20 @ 10:30 AM EDT – December 15 @ 1:00 PM EST Venue : Zoom Sessions: 7 Sessions [  ](https://writer.org/event/boot-camp-for-writers-5/ "Boot Camp for Writers") Each session of Boot Camp for Writers will begin with a prompt followed by writing time. Participants will have the opportunity to share and discuss their work as well as receive in-class feedback. The workshop is designed so that participants will have the start of six new pieces by the end of class. Former Boot Camp participants are always (and happily) welcome. Note: No meeting November 3 and 24. [Register](https://writer.org/event/boot-camp-for-writers-5/) $350.00 2026-10-20 [ Boot Camp for Writers](https://writer.org/event/boot-camp-for-writers-5/) Boot Camp for Writers [### Boot Camp for Writers ](https://writer.org/event/boot-camp-for-writers-5/ "Boot Camp for Writers") October 20 @ 10:30 AM EDT – December 15 @ 1:00 PM EST Venue : Zoom Sessions: 7 Sessions [  ](https://writer.org/event/boot-camp-for-writers-5/ "Boot Camp for Writers") Each session of Boot Camp for Writers will begin with a prompt followed by writing time. Participants will have the opportunity to share and discuss their work as well as receive in-class feedback. The workshop is designed so that participants will have the start of six new pieces by the end of class. Former Boot Camp participants are always (and happily) welcome. Note: No meeting November 3 and 24. [Register](https://writer.org/event/boot-camp-for-writers-5/) $350.00 2026-09-23 [ The Extreme Novelist](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/) 2026-09-28 [ Finish Your Poetry Book](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/) 2026-09-29 [ Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing](https://writer.org/event/fundamentals-of-persuasive-writing-3/) 2026-10-01 [ Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/) 2026-10-01 [ Novel 101: How to Craft the Story](https://writer.org/event/novel-101-how-to-craft-the-story-5/) 2026-10-02 [ (Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-plotting-your-novel/) 2026-10-04 [ Lyrical Memoir Writing](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing-2/) 2026-10-05 [ (Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-the-art-of-the-pitch/) 2026-10-06 [ Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez](https://writer.org/event/your-narrative-your-year-w-edgar-gomez/) 2026-10-06 [ Writing Poetry From Where You Live](https://writer.org/event/writing-poetry-from-where-you-live/) 2026-10-08 [ From Idea to First Draft](https://writer.org/event/from-idea-to-first-draft/) 2026-10-08 [ Writing Picture Books](https://writer.org/event/writing-picture-books-6/) 2026-10-10 [ Preparing Your Work for Submission](https://writer.org/event/preparing-your-work-for-submission/) 2026-10-17 [ Writing Marvelous Micros](https://writer.org/event/writing-marvelous-micros/) 2026-10-17 [ A Beginner’s Guide to Food Writing](https://writer.org/event/a-beginners-guide-to-food-writing/) 7:00 PM EDT ### [ Introduction to Art Journaling ](https://writer.org/event/introduction-to-art-journaling-5/ "Introduction to Art Journaling") [### Introduction to Art Journaling ](https://writer.org/event/introduction-to-art-journaling-5/ "Introduction to Art Journaling") October 20 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 27 @ 9:00 PM EDT Venue : The Writer’s Center Sessions: 2 Sessions [  ](https://writer.org/event/introduction-to-art-journaling-5/ "Introduction to Art Journaling") Using quotes, poems and/or personal reflections, students will combine words with easy to follow art techniques to create an art journal reflecting their own personal style. \*Students should bring to all classes a blank watercolor journal, 8×8 or larger. All other art materials used in class will be provided by instructor. [Register](https://writer.org/event/introduction-to-art-journaling-5/) $100.00 2026-10-20 [ Introduction to Art Journaling](https://writer.org/event/introduction-to-art-journaling-5/) Introduction to Art Journaling [### Introduction to Art Journaling ](https://writer.org/event/introduction-to-art-journaling-5/ "Introduction to Art Journaling") October 20 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 27 @ 9:00 PM EDT Venue : The Writer’s Center Sessions: 2 Sessions [  ](https://writer.org/event/introduction-to-art-journaling-5/ "Introduction to Art Journaling") Using quotes, poems and/or personal reflections, students will combine words with easy to follow art techniques to create an art journal reflecting their own personal style. \*Students should bring to all classes a blank watercolor journal, 8×8 or larger. All other art materials used in class will be provided by instructor. [Register](https://writer.org/event/introduction-to-art-journaling-5/) $100.00 7:00 PM EDT ### [ Reading like a Writer: Imitation as Generative Writing ](https://writer.org/event/reading-like-a-writer-imitation-as-generative-writing/ "Reading like a Writer: Imitation as Generative Writing") [### Reading like a Writer: Imitation as Generative Writing ](https://writer.org/event/reading-like-a-writer-imitation-as-generative-writing/ "Reading like a Writer: Imitation as Generative Writing") October 20 @ 7:00 PM EDT – November 17 @ 9:00 PM EST Venue : The Writer’s Center Sessions: 5 Sessions [  ](https://writer.org/event/reading-like-a-writer-imitation-as-generative-writing/ "Reading like a Writer: Imitation as Generative Writing") We all read for pleasure, but a writer also reads to learn. It feeds a writer’s writing practice. In this generative workshop, each week we will become familiar with the work of an established poet as a means to examine elements of craft and draft their own poems. This course also includes an optional workshopping element to receive feedback from your peers and the instructor. [Register](https://writer.org/event/reading-like-a-writer-imitation-as-generative-writing/) $250.00 2026-10-20 [ Reading like a Writer: Imitation as Generative Writing](https://writer.org/event/reading-like-a-writer-imitation-as-generative-writing/) Reading like a Writer: Imitation as Generative Writing [### Reading like a Writer: Imitation as Generative Writing ](https://writer.org/event/reading-like-a-writer-imitation-as-generative-writing/ "Reading like a Writer: Imitation as Generative Writing") October 20 @ 7:00 PM EDT – November 17 @ 9:00 PM EST Venue : The Writer’s Center Sessions: 5 Sessions [  ](https://writer.org/event/reading-like-a-writer-imitation-as-generative-writing/ "Reading like a Writer: Imitation as Generative Writing") We all read for pleasure, but a writer also reads to learn. It feeds a writer’s writing practice. In this generative workshop, each week we will become familiar with the work of an established poet as a means to examine elements of craft and draft their own poems. This course also includes an optional workshopping element to receive feedback from your peers and the instructor. [Register](https://writer.org/event/reading-like-a-writer-imitation-as-generative-writing/) $250.00 | ### 26 events 21 ### 26 events, [ 21 ](https://writer.org/events/2026-10-21/?hide_subsequent_recurrences=1&shortcode=7cf7dbe4) 2026-01-20 [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/) 2026-02-01 [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/) 2026-02-03 [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/) 2026-03-04 [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/) 2026-09-04 [ (Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intro-to-the-novel/) 2026-09-14 [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/) 2026-09-15 [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/) 2026-09-16 [ From Novice to Novelist](https://writer.org/event/from-novice-to-novelist-4/) 2026-10-20 [ Boot Camp for Writers](https://writer.org/event/boot-camp-for-writers-5/) 2026-09-23 [ The Extreme Novelist](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/) 2026-09-28 [ Finish Your Poetry Book](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/) 7:00 PM EDT ### [ The Art of the Short Story w/ Rita Bullwinkel ](https://writer.org/event/the-art-of-the-short-story-w-rita-bullwinkel/ "The Art of the Short Story w/ Rita Bullwinkel") [### The Art of the Short Story w/ Rita Bullwinkel ](https://writer.org/event/the-art-of-the-short-story-w-rita-bullwinkel/ "The Art of the Short Story w/ Rita Bullwinkel") 10.21.2026 @ 7:00 PM EDT – 07.28.2027 @ 9:00 PM EDT Venue : Zoom [  ](https://writer.org/event/the-art-of-the-short-story-w-rita-bullwinkel/ "The Art of the Short Story w/ Rita Bullwinkel") 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 \[…\] [Register](https://writer.org/event/the-art-of-the-short-story-w-rita-bullwinkel/) $5,400.00 2026-10-21 [ The Art of the Short Story w/ Rita Bullwinkel](https://writer.org/event/the-art-of-the-short-story-w-rita-bullwinkel/) The Art of the Short Story w/ Rita Bullwinkel [### The Art of the Short Story w/ Rita Bullwinkel ](https://writer.org/event/the-art-of-the-short-story-w-rita-bullwinkel/ "The Art of the Short Story w/ Rita Bullwinkel") 10.21.2026 @ 7:00 PM EDT – 07.28.2027 @ 9:00 PM EDT Venue : Zoom [  ](https://writer.org/event/the-art-of-the-short-story-w-rita-bullwinkel/ "The Art of the Short Story w/ Rita Bullwinkel") 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 \[…\] [Register](https://writer.org/event/the-art-of-the-short-story-w-rita-bullwinkel/) $5,400.00 2026-10-01 [ Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/) 2026-10-01 [ Novel 101: How to Craft the Story](https://writer.org/event/novel-101-how-to-craft-the-story-5/) 2026-10-02 [ (Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-plotting-your-novel/) 2026-10-04 [ Lyrical Memoir Writing](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing-2/) 2026-10-05 [ (Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-the-art-of-the-pitch/) 2026-10-06 [ Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez](https://writer.org/event/your-narrative-your-year-w-edgar-gomez/) 2026-10-06 [ Writing Poetry From Where You Live](https://writer.org/event/writing-poetry-from-where-you-live/) 2026-10-08 [ From Idea to First Draft](https://writer.org/event/from-idea-to-first-draft/) 2026-10-08 [ Writing Picture Books](https://writer.org/event/writing-picture-books-6/) 2026-10-10 [ Preparing Your Work for Submission](https://writer.org/event/preparing-your-work-for-submission/) 2026-10-17 [ Writing Marvelous Micros](https://writer.org/event/writing-marvelous-micros/) 2026-10-17 [ A Beginner’s Guide to Food Writing](https://writer.org/event/a-beginners-guide-to-food-writing/) 2026-10-20 [ Introduction to Art Journaling](https://writer.org/event/introduction-to-art-journaling-5/) 2026-10-20 [ Reading like a Writer: Imitation as Generative Writing](https://writer.org/event/reading-like-a-writer-imitation-as-generative-writing/) | ### 26 events 22 ### 26 events, [ 22 ](https://writer.org/events/2026-10-22/?hide_subsequent_recurrences=1&shortcode=7cf7dbe4) 2026-01-20 [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/) 2026-02-01 [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/) 2026-02-03 [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/) 2026-03-04 [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/) 2026-09-04 [ (Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intro-to-the-novel/) 2026-09-14 [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/) 2026-09-15 [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/) 2026-10-20 [ Boot Camp for Writers](https://writer.org/event/boot-camp-for-writers-5/) 2026-09-23 [ The Extreme Novelist](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/) 2026-09-28 [ Finish Your Poetry Book](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/) 2026-10-21 [ The Art of the Short Story w/ Rita Bullwinkel](https://writer.org/event/the-art-of-the-short-story-w-rita-bullwinkel/) 2026-10-01 [ Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/) 2026-10-01 [ Novel 101: How to Craft the Story](https://writer.org/event/novel-101-how-to-craft-the-story-5/) 2026-10-02 [ (Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-plotting-your-novel/) 2026-10-04 [ Lyrical Memoir Writing](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing-2/) 2026-10-05 [ (Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-the-art-of-the-pitch/) 2026-10-06 [ Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez](https://writer.org/event/your-narrative-your-year-w-edgar-gomez/) 2026-10-06 [ Writing Poetry From Where You Live](https://writer.org/event/writing-poetry-from-where-you-live/) 2026-10-08 [ From Idea to First Draft](https://writer.org/event/from-idea-to-first-draft/) 2026-10-08 [ Writing Picture Books](https://writer.org/event/writing-picture-books-6/) 2026-10-10 [ Preparing Your Work for Submission](https://writer.org/event/preparing-your-work-for-submission/) 2026-10-17 [ Writing Marvelous Micros](https://writer.org/event/writing-marvelous-micros/) 2026-10-17 [ A Beginner’s Guide to Food Writing](https://writer.org/event/a-beginners-guide-to-food-writing/) 2026-10-20 [ Introduction to Art Journaling](https://writer.org/event/introduction-to-art-journaling-5/) 2026-10-20 [ Reading like a Writer: Imitation as Generative Writing](https://writer.org/event/reading-like-a-writer-imitation-as-generative-writing/) 7:00 PM EDT ### [ Crafting Compelling Characters ](https://writer.org/event/crafting-compelling-characters-2/ "Crafting Compelling Characters") [### Crafting Compelling Characters ](https://writer.org/event/crafting-compelling-characters-2/ "Crafting Compelling Characters") October 22 @ 7:00 PM EDT – 9:00 PM EDT Venue : Zoom Sessions: 1 Session [  ](https://writer.org/event/crafting-compelling-characters-2/ "Crafting Compelling Characters") 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. [Register](https://writer.org/event/crafting-compelling-characters-2/) $60.00 | ### 22 events 23 ### 22 events, [ 23 ](https://writer.org/events/2026-10-23/?hide_subsequent_recurrences=1&shortcode=7cf7dbe4) 2026-01-20 [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/) 2026-02-01 [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/) 2026-02-03 [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/) 2026-03-04 [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/) 2026-09-04 [ (Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intro-to-the-novel/) 2026-09-14 [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/) 2026-09-15 [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/) 2026-10-20 [ Boot Camp for Writers](https://writer.org/event/boot-camp-for-writers-5/) 2026-09-23 [ The Extreme Novelist](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/) 2026-09-28 [ Finish Your Poetry Book](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/) 2026-10-21 [ The Art of the Short Story w/ Rita Bullwinkel](https://writer.org/event/the-art-of-the-short-story-w-rita-bullwinkel/) 2026-10-01 [ Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/) 2026-10-02 [ (Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-plotting-your-novel/) 2026-10-04 [ Lyrical Memoir Writing](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing-2/) 2026-10-05 [ (Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-the-art-of-the-pitch/) 2026-10-06 [ Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez](https://writer.org/event/your-narrative-your-year-w-edgar-gomez/) 2026-10-06 [ Writing Poetry From Where You Live](https://writer.org/event/writing-poetry-from-where-you-live/) 2026-10-10 [ Preparing Your Work for Submission](https://writer.org/event/preparing-your-work-for-submission/) 2026-10-17 [ Writing Marvelous Micros](https://writer.org/event/writing-marvelous-micros/) 2026-10-17 [ A Beginner’s Guide to Food Writing](https://writer.org/event/a-beginners-guide-to-food-writing/) 2026-10-20 [ Introduction to Art Journaling](https://writer.org/event/introduction-to-art-journaling-5/) 2026-10-20 [ Reading like a Writer: Imitation as Generative Writing](https://writer.org/event/reading-like-a-writer-imitation-as-generative-writing/) | ### 20 events 24 ### 20 events, [ 24 ](https://writer.org/events/2026-10-24/?hide_subsequent_recurrences=1&shortcode=7cf7dbe4) 2026-01-20 [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/) 2026-02-01 [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/) 2026-02-03 [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/) 2026-03-04 [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/) 2026-09-14 [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/) 2026-09-15 [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/) 2026-10-20 [ Boot Camp for Writers](https://writer.org/event/boot-camp-for-writers-5/) 2026-09-23 [ The Extreme Novelist](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/) 2026-09-28 [ Finish Your Poetry Book](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/) 2026-10-21 [ The Art of the Short Story w/ Rita Bullwinkel](https://writer.org/event/the-art-of-the-short-story-w-rita-bullwinkel/) 2026-10-01 [ Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/) 2026-10-04 [ Lyrical Memoir Writing](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing-2/) 2026-10-05 [ (Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-the-art-of-the-pitch/) 2026-10-06 [ Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez](https://writer.org/event/your-narrative-your-year-w-edgar-gomez/) 2026-10-06 [ Writing Poetry From Where You Live](https://writer.org/event/writing-poetry-from-where-you-live/) 2026-10-10 [ Preparing Your Work for Submission](https://writer.org/event/preparing-your-work-for-submission/) 2026-10-17 [ Writing Marvelous Micros](https://writer.org/event/writing-marvelous-micros/) 2026-10-17 [ A Beginner’s Guide to Food Writing](https://writer.org/event/a-beginners-guide-to-food-writing/) 2026-10-20 [ Introduction to Art Journaling](https://writer.org/event/introduction-to-art-journaling-5/) 2026-10-20 [ Reading like a Writer: Imitation as Generative Writing](https://writer.org/event/reading-like-a-writer-imitation-as-generative-writing/) |
| ### 19 events 25 ### 19 events, [ 25 ](https://writer.org/events/2026-10-25/?hide_subsequent_recurrences=1&shortcode=7cf7dbe4) 2026-01-20 [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/) The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll 2026-02-01 [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/) The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner 2026-02-03 [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/) Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung 2026-03-04 [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/) Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko 2026-09-14 [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/) (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice 2026-09-15 [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/) One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell 2026-09-23 [ The Extreme Novelist](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/) The Extreme Novelist 2026-09-28 [ Finish Your Poetry Book](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/) Finish Your Poetry Book 2026-10-01 [ Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/) Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot 2026-10-04 [ Lyrical Memoir Writing](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing-2/) Lyrical Memoir Writing 2026-10-05 [ (Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-the-art-of-the-pitch/) (Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch 2026-10-06 [ Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez](https://writer.org/event/your-narrative-your-year-w-edgar-gomez/) Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez 2026-10-06 [ Writing Poetry From Where You Live](https://writer.org/event/writing-poetry-from-where-you-live/) Writing Poetry From Where You Live 2026-10-10 [ Preparing Your Work for Submission](https://writer.org/event/preparing-your-work-for-submission/) Preparing Your Work for Submission 2026-10-20 [ Boot Camp for Writers](https://writer.org/event/boot-camp-for-writers-5/) Boot Camp for Writers 2026-10-20 [ Introduction to Art Journaling](https://writer.org/event/introduction-to-art-journaling-5/) Introduction to Art Journaling 2026-10-20 [ Reading like a Writer: Imitation as Generative Writing](https://writer.org/event/reading-like-a-writer-imitation-as-generative-writing/) Reading like a Writer: Imitation as Generative Writing 2026-10-21 [ The Art of the Short Story w/ Rita Bullwinkel](https://writer.org/event/the-art-of-the-short-story-w-rita-bullwinkel/) The Art of the Short Story w/ Rita Bullwinkel 12:00 PM EDT ### [ Managing Queries with QueryTracker ](https://writer.org/event/managing-queries-with-querytracker/ "Managing Queries with QueryTracker") [### Managing Queries with QueryTracker ](https://writer.org/event/managing-queries-with-querytracker/ "Managing Queries with QueryTracker") October 25 @ 12:00 PM EDT – 2:00 PM EDT Venue : The Writer’s Center Sessions: 1 Session [  ](https://writer.org/event/managing-queries-with-querytracker/ "Managing Queries with QueryTracker") QueryTracker is a powerful tool for finding literary agents, sending them queries, and tracking their responses. In this course we’ll cover the basics: search tools, the who-represents-whom tool, and data view options. We’ll look at cool features that are a little harder to find: pasting in agency/agent notes, flagging agents by priority, and setting alerts for when closed agents become open. We’ll also discuss other resources like Publisher’s Marketplace. Coupons for a free year of premium QueryTracker membership will be provided for up to 10 attendees. Bring your laptop to follow along. [Register](https://writer.org/event/managing-queries-with-querytracker/) $60.00 | ### 18 events 26 ### 18 events, [ 26 ](https://writer.org/events/2026-10-26/?hide_subsequent_recurrences=1&shortcode=7cf7dbe4) 2026-01-20 [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/) 2026-02-01 [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/) 2026-02-03 [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/) 2026-03-04 [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/) 2026-09-14 [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/) 2026-09-15 [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/) 2026-09-23 [ The Extreme Novelist](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/) 2026-09-28 [ Finish Your Poetry Book](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/) 2026-10-01 [ Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/) 2026-10-04 [ Lyrical Memoir Writing](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing-2/) 2026-10-05 [ (Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-the-art-of-the-pitch/) 2026-10-06 [ Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez](https://writer.org/event/your-narrative-your-year-w-edgar-gomez/) 2026-10-06 [ Writing Poetry From Where You Live](https://writer.org/event/writing-poetry-from-where-you-live/) 2026-10-10 [ Preparing Your Work for Submission](https://writer.org/event/preparing-your-work-for-submission/) 2026-10-20 [ Boot Camp for Writers](https://writer.org/event/boot-camp-for-writers-5/) 2026-10-20 [ Introduction to Art Journaling](https://writer.org/event/introduction-to-art-journaling-5/) 2026-10-20 [ Reading like a Writer: Imitation as Generative Writing](https://writer.org/event/reading-like-a-writer-imitation-as-generative-writing/) 2026-10-21 [ The Art of the Short Story w/ Rita Bullwinkel](https://writer.org/event/the-art-of-the-short-story-w-rita-bullwinkel/) | ### 18 events 27 ### 18 events, [ 27 ](https://writer.org/events/2026-10-27/?hide_subsequent_recurrences=1&shortcode=7cf7dbe4) 2026-01-20 [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/) 2026-02-01 [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/) 2026-02-03 [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/) 2026-03-04 [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/) 2026-09-14 [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/) 2026-09-15 [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/) 2026-09-23 [ The Extreme Novelist](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/) 2026-09-28 [ Finish Your Poetry Book](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/) 2026-10-01 [ Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/) 2026-10-04 [ Lyrical Memoir Writing](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing-2/) 1:00 PM EDT ### [ Advanced Nonfiction ](https://writer.org/event/advanced-nonfiction-2/ "Advanced Nonfiction") [### Advanced Nonfiction ](https://writer.org/event/advanced-nonfiction-2/ "Advanced Nonfiction") October 27 @ 1:00 PM EDT – November 17 @ 4:00 PM EST Venue : Zoom Sessions: 4 Sessions [  ](https://writer.org/event/advanced-nonfiction-2/ "Advanced Nonfiction") This advanced class will go beyond the basics of nonfiction writing to provide an extra focus on fleshing out characters, incorporating a narrative voice, and developing more sophisticated tools for narrative storytelling. [Register](https://writer.org/event/advanced-nonfiction-2/) $215.00 2026-10-27 [ Advanced Nonfiction](https://writer.org/event/advanced-nonfiction-2/) Advanced Nonfiction [### Advanced Nonfiction ](https://writer.org/event/advanced-nonfiction-2/ "Advanced Nonfiction") October 27 @ 1:00 PM EDT – November 17 @ 4:00 PM EST Venue : Zoom Sessions: 4 Sessions [  ](https://writer.org/event/advanced-nonfiction-2/ "Advanced Nonfiction") This advanced class will go beyond the basics of nonfiction writing to provide an extra focus on fleshing out characters, incorporating a narrative voice, and developing more sophisticated tools for narrative storytelling. [Register](https://writer.org/event/advanced-nonfiction-2/) $215.00 2026-10-06 [ Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez](https://writer.org/event/your-narrative-your-year-w-edgar-gomez/) 2026-10-06 [ Writing Poetry From Where You Live](https://writer.org/event/writing-poetry-from-where-you-live/) 2026-10-10 [ Preparing Your Work for Submission](https://writer.org/event/preparing-your-work-for-submission/) 2026-10-20 [ Boot Camp for Writers](https://writer.org/event/boot-camp-for-writers-5/) 2026-10-20 [ Introduction to Art Journaling](https://writer.org/event/introduction-to-art-journaling-5/) 2026-10-20 [ Reading like a Writer: Imitation as Generative Writing](https://writer.org/event/reading-like-a-writer-imitation-as-generative-writing/) 2026-10-21 [ The Art of the Short Story w/ Rita Bullwinkel](https://writer.org/event/the-art-of-the-short-story-w-rita-bullwinkel/) | ### 19 events 28 ### 19 events, [ 28 ](https://writer.org/events/2026-10-28/?hide_subsequent_recurrences=1&shortcode=7cf7dbe4) 2026-01-20 [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/) 2026-02-01 [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/) 2026-02-03 [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/) 2026-03-04 [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/) 2026-09-14 [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/) 2026-09-15 [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/) 2026-09-23 [ The Extreme Novelist](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/) 2026-09-28 [ Finish Your Poetry Book](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/) 2026-10-01 [ Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/) 2026-10-04 [ Lyrical Memoir Writing](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing-2/) 2026-10-27 [ Advanced Nonfiction](https://writer.org/event/advanced-nonfiction-2/) 2026-10-06 [ Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez](https://writer.org/event/your-narrative-your-year-w-edgar-gomez/) 2026-10-06 [ Writing Poetry From Where You Live](https://writer.org/event/writing-poetry-from-where-you-live/) 2026-10-10 [ Preparing Your Work for Submission](https://writer.org/event/preparing-your-work-for-submission/) 2026-10-20 [ Boot Camp for Writers](https://writer.org/event/boot-camp-for-writers-5/) 7:00 PM EDT ### [ Memoir Tools from Start to Finish ](https://writer.org/event/memoir-tools-from-start-to-finish/ "Memoir Tools from Start to Finish") [### Memoir Tools from Start to Finish ](https://writer.org/event/memoir-tools-from-start-to-finish/ "Memoir Tools from Start to Finish") October 28 @ 7:00 PM EDT – November 18 @ 8:30 PM EST Venue : Zoom Sessions: 4 Sessions [  ](https://writer.org/event/memoir-tools-from-start-to-finish/ "Memoir Tools from Start to Finish") Whether you are writing short pieces or are embarking on a full-length memoir, you need a roadmap. Over the course of four weeks, we will cover the tools you need to write a memoir from start to finish. We will discuss methods for starting a piece and getting content on the page. We’ll explore memoir structures and the relationship of form and content. We will learn editing techniques on both the sentence and big picture levels. Finally, we will talk about publishing options for memoir projects large and small. Participants will leave with the tools and confidence to start and complete a memoir project. [Register](https://writer.org/event/memoir-tools-from-start-to-finish/) $215.00 2026-10-28 [ Memoir Tools from Start to Finish](https://writer.org/event/memoir-tools-from-start-to-finish/) Memoir Tools from Start to Finish [### Memoir Tools from Start to Finish ](https://writer.org/event/memoir-tools-from-start-to-finish/ "Memoir Tools from Start to Finish") October 28 @ 7:00 PM EDT – November 18 @ 8:30 PM EST Venue : Zoom Sessions: 4 Sessions [  ](https://writer.org/event/memoir-tools-from-start-to-finish/ "Memoir Tools from Start to Finish") Whether you are writing short pieces or are embarking on a full-length memoir, you need a roadmap. Over the course of four weeks, we will cover the tools you need to write a memoir from start to finish. We will discuss methods for starting a piece and getting content on the page. We’ll explore memoir structures and the relationship of form and content. We will learn editing techniques on both the sentence and big picture levels. Finally, we will talk about publishing options for memoir projects large and small. Participants will leave with the tools and confidence to start and complete a memoir project. [Register](https://writer.org/event/memoir-tools-from-start-to-finish/) $215.00 2026-10-20 [ Reading like a Writer: Imitation as Generative Writing](https://writer.org/event/reading-like-a-writer-imitation-as-generative-writing/) 2026-10-21 [ The Art of the Short Story w/ Rita Bullwinkel](https://writer.org/event/the-art-of-the-short-story-w-rita-bullwinkel/) 7:00 PM EDT ### [ Dialogue Master Class ](https://writer.org/event/dialogue-master-class/ "Dialogue Master Class") [### Dialogue Master Class ](https://writer.org/event/dialogue-master-class/ "Dialogue Master Class") October 28 @ 7:00 PM EDT – 9:00 PM EDT Venue : Zoom Sessions: 1 Session [  ](https://writer.org/event/dialogue-master-class/ "Dialogue Master Class") Dialogue is essential to characterization storytelling, yet can be incredibly tricky to master. In this course, we’ll look at transcripts of conversations from life and published work to develop strategies to make your dialogue shine in your writing. Then we’ll do some targeted exercises to explore different types of dialogue strategies that go beyond direct quotation to create a symphony of distinct speaking voices for your characters. All genres welcome. [Register](https://writer.org/event/dialogue-master-class/) $60.00 | ### 19 events 29 ### 19 events, [ 29 ](https://writer.org/events/2026-10-29/?hide_subsequent_recurrences=1&shortcode=7cf7dbe4) 2026-01-20 [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/) 2026-02-01 [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/) 2026-02-03 [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/) 2026-03-04 [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/) 2026-09-14 [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/) 2026-09-15 [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/) 2026-09-23 [ The Extreme Novelist](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/) 2026-09-28 [ Finish Your Poetry Book](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/) 2026-10-01 [ Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/) 2026-10-04 [ Lyrical Memoir Writing](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing-2/) 2026-10-27 [ Advanced Nonfiction](https://writer.org/event/advanced-nonfiction-2/) 2026-10-06 [ Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez](https://writer.org/event/your-narrative-your-year-w-edgar-gomez/) 2026-10-06 [ Writing Poetry From Where You Live](https://writer.org/event/writing-poetry-from-where-you-live/) 2026-10-10 [ Preparing Your Work for Submission](https://writer.org/event/preparing-your-work-for-submission/) 2026-10-20 [ Boot Camp for Writers](https://writer.org/event/boot-camp-for-writers-5/) 2026-10-28 [ Memoir Tools from Start to Finish](https://writer.org/event/memoir-tools-from-start-to-finish/) 2026-10-20 [ Reading like a Writer: Imitation as Generative Writing](https://writer.org/event/reading-like-a-writer-imitation-as-generative-writing/) 2026-10-21 [ The Art of the Short Story w/ Rita Bullwinkel](https://writer.org/event/the-art-of-the-short-story-w-rita-bullwinkel/) 9:00 AM EDT ### [ Book Promotion Through Podcasting ](https://writer.org/event/book-promotion-through-podcasting-2/ "Book Promotion Through Podcasting") [### Book Promotion Through Podcasting ](https://writer.org/event/book-promotion-through-podcasting-2/ "Book Promotion Through Podcasting") October 29 @ 9:00 AM EDT – November 5 @ 10:30 AM EST Venue : Zoom Sessions: 2 Sessions [  ](https://writer.org/event/book-promotion-through-podcasting-2/ "Book Promotion Through Podcasting") In this workshop we’ll focus on how to prepare your pitch materials, how to get booked on podcasts, how to be a great guest, and even how to create a professional podcasting environment. [Register](https://writer.org/event/book-promotion-through-podcasting-2/) $100.00 2026-10-29 [ Book Promotion Through Podcasting](https://writer.org/event/book-promotion-through-podcasting-2/) Book Promotion Through Podcasting [### Book Promotion Through Podcasting ](https://writer.org/event/book-promotion-through-podcasting-2/ "Book Promotion Through Podcasting") October 29 @ 9:00 AM EDT – November 5 @ 10:30 AM EST Venue : Zoom Sessions: 2 Sessions [  ](https://writer.org/event/book-promotion-through-podcasting-2/ "Book Promotion Through Podcasting") In this workshop we’ll focus on how to prepare your pitch materials, how to get booked on podcasts, how to be a great guest, and even how to create a professional podcasting environment. [Register](https://writer.org/event/book-promotion-through-podcasting-2/) $100.00 | ### 21 events 30 ### 21 events, [ 30 ](https://writer.org/events/2026-10-30/?hide_subsequent_recurrences=1&shortcode=7cf7dbe4) 2026-01-20 [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/) 2026-02-01 [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/) 2026-02-03 [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/) 2026-03-04 [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/) 2026-09-14 [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/) 2026-09-15 [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/) 2026-09-23 [ The Extreme Novelist](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/) 2026-09-28 [ Finish Your Poetry Book](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/) 2026-10-01 [ Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/) 2026-10-04 [ Lyrical Memoir Writing](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing-2/) 2026-10-27 [ Advanced Nonfiction](https://writer.org/event/advanced-nonfiction-2/) 2026-10-06 [ Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez](https://writer.org/event/your-narrative-your-year-w-edgar-gomez/) 2026-10-06 [ Writing Poetry From Where You Live](https://writer.org/event/writing-poetry-from-where-you-live/) 2026-10-10 [ Preparing Your Work for Submission](https://writer.org/event/preparing-your-work-for-submission/) 2026-10-20 [ Boot Camp for Writers](https://writer.org/event/boot-camp-for-writers-5/) 2026-10-28 [ Memoir Tools from Start to Finish](https://writer.org/event/memoir-tools-from-start-to-finish/) 2026-10-20 [ Reading like a Writer: Imitation as Generative Writing](https://writer.org/event/reading-like-a-writer-imitation-as-generative-writing/) 2026-10-21 [ The Art of the Short Story w/ Rita Bullwinkel](https://writer.org/event/the-art-of-the-short-story-w-rita-bullwinkel/) 2026-10-29 [ Book Promotion Through Podcasting](https://writer.org/event/book-promotion-through-podcasting-2/) 12:00 AM EDT ### [ (Wet Ink) Intermediate Novel Writing: The 8 Cs ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intermediate-novel-writing-the-8-cs/ "(Wet Ink) Intermediate Novel Writing: The 8 Cs") [### (Wet Ink) Intermediate Novel Writing: The 8 Cs ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intermediate-novel-writing-the-8-cs/ "(Wet Ink) Intermediate Novel Writing: The 8 Cs") October 30 – December 18 Venue : Wet Ink Sessions: 8 Sessions [  ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intermediate-novel-writing-the-8-cs/ "(Wet Ink) Intermediate Novel Writing: The 8 Cs") 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.) [Register](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intermediate-novel-writing-the-8-cs/) $395.00 2026-10-30 [ (Wet Ink) Intermediate Novel Writing: The 8 Cs](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intermediate-novel-writing-the-8-cs/) (Wet Ink) Intermediate Novel Writing: The 8 Cs [### (Wet Ink) Intermediate Novel Writing: The 8 Cs ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intermediate-novel-writing-the-8-cs/ "(Wet Ink) Intermediate Novel Writing: The 8 Cs") October 30 – December 18 Venue : Wet Ink Sessions: 8 Sessions [  ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intermediate-novel-writing-the-8-cs/ "(Wet Ink) Intermediate Novel Writing: The 8 Cs") 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.) [Register](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intermediate-novel-writing-the-8-cs/) $395.00 12:00 AM EDT ### [ (Wet Ink) Fiction POV Workshop ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-fiction-pov-workshop/ "(Wet Ink) Fiction POV Workshop") [### (Wet Ink) Fiction POV Workshop ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-fiction-pov-workshop/ "(Wet Ink) Fiction POV Workshop") October 30 – November 20 Venue : Wet Ink Sessions: 4 Sessions 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. [Register](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-fiction-pov-workshop/) $215.00 2026-10-30 [ (Wet Ink) Fiction POV Workshop](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-fiction-pov-workshop/) (Wet Ink) Fiction POV Workshop [### (Wet Ink) Fiction POV Workshop ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-fiction-pov-workshop/ "(Wet Ink) Fiction POV Workshop") October 30 – November 20 Venue : Wet Ink Sessions: 4 Sessions 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. [Register](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-fiction-pov-workshop/) $215.00 | ### 22 events 31 ### 22 events, [ 31 ](https://writer.org/events/2026-10-31/?hide_subsequent_recurrences=1&shortcode=7cf7dbe4) 2026-01-20 [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/) 2026-02-01 [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/) 2026-02-03 [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/) 2026-03-04 [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/) 2026-09-14 [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/) 2026-09-15 [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/) 2026-09-23 [ The Extreme Novelist](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/) 2026-09-28 [ Finish Your Poetry Book](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/) 2026-10-01 [ Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/) 2026-10-04 [ Lyrical Memoir Writing](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing-2/) 2026-10-27 [ Advanced Nonfiction](https://writer.org/event/advanced-nonfiction-2/) 2026-10-06 [ Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez](https://writer.org/event/your-narrative-your-year-w-edgar-gomez/) 2026-10-06 [ Writing Poetry From Where You Live](https://writer.org/event/writing-poetry-from-where-you-live/) 2026-10-10 [ Preparing Your Work for Submission](https://writer.org/event/preparing-your-work-for-submission/) 2026-10-20 [ Boot Camp for Writers](https://writer.org/event/boot-camp-for-writers-5/) 2026-10-28 [ Memoir Tools from Start to Finish](https://writer.org/event/memoir-tools-from-start-to-finish/) 2026-10-20 [ Reading like a Writer: Imitation as Generative Writing](https://writer.org/event/reading-like-a-writer-imitation-as-generative-writing/) 2026-10-21 [ The Art of the Short Story w/ Rita Bullwinkel](https://writer.org/event/the-art-of-the-short-story-w-rita-bullwinkel/) 2026-10-29 [ Book Promotion Through Podcasting](https://writer.org/event/book-promotion-through-podcasting-2/) 2026-10-30 [ (Wet Ink) Intermediate Novel Writing: The 8 Cs](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intermediate-novel-writing-the-8-cs/) 2026-10-30 [ (Wet Ink) Fiction POV Workshop](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-fiction-pov-workshop/) 1:00 PM EDT ### [ Lessons and Inspiration from a Literary Life ](https://writer.org/event/lessons-and-inspiration-from-a-literary-life/ "Lessons and Inspiration from a Literary Life") [### Lessons and Inspiration from a Literary Life ](https://writer.org/event/lessons-and-inspiration-from-a-literary-life/ "Lessons and Inspiration from a Literary Life") October 31 @ 1:00 PM EDT – 2:30 PM EDT Venue : The Writer’s Center Sessions: 1 Session [  ](https://writer.org/event/lessons-and-inspiration-from-a-literary-life/ "Lessons and Inspiration from a Literary Life") Reframe your understanding of the joys, purpose, struggles, and successes associated with being both a writer and a member of the wider literary community. In a presentation that spans my \[…\] [Register](https://writer.org/event/lessons-and-inspiration-from-a-literary-life/) $70.00 |
January 20
January 20 @ 7:00 PM EST – December 1 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll ](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/ "The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll")
February 1 @ 12:00 AM EST – December 27 @ 12:00 AM EST
### [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner ](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/ "The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner")
February 3 @ 7:00 PM EST – November 17 @ 9:00 PM EST
### [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung ](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/ "Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung")
March 4 @ 8:00 PM EST – December 30 @ 10:00 PM EST
### [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko ](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/ "Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intro-to-the-novel/ "(Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel")
September 8 @ 1:00 PM EDT – September 29 @ 4:00 PM EDT
### [ Writing the Truth: Lessons in Nonfiction Writing ](https://writer.org/event/writing-the-truth-lessons-in-nonfiction-writing-3/ "Writing the Truth: Lessons in Nonfiction Writing")
September 9 @ 4:00 PM EDT – October 7 @ 6:00 PM EDT
### [ Archival Research for Creative Writing ](https://writer.org/event/archival-research-for-creative-writing/ "Archival Research for Creative Writing")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Experimentation in Flash Fiction ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-experimentation-in-flash-fiction/ "(Wet Ink) Experimentation in Flash Fiction")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/ "(Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice")
09.15.2026 @ 11:00 AM EDT – 06.22.2027 @ 1:00 PM EDT
### [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell ](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/ "One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell")
September 16 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 21 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ From Novice to Novelist ](https://writer.org/event/from-novice-to-novelist-4/ "From Novice to Novelist")
September 20 @ 1:00 PM EDT – October 18 @ 3:30 PM EDT
### [ Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories ](https://writer.org/event/writing-the-fictionalized-autobiography-coming-of-age-stories/ "Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories")
September 23 @ 7:00 PM EDT – November 11 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Extreme Novelist ](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/ "The Extreme Novelist")
September 24 @ 9:00 AM EDT – October 1 @ 10:30 AM EDT
### [ Book Marketing On A Budget ](https://writer.org/event/book-marketing-on-a-budget-7/ "Book Marketing On A Budget")
January 20
January 20 @ 7:00 PM EST – December 1 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll ](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/ "The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll")
February 1 @ 12:00 AM EST – December 27 @ 12:00 AM EST
### [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner ](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/ "The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner")
February 3 @ 7:00 PM EST – November 17 @ 9:00 PM EST
### [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung ](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/ "Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung")
March 4 @ 8:00 PM EST – December 30 @ 10:00 PM EST
### [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko ](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/ "Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intro-to-the-novel/ "(Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel")
September 8 @ 1:00 PM EDT – September 29 @ 4:00 PM EDT
### [ Writing the Truth: Lessons in Nonfiction Writing ](https://writer.org/event/writing-the-truth-lessons-in-nonfiction-writing-3/ "Writing the Truth: Lessons in Nonfiction Writing")
September 9 @ 4:00 PM EDT – October 7 @ 6:00 PM EDT
### [ Archival Research for Creative Writing ](https://writer.org/event/archival-research-for-creative-writing/ "Archival Research for Creative Writing")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Experimentation in Flash Fiction ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-experimentation-in-flash-fiction/ "(Wet Ink) Experimentation in Flash Fiction")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/ "(Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice")
09.15.2026 @ 11:00 AM EDT – 06.22.2027 @ 1:00 PM EDT
### [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell ](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/ "One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell")
September 16 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 21 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ From Novice to Novelist ](https://writer.org/event/from-novice-to-novelist-4/ "From Novice to Novelist")
September 20 @ 1:00 PM EDT – October 18 @ 3:30 PM EDT
### [ Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories ](https://writer.org/event/writing-the-fictionalized-autobiography-coming-of-age-stories/ "Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories")
September 23 @ 7:00 PM EDT – November 11 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Extreme Novelist ](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/ "The Extreme Novelist")
September 24 @ 9:00 AM EDT – October 1 @ 10:30 AM EDT
### [ Book Marketing On A Budget ](https://writer.org/event/book-marketing-on-a-budget-7/ "Book Marketing On A Budget")
September 28 @ 4:00 PM EDT – November 30 @ 6:00 PM EST
### [ Finish Your Poetry Book ](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/ "Finish Your Poetry Book")
January 20
January 20 @ 7:00 PM EST – December 1 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll ](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/ "The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll")
February 1 @ 12:00 AM EST – December 27 @ 12:00 AM EST
### [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner ](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/ "The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner")
February 3 @ 7:00 PM EST – November 17 @ 9:00 PM EST
### [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung ](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/ "Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung")
March 4 @ 8:00 PM EST – December 30 @ 10:00 PM EST
### [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko ](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/ "Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intro-to-the-novel/ "(Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel")
September 8 @ 1:00 PM EDT – September 29 @ 4:00 PM EDT
### [ Writing the Truth: Lessons in Nonfiction Writing ](https://writer.org/event/writing-the-truth-lessons-in-nonfiction-writing-3/ "Writing the Truth: Lessons in Nonfiction Writing")
September 9 @ 4:00 PM EDT – October 7 @ 6:00 PM EDT
### [ Archival Research for Creative Writing ](https://writer.org/event/archival-research-for-creative-writing/ "Archival Research for Creative Writing")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Experimentation in Flash Fiction ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-experimentation-in-flash-fiction/ "(Wet Ink) Experimentation in Flash Fiction")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/ "(Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice")
09.15.2026 @ 11:00 AM EDT – 06.22.2027 @ 1:00 PM EDT
### [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell ](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/ "One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell")
September 16 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 21 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ From Novice to Novelist ](https://writer.org/event/from-novice-to-novelist-4/ "From Novice to Novelist")
September 20 @ 1:00 PM EDT – October 18 @ 3:30 PM EDT
### [ Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories ](https://writer.org/event/writing-the-fictionalized-autobiography-coming-of-age-stories/ "Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories")
September 23 @ 7:00 PM EDT – November 11 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Extreme Novelist ](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/ "The Extreme Novelist")
September 24 @ 9:00 AM EDT – October 1 @ 10:30 AM EDT
### [ Book Marketing On A Budget ](https://writer.org/event/book-marketing-on-a-budget-7/ "Book Marketing On A Budget")
September 28 @ 4:00 PM EDT – November 30 @ 6:00 PM EST
### [ Finish Your Poetry Book ](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/ "Finish Your Poetry Book")
September 29 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 20 @ 9:30 PM EDT
### [ Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing ](https://writer.org/event/fundamentals-of-persuasive-writing-3/ "Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing")
January 20
January 20 @ 7:00 PM EST – December 1 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll ](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/ "The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll")
February 1 @ 12:00 AM EST – December 27 @ 12:00 AM EST
### [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner ](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/ "The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner")
February 3 @ 7:00 PM EST – November 17 @ 9:00 PM EST
### [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung ](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/ "Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung")
March 4 @ 8:00 PM EST – December 30 @ 10:00 PM EST
### [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko ](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/ "Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intro-to-the-novel/ "(Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel")
September 9 @ 4:00 PM EDT – October 7 @ 6:00 PM EDT
### [ Archival Research for Creative Writing ](https://writer.org/event/archival-research-for-creative-writing/ "Archival Research for Creative Writing")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Experimentation in Flash Fiction ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-experimentation-in-flash-fiction/ "(Wet Ink) Experimentation in Flash Fiction")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/ "(Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice")
09.15.2026 @ 11:00 AM EDT – 06.22.2027 @ 1:00 PM EDT
### [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell ](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/ "One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell")
September 16 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 21 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ From Novice to Novelist ](https://writer.org/event/from-novice-to-novelist-4/ "From Novice to Novelist")
September 20 @ 1:00 PM EDT – October 18 @ 3:30 PM EDT
### [ Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories ](https://writer.org/event/writing-the-fictionalized-autobiography-coming-of-age-stories/ "Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories")
September 23 @ 7:00 PM EDT – November 11 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Extreme Novelist ](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/ "The Extreme Novelist")
September 24 @ 9:00 AM EDT – October 1 @ 10:30 AM EDT
### [ Book Marketing On A Budget ](https://writer.org/event/book-marketing-on-a-budget-7/ "Book Marketing On A Budget")
September 28 @ 4:00 PM EDT – November 30 @ 6:00 PM EST
### [ Finish Your Poetry Book ](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/ "Finish Your Poetry Book")
September 29 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 20 @ 9:30 PM EDT
### [ Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing ](https://writer.org/event/fundamentals-of-persuasive-writing-3/ "Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing")
January 20
January 20 @ 7:00 PM EST – December 1 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll ](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/ "The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll")
February 1 @ 12:00 AM EST – December 27 @ 12:00 AM EST
### [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner ](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/ "The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner")
February 3 @ 7:00 PM EST – November 17 @ 9:00 PM EST
### [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung ](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/ "Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung")
March 4 @ 8:00 PM EST – December 30 @ 10:00 PM EST
### [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko ](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/ "Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intro-to-the-novel/ "(Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel")
October 1 @ 6:30 PM EDT – November 19 @ 8:30 PM EST
### [ Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot ](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/ "Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot")
September 9 @ 4:00 PM EDT – October 7 @ 6:00 PM EDT
### [ Archival Research for Creative Writing ](https://writer.org/event/archival-research-for-creative-writing/ "Archival Research for Creative Writing")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Experimentation in Flash Fiction ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-experimentation-in-flash-fiction/ "(Wet Ink) Experimentation in Flash Fiction")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/ "(Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice")
09.15.2026 @ 11:00 AM EDT – 06.22.2027 @ 1:00 PM EDT
### [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell ](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/ "One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell")
September 16 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 21 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ From Novice to Novelist ](https://writer.org/event/from-novice-to-novelist-4/ "From Novice to Novelist")
September 20 @ 1:00 PM EDT – October 18 @ 3:30 PM EDT
### [ Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories ](https://writer.org/event/writing-the-fictionalized-autobiography-coming-of-age-stories/ "Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories")
September 23 @ 7:00 PM EDT – November 11 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Extreme Novelist ](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/ "The Extreme Novelist")
September 24 @ 9:00 AM EDT – October 1 @ 10:30 AM EDT
### [ Book Marketing On A Budget ](https://writer.org/event/book-marketing-on-a-budget-7/ "Book Marketing On A Budget")
September 28 @ 4:00 PM EDT – November 30 @ 6:00 PM EST
### [ Finish Your Poetry Book ](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/ "Finish Your Poetry Book")
September 29 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 20 @ 9:30 PM EDT
### [ Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing ](https://writer.org/event/fundamentals-of-persuasive-writing-3/ "Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing")
October 1 @ 6:30 PM EDT – October 22 @ 8:30 PM EDT
### [ Novel 101: How to Craft the Story ](https://writer.org/event/novel-101-how-to-craft-the-story-5/ "Novel 101: How to Craft the Story")
January 20
January 20 @ 7:00 PM EST – December 1 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll ](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/ "The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll")
February 1 @ 12:00 AM EST – December 27 @ 12:00 AM EST
### [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner ](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/ "The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner")
February 3 @ 7:00 PM EST – November 17 @ 9:00 PM EST
### [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung ](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/ "Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung")
March 4 @ 8:00 PM EST – December 30 @ 10:00 PM EST
### [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko ](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/ "Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intro-to-the-novel/ "(Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel")
October 1 @ 6:30 PM EDT – November 19 @ 8:30 PM EST
### [ Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot ](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/ "Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot")
September 9 @ 4:00 PM EDT – October 7 @ 6:00 PM EDT
### [ Archival Research for Creative Writing ](https://writer.org/event/archival-research-for-creative-writing/ "Archival Research for Creative Writing")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Experimentation in Flash Fiction ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-experimentation-in-flash-fiction/ "(Wet Ink) Experimentation in Flash Fiction")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/ "(Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice")
09.15.2026 @ 11:00 AM EDT – 06.22.2027 @ 1:00 PM EDT
### [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell ](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/ "One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell")
September 16 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 21 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ From Novice to Novelist ](https://writer.org/event/from-novice-to-novelist-4/ "From Novice to Novelist")
September 20 @ 1:00 PM EDT – October 18 @ 3:30 PM EDT
### [ Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories ](https://writer.org/event/writing-the-fictionalized-autobiography-coming-of-age-stories/ "Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories")
September 23 @ 7:00 PM EDT – November 11 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Extreme Novelist ](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/ "The Extreme Novelist")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-plotting-your-novel/ "(Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel")
September 28 @ 4:00 PM EDT – November 30 @ 6:00 PM EST
### [ Finish Your Poetry Book ](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/ "Finish Your Poetry Book")
September 29 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 20 @ 9:30 PM EDT
### [ Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing ](https://writer.org/event/fundamentals-of-persuasive-writing-3/ "Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing")
October 1 @ 6:30 PM EDT – October 22 @ 8:30 PM EDT
### [ Novel 101: How to Craft the Story ](https://writer.org/event/novel-101-how-to-craft-the-story-5/ "Novel 101: How to Craft the Story")
January 20
January 20 @ 7:00 PM EST – December 1 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll ](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/ "The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll")
February 1 @ 12:00 AM EST – December 27 @ 12:00 AM EST
### [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner ](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/ "The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner")
February 3 @ 7:00 PM EST – November 17 @ 9:00 PM EST
### [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung ](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/ "Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung")
March 4 @ 8:00 PM EST – December 30 @ 10:00 PM EST
### [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko ](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/ "Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intro-to-the-novel/ "(Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel")
October 1 @ 6:30 PM EDT – November 19 @ 8:30 PM EST
### [ Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot ](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/ "Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot")
September 9 @ 4:00 PM EDT – October 7 @ 6:00 PM EDT
### [ Archival Research for Creative Writing ](https://writer.org/event/archival-research-for-creative-writing/ "Archival Research for Creative Writing")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Experimentation in Flash Fiction ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-experimentation-in-flash-fiction/ "(Wet Ink) Experimentation in Flash Fiction")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/ "(Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice")
09.15.2026 @ 11:00 AM EDT – 06.22.2027 @ 1:00 PM EDT
### [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell ](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/ "One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell")
September 16 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 21 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ From Novice to Novelist ](https://writer.org/event/from-novice-to-novelist-4/ "From Novice to Novelist")
September 20 @ 1:00 PM EDT – October 18 @ 3:30 PM EDT
### [ Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories ](https://writer.org/event/writing-the-fictionalized-autobiography-coming-of-age-stories/ "Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories")
September 23 @ 7:00 PM EDT – November 11 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Extreme Novelist ](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/ "The Extreme Novelist")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-plotting-your-novel/ "(Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel")
September 28 @ 4:00 PM EDT – November 30 @ 6:00 PM EST
### [ Finish Your Poetry Book ](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/ "Finish Your Poetry Book")
September 29 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 20 @ 9:30 PM EDT
### [ Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing ](https://writer.org/event/fundamentals-of-persuasive-writing-3/ "Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing")
October 1 @ 6:30 PM EDT – October 22 @ 8:30 PM EDT
### [ Novel 101: How to Craft the Story ](https://writer.org/event/novel-101-how-to-craft-the-story-5/ "Novel 101: How to Craft the Story")
October 3 @ 10:00 AM EDT – 12:30 PM EDT
### [ Creating Conflict and Tension ](https://writer.org/event/creating-conflict-and-tension/ "Creating Conflict and Tension")
January 20
January 20 @ 7:00 PM EST – December 1 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll ](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/ "The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll")
February 1 @ 12:00 AM EST – December 27 @ 12:00 AM EST
### [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner ](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/ "The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner")
February 3 @ 7:00 PM EST – November 17 @ 9:00 PM EST
### [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung ](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/ "Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung")
March 4 @ 8:00 PM EST – December 30 @ 10:00 PM EST
### [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko ](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/ "Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intro-to-the-novel/ "(Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel")
September 9 @ 4:00 PM EDT – October 7 @ 6:00 PM EDT
### [ Archival Research for Creative Writing ](https://writer.org/event/archival-research-for-creative-writing/ "Archival Research for Creative Writing")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Experimentation in Flash Fiction ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-experimentation-in-flash-fiction/ "(Wet Ink) Experimentation in Flash Fiction")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/ "(Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice")
09.15.2026 @ 11:00 AM EDT – 06.22.2027 @ 1:00 PM EDT
### [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell ](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/ "One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell")
September 16 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 21 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ From Novice to Novelist ](https://writer.org/event/from-novice-to-novelist-4/ "From Novice to Novelist")
September 20 @ 1:00 PM EDT – October 18 @ 3:30 PM EDT
### [ Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories ](https://writer.org/event/writing-the-fictionalized-autobiography-coming-of-age-stories/ "Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories")
September 23 @ 7:00 PM EDT – November 11 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Extreme Novelist ](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/ "The Extreme Novelist")
September 28 @ 4:00 PM EDT – November 30 @ 6:00 PM EST
### [ Finish Your Poetry Book ](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/ "Finish Your Poetry Book")
September 29 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 20 @ 9:30 PM EDT
### [ Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing ](https://writer.org/event/fundamentals-of-persuasive-writing-3/ "Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing")
October 1 @ 6:30 PM EDT – November 19 @ 8:30 PM EST
### [ Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot ](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/ "Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot")
October 1 @ 6:30 PM EDT – October 22 @ 8:30 PM EDT
### [ Novel 101: How to Craft the Story ](https://writer.org/event/novel-101-how-to-craft-the-story-5/ "Novel 101: How to Craft the Story")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-plotting-your-novel/ "(Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel")
October 4 @ 2:00 PM EDT – November 8 @ 4:00 PM EST
### [ Lyrical Memoir Writing ](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing-2/ "Lyrical Memoir Writing")
January 20
January 20 @ 7:00 PM EST – December 1 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll ](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/ "The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll")
February 1 @ 12:00 AM EST – December 27 @ 12:00 AM EST
### [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner ](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/ "The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner")
February 3 @ 7:00 PM EST – November 17 @ 9:00 PM EST
### [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung ](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/ "Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung")
March 4 @ 8:00 PM EST – December 30 @ 10:00 PM EST
### [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko ](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/ "Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intro-to-the-novel/ "(Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel")
September 9 @ 4:00 PM EDT – October 7 @ 6:00 PM EDT
### [ Archival Research for Creative Writing ](https://writer.org/event/archival-research-for-creative-writing/ "Archival Research for Creative Writing")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Experimentation in Flash Fiction ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-experimentation-in-flash-fiction/ "(Wet Ink) Experimentation in Flash Fiction")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/ "(Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice")
09.15.2026 @ 11:00 AM EDT – 06.22.2027 @ 1:00 PM EDT
### [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell ](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/ "One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell")
September 16 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 21 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ From Novice to Novelist ](https://writer.org/event/from-novice-to-novelist-4/ "From Novice to Novelist")
September 20 @ 1:00 PM EDT – October 18 @ 3:30 PM EDT
### [ Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories ](https://writer.org/event/writing-the-fictionalized-autobiography-coming-of-age-stories/ "Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories")
September 23 @ 7:00 PM EDT – November 11 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Extreme Novelist ](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/ "The Extreme Novelist")
September 28 @ 4:00 PM EDT – November 30 @ 6:00 PM EST
### [ Finish Your Poetry Book ](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/ "Finish Your Poetry Book")
September 29 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 20 @ 9:30 PM EDT
### [ Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing ](https://writer.org/event/fundamentals-of-persuasive-writing-3/ "Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing")
October 1 @ 6:30 PM EDT – November 19 @ 8:30 PM EST
### [ Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot ](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/ "Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot")
October 1 @ 6:30 PM EDT – October 22 @ 8:30 PM EDT
### [ Novel 101: How to Craft the Story ](https://writer.org/event/novel-101-how-to-craft-the-story-5/ "Novel 101: How to Craft the Story")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-plotting-your-novel/ "(Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel")
October 4 @ 2:00 PM EDT – November 8 @ 4:00 PM EST
### [ Lyrical Memoir Writing ](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing-2/ "Lyrical Memoir Writing")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-the-art-of-the-pitch/ "(Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch")
January 20
January 20 @ 7:00 PM EST – December 1 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll ](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/ "The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll")
February 1 @ 12:00 AM EST – December 27 @ 12:00 AM EST
### [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner ](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/ "The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner")
February 3 @ 7:00 PM EST – November 17 @ 9:00 PM EST
### [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung ](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/ "Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung")
March 4 @ 8:00 PM EST – December 30 @ 10:00 PM EST
### [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko ](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/ "Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intro-to-the-novel/ "(Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel")
September 9 @ 4:00 PM EDT – October 7 @ 6:00 PM EDT
### [ Archival Research for Creative Writing ](https://writer.org/event/archival-research-for-creative-writing/ "Archival Research for Creative Writing")
10.06.2026 @ 7:00 PM EDT – 07.27.2027 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez ](https://writer.org/event/your-narrative-your-year-w-edgar-gomez/ "Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/ "(Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice")
09.15.2026 @ 11:00 AM EDT – 06.22.2027 @ 1:00 PM EDT
### [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell ](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/ "One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell")
September 16 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 21 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ From Novice to Novelist ](https://writer.org/event/from-novice-to-novelist-4/ "From Novice to Novelist")
September 20 @ 1:00 PM EDT – October 18 @ 3:30 PM EDT
### [ Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories ](https://writer.org/event/writing-the-fictionalized-autobiography-coming-of-age-stories/ "Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories")
September 23 @ 7:00 PM EDT – November 11 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Extreme Novelist ](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/ "The Extreme Novelist")
September 28 @ 4:00 PM EDT – November 30 @ 6:00 PM EST
### [ Finish Your Poetry Book ](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/ "Finish Your Poetry Book")
September 29 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 20 @ 9:30 PM EDT
### [ Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing ](https://writer.org/event/fundamentals-of-persuasive-writing-3/ "Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing")
October 1 @ 6:30 PM EDT – November 19 @ 8:30 PM EST
### [ Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot ](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/ "Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot")
October 1 @ 6:30 PM EDT – October 22 @ 8:30 PM EDT
### [ Novel 101: How to Craft the Story ](https://writer.org/event/novel-101-how-to-craft-the-story-5/ "Novel 101: How to Craft the Story")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-plotting-your-novel/ "(Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel")
October 4 @ 2:00 PM EDT – November 8 @ 4:00 PM EST
### [ Lyrical Memoir Writing ](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing-2/ "Lyrical Memoir Writing")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-the-art-of-the-pitch/ "(Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch")
October 6 @ 7:30 PM EDT – November 3 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ Writing Poetry From Where You Live ](https://writer.org/event/writing-poetry-from-where-you-live/ "Writing Poetry From Where You Live")
January 20
January 20 @ 7:00 PM EST – December 1 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll ](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/ "The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll")
February 1 @ 12:00 AM EST – December 27 @ 12:00 AM EST
### [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner ](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/ "The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner")
February 3 @ 7:00 PM EST – November 17 @ 9:00 PM EST
### [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung ](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/ "Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung")
March 4 @ 8:00 PM EST – December 30 @ 10:00 PM EST
### [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko ](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/ "Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intro-to-the-novel/ "(Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel")
September 9 @ 4:00 PM EDT – October 7 @ 6:00 PM EDT
### [ Archival Research for Creative Writing ](https://writer.org/event/archival-research-for-creative-writing/ "Archival Research for Creative Writing")
10.06.2026 @ 7:00 PM EDT – 07.27.2027 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez ](https://writer.org/event/your-narrative-your-year-w-edgar-gomez/ "Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/ "(Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice")
09.15.2026 @ 11:00 AM EDT – 06.22.2027 @ 1:00 PM EDT
### [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell ](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/ "One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell")
September 16 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 21 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ From Novice to Novelist ](https://writer.org/event/from-novice-to-novelist-4/ "From Novice to Novelist")
September 20 @ 1:00 PM EDT – October 18 @ 3:30 PM EDT
### [ Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories ](https://writer.org/event/writing-the-fictionalized-autobiography-coming-of-age-stories/ "Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories")
September 23 @ 7:00 PM EDT – November 11 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Extreme Novelist ](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/ "The Extreme Novelist")
September 28 @ 4:00 PM EDT – November 30 @ 6:00 PM EST
### [ Finish Your Poetry Book ](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/ "Finish Your Poetry Book")
September 29 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 20 @ 9:30 PM EDT
### [ Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing ](https://writer.org/event/fundamentals-of-persuasive-writing-3/ "Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing")
October 1 @ 6:30 PM EDT – November 19 @ 8:30 PM EST
### [ Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot ](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/ "Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot")
October 1 @ 6:30 PM EDT – October 22 @ 8:30 PM EDT
### [ Novel 101: How to Craft the Story ](https://writer.org/event/novel-101-how-to-craft-the-story-5/ "Novel 101: How to Craft the Story")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-plotting-your-novel/ "(Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel")
October 4 @ 2:00 PM EDT – November 8 @ 4:00 PM EST
### [ Lyrical Memoir Writing ](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing-2/ "Lyrical Memoir Writing")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-the-art-of-the-pitch/ "(Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch")
October 6 @ 7:30 PM EDT – November 3 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ Writing Poetry From Where You Live ](https://writer.org/event/writing-poetry-from-where-you-live/ "Writing Poetry From Where You Live")
January 20
January 20 @ 7:00 PM EST – December 1 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll ](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/ "The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll")
February 1 @ 12:00 AM EST – December 27 @ 12:00 AM EST
### [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner ](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/ "The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner")
February 3 @ 7:00 PM EST – November 17 @ 9:00 PM EST
### [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung ](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/ "Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung")
March 4 @ 8:00 PM EST – December 30 @ 10:00 PM EST
### [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko ](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/ "Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intro-to-the-novel/ "(Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel")
October 8 @ 6:30 PM EDT – October 22 @ 9:30 PM EDT
### [ From Idea to First Draft ](https://writer.org/event/from-idea-to-first-draft/ "From Idea to First Draft")
10.06.2026 @ 7:00 PM EDT – 07.27.2027 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez ](https://writer.org/event/your-narrative-your-year-w-edgar-gomez/ "Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/ "(Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice")
09.15.2026 @ 11:00 AM EDT – 06.22.2027 @ 1:00 PM EDT
### [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell ](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/ "One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell")
September 16 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 21 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ From Novice to Novelist ](https://writer.org/event/from-novice-to-novelist-4/ "From Novice to Novelist")
September 20 @ 1:00 PM EDT – October 18 @ 3:30 PM EDT
### [ Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories ](https://writer.org/event/writing-the-fictionalized-autobiography-coming-of-age-stories/ "Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories")
September 23 @ 7:00 PM EDT – November 11 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Extreme Novelist ](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/ "The Extreme Novelist")
September 28 @ 4:00 PM EDT – November 30 @ 6:00 PM EST
### [ Finish Your Poetry Book ](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/ "Finish Your Poetry Book")
September 29 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 20 @ 9:30 PM EDT
### [ Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing ](https://writer.org/event/fundamentals-of-persuasive-writing-3/ "Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing")
October 1 @ 6:30 PM EDT – November 19 @ 8:30 PM EST
### [ Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot ](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/ "Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot")
October 1 @ 6:30 PM EDT – October 22 @ 8:30 PM EDT
### [ Novel 101: How to Craft the Story ](https://writer.org/event/novel-101-how-to-craft-the-story-5/ "Novel 101: How to Craft the Story")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-plotting-your-novel/ "(Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel")
October 4 @ 2:00 PM EDT – November 8 @ 4:00 PM EST
### [ Lyrical Memoir Writing ](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing-2/ "Lyrical Memoir Writing")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-the-art-of-the-pitch/ "(Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch")
October 6 @ 7:30 PM EDT – November 3 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ Writing Poetry From Where You Live ](https://writer.org/event/writing-poetry-from-where-you-live/ "Writing Poetry From Where You Live")
October 8 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 22 @ 9:30 PM EDT
### [ Writing Picture Books ](https://writer.org/event/writing-picture-books-6/ "Writing Picture Books")
January 20
January 20 @ 7:00 PM EST – December 1 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll ](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/ "The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll")
February 1 @ 12:00 AM EST – December 27 @ 12:00 AM EST
### [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner ](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/ "The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner")
February 3 @ 7:00 PM EST – November 17 @ 9:00 PM EST
### [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung ](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/ "Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung")
March 4 @ 8:00 PM EST – December 30 @ 10:00 PM EST
### [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko ](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/ "Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intro-to-the-novel/ "(Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel")
October 8 @ 6:30 PM EDT – October 22 @ 9:30 PM EDT
### [ From Idea to First Draft ](https://writer.org/event/from-idea-to-first-draft/ "From Idea to First Draft")
10.06.2026 @ 7:00 PM EDT – 07.27.2027 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez ](https://writer.org/event/your-narrative-your-year-w-edgar-gomez/ "Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/ "(Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice")
09.15.2026 @ 11:00 AM EDT – 06.22.2027 @ 1:00 PM EDT
### [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell ](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/ "One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell")
September 16 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 21 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ From Novice to Novelist ](https://writer.org/event/from-novice-to-novelist-4/ "From Novice to Novelist")
September 20 @ 1:00 PM EDT – October 18 @ 3:30 PM EDT
### [ Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories ](https://writer.org/event/writing-the-fictionalized-autobiography-coming-of-age-stories/ "Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories")
September 23 @ 7:00 PM EDT – November 11 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Extreme Novelist ](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/ "The Extreme Novelist")
September 28 @ 4:00 PM EDT – November 30 @ 6:00 PM EST
### [ Finish Your Poetry Book ](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/ "Finish Your Poetry Book")
September 29 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 20 @ 9:30 PM EDT
### [ Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing ](https://writer.org/event/fundamentals-of-persuasive-writing-3/ "Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing")
October 1 @ 6:30 PM EDT – November 19 @ 8:30 PM EST
### [ Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot ](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/ "Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot")
October 1 @ 6:30 PM EDT – October 22 @ 8:30 PM EDT
### [ Novel 101: How to Craft the Story ](https://writer.org/event/novel-101-how-to-craft-the-story-5/ "Novel 101: How to Craft the Story")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-plotting-your-novel/ "(Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel")
October 4 @ 2:00 PM EDT – November 8 @ 4:00 PM EST
### [ Lyrical Memoir Writing ](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing-2/ "Lyrical Memoir Writing")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-the-art-of-the-pitch/ "(Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch")
October 6 @ 7:30 PM EDT – November 3 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ Writing Poetry From Where You Live ](https://writer.org/event/writing-poetry-from-where-you-live/ "Writing Poetry From Where You Live")
October 8 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 22 @ 9:30 PM EDT
### [ Writing Picture Books ](https://writer.org/event/writing-picture-books-6/ "Writing Picture Books")
January 20
January 20 @ 7:00 PM EST – December 1 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll ](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/ "The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll")
February 1 @ 12:00 AM EST – December 27 @ 12:00 AM EST
### [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner ](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/ "The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner")
February 3 @ 7:00 PM EST – November 17 @ 9:00 PM EST
### [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung ](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/ "Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung")
March 4 @ 8:00 PM EST – December 30 @ 10:00 PM EST
### [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko ](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/ "Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intro-to-the-novel/ "(Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel")
October 8 @ 6:30 PM EDT – October 22 @ 9:30 PM EDT
### [ From Idea to First Draft ](https://writer.org/event/from-idea-to-first-draft/ "From Idea to First Draft")
10.06.2026 @ 7:00 PM EDT – 07.27.2027 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez ](https://writer.org/event/your-narrative-your-year-w-edgar-gomez/ "Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/ "(Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice")
09.15.2026 @ 11:00 AM EDT – 06.22.2027 @ 1:00 PM EDT
### [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell ](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/ "One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell")
September 16 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 21 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ From Novice to Novelist ](https://writer.org/event/from-novice-to-novelist-4/ "From Novice to Novelist")
September 20 @ 1:00 PM EDT – October 18 @ 3:30 PM EDT
### [ Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories ](https://writer.org/event/writing-the-fictionalized-autobiography-coming-of-age-stories/ "Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories")
September 23 @ 7:00 PM EDT – November 11 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Extreme Novelist ](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/ "The Extreme Novelist")
September 28 @ 4:00 PM EDT – November 30 @ 6:00 PM EST
### [ Finish Your Poetry Book ](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/ "Finish Your Poetry Book")
September 29 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 20 @ 9:30 PM EDT
### [ Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing ](https://writer.org/event/fundamentals-of-persuasive-writing-3/ "Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing")
October 1 @ 6:30 PM EDT – November 19 @ 8:30 PM EST
### [ Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot ](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/ "Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot")
October 1 @ 6:30 PM EDT – October 22 @ 8:30 PM EDT
### [ Novel 101: How to Craft the Story ](https://writer.org/event/novel-101-how-to-craft-the-story-5/ "Novel 101: How to Craft the Story")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-plotting-your-novel/ "(Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel")
October 4 @ 2:00 PM EDT – November 8 @ 4:00 PM EST
### [ Lyrical Memoir Writing ](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing-2/ "Lyrical Memoir Writing")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-the-art-of-the-pitch/ "(Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch")
October 6 @ 7:30 PM EDT – November 3 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ Writing Poetry From Where You Live ](https://writer.org/event/writing-poetry-from-where-you-live/ "Writing Poetry From Where You Live")
October 8 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 22 @ 9:30 PM EDT
### [ Writing Picture Books ](https://writer.org/event/writing-picture-books-6/ "Writing Picture Books")
October 10 @ 10:30 AM EDT – December 12 @ 1:00 PM EST
### [ Preparing Your Work for Submission ](https://writer.org/event/preparing-your-work-for-submission/ "Preparing Your Work for Submission")
October 10 @ 11:00 AM EDT – 1:00 PM EDT
### [ Writing Beyond Genre ](https://writer.org/event/writing-beyond-genre/ "Writing Beyond Genre")
January 20
January 20 @ 7:00 PM EST – December 1 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll ](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/ "The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll")
February 1 @ 12:00 AM EST – December 27 @ 12:00 AM EST
### [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner ](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/ "The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner")
February 3 @ 7:00 PM EST – November 17 @ 9:00 PM EST
### [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung ](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/ "Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung")
March 4 @ 8:00 PM EST – December 30 @ 10:00 PM EST
### [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko ](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/ "Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intro-to-the-novel/ "(Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/ "(Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice")
09.15.2026 @ 11:00 AM EDT – 06.22.2027 @ 1:00 PM EDT
### [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell ](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/ "One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell")
September 16 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 21 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ From Novice to Novelist ](https://writer.org/event/from-novice-to-novelist-4/ "From Novice to Novelist")
September 20 @ 1:00 PM EDT – October 18 @ 3:30 PM EDT
### [ Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories ](https://writer.org/event/writing-the-fictionalized-autobiography-coming-of-age-stories/ "Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories")
September 23 @ 7:00 PM EDT – November 11 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Extreme Novelist ](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/ "The Extreme Novelist")
September 28 @ 4:00 PM EDT – November 30 @ 6:00 PM EST
### [ Finish Your Poetry Book ](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/ "Finish Your Poetry Book")
September 29 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 20 @ 9:30 PM EDT
### [ Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing ](https://writer.org/event/fundamentals-of-persuasive-writing-3/ "Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing")
October 1 @ 6:30 PM EDT – November 19 @ 8:30 PM EST
### [ Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot ](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/ "Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot")
October 1 @ 6:30 PM EDT – October 22 @ 8:30 PM EDT
### [ Novel 101: How to Craft the Story ](https://writer.org/event/novel-101-how-to-craft-the-story-5/ "Novel 101: How to Craft the Story")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-plotting-your-novel/ "(Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel")
October 4 @ 2:00 PM EDT – November 8 @ 4:00 PM EST
### [ Lyrical Memoir Writing ](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing-2/ "Lyrical Memoir Writing")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-the-art-of-the-pitch/ "(Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch")
10.06.2026 @ 7:00 PM EDT – 07.27.2027 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez ](https://writer.org/event/your-narrative-your-year-w-edgar-gomez/ "Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez")
October 6 @ 7:30 PM EDT – November 3 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ Writing Poetry From Where You Live ](https://writer.org/event/writing-poetry-from-where-you-live/ "Writing Poetry From Where You Live")
October 8 @ 6:30 PM EDT – October 22 @ 9:30 PM EDT
### [ From Idea to First Draft ](https://writer.org/event/from-idea-to-first-draft/ "From Idea to First Draft")
October 8 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 22 @ 9:30 PM EDT
### [ Writing Picture Books ](https://writer.org/event/writing-picture-books-6/ "Writing Picture Books")
October 10 @ 10:30 AM EDT – December 12 @ 1:00 PM EST
### [ Preparing Your Work for Submission ](https://writer.org/event/preparing-your-work-for-submission/ "Preparing Your Work for Submission")
January 20
January 20 @ 7:00 PM EST – December 1 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll ](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/ "The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll")
February 1 @ 12:00 AM EST – December 27 @ 12:00 AM EST
### [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner ](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/ "The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner")
February 3 @ 7:00 PM EST – November 17 @ 9:00 PM EST
### [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung ](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/ "Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung")
March 4 @ 8:00 PM EST – December 30 @ 10:00 PM EST
### [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko ](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/ "Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intro-to-the-novel/ "(Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/ "(Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice")
09.15.2026 @ 11:00 AM EDT – 06.22.2027 @ 1:00 PM EDT
### [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell ](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/ "One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell")
September 16 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 21 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ From Novice to Novelist ](https://writer.org/event/from-novice-to-novelist-4/ "From Novice to Novelist")
September 20 @ 1:00 PM EDT – October 18 @ 3:30 PM EDT
### [ Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories ](https://writer.org/event/writing-the-fictionalized-autobiography-coming-of-age-stories/ "Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories")
September 23 @ 7:00 PM EDT – November 11 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Extreme Novelist ](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/ "The Extreme Novelist")
September 28 @ 4:00 PM EDT – November 30 @ 6:00 PM EST
### [ Finish Your Poetry Book ](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/ "Finish Your Poetry Book")
September 29 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 20 @ 9:30 PM EDT
### [ Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing ](https://writer.org/event/fundamentals-of-persuasive-writing-3/ "Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing")
October 1 @ 6:30 PM EDT – November 19 @ 8:30 PM EST
### [ Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot ](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/ "Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot")
October 1 @ 6:30 PM EDT – October 22 @ 8:30 PM EDT
### [ Novel 101: How to Craft the Story ](https://writer.org/event/novel-101-how-to-craft-the-story-5/ "Novel 101: How to Craft the Story")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-plotting-your-novel/ "(Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel")
October 4 @ 2:00 PM EDT – November 8 @ 4:00 PM EST
### [ Lyrical Memoir Writing ](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing-2/ "Lyrical Memoir Writing")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-the-art-of-the-pitch/ "(Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch")
10.06.2026 @ 7:00 PM EDT – 07.27.2027 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez ](https://writer.org/event/your-narrative-your-year-w-edgar-gomez/ "Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez")
October 6 @ 7:30 PM EDT – November 3 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ Writing Poetry From Where You Live ](https://writer.org/event/writing-poetry-from-where-you-live/ "Writing Poetry From Where You Live")
October 8 @ 6:30 PM EDT – October 22 @ 9:30 PM EDT
### [ From Idea to First Draft ](https://writer.org/event/from-idea-to-first-draft/ "From Idea to First Draft")
October 8 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 22 @ 9:30 PM EDT
### [ Writing Picture Books ](https://writer.org/event/writing-picture-books-6/ "Writing Picture Books")
October 10 @ 10:30 AM EDT – December 12 @ 1:00 PM EST
### [ Preparing Your Work for Submission ](https://writer.org/event/preparing-your-work-for-submission/ "Preparing Your Work for Submission")
January 20
January 20 @ 7:00 PM EST – December 1 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll ](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/ "The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll")
February 1 @ 12:00 AM EST – December 27 @ 12:00 AM EST
### [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner ](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/ "The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner")
February 3 @ 7:00 PM EST – November 17 @ 9:00 PM EST
### [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung ](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/ "Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung")
March 4 @ 8:00 PM EST – December 30 @ 10:00 PM EST
### [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko ](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/ "Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intro-to-the-novel/ "(Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/ "(Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice")
09.15.2026 @ 11:00 AM EDT – 06.22.2027 @ 1:00 PM EDT
### [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell ](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/ "One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell")
September 16 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 21 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ From Novice to Novelist ](https://writer.org/event/from-novice-to-novelist-4/ "From Novice to Novelist")
September 20 @ 1:00 PM EDT – October 18 @ 3:30 PM EDT
### [ Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories ](https://writer.org/event/writing-the-fictionalized-autobiography-coming-of-age-stories/ "Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories")
September 23 @ 7:00 PM EDT – November 11 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Extreme Novelist ](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/ "The Extreme Novelist")
September 28 @ 4:00 PM EDT – November 30 @ 6:00 PM EST
### [ Finish Your Poetry Book ](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/ "Finish Your Poetry Book")
September 29 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 20 @ 9:30 PM EDT
### [ Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing ](https://writer.org/event/fundamentals-of-persuasive-writing-3/ "Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing")
October 1 @ 6:30 PM EDT – November 19 @ 8:30 PM EST
### [ Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot ](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/ "Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot")
October 1 @ 6:30 PM EDT – October 22 @ 8:30 PM EDT
### [ Novel 101: How to Craft the Story ](https://writer.org/event/novel-101-how-to-craft-the-story-5/ "Novel 101: How to Craft the Story")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-plotting-your-novel/ "(Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel")
October 4 @ 2:00 PM EDT – November 8 @ 4:00 PM EST
### [ Lyrical Memoir Writing ](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing-2/ "Lyrical Memoir Writing")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-the-art-of-the-pitch/ "(Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch")
10.06.2026 @ 7:00 PM EDT – 07.27.2027 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez ](https://writer.org/event/your-narrative-your-year-w-edgar-gomez/ "Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez")
October 6 @ 7:30 PM EDT – November 3 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ Writing Poetry From Where You Live ](https://writer.org/event/writing-poetry-from-where-you-live/ "Writing Poetry From Where You Live")
October 8 @ 6:30 PM EDT – October 22 @ 9:30 PM EDT
### [ From Idea to First Draft ](https://writer.org/event/from-idea-to-first-draft/ "From Idea to First Draft")
October 8 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 22 @ 9:30 PM EDT
### [ Writing Picture Books ](https://writer.org/event/writing-picture-books-6/ "Writing Picture Books")
October 10 @ 10:30 AM EDT – December 12 @ 1:00 PM EST
### [ Preparing Your Work for Submission ](https://writer.org/event/preparing-your-work-for-submission/ "Preparing Your Work for Submission")
October 13 @ 6:00 PM EDT – 8:00 PM EDT
### [ Building Your Author Platform ](https://writer.org/event/building-your-author-platform/ "Building Your Author Platform")
January 20
January 20 @ 7:00 PM EST – December 1 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll ](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/ "The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll")
February 1 @ 12:00 AM EST – December 27 @ 12:00 AM EST
### [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner ](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/ "The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner")
February 3 @ 7:00 PM EST – November 17 @ 9:00 PM EST
### [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung ](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/ "Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung")
March 4 @ 8:00 PM EST – December 30 @ 10:00 PM EST
### [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko ](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/ "Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intro-to-the-novel/ "(Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/ "(Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice")
09.15.2026 @ 11:00 AM EDT – 06.22.2027 @ 1:00 PM EDT
### [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell ](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/ "One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell")
September 16 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 21 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ From Novice to Novelist ](https://writer.org/event/from-novice-to-novelist-4/ "From Novice to Novelist")
September 20 @ 1:00 PM EDT – October 18 @ 3:30 PM EDT
### [ Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories ](https://writer.org/event/writing-the-fictionalized-autobiography-coming-of-age-stories/ "Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories")
September 23 @ 7:00 PM EDT – November 11 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Extreme Novelist ](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/ "The Extreme Novelist")
September 28 @ 4:00 PM EDT – November 30 @ 6:00 PM EST
### [ Finish Your Poetry Book ](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/ "Finish Your Poetry Book")
September 29 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 20 @ 9:30 PM EDT
### [ Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing ](https://writer.org/event/fundamentals-of-persuasive-writing-3/ "Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing")
October 1 @ 6:30 PM EDT – November 19 @ 8:30 PM EST
### [ Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot ](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/ "Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot")
October 1 @ 6:30 PM EDT – October 22 @ 8:30 PM EDT
### [ Novel 101: How to Craft the Story ](https://writer.org/event/novel-101-how-to-craft-the-story-5/ "Novel 101: How to Craft the Story")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-plotting-your-novel/ "(Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel")
October 4 @ 2:00 PM EDT – November 8 @ 4:00 PM EST
### [ Lyrical Memoir Writing ](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing-2/ "Lyrical Memoir Writing")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-the-art-of-the-pitch/ "(Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch")
10.06.2026 @ 7:00 PM EDT – 07.27.2027 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez ](https://writer.org/event/your-narrative-your-year-w-edgar-gomez/ "Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez")
October 6 @ 7:30 PM EDT – November 3 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ Writing Poetry From Where You Live ](https://writer.org/event/writing-poetry-from-where-you-live/ "Writing Poetry From Where You Live")
October 8 @ 6:30 PM EDT – October 22 @ 9:30 PM EDT
### [ From Idea to First Draft ](https://writer.org/event/from-idea-to-first-draft/ "From Idea to First Draft")
October 8 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 22 @ 9:30 PM EDT
### [ Writing Picture Books ](https://writer.org/event/writing-picture-books-6/ "Writing Picture Books")
October 10 @ 10:30 AM EDT – December 12 @ 1:00 PM EST
### [ Preparing Your Work for Submission ](https://writer.org/event/preparing-your-work-for-submission/ "Preparing Your Work for Submission")
January 20
January 20 @ 7:00 PM EST – December 1 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll ](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/ "The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll")
February 1 @ 12:00 AM EST – December 27 @ 12:00 AM EST
### [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner ](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/ "The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner")
February 3 @ 7:00 PM EST – November 17 @ 9:00 PM EST
### [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung ](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/ "Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung")
March 4 @ 8:00 PM EST – December 30 @ 10:00 PM EST
### [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko ](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/ "Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intro-to-the-novel/ "(Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/ "(Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice")
09.15.2026 @ 11:00 AM EDT – 06.22.2027 @ 1:00 PM EDT
### [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell ](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/ "One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell")
September 16 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 21 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ From Novice to Novelist ](https://writer.org/event/from-novice-to-novelist-4/ "From Novice to Novelist")
September 20 @ 1:00 PM EDT – October 18 @ 3:30 PM EDT
### [ Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories ](https://writer.org/event/writing-the-fictionalized-autobiography-coming-of-age-stories/ "Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories")
September 23 @ 7:00 PM EDT – November 11 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Extreme Novelist ](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/ "The Extreme Novelist")
September 28 @ 4:00 PM EDT – November 30 @ 6:00 PM EST
### [ Finish Your Poetry Book ](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/ "Finish Your Poetry Book")
September 29 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 20 @ 9:30 PM EDT
### [ Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing ](https://writer.org/event/fundamentals-of-persuasive-writing-3/ "Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing")
October 1 @ 6:30 PM EDT – November 19 @ 8:30 PM EST
### [ Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot ](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/ "Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot")
October 1 @ 6:30 PM EDT – October 22 @ 8:30 PM EDT
### [ Novel 101: How to Craft the Story ](https://writer.org/event/novel-101-how-to-craft-the-story-5/ "Novel 101: How to Craft the Story")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-plotting-your-novel/ "(Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel")
October 4 @ 2:00 PM EDT – November 8 @ 4:00 PM EST
### [ Lyrical Memoir Writing ](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing-2/ "Lyrical Memoir Writing")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-the-art-of-the-pitch/ "(Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch")
10.06.2026 @ 7:00 PM EDT – 07.27.2027 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez ](https://writer.org/event/your-narrative-your-year-w-edgar-gomez/ "Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez")
October 6 @ 7:30 PM EDT – November 3 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ Writing Poetry From Where You Live ](https://writer.org/event/writing-poetry-from-where-you-live/ "Writing Poetry From Where You Live")
October 8 @ 6:30 PM EDT – October 22 @ 9:30 PM EDT
### [ From Idea to First Draft ](https://writer.org/event/from-idea-to-first-draft/ "From Idea to First Draft")
October 8 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 22 @ 9:30 PM EDT
### [ Writing Picture Books ](https://writer.org/event/writing-picture-books-6/ "Writing Picture Books")
October 10 @ 10:30 AM EDT – December 12 @ 1:00 PM EST
### [ Preparing Your Work for Submission ](https://writer.org/event/preparing-your-work-for-submission/ "Preparing Your Work for Submission")
October 15 @ 6:00 PM EDT – 8:00 PM EDT
### [ (Re)constructing Detailed Scenes ](https://writer.org/event/reconstructing-detailed-scenes/ "(Re)constructing Detailed Scenes")
January 20
January 20 @ 7:00 PM EST – December 1 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll ](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/ "The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll")
February 1 @ 12:00 AM EST – December 27 @ 12:00 AM EST
### [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner ](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/ "The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner")
February 3 @ 7:00 PM EST – November 17 @ 9:00 PM EST
### [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung ](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/ "Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung")
March 4 @ 8:00 PM EST – December 30 @ 10:00 PM EST
### [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko ](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/ "Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intro-to-the-novel/ "(Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/ "(Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice")
09.15.2026 @ 11:00 AM EDT – 06.22.2027 @ 1:00 PM EDT
### [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell ](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/ "One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell")
September 16 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 21 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ From Novice to Novelist ](https://writer.org/event/from-novice-to-novelist-4/ "From Novice to Novelist")
September 20 @ 1:00 PM EDT – October 18 @ 3:30 PM EDT
### [ Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories ](https://writer.org/event/writing-the-fictionalized-autobiography-coming-of-age-stories/ "Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories")
September 23 @ 7:00 PM EDT – November 11 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Extreme Novelist ](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/ "The Extreme Novelist")
September 28 @ 4:00 PM EDT – November 30 @ 6:00 PM EST
### [ Finish Your Poetry Book ](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/ "Finish Your Poetry Book")
September 29 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 20 @ 9:30 PM EDT
### [ Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing ](https://writer.org/event/fundamentals-of-persuasive-writing-3/ "Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing")
October 1 @ 6:30 PM EDT – November 19 @ 8:30 PM EST
### [ Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot ](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/ "Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot")
October 1 @ 6:30 PM EDT – October 22 @ 8:30 PM EDT
### [ Novel 101: How to Craft the Story ](https://writer.org/event/novel-101-how-to-craft-the-story-5/ "Novel 101: How to Craft the Story")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-plotting-your-novel/ "(Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel")
October 4 @ 2:00 PM EDT – November 8 @ 4:00 PM EST
### [ Lyrical Memoir Writing ](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing-2/ "Lyrical Memoir Writing")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-the-art-of-the-pitch/ "(Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch")
10.06.2026 @ 7:00 PM EDT – 07.27.2027 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez ](https://writer.org/event/your-narrative-your-year-w-edgar-gomez/ "Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez")
October 6 @ 7:30 PM EDT – November 3 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ Writing Poetry From Where You Live ](https://writer.org/event/writing-poetry-from-where-you-live/ "Writing Poetry From Where You Live")
October 8 @ 6:30 PM EDT – October 22 @ 9:30 PM EDT
### [ From Idea to First Draft ](https://writer.org/event/from-idea-to-first-draft/ "From Idea to First Draft")
October 8 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 22 @ 9:30 PM EDT
### [ Writing Picture Books ](https://writer.org/event/writing-picture-books-6/ "Writing Picture Books")
October 10 @ 10:30 AM EDT – December 12 @ 1:00 PM EST
### [ Preparing Your Work for Submission ](https://writer.org/event/preparing-your-work-for-submission/ "Preparing Your Work for Submission")
January 20
January 20 @ 7:00 PM EST – December 1 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll ](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/ "The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll")
February 1 @ 12:00 AM EST – December 27 @ 12:00 AM EST
### [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner ](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/ "The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner")
February 3 @ 7:00 PM EST – November 17 @ 9:00 PM EST
### [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung ](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/ "Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung")
March 4 @ 8:00 PM EST – December 30 @ 10:00 PM EST
### [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko ](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/ "Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intro-to-the-novel/ "(Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/ "(Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice")
09.15.2026 @ 11:00 AM EDT – 06.22.2027 @ 1:00 PM EDT
### [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell ](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/ "One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell")
September 16 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 21 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ From Novice to Novelist ](https://writer.org/event/from-novice-to-novelist-4/ "From Novice to Novelist")
September 20 @ 1:00 PM EDT – October 18 @ 3:30 PM EDT
### [ Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories ](https://writer.org/event/writing-the-fictionalized-autobiography-coming-of-age-stories/ "Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories")
September 23 @ 7:00 PM EDT – November 11 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Extreme Novelist ](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/ "The Extreme Novelist")
September 28 @ 4:00 PM EDT – November 30 @ 6:00 PM EST
### [ Finish Your Poetry Book ](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/ "Finish Your Poetry Book")
September 29 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 20 @ 9:30 PM EDT
### [ Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing ](https://writer.org/event/fundamentals-of-persuasive-writing-3/ "Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing")
October 1 @ 6:30 PM EDT – November 19 @ 8:30 PM EST
### [ Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot ](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/ "Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot")
October 1 @ 6:30 PM EDT – October 22 @ 8:30 PM EDT
### [ Novel 101: How to Craft the Story ](https://writer.org/event/novel-101-how-to-craft-the-story-5/ "Novel 101: How to Craft the Story")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-plotting-your-novel/ "(Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel")
October 4 @ 2:00 PM EDT – November 8 @ 4:00 PM EST
### [ Lyrical Memoir Writing ](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing-2/ "Lyrical Memoir Writing")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-the-art-of-the-pitch/ "(Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch")
10.06.2026 @ 7:00 PM EDT – 07.27.2027 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez ](https://writer.org/event/your-narrative-your-year-w-edgar-gomez/ "Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez")
October 6 @ 7:30 PM EDT – November 3 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ Writing Poetry From Where You Live ](https://writer.org/event/writing-poetry-from-where-you-live/ "Writing Poetry From Where You Live")
October 8 @ 6:30 PM EDT – October 22 @ 9:30 PM EDT
### [ From Idea to First Draft ](https://writer.org/event/from-idea-to-first-draft/ "From Idea to First Draft")
October 8 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 22 @ 9:30 PM EDT
### [ Writing Picture Books ](https://writer.org/event/writing-picture-books-6/ "Writing Picture Books")
October 10 @ 10:30 AM EDT – December 12 @ 1:00 PM EST
### [ Preparing Your Work for Submission ](https://writer.org/event/preparing-your-work-for-submission/ "Preparing Your Work for Submission")
October 17 @ 10:00 AM EDT – October 24 @ 12:30 PM EDT
### [ Writing Marvelous Micros ](https://writer.org/event/writing-marvelous-micros/ "Writing Marvelous Micros")
October 17 @ 10:00 AM EDT – October 24 @ 12:00 PM EDT
### [ A Beginner’s Guide to Food Writing ](https://writer.org/event/a-beginners-guide-to-food-writing/ "A Beginner’s Guide to Food Writing")
October 17 @ 10:00 AM EDT – 12:30 PM EDT
### [ Characters That Matter (Fiction and Memoir) ](https://writer.org/event/characters-that-matter-fiction-and-memoir/ "Characters That Matter (Fiction and Memoir)")
October 17 @ 11:00 AM EDT – 1:00 PM EDT
### [ Writing About Mental Health Topics in Fiction ](https://writer.org/event/writing-about-mental-health-topics-in-fiction-5/ "Writing About Mental Health Topics in Fiction")
January 20
January 20 @ 7:00 PM EST – December 1 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll ](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/ "The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll")
February 1 @ 12:00 AM EST – December 27 @ 12:00 AM EST
### [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner ](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/ "The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner")
February 3 @ 7:00 PM EST – November 17 @ 9:00 PM EST
### [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung ](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/ "Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung")
March 4 @ 8:00 PM EST – December 30 @ 10:00 PM EST
### [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko ](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/ "Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intro-to-the-novel/ "(Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/ "(Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice")
09.15.2026 @ 11:00 AM EDT – 06.22.2027 @ 1:00 PM EDT
### [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell ](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/ "One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell")
September 16 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 21 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ From Novice to Novelist ](https://writer.org/event/from-novice-to-novelist-4/ "From Novice to Novelist")
September 20 @ 1:00 PM EDT – October 18 @ 3:30 PM EDT
### [ Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories ](https://writer.org/event/writing-the-fictionalized-autobiography-coming-of-age-stories/ "Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories")
September 23 @ 7:00 PM EDT – November 11 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Extreme Novelist ](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/ "The Extreme Novelist")
September 28 @ 4:00 PM EDT – November 30 @ 6:00 PM EST
### [ Finish Your Poetry Book ](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/ "Finish Your Poetry Book")
September 29 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 20 @ 9:30 PM EDT
### [ Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing ](https://writer.org/event/fundamentals-of-persuasive-writing-3/ "Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing")
October 1 @ 6:30 PM EDT – November 19 @ 8:30 PM EST
### [ Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot ](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/ "Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot")
October 1 @ 6:30 PM EDT – October 22 @ 8:30 PM EDT
### [ Novel 101: How to Craft the Story ](https://writer.org/event/novel-101-how-to-craft-the-story-5/ "Novel 101: How to Craft the Story")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-plotting-your-novel/ "(Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel")
October 4 @ 2:00 PM EDT – November 8 @ 4:00 PM EST
### [ Lyrical Memoir Writing ](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing-2/ "Lyrical Memoir Writing")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-the-art-of-the-pitch/ "(Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch")
10.06.2026 @ 7:00 PM EDT – 07.27.2027 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez ](https://writer.org/event/your-narrative-your-year-w-edgar-gomez/ "Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez")
October 6 @ 7:30 PM EDT – November 3 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ Writing Poetry From Where You Live ](https://writer.org/event/writing-poetry-from-where-you-live/ "Writing Poetry From Where You Live")
October 8 @ 6:30 PM EDT – October 22 @ 9:30 PM EDT
### [ From Idea to First Draft ](https://writer.org/event/from-idea-to-first-draft/ "From Idea to First Draft")
October 8 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 22 @ 9:30 PM EDT
### [ Writing Picture Books ](https://writer.org/event/writing-picture-books-6/ "Writing Picture Books")
October 10 @ 10:30 AM EDT – December 12 @ 1:00 PM EST
### [ Preparing Your Work for Submission ](https://writer.org/event/preparing-your-work-for-submission/ "Preparing Your Work for Submission")
October 17 @ 10:00 AM EDT – October 24 @ 12:30 PM EDT
### [ Writing Marvelous Micros ](https://writer.org/event/writing-marvelous-micros/ "Writing Marvelous Micros")
October 17 @ 10:00 AM EDT – October 24 @ 12:00 PM EDT
### [ A Beginner’s Guide to Food Writing ](https://writer.org/event/a-beginners-guide-to-food-writing/ "A Beginner’s Guide to Food Writing")
October 18 @ 1:00 PM EDT – 4:00 PM EDT
### [ Writing Practices for Busy Minds ](https://writer.org/event/writing-practices-for-busy-minds/ "Writing Practices for Busy Minds")
January 20
January 20 @ 7:00 PM EST – December 1 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll ](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/ "The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll")
February 1 @ 12:00 AM EST – December 27 @ 12:00 AM EST
### [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner ](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/ "The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner")
February 3 @ 7:00 PM EST – November 17 @ 9:00 PM EST
### [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung ](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/ "Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung")
March 4 @ 8:00 PM EST – December 30 @ 10:00 PM EST
### [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko ](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/ "Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intro-to-the-novel/ "(Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/ "(Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice")
09.15.2026 @ 11:00 AM EDT – 06.22.2027 @ 1:00 PM EDT
### [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell ](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/ "One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell")
September 16 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 21 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ From Novice to Novelist ](https://writer.org/event/from-novice-to-novelist-4/ "From Novice to Novelist")
September 23 @ 7:00 PM EDT – November 11 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Extreme Novelist ](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/ "The Extreme Novelist")
September 28 @ 4:00 PM EDT – November 30 @ 6:00 PM EST
### [ Finish Your Poetry Book ](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/ "Finish Your Poetry Book")
September 29 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 20 @ 9:30 PM EDT
### [ Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing ](https://writer.org/event/fundamentals-of-persuasive-writing-3/ "Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing")
October 1 @ 6:30 PM EDT – November 19 @ 8:30 PM EST
### [ Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot ](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/ "Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot")
October 1 @ 6:30 PM EDT – October 22 @ 8:30 PM EDT
### [ Novel 101: How to Craft the Story ](https://writer.org/event/novel-101-how-to-craft-the-story-5/ "Novel 101: How to Craft the Story")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-plotting-your-novel/ "(Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel")
October 4 @ 2:00 PM EDT – November 8 @ 4:00 PM EST
### [ Lyrical Memoir Writing ](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing-2/ "Lyrical Memoir Writing")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-the-art-of-the-pitch/ "(Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch")
10.06.2026 @ 7:00 PM EDT – 07.27.2027 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez ](https://writer.org/event/your-narrative-your-year-w-edgar-gomez/ "Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez")
October 6 @ 7:30 PM EDT – November 3 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ Writing Poetry From Where You Live ](https://writer.org/event/writing-poetry-from-where-you-live/ "Writing Poetry From Where You Live")
October 8 @ 6:30 PM EDT – October 22 @ 9:30 PM EDT
### [ From Idea to First Draft ](https://writer.org/event/from-idea-to-first-draft/ "From Idea to First Draft")
October 8 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 22 @ 9:30 PM EDT
### [ Writing Picture Books ](https://writer.org/event/writing-picture-books-6/ "Writing Picture Books")
October 10 @ 10:30 AM EDT – December 12 @ 1:00 PM EST
### [ Preparing Your Work for Submission ](https://writer.org/event/preparing-your-work-for-submission/ "Preparing Your Work for Submission")
October 17 @ 10:00 AM EDT – October 24 @ 12:30 PM EDT
### [ Writing Marvelous Micros ](https://writer.org/event/writing-marvelous-micros/ "Writing Marvelous Micros")
October 17 @ 10:00 AM EDT – October 24 @ 12:00 PM EDT
### [ A Beginner’s Guide to Food Writing ](https://writer.org/event/a-beginners-guide-to-food-writing/ "A Beginner’s Guide to Food Writing")
October 19 @ 6:00 PM EDT – 9:00 PM EDT
### [ Reading Your Work Out Loud ](https://writer.org/event/out-loud-with-jennifer-hamady/ "Reading Your Work Out Loud")
January 20
January 20 @ 7:00 PM EST – December 1 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll ](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/ "The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll")
February 1 @ 12:00 AM EST – December 27 @ 12:00 AM EST
### [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner ](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/ "The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner")
February 3 @ 7:00 PM EST – November 17 @ 9:00 PM EST
### [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung ](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/ "Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung")
March 4 @ 8:00 PM EST – December 30 @ 10:00 PM EST
### [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko ](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/ "Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intro-to-the-novel/ "(Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/ "(Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice")
09.15.2026 @ 11:00 AM EDT – 06.22.2027 @ 1:00 PM EDT
### [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell ](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/ "One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell")
September 16 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 21 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ From Novice to Novelist ](https://writer.org/event/from-novice-to-novelist-4/ "From Novice to Novelist")
October 20 @ 10:30 AM EDT – December 15 @ 1:00 PM EST
### [ Boot Camp for Writers ](https://writer.org/event/boot-camp-for-writers-5/ "Boot Camp for Writers")
September 23 @ 7:00 PM EDT – November 11 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Extreme Novelist ](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/ "The Extreme Novelist")
September 28 @ 4:00 PM EDT – November 30 @ 6:00 PM EST
### [ Finish Your Poetry Book ](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/ "Finish Your Poetry Book")
September 29 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 20 @ 9:30 PM EDT
### [ Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing ](https://writer.org/event/fundamentals-of-persuasive-writing-3/ "Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing")
October 1 @ 6:30 PM EDT – November 19 @ 8:30 PM EST
### [ Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot ](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/ "Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot")
October 1 @ 6:30 PM EDT – October 22 @ 8:30 PM EDT
### [ Novel 101: How to Craft the Story ](https://writer.org/event/novel-101-how-to-craft-the-story-5/ "Novel 101: How to Craft the Story")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-plotting-your-novel/ "(Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel")
October 4 @ 2:00 PM EDT – November 8 @ 4:00 PM EST
### [ Lyrical Memoir Writing ](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing-2/ "Lyrical Memoir Writing")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-the-art-of-the-pitch/ "(Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch")
10.06.2026 @ 7:00 PM EDT – 07.27.2027 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez ](https://writer.org/event/your-narrative-your-year-w-edgar-gomez/ "Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez")
October 6 @ 7:30 PM EDT – November 3 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ Writing Poetry From Where You Live ](https://writer.org/event/writing-poetry-from-where-you-live/ "Writing Poetry From Where You Live")
October 8 @ 6:30 PM EDT – October 22 @ 9:30 PM EDT
### [ From Idea to First Draft ](https://writer.org/event/from-idea-to-first-draft/ "From Idea to First Draft")
October 8 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 22 @ 9:30 PM EDT
### [ Writing Picture Books ](https://writer.org/event/writing-picture-books-6/ "Writing Picture Books")
October 10 @ 10:30 AM EDT – December 12 @ 1:00 PM EST
### [ Preparing Your Work for Submission ](https://writer.org/event/preparing-your-work-for-submission/ "Preparing Your Work for Submission")
October 17 @ 10:00 AM EDT – October 24 @ 12:30 PM EDT
### [ Writing Marvelous Micros ](https://writer.org/event/writing-marvelous-micros/ "Writing Marvelous Micros")
October 17 @ 10:00 AM EDT – October 24 @ 12:00 PM EDT
### [ A Beginner’s Guide to Food Writing ](https://writer.org/event/a-beginners-guide-to-food-writing/ "A Beginner’s Guide to Food Writing")
October 20 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 27 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ Introduction to Art Journaling ](https://writer.org/event/introduction-to-art-journaling-5/ "Introduction to Art Journaling")
October 20 @ 7:00 PM EDT – November 17 @ 9:00 PM EST
### [ Reading like a Writer: Imitation as Generative Writing ](https://writer.org/event/reading-like-a-writer-imitation-as-generative-writing/ "Reading like a Writer: Imitation as Generative Writing")
January 20
January 20 @ 7:00 PM EST – December 1 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll ](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/ "The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll")
February 1 @ 12:00 AM EST – December 27 @ 12:00 AM EST
### [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner ](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/ "The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner")
February 3 @ 7:00 PM EST – November 17 @ 9:00 PM EST
### [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung ](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/ "Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung")
March 4 @ 8:00 PM EST – December 30 @ 10:00 PM EST
### [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko ](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/ "Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intro-to-the-novel/ "(Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/ "(Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice")
09.15.2026 @ 11:00 AM EDT – 06.22.2027 @ 1:00 PM EDT
### [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell ](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/ "One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell")
September 16 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 21 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ From Novice to Novelist ](https://writer.org/event/from-novice-to-novelist-4/ "From Novice to Novelist")
October 20 @ 10:30 AM EDT – December 15 @ 1:00 PM EST
### [ Boot Camp for Writers ](https://writer.org/event/boot-camp-for-writers-5/ "Boot Camp for Writers")
September 23 @ 7:00 PM EDT – November 11 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Extreme Novelist ](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/ "The Extreme Novelist")
September 28 @ 4:00 PM EDT – November 30 @ 6:00 PM EST
### [ Finish Your Poetry Book ](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/ "Finish Your Poetry Book")
10.21.2026 @ 7:00 PM EDT – 07.28.2027 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ The Art of the Short Story w/ Rita Bullwinkel ](https://writer.org/event/the-art-of-the-short-story-w-rita-bullwinkel/ "The Art of the Short Story w/ Rita Bullwinkel")
October 1 @ 6:30 PM EDT – November 19 @ 8:30 PM EST
### [ Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot ](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/ "Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot")
October 1 @ 6:30 PM EDT – October 22 @ 8:30 PM EDT
### [ Novel 101: How to Craft the Story ](https://writer.org/event/novel-101-how-to-craft-the-story-5/ "Novel 101: How to Craft the Story")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-plotting-your-novel/ "(Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel")
October 4 @ 2:00 PM EDT – November 8 @ 4:00 PM EST
### [ Lyrical Memoir Writing ](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing-2/ "Lyrical Memoir Writing")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-the-art-of-the-pitch/ "(Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch")
10.06.2026 @ 7:00 PM EDT – 07.27.2027 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez ](https://writer.org/event/your-narrative-your-year-w-edgar-gomez/ "Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez")
October 6 @ 7:30 PM EDT – November 3 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ Writing Poetry From Where You Live ](https://writer.org/event/writing-poetry-from-where-you-live/ "Writing Poetry From Where You Live")
October 8 @ 6:30 PM EDT – October 22 @ 9:30 PM EDT
### [ From Idea to First Draft ](https://writer.org/event/from-idea-to-first-draft/ "From Idea to First Draft")
October 8 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 22 @ 9:30 PM EDT
### [ Writing Picture Books ](https://writer.org/event/writing-picture-books-6/ "Writing Picture Books")
October 10 @ 10:30 AM EDT – December 12 @ 1:00 PM EST
### [ Preparing Your Work for Submission ](https://writer.org/event/preparing-your-work-for-submission/ "Preparing Your Work for Submission")
October 17 @ 10:00 AM EDT – October 24 @ 12:30 PM EDT
### [ Writing Marvelous Micros ](https://writer.org/event/writing-marvelous-micros/ "Writing Marvelous Micros")
October 17 @ 10:00 AM EDT – October 24 @ 12:00 PM EDT
### [ A Beginner’s Guide to Food Writing ](https://writer.org/event/a-beginners-guide-to-food-writing/ "A Beginner’s Guide to Food Writing")
October 20 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 27 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ Introduction to Art Journaling ](https://writer.org/event/introduction-to-art-journaling-5/ "Introduction to Art Journaling")
October 20 @ 7:00 PM EDT – November 17 @ 9:00 PM EST
### [ Reading like a Writer: Imitation as Generative Writing ](https://writer.org/event/reading-like-a-writer-imitation-as-generative-writing/ "Reading like a Writer: Imitation as Generative Writing")
January 20
January 20 @ 7:00 PM EST – December 1 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll ](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/ "The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll")
February 1 @ 12:00 AM EST – December 27 @ 12:00 AM EST
### [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner ](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/ "The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner")
February 3 @ 7:00 PM EST – November 17 @ 9:00 PM EST
### [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung ](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/ "Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung")
March 4 @ 8:00 PM EST – December 30 @ 10:00 PM EST
### [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko ](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/ "Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intro-to-the-novel/ "(Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/ "(Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice")
09.15.2026 @ 11:00 AM EDT – 06.22.2027 @ 1:00 PM EDT
### [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell ](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/ "One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell")
October 20 @ 10:30 AM EDT – December 15 @ 1:00 PM EST
### [ Boot Camp for Writers ](https://writer.org/event/boot-camp-for-writers-5/ "Boot Camp for Writers")
September 23 @ 7:00 PM EDT – November 11 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Extreme Novelist ](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/ "The Extreme Novelist")
September 28 @ 4:00 PM EDT – November 30 @ 6:00 PM EST
### [ Finish Your Poetry Book ](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/ "Finish Your Poetry Book")
10.21.2026 @ 7:00 PM EDT – 07.28.2027 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ The Art of the Short Story w/ Rita Bullwinkel ](https://writer.org/event/the-art-of-the-short-story-w-rita-bullwinkel/ "The Art of the Short Story w/ Rita Bullwinkel")
October 1 @ 6:30 PM EDT – November 19 @ 8:30 PM EST
### [ Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot ](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/ "Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot")
October 1 @ 6:30 PM EDT – October 22 @ 8:30 PM EDT
### [ Novel 101: How to Craft the Story ](https://writer.org/event/novel-101-how-to-craft-the-story-5/ "Novel 101: How to Craft the Story")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-plotting-your-novel/ "(Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel")
October 4 @ 2:00 PM EDT – November 8 @ 4:00 PM EST
### [ Lyrical Memoir Writing ](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing-2/ "Lyrical Memoir Writing")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-the-art-of-the-pitch/ "(Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch")
10.06.2026 @ 7:00 PM EDT – 07.27.2027 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez ](https://writer.org/event/your-narrative-your-year-w-edgar-gomez/ "Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez")
October 6 @ 7:30 PM EDT – November 3 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ Writing Poetry From Where You Live ](https://writer.org/event/writing-poetry-from-where-you-live/ "Writing Poetry From Where You Live")
October 8 @ 6:30 PM EDT – October 22 @ 9:30 PM EDT
### [ From Idea to First Draft ](https://writer.org/event/from-idea-to-first-draft/ "From Idea to First Draft")
October 8 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 22 @ 9:30 PM EDT
### [ Writing Picture Books ](https://writer.org/event/writing-picture-books-6/ "Writing Picture Books")
October 10 @ 10:30 AM EDT – December 12 @ 1:00 PM EST
### [ Preparing Your Work for Submission ](https://writer.org/event/preparing-your-work-for-submission/ "Preparing Your Work for Submission")
October 17 @ 10:00 AM EDT – October 24 @ 12:30 PM EDT
### [ Writing Marvelous Micros ](https://writer.org/event/writing-marvelous-micros/ "Writing Marvelous Micros")
October 17 @ 10:00 AM EDT – October 24 @ 12:00 PM EDT
### [ A Beginner’s Guide to Food Writing ](https://writer.org/event/a-beginners-guide-to-food-writing/ "A Beginner’s Guide to Food Writing")
October 20 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 27 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ Introduction to Art Journaling ](https://writer.org/event/introduction-to-art-journaling-5/ "Introduction to Art Journaling")
October 20 @ 7:00 PM EDT – November 17 @ 9:00 PM EST
### [ Reading like a Writer: Imitation as Generative Writing ](https://writer.org/event/reading-like-a-writer-imitation-as-generative-writing/ "Reading like a Writer: Imitation as Generative Writing")
October 22 @ 7:00 PM EDT – 9:00 PM EDT
### [ Crafting Compelling Characters ](https://writer.org/event/crafting-compelling-characters-2/ "Crafting Compelling Characters")
January 20
January 20 @ 7:00 PM EST – December 1 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll ](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/ "The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll")
February 1 @ 12:00 AM EST – December 27 @ 12:00 AM EST
### [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner ](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/ "The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner")
February 3 @ 7:00 PM EST – November 17 @ 9:00 PM EST
### [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung ](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/ "Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung")
March 4 @ 8:00 PM EST – December 30 @ 10:00 PM EST
### [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko ](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/ "Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intro-to-the-novel/ "(Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/ "(Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice")
09.15.2026 @ 11:00 AM EDT – 06.22.2027 @ 1:00 PM EDT
### [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell ](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/ "One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell")
October 20 @ 10:30 AM EDT – December 15 @ 1:00 PM EST
### [ Boot Camp for Writers ](https://writer.org/event/boot-camp-for-writers-5/ "Boot Camp for Writers")
September 23 @ 7:00 PM EDT – November 11 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Extreme Novelist ](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/ "The Extreme Novelist")
September 28 @ 4:00 PM EDT – November 30 @ 6:00 PM EST
### [ Finish Your Poetry Book ](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/ "Finish Your Poetry Book")
10.21.2026 @ 7:00 PM EDT – 07.28.2027 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ The Art of the Short Story w/ Rita Bullwinkel ](https://writer.org/event/the-art-of-the-short-story-w-rita-bullwinkel/ "The Art of the Short Story w/ Rita Bullwinkel")
October 1 @ 6:30 PM EDT – November 19 @ 8:30 PM EST
### [ Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot ](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/ "Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-plotting-your-novel/ "(Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel")
October 4 @ 2:00 PM EDT – November 8 @ 4:00 PM EST
### [ Lyrical Memoir Writing ](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing-2/ "Lyrical Memoir Writing")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-the-art-of-the-pitch/ "(Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch")
10.06.2026 @ 7:00 PM EDT – 07.27.2027 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez ](https://writer.org/event/your-narrative-your-year-w-edgar-gomez/ "Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez")
October 6 @ 7:30 PM EDT – November 3 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ Writing Poetry From Where You Live ](https://writer.org/event/writing-poetry-from-where-you-live/ "Writing Poetry From Where You Live")
October 10 @ 10:30 AM EDT – December 12 @ 1:00 PM EST
### [ Preparing Your Work for Submission ](https://writer.org/event/preparing-your-work-for-submission/ "Preparing Your Work for Submission")
October 17 @ 10:00 AM EDT – October 24 @ 12:30 PM EDT
### [ Writing Marvelous Micros ](https://writer.org/event/writing-marvelous-micros/ "Writing Marvelous Micros")
October 17 @ 10:00 AM EDT – October 24 @ 12:00 PM EDT
### [ A Beginner’s Guide to Food Writing ](https://writer.org/event/a-beginners-guide-to-food-writing/ "A Beginner’s Guide to Food Writing")
October 20 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 27 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ Introduction to Art Journaling ](https://writer.org/event/introduction-to-art-journaling-5/ "Introduction to Art Journaling")
October 20 @ 7:00 PM EDT – November 17 @ 9:00 PM EST
### [ Reading like a Writer: Imitation as Generative Writing ](https://writer.org/event/reading-like-a-writer-imitation-as-generative-writing/ "Reading like a Writer: Imitation as Generative Writing")
January 20
January 20 @ 7:00 PM EST – December 1 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll ](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/ "The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll")
February 1 @ 12:00 AM EST – December 27 @ 12:00 AM EST
### [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner ](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/ "The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner")
February 3 @ 7:00 PM EST – November 17 @ 9:00 PM EST
### [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung ](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/ "Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung")
March 4 @ 8:00 PM EST – December 30 @ 10:00 PM EST
### [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko ](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/ "Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/ "(Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice")
09.15.2026 @ 11:00 AM EDT – 06.22.2027 @ 1:00 PM EDT
### [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell ](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/ "One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell")
October 20 @ 10:30 AM EDT – December 15 @ 1:00 PM EST
### [ Boot Camp for Writers ](https://writer.org/event/boot-camp-for-writers-5/ "Boot Camp for Writers")
September 23 @ 7:00 PM EDT – November 11 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Extreme Novelist ](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/ "The Extreme Novelist")
September 28 @ 4:00 PM EDT – November 30 @ 6:00 PM EST
### [ Finish Your Poetry Book ](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/ "Finish Your Poetry Book")
10.21.2026 @ 7:00 PM EDT – 07.28.2027 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ The Art of the Short Story w/ Rita Bullwinkel ](https://writer.org/event/the-art-of-the-short-story-w-rita-bullwinkel/ "The Art of the Short Story w/ Rita Bullwinkel")
October 1 @ 6:30 PM EDT – November 19 @ 8:30 PM EST
### [ Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot ](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/ "Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot")
October 4 @ 2:00 PM EDT – November 8 @ 4:00 PM EST
### [ Lyrical Memoir Writing ](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing-2/ "Lyrical Memoir Writing")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-the-art-of-the-pitch/ "(Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch")
10.06.2026 @ 7:00 PM EDT – 07.27.2027 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez ](https://writer.org/event/your-narrative-your-year-w-edgar-gomez/ "Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez")
October 6 @ 7:30 PM EDT – November 3 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ Writing Poetry From Where You Live ](https://writer.org/event/writing-poetry-from-where-you-live/ "Writing Poetry From Where You Live")
October 10 @ 10:30 AM EDT – December 12 @ 1:00 PM EST
### [ Preparing Your Work for Submission ](https://writer.org/event/preparing-your-work-for-submission/ "Preparing Your Work for Submission")
October 17 @ 10:00 AM EDT – October 24 @ 12:30 PM EDT
### [ Writing Marvelous Micros ](https://writer.org/event/writing-marvelous-micros/ "Writing Marvelous Micros")
October 17 @ 10:00 AM EDT – October 24 @ 12:00 PM EDT
### [ A Beginner’s Guide to Food Writing ](https://writer.org/event/a-beginners-guide-to-food-writing/ "A Beginner’s Guide to Food Writing")
October 20 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 27 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ Introduction to Art Journaling ](https://writer.org/event/introduction-to-art-journaling-5/ "Introduction to Art Journaling")
October 20 @ 7:00 PM EDT – November 17 @ 9:00 PM EST
### [ Reading like a Writer: Imitation as Generative Writing ](https://writer.org/event/reading-like-a-writer-imitation-as-generative-writing/ "Reading like a Writer: Imitation as Generative Writing")
January 20
January 20 @ 7:00 PM EST – December 1 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll ](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/ "The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll")
February 1 @ 12:00 AM EST – December 27 @ 12:00 AM EST
### [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner ](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/ "The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner")
February 3 @ 7:00 PM EST – November 17 @ 9:00 PM EST
### [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung ](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/ "Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung")
March 4 @ 8:00 PM EST – December 30 @ 10:00 PM EST
### [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko ](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/ "Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/ "(Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice")
09.15.2026 @ 11:00 AM EDT – 06.22.2027 @ 1:00 PM EDT
### [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell ](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/ "One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell")
September 23 @ 7:00 PM EDT – November 11 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Extreme Novelist ](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/ "The Extreme Novelist")
September 28 @ 4:00 PM EDT – November 30 @ 6:00 PM EST
### [ Finish Your Poetry Book ](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/ "Finish Your Poetry Book")
October 1 @ 6:30 PM EDT – November 19 @ 8:30 PM EST
### [ Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot ](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/ "Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot")
October 4 @ 2:00 PM EDT – November 8 @ 4:00 PM EST
### [ Lyrical Memoir Writing ](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing-2/ "Lyrical Memoir Writing")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-the-art-of-the-pitch/ "(Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch")
10.06.2026 @ 7:00 PM EDT – 07.27.2027 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez ](https://writer.org/event/your-narrative-your-year-w-edgar-gomez/ "Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez")
October 6 @ 7:30 PM EDT – November 3 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ Writing Poetry From Where You Live ](https://writer.org/event/writing-poetry-from-where-you-live/ "Writing Poetry From Where You Live")
October 10 @ 10:30 AM EDT – December 12 @ 1:00 PM EST
### [ Preparing Your Work for Submission ](https://writer.org/event/preparing-your-work-for-submission/ "Preparing Your Work for Submission")
October 20 @ 10:30 AM EDT – December 15 @ 1:00 PM EST
### [ Boot Camp for Writers ](https://writer.org/event/boot-camp-for-writers-5/ "Boot Camp for Writers")
October 20 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 27 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ Introduction to Art Journaling ](https://writer.org/event/introduction-to-art-journaling-5/ "Introduction to Art Journaling")
October 20 @ 7:00 PM EDT – November 17 @ 9:00 PM EST
### [ Reading like a Writer: Imitation as Generative Writing ](https://writer.org/event/reading-like-a-writer-imitation-as-generative-writing/ "Reading like a Writer: Imitation as Generative Writing")
10.21.2026 @ 7:00 PM EDT – 07.28.2027 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ The Art of the Short Story w/ Rita Bullwinkel ](https://writer.org/event/the-art-of-the-short-story-w-rita-bullwinkel/ "The Art of the Short Story w/ Rita Bullwinkel")
October 25 @ 12:00 PM EDT – 2:00 PM EDT
### [ Managing Queries with QueryTracker ](https://writer.org/event/managing-queries-with-querytracker/ "Managing Queries with QueryTracker")
January 20
January 20 @ 7:00 PM EST – December 1 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll ](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/ "The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll")
February 1 @ 12:00 AM EST – December 27 @ 12:00 AM EST
### [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner ](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/ "The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner")
February 3 @ 7:00 PM EST – November 17 @ 9:00 PM EST
### [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung ](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/ "Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung")
March 4 @ 8:00 PM EST – December 30 @ 10:00 PM EST
### [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko ](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/ "Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/ "(Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice")
09.15.2026 @ 11:00 AM EDT – 06.22.2027 @ 1:00 PM EDT
### [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell ](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/ "One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell")
September 23 @ 7:00 PM EDT – November 11 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Extreme Novelist ](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/ "The Extreme Novelist")
September 28 @ 4:00 PM EDT – November 30 @ 6:00 PM EST
### [ Finish Your Poetry Book ](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/ "Finish Your Poetry Book")
October 1 @ 6:30 PM EDT – November 19 @ 8:30 PM EST
### [ Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot ](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/ "Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot")
October 4 @ 2:00 PM EDT – November 8 @ 4:00 PM EST
### [ Lyrical Memoir Writing ](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing-2/ "Lyrical Memoir Writing")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-the-art-of-the-pitch/ "(Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch")
10.06.2026 @ 7:00 PM EDT – 07.27.2027 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez ](https://writer.org/event/your-narrative-your-year-w-edgar-gomez/ "Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez")
October 6 @ 7:30 PM EDT – November 3 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ Writing Poetry From Where You Live ](https://writer.org/event/writing-poetry-from-where-you-live/ "Writing Poetry From Where You Live")
October 10 @ 10:30 AM EDT – December 12 @ 1:00 PM EST
### [ Preparing Your Work for Submission ](https://writer.org/event/preparing-your-work-for-submission/ "Preparing Your Work for Submission")
October 20 @ 10:30 AM EDT – December 15 @ 1:00 PM EST
### [ Boot Camp for Writers ](https://writer.org/event/boot-camp-for-writers-5/ "Boot Camp for Writers")
October 20 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 27 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ Introduction to Art Journaling ](https://writer.org/event/introduction-to-art-journaling-5/ "Introduction to Art Journaling")
October 20 @ 7:00 PM EDT – November 17 @ 9:00 PM EST
### [ Reading like a Writer: Imitation as Generative Writing ](https://writer.org/event/reading-like-a-writer-imitation-as-generative-writing/ "Reading like a Writer: Imitation as Generative Writing")
10.21.2026 @ 7:00 PM EDT – 07.28.2027 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ The Art of the Short Story w/ Rita Bullwinkel ](https://writer.org/event/the-art-of-the-short-story-w-rita-bullwinkel/ "The Art of the Short Story w/ Rita Bullwinkel")
January 20
January 20 @ 7:00 PM EST – December 1 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll ](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/ "The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll")
February 1 @ 12:00 AM EST – December 27 @ 12:00 AM EST
### [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner ](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/ "The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner")
February 3 @ 7:00 PM EST – November 17 @ 9:00 PM EST
### [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung ](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/ "Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung")
March 4 @ 8:00 PM EST – December 30 @ 10:00 PM EST
### [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko ](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/ "Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/ "(Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice")
09.15.2026 @ 11:00 AM EDT – 06.22.2027 @ 1:00 PM EDT
### [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell ](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/ "One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell")
September 23 @ 7:00 PM EDT – November 11 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Extreme Novelist ](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/ "The Extreme Novelist")
September 28 @ 4:00 PM EDT – November 30 @ 6:00 PM EST
### [ Finish Your Poetry Book ](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/ "Finish Your Poetry Book")
October 1 @ 6:30 PM EDT – November 19 @ 8:30 PM EST
### [ Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot ](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/ "Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot")
October 4 @ 2:00 PM EDT – November 8 @ 4:00 PM EST
### [ Lyrical Memoir Writing ](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing-2/ "Lyrical Memoir Writing")
October 27 @ 1:00 PM EDT – November 17 @ 4:00 PM EST
### [ Advanced Nonfiction ](https://writer.org/event/advanced-nonfiction-2/ "Advanced Nonfiction")
10.06.2026 @ 7:00 PM EDT – 07.27.2027 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez ](https://writer.org/event/your-narrative-your-year-w-edgar-gomez/ "Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez")
October 6 @ 7:30 PM EDT – November 3 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ Writing Poetry From Where You Live ](https://writer.org/event/writing-poetry-from-where-you-live/ "Writing Poetry From Where You Live")
October 10 @ 10:30 AM EDT – December 12 @ 1:00 PM EST
### [ Preparing Your Work for Submission ](https://writer.org/event/preparing-your-work-for-submission/ "Preparing Your Work for Submission")
October 20 @ 10:30 AM EDT – December 15 @ 1:00 PM EST
### [ Boot Camp for Writers ](https://writer.org/event/boot-camp-for-writers-5/ "Boot Camp for Writers")
October 20 @ 7:00 PM EDT – October 27 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ Introduction to Art Journaling ](https://writer.org/event/introduction-to-art-journaling-5/ "Introduction to Art Journaling")
October 20 @ 7:00 PM EDT – November 17 @ 9:00 PM EST
### [ Reading like a Writer: Imitation as Generative Writing ](https://writer.org/event/reading-like-a-writer-imitation-as-generative-writing/ "Reading like a Writer: Imitation as Generative Writing")
10.21.2026 @ 7:00 PM EDT – 07.28.2027 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ The Art of the Short Story w/ Rita Bullwinkel ](https://writer.org/event/the-art-of-the-short-story-w-rita-bullwinkel/ "The Art of the Short Story w/ Rita Bullwinkel")
January 20
January 20 @ 7:00 PM EST – December 1 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll ](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/ "The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll")
February 1 @ 12:00 AM EST – December 27 @ 12:00 AM EST
### [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner ](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/ "The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner")
February 3 @ 7:00 PM EST – November 17 @ 9:00 PM EST
### [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung ](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/ "Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung")
March 4 @ 8:00 PM EST – December 30 @ 10:00 PM EST
### [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko ](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/ "Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/ "(Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice")
09.15.2026 @ 11:00 AM EDT – 06.22.2027 @ 1:00 PM EDT
### [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell ](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/ "One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell")
September 23 @ 7:00 PM EDT – November 11 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Extreme Novelist ](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/ "The Extreme Novelist")
September 28 @ 4:00 PM EDT – November 30 @ 6:00 PM EST
### [ Finish Your Poetry Book ](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/ "Finish Your Poetry Book")
October 1 @ 6:30 PM EDT – November 19 @ 8:30 PM EST
### [ Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot ](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/ "Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot")
October 4 @ 2:00 PM EDT – November 8 @ 4:00 PM EST
### [ Lyrical Memoir Writing ](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing-2/ "Lyrical Memoir Writing")
October 27 @ 1:00 PM EDT – November 17 @ 4:00 PM EST
### [ Advanced Nonfiction ](https://writer.org/event/advanced-nonfiction-2/ "Advanced Nonfiction")
10.06.2026 @ 7:00 PM EDT – 07.27.2027 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez ](https://writer.org/event/your-narrative-your-year-w-edgar-gomez/ "Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez")
October 6 @ 7:30 PM EDT – November 3 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ Writing Poetry From Where You Live ](https://writer.org/event/writing-poetry-from-where-you-live/ "Writing Poetry From Where You Live")
October 10 @ 10:30 AM EDT – December 12 @ 1:00 PM EST
### [ Preparing Your Work for Submission ](https://writer.org/event/preparing-your-work-for-submission/ "Preparing Your Work for Submission")
October 20 @ 10:30 AM EDT – December 15 @ 1:00 PM EST
### [ Boot Camp for Writers ](https://writer.org/event/boot-camp-for-writers-5/ "Boot Camp for Writers")
October 28 @ 7:00 PM EDT – November 18 @ 8:30 PM EST
### [ Memoir Tools from Start to Finish ](https://writer.org/event/memoir-tools-from-start-to-finish/ "Memoir Tools from Start to Finish")
October 20 @ 7:00 PM EDT – November 17 @ 9:00 PM EST
### [ Reading like a Writer: Imitation as Generative Writing ](https://writer.org/event/reading-like-a-writer-imitation-as-generative-writing/ "Reading like a Writer: Imitation as Generative Writing")
10.21.2026 @ 7:00 PM EDT – 07.28.2027 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ The Art of the Short Story w/ Rita Bullwinkel ](https://writer.org/event/the-art-of-the-short-story-w-rita-bullwinkel/ "The Art of the Short Story w/ Rita Bullwinkel")
October 28 @ 7:00 PM EDT – 9:00 PM EDT
### [ Dialogue Master Class ](https://writer.org/event/dialogue-master-class/ "Dialogue Master Class")
January 20
January 20 @ 7:00 PM EST – December 1 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll ](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/ "The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll")
February 1 @ 12:00 AM EST – December 27 @ 12:00 AM EST
### [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner ](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/ "The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner")
February 3 @ 7:00 PM EST – November 17 @ 9:00 PM EST
### [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung ](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/ "Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung")
March 4 @ 8:00 PM EST – December 30 @ 10:00 PM EST
### [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko ](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/ "Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/ "(Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice")
09.15.2026 @ 11:00 AM EDT – 06.22.2027 @ 1:00 PM EDT
### [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell ](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/ "One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell")
September 23 @ 7:00 PM EDT – November 11 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Extreme Novelist ](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/ "The Extreme Novelist")
September 28 @ 4:00 PM EDT – November 30 @ 6:00 PM EST
### [ Finish Your Poetry Book ](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/ "Finish Your Poetry Book")
October 1 @ 6:30 PM EDT – November 19 @ 8:30 PM EST
### [ Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot ](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/ "Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot")
October 4 @ 2:00 PM EDT – November 8 @ 4:00 PM EST
### [ Lyrical Memoir Writing ](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing-2/ "Lyrical Memoir Writing")
October 27 @ 1:00 PM EDT – November 17 @ 4:00 PM EST
### [ Advanced Nonfiction ](https://writer.org/event/advanced-nonfiction-2/ "Advanced Nonfiction")
10.06.2026 @ 7:00 PM EDT – 07.27.2027 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez ](https://writer.org/event/your-narrative-your-year-w-edgar-gomez/ "Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez")
October 6 @ 7:30 PM EDT – November 3 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ Writing Poetry From Where You Live ](https://writer.org/event/writing-poetry-from-where-you-live/ "Writing Poetry From Where You Live")
October 10 @ 10:30 AM EDT – December 12 @ 1:00 PM EST
### [ Preparing Your Work for Submission ](https://writer.org/event/preparing-your-work-for-submission/ "Preparing Your Work for Submission")
October 20 @ 10:30 AM EDT – December 15 @ 1:00 PM EST
### [ Boot Camp for Writers ](https://writer.org/event/boot-camp-for-writers-5/ "Boot Camp for Writers")
October 28 @ 7:00 PM EDT – November 18 @ 8:30 PM EST
### [ Memoir Tools from Start to Finish ](https://writer.org/event/memoir-tools-from-start-to-finish/ "Memoir Tools from Start to Finish")
October 20 @ 7:00 PM EDT – November 17 @ 9:00 PM EST
### [ Reading like a Writer: Imitation as Generative Writing ](https://writer.org/event/reading-like-a-writer-imitation-as-generative-writing/ "Reading like a Writer: Imitation as Generative Writing")
10.21.2026 @ 7:00 PM EDT – 07.28.2027 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ The Art of the Short Story w/ Rita Bullwinkel ](https://writer.org/event/the-art-of-the-short-story-w-rita-bullwinkel/ "The Art of the Short Story w/ Rita Bullwinkel")
October 29 @ 9:00 AM EDT – November 5 @ 10:30 AM EST
### [ Book Promotion Through Podcasting ](https://writer.org/event/book-promotion-through-podcasting-2/ "Book Promotion Through Podcasting")
January 20
January 20 @ 7:00 PM EST – December 1 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll ](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/ "The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll")
February 1 @ 12:00 AM EST – December 27 @ 12:00 AM EST
### [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner ](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/ "The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner")
February 3 @ 7:00 PM EST – November 17 @ 9:00 PM EST
### [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung ](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/ "Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung")
March 4 @ 8:00 PM EST – December 30 @ 10:00 PM EST
### [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko ](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/ "Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/ "(Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice")
09.15.2026 @ 11:00 AM EDT – 06.22.2027 @ 1:00 PM EDT
### [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell ](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/ "One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell")
September 23 @ 7:00 PM EDT – November 11 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Extreme Novelist ](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/ "The Extreme Novelist")
September 28 @ 4:00 PM EDT – November 30 @ 6:00 PM EST
### [ Finish Your Poetry Book ](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/ "Finish Your Poetry Book")
October 1 @ 6:30 PM EDT – November 19 @ 8:30 PM EST
### [ Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot ](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/ "Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot")
October 4 @ 2:00 PM EDT – November 8 @ 4:00 PM EST
### [ Lyrical Memoir Writing ](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing-2/ "Lyrical Memoir Writing")
October 27 @ 1:00 PM EDT – November 17 @ 4:00 PM EST
### [ Advanced Nonfiction ](https://writer.org/event/advanced-nonfiction-2/ "Advanced Nonfiction")
10.06.2026 @ 7:00 PM EDT – 07.27.2027 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez ](https://writer.org/event/your-narrative-your-year-w-edgar-gomez/ "Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez")
October 6 @ 7:30 PM EDT – November 3 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ Writing Poetry From Where You Live ](https://writer.org/event/writing-poetry-from-where-you-live/ "Writing Poetry From Where You Live")
October 10 @ 10:30 AM EDT – December 12 @ 1:00 PM EST
### [ Preparing Your Work for Submission ](https://writer.org/event/preparing-your-work-for-submission/ "Preparing Your Work for Submission")
October 20 @ 10:30 AM EDT – December 15 @ 1:00 PM EST
### [ Boot Camp for Writers ](https://writer.org/event/boot-camp-for-writers-5/ "Boot Camp for Writers")
October 28 @ 7:00 PM EDT – November 18 @ 8:30 PM EST
### [ Memoir Tools from Start to Finish ](https://writer.org/event/memoir-tools-from-start-to-finish/ "Memoir Tools from Start to Finish")
October 20 @ 7:00 PM EDT – November 17 @ 9:00 PM EST
### [ Reading like a Writer: Imitation as Generative Writing ](https://writer.org/event/reading-like-a-writer-imitation-as-generative-writing/ "Reading like a Writer: Imitation as Generative Writing")
10.21.2026 @ 7:00 PM EDT – 07.28.2027 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ The Art of the Short Story w/ Rita Bullwinkel ](https://writer.org/event/the-art-of-the-short-story-w-rita-bullwinkel/ "The Art of the Short Story w/ Rita Bullwinkel")
October 29 @ 9:00 AM EDT – November 5 @ 10:30 AM EST
### [ Book Promotion Through Podcasting ](https://writer.org/event/book-promotion-through-podcasting-2/ "Book Promotion Through Podcasting")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Intermediate Novel Writing: The 8 Cs ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intermediate-novel-writing-the-8-cs/ "(Wet Ink) Intermediate Novel Writing: The 8 Cs")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Fiction POV Workshop ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-fiction-pov-workshop/ "(Wet Ink) Fiction POV Workshop")
January 20
January 20 @ 7:00 PM EST – December 1 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll ](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/ "The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll")
February 1 @ 12:00 AM EST – December 27 @ 12:00 AM EST
### [ The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner ](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/ "The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner")
February 3 @ 7:00 PM EST – November 17 @ 9:00 PM EST
### [ Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung ](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/ "Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung")
March 4 @ 8:00 PM EST – December 30 @ 10:00 PM EST
### [ Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko ](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/ "Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/ "(Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice")
09.15.2026 @ 11:00 AM EDT – 06.22.2027 @ 1:00 PM EDT
### [ One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell ](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/ "One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell")
September 23 @ 7:00 PM EDT – November 11 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ The Extreme Novelist ](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/ "The Extreme Novelist")
September 28 @ 4:00 PM EDT – November 30 @ 6:00 PM EST
### [ Finish Your Poetry Book ](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/ "Finish Your Poetry Book")
October 1 @ 6:30 PM EDT – November 19 @ 8:30 PM EST
### [ Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot ](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/ "Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot")
October 4 @ 2:00 PM EDT – November 8 @ 4:00 PM EST
### [ Lyrical Memoir Writing ](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing-2/ "Lyrical Memoir Writing")
October 27 @ 1:00 PM EDT – November 17 @ 4:00 PM EST
### [ Advanced Nonfiction ](https://writer.org/event/advanced-nonfiction-2/ "Advanced Nonfiction")
10.06.2026 @ 7:00 PM EDT – 07.27.2027 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez ](https://writer.org/event/your-narrative-your-year-w-edgar-gomez/ "Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez")
October 6 @ 7:30 PM EDT – November 3 @ 9:30 PM EST
### [ Writing Poetry From Where You Live ](https://writer.org/event/writing-poetry-from-where-you-live/ "Writing Poetry From Where You Live")
October 10 @ 10:30 AM EDT – December 12 @ 1:00 PM EST
### [ Preparing Your Work for Submission ](https://writer.org/event/preparing-your-work-for-submission/ "Preparing Your Work for Submission")
October 20 @ 10:30 AM EDT – December 15 @ 1:00 PM EST
### [ Boot Camp for Writers ](https://writer.org/event/boot-camp-for-writers-5/ "Boot Camp for Writers")
October 28 @ 7:00 PM EDT – November 18 @ 8:30 PM EST
### [ Memoir Tools from Start to Finish ](https://writer.org/event/memoir-tools-from-start-to-finish/ "Memoir Tools from Start to Finish")
October 20 @ 7:00 PM EDT – November 17 @ 9:00 PM EST
### [ Reading like a Writer: Imitation as Generative Writing ](https://writer.org/event/reading-like-a-writer-imitation-as-generative-writing/ "Reading like a Writer: Imitation as Generative Writing")
10.21.2026 @ 7:00 PM EDT – 07.28.2027 @ 9:00 PM EDT
### [ The Art of the Short Story w/ Rita Bullwinkel ](https://writer.org/event/the-art-of-the-short-story-w-rita-bullwinkel/ "The Art of the Short Story w/ Rita Bullwinkel")
October 29 @ 9:00 AM EDT – November 5 @ 10:30 AM EST
### [ Book Promotion Through Podcasting ](https://writer.org/event/book-promotion-through-podcasting-2/ "Book Promotion Through Podcasting")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Intermediate Novel Writing: The 8 Cs ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intermediate-novel-writing-the-8-cs/ "(Wet Ink) Intermediate Novel Writing: The 8 Cs")
All day
### [ (Wet Ink) Fiction POV Workshop ](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-fiction-pov-workshop/ "(Wet Ink) Fiction POV Workshop")
October 31 @ 1:00 PM EDT – 2:30 PM EDT
### [ Lessons and Inspiration from a Literary Life ](https://writer.org/event/lessons-and-inspiration-from-a-literary-life/ "Lessons and Inspiration from a Literary Life")
- [ Sep ](https://writer.org/events/month/2026-09/?hide_subsequent_recurrences=1&shortcode=7cf7dbe4 "Previous month, Sep")
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---
### [Past Events](https://writer.org/past-events-blog/)
**Published:** August 8, 2023
**Author:** Admin
**Content:**
---
### [Thank you for subscribing!](https://writer.org/thank-you-for-subscribing-1/)
**Published:** June 13, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
You’ll now receive our weekly newsletter, as well as few other occasional communications.
Questions? Comments? Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at <info@writer.org>.
---
### [Our Team](https://writer.org/our-team/)
**Published:** June 20, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Meet the people behind The Writer’s Center!
The Writer’s Center is run by a small staff, a dedicated group of volunteer board members, and over a hundred writing instructors.
[  Meet the Staff! A small group of writers who run just about everything
Our Staff
](/our-staff/)
[  Meet the Board! Volunteers dedicated to supporting writers
Our Board
](/our-board/)
[  Meet the Instructors! Talented writers leading our workshops
Instructors
](/instructors/)
---
### [Instructors](https://writer.org/instructors/)
**Published:** June 16, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
---
### [Teach for Us](https://writer.org/teach-for-us/)
**Published:** June 20, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
## Teach at The Writer’s Center
In online or in face-to-face sessions at The Writer’s Center, writers hone their skills in our limited-enrollment workshops under the expert guidance of experienced, published authors.
### What we look for in Workshop Leaders
Qualified workshop leaders will show evidence of the following:
- A strong record of publication
- For poetry, we prefer at least 1 published collection or chapbook and success in publishing in respected literary journals. For prose, we prefer at least 1 published work or collection of stories or essays. Authors demonstrating success in highly respected literary journals may be considered without book publication
- Experience in educational environments
- Teaching experience is preferred, but training, facilitation, and other group leading activity may be considered without workshop teaching experience
### Conditions
Workshop leaders are considered independent contractors who engage in an established business at risk. Workshop leaders whose proposals are accepted will sign a contract for service for one course over one period. Instructors determine their course content, materials, and schedule, including work hours contributing to the overall success of the course.
### Code of Conduct
We’re looking for positive, supportive, and community-oriented instructors. By applying to teach with the Center, you agree to be familiar with and abide by [The Writer’s Center Code of Conduct](/code-of-conduct/) at all times, and in all interactions with Center students, instructors, volunteers, and staff.
### Apply Now
If interested, contact our Director of Programs, [Laura Spencer](mailto:laura.spencer@writer.org). Please include a CV and any informal workshops proposals you’d like to discuss.
[Apply](mailto:laura.spencer@writer.org)
---
### [Our Impact](https://writer.org/our-impact/)
**Published:** June 20, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
### Writers Supporting Writers
Since The Writer’s Center was founded in 1976, we’ve supported tens of thousands of writers. They’ve [taken workshops](/donate-today/) with us and [attended free events](/free-events/). They’ve connected with other writers and made lifelong friends. And many of them have gone on to publish their writing. By bringing writers together, we help them find more success and fulfillment than any of us could alone.
When you [become a member](/become-a-member/), [take a workshop](/workshops/), or [make a donation](/donate-today/), that money goes directly back into the organization. Your support allows us to offer scholarships for writers in need of financial assistance, host even more free events, and continue to hire world-class faculty. We hope you’ll join our community of writers supporting writers.
600 +
members
10000 +
workshop participants and event attendees
100 +
writing instructors
[View dozens of past events featuring writers from around the world](/past-events-blog/) [Subscribe to our free print magazine for articles and essays on the craft and profession of writing](/twc-magazine/)
---
### [Our Mission](https://writer.org/our-mission/)
**Published:** June 20, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
### The Writer’s Center supports writers and everyone who wants to write!
Every year we offer hundreds of [creative writing workshops](/workshops/) in all genres and for all experience levels, dozens of [free events for writers](/free-events/), and countless opportunities to connect with the Washington DC and national literary communities. Plus, we’re the home of [*Poet Lore*](https://www.poetlore.com/), America’s oldest poetry magazine.
---
### [How to Choose your Workshop](https://writer.org/how-to-choose-your-workshop/)
**Published:** June 13, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
### Registration Tips
The Writer’s Center offers workshops at our building in Bethesda (just outside DC) and online via Zoom and the asynchronous discussion board platform, Wet Ink. Please be sure to double-check whether a workshop is in-person or virtual.
If you have **accessibility needs**, please review our [**accommodations and services**](https://writer.org/locations-hours/#accessibility) and let us know how we can assist you prior to the workshop start date.
### How to Choose Your Workshop
## Who Should Take Writing Workshops?
Everyone! From people who want to try out writing or would like help getting started, to those more experienced writers who want to learn more and get better. Learning to write is an on-going process that involves perfecting and using many skills at once, and even published writers profit from editors and readers who help them refine their work.
## What Can You Expect from a Workshop?
- Guidance and encouragement from a published, working author
- Instruction on technical aspects such as structure, diction, and form
- Kind, honest, and constructive feedback directed at the work but never critical of the author
- Peer readers/editors who act as ‘spotters’ for sections of your writing that need attention and who become your community of working colleagues, even after your workshop is completed
- Tips on how to keep writing and integrate this “habit of being” into your life
- Tactics for getting published when ready
## Expectations of Workshop Participants
- Attend every workshop session you possibly can
- Share your own work
- Comment on and share your ideas about your peers’ work
- Complete instructor prompts or reading assignments
- Complete the workshop response form at the end of the course
If you’ve never been in a writing workshop before, regardless of the skill level you think you have in writing, we strongly encourage you to start with a beginner level workshop. Here you’ll learn more about the environment of the workshop — how to give and receive helpful feedback, how to address problems with the work without criticizing the author, and how to incorporate multiple (and sometimes conflicting) ideas into your revision work.
## Live Virtual Workshops
Live virtual workshops are held via Zoom, and operate almost exactly like our in-person workshops. Virtual workshop participants will receive an email containing login information the day before or the morning of the workshop.
## Asynchronous Virtual Workshops
Asynchronous virtual workshops are held via Wet Ink, a discussion board platform, with no set meeting schedule. The instructor will post a lesson and assignment each week, and you’ll have the entire week to complete the material on your own time. When you post an assignment, you’ll receive feedback from the instructor and other participants. Asynchronous workshop registrants will receive an email shortly before the start date containing login instructions for Wet Ink.
## Beginner Level Workshops
If you’re new to creative writing, start here! Beginner-level workshops introduce you to the basic elements of the craft of writing. You’ll take your first steps to creating stories, poems, essays, novels, and more!
## Intermediate Level Workshops
Now that you’ve developed a writing practice, it’s time to take it to the next level. Intermediate workshops help you learn new skills and improve your own original work.
## Advanced Level Workshops
Calling all confident writers! In our advanced workshops, you’ll master elements of craft, finish polished pieces, and learn how to get your work published.
---
### [Get involved](https://writer.org/get-involved/)
**Published:** June 21, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
---
### [Email Newsletter](https://writer.org/newsletter/)
**Published:** August 16, 2023
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
## Weekly news from TWC right to your inbox!
The weekly email newsletter from The Writer’s Center keeps you up to date on our latest writing workshops and free events for writers, as well as news, opportunities, publications, and events from the broader literary community. Subscribe below!
#### Subscribe to the Weekly Email Newsletter
"\*" indicates required fields
Δ
Name\* First Name\* Last Name\*
Email Address\*
Confirm Email\*
Submit
---
### [Advertise in TWC Magazine](https://writer.org/advertise-in-twc-magazine/)
**Published:** June 14, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
**Three times per year, The Writer’s Center publishes *The Writer’s Center Magazine*, our exclusive literary publicarion mailed to 9,000 writers with thousands of additional distributed throughout the DC area.**
Winter-Spring season: January 1 through April 30
Summer season: May 1 through August 31
Fall season: September 1 through December 31
Our readers are educated and sophisticated with a broad variety of literary and artistic interests. You can reach them by advertising your business or services in the magazine at the following rates.
- **1/4 Page (3.625″ x 4.5″): $350 (3 ads, a full year, for $900)**
- **Full Page, Inside Cover (7.5″ x 10″): $2,500 (3 ads, a full year, for $6,000)**
ALL ADS should be 300dpi with CMYK color. Please let us know if you need assistance creating an ad, and we’ll be happy to help.
*Members of The Writer’s Center receive a 10% discount.* If you would like to advertise, please contact <zach.powers@writer.org>.
---
### [About Us](https://writer.org/about-us/)
**Published:** June 20, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
##### The Writer’s Center supports writers and everyone who wants to write! Every year we offer hundreds of [creative writing workshops](https://writer.org/workshops/) in all genres and for all experience levels, dozens of [free events for writers](https://writer.org/reading-events/), and countless opportunities to connect with the Washington DC and national literary communities.
##### The Story of The Writer’s Center
In late 1976, a group of writers, small press publishers, and literary enthusiasts came together to create an independent home for the literary arts in the Washington DC metro area. Led by three founders, Allan Lefcowitz, Patricia Griffith, and Mary MacArthur, more than 70 members, including Barbara Lefcowitz, Ann McLaughlin, John Hill, Merrill Lefler, and Richard Peabody, gathered to celebrate The Writer’s Center. This new home would bring together a community of likeminded individuals who would build relationships with one another and share their love of writing, literature, and the creation of books.
*The Writer’s Center is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Donations are tax deductible. A copy of our current financial statement is available upon request. Contact The Writer’s Center at 4508 Walsh Street, Bethesda, MD 20815. Documents and information submitted to the State of Maryland under the Maryland Charitable Solicitations Act are available from the Office of the Secretary of State for the cost of copying and postage. The Writer’s Center is supported in part by The Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County, and by a grant from the Maryland State Arts Council, an agency funded by the State of Maryland and the National Endowment for the Arts.*
---
### [register](https://writer.org/register-3/)
**Published:** September 6, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
---
### [Workshop Withdrawal Request](https://writer.org/withdraw-request/)
**Published:** August 16, 2023
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
## Workshop Withdrawal Request
Δ
**Workshops beginning within 48 hours are not eligible for cancellation.** For more information, visit our [FAQ page »](http://writers-center.local/faqs-contact "FAQ page")
### Contact Info
(Required) First Name (Required) Last Name (Required)
(Required) Email Address (Required) Confirm Email Address (Required)
Your Phone(Required)
### Workshop Info
Workshop Title(Required)
Order Number(Required)
Comments
Submit
---
### [Donation](https://writer.org/donation/)
**Published:** July 11, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
## Support writers
Δ
URL
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Donation Amount(Required) $25
$50
$100
$250
$500
Other Amount
Other…(Required)
Donation Frequency(Required) One-time
Monthly
honor or remember someone I would like to honor or remember someone with my gift
Type(Required) In honor of…
In Memory of…
Whom do you want to recognize?(Required)
Donor Cover Cost I would like to cover the cost of fees of my donation
Fees to be covered Price: $0.00
Total
Security Question: What is the first letter in the word Writers?(Required)
Submit
---
### [Membership Account](https://writer.org/membership-account/)
**Published:** June 23, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
## My Account
###  Welcome,
- **Username:**
- **Email:**
[Edit Profile](https://writer.org/member-portal/) \| [Change Password](https://writer.org/member-portal/?view=change-password) \| [Log Out](https://writer.org/wp-login.php?action=logout&_wpnonce=b4ef197336)
## My Memberships
You do not have an active membership. [Choose a membership level.](https://writer.org/membership-account/membership-levels/)
---
### [Member Portal](https://writer.org/member-portal/)
**Published:** June 29, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
---
### [Tickets Checkout](https://writer.org/tickets-checkout/)
**Published:** September 5, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
\[tec\_tickets\_checkout\]
---
### [Order Completed](https://writer.org/tickets-order/)
**Published:** September 5, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
\[tec\_tickets\_success\]
---
### [Register](https://writer.org/register-2/)
**Published:** June 29, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
---
### [Membership Billing](https://writer.org/register/)
**Published:** June 23, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
\[pmpro\_billing\]
---
### [Membership Cancel](https://writer.org/membership-account/membership-cancel/)
**Published:** June 23, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
\[pmpro\_cancel\]
---
### [Membership Checkout](https://writer.org/membership-account/membership-checkout/)
**Published:** June 23, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
\[pmpro\_checkout\]
---
### [Membership Confirmation](https://writer.org/membership-account/membership-confirmation/)
**Published:** June 23, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
\[pmpro\_confirmation\]
---
### [Membership Invoice](https://writer.org/membership-account/membership-invoice/)
**Published:** June 23, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
\[pmpro\_invoice\]
---
### [Membership Levels](https://writer.org/membership-account/membership-levels/)
**Published:** June 23, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
\[pmpro\_levels\]
---
### [Log In](https://writer.org/login/)
**Published:** June 23, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
Username or Email Address
Password
Remember Me
Show Password
[Join Now](https://writer.org/membership-account/membership-levels/) | [Lost Password?](https://writer.org/login/?action=reset_pass)
---
### [Your Profile](https://writer.org/membership-account/your-profile/)
**Published:** June 23, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
[Log in to edit your profile.](https://writer.org/login/)
---
### [Tickets Checkout](https://writer.org/tickets-checkout-2/)
**Published:** June 23, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
\[tec\_tickets\_checkout\]
---
### [Order Completed](https://writer.org/tickets-order-2/)
**Published:** June 23, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
\[tec\_tickets\_success\]
---
### [Blog](https://writer.org/blog/)
**Published:** June 23, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
---
### [Our Partners](https://writer.org/our-partners/)
**Published:** June 20, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
### Coming soon!
---
### [07 - Rent Our Space](https://writer.org/07-rent-our-space/)
**Published:** June 16, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
### Welcome to your next meeting and event venue in Bethesda, Maryland!
From off-site business meetings in one of our classrooms to presentations in our Reading Room or Theater, we’re happy to host your next event in our 12,000-square-foot facility.
###### Versatile:
Many of our spaces can be rearranged to accommodate a variety of events.
###### Comfortable:
Want to spend the day in a bright, airy space? Our classrooms have you covered!
###### Convenient:
We’re a short walk from restaurants and shops, including everything in Bethesda Row.
#### Classroom
###### 15-20-person capacity
Our classrooms are perfect for small groups looking for meeting and event space. With classrooms that can comfortably seat up to 20 people, consider The Writer’s Center for off-site business meetings, writing groups, book clubs, and more!
**Nonmembers**
$40/hr
**Members**
$20/hr
[Submit Request Now](#)
#### Classroom
###### 15-20-person capacity
Our classrooms are perfect for small groups looking for meeting and event space. With classrooms that can comfortably seat up to 20 people, consider The Writer’s Center for off-site business meetings, writing groups, book clubs, and more!
**Nonmembers**
$40/hr
**Members**
$20/hr
[Submit Request Now](#)
#### Classroom
###### 15-20-person capacity
Our classrooms are perfect for small groups looking for meeting and event space. With classrooms that can comfortably seat up to 20 people, consider The Writer’s Center for off-site business meetings, writing groups, book clubs, and more!
**Nonmembers**
$40/hr
**Members**
$20/hr
[Submit Request Now](#)
### How to Get Involved with TWC
Support your own writing life while helping the Center support the whole literary community.
[Become a member](#)[Make a Contribution](#)
 ### Don’t Miss Out on
Our Magazine!
The Writer’s Center Magazine is our triannual print publication, featuring author interviews, craft essays, and more. It’s free to subscribe!
[Suscribe to TWC Magazine](#)
---
### [06 - Get involved](https://writer.org/06-get-involved/)
**Published:** June 16, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
---
### [05- Curated Conversation(s): a Latinx Poetry Show](https://writer.org/05-curated-conversations-a-latinx-poetry-show/)
**Published:** June 16, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
#### A Show About Lorem Ipsum Dolor Sit
Maximum 40 words. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit ut aliquam, purus sit amet luctus venenatis, lectus magna fringilla urna, porttitor rhoncus dolor purus non enim praesent elementum facilisis leo, vel fringilla est ullamcorper eget.
## Season 2: Episodes 1-6
We’ve been serving women in the DC area for over 45 years. Their willingness to share their stories of pain, determination and triumph help us to remember how important the work we’re doing is. And how to shape our programs to best fit the needs of survivors.
UK poet Andrés N. Ordorica and US poet Christopher Soto
Tuesday, April 25, 2023 – 7:00pm ET
Caption. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. Semper mauris lacus id quis quis diam sed.
Caption. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. Semper mauris lacus id quis quis diam sed.
Caption. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. Semper mauris lacus id quis quis diam sed.
##### videoTextBlockModalseriesTitle
×
Your browser does not support the video tag.
Close Popup
[Youtube Premiere](#)
##### Sponsored By
[  ](#) [  ](#) [  ](#) [  ](#) [  ](#) [  ](#)
## Season 1: Episodes 1-6
We’ve been serving women in the DC area for over 45 years. Their willingness to share their stories of pain, determination and triumph help us to remember how important the work we’re doing is. And how to shape our programs to best fit the needs of survivors.
VIdeo Name Lorem Ipsum Dolor Sit Amet. Date January 2nd 2023.
[Youtube Premier](#)
VIdeo Name Lorem Ipsum Dolor Sit Amet. Date January 2nd 2023.
VIdeo Name Lorem Ipsum Dolor Sit Amet. Date January 2nd 2023.
Caption. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. Semper mauris lacus id quis quis diam sed.
Caption. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. Semper mauris lacus id quis quis diam sed.
##### videoTextBlockModalseriesTitle
×
Your browser does not support the video tag.
Close Popup
[Youtube Premiere](#)
##### Sponsored By
[  ](#) [  ](#) [  ](#) [  ](#) [  ](#) [  ](#)
### Thank You Being a Part of this Show
More info. 30 words max. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit ut aliquam, purus sit amet luctus venenatis, lectus magna fringilla urna, porttitor rhoncus dolor purus non enim.
 Name Lastename
 Name Lastename
 Name Lastename
 Name Lastename
 Name Lastename
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 ## Join Us for More
## TWC Free Events
More info. 30 words max. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit ut aliquam, purus sit amet luctus venenatis, lectus magna fringilla urna, porttitor rhoncus dolor purus non enim.
[Free Events calendar](#)
---
### [Writer.org Accessibility Statement](https://writer.org/accessibility-policy/)
**Published:** June 13, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
At The Writer’s Center, it’s our policy to ensure that everyone has full and equitable access to our digital offerings. We are always open to feedback on our website, writer.org. If you have comments or questions, please email us at <access@writer.org>.
### Accessibility Standards
The Writer’s Center strives to stay up-to-date on web accessibility standards. Writer.org is compatible with most major Internet browsers including Edge, Chrome, FireFox, and Safari. Writer.org may not perform optimally on older browser versions.
### Web Developer
Writer.org uses a third party for web development and support, including keeping the site up-to-date on best practices for accessibility.
### Resources
For more information on web accessibility and legal requirements, here are helpful resources:
- [ADA.gov](https://ada.gov/)
- [Section508.gov](https://section508.gov/)
- [Accessible.org](https://accessible.org/)
- [W3.org/WAI](https://www.w3.org/WAI/)
---
### [Terms of Use](https://writer.org/terms-of-use/)
**Published:** June 13, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center provides [writer.org](https://writer.org/), its subdomains, and any other web site that links to these terms (“web sites”) in support of The Writer’s Center’s mission to cultivate the creation, publication, presentation, and dissemination of literary work. By accessing the web sites, users agree to be bound by the following terms and conditions, which The Writer’s Center may revise at any time. Users are encouraged to visit this page from time to time to review current terms and conditions**.**
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11\. **Applicable Law and Jurisdiction**. These Terms and Conditions and any amendments thereto shall be governed and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Maryland, without regard to principles of conflicts of laws. Any dispute arising out of, in connection with, or related to this Agreement shall be brought in any Federal or State court located in Montgomery County and the State of Maryland, and the parties hereby waive any objection that they may have to personal jurisdiction in these courts.
**Whom To Contact If You Have Questions**
If you have any questions, please email us at: <info@writer.org>
LAST MODIFIED: April 24, 2023
---
### [Privacy Policy](https://writer.org/privacy-policy/)
**Published:** June 13, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
### Who we are
Our website address is: https://writer.org
### Comments
When visitors leave comments on the site we collect the data shown in the comments form, and also the visitor’s IP address and browser user agent string to help spam detection.
An anonymized string created from your email address (also called a hash) may be provided to the Gravatar service to see if you are using it. The Gravatar service privacy policy is available here: https://automattic.com/privacy/. After approval of your comment, your profile picture is visible to the public in the context of your comment.
### Media
If you upload images to the website, you should avoid uploading images with embedded location data (EXIF GPS) included. Visitors to the website can download and extract any location data from images on the website.
### Cookies
If you leave a comment on our site you may opt-in to saving your name, email address and website in cookies. These are for your convenience so that you do not have to fill in your details again when you leave another comment. These cookies will last for one year.
If you visit our login page, we will set a temporary cookie to determine if your browser accepts cookies. This cookie contains no personal data and is discarded when you close your browser.
When you log in, we will also set up several cookies to save your login information and your screen display choices. Login cookies last for two days, and screen options cookies last for a year. If you select “Remember Me”, your login will persist for two weeks. If you log out of your account, the login cookies will be removed.
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### Embedded content from other websites
Articles on this site may include embedded content (e.g. videos, images, articles, etc.). Embedded content from other websites behaves in the exact same way as if the visitor has visited the other website.
These websites may collect data about you, use cookies, embed additional third-party tracking, and monitor your interaction with that embedded content, including tracking your interaction with the embedded content if you have an account and are logged in to that website.
### Who we share your data with
If you request a password reset, your IP address will be included in the reset email.
### How long we retain your data
If you leave a comment, the comment and its metadata are retained indefinitely. This is so we can recognize and approve any follow-up comments automatically instead of holding them in a moderation queue.
For users that register on our website (if any), we also store the personal information they provide in their user profile. All users can see, edit, or delete their personal information at any time (except they cannot change their username). Website administrators can also see and edit that information.
### What rights you have over your data
If you have an account on this site, or have left comments, you can request to receive an exported file of the personal data we hold about you, including any data you have
---
### [Thank you for subscribing to the Magazine!](https://writer.org/thank-you-for-subscribing-to-the-magazine/)
**Published:** June 13, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center Magazine mails out three times a year, in spring, late summer, and late fall. Your subscription will start with the next issue.
---
### [Thank you for contacting The Writer's Center!](https://writer.org/thank-you-for-contacting-the-writers-center-contact/)
**Published:** June 13, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
We try to respond to all messages as soon as possible. If you need immediate assistance during our operating hours, please call [301-654-8664](tel:301-654-8664).
---
### [Shop](https://writer.org/store/)
**Published:** November 16, 2018
**Author:** Admin
---
### [Privacy Policy](https://writer.org/privacy/)
**Published:** October 16, 2018
**Author:** Admin
**Content:**
This privacy policy is designed to provide you with information about how The Writer’s Center collects, stores and uses personally identifiable information obtained through our website, \[link id=’50001′ text='{{{{homeurl}}}}’\], and any other web sites or apps are operated by The Writer’s Center and link to this policy. We refer to this information as “personal information.” The Writer’s Center reserves the right to revise this privacy policy from time to time, and by using The Writer’s Center web site, you are agreeing to the terms of the then-current privacy policy.
**HOW WE COLLECT INFORMATION**
When you register for membership, sign up for classes or wish to use certain of our web site services, we may ask you for information such as your name, address, e-mail address, telephone number, certain demographic information and (if needed) credit card information. We also may ask for information about your family members if you are purchasing a family membership, and we may ask for the name of your employer if you sign up for a matching gift. We need certain information in order to register you as a unique user and let you access personalized services. However, other requested information is optional and can be given at your discretion.
If you visit our web site, we automatically gather and store the following information about your visit so that we can track the use of our web site in order to make improvements. This information is stored and used in the aggregate only, and is not used to contact you personally. This information includes:
- The IP address from which you access our web site
- The name of the domain from which you access the Internet
- The type of browser and operating system used to access our web site
- The date and time you access our site
- The pages, files, documents and links that you visit
Like most web sites, The Writer’s Center uses “cookies.” A “cookie” is a text file, invoked by standard browser software, that we place on your hard drive to enable our systems to, among other things, recognize your browser, track transactions, and allow you to navigate our web site without having to re-enter information. The information gathered by cookies is not made available to organizations. We may also automatically receive and store certain other types of information, such as the type of web browser you use or the pages you link to from The Writer’s Center web site.
**Use Of Information We Collect**
Personal information collected through this web site may be used by The Writer’s Center to communicate with you, provide services that you request, register you as a user, enroll you in classes, process payments and donations, enable you to participate in special promotions and to navigate the web site without having to re-enter information, administer our web site, comply with applicable law, and as otherwise provided in this privacy policy.
In the unlikely event that The Writer’s Center, or substantially all of its assets, is acquired by or otherwise merges with another organization, customer and member information will be one of the transferred assets.
We may use personal information to send updates and notices to registered users via e-mail. If you provide your mailing address or telephone number, The Writer’s Center may also use your personal information to contact you by mail or by telephone regarding special offers from The Writer’s Center, updated information about The Writer’s Center or The Writer’s Center web site, and new services offered by The Writer’s Center. If you wish to be removed from this contact list, you may do so by contacting The Writer’s Center directly.
**Third-Party Service Providers**
The Writer’s Center may engage reputable third-party vendors in order to help us manage our web site and allow us to better service our visitors and customers. These may include third-party vendors engaged to analyze, for marketing purposes, the information collected on our web site.
The Writer’s Center’s site may contain links to third-party web sites. Once you leave The Writer’s Center’s web site, this privacy policy will not apply to such web sites.
**Administration Of Our Web Site / Compliance With Law**
We may disclose your personal information when we have reason to believe that disclosing this information is necessary to identify, contact, or bring legal action against someone who may be violating our Terms of Use or to protect the safety, property or other rights of our users or the public. In addition, we may disclose or access account information for administrative and other purposes that we believe are necessary to develop, maintain, and improve our products and services. We also may disclose your personal information if we believe in good faith that we are required to do so in order to comply with applicable law, a subpoena, or other legal process.
**Security Used To Protect Your Information**
We take commercially reasonable steps to maintain the security of customer information via a variety of access controls. However, The Writer’s Center does not guarantee the security of such information.
**Other Organizations Featured On Our Web Site**
We may provide links to other web sites, but The Writer’s Center is not responsible for the privacy policies, terms and conditions of use, or content of any such web sites. We encourage you to familiarize yourself with the privacy policies and terms and conditions of use of linked web sites. You may agree to provide personal information to other companies who provide content for various parts of our web site. If you agree to provide information to such companies, that information will be subject to their privacy policies.
**Changes to Privacy Policy**
The Writer’s Center may revise its privacy policy from time to time. We encourage you to visit this page periodically to review our current policy so that you will always know what information we gather and how we may use that information.
---
## Past Events
### [Virtual Craft Chat on Fiction with Megan Kamalei Kakimoto](https://writer.org/past-events/virtual-craft-chat-on-fiction-with-megan-kamalei-kakimoto/)
**Published:** October 22, 2023
**Author:** Blogger
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of fiction! We’re joined by Megan Kamalei Kakimoto to discuss her “knockout” debut story collection, Every Drop Is a Man’s Nightmare. Megan is in conversation with Zach Powers, novelist and Artistic Director at The Writer’s Center.
**Megan Kamalei Kakimoto** is a Japanese and Kanaka Maoli (native Hawaiian) writer from Honolulu, Hawai’i. Her fiction has been featured in *Granta*, *Conjunctions*, *Joyland*, and elsewhere. She has been a finalist for the Keene Prize for Literature and has received support from the Rona Jaffe Foundation and the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference. She received her MFA from the Michener Center for Writers, where she was a Fiction Fellow. She lives in Honolulu.
## About the Book
**From major new storytelling talent Megan Kamalei** **Kakimoto, a blazing, bodily, raucous journey through contemporary Hawaiian identity and womanhood.**
“A knockout. Eleven knockouts, one KO for every story.”**–**Elizabeth McCracken**
**“A stunning debut.”**–**Laura van den Berg**
**“Throbs with searing talent.”**–**Kali Fajardo-Anstine**
**“As exquisite as it is terrifying.”**–**Jenny Tinghui Zhang**
Megan Kamalei Kakimoto’s wrenching and sensational debut story collection follows a cast of mixed native Hawaiian and Japanese women through a contemporary landscape thick with inherited wisdom and the ghosts of colonization. This is a Hawai’i where unruly sexuality and generational memory overflow the postcard image of paradise and the boundaries of the real, where the superstitions born of the islands take on the weight of truth.
A childhood encounter with a wild pua’a (pig) on the haunted Pali highway portends one young woman’s fraught relationship with her pregnant body. An elderly widow begins seeing her deceased lover in a giant flower. A kanaka writer, mid-manuscript, feels her raw pages quaking and knocking in the briefcase.
***Every Drop Is a Man’s Nightmare*** is both a fierce love letter to Hawaiian identity and mythology, and a searing dispatch from an occupied territory threatening to erupt with violent secrets.
**Tags:** Past Event, Virtual Craft Chats
**Past Events Categories:** Past Event, Virtual Craft Chat
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat with Novelist Sequoia Nagamatsu](https://writer.org/past-events/virtual-craft-chat-with-novelist-sequoia-nagamatsu/)
**Published:** February 3, 2022
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of fiction! We’re joined by [Sequoia Nagamatsu](https://www.sequoianagamatsu.com/) to discuss his debut novel, *How High We Go in the Dark*. Sequoia will be in conversation with Zach Powers, novelist and Director of Communications at The Writer’s Center.
**Sequoia Nagamatsu** is a Japanese-American writer and managing editor of *Psychopomp Magazine*, an online quarterly dedicated to innovative prose. Originally from Hawaii and the San Francisco Bay Area, he holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Southern Illinois University and a BA in Anthropology from Grinnell College. His work has appeared in such publications as *Conjunctions, The Southern Review, ZYZZYVA, Fairy Tale Review,* and *Tin House*. He is the author of the award-winning short story collection *Where We Go When All We Were Is Gone* and teaches creative writing at St. Olaf College and the Rainier Writing Workshop Low-Residency MFA program. He currently lives in Minnesota with his wife, cat, and a robot dog named Calvino.
**About the Book**
For fans of *Cloud Atlas* and *Station Eleven*, a spellbinding and profoundly prescient debut that follows a cast of intricately linked characters over hundreds of years as humanity struggles to rebuild itself in the aftermath of a climate plague—a daring and deeply heartfelt work of mind-bending imagination from a singular new voice.
Beginning in 2030, a grieving archeologist arrives in the Arctic Circle to continue the work of his recently deceased daughter at the Batagaika crater, where researchers are studying long-buried secrets now revealed in melting permafrost, including the perfectly preserved remains of a girl who appears to have died of an ancient virus.
Once unleashed, the Arctic Plague will reshape life on Earth for generations to come, quickly traversing the globe, forcing humanity to devise a myriad of moving and inventive ways to embrace possibility in the face of tragedy. In a theme park designed for terminally ill children, a cynical employee falls in love with a mother desperate to hold on to her infected son. A heartbroken scientist searching for a cure finds a second chance at fatherhood when one of his test subjects—a pig—develops the capacity for human speech. A widowed painter and her teenaged granddaughter embark on a cosmic quest to locate a new home planet.
From funerary skyscrapers to hotels for the dead to interstellar starships, Sequoia Nagamatsu takes readers on a wildly original and compassionate journey, spanning continents, centuries, and even celestial bodies to tell a story about the resiliency of the human spirit, our infinite capacity to dream, and the connective threads that tie us all together in the universe.
**Tags:** Past Event, Virtual Craft Chats
**Past Events Categories:** Past Event, Virtual Craft Chat
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat with poet Chet’la Sebree](https://writer.org/past-events/virtual-craft-chat-with-poet-chetla-sebree/)
**Published:** June 10, 2021
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
*Poet Lore* and The Writer’s Center present a FREE virtual chat about the craft of poetry! We’re joined by poet [Chet’la Sebree](https://www.chetlasebree.com/) to discuss her stunning book-length prose poem, *Field Study*. Chet’la will be in conversation with Emily Holland, poet and Editor of [*Poet Lore*](https://www.poetlore.com/), America’s oldest poetry journal.
**Chet’la Sebree** is the director of the Stadler Center for Poetry and Literary Arts at Bucknell University and the author of *Mistress*, winner of the 2018 New Issues Poetry Prize and nominated for an NAACP Image Award in 2019. She holds an MFA in creative writing, with a focus in poetry, from American University, and has received fellowships from the Delaware Division of the Arts, MacDowell, Hedgebrook, Yaddo, Vermont Studio Center, and Robert H. Smith International Center for Jefferson Studies. Her poetry has appeared in the *Kenyon Review*, *Guernica*, *Pleiades*, and elsewhere.
**About the Book**
**Winner of the 2020 James Laughlin Award from the Academy of American Poets**
**Chet’la Sebree’s *Field Study* is a genre-bending exploration of black womanhood and desire, written as a lyrical, surprisingly humorous, and startlingly vulnerable prose poem**
*I am society’s eraser shards—bits used to fix other people’s sh\*t, then discarded. Somehow still a wet nurse, from actual babes to Alabama special elections.*
Seeking to understand the fallout of her relationship with a white man, the poet Chet’la Sebree attempts a field study of herself. Scientifically, field studies are objective collections of raw data, devoid of emotion. But during the course of a stunning lyric poem, Sebree’s control over her own field study unravels as she attempts to understand the depth of her feelings in response to the data of her life. The result is a singular and provocative piece of writing, one that is formally inventive, playfully candid, and soul-piercingly sharp.
Interspersing her reflections with Tweets, quips from TV characters, and excerpts from the Black thinkers—Audre Lorde, Maya Angelou, Tressie McMillan Cottom—that inspire her, Sebree analyzes herself through the lens of a society that seems uneasy, at best, with her very presence. She grapples with her attraction to, and rejection of, whiteness and white men; probes the malicious manifestation of colorism and misogynoir throughout American history and media; and struggles with, judges, and forgives herself when she has more questions than answers. “Even as I accrue these notes,” Sebree writes, “I’m still not sure I’ve found the pulse.”
A poem of love, heartbreak, womanhood, art, sex, Blackness, and America—sometimes all at once—*Field Study* throbs with feeling, searing and tender. With uncommon sensitivity and precise storytelling, Sebree makes meaning out of messiness and malaise, breathing life into a scientific study like no other.
**Tags:** Past Event, Virtual Craft Chats
**Past Events Categories:** Past Event, Virtual Craft Chat
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat with Bryan Washington](https://writer.org/past-events/virtual-craft-chat-with-bryan-washington/)
**Published:** January 21, 2021
**Author:** Blogger
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of fiction! We’re joined by novelist [Bryan Washington](https://brywashing.com/) to talk about his celebrated first novel, *Memorial*. Bryan will be in conversation with Zach Powers, novelist and Director of Communications at The Writer’s Center.
**Bryan Washington** is a National Book Award 5 Under 35 honoree and winner of the Dylan Thomas Prize and the Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence. He received the New York Public Library Young Lions Fiction Award for his first book, *Lot*, which was also a finalist for the NBCC’s John Leonard Prize, the PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize, and the Aspen Words Literary Prize. He has written for *The New Yorker, The New York Times, The New York Times Magazine, BuzzFeed, Bon Appétit*, and *GQ*, among other publications. He lives in Houston.
**About the Book**
Named a Best Book of the Year by *The New York Times, The Washington Post*, *TIME*, NPR, *Entertainment Weekly, Vanity Fair, O, the Oprah Magazine*, *Esquire*, *Marie Claire, Harper’s Bazaar*, *Good Housekeeping*, Refinery29, *Real Simple, Kirkus Reviews, Electric Literature*, and *Lit Hub.*
“A masterpiece.” —NPR
“No other novel this year captures so gracefully the full palette of America.” —*The Washington Post*
“Wryly funny, gently devastating.” —*Entertainment Weekly*
Benson and Mike are two young guys who live together in Houston. Mike is a Japanese American chef at a Mexican restaurant and Benson’s a Black day care teacher, and they’ve been together for a few years—good years—but now they’re not sure why they’re still a couple. There’s the sex, sure, and the meals Mike cooks for Benson, and, well, they love each other.
But when Mike finds out his estranged father is dying in Osaka just as his acerbic Japanese mother, Mitsuko, arrives in Texas for a visit, Mike picks up and flies across the world to say goodbye. In Japan he undergoes an extraordinary transformation, discovering the truth about his family and his past. Back home, Mitsuko and Benson are stuck living together as unconventional roommates, an absurd domestic situation that ends up meaning more to each of them than they ever could have predicted. Without Mike’s immediate pull, Benson begins to push outwards, realizing he might just know what he wants out of life and have the goods to get it.
Both men will change in ways that will either make them stronger together, or fracture everything they’ve ever known. And just maybe they’ll all be okay in the end.
**Tags:** Past Event, Virtual Craft Chats
**Past Events Categories:** Past Event, Virtual Craft Chat
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat with Poet KB Brookins](https://writer.org/past-events/virtual-craft-chat-with-poet-kb-brookins/)
**Published:** April 13, 2023
**Author:** Blogger
**Content:**
*Poet Lore* and The Writer’s Center present a FREE virtual chat about the craft of poetry! We’re joined by KB Brookins to discuss their debut collection, *Freedom House*. KB is in conversation with Emily Holland, poet and editor of *Poet Lore.*
**KB Brookins** is a Black, queer, and trans poet, essayist, and cultural worker from Fort Worth, Texas. Their writing is published in *Poets.org, Huffington Post, American Poetry Review, Teen Vogue, Electric Literature, Okayplayer, Oxford American,* and elsewhere. Their chapbook [*How To Identify Yourself with a Wound*](https://www.kallistogaiapress.org/product/how-to-identify-yourself-with-a-wound/) (Kallisto Gaia Press, 2022) won the Saguaro Poetry Prize and was named a 2023 ALA Stonewall Award Honor Book. They have earned fellowships from *PEN America, Lambda Literary,* and *The Watering Hole* among others. Their poem “[Good Grief](https://poets.org/poem/good-grief)” won the Academy of American Poets 2022 Treehouse Climate Action Poem Prize.
Currently, KB is a 2023 [National Endowment of the Arts fellow](https://www.arts.gov/impact/literary-arts/creative-writing-fellows/kb-brookins); board member with[ Ground Floor Theatre](https://www.groundfloortheatre.org/); community advisory board member with [PrEP for ALL](https://sites.google.com/texaspridehealthcollaborative.org/home/research/prep-for-all?authuser=0); MFA candidate at The University of Texas at Austin; and 2022-23 Poet-in-Residence at [Civil Rights Corps](https://civilrightscorps.org/). KB’s debut full-length poetry collection [*Freedom House*](https://store.deepvellum.org/products/freedom-house) (Deep Vellum Publishing, 2023) and their memoir *Pretty* (Alfred A. Knopf, 2024) are both forthcoming. KB is represented by Annie DeWitt at The Shipman Agency. Follow them online at @earthtokb, and subscribe to their sporadic opinions/updates through their newsletter, [Out of This World](https://earthtokb.substack.com/).
**About the Book**
In this debut full-length collection, KB Brookins’ formally diverse, music-influenced poetry explores transness, politics of the body, gentrification, sexual violence, climate change, masculinity, and afrofuturism while chronicling their transition and walking readers through different “rooms”. The speaker isn’t afraid to call themselves out while also bending time, displaying the terror of being Black/queer/trans in Texas, and more — all while using humor and craft.
What does freedom look like? What can we learn from nature and our past? How do you reintroduce yourself in a world that refuses queerness? How can we use poetry as a tool in the toolbox that helps build freedom? This collection explores those questions, and manifests a world where Black, queer, and trans people get to live.
**Tags:** Past Event, Virtual Craft Chats
**Past Events Categories:** Past Event, Virtual Craft Chat
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat with novelist Dionne Irving](https://writer.org/past-events/virtual-craft-chat-with-novelist-dionne-irving/)
**Published:** August 5, 2021
**Author:** Blogger
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of fiction! We’re joined by Dionne Irving to discuss her striking new novel, Quint. Dionne will be in conversation with Zach Powers, novelist and Director of Communications at The Writer’s Center.
Originally from Toronto, Ontario, **Dionne Irving**’s work has appeared in *The Missouri Review*, *Boulevard Magazine*, *LitHub*, and other places. Her novel *Quint* is out from 7.13 Books and her second book, *Islands*, will be published in 2022 by Catapult. She teaches at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana.
**About the Book**
In the vein of Zadie Smith’s *NW* and Valeria Luiselli’s *Lost Children Archives*, Dionne Irving’s novel *Quint* is based on a real-life family of quintuplets who rise to celebrity and fame in Canada in the 1940s.
**Tags:** Past Event, Virtual Craft Chats
**Past Events Categories:** Past Event, Virtual Craft Chat
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat with Kristen Arnett](https://writer.org/past-events/kristen-arnett-vcc/)
**Published:** July 15, 2021
**Author:** Admin
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of fiction! **We’re joined by *New York Times* bestselling novelist Kristen Arnett** to discuss her brand new novel, *With Teeth*. Kristen will be in conversation with Zach Powers, novelist and Director of Communications at The Writer’s Center.
**Kristen Arnett** is the author of the *New York Times*-bestselling novel *Mostly Dead Things* and the award-winning collection *Felt in the Jaw*. A queer writer based in Florida, she has written for *The New York Times*, *Guernica*, *McSweeney’s*, *The Guardian*, and elsewhere. She has been a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award and a winner of the Ninth Letter Literary Award in Fiction and the Coil Book Award.
## About the Book
**Named a Most Anticipated Book of the Year by *Elle*, *BuzzFeed*, *Good Housekeeping*, Thrillist, The Advocate, Lit Hub, and Paperback Paris**
From the author of the *New York Times–*bestselling sensation *Mostly Dead Things*: a surprising and moving story of two mothers, one difficult son, and the limitations of marriage, parenthood, and love
If she’s being honest, Sammie Lucas is scared of her son. Working from home in the close quarters of their Florida house, she lives with one wary eye peeled on Samson, a sullen, unknowable boy who resists her every attempt to bond with him. Uncertain in her own feelings about motherhood, she tries her best—driving, cleaning, cooking, prodding him to finish projects for school—while growing increasingly resentful of Monika, her confident but absent wife. As Samson grows from feral toddler to surly teenager, Sammie’s life begins to deteriorate into a mess of unruly behavior, and her struggle to create a picture-perfect queer family unravels. When her son’s hostility finally spills over into physical aggression, Sammie must confront her role in the mess—and the possibility that it will never be clean again.
Blending the warmth and wit of Arnett’s breakout hit, *Mostly Dead Things*, with a candid take on queer family dynamics, *With Teeth* is a thought-provoking portrait of the delicate fabric of family—and the many ways it can be torn apart.
“*With Teeth* is a wonderfully sticky novel about motherhood, partnership, sex, and love. Kristen Arnett lets her characters have the run of the place, and it’s delicious fun to watch them do, say, and think things they’ll regret.” —**Emma Straub, author of *All Adults Here***
“From the very wise, very funny Kristen Arnett, *With Teeth* is as exhilaratingly candid as it is morally complex. Three cheers for this enthralling new book, which affirms my status as a card-carrying, rip-roaring, lifelong admirer of Arnett’s writing.” —**R.O. Kwon, author of *The Incendiaries***
**Tags:** Past Event, Virtual Craft Chats
**Past Events Categories:** Past Event, Virtual Craft Chat
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat with Poet Chen Chen](https://writer.org/past-events/virtual-craft-chat-with-poet-chen-chen/)
**Published:** October 5, 2022
**Author:** Intern McInternson
**Content:**
Poet Lore and The Writer’s Center present a FREE virtual chat about the craft of poetry! We’re joined by Chen Chen to discuss his new poetry collection, *Your Emergency Contact Has Experienced an Emergency*. Chen is in conversation with Emily Holland, poet and Editor of Poet Lore, America’s oldest poetry magazine.
**Chen Chen** was born in Xiamen, China, and grew up in Massachusetts. His debut poetry collection, When I Grow Up I Want to Be a List of Further Possibilities, won the A. Poulin, Jr. Poetry Prize. His work has appeared in two chapbooks and in such publications as *Poetry*, *Gulf Coast*, *Indiana Review*, Best of the Net, and *The Best American Poetry*. He is the recipient of fellowships from Kundiman, the Saltonstall Foundation, and Lambda Literary. He earned his BA at Hampshire College and his MFA at Syracuse University. He lives in Lubbock, Texas, where he is pursuing a PhD in English and Creative Writing at Texas Tech University. For more about Chen Chen, visit [chenchenwrites.com](http://chenchenwrites.com).
# About the Book
What happens when everything falls away, when those you call on in times of need are themselves calling out for rescue?
In his highly anticipated second collection, Chen Chen continues his investigation of family, both blood and chosen, examining what one inherits and what one invents, as a queer Asian American living through an era of Trump, mass shootings and the COVID-19 pandemic. Working, always working in the wrecked heart of this new collection is a switchboard operator, picking up and connecting calls. Raucous 2 a.m. prank calls. Whispered-in-a-classroom emergency calls. And sometimes, its pages record the dropping of a call, a failure or refusal to pick up. With irrepressible humor and play, these anarchic poems celebrate life, despite all that would crush aliveness.
Hybrid in form and set in New England, West Texas, and a landlocked province of China, among other places, Your Emergency Contact Has Experienced an Emergency refuses neat categorizations and pat answers. Instead, the book offers an insatiable curiosity about how it is we keep finding ways to hold onto one another.
**Tags:** Past Event, Virtual Craft Chats
**Past Events Categories:** Past Event, Virtual Craft Chat
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat with Memoirist Jennifer Lang](https://writer.org/past-events/virtual-craft-chat-with-memoirist-jennifer-lang/)
**Published:** October 2, 2023
**Author:** Intern McInternson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of memoir! We’re joined by Jennifer Lang to discuss her acclaimed debut, Places We Left Behind: a memoir-in-miniature. Jennifer is in conversation with Amy Freeman, author and Development Director at The Writer’s Center.
California-born **Jennifer Lang** lives in Tel Aviv, where she runs [Israel Writers Studio](https://israelwriterstudio.com/). Her essays have appeared in the Baltimore Review, Crab Orchard Review, Under the Sun, Consequence, and elsewhere. A Pushcart Prize and Best American Essays nominee, she holds an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts and serves as Assistant Editor for Brevity Journal. When not at her desk, she’s often on a yoga mat, practicing since 1995, teaching since 2003. *Places We Left Behind: a memoir-in-miniature* (9/23) and *Landed: a yogi’s memoir in pieces & poses* (10/24) will both be published by Vine Leaves Press.
## About the Book
When American-born Jennifer falls in love with French-born Philippe during the First Intifada in Israel, she understands their relationship isn’t perfect.
Both 23, both Jewish, they lead very different lives: she’s a secular tourist, he’s an observant immigrant. Despite their opposing outlooks on two fundamental issues—country and religion—they are determined to make it work. For the next 20 years, they root and uproot their growing family, each longing for a singular place to call home.
In *Places We Left Behind,* Jennifer puts her marriage under a microscope, examining commitment and compromise, faith and family while moving between prose and poetry, playing with language and form, daring the reader to read between the lines.
**Tags:** Past Event, Virtual Craft Chats
**Past Events Categories:** Past Event, Virtual Craft Chat
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat on Fiction with Cleo Qian](https://writer.org/past-events/virtual-craft-chat-on-fiction-with-cleo-qian/)
**Published:** September 14, 2023
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of fiction! We’re joined by Cleo Qian to discuss her debut story collection, *LET’S GO LET’S GO LET’S GO*. Cleo is in conversation with Zach Powers, novelist and Artistic Director at The Writer’s Center.
**Cleo Qian** is a writer from southern California. Her work has been published in *The Guardian*, *Shenandoah*, *Pleiades*, *The Common* and elsewhere. She lives in New York City. *LET’S GO LET’S GO LET’S GO* is her first book.
## About the Book
**“Qian has a gift for sensory details, and for the speculative and grotesque. . . . a pleasure to read.” —Raven Leilani, author of *Luster***
The electric, unsettling, and often surreal stories in *LET’S GO LET’S GO LET’S GO* explore the alienated, technology-mediated lives of restless Asian and Asian American women today. A woman escapes into dating simulations to forget her best friend’s abandonment; a teenager begins to see menacing omens on others’ bodies after her double eyelid surgery; reunited schoolmates are drawn into the Japanese mountains to participate in an uncanny social experiment; a supernatural karaoke machine becomes a K-pop star’s channel for redemption. In every story, characters refuse dutiful, docile stereotypes. They are ready to explode, to question conventions. Their compulsions tangle with unrequited longing and queer desire in their search for something ineffable across cities, countries, and virtual worlds.
With precision and provocation, Cleo Qian’s immersive debut jolts us into the reality of lives fragmented by screens, relentless consumer culture, and the flattening pressures of modern society—and asks how we might hold on to tenderness against the impulses within us.
**Tags:** Past Event, Virtual Craft Chats
**Past Events Categories:** Past Event, Virtual Craft Chat
---
### [Introduction to Book Publishing: The Apprentice House Press Experience](https://writer.org/past-events/apprentice-house-vid/)
**Published:** September 11, 2023
**Author:** Admin
**Content:**
## A virtual panel discussion hosted by The Writer’s Center
For both aspiring authors and aspiring publishing professionals (editors, illustrators, designers, publicists, etc.), the world of book publishing can be intimidating as well as alluring.
[Apprentice House Press](https://www.apprenticehouse.com/), an independent student-run publisher at Loyola University Maryland, provides authors and students a hands-on education in traditional book publishing. Working closely with authors who are engaged in publishing their work, students take internship-style classes in Manuscript Evaluation and Development, Book Design and Production, and Book Marketing and Promotion.
Join a virtual panel discussion about the Apprentice House experience with recently published authors, current and former faculty members, and a student-editor. The conversation will touch on the history and operation of Apprentice House, the student experience, and the authors’ paths from submission to publication. Audience questions are welcome.
### Panelists
- Prof. Kevin Atticks – Director, Apprentice House Press
- Claire Marino – Editor, Apprentice House Press and Student, Loyola University Maryland
- John E. McIntyre – Former Loyola University adjunct faculty member and author of *The Old Editor Says: Maxims for Writing and Editing* and *Bad Advice: The Most Unreliable Counsel Available on Grammar, Usage, and Writing*
- Michelle Paris – Author of *New Normal: A Novel*
- Dian Seidel – Author of *Kindergarten at 60: A Memoir of Teaching in Thailand*
### Moderator
- Zach Powers, Artistic Director of The Writer’s Center
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat on Fiction with Kelly Link](https://writer.org/past-events/kelly-link-white-cat-black-dog/)
**Published:** April 20, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of fiction! We’re joined by Pulitzer Prize finalist Kelly Link to discuss her highly anticipated new story collection, *White Cat, Black Dog*.
**Past Events Categories:** Past Event, Virtual Craft Chat
---
### [The Writer’s Center LIVE! A Variety Show for Literature Lovers](https://writer.org/past-events/the-writers-center-live-a-variety-show-for-literature-lovers/)
**Published:** March 4, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
Readings! Live music! Antics! The Writer’s Center LIVE! is a celebration of literature that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Attendees are treated to 5 exceptional readings, plus a generous serving of tomfoolery. Featuring acclaimed writers E.A. Aymar, Dan Brady, Lena Crown, Gabrielle Lucille Fuentes, and R.E.I.L. Hosted by Amy Freeman and Emily Holland, with music by Zach Powers.
**Past Events Categories:** Past Event, TWC Live
---
### [Faith Through a Literary Lens](https://writer.org/past-events/faith-through-a-literary-lens/)
**Published:** January 21, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents an informative and inspiring symposium addressing the subject of faith in literature and popular culture, offering free creative writing workshops followed by a panel discussion. Featured writers include Sufiya Abdur-Rahman, Eve Ettinger, Jenn Koiter, Eman Quotah, moderated by Zach Powers.
**Past Events Categories:** Past Event, Through a Literary Lens
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat with Poet Kaveh Akbar](https://writer.org/past-events/kaveh-akbar-pilgrim-bell/)
**Published:** August 26, 2021
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
*Poet Lore* and The Writer’s Center present a FREE virtual chat about the craft of poetry! We’re joined by Kaveh Akbar to discuss his acclaimed new poetry collection, *Pilgrim Bell*. Kaveh is in conversation with Emily Holland, poet and Editor of *Poet Lore*, America’s oldest poetry magazine.
**Past Events Categories:** Past Event, Virtual Craft Chat
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat with Novelist Patricia Lockwood](https://writer.org/past-events/patricia-lockwood-no-one-is-talking-about-this/)
**Published:** March 11, 2021
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a virtual chat about the craft of fiction! We’re joined by poet, memoirist, and novelist Patricia Lockwood to talk about her stunning first novel, *No One Is Talking About This*.
**Past Events Categories:** Past Event, Virtual Craft Chat
---
## Products
### [Publishing Your Oped](https://writer.org/product/publishing-your-oped/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Excerpt:** FA25NON2B
---
### [Gift Card](https://writer.org/product/gift-card/)
**Published:** May 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Product categories:** Gift Card
---
### [The Writer's Center Annual Membership](https://writer.org/product/membership/)
**Published:** June 14, 2019
**Author:** Cary Smith
**Product categories:** Product ONLY
---
### [One-time Donation](https://writer.org/product/one-time-donation/)
**Published:** September 6, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
---
### [Monthly Donation](https://writer.org/product/monthly-donation/)
**Published:** September 6, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
---
### [Product](https://writer.org/product/product-2/)
**Published:** September 6, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
---
### [Product](https://writer.org/product/product/)
**Published:** September 6, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
---
### [Writer's Center Donation](https://writer.org/product/donation/)
**Published:** June 14, 2019
**Author:** Cary Smith
**Product categories:** Donations, Primary Donation, Product ONLY
---
## Venues
### [The Writer's Center](https://writer.org/venue/bethesda/)
**Published:** November 15, 2018
**Author:** Cary Smith
**Content:**
## Parking
Public parking is available directly across Walsh Street from The Writer’s Center in a county parking lot. The meters in this lot are effective Monday through Saturday, 9:00am – 10:00pm and free on Sundays. Meters accept payment through the [ParkMobile](https://parkmobile.io/) and [MobileNOW!](https://mobile-now.us/) apps. *Please note that The Writer’s Center is not able to make change for meters*. Additional pay parking is available in the Capital Crescent Garage (7171 Woodmont Ave, Bethesda, MD 20814), just a 5-minute walk from the Center.
## Metro
The Writer’s Center is a ten-minute walk south from the [Bethesda Metro station (Red Line)](https://www.wmata.com/rider-guide/stations/bethesda.cfm).
## Ride On Bus
Several nearby bus stops along Wisconsin Avenue are served by the [Ride On 34 route](https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/DOT-Transit/routesandschedules/allroutes/route034.html).
---
### [Kramers | Bookstore, Bar, & Restaurant in Dupont Circle](https://writer.org/venue/kramers-bookstore-bar-restaurant-in-dupont-circle/)
**Published:** January 18, 2023
**Author:** Zach Powers
---
### [Zoom](https://writer.org/venue/zoom/)
**Published:** November 27, 2018
**Author:** Cary Smith
---
### [Wet Ink](https://writer.org/venue/wet-ink/)
**Published:** March 31, 2021
**Author:** Cary Smith
---
### [No Kisses Bar](https://writer.org/venue/no-kisses-bar/)
**Published:** October 15, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
---
## Organizers
### [Susan Coll](https://writer.org/organizer/susan-coll-2/)
**Published:** May 3, 2019
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Susan Coll is the best-selling author of nine novels including *Bookish People* and *Word Salad*. Her novel *Acceptance* was made into a television movie starring Joan Cusack. Her work has appeared in publications including the *New York Times Book Review*, the *Washington Post*, *Washingtonian Magazine*, *Moment Magazine*, NPR.org, and Atlantic.com. She is the events advisor at Politics and Prose Bookstore.
---
### [Nicole Chung](https://writer.org/organizer/nicole-chung/)
**Published:** November 19, 2024
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Nicole Chung’s [*A Living Remedy*](http://nicolechung.net/a-living-remedy) was named a Notable Book by *The New York Times*, landed on over a dozen Best Book of the Year lists, and won the Tillie Olsen Award for Creative Writing and the New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association Nonfiction Book of the Year Award. Her 2018 debut [*All You Can Ever Know*](http://nicolechung.net/all-you-can-ever-know) was a national bestseller, a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award, a Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers pick, and an Indies Choice Honor Book.
Nicole has written for *The New York Times Magazine*, *The Washington Post*, *Time*, *Esquire*, *Condé Nast Traveler*, and many other publications. Previously, she was the digital editorial director of Catapult, where she published hundreds of writers and helped lead *Catapult* magazine to two National Magazine Awards; her other past roles include contributing writer and editor at *The Atlantic*, managing editor of The Toast, and editor at *Hyphen* magazine. She has led advanced writing workshops for The Writer’s Center, McCormack Writing Center (formerly Tin House Workshop), Lighthouse Writers Workshop, and Kundiman, among others, and volunteers as a mentor and secretary for Periplus, a mentorship collective serving early-career writers of color.
---
### [Zach Powers](https://writer.org/organizer/zach-powers/)
**Published:** November 21, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Zach Powers is the author of the new novel *The Migraine Diaries*, the novel *First Cosmic Velocity*, and the story collection *Gravity Changes*, winner of the Boa Short Fiction Prize. His book on the craft of fiction will be published by Boa Editions in 2028. His writing has been featured by *American Short Fiction*, *Lit Hub*, and elsewhere. He serves as Executive & Artistic Director for The Writer’s Center and *Poet Lore*, America’s oldest poetry journal. Originally from Savannah, Georgia, he now lives in Arlington, Virginia. Get to know him at ZachPowers.com.
---
### [Julia Harte](https://writer.org/organizer/julia-harte/)
**Published:** September 17, 2026
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Julia Harte is an investigative reporter in New York City and the author of *Americans Without Borders: The Radical Activists Who Fought for US Ideals Abroad While Facing Political Persecution at Home*. For the past decade, she has covered U.S. national affairs and the Justice Department for Reuters. Her writing has also appeared in publications including *Harper’s Magazine*, *The Nation*, *Slate*, *National Geographic*, The Center for Public Integrity, and *Lapham’s Quarterly*.
---
### [Sarah Domet and Melissa Crowe](https://writer.org/organizer/sarah-domet-and-melissa-crowe/)
**Published:** September 15, 2026
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Sarah Domet is the author of the novels *The Guineveres* (Flatiron Books, 2016) and *Everything Lost Returns* (Flatiron Books, 2026), as well as the craft book *90 Days to Your Novel* (Writer’s Digest Books/Penguin, 2010). Her nonfiction has appeared recently in *Oprah Daily, People*, and *LitHub*. Born and raised in Ohio, she now lives in coastal North Carolina, where she teaches and serves as coordinator of the MFA program in creative writing at the University of North Carolina Wilmington.
Melissa Crowe is the author of *Dear Terror, Dear Splendor* (University of Wisconsin Press, 2019), *Lo* (University of Iowa Press, 2023), winner of the Iowa Poetry Prize, and *Abider* (University of Pittsburg Press, 2026). Her work has appeared in *Copper Nickel, New England Review, Poetry,* and *Poetry Northwest,* and she was the 2021 recipient of the Robert H. Winner Memorial Award from the Poetry Society of America. She chairs the Department of Creative Writing at UNCW, where she teaches poetry and publishing.
---
### [Sarah Domet](https://writer.org/organizer/sarah-domet/)
**Published:** September 15, 2026
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Sarah Domet is the author of the novels The Guineveres (Flatiron Books, 2016) and Everything Lost Returns (Flatiron Books, 2026), as well as the craft book 90 Days to Your Novel (Writer’s Digest Books/Penguin, 2010). Her nonfiction has appeared recently in Oprah Daily, People, and LitHub. Born and raised in Ohio, she now lives in coastal North Carolina, where she teaches and serves as coordinator of the MFA program in creative writing at the University of North Carolina Wilmington.
---
### [Gwydion Suilebhan](https://writer.org/organizer/gwydion-suilebhan/)
**Published:** September 15, 2026
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Gwydion Suilebhan is a cultural critic and playwright. A lifelong arts advocate, he also serves as both the Executive Director of the PEN/Faulkner Foundation and the Project Director of the New Play Exchange for the National New Play Network.
---
### [Megan Alpert](https://writer.org/organizer/megan-alpert/)
**Published:** July 29, 2026
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Megan Alpert’s book, The Animal at Your Side, won the Airlie Prize and was a finalist for the National Poetry Series. Her work has appeared in Colorado Review, Copper Nickel, Harvard Review, and many others. As a journalist, she has reported for The Atlantic, The Guardian, Smithsonian and Foreign Policy.
---
### [Kim Dana Kupperman](https://writer.org/organizer/kim-dana-kupperman/)
**Published:** July 29, 2026
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Kim Dana Kupperman is the series editor of THE BEST AMERICAN ESSAYS and the founder of Welcome Table Press. Her books include the essay collection I JUST LATELY STARTED BUYING WINGS, a forensic memoir, THE LAST OF HER, and a historical novel, SIX THOUSAND MILES TO HOME.
---
### [Michele L. Simms-Burton](https://writer.org/organizer/michele-l-simms-burton/)
**Published:** July 29, 2026
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Michele L. Simms-Burton is the 2026 recipient of the Naomi Long Madgett Poetry Award for her collection “Madame Cèline Alvarez Baà,” which will be published by Broadside Lotus Press in 2027. She is a retired professor of English.
---
### [Karren Alenier](https://writer.org/organizer/2227223/)
**Published:** July 29, 2026
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Karren LaLonde Alenier is poet, librettist, and literary leader. She is editor of From the Belly: Poets Respond to Gertrude Stein’s Tender Buttons, Volumes I-III and author of eight collections of poetry. Looking for Divine Transportation was 2002 winner of the Towson University Prize for literature. She also authored The Steiny Road to Operadom: The Making of American Operas, a book that includes her essays and opera reviews first published in Scene4 Magazine. Her opera with William Banfield, Gertrude Stein Invents a Jump Early On premiered 2005 by Encompass New Opera Theater. It was favorably reviewed by Anthony Tommasini in The New York Times. She is currently working with composer Janet Peachey on What Price Paradise, the turbulent love story of Jane and Paul Bowles. She promotes Other People’s Poetry with publication and public programs through The Word Works.
---
### [Dr. Kelly A. Spring](https://writer.org/organizer/dr-kelly-a-spring/)
**Published:** July 29, 2026
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Dr. Kelly A. Spring is a food historian, who has published numerous blogs, journal articles, and books, including SPAM: A Global History. Her popular blog, The Fork Flashes, and podcast, The Hungry Historians, are part of her work at The Fork Front, a food history consulting and researching company based in Washington, D.C. Follow her food musings and adventures on Instagram @theforkfront.
---
### [Betsy Cornwell](https://writer.org/organizer/betsy-cornwell/)
**Published:** July 14, 2026
**Author:** Emily Holland
**Content:**
**Betsy Cornwell** is a *New York Times* bestselling author of six literary YA novels and a memoir. She holds an MFA in creative writing from the University of Notre Dame and a BA from Smith College, and currently teaches at the University of Galway, the Irish Writers Centre, and online. She also serves as a mentor for the Irish Writers Centre and was the first recipient of their Blue Mountains (Australia) Residency in 2023. She received the Markievicz Award in 2024 for her work on *Ring of Salt: A Memoir of Finding Home and Hope on the Wild Coast of Ireland*, which the *Irish Times* called “extraordinarily moving, exquisitely written, and socially revolutionary.” Betsy is the founder of The Old Knitting Factory, an arts residency and retreat space for single parents in the west of Ireland, where she lives with her young son.
---
### [Rita Bullwinkel](https://writer.org/organizer/rita-bullwinkel/)
**Published:** July 9, 2026
**Author:** Emily Holland
**Content:**
**Rita Bullwinkel** is the author of two books: *Headshot* (2024) and *Belly Up* (2018). *Headshot* was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize and the Gordon Burn Prize. It was also longlisted for the Booker Prize and the Dublin Literary Award. In 2025 Bullwinkel was awarded the Addison M. Metcalf Award by the American Academy of Arts and Letters, which biennially honors a young American writer of great promise. She is also a 2022 recipient of a Whiting Award, the Editor of *[McSweeney’s Quarterly](https://store.mcsweeneys.net/products/quarterly-concern-subscription?taxon_id=1)*, a Contributing Editor at *[NOON](https://noonannual.com/)*, the creator of[ Oral Florist](https://oralflorist.com/), the former Deputy Editor of [*The Believer*](https://www.thebeliever.net/), and the former Assistant Fiction Editor of *[The Brooklyn Rail](https://brooklynrail.org/)*. As an Assistant Professor of English at University of San Francisco, and the Picador Guest Professor of American Literature at Leipzig University in Germany, she taught courses on creative writing, zines, and the uses of invented and foreign languages as tools for world building. In addition to editing *Mcsweeney’s Quarterly* (the house’s magazine of art and literature) she also edits one book-length work a year for Mcsweeney’s Books Division. Books for which she has served as editor have been longlisted for National Book Award and named a best book of the year by *The Chicago Review of Books*.
---
### [Cara Seitchek](https://writer.org/organizer/cara-seitchek/)
**Published:** June 23, 2026
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Cara Seitchek has written grant proposals for local, state, and national nonprofit organizations. She has also evaluated proposals for the Institute of Museum and Library Services, U.S. Department of Education Teaching American History program, American Association of Museums, and the Maryland State Arts Council. She has an M.A. in writing from The Johns Hopkins University.
---
### [Joy Cheriel Brown](https://writer.org/organizer/joy-cheriel-brown/)
**Published:** May 6, 2026
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Joy Cheriel Brown is a screenwriter, playwright, producer, and educator whose work explores raising collective consciousness through story. A professor of scriptwriting at Howard University and founder of Third Person Omniscient Productions, she is the author of The Secret of Life Through Screenwriting. Her short film N.O.S. is available on Amazon Prime.
---
### [Hananah Zaheer](https://writer.org/organizer/hananah-zaheer/)
**Published:** November 19, 2021
**Author:** Cary Smith
**Content:**
Hananah Zaheer is the author of *Lovebirds* (Bull City Press). She has taught writing and literature for over 20 years in the United States and internationally.
She is a former fiction editor for *Los Angeles Review* and served as a senior editor for *SAAG: A Dissident Literary Anthology*. She is also the founder of Dubai Literary Salon, a reading series featuring literary conversations, lectures, and workshops.
You can find her at [hananahzaheer.com](http://hananahzaheer.com/) or [@hananahzaheer](http://www.twitter.com/hananahzaheer)
---
### [Jehanne Dubrow](https://writer.org/organizer/jehanne-dubrow/)
**Published:** May 4, 2026
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Jehanne Dubrow is the author of three books of nonfiction, ten poetry collections, and a craft book. Her book-length essay, Frivolity: A Defense, is forthcoming from Columbia University Press in 2026. Her writing has appeared in numerous literary journals, including New England Review, Southern Review, and Ploughshares.
---
### [Michael Battisto](https://writer.org/organizer/michael-battisto/)
**Published:** March 22, 2026
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Michael Battisto is an Oakland-based poet whose work has appeared in more than sixty journals, including Rattle, Poet Lore, The Normal School, and Iron Horse Literary Review. He has been nominated for Best of the Net and teaches poetry workshops exploring the history and craft of English-language poetry. Read more at Michaelbattisto.com.
---
### [David Baker and Christopher Kondrich](https://writer.org/organizer/david-baker-and-christopher-kondrich/)
**Published:** April 15, 2026
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
David Baker is a poet, editor, critic, and educator. His new books are Transit (Norton, 2026) and Collected Poems of Stanley Plumly (coeditor, Norton, 2025).
Christopher Kondrich is the author of Tread Upon (Copper Canyon Press, 2026) and the Poet-in-Residence for the University of Maryland’s MFA in Creative Writing program.
---
### [Sylvia Jones](https://writer.org/organizer/sylvia-jones/)
**Published:** March 22, 2026
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Sylvia Jones is a lecturer at George Washington University and poetry editor for Black Lawrence Press—she also reads for Ploughshares. Her debut collection —Television Fathers was released in 2024 through Meekling Press. The followup, Dope Calisthenics, will be released in the fall of 2026 with Relegation Books. She earned her MFA from American University and lives in Baltimore, MD.
---
### [Peter Mandel](https://writer.org/organizer/peter-mandel/)
**Published:** December 11, 2023
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Peter Mandel is the author of eleven books for children including *Jackhammer Sam* (Macmillan), *Zoo Ah-Choooo* (Holiday House), *Bun, Onion, Burger* (Simon & Schuster), *Planes at the Airport* (Scholastic), and *Say Hey! A Song of Willie Mays* (Hyperion). He’s a regular contributor to the travel sections of *The Washington Post, The Boston Globe,* and *The Huffington Post.* Learn more about him at [petermandel.net](http://www.petermandel.net).
---
### [Virginia Hartman](https://writer.org/organizer/virginia-hartman/)
**Published:** November 26, 2018
**Author:** Cary Smith
**Content:**
VIRGINIA HARTMAN is the author of the novel The Marsh Queen (Gallery/Simon & Schuster). Her writing has appeared in the Washingtonian, Hudson Review, Alaska Quarterly Review, Potomac Review, Sligo Journal, Bluebird City, Delmarva Review, and Beltway Poetry Quarterly, among others. With Barbara Esstman, she edited the literary anthology A More Perfect Union: Poems and Stories about the Modern Wedding (St. Martin’s Press). She teaches creative writing at George Washington University.
---
### [Fran Wilde](https://writer.org/organizer/fran-wilde/)
**Published:** March 22, 2026
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Fran Wilde is a multiple-award winning fantasy and science fiction author of adult, YA, and MG novels, including a 2019 Best of NPR. She also writes nonfiction and poetry, and edits The Sunday Morning Transport, a short fiction magazine. Her most recent book is A Philosophy of Thieves (Erewhon, 2025)
---
### [Lesley Younge](https://writer.org/organizer/lesley-younge/)
**Published:** March 22, 2026
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Lesley Younge is a writer, educator, and mindfulness teacher from Silver Spring, Maryland. Her poetry has appeared in Poetry, Callaloo, Little Patuxent Review, and others. She is also the author of Nearer My Freedom, A-Train Allen, and two forthcoming books, Playbook for Justice and Soulforce. Learn more at teacherlesley.com.
---
### [Kristina Tabor](https://writer.org/organizer/kristina-tabor/)
**Published:** March 22, 2026
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Kristina Tabor (she/her) is a writer of fiction and nonfiction, as well as founder of Writers’ Commons, a DC writing salon. Her work appears in the new anthology from Washington Writers Publishing House, America’s Future: Poetry & Prose in Response to Tomorrow; Best Microfiction 2023; and several literary journals including Cease, Cows, Ghost Parachute, Fractured Lit, and The Molotov Cocktail. She’s also a regular essay contributor to the Substack Wisdom of Crowds. Her debut microchapbook, Memory’s Ebb, was released in June by ELJ Editions. She has an MFA from Randolph College, where she started a humorous novel, which is still in progress. She calls Washington, DC, home.
---
### [Charlene Thomas](https://writer.org/organizer/charlene-thomas/)
**Published:** March 22, 2026
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Charlene Thomas is a critically acclaimed author and writing coach. She earned her certificate in teaching creative writing from the University of Cambridge and is passionate about helping writers create their best stories. Her fourth novel, BLACK GIRL, JUMP, releases with Penguin Random House in summer 2027.
---
### [Aggie Blum Thompson](https://writer.org/organizer/aggie-blum-thompson/)
**Published:** March 22, 2026
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
A former newspaper reporter, Aggie Blum Thompson is now the bestselling author of four suspense novels, all of which have been optioned by Hollywood. Her fifth novel will be out June of 2026. She currently lives in Bethesda, MD.
---
### [Christine Koubek Flynn](https://writer.org/organizer/christine-koubek/)
**Published:** March 20, 2019
**Author:** Cary Smith
**Content:**
Christine Koubek Flynn’s stories have appeared in The Washington Post, Poets & Writers, Electric Literature, Arlington and Chautauqua literary journal among others, and received awards from the American Society of Journalists and Authors.
Her work was also awarded an Elizabeth George Foundation grant and residency support from the Ragdale Foundation, the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts and a Westerly Library & Wilcox Park artist residency. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing and enjoys working with fellow writers to help shape and pitch their stories.
---
### [Julie Lythcott-Haims](https://writer.org/organizer/julie-lythcott-haims/)
**Published:** January 13, 2026
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Julie Lythcott-Haims believes in humans and is interested in what holds us back. She’s a writer, speaker, teacher, mentor and activist. The New York Times bestselling author of How to Raise an Adult, which inspired a widely viewed TED Talk. Her award-winning memoir, Real American, explores her experience as a Black and biracial person in white spaces. Her third book, Your Turn: How to Be an Adult, is a “groundbreakingly frank” guide to navigating adulthood. Julie earned a B.A. from Stanford, a J.D. from Harvard Law, and an M.F.A. in Writing from California College of the Arts. She also holds an Honorary Doctor of Letters from the University of Puget Sound. She lives in Palo Alto, where she serves on the City Council, advocating for housing, equity, climate, and youth mental health. Julie and her lifelong partner Dan are parents to two twentysomethings. They share a home with their eldest.
---
### [Brandon Blue](https://writer.org/organizer/brandon-blue/)
**Published:** January 20, 2026
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Brandon Blue is a black, queer poet, translator, educator from the D(M)V. Their work has or will appear in Foglifter, Frozen Sea, &Change, and more. His chapbook, Snap.Shot (Finishing Line Press) was named in Poetry Mutual’s Best Books of 2023.
---
### [Elizabeth Poliner](https://writer.org/organizer/elizabeth-poliner/)
**Published:** August 4, 2023
**Author:** Cary Smith
**Content:**
Elizabeth Poliner’s books include the forthcoming novel, Spinning at the Edges (Harper), the novel As Close to Us as Breathing (Little, Brown & Co.), winner of the Janet Heidinger Kafka Prize, and Mutual Life & Casualty, linked stories. She’s published stories in Kenyon Review, Story, TriQuarterly, and other journals.
---
### [David Hicks, PhD](https://writer.org/organizer/david-hicks-phd/)
**Published:** January 13, 2026
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
David Hicks, PhD is an award-winning professor/Creative Writing Director at the nationally ranked Wilkes University MFA graduate program and the author of two novels–White Plains (Bower House Books, 2018) and The Gospel According to Danny (Vine Leaves Press, 2025)–along with an autobiographical children’s book, The Magic Ticket (Fulcrum Books, 2024). An experienced developmental editor and mentor, David has helped over seventy writers to be published for the first time.
---
### [Lacey N. Dunham](https://writer.org/organizer/lacey-n-dunham/)
**Published:** July 25, 2023
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Lacey N. Dunham’s novel *The Belles* (2025) was named a Best Book of 2025 by Library Journal and Crime Reads. A Poets & Writers Magazine 2025 Writer to Watch, Dunham has received writing fellowships from the Elizabeth George Foundation, the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, the Sewanee Writers Conference, and Catapult. Her forthcoming novel *Fall of the House of Graystone* (2027) is a sapphic southern gothic Grey Gardens set against an early-90s backdrop of moral panics. She lives in Washington, DC with too many books, but only two cats. Find her at [laceyndunham.com](http://laceyndunham.com/).
---
### [Lynn Auld Schwartz](https://writer.org/organizer/lynn-schwartz/)
**Published:** November 27, 2018
**Author:** Cary Smith
**Content:**
Lynn Auld Schwartz is a writer, story development editor for fiction and nonfiction works, and has ghostwritten three books. Her plays and staged readings have been performed in Atlanta and NYC, including Lincoln Center. She founded the Temple Bar Literary Reading Series in NYC, has received two Individual Artist Awards in Fiction from the Maryland State Arts Council, and an Annie Literary Arts Award from the Arts Council of Anne Arundel County. Her stories have appeared in literary journals and she produces and directs a Page To Stage series, which offers teen and adult regional writers the opportunity to perform their life stories on stage. A graduate of The City College of New York, Columbia University, and The Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theater, Schwartz has taught fiction, flash fiction, and memoir at St. John’s College, The Writer’s Center, and is a Writing Guest Artist for Anne Arundel County’s Performing and Visual Arts Magnet program. More about her at [writerswordhouse.com](http://www.writerswordhouse.com).
---
### [Lisa Ko](https://writer.org/organizer/lisa-ko/)
**Published:** December 18, 2025
**Author:** Emily Holland
**Content:**
Lisa Ko is the author of the new novel [*Memory Piece*](http://lisa-ko.com/memorypiece/) and the nationally bestselling novel [*The Leavers*](http://lisa-ko.com/theleavers/), which was a finalist for the National Book Award for Fiction and the PEN/Hemingway Award, and winner of the PEN/Bellwether Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction. Ko’s writing has appeared in *Best American Short Stories*, *McSweeney’s*, and *The Believer*.
---
### [GG Renee Hill](https://writer.org/organizer/gg-renee-hill/)
**Published:** November 26, 2018
**Author:** Cary Smith
**Content:**
GG Renee Hill is an author, creative coach, and workshop facilitator whose work centers writing as a tool for healing, self-discovery, and creative expression. Her mission is to help others enrich their lives and communities through the transformative power of the written word. She is the author of Self-Care Check-In: A Guided Journal to Build Healthy Habits and Devote Time to You (2020) and A Year of Self-Reflection Journal: 365 Days of Guided Prompts to Slow Down, Tune In, and Grow (2021). Her most recent book, Story Work: Field Notes on Self-Discovery and Reclaiming Your Narrative was published by Broadleaf Books in November 2025. In addition to working with individuals through 1:1 and group coaching, GG facilitates writing workshops for a diverse list of corporate and non-profit clients and literary organization.
---
### [Indran Amirthanayagam](https://writer.org/organizer/indran-amirthanayagam/)
**Published:** July 25, 2023
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Indran Amirthanayagam is a poet, editor, publisher, translator, youtube host, and diplomat. He is the author of 31 books and translations. For thirty years he worked for his adoptive country, the United States, on diplomatic assignments in Africa, Asia, Europe and North and South America. Amirthanayagam produced a unique record in 2020 publishing three poetry collections written in three different languages. He writes in English, Spanish, French, Portuguese and Haitian Creole. In music, he recorded Rankont Dout. He edits the Beltway Poetry Quarterly (www.beltwaypoetry.com); writes indramx.substack.com, https://indranamirthanayagam.blogspot.com; writes a weekly poem for Haiti en Marche and El Acento; has received fellowships from the Foundation for the Contemporary Arts, the New York Foundation for the Arts, The US/Mexico Fund for Culture and the Macdowell Colony. He is the 2025 Matwaala Poet of Honor. He is also the IFLAC Word Poeta Mundial 2022. Amirthanayagam writes https://indranmx.substack.com, hosts The Poetry Channel
https://youtube.com/user/indranam. New books and translations include Seer, The Runner’s Almanac, Animal For The Eyes and Powèt nan po la (Poet of the Port ) Indran publishes poetry books at Beltway Editions (www.beltwayeditions.com). Amirthanayagam’s first collection in Portuguese Música subterranea just appeared from Editora Kotter in Brazil.
---
### [Golden Angel](https://writer.org/organizer/golden-angel/)
**Published:** December 3, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
Golden Angel is a *USA Today* Bestselling Author of heart and bottom warming romance. Publishing since 2012, she’s now a full-time, six-figure romance author who is known for dispensing publishing and authoring tips on Tiktok and Substack. Vice President of the Maryland Romance Writers, she has given presentations and run roundtables on marketing, publishing, and craft to a variety of writers including InkersCon, Romance Author Mastermind, the Write Women’s Festival, the Romance Writers of America, Regency Fiction Writers, etc. When she’s not behind her computer or a book, she can be found wandering the grounds of the Maryland Renaissance Festival.
---
### [Melanie S. Hatter](https://writer.org/organizer/melanie-s-hatter/)
**Published:** November 13, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Melanie S. Hatter is the author of Malawi’s Sisters, which was selected by Edwidge Danticat as the winner of the inaugural Kimbilio National Fiction Prize and was published by Four Way Books in 2019. Her debut novel, The Color of My Soul, won the 2011 Washington Writers’ Publishing House Fiction Prize, and Let No One Weep for Me, Stories of Love and Loss was released in 2015. Melanie began her career as a newspaper journalist and has more than 20 years of experience in corporate and nonprofit communications and marketing. She serves on the boards of the Washington Independent Review of Books and the Washington Writers’ Publishing House.
---
### [Mariah Barber](https://writer.org/organizer/mariah-barber/)
**Published:** November 13, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Mariah “ Beyond Your Definition” Barber ( they /she ) is a multidisciplinary/storyteller spoken word artist, international host, and activist that has been creating social justice oriented art for the last 15 years. Barber holds a masters in public health, DEAI certification from Cornell and a B A in international studies. Their motto is “Some people do, some people never do, some people over do, how do you do?” She has preformed at 2020 George Floyd uprisings, climate justice rallies, and is passionate about being a teaching artist helping the youth to craft their opinions about the worlds most pressing issues. Barber was the 2014 national haiku world champion for college union poetry slam international and a four time DC commission on arts and humanities fellow granted funds to be a culture worker within the city of DC. In 2022 BYD ranked 20th in the women of the world poetry slam and 19th in the stonewall international queer poetry slam. They have participated in World Pride as a feature at the Pride night at busboys and poets and host a monthly black queer open mic , the White House as a world aids day keynote speaker and for the LGBT museum
Currently ranked as the 17th womxn in the world poet and the 2014 international haiku slam champion they leave audiences feeling seen and thinking about how they too can fight for human rights! Most recently performed in the Biden White House and for the national LBGT museum!
---
### [Jesse Jae Hoon](https://writer.org/organizer/jesse-jae-hoon/)
**Published:** November 13, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Jesse Jae Hoon is a playwright, organizer, and occasional actor. Work developed with The Public Theater, NYTW, The O’Neill, Rattlestick Theater, Ma-Yi Theater Company, The Civilians, Yangtze Rep, The Playwrights Realm, Theater J, and more. 2023 Ollie Award; 2024 MacDowell Fellow; 2025 Yaddo Residency. MFA from Hunter College. jessejaehoon.com
---
### [Jade Song](https://writer.org/organizer/jade-song/)
**Published:** November 13, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Jade Song is a writer and artist based in New York City. Lauded as “visionary and disturbing,” her debut novel Chlorine was selected as a New York Times Editor’s Choice, awarded the ALA Alex Award and the Writer’s Center First Novel Prize, and translated into four languages. Song’s second novel, I Love You Don’t Die, will be published in March 2026, and their debut short story collection, Ox Ghost Snake Demon, is forthcoming in 2027, both from William Morrow. Their short stories, essays, and creative nonfiction have appeared in literary magazines like Joyland, Missouri Review, Literary Hub, Teen Vogue, and Electric Literature, among others; Song has been a featured speaker, teacher, or presenter at The Writer’s Center, Amherst College, Tin House, The Miami Book Fair, Ellipsis Writing, The Asian American Writers’ Workshop, Montclair Literary Festival, and elsewhere.
---
### [Chioma Urama](https://writer.org/organizer/chioma-urama/)
**Published:** November 13, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Chioma Urama is a storyteller of Igbo and African American heritage. Her creations are the result of a deeply meditative process, connecting people, patterns, and ideas in efforts to heal herself and the collective. *A Body of Water*, Chioma Urama’s debut collection of poetry, is the recipient of the Georgia Poetry Prize.
---
### [Michael Chorost](https://writer.org/organizer/michael-chorost/)
**Published:** November 11, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Michael Chorost, a science writer, has published two nonfiction books and has clips in *Wired*, *Smithsonian*, and the *Chronicle for Higher Education*, and elsewhere. His first book won the PEN/USA Award for Creative Nonfiction.
---
### [D. M. Cross](https://writer.org/organizer/d-m-cross/)
**Published:** November 3, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
D. M. Cross is a writer, playwright, actress, announcer, cosplayer, panelist, seamstress, critic and teacher. Her play, Madam, was produced by the Helen Hayes Gallery at the National Theater to a Standing Room Only audience; and her play, Black Roses, was produced by Young Audiences of Washington, DC.
Last year she author-published her novella, A Long Way From Home. Her short story, Dance With Me was published in both the Kinsman Quarterly Iridescence Anthology and the Creatures, Crimes and Creativity Anthology, 2024. Another short story, The Curist, received Honorable Mentions from both the L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future and the Baltimore Science Fiction Amateur Writing contests.
Her current projects include the screenplay version of A Long Way From Home and Ebony Images: The African American Experience in Film which will combine her love of film and history.
---
### [Beth Kanter](https://writer.org/organizer/beth-kanter/)
**Published:** October 5, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Beth Kanter has been helping writers find, draft, and publish their stories for almost two decades. She is the author of six books about Washington, DC, including No Access Washington, DC and Great Food Finds, Washington DC. Beth’s creative nonfiction, essays, fiction, and poetry have appeared in a dozens of literary journals and magazines. Beth has an MSJ from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism and can be found online at bethkanter.com or on Instagram and Bluesky @beekaekae.
---
### [Sarah Birnbach](https://writer.org/organizer/sarah-birnbach/)
**Published:** October 2, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Sarah Birbach is a six-time award winner in the Soul-Making Keats Literary Competition and a two-time award winner from *Bethesda Magazine.* Her articles have appeared in *Talking Writing*, *Bookwoman*, the *Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance Journal*, the *Michigan Jewish History Journal*, and *Pen in Hand*. Sarah’s memoir, *A Daughter’s Kaddish: My Year of Grief, Devotion, and Healing* was published by Wonderwell Press in September 2022.
---
### [Kayla Kumari Upadhyaya](https://writer.org/organizer/kayla-kumari-upadhyaya/)
**Published:** September 30, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Kayla Kumari Upadhyaya is a lesbian writer of essays, fiction, and pop culture criticism living in Orlando. Her queer horror novelette Helen House was named one of the Best LGBTQ Books of 2022 by NBC News. She is the managing editor of Autostraddle, an assistant fiction editor at Foglifter, and the former managing editor of TriQuarterly. Her short stories appear in McSweeney’s Quarterly Concern, Catapult, The Offing, Joyland, The Rumpus, Cake Zine, and others.
---
### [Al Basile](https://writer.org/organizer/al-basile/)
**Published:** April 12, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Poet/playwright, singer/songwriter and cornet player, Al Basile has 20 solo albums (with 8 nominations for Blues Music Awards), four books of poetry, and six verse audio plays (with gold and platinum awards from the HEARnow national audio drama festival). A Powow River poet, he hosts the online show Poems On.
---
### [Jenn Koiter](https://writer.org/organizer/jenn-koiter/)
**Published:** August 18, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Jenn Koiter’s debut poetry collection, So Much of Everything, was published by Day Eight. She recently wrote and produced the award-winning short film “Birds of the Air.” Her poems and essays have appeared in Barrelhouse, Copper Nickel, Smartish Pace, and other journals. You can find her on Instagram as @jennkoiter.
---
### [Natasha Sajé](https://writer.org/organizer/natasha-saje/)
**Published:** July 1, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Natasha Sajé is the author of five books of poems, including *The Future Will Call You Something Else* (Tupelo, 2023). Her prose books are *Windows and Doors: A Poet Reads Literary Theory* (Michigan, 2014) and a memoir-in-essays, *Terroir: Love, Out of Place* (Trinity, 2020). Her honors include the Robert Winner and the Alice Fay di Castagnola Awards from the Poetry Society of America; a Pushcart prize; a Fulbright Scholarship to Slovenia; a Camargo Fellowship in France; Lambda, IPPY, Foreword, and Pen Finalist prizes. Sajé is Professor Emerita of English at Westminster University in Salt Lake City, and has been teaching in the Vermont College of Fine Arts MFA in Writing Program since 1996. She lives in Washington, DC.
---
### [Kristen Arnett](https://writer.org/organizer/kristen-arnett/)
**Published:** September 1, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Kristen Arnett is the queer Floridian author of the novels *STOP ME IF YOU’VE HEARD THIS ONE* (Riverhead Books, 2025) which was longlisted for the Comedy Women in Print Prize, *With Teeth* (Riverhead Books, 2021) which was a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award in fiction, and the New York Times bestselling debut *Mostly Dead Things* (Tin House, 2019) which was also a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award in fiction and was shortlisted for the VCU Cabell First Novelist Award. She was awarded a Shearing Fellowship at Black Mountain Institute, has held residencies at Ragdale Foundation, Vermont Studio Center, the Millay Colony, and the Studios of Key West, and was longlisted for the Joyce Carol Oates Prize. She runs the substack “Dad Lessons.” Her work has appeared at *The New York Times, TIME, Vogue, The Cut, Oprah Magazine, PBS Newshour, The Guardian, Salon, The Washington Post,* and elsewhere. Her upcoming short fiction collection, *Party at the End of the World*, will be published by Riverhead Books. She has a Masters in Library and Information Science from Florida State University and lives in Orlando, Florida. [kristenarnettwriter.com](https://www.kristenarnettwriter.com/)
---
### [Ofelia Montelongo](https://writer.org/organizer/ofelia-montelongo/)
**Published:** August 6, 2019
**Author:** Cary Smith
**Content:**
Ofelia Montelongo is a bilingual writer from Mexico. She has an MBA in Strategic Leadership & an MA in Latin American Literature. Her work has been published in *The Rumpus*, *Latino Book Review*, *Los Acentos Review*, and elsewhere. She was the editor of the Latine Monsters issue at *Barrelhouse*. She is a PEN/Faulkner writer in residence; a Macondista and a PEN America Emerging Voices Fellow; and a Tin House, VONA, and Key West Seminar alumna.
---
### [Ariel Katz](https://writer.org/organizer/ariel-katz/)
**Published:** August 18, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Ariel Katz’s short stories have been published in the Sewanee Review, Missouri Review, Threepenny Review, Colorado Review, & elsewhere. A graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop (MFA), she is a PhD fellow in Literature & Creative Writing at the University of Houston. She’s online at ariel-katz.com.
---
### [Beth Kanter and Anna Kahoe](https://writer.org/organizer/beth-kanter-and-anna-kahoe/)
**Published:** August 18, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Beth Kanter has been helping writers find, draft, and publish their stories for almost two decades. She is the author of six books about Washington, DC, including No Access Washington, DC and Great Food Finds, Washington DC. Beth’s creative nonfiction, essays, fiction, and poetry have appeared in a dozens of literary journals and magazines. Beth has an MSJ from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism and can be found online at bethkanter.com or on Instagram and Bluesky @beekaekae.
Anna Kahoe reads, walks, and writes in her hometown of Washington, D.C. Anna’s creative nonfiction has been published in The Washington Post, PBS Newshour’s In My Humble Opinion, The Writer Magazine, and Furious Gravity.
---
### [Yvette Neisser](https://writer.org/organizer/yvette-neisser/)
**Published:** August 18, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Yvette Neisser is an award-winning poet, Spanish translator, and founder of the DC-Area Literary Translators Network. Her co-translation of María Teresa Ogliastri’s “From the Diary of Madame Mao” won the Carnegie Mellon University Press Translation Award and is forthcoming in 2026. She has taught creative writing at various institutions.
---
### [Allison deFreese](https://writer.org/organizer/allison-defreese/)
**Published:** August 15, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Allison is president of the Oregon Society of Translators and Interpreters (OSTI) and an NEA Literature Translation Fellow. Her translations include María Negroni’s *Elegy for Joseph Cornell* (Dalkey Archive); astronaut José Moreno Hernández’s *Soaring to New Heights* (Renuevo), and Verónica González Arredondo’s *Green Fires of the Spirits* (Libros BUAP, Mexico). Allison has published two books of verse (*The Night with James Dean and Other Prose Poems* and *Nurdles and Other Poems*) and several translations. Her work appears in Hunger Mountain, The Comstock Review, and River Heron Review.
---
### [Lyzette Wanzer](https://writer.org/organizer/lyzette-wanzer/)
**Published:** August 18, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Lyzette’s work appears in over thirty literary journals, magazines, and books. Her book, TRAUMA, TRESSES, & TRUTH (Chicago Review Press) was a Library Journal Top 10 Best Book. She’s received multiple grants from California Arts Council, California Humanities, Center for Cultural Innovation, San Francisco Arts Commission, and Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, and others.
---
### [Hannah Grieco](https://writer.org/organizer/hannah-grieco-2/)
**Published:** April 29, 2019
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Hannah Grieco is the author of *First Kicking, Then Not*, released by Stanchion in August 2025. She writes a literary column for *Washington City Paper*, edits prose at a variety of small presses and literary journals, and teaches literature at Marymount University. She also works 1:1 with writers as an editor and book coach, helping with manuscript development, agent and publishing house searches, essay and short story placement, and more. Read her work in *The Washington Post*, *The Independent*, *Al Jazeera*, *Huffington Post*, *Brevity*, *Craft Literary*, *Poet Lore*, *Shenandoah*, *Fairy Tale Review*, and more. Find her online at [hgrieco.com](http://www.hgrieco.com/) and on most social media @writesloud.
---
### [Afabwaje Kurian](https://writer.org/organizer/afabwaje-kurian/)
**Published:** July 21, 2021
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Afabwaje Kurian is the author of the novel [BEFORE THE MANGO RIPENS](https://www.afabwaje.com/novel.html), which was a finalist for the 2025 Aspen Words Literary Prize and longlisted for the 2025 VCU Cabell First Novelist Award. She received her MFA from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. Her [short fiction](https://www.afabwaje.com/other-writing.html) has appeared in *Guernica, McSweeney’s,* *Callaloo, The Bare Life Review, Joyland Magazine,* and other literary publications. She has served as visiting faculty at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and taught fiction at the University of Iowa, for the International Writing Program, and for The Writer’s Center in Bethesda. Afabwaje divides her time between Washington, D.C., and the Midwest. For more information, visit [www.afabwaje.com](http://www.afabwaje.com/) or Instagram: @afabwajek.
---
### [Michele Wolf](https://writer.org/organizer/michele-wolf/)
**Published:** March 20, 2019
**Author:** Cary Smith
**Content:**
Michele Wolf is the author of *Peacocks on the Streets, Immersion, Conversations During Sleep* (Anhinga Prize for Poetry), and the chapbook *The Keeper of Light*. Her poems have appeared in *Poetry, The Hudson Review, North American Review, The Southern Review,* and numerous other literary journals and anthologies. Her honors include a literary arts Independent Artist Award from the Maryland State Arts Council. Wolf has served as a contributing editor for *Poet Lore*. More about her at [michelewolf.com](http://michelewolf.com/) and [broadstonebooks.com](https://www.broadstonebooks.com/shop/p/peacocks-on-the-streets-poetry-by-michele-wolf).
---
### [DuEwa Frazier](https://writer.org/organizer/duewa-frazier/)
**Published:** July 2, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
DuEwa Frazier is a poet, scholar, children’s author, program leader, speaker, consultant, and digital storyteller. She is the author of several volumes of poetry, stories for young readers, and the editor of scholarly volumes, including Introduction to Afrofuturism: A Mixtape in Black Literature & Art (Routledge). Visit her website at www.duewafrazier.com.
---
### [Saaret E. Yoseph](https://writer.org/organizer/saaret-e-yoseph/)
**Published:** July 5, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Saaret E. Yoseph is a multidisciplinary writer, producer and artist from Washington, DC. She tells stories about art, culture & intersectionality, connecting personal questions to broader themes concerning Black women across the African diaspora. Her work has been featured by Voice of America, HuffPost, The Rumpus, The Root and The Ethiopian Reporter. Saaret made her directorial debut with RED LINE DC (2014), a documentary on gentrification and graffiti, which earned distinction as her master’s thesis at Georgetown University. She went on to launch various multimedia projects, in collaboration with the NEA, Poetry Foundation, HumanitiesDC, and Google Arts & Culture, among others. Her latest project, JOURNEY(S), combines oral history with original poetry, animation and archival imagery to honor the migration experiences of Ethiopian women in DC. She’s also pursuing other narrative experiments and creative inquiries, including a poetry chapbook titled, A Beginner’s Guide to Endings.
---
### [Lauren Francis-Sharma](https://writer.org/organizer/lauren-francis-sharma/)
**Published:** June 11, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Lauren Francis-Sharma is the author of *Casualties of Truth*, which was inspired by her attendance at South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Amnesty Hearings in 1996. She is also the author of *Book of the Little Axe*, a finalist for the Hurston/Wright Award in Fiction, and *‘Til the Well Runs Dry,* winner of the Honor Fiction Prize by the Black Caucus of the ALA. Lauren is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Michigan Law School, and the MFA Program for Writers at Warren Wilson College. She serves as Chair of the Awards Committee for the PEN/Faulkner Foundation and is the Assistant Director of Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference.
---
### [Diane Zinna](https://writer.org/organizer/diane-zinna/)
**Published:** September 11, 2020
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Diane Zinna is the author of *The All-Night Sun* (Random House, 2020), which was longlisted for The Center for Fiction’s First Novel Prize and the Cabell First Novelist Award. She received her MFA from the University of Florida and worked for ten years at AWP, the Association of Writers Writing Programs, which hosts the largest literary conference in North America each year. In 2014, Diane created the Writer to Writer Mentorship Program, helping to match more than six hundred writers over twelve seasons. Her new craft book on the art of telling our hardest stories, *Letting Grief Speak*, is forthcoming from Columbia University Press and is based on her work teaching a free class, Grief Writing Sundays, for the past five years. Meet her there or online at [dianezinna.com](http://www.dianezinna.com/).
---
### [Eva Langston](https://writer.org/organizer/eva-langston/)
**Published:** July 29, 2022
**Author:** Cary Smith
**Content:**
Eva Langston received her MFA from the University of New Orleans and is represented by Ali Lake of O’Connor Literary for her YA and adult novels. Her short stories have won prizes (such as The Playboy Fiction Contest) and been nominated for the Pushcart Prize. She is cohost of the podcast This Mama is Lit! from Literary Mama, and creator/host of the podcast The Long Road to Publishing. Her writing-resources newsletter has over 6,000 followers. Find her at [evalangston.com](http://evalangston.com/) or **[evalangston.substack.com](http://evalangston.substack.com/)**, and find The Long Road to Publishing wherever you get your podcasts.
---
### [Caroline Bock](https://writer.org/organizer/caroline-bock/)
**Published:** March 20, 2019
**Author:** Cary Smith
**Content:**
Caroline Bock writes micros to novels. Her latest novel, and her first for adults, [***The Other Beautiful People***](https://regalhousepublishing.com/caroline-bock/)***,* is a workplace love story about a movie-loving marketing executive, and it will be published on June 2, 2026, by Regal House Publishing. Her short story collection, ***Carry Her Home***, won the Fiction Award from the Washington Writers’ Publishing House. She is also the author of acclaimed young adult novels ***LIE*** and ***Before My Eyes*** from St. Martin’s Press**.** Currently, she is the co-president and prose editor at the Washington Writers’ Publishing House. Prior to focusing on her writing/editing, she was a marketing and public relations executive in the cable industry for two decades, most notably at Bravo and IFC. She is a graduate of Syracuse University, earned an MFA in Fiction from the City College of New York, and lives in Maryland with her family.
---
### [Atina Hartunian](https://writer.org/organizer/atina-hartunian/)
**Published:** May 15, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Atina Hartunian**,** a first-generation Armenian-American writer, earned her MFA from Pacific University in 2023. She received a Teaching Fellowship from Anaphora Arts (2024), a Pacific University MFA Merit Scholarship (2021), and residencies from Cambridge Writers’ Workshop and, most recently, from Rockvale Writers’ Colony.
She has led generative workshops using sensory-driven prompts and craft-based constraints, and has delivered craft talks exploring facets of the horror genre. Currently, she’s developing a four-part lecture series on horror. Atina Hartunian writes and lives in Los Angeles.
---
### [Donald Illich](https://writer.org/organizer/donald-illich/)
**Published:** May 15, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Donald Illich‘s work appears in such journals as Iowa Review, LIT, Nimrod, Passages North, The Southern Review, Rattle, Fourteen Hills, The Louisville Review, Cimarron Review, Map Literary, Spork, Cream City Review, and Sixth Finch. His work has been anthologized in *A Face to Meet the Faces: An Anthology of Contemporary Persona Poetry* and *City of the Big Shoulders: An Anthology of Chicago Poetry*. His full-length manuscript, *Chance Bodies*, was published in 2018 by The Word Works. A full-length poetry collection, *Rescue is Elsewhere*, was released in 2023 by Red Ogre Review via a Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers Association grant. A new book, *Love Poems on Bar Napkins*, was released by Red Ogre Review in 2024. He lives in Maryland.
---
### [Courtney Sexton](https://writer.org/organizer/courtney-sexton/)
**Published:** May 14, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Dr. Courtney Sexton earned her MFA in nonfiction from Sarah Lawrence College and her PhD from The George Washington University. She is an artist, dog scientist, and the Co-founder/Board Chair of DC-based nonprofit literary arts organization, The Inner Loop. In addition to her leadership role at The Inner Loop, Courtney is a professor in the Medical Humanities at Georgetown University and a postdoctoral fellow at Virginia Tech, where her research explores human-animal relationships and One Health. She is an accomplished writer and curator with more than 15 years of experience in advocacy, outreach, and community building. Courtney works with a diverse cadre of humans, animals, institutions, agencies, and organizations, and has been published widely in both academic journals and outlets such as [Science](https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adl0426), [Smithsonian](https://www.smithsonianmag.com/author/courtney-sexton/), [The Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/photography/2020/08/10/learning-breathe-baltimore/), [Slate](https://slate.com/technology/2021/10/detection-dogs-conservation-endangered-species-science.html), [District Fray](https://districtfray.com/author/courtney-sexton/), [The Bark ](https://thebark.com/content/humans-dogs-longest-love-story), [Garden & Gun](https://gardenandgun.com/articles/a-perceptive-plott-hound-captures-a-canine-researchers-heart/), [Juxtaprose](http://www.juxtaprosemagazine.org/the-stairway-to-heaven-is-a-rowboat-by-courtney-l-sexton/), [SAGE](https://sagemagazine.org/what-is-lost-and-found-on-the-fraser-river/), and [The Fourth River](https://www.thefourthriver.com/tributaries-newnature/tag/It+Begins+With+the+River). She is a Virginia Tech Research & Innovation Scholar (2024), Diverse Intelligences Summer Institute Fellow (2022), AAAS Mass Media Fellow (2020), and DCCAH Arts & Humanities Fellow (2018; 2022; 2025).
---
### [Edgar Gomez](https://writer.org/organizer/edgar-gomez/)
**Published:** May 5, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Edgar Gomez is a queer NicaRican writer born and raised in Florida. He is the author of the memoir High-Risk Homosexual, winner of the American Book Award, a Stonewall Israel-Fishman Nonfiction Book Honor Award, and the Lambda Literary Award. Their sophomore book, Alligator Tears, was released in February 2025 and was called “triumphant, dazzling, and unfailingly stylish” by Publisher’s Weekly. A graduate of the University of California’s MFA program, Gomez has written for The LA Times, Poets & Writers, Lithub, New York Magazine, The Rumpus, and beyond. He has received fellowships from The New York Foundation for the Arts, The National Endowment for the Arts, and The Black Mountain Institute.
---
### [Carolyn Clark](https://writer.org/organizer/carolyn-clark/)
**Published:** April 22, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Carolyn Clark, Ph.D. Classics (Johns Hopkins University) is the author of six poetry books, and credits The Writers Center with getting her started as a writing coach, workshop leader and consultant. Mostly she simply enjoys horses, woodlands lyric poetry, any kind of skiing, and finding mythology everywhere.
---
### [Meg Eden Kuyatt](https://writer.org/organizer/meg-eden-kuyatt/)
**Published:** November 15, 2022
**Author:** Cary Smith
**Content:**
Meg Eden is a 2020 Pitch Wars mentee, and teaches creative writing at Anne Arundel Community College. She is the author of the 2021 Towson Prize for Literature winning poetry collection *Drowning in the Floating World* (Press 53, 2020) and children’s novels, most recently *Good Different* (Scholastic, 2023). Find her online at [megedenbooks.com](http://www.megedenbooks.com) or on Twitter at [@ConfusedNarwhal](https://twitter.com/ConfusedNarwhal).
---
### [Daria-Ann Martineau](https://writer.org/organizer/daria-ann-martineau/)
**Published:** April 19, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
**Daria-Ann Martineau** was born and raised in Trinidad and Tobago and holds an MFA in Poetry from New York University. She is an alumna of several writing conferences including Bread Loaf and the Community of Writers at Squaw Valley. Her poems have appeared in *Voicemail Poems*, *Cordella Magazine*, *Anomaly*, *Narrative*, and *The Collagist*, among others. She is the founder of PRINT (Poets Reclaiming Immigrant Narratives & Texts) and wants to empower migrants to tell their own stories.
---
### [Caron Levis](https://writer.org/organizer/caron-levis/)
**Published:** April 4, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Caron Levis (MFA; LMSW) is the author of the award-winning Feeling-Friends collection with Charles Santoso: Mighty Muddy Us, Feathers Together, This Way, Charlie, and Ida, Always. Other titles include Stop That Yawn! and Mama’s Shoes. Stories and articles for teens and adults have been published in Fence Magazine, Norton Anthology, Modern Loss, and more. Caron is an Assistant Professor and the Chair of the New School University’s Writing for Children/YA MFA program. She offers interactive Creative SEL/Literacy workshops for kids/adults. Caron was born, raised, and lives in NYC. [www.caronlevis.com](http://www.caronlevis.com)
---
### [Megan Kamalei Kakimoto](https://writer.org/organizer/megan-kamalei-kakimoto/)
**Published:** March 28, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Megan Kamalei Kakimoto is the Japanese and Kanaka Maoli author of the story collection *Every Drop Is a Man’s Nightmare* (Bloomsbury 2023), a USA Today national bestseller. Her work has appeared in *The New York Times*, *The Guardian*, *Granta*, *Joyland*, and elsewhere. Named a Fall 2023 “Writer to Watch” by Publisher’s Weekly, she has received the “Author Under 35” Award by the HONOLULU Book Awards and has been a finalist for the Keene Prize for Literature. Her work has been supported by the Rona Jaffe Foundation, the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, and the Tin House Winter Workshop. She received her MFA from the Michener Center for Writers and is an Affiliate Faculty in Fiction at Antioch University Los Angeles and a Lecturer in English at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. A Fiction Editor for *No Tokens* journal, she lives in Honolulu.
---
### [Julia Phillips](https://writer.org/organizer/julia-phillips/)
**Published:** March 26, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Julia Phillips is the author of the bestselling novels *Bear* and *Disappearing Earth*, which was a finalist for the National Book Award and one of The New York Times Book Review’s 10 Best Books of the Year. A 2024 Guggenheim fellow, she lives with her family in Brooklyn.
Julia’s work has been translated into twenty-six languages. She has written for *The New York Times*, *The Atlantic*, and *The Paris Review* and teaches at the Randolph College MFA program. She is also on the board of the Crime Victims Treatment Center, a nonprofit that helps people heal from violence.
---
### [Laura Villareal](https://writer.org/organizer/laura-villareal/)
**Published:** April 1, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Laura Villareal is a poet and book critic. Her debut poetry collection, *Girl’s Guide to Leaving* (University of Wisconsin Press 2022), was awarded Texas Institute of Letters’ John A. Robert Johnson Award for a First Book of Poetry and the Writers’ League of Texas Book Award for Poetry.
---
### [Amanda Shaw](https://writer.org/organizer/amanda-shaw/)
**Published:** March 20, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Amanda Shaw is the author of It Will Have Been So Beautiful (Lily Poetry Review Books, 2024). Based in Washington, DC, she is a teacher and editor at The World Bank and other international organizations. Her poems have appeared in LEON Literary Review, Spoon River Poetry Review, The Mid-Atlantic Review, and Lily Poetry Review, which she recently joined as the reviews editor. She has an MAT from The New School and an MFA in poetry from the Warren Wilson MFA Program for Writers, and has taught language and literature for over 25 years.
---
### [Bo Kaprall](https://writer.org/organizer/bo-kaprall/)
**Published:** March 20, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Bo Kaprall has been a television show creator, director, writer, producer, executive producer, and actor for over thirty-five years. Currently he has created and is Executive Producing a new television series, “Operation Undercover,” for HBO Max & Discovery ID. Bo got his start in Chicago as an actor in the touring company of Chicago’s Second City. In the seventies he moved to Los Angeles where he started the Comedy Store Players and joined Kentucky Fried Theatre (Kentucky Fried Movie, Airplane, Police Squad). He then went on to write and produce several network series including The Carol Burnett Show, Laverne & Shirley, The Cher Show, Aaron Spelling’s Friends, Norman Lear’s Year at the Top, and Welcome Back Kotter. In addition, he has written over thirty network pilots. Over the years Bo has created and executive produced shows for ABC, CBS, NBC, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, Discovery, TLC, and HGTV. In the nineties Bo moved to Minneapolis, where he started his own creative production company focusing on humorous radio and television commercials and corporate communications. Bo has recorded, written, and produced over 1,000 radio commercials, winning several Cleo and Radio Best Awards. He has appeared as an actor on over 50 television shows, the latest being Law & Order and Third Watch.
---
### [Annette Nielsen](https://writer.org/organizer/annette-nielsen/)
**Published:** March 20, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Cookbook editor, newspaper and magazine journalist, food systems advisor, cheesemaker, and a catering sous chef, Annette Nielsen has worked in the food space from production to consumption. She recently returned to Washington, DC from New York where she was the Executive Director of the Hunter College NYC Food Policy Center.
---
### [Jennifer Hamady](https://writer.org/organizer/jennifer-hamady/)
**Published:** November 13, 2019
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Jennifer Hamady is a voice coach and therapist specializing in technical and emotional issues that interfere with self-expression, and the author of three books on musical and personal performance. Jennifer writes regularly for *Psychology Today* on matters of creative expression and frequently presents workshops and master classes on the same. More about her at [FindingYourVoice.com](http://www.FindingYourVoice.com).
---
### [Emily DeDakis](https://writer.org/organizer/emily-dedakis/)
**Published:** April 11, 2024
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Dr Emily DeDakis (Ireland/USA) is a writer & dramaturg. She’s developed dozens of scripts and performances on both sides of the Atlantic, and taught playwriting at Queen’s University Belfast, Ulster University, the Lyric Theatre, Grand Opera House, and Fighting Words NI’s Young Playwrights programme. Her writing has been broadcast on BBC television and radio.
---
### [Dan Brady](https://writer.org/organizer/dan-brady/)
**Published:** July 26, 2022
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Dan Brady is the author of the poetry collections *Strange Children* (2018), *Subtexts* (2022), and *Songs in E——*, winner of the Barclay Prize for Poetry, forthcoming from Trnsfr Books (2022), along with two poetry chapbooks. He is the poetry editor of *Barrelhouse*, a magazine and small press based in Washington, DC. Previously, Brady served as the editor of *American Poets*, the journal of the Academy of American Poets, and worked in the Literature Division at the National Endowment for the Arts, where he received a Distinguished Service Award for his work on the Big Read, the largest community reading initiative in US history. Learn more at [danbrady.org](http://danbrady.org).
---
### [Claudia Gary](https://writer.org/organizer/claudia-gary/)
**Published:** November 26, 2018
**Author:** Cary Smith
**Content:**
Claudia Gary’s villanelles, sonnets, and other metrical poems appear in journals and anthologies internationally. (For examples online, see: [https://duckduckgo.com/?q=claudia+gary+poem&t=h\_&ia=web](https://duckduckgo.com/?q=claudia+gary+poem&t=h_&ia=web) .) She has chaired panels including “The Sonnet in 2016” and “Poetry and Science” (2019) at the West Chester University Poetry Conference, and panels on Poetry and Music at both the WCU and Frost Farm poetry conferences. Author of *Humor Me* (2006) and chapbooks including *Genetic Revisionism* (2019), Claudia is a three-time finalist for the Howard Nemerov Sonnet Award and a 2013 semifinalist for the Anthony Hecht award (Waywiser). Her poems have appeared in many journals including *American Arts Quarterly, Amsterdam Quarterly, Angle, Antiphon, Chronicles, Light, Loch Raven Review, Mezzo Cammin, Poet Lore, The Rotary Dial*, and *String Poet*; as well as anthologies including *Villanelles* (2012), *The Great American Wise-Ass Poetry Anthology* (2016), and *Love Affairs at the Villa Nelle* (2018). She is also a health science writer for [vvaveteran.org](http://vvaveteran.org/), a composer of art songs and chamber music, and a former poetry editor. See [pw.org/content/claudia\_gary](http://pw.org/content/claudia_gary); follow [@claudiagary](https://twitter.com/claudiagary?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor).
---
### [Christopher Linforth](https://writer.org/organizer/christopher-linforth/)
**Published:** November 26, 2018
**Author:** Cary Smith
**Content:**
Christopher Linforth’s latest book is *The Distortions* (Orison Books, 2022). Recently, he has been awarded fellowships to the Ragdale Foundation, VCCA, BAU Institute at the Camargo Foundation, Tyrone Guthrie Centre, Kone Foundation, Sitka Center, and Château de Lavigny. He holds an MFA from Virginia Tech. He has published fiction and nonfiction in dozens of literary magazines, including *The Millions*, *Gargoyle*, *Southern Humanities Review*, *The Rumpus*, *Notre Dame Review*, *Denver Quarterly*, and many others. He has been awarded fellowships and scholarships to the Sewanee Writers’ Conference, Vermont Studio Center, and the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts.
---
### [Aaron Hamburger](https://writer.org/organizer/aaron-hamburger/)
**Published:** November 27, 2018
**Author:** Cary Smith
**Content:**
Aaron Hamburger is the author of the story collection *The View From Stalin’s Head* winner of the Rome Prize in Literature, and the novels *Faith For Beginners* (a Lambda Literary Award nominee), *Nirvana is Here* (winner of a Bronze Medal in the 2019 Foreword Indie Awards), and *Hotel Cuba*, forthcoming from HarperCollins in July 2023. His writing has appeared in *The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune, Tin House, Crazyhorse, Boulevard, Poets & Writers*, and *O*, the Oprah Magazine and many others. He teaches writing at the George Washington University and the Stonecoast MFA Program in creative writing.
---
### [Katherine Pickett](https://writer.org/organizer/katherine-pickett/)
**Published:** November 13, 2019
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Katherine Pickett is the owner of POP Editorial Services LLC ([popediting.net](http://www.popediting.net)), where she provides copy editing, proofreading, and developmental editing to authors and publishers across the country. She is also the author of the award-winning book *Perfect Bound: How to Navigate the Book Publishing Process Like a Pro*, the booklet *Freelancing as a Business: 7 Steps to Take Before Launch Day*, and several ebooks. Her personal essay “Dented” was published by *Lowestoft Chronicle* and selected for the 2011 Lowestoft Chronicle print anthology. Her articles have appeared on *Publishing Perspectives*, JaneFriedman.com, *Writer Beware, IBPA Independent*, and elsewhere in print and around the web. She lives in Silver Spring, Maryland, with her husband, Chris, and their two awe-inspiring daughters.
---
### [Amy Freeman](https://writer.org/organizer/amy-freeman/)
**Published:** February 25, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Amy’s bylines include The Washington Post, Parents.com, The Offing, The Advocate, and dozens of other publications and anthologies. She also serves as The Writer’s Center’s Development Director.
---
### [Melissa Webster](https://writer.org/organizer/melissa-webster/)
**Published:** February 25, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Melissa Webster earned her masters in creative writing at Johns Hopkins Krieger School in 2011, and trained to facilitate workshops with Amherst Writers and Artists in 2022. Over the years her short-form writing has appeared in various publications, journals and anthologies in South Africa, Zimbabwe and the USA. Her (unpublished) debut novel *Who We Were, Where We Are* was recently longlisted for both the McKitterick Prize and the 2024 Cinnamon Press Literature Award. Her short story *Space To Fall*, and feature film script, *Grey Ghosts*, were optioned in 2018 and 2025. Melissa is usually Cape Town based, but is currently enjoying a season in the DC area, with her husband and youngest daughter.
---
### [Melanie Figg](https://writer.org/organizer/melanie-figg/)
**Published:** November 27, 2018
**Author:** Cary Smith
**Content:**
Melanie Figg, author of the award-winning poetry collection, *Trace*, has received grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and others. As a certified professional coach, she offers women’s writing retreats and helps writers to finish projects, tame their inner critics, and add more ease and productivity to their creative lives. More about her at [melaniefigg.net](http://www.melaniefigg.net).
---
### [Mathangi Subramanian](https://writer.org/organizer/mathangi-subramanian/)
**Published:** March 20, 2019
**Author:** Cary Smith
**Content:**
Mathangi Subramanian, Ed.D., is an Indian American writer and educator. Her novel *A People’s History of Heaven* was longlisted for the PEN/Faulkner Award and the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize, and is a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award. Her middle grades book *Dear Mrs. Naidu* won the South Asia Book Award. Her personal essays and nonfiction have appeared in *The Washington Post, Ms. Magazine, Zora Magazine*, and *Al Jazeera America*, among others. She holds a doctorate in education from Columbia Teachers College and lives on the west coast with her husband and daughter.
---
### [Emily Holland](https://writer.org/organizer/emily-holland/)
**Published:** July 26, 2022
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Emily Holland (she/they) is a genderqueer lesbian writer. Their poems appear in publications including *HAD, Shenandoah, Black Warrior Review*, and the chapbook *Lineage*. They are the recipient of multiple fellowships from DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities. She is the editor of *Poet Lore* and an adjunct instructor at GWU.
---
### [Carol Mitchell](https://writer.org/organizer/carol-mitchell/)
**Published:** March 22, 2023
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Carol Mitchell is the author of the novel *What Start Bad a Mornin’* (Central Avenue) and nineteen books for children, including three published by HarperCollins UK. She holds an MFA, and is the recipient of a number of fellowships including from the Virginia Center for Creative Arts and Kimmel Harding Nelson Center. She teaches writing at George Mason University and is currently working on a short-story collection and a novel.
---
### [Kathryn Johnson](https://writer.org/organizer/kathryn-johnson/)
**Published:** November 27, 2018
**Author:** Cary Smith
**Content:**
Kathryn Johnson’s 40+ popular novels (nominated for the Agatha Award, winner of the Heart of Excellence and Bookseller’s Best Awards), include historical fiction (e.g., *The Gentleman Poet*, wherein Shakespeare escapes to the New World aboard a ship bound for disaster) and contemporary suspense. *The Extreme Novelist* (nonfiction) is the text based on her courses at The Smithsonian Associates and The Writer’s Center. More about her at [KathrynJohnsonLLC.com](https://KathrynJohnsonLLC.com).
---
### [Nikki Frias](https://writer.org/organizer/2134161/)
**Published:** November 17, 2021
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Nikki Frias has contributed to *Forbes*, *The Daily Beast*, and *Boardroom*. She is an author, writing coach, and teacher specializing in comedy writing, and facilitating improv in the corporate world. After noticing the struggles with finishing her book, she started “Book on a Budget” coaching to help writers achieve their goals with an affordable a la carte style to help at any stage of the writing process. She is the author of *Damn, You Still Single?* and *Does this Divorce Make Me Look Fat?* and currently teaches sketch and comedy writing at The Writer’s Center.
---
### [Dr. Tonee Mae Moll](https://writer.org/organizer/dr-tonee-mae-moll/)
**Published:** November 20, 2024
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Dr. Tonee Mae Moll (she/they) is the author of *Out of Step: A Memoir*, which won the Lambda Literary Award and *You Cannot Save Here*, winner of the Jean Feldman Poetry Prize.
---
### [C Pam Zhang](https://writer.org/organizer/c-pam-zhang/)
**Published:** February 28, 2023
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
C Pam Zhang is the author of the bestselling *How Much of These Hills Is Gold* and *Land of Milk and Honey*. She is a National Book Award 5 Under 35 Honoree. *How Much of These Hills Is Gold* was a *New York Times*, *Washington Post*, and *NPR* Notable Book of the Year; one of Barack Obama’s favorite books; and won the Asian/Pacific Award for Literature, the American Academy of Arts and Letters Rosenthal Award, and the California First Fiction Prize. *Hills* was also nominated for the Booker Prize and a finalist for over half a dozen other prizes, including the PEN/Hemingway Award, the National Book Critics’ John Leonard Prize, and the Center For Fiction First Novel Prize. Zhang’s writing appears in *Best American Short Stories*, *The Cut*, *The New Yorker*, and *The New York Times*. She is the recipient of fellowships from MacDowell, Civitella Ranieri, and the New York Public Library. Her work has been translated into twelve languages.
---
### [Jessica Berg](https://writer.org/organizer/jessica-berg/)
**Published:** December 13, 2024
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Jessica Berg is a literary agent and author passionate about nurturing unique voices in publishing. As the founding agent of Rosecliff Literary, she focuses on character-driven stories and high-stakes narratives while helping authors navigate the industry. A multi-nominated writer with an MFA from Spalding University, Berg is a member of the AALA and EFA. She also provides developmental feedback for Writer’s Digest. She is represented by Amy Collins of Talcott Notch. Connect with her on all the platforms @jesssica\_\_berg.
---
### [Emily Barrosse](https://writer.org/organizer/emily-barrosse/)
**Published:** December 10, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Emily Barrosse is founder and CEO of Bold Story Press, a publishing house for women authors who want to share their stories with the world. Emily spent the first 32 years of her career in the publishing industry, including as Vice President and Editor in Chief at McGraw Hill.
---
### [Kelly Sather](https://writer.org/organizer/kelly-sather/)
**Published:** December 4, 2024
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Kelly Sather is the author of [*Small in Real Life*](https://kellysather.com/small-in-real-life-kelly-sather-author) (Univ. of Pittsburgh Press, 2023), her debut story collection and winner of the Drue Heinz Literature Prize. A former entertainment lawyer and screenwriter, she received an MFA from Bennington, and her work has appeared or is forthcoming in *Santa Monica Review*, *Literary Hub*, *J Journal*, *Pembroke Magazine*, *PANK*, and elsewhere. She writes about books and art-making, fame and desire for her Substack, [Small in Real Life](https://kellysather.substack.com/). She grew up in Los Angeles and lives in Washington, D.C.
---
### [Louise Arnheim](https://writer.org/organizer/louise-arnheim/)
**Published:** November 25, 2024
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Louise Arnheim is a Washington, DC public affairs and executive communications professional recognized for creating high-impact speeches that promote executive brand and advance policy. Renowned for capturing leadership voice, she has directed strategic communications for federal policymakers, corporate executives, and non-profit leaders.
---
### [Lindsey Van Wagner](https://writer.org/organizer/lindsey-van-wagner/)
**Published:** July 25, 2023
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Lindsey Van Wagner is a writer, speaker, teacher, and lifestyle guide known for empowering clients to live with more intention and higher creativity. She is the author of [Spirit Vigilante: Sharing My Truth to Help You Live Yours.](https://a.co/d/7tEfO2i) She has written for American University and *Pathways Magazine* and is passionate about health and wellness and she incorporates her personal story to help others transform.
---
### [Shannon Sanders](https://writer.org/organizer/shannon-sanders/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Shannon Sanders is the author of the linked short story collection *Company*, which won the 2024 Los Angeles Times Book Prize’s Art Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction, was named a Publishers Weekly and Debutiful Best Book of 2023, and was shortlisted for the 2024 William Saroyan International Prize for Writing. Her short fiction has appeared in *One Story, Sewanee Review, Virginia Quarterly Review, Electric Literature*, and elsewhere, and received a PEN/Robert J. Dau Short Story Prize for Emerging Writers. She lives in Silver Spring with her husband and three sons.
---
### [Mary Quattlebaum](https://writer.org/organizer/mary-quattlebaum/)
**Published:** November 27, 2018
**Author:** Cary Smith
**Content:**
Mary Quattlebaum is the author of 30 award-winning children’s books (*Pirate vs. Pirate, Jo MacDonald Hiked in the Woods, Hero Dogs*) and of stories and poems in anthologies and children’s magazines (*Cricket, Spider, Ladybug, Highlights*). She teaches in the MFA program in writing for children at the Vermont College of Fine Arts and is a popular school and conference speaker.
---
### [Joan Waites](https://writer.org/organizer/joan-waites/)
**Published:** October 19, 2024
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Joan Waites has illustrated more than 40 children’s books and most recently has written and illustrated *A Colorful Tail: Finding Monet at Giverny, A Purr-fect Painting: Matisse’s Other Great Cat*, and *An Artist’s Night Before Christmas*. She teaches arts classes for children at her private studio and speaks frequently at schools and conferences.
---
### [John DeDakis](https://writer.org/organizer/john-dedakis/)
**Published:** November 26, 2018
**Author:** Cary Smith
**Content:**
**John DeDakis** (pronounced dee-DAY-kiss) is a former editor on CNN’s “The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer.” DeDakis is the author of six novels in the Lark Chadwick mystery-suspense-thriller series. In *Enemies Domestic,* Lark is a pregnant White House press secretary forced to make an abort-or-not-to-abort decision in a highly toxic and polarized fishbowl while dealing with an attack on the presidency. DeDakis, a former White House correspondent, is also a writing coach, manuscript editor, and podcaster. [www.johndedakis.com](http://www.johndedakis.com/)
---
### [María Fernanda](https://writer.org/organizer/maria-fernanda/)
**Published:** July 31, 2024
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
María Fernanda (she/her) is a poet whose work explores, “the breaking and making of family,” (OkayAfrica). Awarded the The Norma Elia Cantú Award in Creative Writing, María Fernanda has performed at Lincoln Center, The Kennedy Center, The Phoenix Art Museum, and more. Read her latest work in The Hill Rag.
---
### [Camille Cabrera](https://writer.org/organizer/camille-cabrera/)
**Published:** July 30, 2024
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Camille Cabrera is a 10-time bestselling mystery author. She has written over 10 short stories and novels. Cabrera enjoys crafting stories ranging from cozy mystery to noir. When she’s not creating another caper, you can likely find her in the nearest coffee shop enjoying a black coffee.
---
### [Marita Golden](https://writer.org/organizer/marita-golden/)
**Published:** July 23, 2024
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Marita Golden is the award-winning author of over twenty works of fiction and nonfiction. She has taught creative Writing at George Mason University and Virginia Commonwealth University and works with authors on book and manuscript development. She has led workshops on writing and self-care practices for diverse audiences. She is co-founder of the Hurston/Wright Foundation.
---
### [Khadijah Z. Ali-Coleman](https://writer.org/organizer/khadijah-z-ali-coleman/)
**Published:** July 23, 2024
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Dr. Khadijah Z. Ali-Coleman is an award-winning performance artist, multi-genre writer, playwright, and filmmaker. She is the current Poet Laureate of Prince George’s County, Maryland. Learn more at [KhadijahAli-Coleman.com.](http://KhadijahAli-Coleman.com.)
---
### [Chris Gamble](https://writer.org/organizer/chris-gamble/)
**Published:** July 23, 2024
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Chris Gamble is a Licensed Professional Counselor and writer based in Washington, D.C. His experiences in the mental health field inspired him to write his debut novel, *Tales of a Black Therapist*. He strives to use storytelling and education to shift how mental health is understood.
---
### [Courtney LeBlanc](https://writer.org/organizer/courtney-leblanc/)
**Published:** March 22, 2022
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Courtney LeBlanc is the author of *Her Dark Everything* (forthcoming 2025), *Her Whole Bright Life,* winner of the Jack McCarthy Book Prize, *Exquisite Bloody, Beating Heart,* and *Beautiful & Full of Monsters.* She is the founder and editor-in-chief of Riot in Your Throat, an independent poetry press. [www.courtneyleblanc.com](http://www.courtneyleblanc.com/).
---
### [Joyce Winslow](https://writer.org/organizer/joyce-winslow/)
**Published:** April 1, 2024
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
**Joyce Winslow’s** fiction is included n The Best American Short Stories and several college textbooks. She has won the Phoebe Fiction prize, The F. Scott Fitzgerald Award,
a P.E.N. Syndicated Fiction Award, The Raymond Carver Award, and had stories translated and broadcast over Voice of America. She served as Fiction Editor of AARP’s magazine,
taught fiction writing as Assoc. Prof. of English Lit at U of Pittsburgh, served as a judge of fiction for the D.C. Commission on the Arts and won four Fellowships from them.
An NEA Fellowship winner, she has created and teaches writing techniques in ways unlike other teachers and edits National Book Award winners.
---
### [R. O. Kwon](https://writer.org/organizer/r-o-kwon/)
**Published:** June 7, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
R. O. Kwon is the nationally bestselling author of [*Exhibit*](https://ro-kwon.com/exhibit), a novel, which published in May 2024 with Riverhead (US) and will be out in July 2024 with Virago/Little Brown (UK). Kwon’s first novel, [*The Incendiaries*](https://ro-kwon.com/theincendiaries), has been translated into [seven languages](https://ro-kwon.com/foreign-editions) and was named a best book of the year by over forty publications. *The Incendiaries* was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle John Leonard Award. Kwon and Garth Greenwell co-edited [*Kink*](https://ro-kwon.com/kink), a *New York Times* Notable Book and recipient of the inaugural Joy Award.
Kwon’s writing has appeared in *The New York Times, New Yorker, Vanity Fair, Guardian,* and elsewhere. She has received fellowships and awards from MacDowell, the National Endowment for the Arts, and Yaddo. Kwon was the 2024 Stein Visiting Writer at Stanford University. Born in Seoul, Kwon has lived most of her life in the United States.
---
### [Jose Hernandez Diaz](https://writer.org/organizer/jose-hernandez-diaz/)
**Published:** March 17, 2022
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Jose Hernandez Diaz is a 2017 NEA Poetry Fellow. He is the author of The Fire Eater (Texas Review Press, 2020) Bad Mexican, Bad American (Acre Books, 2024) The Parachutist (Sundress Publications, 2025) and Portrait of the Artist as a Brown Man (Red Hen Press, 2025). He has been published in The American Poetry Review, The Yale Review, The London Magazine, Poetry Wales, The Iowa Review, Huizache, Círculo de Poesía, Periódico de Poesía, The Missouri Review, Epoch Magazine, The Nation, Poetry, The Progressive, Poets.org, The Southern Review, and in The Best American Nonrequired Reading. He teaches at the University of California at Riverside and for Hugo House, Lighthouse Writers Workshops, and The Writer’s Center. Additionally, he serves as a Poetry Mentor in The Adroit Journal Summer Mentorship Program.
---
### [Sam Nelson](https://writer.org/organizer/sam-nelson/)
**Published:** July 25, 2023
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Sam Nelson is a teacher, writer, and naturalist. He’s especially interested in using ecology to inform creative literature for both adults and children. He’s published work in *The Washington Post, Two Hawks Quarterly, DCist*, and other places. You can read more about his work here: [samnelson.xyz](https://www.samnelson.xyz/)
---
### [Mel Barrett](https://writer.org/organizer/mel-barrett/)
**Published:** March 28, 2024
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Mel Barrett is a writer, director, editor, producer, and script consultant. As a seasoned coverage editor for production companies like Circle of Confusion, Mel is responsible for identifying the production-viability of a screenplay. Mel’s screenplays have also won numerous awards and have been produced for the big and small screen.
---
### [Jubi Arriola-Headley](https://writer.org/organizer/jubi-arriola-headley/)
**Published:** March 26, 2024
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Jubi Arriola-Headley (he/him) is a Black queer poet, storyteller, first-generation United Statesian and author of the poetry collections original kink (Sibling Rivalry Press, 2020), recipient of the 2021 Housatonic Book Award, and Bound (Persea Books, 2024). He’s currently at work on a collection of essays, an excerpt of which won the 2023 First Pages Prize. Jubi lives with his husband in South Florida, on ancestral Tequesta, Miccosukee, and Seminole lands.
---
### [Sheila Wenz](https://writer.org/organizer/sheila-wenz/)
**Published:** November 13, 2019
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Sheila Wenz is a writer and comedian who has worked on a variety of television series and films at CBS, ABC, Columbia Pictures, MGM, Warner Bros., Disney and on the writing staff at NBC’s Stage One on “The Tonight Show.” She is founder of Stand-Up Studios comedy school and coaching and is also a part time writing instructor at colleges on the east coast. More about her at [standupstudios.com](http://www.standupstudios.com).
---
### [Laura J. Oliver](https://writer.org/organizer/laura-oliver/)
**Published:** November 27, 2018
**Author:** Cary Smith
**Content:**
Laura J. Oliver, MFA, is a story development editor, newspaper columnist, NPR contributor, and writing mentor who has taught at the University of Maryland and St. John’s College. The author of The Story Within (Penguin Random House), Oliver teaches others to write successful short stories, novels, memoirs, and personal essays. Oliver’s work appears in national publications such as The Washington Post, Country Living Magazine, The Writer Magazine, The Sun Magazine. Her editing clients have landed book contracts with publishers such as Simon and Schuster. Oliver won a Maryland Arts Council Award in Fiction, is an Anne Arundel County Literary Arts Award winner, and her work has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize.
---
### [Lorin Drexler](https://writer.org/organizer/lorin-drexler/)
**Published:** January 3, 2024
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Lorin Drexler is an American poet, fiction writer, musician, songwriter, and music producer. Currently residing in Phoenix, Arizona, and originally from Chicago, he graduated from Columbia College with a bachelor’s degree in creative writing. His work has appeared in *Vine Leaves Literary Journal, Apocrypha and Abstractions, Maudlin House,* and others.
---
### [Judith Harris](https://writer.org/organizer/judith-harris/)
**Published:** November 26, 2018
**Author:** Cary Smith
**Content:**
Judith Harris is the author of three poetry books, *Atonement, The Bad Secret,* and *Night Garden* (LSU and Tiger Bark) and two critical books on poetry and psychoanalysis S*ignifying Pain: Constructing and Healing the Self through Writing* and *The Poetry of Loss: Romantic and Contemporary Elegies* (SUNY Press, Routledge Press) Her poems have appeared in *The Nation, The Atlantic, The New Republic, The Hudson Review, Ploughshares, North American Review, Image, Alaska Quarterly Review, Literary Matters, Poetry East, Terrain, “American Life in Poetry,” American Academy of Poets Poem-a-day, Poetry Foundation’s Poem of the Day,* NPR and *Verse Daily*. Her articles have appeared in AWP Chronicle, The British Journal of Psychoanalysis, the *American Journal of Psychoanalysis, The Washingtonian, The Canadian Journal of Psychoanalysis, Midwest Quarterly,* and Green Mountains Review.
---
### [Emily Jon Tobias](https://writer.org/organizer/emily-jon-tobias/)
**Published:** December 8, 2023
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Emily Jon Tobias is an American author and poet with her debut story collection, *MONARCH*, forthcoming by Black Lawrence Press in May, 2024. She is an award-winning writer whose work has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize, along with other honorable mentions, and has been featured in literary journals such as *Santa Clara Review*, *Talking River Review*, *Flying South Literary Journal*, *Furrow Literary Journal, The Opiate Magazine*, *The Ocotillo Review, Jerry Jazz Musician, Typehouse Literary Magazine*, *Tahoma Literary Review, Big Muddy,* *Spoon Knife, Peauxdunque Review,* and elsewhere. Midwestern-raised, she now lives and writes on the coast of Southern California. She holds an MFA in Writing from Pacific University Oregon.
---
### [Hank Wallace](https://writer.org/organizer/hank-wallace/)
**Published:** November 26, 2018
**Author:** Cary Smith
**Content:**
Hank Wallace, a Columbia Law School graduate, was a government reporter for New Jersey’s Middletown Courier and Red Bank Daily Register, and the assistant director of law-school publishing for Matthew Bender. He wrote the FCC’s plain-language newsletter and newswriting tips for the Radio Television Digital News Association. For more information about Hank Wallace, visit his website at: [hankwallace.com](http://hankwallace.com).
---
### [Jonathan Roth](https://writer.org/organizer/jonathan-roth/)
**Published:** December 11, 2023
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Jonathan Roth writes and illustrates the graphic novel series *Rover and Speck* (Kids Can Press, 2022+), the chapter book series *Beep and Bob* (Aladdin/S&S, 2018+) and the upcoming non-fiction picture book *Almost Underwear* (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2024). He lives in Rockville and teaches elementary art.
---
### [Jen Buxton](https://writer.org/organizer/jen-buxton/)
**Published:** December 11, 2023
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Jennifer Buxton has an MFA from the University of Virginia. Her stories have appeared in *Epoch, Puerto del Sol, Blue Penny Quarterly*, and *Dr. TJ Eckleberg Review*. She has taught at the University of Virginia and the Young Writers Workshop, and coaches high school seniors on the college application essay.
---
### [Marija Stajic](https://writer.org/organizer/marija-stajic/)
**Published:** December 11, 2023
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Marija Stajic is a Public Affairs Officer currently working for the Federal Government. Her short stories have been published in many literary journals (*Prairie Schooner, Dr. T.J. Eckleburg Review, Gargoyle, South 85, Barely South Review* etc.), awarded, anthologized and nominated for Pushcart Prize. She has published three books of poetry and she used to work for The New Yorker as a fact-checker, translator and consultant. She was the Writers Center’s Undiscovered Voices Fellow in 2013. She has a B.A. in Literature and Slavic Studies and M.A. in International Journalism. She’s represented by the Tobias Literary Agency and her second novel AMERICAN SORCERESS is currently on submission.
---
### [Natasha Oladokun](https://writer.org/organizer/natasha-oladokun/)
**Published:** December 11, 2023
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Natasha Oladokun is a Black, queer poet and essayist from Virginia. She holds fellowships from Cave Canem, The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), the Jackson Center for Creative Writing, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she was the inaugural First Wave Poetry fellow. Her work has appeared in the *American Poetry Review, The Academy of American Poets, Kenyon Review Online, Harper’s Bazaar*, and elsewhere. She currently lives in Madison, WI, and is working on her first collection of poems.
---
### [Ginny Barnes](https://writer.org/organizer/ginny-barnes/)
**Published:** September 28, 2023
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Ginny Barnes is an artist and environmental advocate. She has published several articles on trees and nature. In particular for the magazine *Plenty* which sings the praises of Montgomery County’s 93,000 acre agricultural reserve. She also serves as Vice-chair of Conservation Montgomery and has written several pieces on nature for their website: [conservationmontgomery.org](http://conservationmontgomery.org)
---
### [Margaret Coan](https://writer.org/organizer/margaret-coan/)
**Published:** November 16, 2023
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Margaret is the author of two published books. Writing is Margaret’s life raft, a safe place for discovery. She loves to share this gift with others and encourage them to write their stories and discover its power and joy. As an instructor Margaret’s focus is on process and exploration. More about her at: [sacredlisteninghealing.com.](http://sacredlisteninghealing.com/)
---
### [Nevin Martell](https://writer.org/organizer/nevin-martell/)
**Published:** October 16, 2023
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Nevin Martell is the author of eight books and a veteran freelancer with over two decades experience whose work has been published by *The Washington Post, USA Today, National Geographic, Fortune,* and *Washingtonian*.
---
### [Chris Lilly](https://writer.org/organizer/chris-lilly/)
**Published:** July 25, 2023
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Chris helps screenwriters and authors emotionally center themselves whenever they’re writing so they can create for their hearts and impact their readers. He lives in Los Angeles and has worked in the entertainment industry for 15+ years.
---
### [Talia Lakshmi Kolluri](https://writer.org/organizer/talia-lakshmi-kolluri/)
**Published:** July 25, 2023
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Talia Lakshmi Kolluri is a mixed South Asian American writer from Northern California. Her debut collection, *What We Fed to the Manticore* (Tin House 2022), was a finalist for the 2023 Carol Shields Prize for Fiction, among other honors. To learn more about Talia, visit [taliakolluri.com](http://taliakolluri.com).
---
### [Shanon Lee](https://writer.org/organizer/shanon-lee/)
**Published:** August 6, 2019
**Author:** Cary Smith
**Content:**
****Shanon Lee**** is a contributor for *Forbes* and *The Lily*, published by *The Washington Post*. Her byline appears in publications including *Cosmopolitan, ELLE*, *Marie Claire*, *Playboy*, *Redbook*, *Women’s Health* and *Parents Magazine*. Her opinion essays on misogyny and racism are widely circulated, and have been shared by notables including bestselling author J.K. Rowling, rap legend MC Lyte and political activist Kevin Powell. Shanon is an alumna of the 2019 Women’s Media Center *Progressive Women’s Voices* program and a mentor-editor for The OpEd Project. She was named to The Tempest’s *40 Women To Watch 2019* list for advancing the dialogue around gender-based violence. She is represented by Agnes Carlowicz of the [Carol Mann Agency](https://www.carolmannagency.com/) and is currently working on a book about misogynoir in pop culture. [mylove4writing.com](http://www.mylove4writing.com).
---
### [Solveig Eggerz](https://writer.org/organizer/solveig-eggerz/)
**Published:** August 6, 2019
**Author:** Cary Smith
**Content:**
Solveig Eggerz, a native of Iceland, is the author of two novels, *Seal Woman* and *Sigga of Reykjavik*. She teaches for Heard, an Alexandria, VA non-profit that brings the arts to under-served populations.
---
### [Dana Cann](https://writer.org/organizer/dana-cann/)
**Published:** November 13, 2019
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Dana Cann is the author of the novel *Ghosts of Bergen County* (Tin House). His short stories have been published in *The Sun, The Massachusetts Review, The Gettysburg Review, The Florida Review*, and elsewhere. He’s received awards from the Maryland State Arts Council, Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation, and The Sewanee Writers Conference. He also teaches in the MA in Writing program at Johns Hopkins.
---
### [Naomi Ayala](https://writer.org/organizer/naomi-ayala/)
**Published:** April 23, 2020
**Author:** Cary Smith
**Content:**
Naomi Ayala is the author of three books of poetry: *Wild Animals on the Moon, This Side of Early* (both published by Curbstone Press), and *Calling Home: Praise Songs & Incantations* (Editorial Bilingüe/Bilingual Press). She is also the translator of Luis Alberto Ambroggio’s *La arqueología del viento/The Wind’s Archeology*. Her most recent poems appear in *Gargoyle, Little Patuxent Review*, and *Where We Stand: Poems of Black Resilience.*
---
### [Jodie Hollander](https://writer.org/organizer/jodie-hollander/)
**Published:** April 23, 2020
**Author:** Cary Smith
**Content:**
Jodie Hollander, originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was raised in a family of classical musicians. She studied poetry in England, and her poems have appeared in journals such as *The Poetry Review, The Yale Review, PN Review, The Dark Horse, The New Criterion, The Rialto, Verse Daily, The Best Australian Poems of 2011*, and *The Best Australian Poems of 2015*. Her debut full-length collection, *My Dark Horses*, is published with Liverpool University Press (Pavilion Poetry) in the UK and Oxford University Press in the US.
---
### [Sandra Beasley](https://writer.org/organizer/sandra-beasley/)
**Published:** March 20, 2019
**Author:** Cary Smith
**Content:**
Sandra Beasley is the author of *Made to Explode*; *Count the Waves*; *I Was the Jukebox*, winner of the Barnard Women Poets Prize; *Theories of Falling*, winner of the New Issues Poetry Prize; and *Don’t Kill the Birthday Girl: Tales from an Allergic Life*, a disability memoir. She also edited *Vinegar and Char: Verse from the Southern Foodways Alliance*. She lives in Washington DC.
---
### [Abdul Ali](https://writer.org/organizer/abdul-ali/)
**Published:** August 6, 2019
**Author:** Cary Smith
**Content:**
Abdul Ali is a poet, teacher, and nonprofit consultant. He is the author of *Trouble Sleeping*, his debut collection of poems that won the 2014 New Issues Poetry Book Prize and is the current Editor-at-Large of Pleiades. He has published his poems in numerous journals and publications including *Copper Nickel, Plume*, and *Transition*. He has taught writing at MICA, Johns Hopkins University, and Howard University. More about him at [abdulali.net](http://abdulali.net). Follow him on social media at @abdulalism.
---
### [Julia Tagliere](https://writer.org/organizer/julia-tagliere/)
**Published:** August 6, 2019
**Author:** Cary Smith
**Content:**
Julia Tagliere’s work has appeared in *The Writer, Potomac Review, Gargoyle Magazine*, and numerous anthologies. She completed her MA in Writing at Johns Hopkins University, and in 2017, won The Writer’s Center’s Undiscovered Voices Fellowship. She serves as an editor with *The Baltimore Review.* More about her at [justscribbling.com](http://justscribbling.com).
---
### [Nancy Naomi Carlson](https://writer.org/organizer/nancy-naomi-carlson/)
**Published:** August 6, 2019
**Author:** Cary Smith
**Content:**
Nancy Naomi Carlson, an NEA grant recipient, is a poet, translator, essayist, and editor, and has authored 10 titles. Her work has appeared in *APR, The Georgia Review, The Paris Review*, and *Poetry*, and *An Infusion of Violets* was named “new & noteworthy” by *The New York Times*. More about her at [nancynaomicarlson.com](http://www.nancynaomicarlson.com).
---
### [Ann Quinn](https://writer.org/organizer/ann-quinn/)
**Published:** March 20, 2019
**Author:** Cary Smith
**Content:**
Ann Quinn’s chapbook, *Final Deployment*, was published by Finishing Line Press (2018). Her poetry has appeared in journals including *Poet Lore, Potomac Review, Little Patuxent Review*, and *Broadkill Review*. Ann holds an MFA from Pacific Lutheran University, and is poetry editor for *Yellow Arrow Journal.* More about her at [annquinn.net](http://www.annquinn.net).
---
### [James Alexander](https://writer.org/organizer/james-alexander/)
**Published:** March 20, 2019
**Author:** Cary Smith
**Content:**
James Alexander has more than 30 years experience writing professionally, including stints as a political speechwriter at the Cabinet level. After earning a B.A. in Journalism at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, he worked as a bylined newspaper reporter at *The Charlotte Observer* and *The Atlanta Journal-Constitution* and also interned at *The Washington Post*. He later served on Capitol Hill as a U.S. Congressional Fellow and then worked as a Hill press secretary which involved writing lots of speeches and op-eds. As a ghostwriter, James penned dozens of op-eds for political figures with publications in *The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, USA Today*, and *The Washington Post*, among others. He works full-time in media relations and still writes.
---
### [Mary Quattlebaum & Joan Waites](https://writer.org/organizer/mary-quattlebaum-joan-waites/)
**Published:** March 20, 2019
**Author:** Cary Smith
**Content:**
Mary Quattlebaum is the author of 30 award-winning children’s books (*Pirate vs. Pirate, Jo MacDonald Hiked in the Woods, Hero Dogs*) and of stories and poems in anthologies and children’s magazines (*Cricket, Spider, Ladybug, Highlights*). She teaches in the MFA program in writing for children at the Vermont College of Fine Arts and is a popular school and conference speaker.
Joan Waites has illustrated more than 40 children’s books and most recently has written and illustrated *A Colorful Tail: Finding Monet at Giverny, A Purr-fect Painting: Matisse’s Other Great Cat*, and *An Artist’s Night Before Christmas*. She teaches arts classes for children at her private studio and speaks frequently at schools and conferences.
---
### [Patricia Gray](https://writer.org/organizer/patricia-gray/)
**Published:** November 27, 2018
**Author:** Cary Smith
**Content:**
Patricia Gray, author of *[Rupture](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1888996943?ie=UTF8&tag=thewriscen-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1888996943)* from Red Hen Press, formerly headed the Library of Congress’s Poetry and Literature Center. Her work appeared recently in *Oberon* and in *Endlessly Rocking*. She has published short fiction, judged the national Poetry Out Loud recitation contest, and directed a Dylan Thomas play with 18 actors playing 60 parts. She has received a 2023 Artist Fellowship in poetry from the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities.
---
### [Rob Jolles](https://writer.org/organizer/rob-jolles/)
**Published:** November 27, 2018
**Author:** Cary Smith
**Content:**
A 30-year professional speaker and four-time bestselling author, Rob Jolles has traveled over 2.5 million miles delivering keynotes and workshops all over the world. He trains authors to promote their books and speak for some of the largest publishers in the country. More about him at [jolles.com](http://www.jolles.com).
---
### [Tara Campbell](https://writer.org/organizer/tara-campbell/)
**Published:** November 27, 2018
**Author:** Cary Smith
**Content:**
Tara Campbell is a writer, teacher, Kimbilio Fellow, and fiction editor at *Barrelhouse*. Prior publication credits include *SmokeLong Quarterly, Masters Review, Jellyfish Review, Booth*, and *Strange Horizons*. She’s the author of a novel, *TreeVolution*, a hybrid fiction/poetry collection, *Circe’s Bicycle*, and a short story collection, *Midnight at the Organporium*. She received her M.F.A. from American University in 2019. More about her at: [taracampbell.com](http://www.taracampbell.com).
---
### [Lisa Jan Sherman](https://writer.org/organizer/lisa-jan-sherman/)
**Published:** November 27, 2018
**Author:** Cary Smith
**Content:**
Lisa Jan Sherman is an actor and improvisational acting and cognitive skills coach and team-builder. She has been a member of AFTRA and SAG for over 35 years and has performed, on stage, television, film and radio. Lisa received a B.A. in Theatre and Speech from University of Maryland. She is a founding member of NOW THIS! the totally improvised, musical comedy troupe which had a 27-year run. Facilitating communication skills groups with children since 1995, and finding that the improvisational ‘piece’ created a natural basis for social skill development, Lisa co-developed the ‘Act As If’ program and with Laura McAlpine co-wrote ‘ACT AS IF’ (improvisational activities for better social communication).
---
### [Hildie Block](https://writer.org/organizer/hildie-block/)
**Published:** November 26, 2018
**Author:** Cary Smith
**Content:**
Hildie S. Block’s work has appeared in *Gargoyle, Cortland Review, Washington Post, Salon, Literary Taxidermy, Porcupine Literary, Queer Sci Fi, Haunted MTL, 0-Dark-30*, and in many anthologies.
---
### [Richard Washer](https://writer.org/organizer/richard-washer/)
**Published:** November 26, 2018
**Author:** Cary Smith
**Content:**
Richard Washer is a playwright and director, and serves as Associate Artistic Director and First Draft Resident Playwright at The Rose Theatre Company. He holds a BA (University of Virginia) and an MFA (American University). His work has been produced at venues including Charter Theatre, Earl Hamner Jr. Theatre, Source Theatre, The National Conservatory of Dramatic Arts, New Works Theatre among many others. More about him at [richardwasher.com](http://www.richardwasher.com).
---
### [Kenneth D. Ackerman](https://writer.org/organizer/kenneth-d-ackerman/)
**Published:** November 26, 2018
**Author:** Cary Smith
**Content:**
Kenneth D. Ackerman has authored five commercially-published books of Americana (including his most recent, *Trotsky in New York, 1917*) plus dozens of articles, posts, and a recent screenplay. He has practiced law in DC since the 1970s, including senior posts on Capitol Hill and in two Administrations. He lives in Falls Church with his wife Karen.
---
### [Tammy Greenwood](https://writer.org/organizer/t-greenwood/)
**Published:** November 26, 2018
**Author:** Cary Smith
**Content:**
T. Greenwood is the author of fifteen novels. She has received grants from the Sherwood Anderson Foundation, the Christopher Isherwood Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Maryland State Arts Council. She has won four San Diego Book Awards. Five of her novels have been Indie Next picks. *Bodies of Water* was a finalist for a Lambda Foundation award, and *Keeping Lucy* was a 2021 Target Book Club selection. Her next novel, *The Still Point*, will be published on 2/20/24. She and her family split their time between San Diego, CA, and Vermont.
---
### [Khris Baxter](https://writer.org/organizer/khris-baxter/)
**Published:** November 26, 2018
**Author:** Cary Smith
**Content:**
Khris Baxter is a screenwriter and producer and the co-founder of Lost Mountain Entertainment. Baxter co-produced *Above the Shadows* (2019), starring Olivia Thirlby, Alan Ritchson, Jim Gaffigan, and Megan Fox, and is currently co-producing *Out of Darkness*, written and directed by Claudia Myers and starring Mary-Louise Parker and Emile Hirsch. As a writer-producer, Baxter is currently developing a slate of TV projects targeting streaming networks and premium cable. Baxter has been a screenwriter and script consultant for more than two decades. He teaches screenwriting at Dickinson College and The MFA in Creative Writing at Queens University of Charlotte. He’s been a judge for the annual Virginia Screenwriting Competition since 2004.
---
### [Pat McNees](https://writer.org/organizer/pat-mcnees/)
**Published:** November 26, 2018
**Author:** Cary Smith
**Content:**
Pat McNees is a writer and editor who for 25 years has helped individuals tell their life story. A former editor in book publishing (at Harper & Row and at Fawcett), she is also past president of the Association of Personal Historians, and manager-scribe of the local Washington Biography Group. She received training in Guided Autobiography and has taught life writing at The Writer’s Center for several years. More about her at [writersandeditors.com](http://writersandeditors.com).
---
### [Sue Ellen Thompson](https://writer.org/organizer/sue-ellen-thompson/)
**Published:** November 26, 2018
**Author:** Cary Smith
**Content:**
Sue Ellen Thompson is author of six books of poetry, most recently *Sea Nettles: New & Selected Poems* (2022). She is also the editor of *[The Autumn House Anthology of Contemporary American Poetry](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1932870067?ie=UTF8&%20tag=thewriscen-20&%20linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1932870067)*. Her work has been included in the *Best American Poetry* series, read on NPR by Garrison Keillor, and featured in U.S. Poet Laureate Ted Kooser’s nationally-syndicated newspaper column. She taught at Wesleyan University, Middlebury College, Binghamton University, and Central Connecticut State University before moving to the Eastern Shore in 2006. She was awarded the 2010 Maryland Author Prize from the Maryland Library Association. More about her at: [sueellenthompson.com](http://sueellenthompson.com/).
---
### [Timothy Tau](https://writer.org/organizer/timothy-tau/)
**Published:** August 3, 2020
**Author:** Cary Smith
**Content:**
Timothy Tau is an award-winning writer, director and producer. He was named by Mic Magazine as one of “6 Young Asian-American Filmmakers Who Are Shattering America’s Asian Film Bias.”
Tau’s short film *[Nathan Jung v. Bruce Lee](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6329426?ref_=nmbio_mbio)* (2016) won Best Original Script and Best Comedy Short awards from the Asians on Film Festival and screened at a number of film festivals in 2018-2019. Tau is also known for *[Keye Luke](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2181987?ref_=nmbio_mbio)* (2012), a short film biopic he directed, produced and co-wrote with Ed Moy. He received a Visual Communications “Armed with a Camera” Fellowship for Emerging Media Artists to make the film, and it has screened at over a dozen film festivals worldwide and has additionally won awards from the HollyShorts Film Festival (Audience Award) and the Asians on Film Festival (Best Original Score). Tau has also directed and written the black-and-white Film Noir/Sci-Fi/Horror genre-bender, *[The Case](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1770747?ref_=nmbio_mbio)* (2010).
Tau won Grand Prize in the Hyphen Asian American Short Story Contest for his short story “The Understudy,” which is published in the Winter 2011 Issue of *Hyphen Magazine*. His short story “Land of Origin” also won Second Place in the 2010 Playboy College Fiction Contest and Second Place in the 2016 ScreenCraft Short Story Contest, judged by Academy Award winning screenwriter Diana Ossana (*Brokeback Mountain*). He is developing both stories and other scripts into feature films.
He is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, University of California, Los Angeles or UCLA, University of California Hastings College of the Law, and the University of California Berkeley School of Law. He has also graduated from the Professional Programs in Screenwriting and TV Writing from the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television.
---
### [Kathy MacMillan](https://writer.org/organizer/kathy-macmillan/)
**Published:** March 18, 2021
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Kathy MacMillan (she/her) is the author of nearly two dozen traditionally-published books for children, teens, and adults, including the Little Hands Signing series, *The Runaway Shirt, She Spoke: 14 Women Who Raised Their Voices* *and* *Changed the World*, and Compton Crook Award finalist Sword and Verse. More about her at [kathymacmillan.com](http://www.kathymacmillan.com).
---
### [William O'Sullivan](https://writer.org/organizer/william-osullivan/)
**Published:** April 22, 2021
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
William O’Sullivan is an essayist and editor whose writing has appeared in *Washingtonian, The Washington Post, The New York Times, The North American Review, 100 Word Story*, and others. His work has been cited three times among the notable essays of the year in *The Best American Essays.*
---
### [Dave Tevelin](https://writer.org/organizer/dave-tevelin/)
**Published:** November 16, 2021
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Dave Tevelin has written four historical novels about crime in DC, the latest of which is *Three Dead In Starbucks*. A GW Law School graduate, he was an attorney at the Department of Justice and the Executive Director of the State Justice Institute before becoming an author.
---
### [Saúl Hernández](https://writer.org/organizer/saul-hernandez/)
**Published:** July 26, 2022
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Saúl Hernández is a queer writer from San Antonio, TX who was raised by undocumented parents. Saúl has an MFA in Creative Writing from The University of Texas at El Paso. He’s the winner of the 2021 Two Sylvias Press Chapbook Prize chosen by Victoria Chang. His poems have been nominated for a Pushcart Prize and Best of The Net. Saúl’s work is forthcoming/featured in *Frontier Poetry, Poet Lore, Foglifter Journal, Oyster River Pages, Cherry Tree*, and elsewhere.
---
### [Tommy Dean](https://writer.org/organizer/tommy-dean/)
**Published:** September 27, 2022
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Tommy Dean is the author of two flash fiction chapbooks *Special Like the People on TV* (Redbird Chapbooks, 2014) and *Covenants* (ELJ Editions, 2021), and a full flash collection, *Hollows* (Alternating Current Press 2022). He lives in Indiana where he currently is the Editor at *Fractured Lit* and *Uncharted Magazine*. A recipient of the 2019 Lascaux Prize in Short Fiction, his writing can be found in *Best Microfiction* 2019 and 2020, *Best Small Fiction* 2019 and 2022, *Monkeybicycle*, and numerous litmags. Find him at [tommydeanwriter.com](http://tommydeanwriter.com/) and on Twitter [@TommyDeanWriter](https://twitter.com/TommyDeanWriter).
---
### [Nick Gardner](https://writer.org/organizer/nick-gardner/)
**Published:** November 15, 2022
**Author:** Cary Smith
**Content:**
Nick Gardner holds an MFA from BGSU and has received support from The Elizabeth George Foundation, VSC, and The DeGroot Foundation. His writing has been widely published, including one book of poetry, *So Marvelously Far,* and a forthcoming novella, *Hurricane Trinity*. An Ohio native, he resides in Washington DC.
---
### [Courtney Eldridge](https://writer.org/organizer/courtney-eldridge/)
**Published:** November 15, 2022
**Author:** Cary Smith
**Content:**
Over the past 20 years, Courtney Eldridge has published two novels, *The Generosity of Women* and *Ghost Signs, and Unkempt,* a short story collection. *Record à battre*, the translation of her first novella, “The Former World Record Holder Settles Down,” received France’s Prix du Marais in 2006 and was profiled in *Vogue Paris*. Eldridge’s work also appears in *BOMB: The Author Interviews* and *The Better of McSweeney’s, Volume 1*.
---
### [Raquel Gutiérrez](https://writer.org/organizer/raquel-gutierrez/)
**Published:** January 19, 2023
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Raquel Gutiérrez is a critic, essayist, poet and educator. Gutiérrez is a 2021 recipient of the Rabkin Prize in Arts Journalism, as well as a 2017 recipient of the The Andy Warhol Foundation Arts Writers Grant. Gutiérrez teaches in the Oregon State University-Cascades Low Residency Creative Writing MFA Program. Gutiérrez’s first book *Brown Neon* (Coffee House Press) was named as one of the best books of 2022 by The New Yorker.
---
### [Rachel Coonce](https://writer.org/organizer/rachel-coonce/)
**Published:** January 31, 2023
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Rachel Coonce is a graduate of the MFA program at Sarah Lawrence College, specializing in creative nonfiction writing. She has been awarded the Conger Beasley Jr. Award for Nonfiction by *New Letters* magazine, an Independent Artist Award by the Maryland State Arts Council, and she received an honorable mention in *The Missouri Review*’s Miller Audio Prize for her investigation into memory. She is cofounder of The Inner Loop, a literary arts nonprofit in Washington DC that has been praised by *The Washington Post*, *Ploughshares*, The Writer’s Center, and several others, and which received multiple Amazon Literary Partnerships and DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities grants for its projects. She is also creator, executive producer, and cohost of The Inner Loop Radio, a creative writing podcast that explores literary craft and celebrates local authors. Follow Rachel on instagram @rachel\_coonce.
---
### [Ryland Shengzhi Li](https://writer.org/organizer/ryland-shengzhi-li/)
**Published:** February 13, 2023
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Ryland Shengzhi Li is a poet living in Northern Virginia. Over 150 of his haiku, tanka, and related works have been published in the leading journals for these forms, including *Frogpond, Ribbons, Modern Haiku, The Heron’s Nest*, and *Presence*. Ryland is a member of [Towpath Haiku](http://towpathhaiku.com/), the local haiku group in the DMV, and the [Haiku Society of America](http://www.hsa-haiku.org/).
---
### [Eric Lichtblau](https://writer.org/organizer/eric-lichtblau/)
**Published:** March 27, 2023
**Author:** Cary Smith
**Content:**
Eric Lichtblau is a two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and best-selling author of *The Nazis Next Door: How America Became a Safe Haven for Hitler’s Men*; as well as *Bush’s Law: The Remaking of American Justice*; and *Return to the Reich: A Holocaust Refugee’s Secret Mission to Defeat the Nazis*. He is currently working on a book on the alarming surge in hate crimes and white supremacy in America. He was a Washington reporter for the *New York Times* for 15 years and has also written for *The New Yorker* and other publications.
---
### [Liz Tracy](https://writer.org/organizer/liz-tracy/)
**Published:** March 27, 2023
**Author:** Cary Smith
**Content:**
Liz Tracy is a culture and health journalist. She started her career as a nightlife and arts blogger. She’s since contributed to *The New York Times, The Atlantic, Glamour, No Depression*, and many other publications. Liz was a music editor at an alt weekly and managing editor at *Tom Tom*, a magazine about female and nonbinary drummers. Liz taught essay writing at Boston’s Grub Street, ghost wrote two books, and writes for major arts and social justice organizations.
---
### [Paz Pardo](https://writer.org/organizer/paz-pardo/)
**Published:** April 12, 2023
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Paz Pardo is a playwright and a novelist. Her debut, *The Shamshine Blind,* was a most anticipated book of Winter 2023 at Bustle, Lithub, and Crimereads, and was described as “appealingly strange… a novel that’s both topical and entertaining” by the San Francisco Chronicle. Her plays include *Movimiento Perpetuo/Perpetual Motion*, which she has performed in eleven cities in three countries, *YOU/EMMA* (most recently at the Pear Ave Theater in Mountain View, CA), *CIERTAS ASTILLAS/CERTAIN SHARDS* (Two Rivers Theater Crossing Borders Festival 2021), *Milton, MI* (LTC Carnaval reading 2018, Bay Area Playwrights Festival Finalist 2016, NPC semifinalist 2019), *Duct Tape Girl and Fetish Chick Conquer the World* (BootStrap Theater Foundation, NYC), and *RubberMatch* (RED CARAVAN, NYC; NPC semifinalist 2015). Her writing has appeared in *The Brooklyn Review, Encountering Ensemble, Howlround*, and Volume 1 of the *I Scream Social Anthology*. Djerassi fellow 2019. MFA, UT Austin Michener Center for Writers, 2018. BA, Stanford, 2009. Fulbright Award, Buenos Aires, 2012.
---
### [Jenny Sadre-Orafai](https://writer.org/organizer/jenny-sadre-orafai/)
**Published:** April 26, 2023
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Jenny Sadre-Orafai is a poet and essayist and the author of *Dear Outsiders* and three other poetry collections*.* Her poetry has appeared in *Puerto del Sol*, *Cream City Review*, *Ninth Letter*, and *The Cortland Review.* Her prose has appeared in *The Rumpus*, *Fourteen Hills*, and *The Los Angeles Review*. She co-founded and co-edits *Josephine Quarterly* and teaches creative writing at Kennesaw State University.
---
### [John-Michael Bloomquist](https://writer.org/organizer/john-michael-bloomquist/)
**Published:** July 25, 2023
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
John-Michael Bloomquist lives in DC with his wife, son, and their needy black cat. He is the author of *Rocket Celestial* (White Stag, 2023). His poetry has been published in *Heavy Feather Review, The Michigan Quarterly Review*, and *Third Coast*, among others.
---
### [Basil Sylvester](https://writer.org/organizer/basil-sylvester/)
**Published:** July 25, 2023
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Basil Sylvester is the co-author of 2021 Lambda Finalist *The Fabulous Zed Watson!* (HarperCollins CA), and the forthcoming *Night of the Living Zed* (Jan. 2024, HarperCollins CA). They are a bookseller and freelance editor based in Toronto, Canada.
---
### [DeMisty D. Bellinger](https://writer.org/organizer/demisty-d-bellinger/)
**Published:** July 25, 2023
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
DeMisty D. Bellinger is the author of the novel *New to Liberty*, and the poetry collections *Peculiar Heritage* and *Rubbing Elbows*. Her writing can also be found in journals and anthologies, in print and online. DeMisty has an MFA from Southampton College and a PhD from the University of Nebraska.
---
### [Javed Jahangir](https://writer.org/organizer/javed-jahangir/)
**Published:** July 25, 2023
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Javed Jahangir’s fiction has been published in *LUMINA* Literary Journal (Sarah Lawrence College), *HIMAL Magazine, Smokelong Journal, LOST Magazine, Bengal Lights Journal, Six Seasons Review, Daily Star, Bangladesh,* and others. He was on the 2011 panel of judges for the RISCA (Rhode Island State Council Arts) Fiction Fellowship award. He was part of Jenna Blum’s Master Class at Grub Street. He has contributed to, and been editor-in-chief for The Grub Street Writers’ 10 year Anthology, and has been a reader for the Harvard Review. His novel, *Ghost Alley,* was published by Bengal Foundation Publishing, and debuted at the Hay Festival in 2014. *Ghost Alley* was reviewed in Wasafiri Journal. He is currently working on a second novel, and a collection of short stories.
---
### [Nani Power](https://writer.org/organizer/nani-power/)
**Published:** July 25, 2023
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Nani Power is the award winning author of three novels and three memoirs, to include *Crawling at Night* (Grove/Atlantic Monthly, 2001), a New York Times Notable Book of The Year and a finalist for The Los Angeles Times Book Award as well as the British Orange Award.
---
### [Sam Cameron](https://writer.org/organizer/sam-cameron/)
**Published:** July 25, 2023
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Sam Cameron (she/her) is a high school history teacher, YA author, and Author Accelerator certified book coach, specializing in Kid Lit. She believes all children deserve to see themselves represented in great books. They deserve a chance to read your story….and you deserve a chance to tell it! You can learn more about Sam’s private coaching offerings, and subscribe to her newsletter by visiting [truantpen.com](http://truantpen.com).
---
### [Mary Collins](https://writer.org/organizer/mary-collins/)
**Published:** July 25, 2023
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Mary Collins taught nonfiction part-time at the Johns Hopkins’ MA in Writing Program in DC for 12 years, where she won the teaching award. Currently she is the Program Coordinator for the Writing Minors and a full professor at Central CT State University. For the last six years, she has also taught the nonfiction workshop for the Yale Summer Writing Program. The focus of her new book, *A Play Book: Creating Writers, Creating Citizens*, forms the core of the content of her workshop.
---
### [Sayan Ray](https://writer.org/organizer/sayan-ray/)
**Published:** July 25, 2023
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Sayan Ray is a writer and freelance editor, whose work has appeared in a Dedalus Press anthology and several literary magazines. As an editor, he assisted clients in successfully publishing their debut works. His poetry has also featured in UNESCO’s World Poetry Day and the curriculum of Swarthmore College.
---
### [Tracy Hahn-Burkett](https://writer.org/organizer/tracy-hahn-burkett/)
**Published:** July 25, 2023
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Tracy Hahn-Burkett is a writer and public policy advocate. Her work has appeared in *Pangyrus, Experience Magazine, The Drum, The Washington Post’*s *On Parenting*, *WBUR’s Cognoscenti, Adoptive Families*, and others. Her policy and politics background includes work at both the national and state levels. Tracy is revising her first novel.
---
### [Sufiya Abdur-Rahman](https://writer.org/organizer/sufiya-abdur-rahman/)
**Published:** July 25, 2023
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Sufiya Abdur-Rahman is author of the memoir *Heir to the Crescent Moon*, winner of the Iowa Prize for Literary Nonfiction. She is creative nonfiction editor for *Cherry Tree,* a national literary journal, at Washington College, where she teaches creative writing and journalism. Find her at [sufiya.net](www.sufiya.net) and on Twitter [@MrsAbolitionist](https://twitter.com/MrsAbolitionist).
---
### [Thibault Raoult](https://writer.org/organizer/thibault-raoult/)
**Published:** July 25, 2023
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Thibault Raoult holds an MFA from Brown University and PhD from University of Georgia. He has published three books: *Person Hour, Disposable Epics*, and *Pro(m)bois(e).* A former editor at *The Georgia Review, TR* currently directs *RealPoetik* and makes letterpress and music (as Historic Sunsets) in and near Mount Rainier, Maryland.
---
### [Laura Lannan](https://writer.org/organizer/laura-lannan/)
**Published:** August 4, 2023
**Author:** Cary Smith
**Content:**
Laura Lannan is a recent graduate of the MFA program at American University where she received the Myra Sklarew Award for outstanding poetry thesis. Her work has been published or is forthcoming in *THAT Literary Review, Burnt Pine Magazine, The Blood Pudding*, and *Prometheus Dreaming*. A lover of horror movies, libraries, and heavy metal music, she lives in Washington DC with her partner.
---
## Events
### [Personal Storytelling: Finding the Extraordinary in Everyday Life](https://writer.org/event/personal-storytelling-finding-the-extraordinary-in-everyday-life/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Everyone has stories worth telling, they just don't always recognize them. This interactive workshop helps participants uncover meaningful moments from their everyday lives and transform them into engaging pieces of writing. Through guided reflection, creative prompts, and interactive writing exercises, participants will explore memory, emotion, and observation to discover the stories hiding in ordinary experiences. Rather than focusing on perfect prose, this workshop encourages curiosity, authenticity, and play. Writers will experiment with different ways of approaching personal storytelling while gaining practical tools they can use long after the workshop ends. Participants will leave with new writing, a collection of prompts to inspire future work, and greater confidence in their ability to find stories wherever they go.
**Content:**
# Everyone has stories worth telling, they just don’t always recognize them.
This interactive workshop helps participants uncover meaningful moments from their everyday lives and transform them into engaging pieces of writing. Through guided reflection, creative prompts, and interactive writing exercises, participants will explore memory, emotion, and observation to discover the stories hiding in ordinary experiences. Rather than focusing on perfect prose, this workshop encourages curiosity, authenticity, and play. Writers will experiment with different ways of approaching personal storytelling while gaining practical tools they can use long after the workshop ends. Participants will leave with new writing, a collection of prompts to inspire future work, and greater confidence in their ability to find stories wherever they go.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [How to Write a Lot](https://writer.org/event/how-to-write-a-lot-8/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** You may think you don't have the time, energy, or inspiration to write because of your hectic lifestyle. Wrong! We'll share methods many professional writers use to complete their books in months instead of years, their short stories in mere weeks. Become the dedicated author you've always dreamed of being. (Ideal for writers who don’t have 8 weeks to dedicate to the Extreme Novelist course.)
**Content:**
# Get more of the writing you love done and enjoy the progress you’ll make.
You may think you don’t have the time, energy, or inspiration to write because of your hectic lifestyle. Wrong! We’ll share methods many professional writers use to complete their books in months instead of years, their short stories in mere weeks. Become the dedicated author you’ve always dreamed of being. (Ideal for writers who don’t have 8 weeks to dedicate to the Extreme Novelist course.)
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Time Management
- Inspiration
- Creative Tips & Tricks for Writing More
- Ways to Break Writer’s Block
# Time requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Writers who are frustrated trying to fit writing into their busy lives.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Sonnet Crash Course](https://writer.org/event/sonnet-crash-course-5/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Guided by an award-winning and internationally published author of sonnets, villanelles, and other metrical poems, you’ll first read time-honored sonnets to see how and why they work. Next the class will write a group sonnet, and then -- with or without shortcuts -- you’ll start one of your own. You’ll leave with at least one new (draft) or improved sonnet, as well as insights about how writing poems in form can unlock deeper meaning and enhance everything you write.
**Content:**
# What is special about the sonnet?
Guided by an award-winning and internationally published author of sonnets, villanelles, and other metrical poems, you’ll first read time-honored sonnets to see how and why they work. Next the class will write a group sonnet, and then — with or without shortcuts — you’ll start one of your own. You’ll leave with at least one new (draft) or improved sonnet, as well as insights about how writing poems in form can unlock deeper meaning and enhance everything you write.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Shakespearean and Petrarcan sonnets
- Iambic pentameter
- The Volta
- Can any 14-line poem (or any poem at all) be a sonnet?
- Feedback on participant poems
# Time requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Write Like the News](https://writer.org/event/write-like-the-news-8/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Lead with the future — not background — for lead-ership, especially in a crisis. That’s the most important of eight journalism skills that will transform your writing. The others: write your readers’ language, be positive (to be both clear and upbeat), lay out logically, be consistent, be precise, be concise and choose strong verbs. (Plus a Speak Like the News skill: avoid “uptalk?”) Emulate the vivid news examples you’ll see in this workshop, and you’ll strengthen your writing voice with lively, engaging news style. At 7 sharp, we’ll critique TheWallStreetJournal.com, seeing how to communicate your main point in just a few words. To cover as much ground as possible, we’ll have just a few writing exercises and most of them will take less than a minute each.
**Content:**
# Become concise as news, precise as law.
Lead with the future — not background — for lead-ership, especially in a crisis. That’s the most important of eight journalism skills that will transform your writing. The others: write your readers’ language, be positive (to be both clear and upbeat), lay out logically, be consistent, be precise, be concise and choose strong verbs. (Plus a Speak Like the News skill: avoid “uptalk?”) Emulate the vivid news examples you’ll see in this workshop, and you’ll strengthen your writing voice with lively, engaging news style. At 7 sharp, we’ll critique TheWallStreetJournal.com, seeing how to communicate your main point in just a few words. To cover as much ground as possible, we’ll have just a few writing exercises and most of them will take less than a minute each.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn how to:
- “Lead with the future — not background” for lead-ership, especially in a crisis.
- Choose between raw numbers and a ratio.
- “Equal writes”: choose an egalitarian, engaging, non-clunky alternative to generic “he.”
- Break bad news the good way — and keep your readers reading.
- Plus a “Speak Like the News” skill: avoid “uptalk?”
# Time requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Writers (business writers especially) who’d like to learn by emulating or improving excerpts from diverse sources — here news of course, but also the Supreme Court, Charles Dickens and the Ronettes.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Professional Writing, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Syntax as Strategy](https://writer.org/event/syntax-as-strategy/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** How poets handle syntax—the arrangement of words in a sentence—is crucial to everything from establishing the voice of a poem to evoking a particular response from the reader. In this workshop, we will take a close look at how sentences are put together and how changing their structure can send a poem off in a new direction. We will also examine the relationship between the sentence and the line and how to control the tension between them.
**Content:**
# Samuel Taylor Coleridge defined poetry as “the best words in the best order.” But how do you know what order is best?
How poets handle syntax—the arrangement of words in a sentence—is crucial to everything from establishing the voice of a poem to evoking a particular response from the reader. In this workshop, we will take a close look at how sentences are put together and how changing their structure can send a poem off in a new direction. We will also examine the relationship between the sentence and the line and how to control the tension between them.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Common strategies for handling syntax;
- The role of repetition;
- Sentence structure and how it can be varied;
- Line breaks in a poem with long, complex sentences;
- Using syntax to underscore meaning and intention.
# Time requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for poets whose background in grammar and sentence structure may be weak or simply too far in the past.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Your First (or Next) Novel](https://writer.org/event/your-first-or-next-novel-8/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** 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.
**Content:**
# Learn the 3 critical elements you must include in any novel!
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.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Plot development
- Conflict
- A “hero’s” Action
- Using details for realism
- Using brain science to hook readers
# Time requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Any new or returning novelist who wants to make sure their stories have reader appeal
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Me Myself and I: Understanding Memoir](https://writer.org/event/me-myself-and-i-understanding-memoir-3/)
**Published:** September 25, 2026
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
This workshop is a two-hour seminar for those who want to better understand the genre of memoir and the craft elements required to write it well. In this course we will: Explore the tensions inherent in being author, narrator, and subject all at once; Unpack the subjectivity of truth; Commit to treat all characters fairly; Learn to report from the body; Realize why writing the story you can’t bear to share is your gateway; and Examine your obligations to the others about whom you will be writing.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [(Wet Ink) DIY Novel Revision](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-diy-novel-revision/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** 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.
**Content:**
# Edit your novel without an editor.
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.
---
***Learn at your own pace:** This workshop will take place over **Wet Ink**, which is an asynchronous creative writing platform. The instructor will post a lesson and assignment at the beginning of each week, and participants can log in and read the lessons/post assignments/comment on other classmates’ work at their convenience. Shortly before the start date, participants will receive an invite from Wet Ink to create their login info and access the class. Please check your spam if you don’t see it.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Learn to identify issues and strategize your revision plan.
- Learn how to prioritize editorial concerns including characterization and plot.
- Learn how to tighten your prose.
# Time requirements
- 3-5 hrs/week
# Materials
- Required: Story Fix by Larry Brooks
- Recommended (but not required) Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, Second Edition: How to Edit Yourself Into Print by Renni Browne and Dave King
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for anyone seeking to be their own first editor.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, All Levels, Fiction, Wet Ink, Workshop
---
### [Plot Like a Pro](https://writer.org/event/plot-like-a-pro-2/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Learn the methods professional writers use to come up with winning plots for their fiction.
**Content:**
# You may think that you don’t know how to plot, but it’s easier than you think.
Learn the methods professional writers use to come up with winning plots for their fiction.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Creating the “Movie” in Readers’ Minds
- The Power of Emotion
- Action vs Theme
- Structure
- Getting Past the Gatekeepers (e.g., literary agents)
# Time requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Fiction Authors and Memoirists who struggle with structure and plotting.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Writing Picture Books II](https://writer.org/event/writing-picture-books-ii-6/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** You’ve drafted your picture book, what’s the next step? Learn to revise and polish your picture book manuscript before submitting to an agent or publisher. A widely published author and an acclaimed illustrator will lead discussions in pacing, page turns, storyboarding, and visually dramatic storytelling. During this hands-on workshop, writers will be editing their own manuscripts and enhancing their skills as picture book creators. Bring your questions and two double-spaced copies of a picture-book manuscript that you’ve revised. Workshop may most benefit those who have taken Writing Picture Books or another picture book class.
**Content:**
# Learn how to polish your picture book manuscript before submitting to an agent or editor.
You’ve drafted your picture book, what’s the next step? Learn to revise and polish your picture book manuscript before submitting to an agent or publisher. A widely published author and an acclaimed illustrator will lead discussions in pacing, page turns, storyboarding, and visually dramatic storytelling. During this hands-on workshop, writers will be editing their own manuscripts and enhancing their skills as picture book creators. Bring your questions and two double-spaced copies of a picture-book manuscript that you’ve revised. Workshop may most benefit those who have taken Writing Picture Books or another picture book class.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Learn the Traditional Structure of a Picture Book
- Explore Self-Editing, Pacing & Page Turns
- Explore Storyboarding & Visually Dramatic Storytelling
- Consider Next Steps & Marketing
# Time Requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Designed for those interested in revising and polishing a picture book mss. and learning how to pace a story and consider visual possibilities.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Kid Lit, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Poetry Workshop](https://writer.org/event/poetry-workshop/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** This workshop will offer a lecture each week, followed by workshoping participants’ poems. The class will focus on the elements of story, musicality, figuration, and most of all feeling. Open to all poets at all levels, who are curious about poetry and its craft and tools for revision.
**Content:**
# Explore the art and craft of poetry!
This workshop will offer a lecture each week, followed by workshopping participants’ poems. The class will focus on the elements of story, musicality, figuration, and most of all feeling. Open to all poets at all levels, who are curious about poetry and its craft and tools for revision.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- metaphor
- paradox
- line breaks
- syntax
- closure
- epiphany
# Time requirements
- 3-4 hours minimum
# Materials
- Rilke’s Letters to a Young Poet, How to Fall in Love with Poetry by Edward Hirsch, any anthology of American/ British poetry from the 17th century to contemporary canonical poetry. I will also refer to my own books and articles and not strongly recommend or require students to read or purchase them.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Anyone who has read enough poetry to want to write like a poet, anyone who feels loss more deeply than other people (what Wordsworth said), anyone who happens happens to be respondent to the world’s mysteries, and is open to going anywhere the poem takes them.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 7 Sessions, All Levels, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Researching and Writing Your Family History](https://writer.org/event/researching-and-writing-your-family-history-3/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** In this one-night introduction, historian/biographer Ken Ackerman shares the tricks of the trade for investigating our family roots, going back generations, using archives, interviews, internet sources, family records, and memories - and ideas to organize and share our heritage with children and grandchildren.
**Content:**
# Investigating our family trees – for biographers, memoirists, or people just interested in learning where they came from.
In this one-night introduction, historian/biographer Ken Ackerman shares the tricks of the trade for investigating our family roots, going back generations, using archives, interviews, internet sources, family records, and memories – and ideas to organize and share our heritage with children and grandchildren.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How families work.
- How to use photos, interviews, records, documents, and official papers to trace our past.
# Time requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- For biographers, memoirists, or people just interested in learning where they came from and how to share it with next generations.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Show, Don't Tell](https://writer.org/event/show-dont-tell-3/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** “Show, Don’t Tell” is an interactive writing workshop designed to help participants bring their stories, ideas, and experiences to life on the page. Through guided prompts, sensory exercises, and creative writing activities, participants will practice moving beyond explanation and into vivid, specific, emotionally engaging writing. This workshop invites writers to explore how detail, dialogue, action, setting, and perspective can create stronger connections with readers. Participants will have opportunities to write, reflect, share, and revise in a supportive environment. Whether they are working on personal essays, fiction, professional storytelling, or simply looking to strengthen their creative voice, this workshop offers practical tools to make writing more immediate, memorable, and alive.
**Content:**
# Through hands-on exercises and guided prompts, participants will strengthen their descriptive writing, experiment with new techniques and strategies for creating more immersive stories.
“Show, Don’t Tell” is an interactive writing workshop designed to help participants bring their stories, ideas, and experiences to life on the page. Through guided prompts, sensory exercises, and creative writing activities, participants will practice moving beyond explanation and into vivid, specific, emotionally engaging writing. This workshop invites writers to explore how detail, dialogue, action, setting, and perspective can create stronger connections with readers. Participants will have opportunities to write, reflect, share, and revise in a supportive environment. Whether they are working on personal essays, fiction, professional storytelling, or simply looking to strengthen their creative voice, this workshop offers practical tools to make writing more immediate, memorable, and alive.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Structure & Plot
- Character Development
- Concrete Detail
# Time requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers of all experience levels, whether you write fiction, memoir, poetry, essays, professional content, or simply want to strengthen your storytelling, you’ll find practical techniques and interactive exercises that meet you where you are.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Getting Your Poetry Published](https://writer.org/event/getting-your-poetry-published-3/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** This intensive one-day workshop will offer all poets—whether they have yet to submit their first poem to a literary journal or are ready to present a publisher with a book-length manuscript—hands-on advice on how to achieve their publishing goals.
**Content:**
# Learn helpful tips for placing your poems in literary journals and with publishers.
This intensive one-day workshop will offer all poets—whether they have yet to submit their first poem to a literary journal or are ready to present a publisher with a full-length manuscript—hands-on advice on how to achieve their publishing goals. Participants will learn how to place poems in print and online journals, why anthologies are such an appealing platform, how to publish chapbooks and books, the pros and cons of contests, the etiquette of poetry submission, ways to develop a poetry network, and how to keep morale high while facing rejection in a highly competitive field.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Finding the best journals for your work
- The ideal cover letter
- Contest pros and cons
# Time requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed to appeal to poets at all stages of the publishing journey.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [How to Write Compelling Micro Memoir](https://writer.org/event/how-to-write-compelling-micro-memoir/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** In this one-night introduction, historian/biographer Ken Ackerman shares the tricks of the trade for investigating our family roots, going back generations, using archives, interviews, internet sources, family records, and memories - and ideas to organize and share our heritage with children and grandchildren.
**Content:**
# Learn to write your life story one moment at a time.
Write your life story as you lived it, one moment at a time. This interactive workshop teaches writers to distill a moment of change, conflict, contradiction, or mystery, to its essence, so that the impact on the writer resonates with the reader. We will examine inspiring published examples to learn how the writer moved and entertained us. Using the same tools with which we craft fiction, this workshop is an excellent learning environment for both genres. We’ll conclude with a review of where to publish.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Learn what makes a story compelling.
- Learn to create tension.
- Learn how to show transformation
- Learn how to create a resonate ending.
# Time requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for writers interested in the personal essay and memoir, who want to learn the power of the very small to excite, move, transform, and entertain us.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Mapping Strategies for Story Structure](https://writer.org/event/mapping-strategies-for-story-structure-5/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** There is no one-size-fits-all strategy for story structure. Let’s discuss a plan that works for you. We’ll examine your story’s strengths and weaknesses, focusing on both the destination and the journey. Does your narrative feature a compelling character arc, a strong point of entry, well-placed flashbacks, and a transformative, resonant ending? Will readers care? We will use maps, sketches, and diagrams, emphasizing the importance of revising your initial plan as your story evolves. Bring your specific idea for a short story, memoir, or novel.
**Content:**
# Explore questions, mapping exercises, tools, and techniques to discover your story’s direction and how to get there.
There is no one-size-fits-all strategy for story structure. Let’s discuss a plan that works for you. We’ll examine your story’s strengths and weaknesses, focusing on both the destination and the journey. Does your narrative feature a compelling character arc, a strong point of entry, well-placed flashbacks, and a transformative, resonant ending? Will readers care? We will use maps, sketches, and diagrams, emphasizing the importance of revising your initial plan as your story evolves. Bring your specific idea for a short story, memoir, or novel.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Build flexible outlines that strengthen your plot
- Clarify the true purpose of your story
- Use techniques for effective beginnings and endings
- Develop character arcs through yearning and internal/external conflict
- Identify the key components of a successful scene
# Time requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for beginning and intermediate fiction and memoir writers looking to build the confidence to start, finish, and refine the plot and structure of their manuscripts.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Crafting Flash Fiction](https://writer.org/event/crafting-flash-fiction/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** 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.
**Content:**
# Explore the art of \*very\* short stories!
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.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Character development
- Short form writing
- Voice
- Vivid imagery
- Plot
- Precise description
- Writing exercises
# Time requirements
- 1 hour (to read peers’ stories and assigned published flash fiction)
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 6 Sessions, All Levels, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [How to End a Poem](https://writer.org/event/how-to-end-a-poem/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** There is no "right" or "wrong" when it comes to deciding how a poem should end. But there are some options that might be more effective than others. This workshop will focus on closure—the strategies that poets have traditionally used to bring their poems to a clear, resonant conclusion. We will also discuss anti-closure—the resistance that so many feel toward poems that “click shut.” By looking at the work of several contemporary poets, we will discuss what worked best for their poems and might help yours.
**Content:**
# You’ve been working on a poem for weeks. What’s the best way to end it?
There is no “right” or “wrong” when it comes to deciding how a poem should end. But there are some options that might be more effective than others. This workshop will focus on closure—the strategies that poets have traditionally used to bring their poems to a clear, resonant conclusion. We will also discuss anti-closure—the resistance that so many feel toward poems that “click shut.” By looking at the work of several contemporary poets, we will discuss what worked best for their poems and might help yours.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Traditional approaches to ending a poem;
- Variations on traditional strategies that have worked well for poets;
- “Anti-closure” is and why it is so popular;
- Specific ending strategies to avoid.
# Time requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Both beginning and experienced poets will benefit by examining a variety of approaches to closure.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Revising Through Generative Prompts](https://writer.org/event/revising-through-generative-prompts/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** 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.
**Content:**
# Unlock your characters and revive stalled drafts through a series of interconnected generative prompts.
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.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Revision Through Generative Prompts
- Character Development
- Dialogue & Interiority
# Time requirements
- 90 min.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers with a manuscript they’d like to return to but aren’t sure how to re-enter. This class offers a new approach.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Whole-Brain Poetry](https://writer.org/event/whole-brain-poetry-5/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** “Whole-Brain Poetry” is an opportunity to explore some of the many ways poetry interacts with the brain, and to enrich your writing with that knowledge. This includes but goes beyond the use of metaphor. Through writing exercises, close examination of time-honored and recent poems, workshopping of participant poems, and brief reading assignments, we will examine the neurology and psychology of poetry, the relationship between time and memory, how science has influenced well-known poets, how poetry can help to heal trauma and prevent PTSD, and more.
**Content:**
# Learn how our brains are wired for poetry, and use that knowledge to enrich your writing.
“Whole-Brain Poetry” is an opportunity to explore some of the many ways poetry interacts with the brain, and to enrich your writing with that knowledge. This includes but goes beyond the use of metaphor. Through writing exercises, close examination of time-honored and recent poems, workshopping of participant poems, and brief reading assignments, we will examine the neurology and psychology of poetry, the relationship between time and memory, how science has influenced well-known poets, how poetry can help to heal trauma and prevent PTSD, and more.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How metaphor is connected to learning and empathy
- Connections between time and memory
- Neurology and psychology of poetry
- How meter and rhyme interact with the brain
- Feedback on participant poems
# Time requirements
- Up to one hour per week
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 5 Sessions, All Levels, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Fiction POV Workshop (Wet Ink)](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-fiction-pov-workshop/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** 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.
**Content:**
# Find Your Narrator’s Voice
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.
---
***Learn at your own pace:** This workshop will take place over **Wet Ink**, which is an asynchronous creative writing platform. The instructor will post a lesson and assignment at the beginning of each week, and participants can log in and read the lessons/post assignments/comment on other classmates’ work at their convenience. Shortly before the start date, participants will receive an invite from Wet Ink to create their login info and access the class. Please check your spam if you don’t see it.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Learn the various point of view options.
- Examine their associated benefits and limitations.
- Experiment with these options in your own work.
- Learn the “rules” of point of view.
# Time requirements
- 3-5 hrs/week
# Materials
- Hooked by Les Edgerton
- Plot & Structure by James Scott Bell
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is aimed at those seeking the demystification of the concept of point of view in fiction writing.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, All Levels, Fiction, Wet Ink, Workshop
---
### [Virtual Info Session for Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung](https://writer.org/event/virtual-info-session-for-memoir-year-w-nicole-chung-2/)
**Published:** October 6, 2026
**Author:** Emily Holland
**Content:**
**Meet Nicole Chung, instructor for our Memoir Year 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: January 30th, 2027**
**Workshop Dates: Begins February 9th, meeting biweekly for 10 months**
**Cost: $5,400 \| Members $5,300**
Work on your memoir or collection of essays with bestselling author Nicole Chung! This intensive workshop is open to writers working on a memoir, memoir-in-essays, or essay collection. You’ll have the opportunity to participate in lively craft discussions, reflection/writing exercises, and in-depth workshops designed to help you identify and hone your strengths as a writer. If you have an idea for a book project and are looking to jumpstart it—or are already underway, but struggling to maintain your momentum—this class will help you take concrete next steps and deepen your craft in a supportive and generative community.
# [**Find the full details and apply here »**](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year-w-nicole-chung-2/ "Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung")
**Event Categories:** Nonfiction, Workshop
---
### [Virtual Info Session for The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll](https://writer.org/event/virtual-info-session-for-the-novel-year-w-susan-coll-2/)
**Published:** October 6, 2026
**Author:** Emily Holland
**Content:**
**Meet Susan Coll, instructor for our Novel Year 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: January 12th, 2027**
**Workshop Dates: Begins January 26th, meeting biweekly for ~10 months**
**Cost: $5,400 \| Members $5,300**
Write your novel in a year with bestselling novelist Susan Coll! Whether you have been thinking about writing a novel for years but are not sure how to get started or are already published but embarking on a new project, this year-long workshop is intended to help get the next book off the ground.
# [**Find the full details and apply here »**](https://writer.org/event/virtual-info-session-for-the-novel-year-w-susan-coll-2/ "The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll")
**Event Categories:** Fiction, Workshop
---
### [The Artist's Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way-a-year-of-creative-reawakening-w-lindsey-van-wagner-2/)
**Published:** October 16, 2026
**Author:** Emily Holland
**Content:**
# ***Through reflection, community, and practice, you’ll awaken the artist within and build a creative life that feels aligned and alive.***
This year-long journey through *The Artist’s Way* offers a sustained path for creative reawakening and artistic growth. Writers, artists, and creative seekers will move chapter by chapter through Julia Cameron’s classic text, reconnecting with their sense of purpose and play. The course offers the freedom to move at your own pace on Wet Ink, while monthly in-person gatherings provide structure, engagement, and a sense of shared creative energy. Participants will receive guidance, accountability, and community support as you nurture your creative practices. Each session weaves reflection, discussion, and inspiration to help build consistency, courage, and joy in your work.
---
# Attend the Virtual Info Session
Saturday, December 12th, 2026
ZOOM, 11:30am ET
Meet Lindsey Van Wagner, instructor for The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening, and have all your questions about the program answered!
###### [**FREE RSVP >>>**](https://writer.org/event/virtual-info-session-for-the-artists-way-a-year-of-creative-reawakening-w-lindsey-van-wagner-2/)
---
# **Format**
- In-person meetings every month (11 total) for guided discussion and exercises. Full schedule for meetings (dates subject to change with advance notice to students):
**February 6 March 6 April 3 May 8 June 5 July 10 August 7 September 4 October 2 November 6 December 18**
- Weekly engagement on Wet Ink through prompts, reflections, and peer feedback.
- Optional “Creative Partner” pairings for accountability.
- Monthly themes (e.g., Courage, Flow, Abundance, Trust) to anchor growth.
- Year-end community celebration and sharing of work.
Participants should plan to spend 1–2 hours per week on reading, journaling, and completing creative exercises from The Artist’s Way. Engagement on Wet Ink will support this rhythm through short reflections, prompts, and check-ins. Because the course combines self-paced work with monthly live meetings, students will benefit from both flexibility and community accountability.
This workshop is designed for writers, artists, and creative seekers at any stage who want to rekindle inspiration, develop consistency, and strengthen trust in their creative process. It’s especially well-suited for those feeling creatively blocked, in transition, or craving a supportive community to hold them throughout the year. Whether you’re returning to your art after time away or seeking to deepen your connection to your voice, this journey offers both structure and spaciousness to help you rediscover your creative rhythm.
**Required text:** *The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity* by Julia Cameron
---
# Students Can Expect To:
- Complete The Artist’s Way with structured accountability and community support.
- Reconnect with creative intuition, curiosity, and confidence.
- Develop sustainable creative habits and rituals.
- Build lasting connections with fellow artists and writers.
- Leave with tangible work—such as written reflections, short pieces, a portfolio, and a Creative Manifesto—that embodies your year of transformation.
---
# To Apply
**Application Deadline: Sunday, January 25, 2027**
Please submit responses to the application questionnaire [via this Google Form](https://forms.gle/UxNmXcWhWRLeXLJe8). We accept students on a rolling basis and encourage you to apply early! If you do not hear back from us with a confirmation that we received your application or you have any questions, please reach out to Emily Holland at <emily.holland@writer.org>.
###### [**APPLY HERE >>>**](https://forms.gle/UxNmXcWhWRLeXLJe8)
*Acceptance into the workshop is required before registering.*
---
# About Book Farm @ The Writer’s Center
The Writer’s Center hosts a series of workshops for serious writers to complete book-length projects, generate new work for publication, or master the elements of craft within a specific genre. You’ll work with an acclaimed author, guiding you through 4-12 months of lessons, workshops, and revisions. Our instructors are all accomplished educators with a track record of student success. Limited enrollment with rolling admission up to the application deadline, so apply right away to secure your spot!
All Book Farm participants receive an exclusive tote bag, a craft book recommended by the instructor, and a $100 gift certificate good toward future TWC workshops. Participants also receive exclusive access to The Writer’s Center staff, all of whom are accomplished writers with extensive experience in editing and publishing.
**Event Categories:** All Levels, Mixed Genre, The Writer's Center, Wet Ink, Workshop
---
### [The Writer's Center CraftCon - Now Accepting Panel Proposals!](https://writer.org/event/craftcon/)
**Published:** September 8, 2026
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
# The Writer’s Center CraftCon now accepting panel proposals!
Do you have new ideas about the art and methods of writing that you can’t wait to share? If so, The Writer’s Center is now accepting panel proposals for CraftCon, a **one-day virtual conference** on the future of the craft of creative writing.
We’re looking for writers and/or educators with ideas for new approaches to the craft of writing in and across all genres. Panel proposals should highlight new conceptualizations of craft or new angles on the old standards. We’re also interested in panels that propose new approaches to creative writing pedagogy. In short, we want topics that we haven’t quite encountered before.
CraftCon offers a unique opportunity for writers to create and present rigorous panels, build their CVs, and refine their understanding of literary writing.
**Panel Details:**
- Panels should consist of 3-5 panelists, including a moderator.
- Panels will be scheduled for 60 minutes, with the final 10 minutes open for audience Q&A.
- We’re looking for presentations of topics that are artistically and academically rigorous, including but not limited to literary analysis, methods and pedagogy, and historical context.
- We want panels that advance how we think about craft.
- Panels that present diverse viewpoints are strongly encouraged.
- This conference is not for discussions about publishing.
- Panels will be selected by qualified TWC staff and volunteers, and will be evaluated based on merit and the specific needs of the conference.
- Current MFA students, faculty, and alumni are encouraged submit proposals.
- To submit, please complete the Google form, linked below.
**Sample Topics:**
There’s no one topic/approach we’re looking for, but we want new, forward-looking ideas. We want topics that surprise us (and maybe surprise you, too!). Here are a few sample panel titles that would get our attention:
- New Shapes for Plots
- Recursive Writing for Forward Motion
- Alternative Models for the Creative Writing Workshop
**The panel proposal should include:**
- Panel Title
- One paragraph describing the topic and scope of the panel.
- One paragraph explaining how the topic is a new approach to craft or a new angle on a standard concept of craft.
- Bios for all panelists (80-word maximum/each)
- Moderator name and email.
##### [Click Here for the Panel Proposal Form »](https://forms.gle/SJoi7vupFzePH8bG8)
- **Proposal Deadline Extended: Monday, October 26 November 2, 2026**
- Proposal Acceptances announced by Friday, November 20
- Accepted panel moderators will be required to provide supplementary digital documents (to be distributed to attendees) that outline the basic information to be presented in the panel.
*We want panelists who are also interested in attending other panels at the conference, so please note that to participate, accepted panelists will be required to register for the conference at the early-bird rate of $100. If this fee is a barrier to participation, just let us know at the email below. We’re happy to work with you. Submitting a panel proposal is free.*
Have questions? Email zach.powers@writer.org
---
# About CraftCon
CraftCon brings together dozens of featured writers on 16 innovative panels that aim to advance the craft of writing and the methods used to teach it. This first-of-its-kind conference combines artistic and academic rigor, investigating the practices, history, and pedagogy of literary craft. As an attendee, you’ll encounter brand new conceptualizations of craft and new angles on the old standards. You’ll gain a deeper understanding of your own writing practice and, hopefully, come away feeling inspired to approach your work in fresh ways.
**Conference Schedule**
**Friday, February 5, 2027** *All Times Eastern*
11am-12:15pm – Session A (Welcome & 4 Concurrent Panels)
12:30pm-1:30pm – Session B (4 Concurrent Panels)
1:45pm-2:45pm – Session C (4 Concurrent Panels)
3:00pm-4:15pm – Session D (4 Concurrent Panels & Closing Remarks)
---
# Early bird registration now open for The Writer’s Center CraftCon!
**Register now for a $25 DISCOUNT through December 15.** After that, the total registration price will increase to $125.
Registrants will get live access for the 4 panel sessions (with 4 concurrent panels per session) and access to all 16 panel recordings.
*Full panel details will be posted to the website the first week of December.*
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Advanced Level, Advanced/Master Level, Fiction, Intermediate Level, Intermediate/Advanced Level, Master Level, Nonfiction, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Intermediate Novel Writing: The 8 Cs (Wet Ink)](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intermediate-novel-writing-the-8-cs/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** 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.)
**Content:**
# Let’s finish that novel you started!
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.)
---
***Learn at your own pace:** This workshop will take place over **Wet Ink**, which is an asynchronous creative writing platform. The instructor will post a lesson and assignment at the beginning of each week, and participants can log in and read the lessons/post assignments/comment on other classmates’ work at their convenience. Shortly before the start date, participants will receive an invite from Wet Ink to create their login info and access the class. Please check your spam if you don’t see it.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Concept
- Character
- Circumstances
- Conflict
- Complications
- Crisis
- Climax
- Conclusion
# Time requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- N/A
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for writers looking to deepen their understanding of the major components of novel-writing.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 8 Sessions, Fiction, Intermediate/Advanced Level, Wet Ink, Workshop
---
### [Self-Publishing 101](https://writer.org/event/self-publishing-101-2/)
**Published:** September 4, 2026
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
# Ever wanted to learn more about the self-publishing process? Then this workshop might be the right fit for you!
Discover the core steps of self-publishing from a 40-time bestselling author. Explore editing, writing, and publishing tips intended to expedite the drafting journey. Delve into the core tools necessary to turn a strong draft into a memorable novel. Please come prepared with questions which will be discussed near the end.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Editing tips
- Intellectual property tools
- Copyright details
- Publications pointers
# Time requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Individuals interested in publishing their own novel or curious about the self-publishing realm.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Beginner Level, Publishing, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Virtual Info Session for The Artist's Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner](https://writer.org/event/virtual-info-session-for-the-artists-way-a-year-of-creative-reawakening-w-lindsey-van-wagner-2/)
**Published:** October 16, 2026
**Author:** Emily Holland
**Content:**
**Meet Lindsey Van Wagner, instructor for The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening, 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: January 25th, 2027**
**Workshop Dates: Begins February 6, 2027, one Saturday a month with self-paced work in between meetings Cost: $2000 \| Members $1900**
This year-long journey through *The Artist’s* Way offers a sustained path for creative reawakening and artistic growth. Writers, artists, and creative seekers will move chapter by chapter through Julia Cameron’s classic text, reconnecting with their sense of purpose and play. The course offers the freedom to move at your own pace on Wet Ink, while regular virtual gatherings provide structure, engagement, and a sense of shared creative energy. Participants will receive guidance, accountability, and community support as you nurture your creative practices. Each session weaves reflection, discussion, and inspiration to help build consistency, courage, and joy in your work.
# [**Find the full details and apply here »**](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way-a-year-of-creative-reawakening-w-lindsey-van-wagner-2/)
**Event Categories:** All Levels, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Writing About Mental Health Topics in Fiction](https://writer.org/event/writing-about-mental-health-topics-in-fiction-5/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** 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.
**Content:**
# Learn to write about mental health topics in your fiction with accuracy and care.
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.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Recognize and analyze mental health tropes in popular media.
- Learn how to incorporate information about mental health diagnoses and develop your characters beyond their diagnosis.
- How to include mental health themes across fiction genres.
# Time requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for fiction writers who want to explore aspects of mental health in their stories with accuracy and care.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Reading Your Work Out Loud](https://writer.org/event/out-loud-with-jennifer-hamady/)
**Published:** June 3, 2026
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
# 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 turn fuel a more authentic writing process and outcome. You’ll leave the workshop with an experience of camaraderie, community, and a more deeply rooted sense of your creative and expressive self. Please have on hand a number of pieces you’d be comfortable sharing during the meeting. There will be a break; please also bring a snack and water.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Fiction, Mixed Genre, Nonfiction, Poetry, Professional Writing, Stage and Screen, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [50th Anniversary Celebration](https://writer.org/event/50th-anniversary/)
**Published:** August 12, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
# This year The Writer’s Center turns 50!
No writer succeeds alone. For fifty years, The Writer’s Center has been a place where writers gather, learn, revise, encourage, and inspire one another. This anniversary celebrates the relationships that make writing possible.
Together, we’ll look back on our history with a building-wide scavenger hunt and a reading from each decade of the organization, featuring Richard Peabody, Rose Solari, E. Ethelbert Miller, Angie Kim, Marisa Kashino, and Xochi Quetzali Cartland.
With a buffet, books, and booze, we’ll reminisce on the community that made possible our past fifty years.
Can’t attend? Donations in celebration of our Golden Year may be made using [the following link »](https://writer.givecloud.co/fundraising/forms/5WEY6LD2)
Reaching fifty years is an outstanding achievement, but heck, we’re just getting started.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Manav Sachdeva Poetry Reading](https://writer.org/event/manav-sachdeva/)
**Published:** October 6, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes James Jay Dudley Luce Poet Laureate, **Manav Sachdeva,** for a reading from his collection, *Sufi’s Garland*. Manav is joined in conversation by writer **Sonja Horgen.**
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
**Manav Sachdeva Maasoom** (also known as Maasoom Shah, and MS Maasoom) is a poet, diplomat, chief international officer with McCann Kyiv, and writes literature in Urdu and English, with some contributions in Punjabi as well. His work is listed on Mr. Urdu Poetry website (mrurdupoetry.com). Manav Sachdeva Maasoom Shah was the New York City Luce Foundation and the United Nations Poet Laureate for 2015. His first book, The Sufi’s Garland, was published by Roman Books Kolkata in 2011. His second book, Siyaah Shaam Ka Ikhtetaam (The End of a Very Dark Evening), is expected to go to press this year (2020). He studied Poetry and Policy Studies for his Master’s at Columbia University, and at Harvard University Olympia Program in Comparative Literature, Society, and Culture through a full Kokallis Foundation Scholarship. Manav Sachdeva Maasoom Shah grew up in Ludhiana, Punjab, India till fifteen, went to high school and undergraduate in California, dropped out of a seven-year UCR-UCLA Biomed program for the love of poetry writing and social reform as a shock decision for a scion of doctors, pursued love of literature and languages through an arduous journey at various universities and through various loans and scholarships (Ann Arbor—University of Michigan) and Harvard and Columbia.
**Sonja Horgen**‘s path began with a magazine in Egypt and led, by way of USAID projects, to Afghanistan, where she lived for four and a half years across a decade. She wrote about development, then managed it village by village. After law school she went back, this time as an attorney, to a country she had already learned to see from several angles. She is eager to talk about how writers hold on to places that outsiders so often flatten.
---
# About *Sufi’s Garland*
Published in connection with the 150th birth-anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore, India’s first Nobel Laureate, THE SUFI’S GARLAND is a collection of poems on love, religion and humanity. The stony hills of Afghanistan, the land of the Taliban terror, forms the backdrop and one has to listen to the Sufi’s muse to believe that this howling dry wind can also tune a music so soulful! It is a reader’s sojourn in a caravan to unfold the mysteries of life in an attempt to explore ‘a sufibhakt’s fonts in mass rapture with Bhagwan’s theatre’. As a tribute to Emily Dickinson, Antonio Porchia and Rabindranath Tagore THE SUFI’S GARLAND is an utterly hypnotic read in its truest sense.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Melanie Hatter Book Release](https://writer.org/event/melanie-hatter-book-release/)
**Published:** October 13, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes **1455** to celebrate the launch of 1455 first annual book contest winner Melanie Hatter. This event features a reading by the author followed by a Q&A with 1455 Executive Director Sean Murphy.
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
**Melanie S. Hatter** is the author of *Malawi’s Sisters*, which was selected by Edwidge Danticat as the winner of the inaugural Kimbilio National Fiction Prize and was published by Four Way Books in 2019. Her debut novel, *The Color of My Soul*, won the 2011 Washington Writers’ Publishing House Fiction Prize, and *Let No One Weep for Me, Stories of Love and Loss* was released in 2015. Find her online at [melanieshatter.com](http://melanieshatter.com/) / @melanie\_hatter
**Sean Murphy** is the founder of the non-profit 1455 Literary Arts and directs the Center for Story at Shenandoah University. He is the author of four poetry collections—*The Blackened Blues* (2021), *Rhapsodies in Blue* (2023), *Kinds of Blue* (2024), and *Red, White, and Blues* (2026). The short fiction collection *This Kind of Man* published in 2024, and his memoir, *Please Talk About Me When I’m Gone*, won Memoir Magazine’s 2022 Memoir Prize. He has been nominated four times for the Pushcart Prize and twice for Best of the Net. Murphy also hosts the podcast and Substack *Some Things Considered*, where he interviews best-selling authors, acclaimed critics, and celebrated musicians. Find him at [**seanmurphy.net**](http://seanmurphy.net/)
---
# About the Prize-Winning Book
Melanie S. Hatter’s *All the Pain We Endure* follows Raebelle “Rae” Johnson, a biracial massage therapist in Washington, D.C., whose ability to glimpse the pain carried by others forces her to confront wounds of her own. Haunted by a volatile relationship with her father and wary of intimacy, Rae finds herself drawn to Kai, a martial artist whose own troubled past challenges her assumptions about love, strength, and vulnerability. As family tensions, buried trauma, and generations of racial pain converge, Rae must decide whether the hurt she has inherited will continue to define her. At once a love story and an exploration of family, race, trauma, and healing, the novel asks what it takes to break cycles of pain—and to believe ourselves worthy of love.
Find our more at <https://1455litarts.substack.com/s/1455-books>
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year-w-nicole-chung-2/)
**Published:** October 6, 2026
**Author:** Emily Holland
**Content:**
# Work on your memoir or collection of essays with bestselling author Nicole Chung!
This intensive workshop is open to writers working on a memoir, memoir-in-essays, or essay collection. You’ll have the opportunity to participate in lively craft discussions, reflection/writing exercises, and in-depth workshops designed to help you identify and hone your strengths as a writer. If you have an idea for a book project and are looking to jumpstart it—or are already underway, but struggling to maintain your momentum—this class will help you take concrete next steps and deepen your craft in a supportive and generative community.
---
# Attend the Virtual Info Session
Tuesday, December 15th, 2026
ZOOM, 7pm ET
Meet Nicole Chung, instructor for our Memoir Year workshop, and have all your questions about the program answered!
###### [**FREE RSVP >>>**](https://writer.org/event/virtual-info-session-for-memoir-year-w-nicole-chung-2/ "Virtual Info Session for Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung")
---
# **Format**
Through in-class readings, craft talks, and guided writing exercises, we’ll explore book openings, writing the self, characterization, setting, structure, chronology, and more. We’ll spend time reflecting and brainstorming, learning how to identify and pursue the stories that matter most to you. You will have the opportunity to have two to three memoir excerpts (10 to 20 pages each, double-spaced) workshopped in class with your instructor and peers.
We’ll discuss the importance of your choices as a writer, and how to engage deeply and intentionally with the questions that drive your work. We’ll talk about how to address existing gaps in knowledge or memory, the role speculation and imagination can play in memoir, and whether and how to bring research and reportage into your personal narrative. We’ll consider the ethics of writing about real people, places, and events, and what guiding principles or boundaries feel necessary for you. We’ll read excerpts from recent works of nonfiction, examining the storytelling choices other writers have made and how we can learn from them. We’ll address your questions about book proposals, pitching, and the publishing industry, and hear from visiting authors and literary agents who will share tips and talk about the writing and publication processes.
This course will allow you to focus on expanding your craft in community with your fellow writers, helping you build the sustainable writing practice you want—one that will allow you to continue showing up for your work, and telling the stories you need to tell, long after our workshop ends.
---
# Schedule
This class will typically meet twice per month from February 9, 2027 – November 16, 2027, 7–9pm ET, although there may be one or two longer breaks over the summer for students to focus on writing.
---
# 1:1 Mentoring
All workshops will be held over Zoom, with additional opportunities to meet 1:1 with Nicole upon request. Outside of class, writers are expected to read and respond to their peers’ work and generate new writing at their own pace.
All enrolled students will also have the option to schedule an individual follow-up meeting (1 hour) with Nicole after the workshop term ends.
---
# To Apply
**Application Deadline: Saturday, January 30, 2027**
Please share 1-2 paragraphs detailing your writing goals and/or intentions and a writing sample of 10-20 pages (double-spaced). You may also choose to include a one-page résumé or CV. Send your submission to <emily.holland@writer.org> by 11:59pm on Saturday, January 30th, 2027. Admissions will be on a rolling basis so participants are encouraged to submit early.
*Acceptance into the workshop is required before registering.*
---
# **Student Testimonials**
“Working with Nicole was like getting an ultra-engaged MFA professor, an eagle-eyed editor, and an ever-supportive writing coach all in one. I am a much better writer (not to mention critical reader!) as a result of her teaching, and I would absolutely recommend her to any writer who’s seeking to take their work and creative journey to the next level.” —Nik Chang Hoon
“Nicole is an exceptional teacher whose superpower is nurturing her students’ creativity, empowering their growth, and building community. Through craft talks, readings, writing prompts, and insightful comments, she supports each student in finding their stories and bringing them to life.” —Enid K.
“Nicole’s class was one of the first I took after spending more than 10 years away from creative writing. I felt like she opened this whole world up to me by sharing her expertise not only on the craft of writing but also on the business of publishing. The lessons I learned in her class have paid immense dividends for me—I would not have the writing community and career that I have today without learning from her example. I consider Nicole a role model for her generosity toward her students and fellow writers in general, and I couldn’t recommend her classes more enthusiastically!” —Hannah Bae
“Nicole’s class is terrific for both novices to the genre and experienced writers. She creates an ideal mix of workshops, craft lectures, and guest speakers that teaches students new skills and keeps them inspired about their own work. Nicole is also warm, supportive, and brings out the best in her students. She curates a supportive cohort of students who strive to bring out the best in each other. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to participate!” —Anne Kim
“It was truly a life-changing experience getting the opportunity to learn about memoir writing under the guidance of Nicole Chung. She was so thoughtful and generous with her enlightening ideas and exercises, as well as feedback on my writing. The boundless empathy and encouragement she showed her students brought us all closer together as a cohort, where we felt free to truly express ourselves and grow as writers and people in the process. I highly recommend Nicole’s workshops to anyone looking to evolve in their writing craft.” —Jean Trinh
“I feel very fortunate to have taken Nicole’s memoir class. She offers the perfect blend of workshopping opportunities, craft discussions, and guest author/agent appearances, all while coaching, cheering, and nudging participants along in a low-key but highly effective manner. Perhaps what I appreciate most about Nicole is the great care she takes with each participant’s story. Her class has been transformational for my writing.” —Ruth Berg
“Nicole is a thoughtful and skilled facilitator. I love that she uses a clear and consistent strengths-based philosophy. Working from strengths creates an environment of safety for memoirists to share, critique, and revise our most personal stories. In our memoir workshop, Nicole facilitates skillfully to bring out the shared wisdom of the group and ensure that writers feel empowered to generate and revise our work. Highly recommend working with her if you have the chance!” —Alex Shevrin Venet
---
# About Book Farm @ The Writer’s Center
The Writer’s Center hosts a series of workshops for serious writers to complete book-length projects, generate new work for publication, or master the elements of craft within a specific genre. You’ll work with an acclaimed author, guiding you through 4-12 months of lessons, workshops, and revisions. Our instructors are all accomplished educators with a track record of student success. Limited enrollment with rolling admission up to the application deadline, so apply right away to secure your spot!
All Book Farm participants receive an exclusive tote bag, a craft book recommended by the instructor, and a $100 gift certificate good toward future TWC workshops. Participants also receive exclusive access to The Writer’s Center staff, all of whom are accomplished writers with extensive experience in editing and publishing.
**Event Categories:** Master Level, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [A Conversation & Reading with Petra Hůlová and Alex Zucker](https://writer.org/event/petra-hulova/)
**Published:** October 6, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary Czech literature, **Petra Hůlová,** and her longtime translator **Alex Zucker** for a reading and conversation about her provocative new novel, *The Long Version.*Hůlová and Zucker will read from the novel and discuss the ideas behind the book, contemporary Czech literature, and the unique relationship between an author and her translator. The conversation will be moderated by poet and translator **Katherine E. Young***.*
FREE & open to the public. RSVP using [this link>>>](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-conversation-with-petra-hulova-and-alex-zucker-tickets-2002920515178)
---
**Petra Hůlová** is the recipient of several of Czechia’s most important literary honors, including the Magnesia Litera, Josef Škvorecký Award, and Jiří Orten Award. She lives in Prague and is a regular commentator on current events in the Czech press.
**Alex Zucker** is an award-winning translator of Czech literature whose translations include works by Zuzana Říhová, Magdaléna Platzová, Jáchym Topol, Bianca Bellová, Petra Hůlová, Tomáš Zmeškal, Patrik Ouředník, and others.
**Katherine E. Young** is an award-winning poet and literary translator and the author of the poetry collections Woman Drinking Absinthe and Day of the Border Guards. She translates writers from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Ukraine. In 2026, Young and Azerbaijani writer Akram Aylisli were jointly awarded the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development Literature Prize for her translation of Aylisli’s People and Trees.
---
# About *The Long Version*
**Can a woman wake up one day and say “#MeToo” 20 years after the fact? Or is “#MeToo” a right reserved for the younger generation?**
In her early fifties, Czech author Sylvie Novak looks back on her successful career. As she embarks on a tour to promote her book of feminist essays–which she’s not convinced has captured the nature of gender inequality–her teenage daughter Judita finds her journals from her youth, discovering the intimate relationship she had with a much older writer. Judita is convinced the experience scarred her for life, whereas Novak considers her daughter’s views to be ignorant and absolutist, however critical she is towards the deep-seated machismo of Eastern European dissident cultures. Meanwhile, the man she loves has found a new, younger object of desire, leaving Novak to reflect on the decline of her sex appeal.
In *The Long Version*, we become spectators of Novak’s tightrope walk, balancing between the old generation and the new, love and desire, and above all the myriad interpretations of the past. Like Hůlová, Novak seeks not to lay blame or win sympathy, but to explore the shifting meanings of feminism at a time of polarized thinking and, perhaps, discover a path towards reconciliation.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [From Idea to First Draft](https://writer.org/event/from-idea-to-first-draft/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** This class is designed for writers of all levels to help them find the story tapping them on the shoulder right now so they can put it on the page and begin the process of getting it out in the world where it belongs. The first session will focus on germinating new ideas or further exploring existing ones through prompts and discussion. The second is finding joy and harnessing the power of revision. The third and final session focuses on next steps and sharing your work. Writers will leave the class with a start of a new piece of creative nonfiction, memoir, or hybrid work.
**Content:**
# How to take a piece from idea to first draft to submission ready.
This class is designed for writers of all levels to help them find the story tapping them on the shoulder right now so they can put it on the page and begin the process of getting it out in the world where it belongs. The first session will focus on germinating new ideas or further exploring existing ones through prompts and discussion. The second is finding joy and harnessing the power of revision. The third and final session focuses on next steps and sharing your work. Writers will leave the class with a start of a new piece of creative nonfiction, memoir, or hybrid work.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Generate an idea and Identify the story within it
- Structure
- Pacing
- Revision
- Confidence to keep writing
- How to love the process
- Find and Build Writing Community
# Time Requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Writers at any stage of their writing journey.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 3 Sessions, All Levels, Nonfiction, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Writing Marvelous Micros](https://writer.org/event/writing-marvelous-micros/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Draft and develop a series of micros (stories of 300 words or less) that are both standalone and/or link into a larger whole.
**Content:**
# Write 4-6 micros (stories 300 words or less) of fiction or creative nonfiction that are both standalone pieces and linked — and that dive into lyricism and emotional complexity.
Draft and develop a series of micros (stories of 300 words or less) that are both standalone and/or link into a larger whole.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- The art of micro stories with a focus on structure, concrete detail and lyricism, emotional complexity, and thematic links.
# Time Requirements
- 1-2 hour between the two sessions (students will be asked to write drafts to review in the 2nd class, so, there will be homework)
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- There should be a strong interest in generative writing. This workshop will not cover the basics of creative writing, so there should be writers with some experience (or more) in creative writing.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 2 Sessions, Intermediate/Advanced Level, Mixed Genre, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Poet Carolyn Joyner Book Release](https://writer.org/event/carolyn-joyner/)
**Published:** September 8, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes poet **Carolyn Joyner** for a reading from her debut collection, *Imagine His Mother Witnessing****.*** Carolyn is joined in conversation by poets **Joseph Ross** and **Abdul Ali**.
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
**Carolyn Joyner** is the author of *Imagine His Mother Witnessing* (2026) which considers themes of loss, an epic battle with illness, mother-son deep bonds, and the sustaining power of art through our darkest hour. Joyner is a former WritersCorps instructor, volunteer poetry workshop leader for the DC Public Library and River of Words community project, and holds a Master of Arts degree in Creative Writing from The Johns Hopkins University. She is a Cave Canem and Hurston-Wright Foundation fellow, and has been awarded fellowships from the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities and the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts (VCCA).
**Joseph Ross** is the author of five books of poetry. Most recently, *Crushed & Crowned* (2023), *Raising King* (2020), and *Ache* (2017). His poems appear in many publications including, *The New York Times Magazine, The Los Angeles Times, Poet Lore, The Langston Hughes Review*, and the 2022 anthology, *WHERE WE STAND: Poems of Black Resilience*. He has received multiple Pushcart Prize nominations and won the 2012 Pratt Library / Little Patuxent Review Poetry Prize for his poem “If Mamie Till Was the Mother of God.” Recently, Ross served as judge for the 2021 Ken Ebert Poetry Prize from Iris G. Press. He currently serves on the editorial team of *The Skinny Poetry Journal* and on the Poetry Advisory Committee at the Folger.
**Abdul Ali**—poet, writer, scholar, and nonprofit professional—is currently a doctoral student in American Studies at the University of Maryland. Mr. Ali is the founder and principal of The Ali Consultancy that provides strategy, project management, and capacity building from a storytelling lense. Mr. Ali has held distinguished teaching appointments at Johns Hopkins University, Howard University, and Goucher College. He is the recipient of the 2019 Ruby Grant, from the Robert Deutsch Foundation. His debut collection of poems, Trouble Sleeping, won the 2014 New Issues Poetry Book Prize.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Exile and Return: A Reading and Discussion](https://writer.org/event/exile-and-return/)
**Published:** October 6, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes graduate students of the **American University MFA Program** for a reading and discussion of their findings this semester. These graduate students are joined by poet and American University professor, **David Keplinger.**
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
# About the Event
In this reading featuring graduate students of the American University MFA Program in Creative Writing, a selection of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction will map the experiences of exile that sometimes foist upon our human psyche a vision of the totality. As members of AU’s craft course, LIT 711, “Creativity and Exile,” these writers will share work that was the result of the inquiry around brokenness and the creative urge to repair, understand, and make whole again.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll](https://writer.org/event/the-novel-year-w-susan-coll-2/)
**Published:** October 6, 2026
**Author:** Emily Holland
**Content:**
# **Write your novel in a year with bestselling novelist Susan Coll!**
Whether you have been thinking about writing a novel for years but are not sure how to get started, or are already published but embarking on a new project, this year-long workshop is intended to help get the next book off the ground.
---
# Attend the Virtual Info Session
Tuesday, December 8th, 2026
ZOOM, 7pm ET
Meet Susan Coll, instructor for our Novel Year workshop, and have all your questions about the program answered!
###### [**FREE RSVP >>>**](https://writer.org/event/virtual-info-session-for-the-novel-year-w-susan-coll-2/ "Virtual Info Session for The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll")
---
# **Over the course of twenty sessions, we will:**
- create a fun, warm, and supportive writing community
- discuss aspects of craft including dialogue, setting, plot, point of view, character development, tense, and much more
- workshop approximately one hundred pages per student, broken into four submissions of 25 pages each (\*there may be an opportunity for additional submissions depending on how many participants choose to submit work).
- discuss contemporary publishing, including drafting sample query letters and elevator pitches
- hear from guest speakers including published novelists
- read a novel (TBD) to discuss and deconstruct as a group with an eye toward both craft and publishing trends
- the instructor is happy to schedule individual follow up sessions as requested following critique sessions, as well as a six-month or one-year check in after the class concludes.
\*Students should be prepared to read and offer comments on the work of other participants. Detailed guidance will be provided at the first class about how this process will work.
---
# Schedule
This class will meet virtually every other Tuesday, with a two-month reading and writing break over the summer. Workshop dates run from January 26, 2027 – November 30, 2027, 7–9:30pm ET, with a month-long break over the summer for students to focus on writing.
Jan. 26
Feb. 9
Feb. 23
March 9
March 23
April 6
April 20
May 4
May 18
June 1
June 15
June 29
SUMMER BREAK
August 24
Sept. 7
Sept. 21
Oct. 5
Oct. 19
Nov. 2
Nov. 16
Nov. 30
---
# 1:1 Mentoring
All workshops will be held over Zoom, with additional opportunities to meet 1:1 with Susan upon request. All enrolled students will have the option to schedule an individual follow-up meeting (1 hour) with Susan approximately 6 months after the conclusion of the workshop.
---
# To Apply
**Application Deadline: Tuesday, January 12, 2027**
To apply, please submit a cover letter describing your background and the project that you have in mind. The first five pages of the novel you will be working on are welcome as part of the application, but not required. The class will be limited to twelve students. Send your submission to <emily.holland@writer.org> by Tuesday, January 12, 2027. Admissions will be on a rolling basis so participants are encouraged to submit early.
*Acceptance into the workshop is required before registering.*
---
# About Book Farm @ The Writer’s Center
The Writer’s Center hosts a series of workshops for serious writers to complete book-length projects, generate new work for publication, or master the elements of craft within a specific genre. You’ll work with an acclaimed author, guiding you through 4-12 months of lessons, workshops, and revisions. Our instructors are all accomplished educators with a track record of student success. Limited enrollment with rolling admission up to the application deadline, so apply right away to secure your spot!
All Book Farm participants receive an exclusive tote bag, a craft book recommended by the instructor, and a $100 gift certificate good toward future TWC workshops. Participants also receive exclusive access to The Writer’s Center staff, all of whom are accomplished writers with extensive experience in editing and publishing.
**Event Categories:** Fiction, Master Level, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [The Sum of Its Parts: Readings and Discussions from Three Anthologies](https://writer.org/event/the-sum-of-its-parts/)
**Published:** October 6, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes editors, poets and prose writers featured in recently published anthologies from **[Bordighera Press](https://asterismbooks.com/product/al-di-la-del-mare-across-the-sea-poesia-contemporanea-italiana-e-italoamericana-contemporary-italian-and-italian-american-poetry),[ June Rose Press](https://www.juneroadpress.com/places-on-the-way),** and **[Motina Books](https://www.motinabooks.com/book/what-are-you-waiting-for-an-anthology/)** to read from those anthologies and to discuss the publication process. Books will be available for sale and signing. Get started on your holiday shopping!
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
# About *Al di là del mare / Across the Sea*
This bilingual anthology of Italian and Italian American poetry is a bridge across place, language, culture, and history. Along with 15 poets, we journey from one side of the sea to the other, and discover the resonances of memory, desire, and inner landscapes that cannot be contained by any border.
# About *Places on the Way*
What makes the idea of a cross-country road trip so compelling? The open road is possibility. The continent is vast, the destination beside the point. It’s about presence and place, the intersection of lives and landscapes, experience and connection. This book translates that big-sky spirit of freedom and discovery into a journey in another mode: poetry. The hundred poems gathered here are full of grit and kitsch and wisdom, longing and soul and local flavor. To come along on this ride is to dance on a New York City rooftop at sunrise, commune with saguaros and ancient bristlecone pines, visit ghost towns and the world’s tallest barber pole, and meet an indelicate Floridian inner-tube guide named Jerry. Across these pages are roadside motels and tourist traps, cars set on fire and driven off cliffs, moonshine and deviled eggs and gestures toward the infinite. A poetic cross-section of a wide and complicated country, this collection ranges from shorelines to cornfields, over mountains and canyons and deserts and the highways in between, exploring as it does the larger meaning of departure and return, rootedness and movement, liminal spaces and home places. There’s harmony and mess here, grief and joy, lost loves, found selves, and this is something poetry can do: remind us where we’ve been and where we’re going, how the places we inhabit shape us, what we’ve left behind and what we’re bringing, all of us travelers.
# About *What Are You Waiting For?*
This poignant collection of essays, poetry, and artwork invites readers to reconsider what it means to wait. We all know the small, everyday waits-waiting for a plane to arrive, the workday to end, or a doctor to open the exam room door. But the writers, poets and artists in this collection explore this everyday human experience- at once universal and wholly unique– in deeper and varied ways. They write about waiting for a loved one to succumb to a terminal illness; waiting for heartbreak to soften; waiting for a child to grow up-and then wishing they were small again. Throughout the book, the theme of gardening emerges as a quiet metaphor for hope and patience. What will grow? And when? These twenty-nine contributors capture the essence of waiting through varied lenses and, ultimately, remind us: there can be richness and growth in the stillness, in the space that lives between the now and what comes next.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Fiction Book Club w/ Diana Rojas!](https://writer.org/event/fiction-book-club-w-diana-rojas/)
**Published:** September 1, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes author **Diana Rojas** to our monthly Fiction Book Club for a discussion of her most recent novel, *They Hold Grudges*, at The Writer’s Center! Diana is joined by Book Club Host, Hannah Grieco.
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online »](https://artepublicopress.com/product/they-hold-grudges/)
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
**Diana Rojas** is the author of the novel *They Hold Grudges* (Arte Público Press), the novella collection *Litany of Saints: A Triptych* (Arte Público Press), and the forthcoming children’s book, *Clara’s Big Green Coat* (Piñata Books, 2027). Her essays are featured in *Grit & Gravity*, *The Washington Independent Review of Books*, *Barrelhouse*, *Latin@Lit*, *Anti-Heroin Chic*, *Folio*, *Latino News Network*, among others. A member of the Board of Directors of the PEN/Faulkner Foundation and a 2026 participant in the Macondo Writers Workshop, she lives taxed and unrepresented in Washington, DC.
---
# About *They Hold Grudges*
***A gripping psychological drama about family, loyalty and the weight of suspicion.***
As a kid, Rob was his uncle Pablo’s favorite, and the whole family knew it. Pablo’s only flaw was his wife, Mara, whom everyone called idiosyncratic—or plain crazy—and their son, Pablito, who took after her. But they all loved Pablo, so they put up with his wife and son and lived by the Golden Family Rule: no serious quarrels, no harboring of resentments, no anger, no grudges.
Many years later, Pablito brings an accusation against Rob that punctures the harmony. If they ignore it, will it simply go away? Does anyone even believe Pablito? Gossip and whispers swirl, unleashing doubts, paranoia and betrayal, while Rob embarks on a desperate quest to clear his name.
*They Hold Grudges* is a riveting exploration of the lines we draw between loyalty and truth. With layered, taut prose, it examines what we’re willing to sacrifice to keep the peace, and what remains if the truth is buried.
---
# About Book Club
This is no *run-of-the-mill book club*. Visiting writers will read excerpts, join the discussion, and answer your questions about craft, process, the publishing industry, and getting advice for our own writing! We’ll hang and eat snacks with the authors and escape your doomscrolling.
***Poetry Book Club*** will meet on Zoom ***every second Wednesday*** of the month with a new poet.
***Fiction Book Club*** will meet ***every third Sunday*** of the month in person at The Writer’s Center with a new author.
Come build community and read amazing books that the Big 5 didn’t have the sense to publish!
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Fiction Book Club w/ Caroline Bock!](https://writer.org/event/fiction-book-club-w-caroline-bock/)
**Published:** September 1, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes author **Caroline Bock** to our monthly Fiction Book Club for a discussion of her most recent collection, *The Other Beautiful People*, at The Writer’s Center! Caroline is joined by Book Club Host, Hannah Grieco.
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online »](https://regal-house-publishing.mybigcommerce.com/the-other-beautiful-people/)
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
**Caroline Bock** is the author of *The Other Beautiful People* (Regal House Publishing, 2026), a workplace love story, inspired by her two-decade career at AMC, Bravo, IFC, and IFC Films. She is also the author of the young adult novels *LIE* and *Before My Eyes* (St. Martin’s Press), as well as the award-winning short story collection *Carry Her Home* (WWPH). Her short work appears in the Best Microfiction 2026, *The Hopkins Review, The Baltimore Review, SmokeLong Quarterly*, and many other literary journals. She is a graduate of Syracuse University, where she studied creative writing with Raymond Carver, and holds an MFA in Fiction from the City College of New York. She is the co-president/prose editor at the Washington Writers’ Publishing House. She lives in Maryland with her family, but when she first moved to the area fourteen years ago, she found her writing community at The Writer’s Center. More at [carolinebockofficialauthor.site](https://carolinebockofficialauthor.site/)
---
# About *The Other Beautiful People*
In the entertainment world, the spotlight shines on the beautiful—but behind the scenes are those who make the magic happen. Amy Greene is one of them. As head of marketing and public relations at the Cinema Channel, a beloved yet struggling cable network, Amy is at the height of her career, and torn between work, family, and the secrets she’s kept locked away. A dazzling cinematic novel about love, loss, and the search for meaning in work, family, and the spaces in between.
“Aaron Sorkin, move over. Caroline Bock’s beautiful people are fast-talking, witty, and driven. Old-movie references pepper the prose and fuel both the humor and the warmth of this gorgeous novel. No-nonsense New Yorker Amy Greene tries to keep her balance in a time of societal and personal tumult as she navigates a choice of three loves and two crucial voices from her past. The book is an unstoppable ride, a thrilling read.”–Virginia Hartman, author of The Marsh Queen
“With a traumatized and ailing husband in the Washington DC suburbs, and a beloved job working for a classic film network in midtown Manhattan, Amy Greene spends her days traversing the Northeast corridor trying to make sense of her complicated family life. Set against the backdrop of a forever changed post-9/11 landscape, Caroline Bock’s The Other Beautiful People is an ode to New York City in all its manic grittiness. It is also an ode to work families and nuclear families as well as a testament to the power of a single aching, forbidden, cinematic kiss.” —Susan Coll, author of eight novels, most recently, The Literati, Bookish People and Real Life and Other Fictions
---
# About Book Club
This is no *run-of-the-mill book club*. Visiting writers will read excerpts, join the discussion, and answer your questions about craft, process, the publishing industry, and getting advice for our own writing! We’ll hang and eat snacks with the authors and escape your doomscrolling.
***Poetry Book Club*** will meet on Zoom ***every second Wednesday*** of the month with a new poet.
***Fiction Book Club*** will meet ***every third Sunday*** of the month in person at The Writer’s Center with a new author.
Come build community and read amazing books that the Big 5 didn’t have the sense to publish!
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [***CANCELLED*** Fiction Book Club w/ Hasan Dudar!](https://writer.org/event/fiction-book-club-w-hasan-dudar/)
**Published:** September 1, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes author **Hasan Dudar** to our monthly Fiction Book Club for a discussion of his debut novel, *Carryout*, at The Writer’s Center! Hasan is joined by Book Club Host, Hannah Grieco.
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online »](https://uipress.uiowa.edu/books/carryout)
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
**Hasan Dudar** is the author of the short story collection *Carryout* (University of Iowa Press). He is originally from Toledo, Ohio, and currently lives with his wife and daughter in Washington, DC, where he works in broadcast media. His fiction has appeared in *Gulf Coast* and *Pinch*, among other places, and was awarded the 2025 Pinch Literary Award in Fiction. A graduate of the Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism, Hasan’s reporting has appeared in various publications including *USA Today*, *Detroit Free Press*, *The Toledo Blade*, *Bloomberg News*, TRT World, and Aljazeera America. In 2015, he co-produced the award-winning documentary *The Last of Little Syria*, which follows some of the last Arab American residents living in Toledo, Ohio’s historic Arab enclave.
---
# About *Carryout*
In the late 1970s, Ziad Idilbi, a Palestinian refugee from Lebanon, marries Salma, a Lebanese refugee escaping the war in Beirut. Resolving to start over for the very last time, the couple opens a corner store in Toledo, Ohio, across from the General Motors factory, where Toledo’s Arab community intermingles with the working class. Over the decades, whether it’s bigotry (pre- and post-9/11), financial ruin, or terminal illness, the Idilbis find themselves on life’s outskirts, attempting to build something new.
Achingly poignant and slyly funny, the linked stories in Carryout follow the Idilbis and their children as they teeter on the brink of catastrophe. Walid, the youngest child of Ziad and Salma, navigates the heartbreaks of youth as well as the colorful characters who haunt his parents’ corner store. As he grows up into a writer, Walid’s gaze fixes on his father and the long shadow of displacement and occupation. Mustafa, the eldest son, is forever trying to outrun the disasters that seem to seek him out, while Nawal, the only daughter, is dumped by a friend and hatches a scheme to win her back. Unsure whether to run toward each other or away from each other, the characters in Dudar’s exquisite debut suffer the absurdities and indignities of life in America with wry obstinance and striking wisdom.
---
# About Book Club
This is no *run-of-the-mill book club*. Visiting writers will read excerpts, join the discussion, and answer your questions about craft, process, the publishing industry, and getting advice for our own writing! We’ll hang and eat snacks with the authors and escape your doomscrolling.
***Poetry Book Club*** will meet on Zoom ***every second Wednesday*** of the month with a new poet.
***Fiction Book Club*** will meet ***every third Sunday*** of the month in person at The Writer’s Center with a new author.
Come build community and read amazing books that the Big 5 didn’t have the sense to publish!
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Inner Loop Author's Corner w/ Lenna Jawdat!](https://writer.org/event/inner-loop-lenna-jawdat/)
**Published:** June 16, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
*70,000* is The Inner Loop’s Author’s Corner spotlight. [The Inner Loop](https://www.theinnerlooplit.org/) cultivates and promotes the distinctive literary culture of Washington, DC. Author’s Corner supports local authors’ independently published books by spotlighting them in community programming and collaborations.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from Bookshop.org »](https://bookshop.org/p/books/70-000-poems-lenna-jawdat/4019cb34bd88d58d?ean=9781771684545&next=t&next=t&affiliate=101989)
---
**Lenna Jawdat** is a poet, writer, professor, and psychotherapist of Palestinian and Iraqi descent. Her writing, which explores trauma, identity and resilience, has appeared in journals such as *Poet Lore, The Margins, Passenger’s Journal, Rogue Agent,* among others, and in the 2025 Haymarket Anthology *Heaven Looks Like Us*. She was a 2021 Best of the Net nominee for her poem “Ode to the Psoas,” a 2022 Sundress Academy for the Arts summer resident, and has attended Tin House Workshop for poetry and creative nonfiction. She is also co-organizer of the poetry vigil series In Water and Light. Lenna received her MFA in Creative Writing from the Institute of American Indian Arts in May 2024. She lives in DC with her partner and two cats.
**Aimee Inglis** is a citizen of the Osage Nation born and raised in Anaheim, CA, near the Santa Ana (Wanaawna) River, and currently living in Osage territory in Pawhuska, Oklahoma. She has worked in social movement organizations for housing and climate justice for fifteen years, has an MFA in Creative Writing from the Institute of American Indian Arts, and was a fellow with Indigenous Nations Poets. Their poetry has appeared in Under a Warm Green Linden, Anaheim Poetry Review, Poetry Northwest, About Place, Forging, Litmus Press, Beloit, and Petrichor.
---
# About *70,000*
**A powerful act of remembrance and resistance,** ***70,000*** **transforms cultural erasure into a living, breathing archive of grief, memory, and hope.**
*70,000* is a visceral and inventive poetry collection inspired by the removal of approximately 70,000 books from Palestinian homes and private libraries before and during the events of 1948. Of those books, most have not been returned; about 6,000 remain housed in Israeli national collections, where they are largely inaccessible to Palestinians.
In response to this loss of cultural and intellectual heritage, Lenna Jawdat began handwriting the numbers one to 70,000, choosing to imagine each number as a book. Trained as a trauma therapist, she documented the emotional and physical experience of this ritual, tracing the grief, reverence, and endurance that surfaced through the process. This full-color book unfolds through three interwoven threads: the numbers themselves, reflections on the act of writing, and a personal and familial poetic narrative expressed in both image and verse. Together, they form a fragmented yet powerful archive—blending poetry, memoir, maps, documents, and collage.
*70,000* is an embodied meditation on cultural displacement, memory, and resilience. What begins as a personal act of witnessing becomes a collective gesture toward remembrance, continuity, and the possibility of healing.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Novel 101: How to Craft the Story](https://writer.org/event/novel-101-how-to-craft-the-story-5/)
**Published:** September 3, 2026
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
# If you’ve always wanted to create your own exciting novel then this is the class for you.
This class offers the key concepts of plotting and pacing while delving into different genres. Beginners have the opportunity to share their works with the class while also building confidence in their craft. Short homework assignments will encourage practice outside of assigned class hours. Students will leave with an evolved sense of fiction and the tools necessary to continue writing their own story.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Setting
- Pacing and Plotting
- Character Development
- Exposure to Multiple Genres
# Time requirements
- About one hour outside of class per week.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Beginners interested in creating their own novel, come say hi! This workshop encourages individuals to start thinking about their own stories in relation to key story building blocks.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, Beginner Level, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Betsy Packard Art Reception](https://writer.org/event/betsy-packard/)
**Published:** September 24, 2026
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center is pleased to host an exhibition works by artist Betsy Packard, on display in the Center’s Joram Piatigorsky Gallery, October 1–November 4, 2026.
**Opening reception is FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
# Artist’s Statement
I often respond to words on a page—words that I can see—more easily than I do the spoken word.
The pieces exhibited here are a selection of works from 1978 to the present—where books, words, letters, and sometimes just the hint of a word or the shape of a letter, play a part.
I have used books as material, to make new objects, i.e., “The Bhaghavad Gita—As it Is,” (given to me at an airport, reduced to pulp here).
In the 80s and 90s I attempted to make changes in my life with my art.
Both in the act of creating the work, and later meditating on the finished work—I hoped that the power of the words would transform my situation: positive words and phrases, prayers and affirmations. Writing them out was the point. Artistry, composition, and craftsmanship were of little importance. This idea came from several sources, self help programs, and from Colin Wilson’s book “The Occult,” which I found in my neighbor’s trash. Think of the god as any benevolent force.
Finding value in anti-consumerism, beauty in a thrift mentality, and making objects with what I already have or is what is given to me are recurring themes. I play with and manipulate these items that come to me without effort. In recent years, used clothing has become a primary material.
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Book Promotion Through Podcasting](https://writer.org/event/book-promotion-through-podcasting-2/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** In this workshop we’ll focus on how to prepare your pitch materials, how to get booked on podcasts, how to be a great guest, and even how to create a professional podcasting environment.
**Content:**
In this workshop we’ll focus on how to prepare your pitch materials, how to get booked on podcasts, how to be a great guest, and even how to create a professional podcasting environment.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Ways to get booked on podcast both on your own and with agencies.
- How to create podcast prep and pitch sheets for podcast bookings.
- How to make your podcast performance your best performance!
- How to create your own, miniature podcast studio to look and sound your best including equipment and where to find it.
# Time requirements
- No outside preparation is necessary for this program.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for anyone who is looking for a new challenge, and who wants to get their book, their voice, and their content out to the general public.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 2 Sessions, All Levels, Professional Writing, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Memoir Tools from Start to Finish](https://writer.org/event/memoir-tools-from-start-to-finish/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Whether you are writing short pieces or are embarking on a full-length memoir, you need a roadmap. Over the course of four weeks, we will cover the tools you need to write a memoir from start to finish. We will discuss methods for starting a piece and getting content on the page. We’ll explore memoir structures and the relationship of form and content. We will learn editing techniques on both the sentence and big picture levels. Finally, we will talk about publishing options for memoir projects large and small. Participants will leave with the tools and confidence to start and complete a memoir project.
**Content:**
# Create a roadmap for your memoir project
Whether you are writing short pieces or are embarking on a full-length memoir, you need a roadmap. Over the course of four weeks, we will cover the tools you need to write a memoir from start to finish. We will discuss methods for starting a piece and getting content on the page. We’ll explore memoir structures and the relationship of form and content. We will learn editing techniques on both the sentence and big picture levels. Finally, we will talk about publishing options for memoir projects large and small. Participants will leave with the tools and confidence to start and complete a memoir project.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Methods for getting words on the page
- Understanding memoir structures
- Micro and macro editing techniques
- Memoir publication options
# Time requirements
- None
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Dialogue Master Class](https://writer.org/event/dialogue-master-class/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Dialogue is essential to characterization storytelling, yet can be incredibly tricky to master. In this course, we’ll look at transcripts of conversations from life and published work to develop strategies to make your dialogue shine in your writing. Then we’ll do some targeted exercises to explore different types of dialogue strategies that go beyond direct quotation to create a symphony of distinct speaking voices for your characters. All genres welcome.
**Content:**
# Make your dialogue come alive on the page!
Dialogue is essential to characterization storytelling, yet can be incredibly tricky to master. In this course, we’ll look at transcripts of conversations from life and published work to develop strategies to make your dialogue shine in your writing. Then we’ll do some targeted exercises to explore different types of dialogue strategies that go beyond direct quotation to create a symphony of distinct speaking voices for your characters. All genres welcome.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll be:
- Developing techniques for dialogue
- Mastering various dialogue strategies that go beyond direct quotation
- Considering context for dialogue
# Time requirements
- No reading required in advance
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for writers at all levels who want to hone their skills and master the fundamentals of dialogue
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Advanced Nonfiction](https://writer.org/event/advanced-nonfiction-2/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** This advanced class will go beyond the basics of nonfiction writing to provide an extra focus on fleshing out characters, incorporating a narrative voice, and developing more sophisticated tools for narrative storytelling.
**Content:**
# Go beyond the basics with your narrative nonfiction!
This advanced class will go beyond the basics of nonfiction writing to provide an extra focus on fleshing out characters, incorporating a narrative voice, and developing more sophisticated tools for narrative storytelling.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, Advanced Level, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Managing Queries with QueryTracker](https://writer.org/event/managing-queries-with-querytracker/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** QueryTracker is a powerful tool for finding literary agents, sending them queries, and tracking their responses. In this course we’ll cover the basics: search tools, the who-represents-whom tool, and data view options. We’ll look at cool features that are a little harder to find: pasting in agency/agent notes, flagging agents by priority, and setting alerts for when closed agents become open. We'll also discuss other resources like Publisher's Marketplace. Coupons for a free year of premium QueryTracker membership will be provided for up to 10 attendees. Bring your laptop to follow along.
**Content:**
# Make querying agents easier and more efficient!
QueryTracker is a powerful tool for finding literary agents, sending them queries, and tracking their responses. In this course we’ll cover the basics: search tools, the who-represents-whom tool, and data view options. We’ll look at cool features that are a little harder to find: pasting in agency/agent notes, flagging agents by priority, and setting alerts for when closed agents become open. We’ll also discuss other resources like Publisher’s Marketplace. Coupons for a free year of premium QueryTracker membership will be provided for up to 10 attendees. Bring your laptop to follow along.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Learn how to search for literary agents who fit your work
- Learn how to prioritize agents for “tranches” of submissions
- Organize your notes on agents for easy retrieval
- Incorporate data from other resources like Publishers Marketplace
# Time Requirements
- No prep except for bringing a laptop
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for authors beginning, or resuming, the agent query process for book manuscripts.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Publishing, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Reading like a Writer: Imitation as Generative Writing](https://writer.org/event/reading-like-a-writer-imitation-as-generative-writing/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** We all read for pleasure, but a writer also reads to learn. It feeds a writer’s writing practice. In this generative workshop, each week we will become familiar with the work of an established poet as a means to examine elements of craft and draft their own poems. This course also includes an optional workshopping element to receive feedback from your peers and the instructor.
**Content:**
# Don’t just read great poetry, use it as a tool to push your work.
We all read for pleasure, but a writer also reads to learn. It feeds a writer’s writing practice. In this generative workshop, each week we will become familiar with the work of an established poet as a means to examine elements of craft and draft their own poems. This course also includes an optional workshopping element to receive feedback from your peers and the instructor.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# Time Requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Writers looking to engage with contemporary poetry and create their own poems.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 5 Sessions, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Poetry, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Crafting Compelling Characters](https://writer.org/event/crafting-compelling-characters-2/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** 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.
**Content:**
# Create realistic characters that step off the page!
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.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Character Development
- Backstory
- Concrete Detail
- Personality Models
# Time requirements
- None
# Materials
- Suggested reading: The Science of Storytelling by Will Storr and Outlining Your Novel by K.M. Weiland
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Introduction to Art Journaling](https://writer.org/event/introduction-to-art-journaling-5/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Using quotes, poems and/or personal reflections, students will combine words with easy to follow art techniques to create an art journal reflecting their own personal style. *Students should bring to all classes a blank watercolor journal, 8x8 or larger. All other art materials used in class will be provided by instructor.
**Content:**
# Learn how to combine words and art to create beautiful and unique personal artistic journals.
Using quotes, poems and/or personal reflections, students will combine words with easy to follow art techniques to create an art journal reflecting their own personal style. \*Students should bring to all classes a blank watercolor journal, 8×8 or larger. All other art materials used in class will be provided by instructor. \*No previous art experience necessary.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop:
- Students will have time in class to explore their own writing using prompts, poems, quotes, and/or personal narratives.
- Class will include instruction in basic art and design principals.
- Students will have a chance to try a wide variety of art supplies and techniques.
- At the end of class, students will have basic knowledge and skills to continue their art journaling practice.
# Time Requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This class is for all writers who want to explore and combine an artistic element to use in their personal journals.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 2 Sessions, All Levels, Mixed Genre, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Boot Camp for Writers](https://writer.org/event/boot-camp-for-writers-5/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Each session of Boot Camp for Writers will begin with a prompt followed by writing time. Participants will have the opportunity to share and discuss their work as well as receive in-class feedback. The workshop is designed so that participants will have the start of six new pieces by the end of class. Former Boot Camp participants are always (and happily) welcome. Note: No meeting November 3 and 24.
**Content:**
# Tone, strengthen, and flex your writing muscles.
Each session of Boot Camp for Writers will begin with a prompt followed by writing time. Participants will have the opportunity to share and discuss their work as well as receive in-class feedback. The workshop is designed so that participants will have the start of six new pieces by the end of class. Former Boot Camp participants are always (and happily) welcome. Note: No meeting November 3 and 24.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Effective beginnings
- Creative prose and lyrical storytelling
- Strong conclusions
- Structure
- Deepening story
- Building Writing Community
# Time requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers at all level and stages who want to take their creative endurance to the next level.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 7 Sessions, All Levels, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [John DeDakis Book Launch](https://writer.org/event/john-dedakis/)
**Published:** September 24, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes writer **John DeDakis** for a reading from his new book, *Plot Twists: A Memoir on Writing and Living**.*** John is joined by writer **Austin S. Camacho.**
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
**John DeDakis** is a former editor on CNN’s “The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer.” DeDakis, a former White House correspondent, is the author of six traditionally published novels in the award-winning Lark Chadwick mystery-suspense-thriller series. DeDakis is a motivational speaker, podcaster, one-on-one writing coach, manuscript editor, and regularly teaches novel and memoir writing at The Writer’s Center, and other literary centers, bookstores, and writers’ conferences nationwide and abroad. He is also a Grief Educator, certified by world-renowned grief expert David Kessler of Grief.com. John’s newest book is *Plot Twists: A Memoir on Writing and Living*. Website: [www.johndedakis.com](http://www.johndedakis.com/)
**Austin S. Camacho** is the author of eight Hannibal Jones mysteries, five Stark and O’Brien international thrillers, the detective novel Beyond Blue, and the urban thrillers True Target and Mirror Target. His short stories have been featured in several anthologies and he is featured in [*African American Mystery Writers: A Historical and Thematic Study*](http://www.amazon.com/African-American-Mystery-Writers-Historical/dp/0786433396/ref=pd_bbs_6?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1223665005&sr=8-6)*,* is a past president of the Maryland Writers Association, and one of the creators of the Creatures, Crimes & Creativity Con.
---
# About *Plot Twists: A Memoir on Writing and Living*
In *Plot Twists: A Memoir on Writing and Living,* Writer’s Center teaching artist, writing coach, award-winning novelist, and former CNN editor John DeDakis delivers a candid coming-of-age memoir shaped by the upheaval of the 1960s when assassinations, the Vietnam War, and a nation in turmoil rerouted his life. Along the way, DeDakis interviews Alfred Hitchcock, covers Ronald Reagan, and works beside Wolf Blitzer—while privately grappling with spiritual doubt, his sister’s suicide, and the devastating loss of his youngest son to addiction. In unflinching prose, DeDakis traces his evolution from hedonistic impulsivity to hard-won integrity.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Lessons and Inspiration from a Literary Life](https://writer.org/event/lessons-and-inspiration-from-a-literary-life/)
**Published:** September 15, 2026
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
# Reframe your understanding of the joys, purpose, struggles, and successes associated with being both a writer and a member of the wider literary community.
In a presentation that spans my 40+-year career as a writer and literary advocate, I will share the hard-earned insights that have informed and inspired my life and work. Together, we’ll explore everything from balancing writing and work in late stage capitalism to membership in (and service to) the literary community. After the presentation, I’ll answer questions from attendees, who will also be able to sign up for one-on-one consultations at a later date.
This presentation and discussion is intended for anyone living a literary life in 21st century America: writers at all career stages, editors, and students of writing.
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Fiction, Kid Lit, Mixed Genre, Nonfiction, Poetry, Professional Writing, Publishing, Stage and Screen, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Poetry Book Club w/ Melanie McCabe!](https://writer.org/event/poetry-book-club-w-melanie-mccabe/)
**Published:** September 8, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
[*Poet Lore*, America’s oldest poetry journal](https://www.poetlore.com/) and The Writer’s Center welcomes poet **Melanie McCabe** to our monthly Virtual Poetry Book Club for a discussion of her collection, *All The Signs Were There.* Melanie is joined by Book Club Host, Hannah Grieco.
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online »](https://longleafpress.org/product/preorder-all-the-signs-were-there-by-melanie-mccabe/)
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
**Melanie McCabe** is a writer of poems, essays, memoir, and most recently, fiction. She is a lifelong Virginian and was a high school English and creative writing teacher in Arlington for twenty-two years. Her debut novel, *Road Longer Than Memory,* was published by Oceanview Publishing on June 2, 2026. Her latest book of poems, *All The Signs Were There,* won the Longleaf Poetry Prize. Her memoir, *His Other Life: Searching For My Father, His First Wife, and Tennessee Williams*, won the 2016 University of New Orleans Publishing Lab Prize and was published in the fall of 2017. Previous books of poems include: *The Night Divers* (Terrapin Books), *What The Neighbors Know* (FutureCycle Press) and *History of the Body* (David Robert Books.) Her essays have appeared in *The Washington Post, Reader’s Digest, Shenandoah, Cincinnati Review, Sweet, Forge Literary Magazine* and elsewhere.
---
# About *All The Signs Were There*
“To date, there has been no bomb,” writes Melanie McCabe in her gorgeously foreboding collection of poems, All the Signs Were There. Here are overgrown vacant lots, ants running in the walls, shadowy relationships, a “coastline of sharp and slice.” This is a powerful book of omens—and of the courage to live through them. —David Ebenbach, author of What’s Left to Us by Evening
“Feral is the name given to what’s wild/ by what isn’t,” writes Melanie McCabe in this shimmering sequence that maps the heart’s bewitching cartography. Traveling through the lush landscapes of childhood and adolescence where fields reveal “the sudden stonehenge of a lone/gate,” to the stormy world of adulthood where “\[m\]orning, still beating, is swallowed/mouse-whole down a snake,” McCabe pays tribute to time’s uncanny passage. Here, lovers clasp hands and plunge like “banished angels” from an “edge” they carved themselves, while teenaged rivals reunite late in life, carving out friendship, forgiveness, and healing. All the Signs Were There is filled with breathtaking insight and painterly vision.—Jane Satterfield, author of The Badass Brontës
On behalf of all of us at Longleaf– and previous Longleaf Press Book Prize winners–who helped read and comment on hundreds of manuscripts, I want to celebrate All the Signs Were There, the intelligence and range of Melanie McCabe’s atmospheric poems and her unique and otherworldly ear for the language. We were riveted: “/the air that finds my lungs is chosen for its jade/ stillness. Each breath for its lull.” —Roger Weingarten, Publisher, Longleaf Press
---
# About Book Club
This is no *run-of-the-mill book club*. Visiting writers will read excerpts, join the discussion, and answer your questions about craft, process, the publishing industry, and getting advice for our own writing! We’ll hang and eat snacks with the authors and escape your doomscrolling.
***Poetry Book Club*** will meet on Zoom ***every second Wednesday*** of the month with a new poet.
***Fiction Book Club*** will meet ***every third Sunday*** of the month in person at The Writer’s Center with a new author.
Come build community and read amazing books that the Big 5 didn’t have the sense to publish!
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Writer John Edwards Book Launch](https://writer.org/event/john-edwards/)
**Published:** August 5, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes writer **John R. Edwards** for a reading from his debut memoir, *Polly: Takes Me on the Ride of her Life.*
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
**John R. Edwards** is a Navy veteran, who retired as Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center deputy chief engineer, then became a hip hop dance teacher and won three TV dance competitions and performed in two Michael Jackson Videos. He was awarded Los Angeles Magazine’s Environmental Publisher’s award and a White House Closing the Circle Award for reducing ozone depletion from rockets. He is the co-inventor of the Darwin Fish. His article on space debris earned an Air Force award. This bio-memoir is his debut Book.
---
# About *Polly: Takes Me on the Ride of her Life*
**It all started with a simple question: “What about your mother?”**
After the death of his father, John R. Edwards, retired Navy veteran turned dance instructor, had assembled a book outlining the life, accomplishments, and scientific publications of his father. Writing about his mother, though, had never occurred to him. They rarely got along, and at first glance, her life was simple—she was a nurse and mother.
But this one question began Edwards’s quest to discover the intricacies of his mother Polly’s life. Weaving in family history beginning in Denmark and Michigan to LA, Edwards shares the story of Polly’s life—her travels, her faith, and her influence—showcasing from memories, letters, and journals that a person’s everyday life is rarely as simple as it first appears.
Polly Takes Me on the Ride of Her Life is the story of one family’s heritage, with Polly at the helm, spanning from the Civil War to the surf era in Southern California, transporting readers to yesteryears when family members were Civil War heroes, area codes did not exist, and World War II lingered in recent memories.
As Edwards retraces his mother’s journey, he discovers that beneath years of conflict lay a deeper truth: The woman he struggled to understand had been shaping his life all along.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing](https://writer.org/event/fundamentals-of-persuasive-writing-3/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Learn how to pack a powerful punch when writing persuasively! This four-week workshop covers the processes involved in writing persuasively and with confidence, whether it is crafting newspaper op-eds and speeches or official emails, memos, letters and proposals. Everything starts with a core message. Think. Plan. Write. Participants will learn the techniques of audience analysis, message development, targeted research, organization, using persuasive language and effective use of "AI" in planning/strategizing. This class features hands-on writing instruction, engaging discussion and an extensive reading list.
**Content:**
# Learn how to change minds, build support and make the case for your viewpoints and goals.
Learn how to pack a powerful punch when writing persuasively! This four-week workshop covers the processes involved in writing persuasively and with confidence, whether it is crafting newspaper op-eds and speeches or official emails, memos, letters and proposals. Everything starts with a core message. Think. Plan. Write. Participants will learn the techniques of audience analysis, message development, targeted research, organization, using persuasive language and effective use of “AI” in planning/strategizing. This class features hands-on writing instruction, engaging discussion and an extensive reading list.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How to Nail Down Your Opinion and Stake Out Your Argument or Ultimate Goal
- How to Think, Plan and Write Strategically
- How to Refine and Finalize Your Writing
# Time requirements
- 1-2 hours weekly
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This is a great workshop for beginners and intermediate writers who want to tap into the power of “penning with persuasion.”
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Professional Writing, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [1455’s Women's Writers Anthology Reading](https://writer.org/event/1455/)
**Published:** August 19, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes **1455** to celebrate the launch of their Women Writers Anthology for a Q&A between 1455 Executive Director Sean Murphy and local author Hannah Grieco, followed by readings from the anthology.
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
# About the Anthology
1455’s first *Women Writers Anthology* brings together original poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and hybrid work from women writers across the globe, each offering a unique perspective on identity, resilience, connection, and the complexities of modern life. As one of the inaugural titles from 1455 books, this collection reflects a commitment to accessibility, authenticity, and the enduring power of literary community. Find our more at [1455litarts.org/wwa/](http://1455litarts.org/wwa/)
---
**Sean Murphy** is the founder of the non-profit 1455 Literary Arts and directs the Center for Story at Shenandoah University. He is the author of four poetry collections—*The Blackened Blues* (2021), *Rhapsodies in Blue* (2023), *Kinds of Blue* (2024), and *Red, White, and Blues* (2026). The short fiction collection *This Kind of Man* published in 2024, and his memoir, *Please Talk About Me When I’m Gone*, won Memoir Magazine’s 2022 Memoir Prize. He has been nominated four times for the Pushcart Prize and twice for Best of the Net. Murphy also hosts the podcast and Substack *Some Things Considered*, where he interviews best-selling authors, acclaimed critics, and celebrated musicians. Find him at [seanmurphy.net](http://seanmurphy.net/)
**Hannah Grieco** is the author of *First Kicking, Then Not,* out now from Stanchion Books. She writes a literary column for *Washington City Paper* and teaches literature at Marymount University. Read more of her work in *The Washington Post, Al Jazeera, Brevity, Craft, Poet Lore, Shenandoah, Fairy Tale Review, Wigleaf, The Offing*, and more.
**Mae Black** is a Tennessee-born archivist and poet with degrees from Vanderbilt and the University of Louisville, where she studied Pan-African. Her work blends modernist, existential, and confessional traditions, exploring identity, alienation, and belonging with a raw, abstract voice.
**Mary Kay Zuravleff** is the award-winning author of *American Ending,* chosen for *Oprah’s Spring Reading List*. Earlier novels include *Man Alive! (*a *Washington Post* Notable Book), *The Bowl Is Already Broken*, and *The Frequency of Souls,* winner of the *American Academy’s* Rosenthal Award and the James Jones First Novel Award. She lives in Washington, DC. Published both in the anthology, *The Overturning* (Erratics Press, 2025), and reprinted in *Gargoyle Online* (Issue #12, 2025).
**Christina Tudor** is a writer living in Washington, D.C. Her fiction has been featured in *CRAFT, SmokeLong Quarterly, matchbook, HAD, Flash Frog, The Citron Review, Best Small Fictions 2024,* and more. Her debut chapbook, *CALL MY BODY A CAUTIONARY TALE*, will be published by Thirty West this October 2026. Follow her on social media @christinaltudor
**Holly Karapetkova** is Poet Laureate Emerita of Arlington, Virginia, and recipient of an Academy of American Poets Laureate Fellowship for her work with young poets. Her third book of poems is *Dear Empire* from Gunpowder Press.
**Caroline Bock** is the author of *THE OTHER BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE* (Regal House Publishing, June 2026), young adult novels *LIE* and *Before My Eyes (*St. Martin’s Press), and the award-winning short story collection Carry Her Home (WWPH). Her short work appears in the *Best Microfiction 2026* and many other literary journals. She is the co-president and prose editor at the Washington Writers’ Publishing House.
**Sarah Trembath** is on faculty in the American University Writing Studies Program and is executive director of AU’s Antiracist Research and Policy Center. She is widely published across indie presses and reviews books for the *Washington Independent Review of Books. She is also a mom, Philadelphia Eagles fan, and social justice activist concerned about propaganda and the rise of the far-right. Her book of epistolary essays and poems—*This Past Was Waiting for Me: A Chronicle at Quarter Century*—was released by Lazuli Literary Group in May 2026.
****The author of *Bellow & Hiss*, a New Women’s Voices Chapbook Competition finalist (2023, Finishing Line Press), **Alyson Gold Weinberg**’s work appears in numerous literary magazines and anthologies, including *Quarter After Eight*, *December,* *ONE ART*, *Halfway Down the Stair*s, *Silver Birch Press*, *Yellow Arrow*, and *Wild Greens*, among others. Her prose poem “Gwen’s Luncheonette” was runner-up for the 2024 Robert J. De Mott Contest, chosen by Dianne Seuss, and her poem “War/Torn Sonnet” was a finalist for the 2024 Midway Journal -1000 Below Flash Contest. Alyson is also a speechwriter, ghostwriter, and writing coach who chases joy with family and friends.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [The Art of the Short Story w/ Rita Bullwinkel](https://writer.org/event/the-art-of-the-short-story-w-rita-bullwinkel/)
**Published:** July 9, 2026
**Author:** Emily Holland
**Content:**
# **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 their own, and procure insight into how to further their creative projects into their fullest, most complex and potent, forms. In this year-long short story intensive, students will read and discuss the work of their peers, and have the opportunity to submit four of their own short stories for group discussion. Students will also read the work of contemporary short story writers alongside the work of their peers in order to identify how their own work, and the work of their peers, is situated within the contemporary literary landscape.
---
# **View the Virtual Info Session**
Meet Rita Bullwinkel, instructor for our yearlong short story workshop, and have all your questions about the program answered!
###### [**WATCH THE RECORDING >>>**](https://youtu.be/ZEv5xQzOK1w)
---
# **Who is this course for?**
This course is for anyone who loves reading and writing short stories. If you are working on a short story collection: fantastic. If you are just beginning, and have only a few drafted stories under your belt, that is great, too. It is likely best if you come to the first class with at least one complete short short you are interested in workshopping. Over the course of the year you will workshop four short stories. It is my great hope that you will find the workshop generative, and that our conversations will draw you to the page to start new work.
---
# **Learning Outcomes:**
- Write and workshop four short stories
- Meaningfully engage with the work of one’s peers through verbal feedback
- Gain a comprehensive understanding of the contemporary literary landscape
- Situate one’s own creative practice within the contemporary literary landscape
---
# **Required Books:**
- *McSweeney’s Quarterly Issue 79*
- *McSweeney’s Quarterly Issue 80*
- *McSweeney’s Quarterly Issue 81*
- *McSweeney’s Quarterly Issue 82*
- *McSweeney’s Quarterly Issue 83*
- *McSweeney’s Quarterly Issue 84*
Note: I, the instructor, am the editor of *McSweeney’s Quarterly*, a literary magazine that primarily publishes short stories. Over the course of the year each student will be asked to select and present on one short story of their choosing from the above issues. More details about this aspect of the class will be provided on the first day of instruction.
---
# **Workshop Submissions:**
You will submit four short stories over the course of the year. Submissions should be between 10 and 20 pages, Times New Roman, double spaced. Your submission should be a self-contained story, or a series of self contained stories. We will not be looking at excerpts in this workshop. If your submission is slightly longer or shorter than these guidelines, please discuss with me ahead of submitting. Include your last name and page numbers on all pages. Your submissions are due by upload to our class google drive the week before your submission is scheduled to be discussed. We cannot workshop stories that are turned in late. Please do not use one of your four submission opportunities to submit a revision of a story that has been previously workshopped.
# **The Questioning:**
Our group discussions of student work will utilize a pedagogical method called the questioning, which was first outlined by Jesse Ball in his craft book *Notes on My Dunce Cap*. In our group discussions I, the instructor, and all students whose work is not being discussed, will ask the author questions about their work. We may only ask the author questions. The only person allowed to make declarative statements is the author. If someone in the class other than the author uses a declarative sentence such as, “I liked this part” or “this was confusing” I will ask the student to rephrase their sentiment to the author as a question. The author will speak freely. The author need not know the answers to all of the questions posed to them. Knowing the limits of their knowledge of their own narrative is useful information. This method of questioning the author about their work, and the experience the author gains from having to verbally formulate answers to these questions, openly leads the author to understanding and viewing their work from a perspective other than their own. It also frees the conversation from the superficial “good/bad” binary and provides a more nuanced and generative and in depth engagement with the work. For the last ten minutes of each group discussion the author will have an opportunity to ask their peers questions about any content of the work that they feel has not already been addressed. During this section of workshop anyone may use declarative sentences.
---
# Schedule
This class will meet virtually every other Wednesday, with brief winter and spring breaks. Workshop dates run from October 21, 2026 – July 28, 2027, 7pm-9pm EST (4pm-6pm PST).
- October 21st
- November 4th
- November 18th
- December 2nd
- December 16th
WINTER HOLIDAY BREAK
- January 6th
- January 20th
- February 3rd
- February 17th
- March 3rd
SPRING BREAK
- March 24th
- April 7th
- April 21st
- May 5th
- May 19th
- June 2nd
- June 16th
- June 30th
- July 14th
- July 28th
**Attendance Policy:**
Three unexcused absences will result in being dropped from the course.
---
# **1:1 Mentoring**
1:1 meetings will occur with each student twice during the year: one after the student’s second story is workshopped, and one after the student’s fourth and final story is workshopped.
---
# **To Apply**
**Application Deadline: Monday, October 5, 2026**
Admissions are on a rolling basis. Participants are encouraged to apply early. Acceptance into the workshop is required before registering. To apply to the program please submit:
- A 10 to 20 page writing sample (can be any genre).
- A brief cover letter (no more than 250 words) explaining why you want to take this class.
- A list of 10 short stories that you love. Please format the list as simple bullet points, with just the title and the author noted. Please do not elaborate on why you love the stories.
- Please sign and date the following statement: “I, \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_, understand that it is not possible to “collaborate” with a word prediction machine and hereby attest that no AI or LLMs were or will be used in any part of my workshop submissions.”
Please send your application to <emily.holland@writer.org>.
*Acceptance into the workshop is required before registering.*
---
# **About Book Farm @ The Writer’s Center**
The Writer’s Center hosts a series of workshops for serious writers to complete book-length projects, generate new work for publication, or master the elements of craft within a specific genre. You’ll work with an acclaimed author, guiding you through 4-12 months of lessons, workshops, and revisions. Our instructors are all accomplished educators with a track record of student success. Limited enrollment with rolling admission up to the application deadline, so apply right away to secure your spot!
All Book Farm participants receive an exclusive tote bag, a craft book recommended by the instructor, and a $100 gift certificate good toward future TWC workshops. Participants also receive exclusive access to The Writer’s Center staff, all of whom are accomplished writers with extensive experience in editing and publishing.
**Event Categories:** All Levels, Fiction, Master Level, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Writing Practices for Busy Minds](https://writer.org/event/writing-practices-for-busy-minds/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Traditional writing advice doesn't work for every writer. Created with neurodivergent writers in mind, this workshop is also for anyone whose writing process is shaped by a busy mind, limited time or energy, or the competing demands of everyday life. If you think in loops and layers, struggle with focus, overwhelm, or organizing ideas, or find yourself caught between bursts of inspiration and periods of resistance, you're not alone. Drawing from lived experience and years of teaching writers, we'll explore writing practices that honor the way different minds create. You'll learn to recognize your unique attention patterns, work with rather than against your creative process, and develop strategies for navigating common challenges such as idea overwhelm, perfectionism, non-linear thinking, executive dysfunction, and wavering motivation. You'll leave with practical techniques to support each phase of the writing process—from prewriting and drafting to revisin —in ways that are flexible and sustainable. Whether you're navigating ADHD or another form of neurodivergence, living with chronic illness, balancing caregiving responsibilities, experiencing burnout, or simply finding that traditional writing advice doesn't fit your life, this workshop offers adaptable tools that help you build a writing practice that works with your mind and circumstances, not against them.
**Content:**
# Honor the way your mind works and discover writing strategies that support your creativity.
Traditional writing advice doesn’t work for every writer. Created with neurodivergent writers in mind, this workshop is also for anyone whose writing process is shaped by a busy mind, limited time or energy, or the competing demands of everyday life. If you think in loops and layers, struggle with focus, overwhelm, or organizing ideas, or find yourself caught between bursts of inspiration and periods of resistance, you’re not alone. Drawing from lived experience and years of teaching writers, we’ll explore writing practices that honor the way different minds create. You’ll learn to recognize your unique attention patterns, work with rather than against your creative process, and develop strategies for navigating common challenges such as idea overwhelm, perfectionism, non-linear thinking, executive dysfunction, and wavering motivation. You’ll leave with practical techniques to support each phase of the writing process—from prewriting and drafting to revisin —in ways that are flexible and sustainable. Whether you’re navigating ADHD or another form of neurodivergence, living with chronic illness, balancing caregiving responsibilities, experiencing burnout, or simply finding that traditional writing advice doesn’t fit your life, this workshop offers adaptable tools that help you build a writing practice that works with your mind and circumstances, not against them.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Reframe Common Writing Struggles: Learn to view challenges like inconsistency, overwhelm, and non-linear thinking through a more compassionate lens.
- Work with Your Natural Rhythms: Discover writing strategies that support your attention patterns instead of fighting against them.
- Navigate Creative Resistance: Identify internal barriers and develop practical ways to move through them with more ease.
- Experiment with Flexible Writing Practices: Explore adaptable techniques for capturing ideas, organizing thoughts, and maintaining momentum.
- Cultivate a Sustainable Writing Practice: Leave with practical tools you can tailor to your own creative needs and preferences.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Building Your Author Platform](https://writer.org/event/building-your-author-platform/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** In this hands-on workshop, discover three proven strategies to attract email subscribers, grow loyal social followers, and turn speaking opportunities into fans and clients. Walk away with clear calls-to-action and a platform strategy designed around your ideal reader audience.
**Content:**
# Build a powerful author platform that actually grows your audience and book sales.
In this hands-on workshop, discover three proven strategies to attract email subscribers, grow loyal social followers, and turn speaking opportunities into fans and clients. Walk away with clear calls-to-action and a platform strategy designed around your ideal reader audience.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- A clear platform-building strategy to grow both email subscribers and social followers with intention.
- A compelling call-to-action and email opt-in idea designed to attract their ideal audience and turn interest into subscribers.
- A practical speaking and content plan that builds know-love-trust and converts audiences into readers, fans, and clients.
# Time Requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- If you have a book, you have a business. Building a platform is essential to gain the visibility, fans, and sales for your work that you deserve. It’s also essential in order to be taken seriously by publishers. Everyone who is pitching or selling their brave words should take this workshop.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Professional Writing, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [A Beginner's Guide to Food Writing](https://writer.org/event/a-beginners-guide-to-food-writing/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Everyone has a food history. Learn to write yours in this short, two-week beginner course. In week one, students will learn the basics about what food history is and the different ways that they can write about it. They will also delve into how to write and publish food history blogs and articles. In week two, learners will explore the ins and outs of writing and publishing books and memoirs on food history. Students will finish the class with the knowledge and confidence to write and publish these four types of prose online and in print.
**Content:**
# Turn your passion for food and history into prose!
Everyone has a food history. Learn to write yours in this short, two-week beginner course. In week one, students will learn the basics about what food history is and the different ways that they can write about it. They will also delve into how to write and publish food history blogs and articles. In week two, learners will explore the ins and outs of writing and publishing books and memoirs on food history. Students will finish the class with the knowledge and confidence to write and publish these four types of prose online and in print.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Gain knowledge about what is and how to use food history
- Explore different voices and writing styles in food history
- Write food history blogs, articles, books, memoirs
- Learn about publishing opportunities in food history
# Time Requirements
- Two hours
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for beginning writers interested in learning the basics about what food history is and how to write it.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 2 Sessions, Beginner Level, Nonfiction, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Characters That Matter (Fiction and Memoir)](https://writer.org/event/characters-that-matter-fiction-and-memoir/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** At the core of every good tale is a character with whom the reader wants to spend time. Discover how to move beyond the superficial and cliché, crafting characters who invite the reader to explore the human condition. Illustrations and exercises will help you uncover your character's inner values (in memoir, that character is you), understand how flaws shape what a character wants and does, and recognize why a character must act—not just react—for a story to move forward. We'll examine techniques for depicting yearning, internal conflict, and transformation, and consider what's at stake if your character fails. This workshop will benefit those writing a novel, short story, or memoir.
**Content:**
# Dive deep into character creation to craft compelling fiction and memoir.
At the core of every good tale is a character with whom the reader wants to spend time. Discover how to move beyond the superficial and cliché, crafting characters who invite the reader to explore the human condition. Illustrations and exercises will help you uncover your character’s inner values (in memoir, that character is you), understand how flaws shape what a character wants and does, and recognize why a character must act—not just react—for a story to move forward. We’ll examine techniques for depicting yearning, internal conflict, and transformation, and consider what’s at stake if your character fails. This workshop will benefit those writing a novel, short story, or memoir.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Moving beyond cliché
- Understanding character yearning and flaws
- The importance of action, transformation, and stakes
# Time requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is open to all writers, especially fiction and memoir writers, who are interested in creating characters with whom readers will engage.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [(Re)constructing Detailed Scenes](https://writer.org/event/reconstructing-detailed-scenes/)
**Published:** September 15, 2026
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Whether you’re a fiction or non-fiction writer, evoking scenes in sensory detail is critical for holding readers’ attention. But knowing what to include and omit is difficult, especially when you’re deeply caught up in the story yourself. Using samples from fiction and non-fiction literature, this workshop will coach students on how to “think like a movie camera” when writing scenes that aim to immerse readers in the story without overwhelming them. We’ll learn how to choose the best entry point into a scene, how to keep the right elements in focus throughout, and how to gracefully transition out.
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Fiction, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Writing Beyond Genre](https://writer.org/event/writing-beyond-genre/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** In this short workshop, we'll explore writing that doesn't care what you call it, work that resists easy attempts at categorization and chooses to wow us instead. We'll read samples from some contemporary writers who are doing this best, and consider why anyone would bother to categorize their work at all, then we'll get into prompts that lead us toward our own hard-to-classify texts. We'll work through a few prompts of our own and leave the workshop with some short pieces to polish or expand, along with a better understanding of resisting genre.
**Content:**
# Resist labels and just get weird with it!
In this short workshop, we’ll explore writing that doesn’t care what you call it, work that resists easy attempts at categorization and chooses to wow us instead. We’ll read samples from some contemporary writers who are doing this best, and consider why anyone would bother to categorize their work at all, then we’ll get into prompts that lead us toward our own hard-to-classify texts. We’ll work through a few prompts of our own and leave the workshop with some short pieces to polish or expand, along with a better understanding of resisting genre.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Resisting Genre
- Prose Poetry
- Lyric Nonfiction
- Speculative Nonfiction
- Hybrid Fiction
# Time requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Intermediate/Advanced Level, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Writing Picture Books](https://writer.org/event/writing-picture-books-6/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Learn how to write a picture book from a successful author of thirty award-winning books for children. Each session will begin with a short discussion of an aspect of writing for children, including story openings and arcs, characterization, plot/pacing, rhythm/sound, and marketing. Suggested readings, prompts, and feedback on in-class writing will inspire and guide writers in the class. By the end of the workshop, participants should have written and/or revised part or all of a picture book and have a better sense of how to create one in the future. Feedback will be offered on in-class exercises only rather than workshopping writing done outside of class.
**Content:**
# Learn the basics–from story structure to marketing–of writing picture books for children.
Learn how to write a picture book from a successful author of thirty award-winning books for children. Each session will begin with a short discussion of an aspect of writing for children, including story openings and arcs, characterization, plot/pacing, rhythm/sound, and marketing. Suggested readings, prompts, and feedback on in-class writing will inspire and guide writers in the class. By the end of the workshop, participants should have written and/or revised part or all of a picture book and have a better sense of how to create one in the future. Feedback will be offered on in-class exercises only rather than workshopping writing done outside of class.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Craft a Strong Beginning
- Consider Characterization & Plot
- Revise for Rhythm & Sound
- Explore Marketing & Helpful Resources
# Time requirements
- Outside class prep: 20-30 minutes per week.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for those interested in the basics of writing picture books for children. We will not be covering the writing of chapter books and novels for older kids.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 3 Sessions, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Kid Lit, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Writing Poetry From Where You Live](https://writer.org/event/writing-poetry-from-where-you-live/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Go beyond nature and love poetry to explore how you live and work in the suburb/city. Participants each week can expect to learn about basic poetry elements, such as line, image, point of view, and rhythm/music, as well as workshop poems each class as a group. Students will also learn how the themes of suburb/city can be used to create poetry that has relevance and purpose for readers and editors. By the end of the class, participants will learn how to go beyond their normal subjects for poems, as well as revise at least one poem.
**Content:**
# Your Life in Poetry! How to write from one’s experience in the city and suburbs.
Go beyond nature and love poetry to explore how you live and work in the suburb/city. Participants each week can expect to learn about basic poetry elements, such as line, image, point of view, and rhythm/music, as well as workshop poems each class as a group. Students will also learn how the themes of suburb/city can be used to create poetry that has relevance and purpose for readers and editors. By the end of the class, participants will learn how to go beyond their normal subjects for poems, as well as revise at least one poem.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Writing About Suburb/City
- Breaking lines in Poetry
- Creating imagery in Poetry
- Point of View in Poetry
- Music/Lyricism in Poetry
# Time requirements
- Requires two to three hours a week preparing for each session.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This poetry workshop is for beginning and intermediate poets who want to broaden their subject matter and improve their work through the workshop critique process. Participants can write poems on any theme; they do not need to be suburb/city related.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 5 Sessions, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [(Wet Ink) The Art of the Pitch](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-the-art-of-the-pitch/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** In this class, we’ll learn how to write a well-crafted pitch that can land you publication in top newspapers and magazines. Whether you are writing newsy personal essays or reported articles, we’ll learn how to catch an editor’s attention by pegging our pitch to a current event, and and showing that we're the right person to tell this story. The teacher will share example pitches that have gotten her published, even with few credits to her name. You'll leave class having sent 3-4 pitches to editors.
**Content:**
# Learn how to write an irresistible pitch to get your work published in newspapers and magazines.
In this class, we’ll learn how to write a well-crafted pitch that can land you publication in top newspapers and magazines. Whether you are writing newsy personal essays or reported articles, we’ll learn how to catch an editor’s attention by pegging our pitch to a current event, and and showing that we’re the right person to tell this story. The teacher will share example pitches that have gotten her published, even with few credits to her name. You’ll leave class having sent 3-4 pitches to editors.
---
***Learn at your own pace:** This workshop will take place over **Wet Ink**, which is an asynchronous creative writing platform. The instructor will post a lesson and assignment at the beginning of each week, and participants can log in and read the lessons/post assignments/comment on other classmates’ work at their convenience. Shortly before the start date, participants will receive an invite from Wet Ink to create their login info and access the class. Please check your spam if you don’t see it.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- The structure of a successful pitch
- How to figure out which editor to pitch to, and find their email
- How to peg a personal or reported story to current events
- How to show that you are the right (or only!) person to tell this story
# Time requirements
- 2-4 hours outside of class
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, Intermediate/Advanced Level, Publishing, Wet Ink, Workshop
---
### [Lyrical Memoir Writing](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing-2/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** How do we turn the fragments of memory into writing that resonates? In this workshop guided by award-winning poet Chioma Urama, you’ll learn the techniques of lyrical memoir writing—using image, rhythm, and voice to shape personal experience into powerful narratives. Through guided exercises and discussion, we’ll explore how to access subconscious thought and emotion, and how to find the deeper story hidden in everyday moments. With in-class prompts, shared readings, guided reflection, and a workshop, you’ll practice transforming raw memory into evocative writing that moves both you and your reader. You’ll leave with 2-3 new pieces of writing, a workshopped lyric essay, and inspiration to continue exploring your inner landscape.
**Content:**
# Explore how to access subconscious thought and emotion to turn everyday moments into memoir.
How do we turn the fragments of memory into writing that resonates? In this workshop guided by award-winning poet Chioma Urama, you’ll learn the techniques of lyrical memoir writing—using image, rhythm, and voice to shape personal experience into powerful narratives. Through guided exercises and discussion, we’ll explore how to access subconscious thought and emotion, and how to find the deeper story hidden in everyday moments. With in-class prompts, shared readings, guided reflection, and a workshop, you’ll practice transforming raw memory into evocative writing that moves both you and your reader. You’ll leave with 2-3 new pieces of writing, a workshopped lyric essay, and inspiration to continue exploring your inner landscape.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Techniques to engage the subconscious mind and flesh out a memory
- Crafting compelling narratives drawn from lived experience
- What creates lyrical writing
- Associative vs linear natrative
- How to craft a lyrical essay from start to finis
# Time requirements
- 1-2 hours per week of reading and writing outside of our sessions
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Designed for both novice and experienced writers, this workshop is for anyone eager to uncover the stories hidden within memory. Participants may be interested in exploring their inner world, finding new language for emotion, or experimenting with more lyrical approaches to prose. If you’re drawn to writing that feels both intimate and masterful, this workshop will meet you where you are and invite you deeper.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 6 Sessions, All Levels, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Creating Conflict and Tension](https://writer.org/event/creating-conflict-and-tension/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** 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.
**Content:**
# Without conflict, there is no story. Find yours!
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.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Sources of Internal Conflict
- Sources of External Conflict
- Introducing the level of conflict appropriate for your story
- Characterization
- Dialogue
# Time requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Authors of fiction, creative nonfiction, and memoir who seek ways to make their work more appealing to readers, and to publishers.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [(Wet Ink) Plotting Your Novel](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-plotting-your-novel/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** 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.
**Content:**
# Are you a pantser or a planner?
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.
---
***Learn at your own pace:** This workshop will take place over **Wet Ink**, which is an asynchronous creative writing platform. The instructor will post a lesson and assignment at the beginning of each week, and participants can log in and read the lessons/post assignments/comment on other classmates’ work at their convenience. Shortly before the start date, participants will receive an invite from Wet Ink to create their login info and access the class. Please check your spam if you don’t see it.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Clearly define the premise of your novel
- Determine your main character(s) and the central conflicts (both external and internal)
- Define (and write) the inciting incident
- Determine the novel’s climax
- Begin to consider possible conclusions
# Time requirements
- 3-5 hrs/week
# Materials
- Hooked by Les Edgerton
- Plot & Structure by James Scott Bell
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for anyone struggling with the plot and structure of their novel.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, All Levels, Fiction, Wet Ink, Workshop
---
### [Creating & Writing Your Own TV Pilot](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-own-tv-pilot/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** This workshop is an example of a mini-writers room. Lots of give & take and positive feedback. A true collaborative environment.
**Content:**
# One of only a few classes across the country like this; Live and taught by a working writer/producer with many years of television credits.
This workshop is an example of a mini-writers room. Lots of give & take and positive feedback. A true collaborative environment.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Character development
- The importance of your first script as a calling card
- How to find an agent and get your script read
- Who should you be writing for
- Who does what job on a television series
- The outlets for new shows and new ideas
- Developing your idea
- The best way to write for you
- The Writers’ Room
- Collaboration processes
- Overview of winning past and current television show scripts
- Feedback on your current concepts, outline, scenes and scripts
# Time requirements
- Time to write (from 5 mn. to 5 hours) depending how fast you can type and what you hope to say!
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Anyone with a desire to learn everything about today’s’ television industry and how to create and write for the industry.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 8 Sessions, All Levels, Stage and Screen, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [An Evening of Tributes to Tobias Wolff](https://writer.org/event/tobias-wolff/)
**Published:** July 20, 2026
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
# A Free Fitzgerald Festival Event Co-sponsored with The Writer’s Center
The [F. Scott Fitzgerald Festival](https://fitzgeraldfestival.com/) and The Writer’s Center present a reading in tribute to legendary author Tobias Wolff. Featuring multiple award-winning author Richard Bausch, award-winning novelist Varun Gauri, PEN/Faulkner winner Mahreen Sohail, plus concluding remarks by Wolff.
**FREE and open to the public. RSVP required below.**
---
**Tobias Wolff** is the author of the memoirs *This Boy’s Life* (1989) and *In Pharaoh’s Army* (1994), and he has also written novels and short story collections, including *Our Story Begins: New and Selected Stories* (2008). His novel *The Barracks Thief* (1984) won the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction. He received a National Medal of Arts from President Barack Obama in September 2015. Wolff is the Ward W. and Priscilla B. Woods Professor of English, Emeritus, at Stanford, where he lives with his wife Catherine. They have three children and four grandchildren.
**Richard Bausch** is the author of thirteen novels, among which are *Hello to the Cannibals* (2002*),* *Thanksgiving Night* (2006*), Peace* (2008)*,* *Before, During, After* (2014)*,* and *Playhouse* (2023)*.* His ten collections of short fiction include *The Fireman’s Wife* (1990)*, The Selected Stories of Richard Bausch*, in The Modern Library (1996), *The Stories of Richard Bausch* (2003),*Wives & Lovers: 3 Short Novels* (2004)*, Something is Out There* (2010),*Living in The Weather of the World* (2017) and, most recently, *The Fate of Others* (2025). His multiple honors include a Guggenheim Fellowship, the Award in Literature Academy of Arts and Letters, the Lila Wallace Reader’s Digest Writer’s Award, the 2004 PEN/Malamud Prize; the 2009 Dayton Literary Peace Prize for his novel, *Peace;* and the Rea Award for Achievement in the Art of Short Fiction. In addition, his work has been adapted for three full length feature films. He has been with the Writing Program of Chapman University in Orange, CA since 2012.
**Varun Gauri**’s debut novel, *For the Blessings of Jupiter and Venus*, was selected for NPR’s *Books We Love 2024*, chosen as a *Foreword* INDIES Book of the Year Award Winner in Adult Fiction, and won the 2024 Carol Trawick Fiction Prize. While at the World Bank’s research department, Varun led studies on social policy and behavioral economics in dozens of countries around the world, and his academic work was covered in *The New York Times*, *The Economist*, *Le Monde*, *The Hindu*, and *The Guardian*. Varun now teaches at Princeton University and serves on the board of The Writer’s Center in Bethesda, MD.
**Mahreen Sohail** was born in Islamabad, Pakistan. Her debut story collection, *Small Scale Sinners*, won the 2026 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction. She has an MFA from Sarah Lawrence College, where she studied as a Fulbright Scholar, and was a Writing Fellow at A Public Space and a Charles Pick Fellow at the University of East Anglia. Her work has appeared in *Granta*, *The Kenyon Review*, *Pushcart Prize XLII*, and elsewhere. She lives in Washington, DC.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Cafe Muse Literary Salon](https://writer.org/event/cafe-muse-literary-salon-sep-26/)
**Published:** January 5, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
THIS EVENT HAS BEEN MOVED ONLINE. REGISTER ON THE CAFE MUSE WEBSITE OR [USE THIS LINK](https://us06web.zoom.us/launch/jc/84266758136) TO JOIN.
The Writer’s Center welcomes the Café Muse Literary Salon for a reading featuring writers **Luther Jett** and **Julia Kolchinsky.** The evening begins at 7 PM with Michael Davis live on classical guitar. The readings begin at 7:30 PM with opening remarks by a Café Muse co-host.
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP on [the Cafe Muse Website](https://sites.google.com/view/cafe-muse-events/home).**
---
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Preparing Your Work for Submission](https://writer.org/event/preparing-your-work-for-submission/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** 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.
**Content:**
# Learn how to revise your manuscript with confidence, recognize when it is truly ready for submission, and navigate the path from polished draft to publication with agents, query letters, and other routes to getting your work into the world.
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.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Revision Strategies for Structure & Story Shape (identifying what to cut, expand, and reorder for maximum narrative impact)
- Line-Level Editing & Style Refinement (strengthening voice, clarity, imagery, and rhythm in prose)
- Diagnosing Manuscript Problems (common issues in pacing, character development, stakes, and cohesion—and how to fix them)
- Publication Pathways & Industry Navigation (understanding agents, editors, presses, and different routes to publication)
- Query Letters & Submission Readiness (how to evaluate when a manuscript is ready and how to pitch it effectively to agents and publishers)
# Time requirements
- approximately about 3hrs
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Any writer who hopes to publish his or her work.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 10 Sessions, Fiction, Intermediate/Advanced Level, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Virtual International Translation Day Celebration: Nao-Cola Yamazaki and Asako Yuzuki with translators Charlotte Goff and Ecre Karadag](https://writer.org/event/international-translation-day/)
**Published:** September 1, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes **Charlotte Goff** and **Ecre Karadag** for a FREE virtual chat to celebrate International Translation Day. Charlotte and Ecre will discuss the joys and challenges of translating Fiction with Charlotte Goff’s translation of Nao-Cola Yamazaki’s *Beautiful Distance* and Ecre Karadag’s translation of Asako Yuzuki’s *Mari the Unwonderful Witch* (Puffin UK).
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the books from your local, independent bookseller or directly from the publisher [Beautiful Distance>>](https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/826949/beautiful-distance-by-nao-cola-yamazaki/) and [Mari the Unwonderful Witch>>](https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/481833/mari-the-unwonderful-witch-by-yuzuki-asako/9780241831014)
---
**Charlotte Goff** (trans. *Beautiful Distance*) is an Edinburgh-based literary translator. She was selected for the National Centre for Writing’s 2024 Emerging Translator Mentorship and mentored by Polly Barton.
**Ecre Karadag** is a literary translator working from Japanese. Her translations include Asako Yuzuki’s *Mari the Unwonderful Witc*h (Penguin Random House Children’s UK), with further works forthcoming from Pushkin Press. Ecre holds an MA in Translation from SOAS, University of London, and an MA in Japanese Studies from Sophia University, Tokyo. While living in Tokyo, she was Head of Editorial and Rights at The COMM, a multilingual Japanese street-fashion magazine. She was mentored by Polly Barton through the National Centre for Writing’s Emerging Translator Mentorship programme and subsequently selected as an NCW Virtual Translator in Residence.
---
# About *Beautiful Distance*
**“Beautifully, startingly, explosively expansive . . . In this delicate, near miraculous novel, there is no path away from grief, but there is a kind of company in loss, and a continuation of love.” —from the foreword by Katie Kitamura, author of *Audition***
From one of Japan’s most acclaimed writers comes a lyrical and poignant meditation on marriage, and the ways in which the most romantic gestures are often the quietest ones.
*Before the hospital, we had often raised our hands towards one another as we’d gone through life together.*
A man sits in a cafe, sipping a green juice and watching the world go by. A calico cat jumps onto a wall; a white butterfly flutters through the air; cherry blossom petals fall, softly, to the ground. Life, momentarily, stands still, as our unnamed narrator prepares to visit his terminally ill wife in hospital, and reminisces on the life they have shared together.
A prize-winning bestseller in Japan, *Beautiful Distance* is a profoundly affecting and intimate story that looks with honesty and tenderness at the journey towards the end of a life. It explores what family means, how we think about death, and the lasting power of small acts of love.
# About Mari the Unwonderful Witch
Mari is an eleven-year-old witch who loves her life. Indeed, what’s not to love about spending time with her amazing mothers, hanging out with her clever friends, eating delicious food and experimenting with fashion?
But, if you ask any of the other witches in town, Mari loves her life a little too much. After all, a wonderful witch puts the needs of others, before herself. Magic should be used to help humans – not (for example . . .) creating giant donuts for you and your classmates to scoff.
But Mari doesn’t care what other people think of her – and when disaster strikes her town, she’ll need to convince the other witches to have the courage to break free, too, and be just as wildly unwonderful as she is.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Hunger Action Month Reading and Open Mic](https://writer.org/event/hunger-action-month/)
**Published:** June 30, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
**EC Poetry and Prose**, **The Writer’s Center**, **Poet Lore**, and **Poetry x Hunger** are partnering to raise funds in honor of Hunger Action Month!
Each September, Hunger Action Month unites millions to raise awareness and provide nutritious food to neighbors facing hunger. Join us at The Writer’s Center on September 12th, 2026 at 2pm for a reading of writers against hunger.
***100% of your donation*** goes directly to the ***Maryland Food Bank*** helping hungry children, working families, older adults, and Maryland’s Under-resourced Communities throughout the state.
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
**Donate in advance of the event [using this link>>>](https://mdfoodbank.funraise.org/fundraiser/hungeraction-reading)**
---
# About Poetry X Hunger
Poetry X Hunger is bringing a world of poets and their poems to the anti-hunger cause. We are using poetry to raise awareness, compassion and funding. And, speaking of funding, by holding poetry fundraisers, we magically turn poetry into food. In recent years, we’ve raised thousands of US dollars for anti-hunger organizations.
# About EC Poetry & Prose
We are a collective of poets and writers who believe in the power of language to convey truth and promote peace. Our members are spoken word artists, published authors, and emerging writers. Our founder and partners are from Howard, Anne Arundel, and Frederick Counties; members reside throughout the state.
---
Henry Crawford is author of three collections of poetry, *American Software* (CW Books, 2017), *Binary Planet* (The Word Works, 2020) *Screens* (Broadstone Books 2025) His poem, “The Fruits of Famine” won first prize in the 2019 World Food Poetry Competition. His work has been published in *Boulevard, Copper Nickel, Rattle, the Southern Humanities Review*, and many others. He is a three time finalist for the Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest.
Christina Daub won the 2026 Enoch Pratt Poetry Prize and is a Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net nominated poet. She co-founded and co-edited the international poetry journal, *The Plum Review*. She translates from Spanish and German, and taught poetry at George Washington University, The Writer’s Center & other DC area schools. More at christinadaub.com.
Diane Wilbon Parks is an accomplished poet and author of two poetry collections. Diane was brought in as an Expert Consultant to the National Trust for Historic Preservation Grant, and has a permanent sign of her poem and artwork installed at the North Patuxent Research Refuge. Diane was a finalist in the Atlanta Review’s International Poetry contest; and is a co-author of the Anthology, 100 Poems and Possibilities for Healing which received two winning book awards, The Bookfest and The International Book Award. Diane is a USAF Veteran, a recently retired IT Program Manager and resides in Maryland with her family.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Poetry Book Club w/ Kelly Grace Thomas!](https://writer.org/event/poetry-book-club-w-kelly-grace-thomas/)
**Published:** September 1, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
[*Poet Lore*, America’s oldest poetry journal](https://www.poetlore.com/) and The Writer’s Center welcomes poet **Kelly Grace Thoma**s to our monthly Virtual Poetry Book Club for a discussion of her collection, *Future Tense.* Kelly is joined by Book Club Host, Hannah Grieco.
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online »](https://www.alicejamesbooks.org/bookstore/future-tense?srsltid=AfmBOopSezRZcO1JiFFBweMqQ8GPTJmb1wOwWdyuIlgpYE_7iGYU5kdO) directly from the publisher, Alice James Books[.](https://www.alicejamesbooks.org/about)
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
**Kelly Grace Thomas**, poet, writer, and coach, is the author of *Future Tense* (Alice James Books, 2026) and *Boat Burned* (YesYes Books, 2020). She’s the winner of the Neil Postman Award for Metaphor from Rattle. Her poems appear in: *The Sun, The Adroit Journal, 32 Poems, Sixth Finch,* and elsewhere. She is the co-author of *Words Ignite: Explore, Write, and Perform Classic and Spoken Word Poetry*, taught in the Los Angeles Unified School District. She holds an MFA from Randolph College. Kelly lives in Benicia, California, where she coaches writers online. [www.kellygracethomas.com](http://www.kellygracethomas.com/)
---
# About *Future Tense*
**Reckoning with infertility, adoption, and love under pressure, Kelly Grace Thomas’s Future Tense is a searing memoir-in-verse about a woman’s fight to become a mother while losing her own.**
Thomas spends three years trying for a child who never arrives. As she struggles with infertility, her mother is dying of Stage IV uterine cancer, and the desire for a child turns urgent—a countdown. As her mother’s health deteriorates, time narrows, pressure builds, and the clock refuses to slow. As her marriage strains and the world remakes itself without her, Thomas refuses to give up. The fertility clinic is the coldest place on earth; still, she keeps going—through years of medical gaslighting, IVF consults, mounting debt, and backhanded blame—finally welcoming her daughter through adoption just months before her mother’s death.
Intimate and unflinching, Future Tense interrogates the intertwined joys and griefs of womanhood and motherhood—and how biology can sometimes turn against us. Thomas approaches illness and loss with clarity and care, writing with a generosity that welcomes readers in. Despite their brevity, these poems refuse despair, finding meaning and connection even in the hardest seasons of life.
---
# About Book Club
This is no *run-of-the-mill book club*. Visiting writers will read excerpts, join the discussion, and answer your questions about craft, process, the publishing industry, and getting advice for our own writing! We’ll hang and eat snacks with the authors and escape your doomscrolling.
***Poetry Book Club*** will meet on Zoom ***every second Wednesday*** of the month with a new poet.
***Fiction Book Club*** will meet ***every third Sunday*** of the month in person at The Writer’s Center with a new author.
Come build community and read amazing books that the Big 5 didn’t have the sense to publish!
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Finish Your Poetry Book](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-poetry-book/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Whether you have just started your manuscript, or have made significant progress, this course will help you get over the finish line. We'll learn how to structure the book in a way that adds layers of meaning to the poems within, generate new work to fill in the structure, and hone poems until they are book-ready. To finish, students will revise the book as a whole and make a publication plan.
**Content:**
# Turn your pile of poems into a publishable book or chapbook.
Whether you have just started your manuscript, or have made significant progress, this course will help you get over the finish line. We’ll learn how to structure the book in a way that adds layers of meaning to the poems within, generate new work to fill in the structure, and hone poems until they are book-ready. To finish, students will revise the book as a whole and make a publication plan.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Craft an arc (or anti-arc) for your book
- Generate 8-10 new poems and develop strategies for generating more
- Revise and reimagine poems to make them book-ready
- Create a submissions plan for your book manuscript
# Time requirements
- 2-4 hours per week outside of class
# Materials
- Virginia State Colony for Epileptics and Feeble-Minded, by Molly McCully Brown
- Bestiary by Donika Kelly
- Ariel: The Restored Edition by Sylvia Plath
- Borderland Apocrypha by Anthony Cody
Additional optional texts depending on student’s chosen direction (list provided)
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 10 Sessions, Intermediate/Advanced Level, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Venezuelan Poetry for Healing](https://writer.org/event/venezuelan-poetry/)
**Published:** September 1, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes **DC-ALT, Vocales Verticales, and Tintas DC** to celebrate Venezuelan Poetry.
Poetry is a force for healing. We’ll be joined by Venezuelan, Latine and U.S. based poets, translators, and writers who will come together to read Venezuelan poetry in both Spanish and English—celebrating the power of poetry to connect us, hold memory, and help us heal. The event will also raise awareness about the earthquakes in Venezuela, ongoing relief efforts, and ways you can support communities affected by the disaster.
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
# About the Organizing Partners
**DC-ALT’s** mission is to foster a community of literary translators and to promote the art of literary translation in the greater Washington, DC area. We welcome anyone with an interest in literary translation to/from any language. IG: @DC-ALT
**Vocales Verticales** is a collaborative project dedicated to cultivating inclusive spaces for individuals who share a passion for poetry, literature and the arts. Our mission is to make these enriching experiences accessible to everyone and foster connections among like-minded individuals. We believe in the democratic nature of poetry and advocate for its universal enjoyment. IG: @VocalesVerticales
**Tintas DC** builds comunidad among Latine cuentistas through accessible, culturally rooted spaces for storytelling, expression, creative growth, and collective care. IG: @Tintas.DC
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Daniel Nayeri Book Release](https://writer.org/event/daniel-nayeri/)
**Published:** September 2, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center and Politics and Prose welcomes writer **Daniel Nayeri** for a reading from his new book, *This Is a Door****.*** Daniel is in conversation with poet and Events Director at The Writer’s Center, Brandon Johnson.
This is a **PAID** event. Your ticket to this event **includes a copy** of *This Is a Door.* **Buy your ticket using [this link](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/daniel-nayeri-this-is-a-door-at-the-writers-center-tickets-1998780102091)**
---
**Daniel Nayeri** is an award-winning author of children and teen fiction, including most recently, *The Teacher of Nomad Land*. After being born in Iran and immigrating to Oklahoma, Nayeri attended NYU. He currently lives with his family in New Jersey.
---
**A groundbreaking hero’s journey from National Book Award and Newbery Honor winner, Daniel Nayeri! A young boy, a mouse, and a dog set out to find their purpose in this fairy tale adventure told in an innovative visual format that offers a one-of-a-kind reading experience.**
This is the tale of a boy named Nothing the Younger, who lives in a city on the mountaintop of a far-off and long-lost country. Everyone calls him Ing, and while he has no parents, he does have two friends: a dog, Pöppy, and a mouse, mOmO. When King Cyrus calls for a hero to find and defeat the Giantess ravaging the countryside, the king’s son, the Wander Prince, answers the call and Ing decides to follow. Along the journey, Ing (and his friends) must traverse the Land of the Dead, survive an encounter with the terrifying wimmelworm, and discover the truth of his mother and father . . . so that he may find what he’s been seeking all along―his best purpose.
The text on each page snakes, climbs, jumps, and explodes into shapes and forms that unravel the story. This Is a Door is full of fun surprises and poignant musings that flip the classic hero’s journey on its head―all in an artistic and inventive package that is a wonder to behold.
---
# **Buy your ticket using [this link](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/daniel-nayeri-this-is-a-door-at-the-writers-center-tickets-1998780102091)**
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Book Marketing On A Budget](https://writer.org/event/book-marketing-on-a-budget-7/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** You’ve written, or are writing your book; now it’s time to fight for it! In this workshop you’ll discover over 25 practical, budget-friendly book marketing strategies, from building a book launch to leveraging social media, blogs, podcasts, Amazon tools, press releases, and more. Each session will be fast-paced, idea-heavy, and packed with real-world tactics you can apply immediately. By the end of the program, you’ll walk away with a personalized, actionable marketing plan, and the confidence to promote your book like a pro.
**Content:**
# From Pen to Promotion: 25 Ways to Market Your Book on a Shoestring
You’ve written, or are writing your book; now it’s time to fight for it! In this workshop you’ll discover over 25 practical, budget-friendly book marketing strategies, from building a book launch to leveraging social media, blogs, podcasts, Amazon tools, press releases, and more. Each session will be fast-paced, idea-heavy, and packed with real-world tactics you can apply immediately. By the end of the program, you’ll walk away with a personalized, actionable marketing plan, and the confidence to promote your book like a pro.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Over 25 marketing ideas.
- Tips on negotiating larger book sales.
- The value of working with book distributors.
- Strategies designed to get those Amazon reviews.
- How to create a book launch that energizes those who support you!
# Time requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers who have published a book, are preparing to publish, or have a finished manuscript they believe in. Whether you’re launching your debut or giving new life to an existing title, it’s never too early, or too late, to champion your book and get it into the hands of readers.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 2 Sessions, All Levels, Professional Writing, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [The Extreme Novelist](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-7/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** 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.)
**Content:**
# Discover how to write your novel no matter how busy your life feels.
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.)
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Time Management
- Structure Concepts
- Pacing
- Developing writing stamina
- Plot Development
# Time requirements
- Students will be expected to write every day, eventually working toward 90 minutes with the instructor’s guidance.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Novelists wishing to break writer’s block, master fiction techniques, learn time management techniques for authors, and work toward commercial publication of their novels.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 8 Sessions, Fiction, Intermediate/Advanced Level, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Your Writing Journey Begins With Your Journey](https://writer.org/event/your-writing-journey-begins-with-your-journey/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** With so many crazy things going on today, should you even think about writing your story? Come to this interactive zoom workshop and take the first steps in learning how to bring your writing into the world. Come prepared to put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard.
**Content:**
# You have a story inside you, now learn how to bring it to the world.
With so many crazy things going on today, should you even think about writing your story? Come to this interactive zoom workshop and take the first steps in learning how to bring your writing into the world. Come prepared to put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Who can write a story
- What kinds of stories you can write
- How to set up your writing environment
- Where to get help
- Why now is the best time to write
# Time requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for those who have been thinking about writing but haven’t figured out how to start.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Beginner Level, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Finding Your Balance: A Fall Equinox Workshop](https://writer.org/event/finding-your-balance-a-fall-equinox-workshop/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** The fall equinox marks a moment of perfect balance, equal parts light and dark, holding on and letting go. In this seasonal workshop, we'll use themed prompts and gentle ritual to reflect on what the past season has taught you, release what no longer serves, and write an intention to carry into what's next. You'll leave with several pieces of intuitive writing and a written intention for the season ahead. Please bring a journal or notebook and a pen; no other preparation is needed. We'll close with an optional oracle card pull, a small ritual to carry your intention forward beyond the page.
**Content:**
# Step into the season of equanimity and let the page hold what you’re releasing and what you’re ready to grow.
The fall equinox marks a moment of perfect balance, equal parts light and dark, holding on and letting go. In this seasonal workshop, we’ll use themed prompts and gentle ritual to reflect on what the past season has taught you, release what no longer serves, and write an intention to carry into what’s next. You’ll leave with several pieces of intuitive writing and a written intention for the season ahead. Please bring a journal or notebook and a pen; no other preparation is needed. We’ll close with an optional oracle card pull, a small ritual to carry your intention forward beyond the page.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Learn how to use seasonal energy as inspiration for reflection and creative writing
- Explore the connection between personal growth and the natural cycle of release and renewal
- Practice intuitive, judgment-free writing using guided prompts
- Leave with fresh writing, deeper clarity, and a personal intention to carry into the new season
# Time Requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is ideal for creatives and seekers of all levels who feel called to pause, reflect, and write with intention at the turning of the season. Whether you’re navigating personal change, craving creative connection, or simply wish to honor the fall equinox through words, this experience offers a gentle, soulful space to listen inward and write what’s true.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Writing the Fictionalized Autobiography: Coming-of-Age Stories](https://writer.org/event/writing-the-fictionalized-autobiography-coming-of-age-stories/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** More and more, popular culture has been fascinated by narratives that depict coming of age from the perspective of the child in the form of memoir, often demonstrating cultural diversity. This workshop will focus stories drawn from participants’ own life experiences that have certain fictional elements and are structured like fiction. During each week of the course, we will write short pieces of memoir, based on the following: certain places and individuals you remember, certain traditions and even collective traumas that predate the first-person narrator, certain positive events as well as troubling events, with the liberty to fictionalize and embellish the autobiographical story. We will develop a foundation for the elements of fiction: plot, character, internal monologue, and dialogue while studying published works in the genre.
**Content:**
# More and more, popular culture has been fascinated by narratives that depict coming of age from the perspective of the child in the form of memoir, often demonstrating cultural diversity.
This workshop will focus stories drawn from participants’ own life experiences that have certain fictional elements and are structured like fiction. During each week of the course, we will write short pieces of memoir, based on the following: certain places and individuals you remember, certain traditions and even collective traumas that predate the first-person narrator, certain positive events as well as troubling events, with the liberty to fictionalize and embellish the autobiographical story. We will develop a foundation for the elements of fiction: plot, character, internal monologue, and dialogue while studying published works in the genre.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- The use of the first person
- The structure of plot, rising action, conflict, partial resolution, further conflict, flashbacks and chronology
- Dialogue
- Character development
- Concrete detail
- How to use realistic dialogue that advances the story and achieves intended coherence or, conversely, artistic postmodernist subversion of conventional coherence
# Time requirements
- 3 hours minimum
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 5 Sessions, All Levels, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [The Poetry Of Human Rights](https://writer.org/event/the-poetry-of-human-rights/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** We will read and write poems that increase our knowledge of war and peacemaking, We will seek to define terms. What is war? What is a poem written in the wake of a bombing? Who has the right to write the poem? Does poetry make something happen? Can we save ourselves, our communities, our countries by writing?
**Content:**
# Poem are personal until shared, contributing then to social and political awareness and a defense of liberty.
We will read and write poems that increase our knowledge of war and peacemaking, We will seek to define terms. What is war? What is a poem written in the wake of a bombing? Who has the right to write the poem? Does poetry make something happen? Can we save ourselves, our communities, our countries by writing?
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Learn to write poems in response to the daily news
- Understand what distinguishes free from formal verse.
- Learn to write a poem in 10 minutes.
# Time requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Freedom With Forms](https://writer.org/event/freedom-with-forms-2/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Here’s an opportunity to shed any misconception that poetic forms are only constricting. We will do brief writing exercises that use the enchantment of meter and rhyme to free your deeper imagination. After exploring several traditional forms, we will experiment with creating improvised (nonce) forms. Participants may leave with at least one new draft poem and ideas for creating more.
**Content:**
# Have you discovered the liberation of writing poetry in forms?
Here’s an opportunity to shed any misconception that poetic forms are only constricting. We will do brief writing exercises that use the enchantment of meter and rhyme to free your deeper imagination. After exploring several traditional forms, we will experiment with creating improvised (nonce) forms. Participants may leave with at least one new draft poem and ideas for creating more.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How “received” forms can tap the imagination in unexpected ways
- How to vary forms and yet leave them recognizable
- Triolet and other short forms
- Ghazal and other longer forms
- Nonce Forms
# Time requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [How to Find and End a Story](https://writer.org/event/how-to-find-and-end-a-story/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Do you have the instinct of a writer, but your subject eludes you? Does your subject feel too big, too vague, or perhaps too overwhelming? Do you want to write about a personal experience but fictionalize it? Using published examples, writing exercises, lively discussion, and expert instruction, this workshop will inspire from memory and imagination, the story you are meant to write with an ending that resonates.
**Content:**
# Learn to distill imagination and memory into story and to find an ending that resonates.
Do you have the instinct of a writer, but your subject eludes you? Does your subject feel too big, too vague, or perhaps too overwhelming? Do you want to write about a personal experience but fictionalize it? Using published examples, writing exercises, lively discussion, and expert instruction, this workshop will inspire from memory and imagination, the story you are meant to write with an ending that resonates.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How territory becomes subject
- How to find the story within imagination and memory
- How to create transformation
- How to universalize your story so that it resonates with a public readership
# Time requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Writers who want to move forward with their story ideas, fiction or nonfiction.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Know Your Competition!](https://writer.org/event/know-your-competition-3/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** For your book to succeed, you must know which books you are competing against. In this interactive workshop, we will look at resources for locating comparable and competing titles, analyze comparable and competing titles, and look at how to use that information to inform your writing as well as in your proposal or query letter.
**Content:**
# Discover competing and comparable books and learn from them!
For your book to succeed, you must know which books you are competing against. In this interactive workshop, we will look at resources for locating comparable and competing titles, analyze comparable and competing titles, and look at how to use that information to inform your writing as well as in your proposal or query letter.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How to analyze competing and comparable titles
- How to use comps in query letters and marketing material
- Resources for locating comparable titles
# Time requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Publishing, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [From Novice to Novelist](https://writer.org/event/from-novice-to-novelist-4/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** 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.
**Content:**
# A bird’s eye view of all the moving parts involved in the novel-writing process.
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.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How to tap into your creative subconscious
- Character Creation
- Story Structure
- How to Stay Organized
# Time requirements
- Writing assignments will be optional; there is no required work outside of the classroom.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 6 Sessions, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [(Wet Ink) Finding Your Authentic Voice](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-finding-your-authentic-voice/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Look beyond your inner critic and limiting beliefs to tap into the flow of your boundless creativity, as you discover the powerful impact of your authentic voice. Over eight weeks, we'll be identifying unhelpful thoughts, deconstructing doubt, and building a sustained creative recovery practice that lets you write compelling pieces and foster a special connection with your readers. In a safe and supportive space, reintroduce your childlike wonder around creativity so you can write freely, reclaim your power, and uncover your true gifts. Unleash your brilliance and honor the impact of your stories, lessons, and innermost thoughts. Walk away feeling empowered with fresh awareness, confidence in your writing, and practical tools to stay inspired and let your art flow freely—long after the workshop ends. While the core workshop runs asynchronously on Wet Ink, it includes two optional live Zoom sessions, one at the start to meet as a group and set intentions, and one at the midpoint to check in, share progress, and troubleshoot together. Dates and times will be pre-set and shared upon registration; attendance is optional and encouraged, not required.
**Content:**
# Get out of your own way and let your inner voice, emotions, and instincts guide you as you freely express your unique truth to enhance your message and extend your impact.
Look beyond your inner critic and limiting beliefs to tap into the flow of your boundless creativity, as you discover the powerful impact of your authentic voice. Over eight weeks, we’ll be identifying unhelpful thoughts, deconstructing doubt, and building a sustained creative recovery practice that lets you write compelling pieces and foster a special connection with your readers. In a safe and supportive space, reintroduce your childlike wonder around creativity so you can write freely, reclaim your power, and uncover your true gifts. Unleash your brilliance and honor the impact of your stories, lessons, and innermost thoughts. Walk away feeling empowered with fresh awareness, confidence in your writing, and practical tools to stay inspired and let your art flow freely—long after the workshop ends. While the core workshop runs asynchronously on Wet Ink, it includes two optional live Zoom sessions, one at the start to meet as a group and set intentions, and one at the midpoint to check in, share progress, and troubleshoot together. Dates and times will be pre-set and shared upon registration; attendance is optional and encouraged, not required.
---
***Learn at your own pace:** This workshop will take place over **Wet Ink**, which is an asynchronous creative writing platform. The instructor will post a lesson and assignment at the beginning of each week, and participants can log in and read the lessons/post assignments/comment on other classmates’ work at their convenience. Shortly before the start date, participants will receive an invite from Wet Ink to create their login info and access the class. Please check your spam if you don’t see it.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Taming your inner critic and its negativity
- Recovering a sense of identity and reclaiming your power
- The power of vulnerability and connection
- Facing your fears around sharing your work
- Tools for integration and continued practice
- Discovering and spreading your truth
# Time requirements
- Participants may expect to spend 1–3 hours per week to fully integrate tools and techniques.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop welcomes creators of all levels and genres who are eager to deepen their relationship with language, unlock their authentic voices, and confidently put their powerful stories on paper. The extended eight-week format is especially suited to writers who want more than a single breakthrough and who are ready to build a sustained creative recovery practice and see a piece through from first spark to finished draft.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 8 Sessions, All Levels, Mixed Genre, Wet Ink, Workshop
---
### [(Wet Ink) Experimentation in Flash Fiction](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-experimentation-in-flash-fiction/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** 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.
**Content:**
# 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.
---
***Learn at your own pace:** This workshop will take place over **Wet Ink**, which is an asynchronous creative writing platform. The instructor will post a lesson and assignment at the beginning of each week, and participants can log in and read the lessons/post assignments/comment on other classmates’ work at their convenience. Shortly before the start date, participants will receive an invite from Wet Ink to create their login info and access the class. Please check your spam if you don’t see it.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Compression as a creative tool
- Form as a generator of story
- Time and narrative movement
- The power of omission
- Reimagining drafts through revision
# Time requirements
- Participants should expect to spend approximately 1–2 hours between sessions reading a small selection of flash fiction. Time for completing optional generative writing exercises is dependent on individual writers. Writers will be encouraged to share their drafts with the workshop.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers who want to expand their creative practice through experimentation. It will be especially useful for writers who find themselves relying on familiar approaches and are interested in generating new work through constraint, play and formal innovation. Writers of all genres and experience levels are welcome.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, All Levels, Fiction, Wet Ink, Workshop
---
### [Turning Your Writing Practice into a Creative Offering](https://writer.org/event/turning-your-writing-practice-into-a-creative-offering/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** In this two-part workshop series, you'll first explore how to build a restorative, sustainable writing practice rooted in your values, interests, and natural creative rhythms. Then on day two, you'll learn how to thoughtfully shape your writing into a creative offering, identifying the messages you want to share, the audience you hope to reach, and the platforms or projects that best align with your goals. Whether you're beginning your writing journey, returning after time away, or looking for fresh direction, you'll leave with practical tools, greater creative clarity, and a deeper sense of purpose for both your writing practice and your creative life. Please note: If you've previously taken GG's standalone workshop, Writing as a Restorative Practice, the first day of this series covers much of that same material. The second day offers new content focused on shaping your writing into a creative offering and sharing it with intention.
**Content:**
# Write with purpose. Share with intention.
In this two-part workshop series, you’ll first explore how to build a restorative, sustainable writing practice rooted in your values, interests, and natural creative rhythms. Then on day two, you’ll learn how to thoughtfully shape your writing into a creative offering, identifying the messages you want to share, the audience you hope to reach, and the platforms or projects that best align with your goals. Whether you’re beginning your writing journey, returning after time away, or looking for fresh direction, you’ll leave with practical tools, greater creative clarity, and a deeper sense of purpose for both your writing practice and your creative life. Please note: If you’ve previously taken GG’s standalone workshop, Writing as a Restorative Practice, the first day of this series covers much of that same material. The second day offers new content focused on shaping your writing into a creative offering and sharing it with intention.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Write from the Inside Out: Build a writing practice rooted in your values, interests, and authentic creative voice.
- Discover Your Creative Themes: Identify the stories, questions, and ideas that continue to call you back.
- Work with Your Creative Rhythm: Learn habits and processes that support inspiration without burnout.
- Shape Your Writing into a Creative Offering: Explore how your personal writing can evolve into a project or platform that feels aligned and meaningful.
- Connect with Your Audience: Clarify who you hope to reach, the messages you want to share, and the best ways to engage with readers.
- Embrace Experimentation: Replace perfectionism with curiosity as you create a flexible, sustainable plan for sharing your work.
# Time requirements
- 1-2 hours
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 2 Sessions, All Levels, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Pushing Genre Boundaries: More Than Memoir](https://writer.org/event/pushing-genre-boundaries-more-than-memoir/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** This workshop considers how big the genre of creative nonfiction can be by looking at the ways writers expand, explore, and break open different forms and sub-genres. We'll read a few short samples of contemporary writers who are pushing boundaries, then get into some prompts that lead us toward our own innovations in telling true stories.
**Content:**
# Explore the expansiveness of creative nonfiction.
This workshop considers how big the genre of creative nonfiction can be by looking at the ways writers expand, explore, and break open different forms and sub-genres. We’ll read a few short samples of contemporary writers who are pushing boundaries, then get into some prompts that lead us toward our own innovations in telling true stories.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Lyric Essays
- Flash Nonfiction
- Poetic Form in CNF
- Innovations in Memoir
# Time requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Archival Research for Creative Writing](https://writer.org/event/archival-research-for-creative-writing/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** An introduction to archival research through narrative writing and experimentation. Learn how to work with and historical resources, interpret gaps, and reconstruct your own story as a public history tool. The workshop will include a presentation of examples from the instructor's current research process, featuring archival imagery, documents and story iterations. Participants will engage in exercises to think and write through their own narrative projects, whether meant for personal memoir or public scholarship. Designed for emerging scholars, writers, and community members interested in recovering underrepresented histories.
**Content:**
# The art of narrative remix through historical research.
An introduction to archival research through narrative writing and experimentation. Learn how to work with and historical resources, interpret gaps, and reconstruct your own story as a public history tool. The workshop will include a presentation of examples from the instructor’s current research process, featuring archival imagery, documents and story iterations. Participants will engage in exercises to think and write through their own narrative projects, whether meant for personal memoir or public scholarship. Designed for emerging scholars, writers, and community members interested in recovering underrepresented histories.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn how to:
- Harness archival resources
- Write into the past
- Use narrative reconstruction as a research method
# Time requirements
- No time or reading is required outside of the classroom
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 5 Sessions, All Levels, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Writing the Truth: Lessons in Nonfiction Writing](https://writer.org/event/writing-the-truth-lessons-in-nonfiction-writing-3/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** The workshop is designed for beginning writers looking to gain a footing in non-fiction writing of different length and format, from first-person essays to long-form magazine writing and even book-length projects. You'll learn both by reading and by writing.
**Content:**
# Learn essential tools for powerful, non-fiction, narrative writing in a range of different formats.
The workshop is designed for beginning writers looking to gain a footing in non-fiction writing of different length and format, from first-person essays to long-form magazine writing and even book-length projects. You’ll learn both by reading and by writing.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn how to:
- Develop research and interviewing tools and methods
- Write with power and clarity
- Develop an eye for detail and color
- Identify characters to drive the story
- Connect with the reader
# Time requirements
- 30 minutes/week or less
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [(Wet Ink) Creating Novel Characters](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-creating-novel-characters/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** 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.
**Content:**
# Bring your characters to life on the page.
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.
---
***Learn at your own pace:** This workshop will take place over **Wet Ink**, which is an asynchronous creative writing platform. The instructor will post a lesson and assignment at the beginning of each week, and participants can log in and read the lessons/post assignments/comment on other classmates’ work at their convenience. Shortly before the start date, participants will receive an invite from Wet Ink to create their login info and access the class. Please check your spam if you don’t see it.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Your character’s past and future
- Your character’s motivations
- How the plot will bring about your character’s arc
- How to reveal your character on the page
# Time requirements
- 3-5 hrs/week
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers looking to add dimension to their fictional characters.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, All Levels, Fiction, Wet Ink, Workshop
---
### [(Wet Ink) Intro to the Novel](https://writer.org/event/wet-ink-intro-to-the-novel/)
**Published:** August 14, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** 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.
**Content:**
# Have you always wanted to write a novel but didn’t know where to start?
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.
---
***Learn at your own pace:** This workshop will take place over **Wet Ink**, which is an asynchronous creative writing platform. The instructor will post a lesson and assignment at the beginning of each week, and participants can log in and read the lessons/post assignments/comment on other classmates’ work at their convenience. Shortly before the start date, participants will receive an invite from Wet Ink to create their login info and access the class. Please check your spam if you don’t see it.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn how to:
- Develop your Premise
- Establish Point of View/Narrative Voice
- Create authentic Characters
- Organize Plot and Structure
- Create good writing habits
- Determine your personal Process
# Time requirements
- 3-5 hrs/week
# Materials
- Hooked by Les Edgerton
- Plot & Structure by James Scott Bell
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for those who have never written a novel before – or for those who are looking for a strong foundation in the basic components of novel-writing.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 8 Sessions, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Fiction, Wet Ink, Workshop
---
### [Richard Hoffman Book Release](https://writer.org/event/richard-hoffman/)
**Published:** September 1, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes poet **Richard Hoffman** for a reading from two New and Selected collection, *Each Child a Disappearance* and *Mundus et Infans*. Richard is joined in conversation by poet Richard Smith.
FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.
---
**Richard Hoffman** is the author of seven books of poetry: *Without Paradise; Gold Star Road,* winner of The Barrow Street Press Poetry Prize and the Sheila Motton Book Award from The New England Poetry Club; *Emblem*; *Noon until Night,* which received the 2018 Massachusetts Book Award for Poetry; *People Once Real;* and his most recent, *Each Child a Disappearance: New & Selected Poems, and Mundus et Infans: Selected Suites, Sequences, & Series*. His other books include the memoirs, *Half the House* and *Love & Fury;* *Interference and Other Stories*, and the essay collection *Remembering the Alchemists.* He is Emeritus Writer in Residence at Emerson College and Nonfiction Editor of *Solstice: A Magazine of Diverse Voices*.
**Richard Smith**’s first book, *Not a Soul but Us*, is a narrative in sonnets about the plague pandemic in mid-14th-century England. It won the 2021 May Sarton New Hampshire Poetry Prize and was released in 2022 by Bauhan Publishing. Bauhan also recently published his second book, Beyond Where Words Can Go, about a group of Tudor-era monks before, during, and after Henry VIII’s dissolution of the monasteries. Richard is a psychologist with a clinical practice in Washington, D.C.
---
# About *Each Child a Disappearance*
Spanning the years 1972–2025, *Each Child a Disappearance* gathers Hoffman’s most celebrated poems alongside new and previously uncollected work. This volume includes selections from *Without Paradise; Gold Star Road; Emblem; Noon until Night; and People Once Real* as well as powerful new poems confronting grief, violence, ecological collapse, democracy’s fragility, and the obligations of witness. Many of Hoffman’s most widely taught and anthologized poems appear here, along with late work of profound spiritual and emotional clarity.
# About *Mundus et Infans*
Where the first volume presents individual poems, *Mundus et Infans* collects Hoffman’s long-form suites, sequences, and serial poems—book-length arcs of thought and feeling in which he explores myth, memory, art, philosophy, and history at scale. These extended works map the structures beneath experience: the stories we inherit, the archetypes we repeat, and the imaginative frameworks through which we make meaning. Together they offer a sustained meditation on childhood, catastrophe, and the lifelong labor of consciousness.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Writerly Happy Hour](https://writer.org/event/writerly-happy-hour-6/)
**Published:** September 1, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
Join us for cocktails and writerly conversation at No Kisses!
Come connect with the local writing community! Hang with staff, board, and friends of The Inner Loop, The Writer’s Center, DC Writer’s Room, and PEN/Faulkner, and tell us how your writing is going!
# [**Register here »**](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/writerly-happy-hour-tickets-1998990172417?aff=oddtdtcreator)
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [The Eerie Twinship Between the Haunted and the Nostalgic](https://writer.org/event/the-eerie-twinship-between-the-haunted-and-the-nostalgic/)
**Published:** April 27, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** This craft talk and generative workshop examines how absence, memory, and longing operate in fiction...
**Content:**
# Explore how haunting and nostalgia can reshape narrative perception and deepen your fiction.
This craft talk and generative workshop examines how absence, memory, and longing operate in fiction through the twin lenses of haunting and nostalgia. Through close readings of writers such as Carmen Maria Machado, Angela Carter, and Helen Oyeyemi, alongside ideas from thinkers like Mark Fisher and Svetlana Boym, participants will explore how these forces reshape narrative perception and atmosphere. Handouts with selected excerpts will be provided, and short generative writing exercises will allow participants to immediately apply these concepts and build new material on the page. By the end of the session, participants will leave with a deeper understanding of how haunting and nostalgia function as structural tools in storytelling, as well as new pages generated during the workshop.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- The Eerie, the Haunted & Nostalgia as Narrative Tools
- Using Memory & Absence to Build Narrative Tension
- Close Reading for Craft Insight
- Applying These Tools Through Generative Writing
# Time requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for fiction writers, creative nonfiction writers, and hybrid writers who are interested in exploring how atmosphere, memory, and perception shape narrative. It is well suited for writers looking to experiment with new ways of building tension and emotional resonance in their work. Writers at all levels are welcome.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
Add to calendar
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez](https://writer.org/event/your-narrative-your-year-w-edgar-gomez/)
**Published:** July 13, 2026
**Author:** Emily Holland
**Content:**
# **Write your memoir with award-winning author Edgar Gomez!**
In this intensive ten-month course, you will learn about the art of creative nonfiction and be given the tools to ready your memoir or memoir-in-essays for publication.
---
# **Watch the Virtual Info Session**
Meet Edgar Gomez, instructor for our yearlong memoir workshop, and have all your questions about the program answered!
---
# **What to expect:**
We will begin our time together with discussions about essential craft elements, such as structure, voice, audience, setting, characterization, navigating time, and weaving in research. We’ll have lively conversations about ethics, including approaches to writing about people you love (and don’t love…) and what responsibilities we have to our readers.
Then, we will workshop your stories, spending time considering your larger projects as well as your specific goals as a writer. I will give you concrete, actionable feedback to guide your future revisions and help you to create a sustainable writing practice for yourself.
I believe learning about the business side of publishing is important, so along the way, I will invite guests in the field, from award-winning writers and editors, who can offer you advice based on their own experiences in publishing. I will also address any questions you have about writing book proposals, querying agents, and pitching your stories to magazines, using real examples from book proposals and pitches that have led to deals.
By the end of this intensive, you will leave with stories workshopped multiple times, a growing community of writers, and an understanding of what next steps to take to get your memoir out in the world.
---
# Schedule
This class will meet virtually twice a month on Tuesdays, for 20 total sessions. Workshop dates run from October 6, 2026 – July 27, 2027, 7pm–9pm ET.
Oct. 6
Oct. 20
Nov. 3
Nov. 17
Dec. 1
Dec. 15
Jan. 5
Jan. 19
Feb. 2
Feb. 16
March 2
March 16
April 6
April 20
May 4
May 18
June 8
June 22
July 13
July 27
---
# 1:1 Mentoring
All workshops will be held over Zoom, with additional opportunities to meet 1:1 with Edgar upon request. All enrolled students will have the option to schedule an individual follow-up meeting (1 hour) with Edgar approximately 6 months after the conclusion of the workshop.
---
# **Testimonials from Past Students**
“I really wasn’t sure of myself walking into the class. But Edgar’s encouragement really gave me the go-ahead to just get my ideas out on the page, in all their candid messiness, in a way that I haven’t been able to accomplish otherwise…. I’m so excited to keep returning to the tools I picked up in class—I already know they’re gonna stick around for the long-haul!” —Patrick Mullen-Coyoy, poet and former student
“Taking a memoir class with Edgar was truly transformative for me. Their class was my first time taking my nonfiction writing seriously, and I credit his teaching as giving me both the confidence and the skills to turn the essay I worked on with my cohort into an entire book of personal essays…. And even years later, Edgar has continued to offer me guidance, mentorship, and support. I would highly recommend Edgar to anyone–they are a rare combination of deep expertise and boundless generosity. I wouldn’t be the writer I am today without this class and his guidance.” —Chaelee Dalton, author of Mother Tongue
---
# To Apply
**Application Deadline: Monday, September 21, 2026**
Submit a writing sample of 10-20 pages (double-spaced, Times New Roman font) and 1-2 paragraphs detailing your writing goals, intentions, and questions. You may also choose to include a one-page résumé or CV if you have one. Send your submission to <emily.holland@writer.org> by September 21, 2026.
*Acceptance into the workshop is required before registering.*
---
# About Book Farm @ The Writer’s Center
The Writer’s Center hosts a series of workshops for serious writers to complete book-length projects, generate new work for publication, or master the elements of craft within a specific genre. You’ll work with an acclaimed author, guiding you through 4-12 months of lessons, workshops, and revisions. Our instructors are all accomplished educators with a track record of student success. Limited enrollment with rolling admission up to the application deadline, so apply right away to secure your spot!
All Book Farm participants receive an exclusive tote bag, a craft book recommended by the instructor, and a $100 gift certificate good toward future TWC workshops. Participants also receive exclusive access to The Writer’s Center staff, all of whom are accomplished writers with extensive experience in editing and publishing.
**Event Categories:** All Levels, Master Level, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Inner Loop Author's Corner w/ Hasan Dudar!](https://writer.org/event/inner-loop-hasan-dudar/)
**Published:** June 16, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Inner Loop and The Writer’s Center present a FREE virtual chat about the craft of fiction! We’re joined by Hasan Dudar, author of the short story collection *Carryout*. Hasan is in conversation with author Madeleine Moss.
*Carryout* is The Inner Loop’s Author’s Corner spotlight. [The Inner Loop](https://www.theinnerlooplit.org/) cultivates and promotes the distinctive literary culture of Washington, DC. Author’s Corner supports local authors’ independently published books by spotlighting them in community programming and collaborations.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from Bookshop.org »](https://bookshop.org/p/books/carryout-hasan-dudar/f19206a95465edd4?ean=9781685970611&next=t&next=t&affiliate=101989)
---
**Hasan Dudar** is the author of *Carryout*, a short story collection out with the University of Iowa Press in May 2026. He is originally from Toledo, Ohio, and currently lives in Washington, DC.
**Madeleine Moss** grew up in Ithaca, New York, and holds a degree in French literature from Cornell University. She received her MFA in fiction from Washington University in St. Louis and currently lives in Strasbourg, France. Her debut novel, *Mistranslation*, is forthcoming from the University of Iowa Press in September 2026.
---
# About *Carryout*
In the late 1970s, Ziad Idilbi, a Palestinian refugee from Lebanon, marries Salma, a Lebanese refugee escaping the war in Beirut. Resolving to start over for the very last time, the couple opens a corner store in Toledo, Ohio, across from the General Motors factory, where Toledo’s Arab community intermingles with the working class. Over the decades, whether it’s bigotry (pre- and post-9/11), financial ruin, or terminal illness, the Idilbis find themselves on life’s outskirts, attempting to build something new.
Achingly poignant and slyly funny, the linked stories in Carryout follow the Idilbis and their children as they teeter on the brink of catastrophe. Walid, the youngest child of Ziad and Salma, navigates the heartbreaks of youth as well as the colorful characters who haunt his parents’ corner store. As he grows up into a writer, Walid’s gaze fixes on his father and the long shadow of displacement and occupation. Mustafa, the eldest son, is forever trying to outrun the disasters that seem to seek him out, while Nawal, the only daughter, is dumped by a friend and hatches a scheme to win her back. Unsure whether to run toward each other or away from each other, the characters in Dudar’s exquisite debut suffer the absurdities and indignities of life in America with wry obstinance and striking wisdom.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat w/ Lauren Francis-Sharma & Jennifer Grotz, Editors of Welcome to the Mountain](https://writer.org/event/welcome-to-the-mountain/)
**Published:** August 25, 2026
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of writing! We’re joined by editors **Lauren Francis-Sharma** and **Jennifer Grotz** for a discussion of their new anthology, *Welcome to the Mountain: A Portable Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference*. They are in conversation with Zach Powers, author and Executive & Artistic Director at The Writer’s Center.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [directly from the publisher »](https://fourwaybooks.com/site/welcome-to-the-mountain/)
---
# About the Book
What do Truman Capote, Joan Didion, Archibald MacLeish, and Robert Hayden have in common? They are among the impressive array of American writers who have contributed to the legacy of the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference in the last one hundred years.
To commemorate this esteemed institution’s centennial, *Welcome to the Mountain* recreates the experience of being in a writerly community that celebrates literature and invests in literary apprenticeship. This volume, edited by Lauren Francis-Sharma and Jennifer Grotz, comprises an extraordinary sampling of work from the historical to the contemporary, including lectures and readings first delivered at Bread Loaf. Its expansive range showcases everything from highly celebrated texts to rarer pieces and insightful musings by Toni Morrison, Brigit Pegeen Kelly, Randall Kenan, Czesław Miłosz, Julia Alvarez, and so many more.
*Welcome to the Mountain* tells the endless and thrilling stories of how writers become writers and how literary traditions evolve through our conversations with each other. Through this extraordinary book, we invite readers to make themselves at home in the rich landscape of American letters.
---
**Lauren Francis-Sharma,** a Pushcart nominated writer is the author of three novels, *Book of the Little Axe*, *‘Til the Well Runs Dry*, and her most recent, *Casualties of Truth*, a finalist for the 2026 Carol Shields Prize. Lauren serves as Vice President of the board of the PEN/Faulkner Foundation and is the Assistant Director of Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference.
**Jennifer Grotz** is a poet, the author most recently of *Still Falling. Everything I Don’t Know: The Selected Poems of Jerzy Ficowski,* is her most recent book translations, co-translated from the Polish with Piotr Sommer and recipient of the PEN Award for Best Book of Poetry. She serves as the Arthur Satz Professor in the Humanities at the University of Rochester and is the director of the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conferences.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://gcld.co/gjNdxDg)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Washington Sculptors Group Annual Members' Image Show](https://writer.org/event/washington-sculptors-group/)
**Published:** August 19, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes the *Washington Sculptors Group* (WSG) for a discussion of their artwork while images and videos are being presented. The Annual Image Show is a great opportunity to discover/rediscover the talent and highly diverse work of Washington area sculptors. DC area gallerists, curators, collectors, and art supporters are invited to attend. Twenty member artists will present their work, followed by Q&A.
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
# About The Washington Sculptors Group
Founded in 1984, the WSG is a artist-run organization committed to promoting an awareness and understanding of sculpture and the exchange of ideas among sculptors, collectors and the public through exhibitions, events, workshops and social gatherings. WSG plans, manages, and promotes 3–5 juried, curated exhibitions each year in galleries, museums, and alternative spaces throughout the greater DC area. This year that has included exhibits at Glen Echo Park, Harmony Hall and Sandy Spring Museum. In past years, venues have included the Kreeger Museum, the Maclean Project for the Arts, Martin Luther King Memorial Library, and the Phillips Collection at the ARC. WSG publishes three issues of *The Washington Sculptor* newsletter per year in both hard copy mailed to subscribers and on line.
For more information, go to [www.washingtonsculptors.org](http://www.washingtonsculptors.org)
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/)
**Published:** July 14, 2026
**Author:** Emily Holland
**Content:**
# 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.
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# Watch the Virtual Info Session
Meet Betsy Cornwell, instructor for our yearlong YA novel workshop, and have all your questions about the program answered!
---
# **What to expect:**
Live classes every two weeks will focus on craft talks, close reading, and the development of a practical “tool box” of writing and storytelling skills, as well as group workshop time. You’ll also have access to one-on-one mentorship sessions with Betsy, as well as the option to be matched with a classmate for critique partnership and accountability.
The best books for young people are both timely and timeless, and require at least as much creative scope and rigor as writing for adults. Newbery-winning young adult author Madeleine L’Engle wrote that “You have to write the book that wants to be written. And if the book will be too difficult for grown-ups, then you write it for children.”
In this course, we’ll consider examples of brilliant books for young readers, and read through these texts together from a craft perspective with the goal of writing young adult books that are vivid, honest, and complex—never condescending or “less than” adult novels. If you have an idea for a YA novel that you’re ready to take seriously, this is the course for you!
---
# Structure
This course is designed to mirror the school year, from September to June, and is offered during lunch hours Eastern time to give parents of school-age children the best chance to participate. That said, you absolutely don’t have to be a parent to join us!
Classes will begin with a short warm-up writing exercise, followed by individual check-ins and discussion of the current assigned book (see below). For the first part of the course, from September through December, the rest of the class will focus on specific, actionable tools for planning and completing your first draft. In the second part of the course, from December through April, the focus will shift to group workshopping and feedback. The final two months of the course, in May and June, will look at the publication process and assist students in developing query packages for their books.
A YA novel will also be assigned for reading and discussion every two months, for a total of five books. Participants are encouraged to nominate their own favorite YA novels for inclusion.
---
# Schedule
This class will meet virtually twice a month on Tuesdays, for 20 total sessions. Workshop dates run from September 15, 2026 – June 22, 2027, 11am–1pm ET.
Sept. 15
Sept. 29
Oct. 6
Oct. 20
Nov. 3
Nov. 17
Dec. 1
Dec. 15
Jan. 5
Jan. 19
Feb. 2
Feb. 16
March 2
March 16
April 6
April 20
May 4
May 18
June 8
June 22
---
# 1:1 Mentoring
All workshops will be held over Zoom, with additional opportunities to meet 1:1 with Betsy upon request. All enrolled students will have the option to schedule an individual follow-up meeting (1 hour) with Betsy approximately 6 months after the conclusion of the workshop.
---
# To Apply
**Application Deadline: Friday, September 4, 2026**
To apply for the course, please submit the following via email to emily.holland@writer.org:
- A ten- to twenty-page sample of your creative writing, in any genre
- A brief cover letter including your reasons for wanting to join the class, a summary of your book idea and where you are in the writing process, and a YA book you’d like to nominate for the group to read.
We are thrilled to offer one scholarship to a single parent. In your cover letter, please indicate if you would like to be considered for this scholarship. We kindly ask that those who are able to register for the workshop without scholarship assistance refrain from applying for the scholarship. The scholarship will be available once we have met the required threshold for students in the class.
*Acceptance into the workshop is required before registering.*
---
# About Book Farm @ The Writer’s Center
The Writer’s Center hosts a series of workshops for serious writers to complete book-length projects, generate new work for publication, or master the elements of craft within a specific genre. You’ll work with an acclaimed author, guiding you through 4-12 months of lessons, workshops, and revisions. Our instructors are all accomplished educators with a track record of student success. Limited enrollment with rolling admission up to the application deadline, so apply right away to secure your spot!
All Book Farm participants receive an exclusive tote bag, a craft book recommended by the instructor, and a $100 gift certificate good toward future TWC workshops. Participants also receive exclusive access to The Writer’s Center staff, all of whom are accomplished writers with extensive experience in editing and publishing.
**Event Categories:** Adults Write for Children, All Levels, Fiction, Kid Lit, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Ole Blue Claw: Tales from the Crustier Side of Maryland Anthology Launch](https://writer.org/event/ole-blue-claw/)
**Published:** July 30, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes the **Ole’ Blue Claw Maryland Anthology** for a reading a celebration of a new anthology featuring twenty-three distinctive works, a mix of flash and short fiction, by writers from across Maryland.
Join Maryland writers **Preston Ford, Greta Ehrig, Ritchie Porter, Rhonda Zimlich, Cathy Tsang**, and **Theodore Carter** for a reading of their anthologized work and to meet the editors as we celebrate Maryland storytelling.
**Free and Open to the Public.**
---
# About Ole’ Blue Claw
## An Anthology of Place-Based Fiction
Ole’ Blue Claw is the brainchild of Diana Friedman, Kim Gallagher Moses and Phil Hearn, three graduates of the Johns Hopkins University Master of Arts in Writing Program. Our desire was to capture the diversity and little-known wonders of the Old Line State of Maryland, including its crustier side. As long-term residents of the state, we are proud to have filled the pages of Ole’ Blue Claw with engaging, place-infused stories and vibrant, idiosyncratic, memorable characters whose personality quirks and clashes swell the heart of our readers and of course, ole’ blue claw himself, the Old Line State’s most infamous decapod crustacean. With support from the Maryland State Arts Council, we were able to compensate **23 Maryland authors** whose work appears in *Ole Blue Claw and* commission a **Maryland cover artist** to create original artwork.
---
[**Theodore Carter**](http://www.theodorecarterer.com.) is the author of several books including Stealing *The Scream*, Frida Sex Dreams and Other Unnerving Disruptions. His fiction has appeared in *The North American Review, Pank, Necessary Fiction,* and elsewhere. He’s a staff writer for Daily Art Magazine. You can see his street art out and about in Washington, D.C.
**Greta Ehrig** earned an MFA in Creative Writing from A.U., where she was Editor of Folio literary journal and a Lannan Fellow. Her poetry has appeared in numerous publications, including: Southern Poetry Review; Beltway Quarterly; and Mid-Atlantic Review. Her songwriting has been recognized by the Bernard-Ebb and Mid-Atlantic Song Contests. She has received support from Arts & Humanities Council of Montgomery County; Maryland State Arts Council; and National League of American Pen Women. In 2024, Greta was nominated for Best of the Net and a Pushcart Prize for poetry. She teaches piano and songwriting at Montgomery College.
[****](https://www.prestonfordwrites.com/)[**Preston Ford**](https://www.prestonfordwrites.com/) is a teacher with a life-long interest in creative writing. A graduate of Johns Hopkins University, he has lived throughout the South and now makes his home near the nation’s capital. Ford is the author of *Quarter Moon: A Novel of the American South* (A Thousand Candles Press, 2023) and numerous short stories, some of which can be found in the collections *Impressions in Half-light* (Outskirts Press, 2009) and *Days of Unease* (A Thousand Candles Press, 2024). He plays chess, writes, and worries about the state of the world in his spare time.
**Ritchie Porter** lives in Silver Spring, MD, and is the father of two boys, not two girls. After acting in the D.C. region for a number of years, he transitioned to teaching and now instructs theater and directs at St. Andrew’s Episcopal School in Potomac. In his spare time he plays music, acts and writes short fiction and plays. He would like to thank the editors of the Ole Blue Crab for taking a chance on his story, and for their expert and caring guidance.
**Cathy Tsang** is a Chinese American who grew up in Florida. She has been published in newspapers and magazines. This is her first time being published in a book. She loves reading cozy murder mysteries, historic fiction and tries to find time to write while taking care of two young children. She resides with her family in Rockville, Maryland.
**Rhonda Zimlich** teaches creative writing and serves as the Director of the MFA in Creative Writing Program at American University in Washington D.C. She writes about intergenerational trauma and the unbreakable spirit of youth. Her debut novel, Raising Panic, won the Steel Toe Books 2023 Book Award for prose. She was awarded the 2020 Literary Award in Nonfiction from Dogwood, earning an honorable mention in Best American Essays. She received the 2021 Fiction Award from Please See Me, and the 2024 Nonfiction Award from Barely South Review.. Other works have appeared in Brevity, Past-Ten, American Writer’s Review, and more.[www.rhondazimlich.com](http://www.rhondazimlich.com/)
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat w/ Author Amber Blaeser-Wardzala](https://writer.org/event/amber-blaeser-wardzala/)
**Published:** August 12, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of fiction! We’re joined by author **Amber Blaeser-Wardzala** for a discussion of her debut novel, *Another Name for Red* at the End. Amber is in conversation with Amy Freeman, author and Development Director at The Writer’s Center.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from Bookshop.org »](https://bookshop.org/a/22600/9780593702369)
---
**Amber Blaeser-Wardzala** is an Anishinaabe writer, beadwork artist, and jingle dress dancer. She is a first-degree descendant of White Earth Nation in Minnesota and grew up in southeastern Wisconsin. She received her MFA from Arizona State University and was the 2024-25 George Bennett Fellow at Phillips Exeter Academy. Her writing has appeared in *Never Whistle at Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology*, *The Iowa Review, Joyland, Passages North, CRAFT*, and others. She has received support from Storyknife Writers Retreat, Vermont Studio Center, the Hambidge Center, Ragdale Foundation, Write On Door County, the Center for Imagination in the Borderlands, the Virginia G. Piper Center, and the Women’s National Book Association. She is a Visiting Assistant Professor of Fiction at the Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio where she lives with her overactive dog, Fern.
---
# About *Another Name for Red*
**The debut novel by one of the bestselling *Never Whistle at Night*’s most memorable contributors, in which, after a young Anishinaabe woman vanishes, her sister tries to pick up the pieces of her broken family, even as her investigations put her at risk of suffering a similar fate.**
Middle Sister is haunted by everyone in her community who has disappeared—as well as those who remain. Her ex-best friend and ex-boyfriend are walking relics of the girl she used to be, while her family—her activist mother, checked-out father, and attention-starved younger siblings—are reminders of the elder sister she can never live up to. Then there’s John Smith, the infamous white man with red cowboy boots living on stolen reservation land, whose obsessive attentions are as repellant as they are compelling. But most of all, there are the thousands of unacknowledged missing and murdered Indigenous women, including Older Sister, whose year-long absence from the reservation has torn her remaining family apart.
With local authorities proving useless, Middle Sister decides to start an investigation of her own, beginning with the mysterious “Eric”—a white man from a neighboring town who Older Sister claimed to love, and who she swore loved her. Attempting to hunt down the correct white Eric in the haystack of Minnesota forces Middle Sister to seek help from the community from which she’s grown alienated, starting with her coworker, Casanova; a stray rez dog; and Nookomis, her grandmother who’s foreseen her own death. Yet John still lurks in the growing wintry shadows, offering a sort of surrender that Middle Sister can’t help being drawn to. In the end, she must choose: either let the guilt consume her or forgive herself and fight.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Washington Writers’ Publishing House Award Winner Reading & Reception](https://writer.org/event/wwph-2027/)
**Published:** August 12, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Washington Writers’ Publishing House celebrates the 2027 winners of its annual book contests! **Jason Gebhardt** will read from Washington Writers’ Publishing House’s 50th Anniversary Editor’s Prize winning, *Dictionary of Air*. **Yael Kiken** will read from the Washington Writers’ Publishing House’s Translation Prize winning, *Zarpamos*. **Emily Holland** will read from the Washington Writers’ Publishing House the Jean Feldman Poetry Prize winning, *Notifications On,* and **Samantha Neugebauer** will read from the Washington Writers’ Publishing House’s Fiction Prize winning, *Villains*. Reception to follow.
**FREE and open to the public. RSVP required below.**
---
# About Washington Writers’ Publishing House
Washington Writers’ Publishing House is the longest, continuously operating nonprofit, cooperative, literary organization in the United States. Established in 1975 in our nation’s capital, we have published over 100 volumes of poetry, as well as in more recent years, fiction and nonfiction. The press sponsors annual competitions for writers living in DC, Maryland, and Virginia, and the winners of each category comprise our annual slate. In 2021, WWPH launched an online literary journal, WWPH WRITES to expand our mission to further the creative work of writers in our region. In 2023, WWPH added creative nonfiction to our annual press slate. In 2024, WWPH launched its biennial works in translation series and began presenting WWPH Literary Salons to engage with new and established writers and foster the richness and diversity of the literary arts in our community.
---
**Jason Gebhardt**‘s *Dictionary of Air* explores family, memory, and history with precision. From domestic quiet to historical echoes, each poem reveals how ordinary moments-washing dishes, caring for a child, remembering the dead-become luminous. With tenderness and humor, Gebhardt reminds us that love and attention are forms of work, and language is our home.
*Zarpamos* is the first complete collection of poetry translated into English from across the prolific career of Guadalupe Ángela’s poems traverse the rugged landscape of knowing – from being invisible and naïve to the world and to oneself, to how it feels to come into being and to recognize one’s own shape and voice as a woman, as an artist, and as a human. Ángela follows this thread through striking dreams and everyday experiences, over floors of adobe and jacaranda trees, through cave mouths and sterile dentist’s chairs, permeating each encounter with wonder, curiosity, longing, and play.
**Emily Holland**‘s urgent debut collection, *Notifications On*, interrogates fluctuations of lesbian desire across physical and digital landscapes. Against the backdrop of climate collapse, these places and platforms become sites of wanting, embodying locations where the speaker attempts to make their yearning-and their queerness-legible. Social media bots, rural convenience stores, internet memes, sites of remembrance, and online chat rooms all become spaces that refract the speaker’s sense of self and interrupt the flow of their desire.
Set across the United States and around the globe, **Samantha Neugebauer**‘s debut short story collection, *Villains*, follows characters longing for purpose, enchantment, and love. Bound by conflicts arising from social hypocrisy, self-mythology, and shame, often within mother-daughter relationships, these thirteen stories expose how we misread our lives, confusing what is large or small, lasting or illusory, meaningful or merely familiar. In ***Villains***, Neugebauer delivers a stunning, seductive collection.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Bill Wilburn Book Release](https://writer.org/event/bill-wilburn/)
**Published:** July 29, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes writer **Bill Wilburn** for a reading from his debut novel, *First Comes Winter. Bill is joined by Emily Barrosse for a discussion of his novel.
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
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The son of a Navy pilot, throughout his dad’s career, **Bill Wilburn** grew up in seven locations in the U.S. and Europe. After college, he worked as a news reporter, eventually leaving the Associated Press to begin law school. In his career as a lawyer, he published numerous professional articles in prominent law reviews and journals. His literary and op-ed works have appeared in The Ekphrastic Review, The Wall Street Journal, the Dallas Times Herald, the Baltimore Sun, and the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.
**Emily Barrosse** is the founder and CEO of Bold Story Press and Xander Press, two boutique publishing imprints dedicated to amplifying strong, honest storytelling. After more than three decades in the publishing industry—including serving as Vice President and Editor in Chief at McGraw Hill—Emily launched her own presses to create a more transparent, collaborative, and empowering path for authors.
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# About *First Comes Winter*
Early in World War Two, at her twin brother’s funeral, a privileged young woman from Baltimore meets a Navy pilot her same age. Rachel is drawn to Bob’s boyish charm and artistic interests. But she feels prejudice toward the Southerner who comes from a hardscrabble Protestant background, so different from her Jewish upbringing. Bob, in turn, admires the beautiful Rachel, whose drive and decisiveness set her apart from the hometown Alabama sweetheart he seems destined to marry.
As Rachel and Bob begin a tentative long-distance correspondence, the war’s effects on their personal lives challenge each of them to face their own lifelong biases.
When the Navy transfers Bob to Chicago, where Rachel now lives and works, their relationship unexpectedly deepens into an interfaith romance. In this heart-warming historical novel, they overcome their own prejudices in different ways as their love grows.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Inner Loop Author's Corner w/ Shelagh Johnson!](https://writer.org/event/inner-loop-shelagh-johnson/)
**Published:** June 16, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
*A History of Existing Life* is The Inner Loop’s Author’s Corner spotlight. [The Inner Loop](https://www.theinnerlooplit.org/) cultivates and promotes the distinctive literary culture of Washington, DC. Author’s Corner supports local authors’ independently published books by spotlighting them in community programming and collaborations.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from Bookshop.org »](https://bookshop.org/p/books/a-history-of-existing-life-shelagh-powers-johnson/044323a43994eed3?ean=9781965412039&next=t&next=t&affiliate=101989)
---
**Shelagh Powers Johnson** teaches English and Creative Writing at Bowie State University and is the faculty editor of the university’s literary magazine, The Torch. She received her MFA in Fiction from American University and is currently working on a PhD in English and Creative Writing. Her work has previously appeared in the Portland Review, Night Train, the Grace and Gravity Anthologies, and Ghost Parachute, among others. Her debut short story collection, A History of Existing Life, is coming out this August. You can view her TEDxTalk, “Creative Writing: A Transformational Practice,” on YouTube and find her at [www.shelaghjohnson.com](http://www.shelaghjohnson.com/).
---
# About *A History of Existing Life*
“The language in Shelagh Powers Johnson’s debut collection strikes the rare and perfect balance between understated and surprising. The characters in these stories span time periods and geographic location but are united by Johnson’s astute observation of brutality and heartbreak- but also the beauty and redemption-of the every day.” -Amanda Parrish Morgan, author of Stroller, named one of The New Yorker’s Best Books of 2022
“A History of Existing Life is filled with lush, dark, haunting, and intricate prose and piercing observations. Old lovers briefly reunite. A woman’s paintings transform into a living dreamscape. Everyone reckons with their past. Johnson’s exquisite stories probe into the inner workings of relationships, of parents who love and who betray and disappoint. Let this collection surprise and envelop you.” -Lauren D. Woods, author of The Great Grown-Up Game of Make-Believe, winner of the Autumn House Press 2024 Fiction Prize
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*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
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**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
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### [A Beginner's Guide to Lit Mags and Submitting](https://writer.org/event/a-beginners-guide-to-lit-mags-and-submitting/)
**Published:** July 9, 2026
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
## What exactly is a tiered rejection? How does Submittable work? How do I learn about different literary journals?
This pop-up is for writers who are new to submitting, as well as more experienced writers who want to improve their odds of acceptance. We’ll discuss all the basics of submitting your fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry to literary journals. You’ll learn the submission vocabulary, how to write a cover letter, how far to cast your net, methods to improve your acceptance rate, and how to connect with other writers (and editors!) in the literary community to help you learn and grow as a writer. We’ll finish with a fast and furious Q&A to ensure all your questions get answered!
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, Publishing, Workshop, Zoom
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### [Your Literary Lineage: From Beloved Work to New Poems](https://writer.org/event/your-literary-lineage-from-beloved-work-to-new-poems/)
**Published:** April 27, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Our poetic inspirations are a kind of chosen family. In this workshop, we will explore the ways we c...
**Content:**
# Turn your favorite poems into new and original work.
Our poetic inspirations are a kind of chosen family. In this workshop, we will explore the ways we can ethically be inspired by and pay homage to the writers we align with, the ones who form our “literary lineage.” Choosing from both existing prose and poetry, participants will generate new work. We will explore strategies and forms including allusions, found verse, ekphrastic, centos and golden shovels.
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***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
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# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Ethical uses of other people’s work
- new forms
- voice and style development
# Time Requirements
- 120 minutes
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for beginning and intermediate poets who want to explore and deepen their connection to other voices while generating new work.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Poetry, The Writer's Center, Workshop
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### [Search Party: Find Your Writing Group](https://writer.org/event/search-party-oct-26/)
**Published:** August 5, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
# Looking for a writing group? We want to help you meet other interested writers!
**The Writer’s Center** and [**The Inner Loop**](https://theinnerlooplit.org/) invite you to Search Party, a social event connecting writers to other writers interested in forming/joining a writing group. Simply show up, fill out a nametag with your genres and other areas of interest, and mingle. You can:
- Visit themed tables for specific genres.
- Follow our guide to ask a few useful questions.
- Collect names and contact information on a handy form provided to all registrants.
- Enjoy complimentary refreshments!
**FREE and open to the public. RSVP below.**
**Suggested donation of $10 at the door.**
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*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
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### [Mark Farrington Book Release](https://writer.org/event/mark-farrington/)
**Published:** August 4, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes writer and longtime Johns Hopkins professor **Mark Farrington** for a reading from his new novel *LOSS OF LIFE* and discussion of fiction techniques with former student and author Michelle Brafman.
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
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Mark Farrington** recently retired after teaching thirty years in the Johns Hopkins University MA in Writing Program, including time spent as director of the program as well as director of the MA in Teaching Writing Program. He has published short fiction in *CARVE, Craft Literary, The Valparaiso Review*, and other journals, along with various articles on writing and the teaching of writing. Loss of Life* is his first novel. After living for three decades in Alexandria, Virginia, following his retirement he and his wife moved to Portland, Maine. Learn more at [markfarrington.net](https://www.markfarrington.net/).
**Michelle Brafman** is the author of *Washing the Dead, Bertrand Court,* and *Swimming with Ghosts*, the companion novel to *Draw Near to Me. Her work has appeared in *Oprah Daily, O Quarterly*, *Slate*, *LitHub*, *Tablet*, *The Forward*, and elsewhere. She’s taught fiction writing in the Johns Hopkins University MA in Writing Program and spoken about her work and the creative process at more than 200 venues, including book stores, literary festivals, classrooms, synagogues, and myriad book groups. Learn more at [michellebrafman.com](http://michellebrafman.com/).
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# About *LOSS OF LIFE*
In a Virginia hospital, forty-one-year-old Matthew Winton awakens from a car accident with no memory of his life after the age of thirteen.
Over time, he learns that he is a college professor who lives alone and has no family. He is also a writer, and he turns first to his writing, hoping it will show him his past. But he has written primarily fiction, and he struggles to separate the blurred lines between fiction and fact. He is helped by a policewoman who investigated his accident, and a relationship develops. Then he comes upon something he’d written shortly before the crash. This writing disturbs him greatly and leads to a series of events that end with him traveling to Massachusetts, where he spent the first thirty years of his life, in search of ghosts from his past. Throughout, he’s been troubled by questions raised by the car accident. What was he doing out on a deserted country road at two o’clock on a Sunday morning? He had no luggage in the car, nor anything that might have given a clue to his intentions. Even the policewoman who investigated seems to have questions about whether the crash was really an accident. As Matthew learns more about his past, he fears that his search might end back on that deserted country road at two a.m.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
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**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Reading and Open Mic for Amsterdam Quarterly](https://writer.org/event/amsterdam-quarterly-2026/)
**Published:** August 4, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes contributors to *Amsterdam Quarterly* for a reading and open mic in celebration of the latest issue. Readers include Claudia Gary, Bari Lynn Hein, and AQ editor Bryan R. Monte
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
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# About Amsterdam Quarterly
Founded in April 2011, Amsterdam Quarterly’s goal is to publish, promote, and comment on writing and art in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and the world. We hope you enjoy reading the work selected for this forty-sixth issue (AQ46) and we look forward to your comments at <editor@amsterdamquarterly.org> or submissions at <submissions@amsterdamquarterly.org>.
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******C****laudia Gary**’s new poetry book, *Time and Other Solvents,* is a story of healing. (See <https://www.sligocreekpublishing.com/time-and-other-solvents>). She lives near Washington DC and teaches Sonnets, Villanelles, Natural Meter, Persona Poems, Poetry vs. Trauma, etc., at The Writer’s Center ([writer.org](http://writer.org/)) and privately, via Zoom. Also the author of *Humor Me* (2006) and chapbooks including *Genetic Revisionism* (2019), Claudia is an advisory editor for *New Verse Review,* health/science writer, visual artist, and composer of tonal art songs and chamber music. See [pw.org/content/claudia\_gary](http://pw.org/content/claudia_gary).
**Bari Lynn Hein** was the winner of the 2024 Bethesda Short Story Contest, a finalist in the 2018 Saturday Evening Post Great American Fiction Contest, and a semifinalist in contests sponsored by *CutBank* and *Phoebe*. Her stories are published in dozens of journals worldwide, among them *Folio Journal*, *Prime Number*, *Amsterdam Quarterly,* *Mslexia*, and *The Baltimore Review*, as well as four anthologies. Now she’s working on a multi-generational novella. A novel set in Baltimore in the 1970s is on submission. You can explore her published works and more at [barilynnhein.com](http://barilynnhein.com/)
**Bryan R. Monte** is a poet, lecturer, memoirist, editor, publisher, and a finalist in both the 2021 Hippocrates Open Poetry and the 2021 and 2025 Gival Press Oscar Wilde Poetry competitions. His poetry is anthologized in *Gathered: Contemporary Quaker Poets*, *Immigration and Justice for our Neighbors*, *Voices from the Fierce Intangible World*, and in The *2021* and *2022 Hippocrates Prize* collections. His poetry book, *On the Level,* (Circling Rivers, 2022), has been praised for its candor and humor. He edits *Amsterdam Quarterly*.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
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### [Virtual Info Session for The Art of the Short Story w/ Rita Bullwinkel](https://writer.org/event/virtual-info-session-for-the-art-of-the-short-story-w-rita-bullwinkel/)
**Published:** July 9, 2026
**Author:** Emily Holland
**Content:**
**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!**
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# About the Program
**Application Deadline: October 5, 2026**
**Workshop Dates: Begins October 21, meeting twice a month for ~10 months**
**Cost: $5,400 \| Members $5,300**
Write new short stories with award-winning author and editor Rita Bullwinkel!
In this year-long short story intensive, students will read and discuss the work of their peers, and have the opportunity to submit four of their own short stories for group discussion. Students will also read the work of contemporary short story writers alongside the work of their peers in order to identify how their own work, and the work of their peers, is situated within the contemporary literary landscape.
# [**Find the full details and apply here »**](https://writer.org/event/the-art-of-the-short-story-w-rita-bullwinkel/)
**Event Categories:** Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
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### [Virtual Info Session for Your Narrative, Your Year w/ Edgar Gomez](https://writer.org/event/virtual-info-session-for-your-narrative-your-year-w-edgar-gomez/)
**Published:** July 13, 2026
**Author:** Emily Holland
**Content:**
**Meet Edgar Gomez, instructor for our yearlong memoir 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: September 21, 2026**
**Workshop Dates: Begins October 6, meeting twice a month for ~10 months**
**Cost: $5,400 \| Members $5,300**
**Write your memoir with award-winning author Edgar Gomez!**
In this intensive ten-month course, you will learn about the art of creative nonfiction and be given the tools to ready your memoir or memoir-in-essays for publication.
# [**Find the full details and apply here »**](https://writer.org/event/your-narrative-your-year-w-edgar-gomez/)
**Event Categories:** Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
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### [Inner Loop Author's Corner w/ Stephanie Dupal!](https://writer.org/event/inner-loop-stephanie-dupal/)
**Published:** June 16, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Inner Loop and The Writer’s Center present a FREE virtual chat about the craft of fiction! We’re joined by Stephanie Dupal to discuss her short story collection, *The Kindness of Terrible People and Other Stories.* Stephanie is in conversation with author Emily Mitchell.
*The Kindness of Terrible People and Other Stories* is The Inner Loop’s Author’s Corner spotlight. [The Inner Loop](https://www.theinnerlooplit.org/) cultivates and promotes the distinctive literary culture of Washington, DC. Author’s Corner supports local authors’ independently published books by spotlighting them in community programming and collaborations.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from Bookshop.org »](https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-kindness-of-terrible-people-and-other-stories-stephanie-dupal/31cb389bb8ff6f00?ean=9780996510318&next=t&next=t&affiliate=101989)
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**Stephanie Dupa**l is a Franco-Canadian and American professor of English at Northern Virginia Community College. She and her husband live in the D.C. metro area. Her stories appear in various magazines here and abroad. The Kindness of Terrible People is her first collection.
**Emily Mitchell** is the author of three published works of fiction, most recently the story collection The Church of Divine Electricity, winner of the 2023 Elixir Press Fiction Award and published in November 2025 by University of Wisconsin Press. Her short stories have appeared in Harpers’, Ploughshares, The Sun, Alaska Quarterly Review, The Southern Review, The Missouri Review, Prairie Schooner and elsewhere. Her nonfiction has appeared in the New York Times, the New Statesman and Guernica. She serves as fiction editor of New England Review and teaches at University of Maryland. Her second novel, Far Ocean, about 18th century botanist and explorer Jeanne Baret, won the 2025 Big Moose Prize and is forthcoming from Black Lawrence Press.
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# About *The Kindness of Terrible People and Other Stories*
Stephanie Dupal’s debut collection of fifteen stories evokes in startling, lyrical prose the cruelties, misguided kindnesses, and surprises that accompany ageing and mortality in the lives of girls and women. Demonstrating a remarkable range of intimate dilemmas set in varied landscapes, these stories affirm the validity of characters’ choices and the courage–and rage–of their convictions.
In “To Lie Engulfed in the Waves of the Sea,” a renowned cellist lies to be hired at a performing arts school; in “The Ethics of Keeping Company with Strangers,” a strong-willed teenager and her father are stranded in a Utah desert; in “A Baby of the Ganges,” a grieving couple attempts to reconcile on a trip to Kolkata; in “Godfrey Green,” an art restorer, painting in the shadow of her elusive mentor, abandons her ambitions; and, in the emblematic final story “Boys and Girls Swimming Like Dolphins,” a Marine veteran and her husband fixate on the gender of their future child as they consider fertility treatments.
Among other characters inhabiting these pages are an inebriated mother who fears detachment from her son; a retired professor who lures her niece’s boyfriend into devastating, flirtatious conversation in the title story; a lonely widow who hunts an imposing raccoon; and a girl with a rare condition who becomes an unlikely heroine in Napoleonic France.
Richly imagined, *The Kindness of Terrible People* *and Other Stories* heralds a bold new voice in North American letters.
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*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Writer James Kleiger Book Release](https://writer.org/event/james-kleiger/)
**Published:** July 16, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes writer **James Kleiger** for a reading from his new book, ***Pareidolia.* *Illusions, Deceptions, and Murder.*** James is joined by writers **Francene M. D. Hill** and **Gary Rosen**, who will read excerpts from his new book. Audience discussion is welcome.
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
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Born and raised in Denver, **Jim Kleiger** journeyed from the Rocky Mountains to the New England coast. Writing about people and their struggles has been central to Jim’s work throughout his career. He has authored six professional books and scores of papers on the psychological assessment of severe mental disorders, including psychosis, post-traumatic stress, and bipolar disorders. Unable to resist the pull of his imagination, Jim turned to fiction. In 2020, publishing under the name J. Herman Kleiger, he wrote his debut novel, *The 11th Inkblot. Since then, he has written three books in the Nicola Kitts psychological thriller series, including his recently released book, *Pareidolia, Illusions, Deceptions, and Murder. Jim brings his expertise as a clinician and personality assessor to his psychological fiction, weaving captivating stories that explore his characters’ inner conflicts and how these struggles drive the drama, suspense, and mystery of their lives.
**Francene M. D. Hill (reader)** is the author of Tiny Tots in Tiaras and Tuxedos: The Life, Love, and Business Success of Kermit B. Hill—a powerful creative biography about her mother that Kirkus Reviews calls “an accessible, valuable addition to the histories of Black businesswomen in America.” Holding a B.A. from Smith College and an M.S. from Penn State University, Francene preserves Kermit’s inspiring legacy, from safeguarding WWII secrets at the Pentagon to building the Tiny Tot School, where Black children were empowered as kings and queens for 60 years. A natural storyteller, Francene brings her mother’s journey to life on stages across the country, including open mics, book readings, literary festivals, and The Moth StorySLAM in Washington, DC.
**Gary Rosen (moderator/reader)** began his writing career in 2020 as a way to deal with a personal trauma. He began to journal and quickly those entries became poetry. In addition to poetry (@goodmourningpoet), Gary has published a children’s book, Just Like Me, and is about to release Who Took My Sock? He lives in Maryland with his wife and two dogs. His son lives in Virginia with his two cats, and his daughter and son-in- law live in Maryland with their two cats and Poptart the hedgehog. When Gary isn’t writing you will probably find him practicing his guitar or on a pickleball court either teaching or playing the sport.
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# About *Pareidolia. Illusions, Deceptions, and Murder*
A gun. An empty whiskey bottle. A soul teetering on the edge…
*Pareidolia. Illusions, Deceptions, and Murder****,*** the third book in the Nicola Kitts psychological thriller series, is a gripping, fast-paced thriller. Pareidolia* offers readers a suspenseful plot, crisp dialogue, and haunted, haunting characters.
Can a startling phone call be Nicola Kitts’ salvation, or will it lead her down a twisted path of deception and danger, where nothing is as it seems? In a *Shutter Island*-esque labyrinth where reality and illusion intertwine, *Pareidolia*, the gripping sequel to *Whispers*, compels readers to confront the razor-thin line between madness and sanity, and between despair and hope. Unexplained messages, chilling calls from the dead, and an unimaginable menace drive Nicola Kitts to battle her darkest fears and find her only friend before time runs out.
Like his earlier fiction, *Pareidolia* is a story of battling external threats and internal demons, set against the backdrop of trauma, grief, and the crucible of healing, instructing and delighting its readers.
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*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Novel 101: How to Craft the Story](https://writer.org/event/novel-101-how-to-craft-the-story-4/)
**Published:** April 27, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** This class offers the key concepts of plotting and pacing while delving into different genres. Begin...
**Content:**
# If you’ve always wanted to create your own exciting novel then this is the class for you.
This class offers the key concepts of plotting and pacing while delving into different genres. Beginners have the opportunity to share their works with the class while also building confidence in their craft. Short homework assignments will encourage practice outside of assigned class hours. Students will leave with an evolved sense of fiction and the tools necessary to continue writing their own story.
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***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
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# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Setting
- Pacing and Plotting
- Character Development
- Exposure to Multiple Genres
# Time requirements
- About one hour outside of class per week.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Beginners interested in creating their own novel, come say hi! This workshop encourages individuals to start thinking about their own stories in relation to key story building blocks.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, Beginner Level, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
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### [Virtual Craft Chat w/ Poet Kirsten Kaschock](https://writer.org/event/kirsten-kaschock/)
**Published:** July 29, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of poetry! We’re joined by author **Kirsten Kaschock** for a discussion of her poetry collection, *AutoPortrait (as flotsam)*. Kirsten is in conversation with Brandon Johnson, poet and Events Director at The Writer’s Center.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [directly from the publisher](https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/distributed/A/bo280183947.html)
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**Kirsten Kaschock** is a poet and novelist who writes across several genres. Her background in dance has impacted her work, which addresses intersections between language and body. She is the author of seven poetry books and a speculative novel, *Sleight*. She has lived in Iowa, New York, Georgia, and Maryland, and currently resides in Northeast Pennsylvania with her partner.
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# About *AutoPortrait (as flotsam)*
**An investigation of identity as prompted by art and artists.**
In *AutoPortrait (as flotsam)*, Kirsten Kaschock uses the words, lives, and images of other artists as springboards into the self. Arranged almost as a gallery walk, *AutoPortrait* alternates between masque-like encounters with art and reflective passages engaging memory and desire. Influenced by photographers Francesca Woodman and Cindy Sherman, Kaschock walks a tightrope between vulnerability and artifice—using lines and shapes provided by the many artists referenced here (painters, musicians, and poets) to sketch an impression of a woman artist.
The struggle she chronicles is familiar to any storyteller: an effort to piece together minor episodes to create some semblance of a whole. The question is whether such a project can ever be accomplished. Can the fragments gathered on the shore of memory be tied together, brought to life? Other artists, perhaps especially the abstract expressionists, serve her as both guide and glue. The result is an intimate travelogue—the poet’s own narrow road to an interior where she finds a meditative balance between rage and regret, sorrow and joy.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
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### [Latine Heritage Through a Literary Lens](https://writer.org/event/latine-through-a-literary-lens/)
**Published:** July 6, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center and Tintas DC presents a FREE, informative, and inspiring symposium exploring Latine heritage in literature and popular culture. The event will feature **free creative writing workshops followed by a panel discussion** with featured writers Dahlia Aguilar, Raffi “DJ Raffi” Umanzo, and María Amelia Viteri. The symposium concludes with a reception for all attendees.
**All events are FREE and open to the public. Limited space, registration required. The workshops are simultaneous, so please only sign up for ONE. Scroll down to register!**
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# Check In \| 1:00pm
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# **Workshops \| 1:30-3:00pm**
***Please register for ONE workshop** using the form below. Workshop registration includes admission to the panel discussion and reception.*
- **The Nature of Things \| Workshop Leader: Dahlia Aguilar** The Nature of Things is that we are the nature. This session will explore how poetry can be used as a tool for healing and sustainability. Participants will explore concepts of sustainability, explore nature writing from writers of color, and generate their own poetic tributes to the loving world around them.
- **Breaking Through Writer’s Block: Using Music to Inspire Your Next Story \| Workshop Leader: Raffi “DJ Raffi” Umanzor**
Music and writing have connected me to so many in the past, so in this interactive workshop, participants will explore how music can spark ideas, shape characters, and unlock scenes by learning the techniques I use in my own writing process. Attendees will leave having written a short 2–3 minute scene inspired by either a favorite song of their own or one selected from a curated playlist. Bringing earbuds is highly encouraged!
- **The Body as Archive: Our Embodied Memories \| Workshop Leader: María Amelia Viteri** The Body as Archive invites participants to explore the body as a living archive, a place where memories, experiences, care practices, inheritances, territories, and acts of resistance are inscribed through skin, breath, gestures, scars, and movement. Together, we will reflect on the traces we carry, both visible and invisible, and consider how our bodies preserve stories that often remain absent from official records and institutional archives. Drawing on excerpts from the bilingual fanzine The Body as Archive, developed by the Body as Archive working group co-founded by the facilitator, participants will engage in brief readings, creative exercises, writing, and body mapping to imagine archives of care, silence, migration, sounds, resistance, pleasure, and community memory. Through words, symbols, colors, and images, each participant will create a visual and narrative cartography of embodied memory and contribute to a collective living archive that expands how we understand history, knowledge, and remembrance beyond documents.
***Please register for ONE workshop** using the form below. Workshop registration includes admission to the panel discussion and reception.*
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# **Panel Discussion \| 3:15-4:15pm**
*To attend the ONLY panel and reception, please register for the panel-only option below.*
***Where Our Stories Live: Memory, Music, Nature & the Body***
What holds our stories before they’re ever written down? This conversation explores the many places stories live: within our bodies, our relationships to the natural world, the music that shapes us, and our collective memories. The panelists will discuss how these living archives influence their creative practice and how writers can access them to create work that is both deeply personal and resonates with others.
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# **Workshop Leaders/Panelists**
**Dahlia Aguilar** is a Texas-born Chicana poet and calls D.C. her hometown. A 2025 DC Arts and Humanities Fellow, she is an alum of the Macondo Writers Workshop and has held residencies with Under the Volcano, Elk River, and Gemini Ink. Her poems appear in Naugatuck River Review, Acentos Review, The Skinny Poetry Journal, Journal X, Boundless, and the award-winning anthology Somos Xicanas. Her debut manuscript La Otra Cara, will be released this fall as part of Finishing Line Press’ New Women’s Voices Contest and her manuscript Por La Costa paneled for the Purple Ink Press Beloved Chapbook Contest. She is a co-founder of Mundo Verde Bilingual PCS, a local public elementary school whose mission it is to prepare young people to be stewards for sustainability. She lives in Deanwood with her teenage son, two dogs, and menopause.
**Raffi “DJ Raffi” Umanzor** is a DC based writer, producer, DJ, and event host whose work celebrates Latine culture, queer storytelling, and community connection. As the creator of Reggaeton Brunch DC and host of the Wait! Don’t Do It! podcast, he has built a career bringing people together through live entertainment and sharing/ over sharing experiences. Alongside his work in events, Raffi is an emerging screenwriter with a passion for blending horror and comedy to tell stories that are both unsettling and deeply human.His first scripts date back to when he was 8 years old. His current original screenplay, Capital Punishment, explores fears, (imaginative and real) like anxiety and gentrification told distinctly through a queer lens while also paying tribute to the slasher films that inspired him to start writing. Whether it’s through event production, DJing, or writing horror, Raffi is fascinated by the relationship between them in order to tell relatable stories.
**María Amelia Viteri**, Ph.D. is a cultural anthropologist whose hemispheric scholarship moves across ethnography, archives, gender studies, migration, memory, and public humanities in the Americas. She holds a Ph.D. in Cultural Anthropology from American University, a B.A. in Linguistics from the Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador, and an M.A. in Gender and Development from FLACSO–Ecuador; her transnational academic formation shapes her commitment to historically grounded, community-engaged, and interdisciplinary research. An internationally recognized scholar, she has authored ten books and more than thirty peer-reviewed publications, including Desbordes (SUNY Press, 2014) and The Tropical Silk Road (Stanford University Press, 2022). She is currently an Associate Researcher in Anthropology at the University of Maryland, College Park. Inspired by her grandfather’s story, her current research approaches the archive as a living body of memory—holding visible and invisible traces and reclaiming histories official records often leave behind.
**Adrian Gaston Garcia** (aka AGG) is a queer Latine storyteller and cultural organizer whose work explores belonging, identity, and collective healing. Originally from Chicago and now based in Washington, D.C., he creates work that celebrates queer Brown joy. His poetry and performances have been featured at Arena Stage, the American Poetry Museum, Busboys and Poets, the DC Latino Book Festival, Dupont Underground, World Poetry Festival, and other venues across the region. Recent projects include co-directing and performing Jotería: Our Untold Stories during WorldPride 2025, co-producing Oye DC, and collaborating with the Hispanic Heritage Foundation and Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company for Noche de Joteria. Adrian is the founder of Tintas DC, a writers collective centering Latine voices in the DMV, and co-host and producer of Los Bookis Podcast. In 2026, he was named Mr. DC Latinx Pride for his contributions to LGBTQ+ storytelling, arts, and community.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
# *Please register for ONE workshop using the form below. Workshop registration includes admission to the panel discussion and reception.*
***If a workshop is full, you can join the waitlist by sending an email to claude.olson@writer.org specifying the workshop you’re interested in attending.***
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Virtual Info Session for One Year to Your YA Novel w/ Betsy Cornwell](https://writer.org/event/virtual-info-session-for-one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/)
**Published:** July 14, 2026
**Author:** Emily Holland
**Content:**
**Meet Betsy Cornwell, instructor for our yearlong YA novel 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: September 4, 2026**
**Workshop Dates: Begins September 15, meeting twice a month for ~10 months**
**Cost: $5,400 \| Members $5,300**
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.
# [**Find the full details and apply here »**](https://writer.org/event/one-year-to-your-ya-novel-w-betsy-cornwell/)
**Event Categories:** Adults Write for Children, Fiction, Kid Lit, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Intro to Micro-Memoir and Flash Fiction](https://writer.org/event/intro-to-micro-memoir-and-flash-fiction/)
**Published:** April 27, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** What if the most powerful story you ever write is also the shortest? In this workshop, we'll explore...
**Content:**
# Short-form writing is its own art—and the discipline it demands will sharpen everything else you write.
What if the most powerful story you ever write is also the shortest? In this workshop, we’ll explore the surprisingly expansive world of micro-memoir and flash fiction—stories of 1,000 words or less that pack an emotional punch far exceeding their size. These compressed forms have their own distinct demands: finding the singular moment that encapsulates everything, resisting the urge to over-explain, and choosing only the precise word. But here’s the deeper reward: mastering the discipline of the short form will sharpen your instincts and strengthen your writing across every genre you work in. Whether you’re a seasoned writer seeking a new challenge or a beginner ready to discover your potential, this introductory session will reveal what makes these little stories tick and send you home with fresh ideas and inspiration.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- What micro-memoir and flash fiction are—and aren’t
- How to elevate your story beyond the anecdote
- How a singular moment can carry the full emotional weight of your narrative
- How to generate new work ready to develop and submit to literary magazines
# Time requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is open to all writers who want to learn short-form writing and sharpen their craft across all genres.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Beginner Level, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Submit-O-Thon!](https://writer.org/event/submit-o-thon/)
**Published:** July 2, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
# Submit your Work for a Cause!
Each autumn, thousands of lit mags and journals open their portals/queues/websites to read your work. We know that submitting on your own can be a slog, so let’s get it done, together!
The Writer’s Center is hosting our first ever Submit-o-thon, a marathon-like afternoon where you commit to submitting your work for 4 hours, and enlist your friends and family to support you along the way!
The donations you raise will help pay for
- Our public programming (including readings, panels, and craft chats)
- Bi-monthly open mics
- Quarterly mixers
- Creative writing workshops
- Scholarships
- And more!
As a fundraiser, you’ll receive **a one month free subscription of Chill Subs** and an *optional* **30 minute submission crash course on best tips for submitting**!
You’ll spend your time submitting to a **minimum of 20 literary journals and magazines** to get your work out there!
In return for you hard work, we will have prizes like mugs, gift certificates, and more!
***Once you’ve registered, you will receive an email with a personal fundraising page to send to your loved ones.***
---
# **Watch an Informational Video**
Learn all the logistics of this fundraiser!
###### [**WATCH HERE >>>**](https://youtu.be/YrXgomYWfpA)
---
## What to Expect:
# 12:30-1pm: Sign in, Pick a spot, Receive your ChillSubs Benefit
# **1-5 pm: Quiet time to submit work**
# **1-1:30pm: (optional) Tips and Tricks for a great submission**
# 5pm: Prizes Awarded and Reception Begins!
---
***Once you’ve registered, you will receive an email with a personal fundraising page to send to your loved ones.***
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [LGBTQ+ Writers Mixer](https://writer.org/event/lgbtq-writers-mixer-nov26/)
**Published:** July 13, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
Are you a writer who identifies as LGBTQ+? Let’s hang out and talk writing! Come join us for an informal gathering at The Writer’s Center. Please bring a drink or an appetizer that serves six. You’re welcome to bring a friend, too.
**FREE & open to all DMV writers who identify as LGBTQ+. RSVP required below.**
Attending? We encourage you to [become a member of The Writer’s Center for only $65/year »](https://writer.org/become-a-member/)
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [BIPOC Writers Mixer](https://writer.org/event/bipoc-writers-mixer-oct26/)
**Published:** July 13, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
**Calling all BIPOC writers in the DMV! Let’s hang out and talk writing!**
Come join us for an informal gathering at The Writer’s Center to meet new writers, make new friends, and share your love of the written word. Please bring a drink or an appetizer that serves six. You’re welcome to bring a friend, too.
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP required below.**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Recent Grad Writers Mixer](https://writer.org/event/recent-grad-writers-mixer-sept26/)
**Published:** July 13, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
Are you a writer who recently graduated? Join us for an informal gathering at The Writer’s Center to hang out and talk writing! Please bring a drink or an appetizer that serves six. You’re welcome to bring a friend, too.
**FREE & open to all DMV writers who have recently graduated. RSVP required below.**
Attending? We encourage you to [become a member of The Writer’s Center for only $65/year »](https://writer.org/become-a-member/)
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Women Writers Mixer](https://writer.org/event/women-writers-mixer-aug26/)
**Published:** July 13, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
Women writers of DC! Join us for an informal gathering at The Writer’s Center! It’ll be a chance to talk shop, network, and hang out with other writers. Please bring a drink or an appetizer that serves six, and bring a friend, too. See you there!
**FREE & open to all women writers from the DMV. RSVP required below.**
Attending? We encourage you to [become a member of The Writer’s Center for only $65/year »](https://writer.org/become-a-member/)
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Diane Zinna Book Release](https://writer.org/event/diane-zinna/)
**Published:** July 6, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes writer **Diane Zinna** for a reading from her new book, *Letting Grief Speak: Writing Portals for Life After Loss.*
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
**There will be a limited number of copies of *Letting Grief Speak* available for purchase at the Writer’s Center. If you would like a signed copy, we hope you’ll consider purchasing it before the event and bringing it with you.** Purchase the book **[here>>>](https://bookshop.org/a/22600/9780231212694)**
---
**Diane Zinna** is the author of *Letting Grief Speak: Writing Portals for Life After Loss,* a craft book on the art of telling our hardest stories, to be published July 21 from Columbia University Press. Her novel, *The All-Night Sun* (Random House, 2020), was longlisted for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize and Cabell First Novelist Award. Her short works have been nominated for the Pushcart Prize and honored in *Best American Essays 2025.* For the past 6 years, she has led the free online class Grief Writing Sundays. Meet her there or online at [dianezinna.com](http://dianezinna.com/).
---
# About *Letting Grief Speak: Writing Portals for Life After Loss*
Society doesn’t always make it easy to tell stories about loss. Grief can make us feel that we have crossed over to another side, where people can’t reach us and we can’t reach others. We’re encouraged to move quickly through the often-misunderstood “stages of grief”; we fear that we are burdening others with our pain. But pain can feel more manageable when we find ways to describe it—and writing about grief can help us connect with others who have felt pain of their own.
*Letting Grief Speak* is a creative writing craft book on the art of telling our hardest stories. Based on a class called Grief Writing Sundays that Diane Zinna has led for several years, it provides ninety writing prompts with accompanying craft techniques to help people find language for their grief. By turns gentle, unexpected, rebellious, and wonderfully strange, these prompts open portals: entryways into spaces where difficult emotions can become meaningful narratives. Warm, sensitive, and honest, *Letting Grief Speak* is a memoir of the craft, interwoven with stories from the author’s own life. It also includes pieces from acclaimed writers and more than forty of her Grief Writing students, inviting readers to find their own ways to tell vulnerable stories. A tool for writers and a companion for grievers, this book meets writers of all levels where they are, no matter what kind of grief they hold.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [The Art of Description](https://writer.org/event/the-art-of-description-2/)
**Published:** April 27, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** This six-week interactive class is designed to give you the skills to write rich descriptive sentenc...
**Content:**
# Learn the secret to engaging readers with your writing!
This four-week interactive class is designed to give you the skills to write rich descriptive sentences and paragraphs that infuse life into your characters and the worlds you create. During this course, you will strengthen your powers of observation through a variety of assigned weekly readings and writing exercises. You’ll also share some of your own writing and enjoy reading the work of other participants. A new lesson will open on Mondays and assignments will be due by the end of each week. After the completion of this course, you’ll have new material that may springboard future stories.
---
***Learn at your own pace:** This workshop will take place over **Wet Ink**, which is an asynchronous creative writing platform. The instructor will post a lesson and assignment at the beginning of each week, and participants can log in and read the lessons/post assignments/comment on other classmates’ work at their convenience. Shortly before the start date, participants will receive an invite from Wet Ink to create their login info and access the class. Please check your spam if you don’t see it.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How to write rich and varied descriptive sentences
- How to incorporate the five senses into your writing
- Concrete details
# Time requirements
- 2-4 hours/No reading required in advance
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for any writer hoping to improve their description skills.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, All Levels, Fiction, Wet Ink, Workshop
---
### [Subtleties of Meter](https://writer.org/event/subtleties-of-meter/)
**Published:** April 27, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** To explore some of the fine points of meter, we will examine how metrical patterns can vary between ...
**Content:**
# Take your mastery of meter to the next level.
To explore some of the fine points of meter, we will examine how metrical patterns can vary between poets, do exercises to generate new poem drafts, practice scansion, and more. Participants are encouraged to bring a metrical poem they’ve already written, for feedback at the end of the workshop.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Metrical substitutions and other variations
- Strong and weak stresses
- Headless lines, descending meter, and caesuras
- Enjambed and end-stopped lines
- How rhyme interacts with meter
# Time requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Poets who have taken “Natural Meter Crash Course” and/or who have some experience in writing metrical poems.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
Add to calendar
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Intermediate/Advanced Level, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Cover Letters and Agent Queries](https://writer.org/event/cover-letters-and-agent-queries/)
**Published:** April 27, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Your query letter is your first introduction to a potential agent--which is to say, your first intro...
**Content:**
# There is a way to be yourself in writerly business communications–and doing so usually yields the best results!
Your query letter is your first introduction to a potential agent–which is to say, your first introduction to a potential champion of your work, professional advocate, and friend. How do we create a query letter that has that right mix of professionalism, candor, and kindness? How can we explain the book we’ve worked so hard to finish in just a few paragraphs? Author and teacher Diane Zinna will help to demystify the process of cover letters for literary magazine submissions and agent queries! We’ll also look at how to craft a perfect third-person bio and explore the four things an agent query must do. You’ll leave with real tools to help you find the literary champions looking for you.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Literary Magazine Cover Letters
- Literary Agent Query Letters
- Third-Person Bios
# Time requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This class will be excellent for any writer wishing to add oomph to their cover letters, bios, and agent queries. All levels of experience are welcome.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
Add to calendar
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Publishing, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Writing the Truth](https://writer.org/event/writing-the-truth/)
**Published:** April 27, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Writers will explore how honesty and vulnerability can strengthen personal narrative. Through guided...
**Content:**
# Learn how to move past internal barriers and write with greater honesty and depth.
Writers will explore how honesty and vulnerability can strengthen personal narrative. Through guided prompts, reflection, and discussion, participants will examine the internal barriers—such as fear, perfectionism, and self-censorship—that can prevent deeper truth from emerging on the page. By the end of the workshop, writers will leave with fresh insights for writing with greater authenticity and emotional clarity. No preparation required.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
• Techniques for writing through internal resistance
• Strategies for navigating vulnerability in personal writing
• How honesty can deepen narrative voice and emotional impact
• Methods for transforming difficult or complex experiences into story
• Generative prompts for accessing more authentic material
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers who want to explore more honest and authentic storytelling. It is ideal for memoirists, essayists, and fiction writers interested in deepening the emotional truth of their work and writing past internal barriers.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Poetry Potluck: 5 Forms in 3 Weeks](https://writer.org/event/poetry-potluck-5-forms-in-3-weeks/)
**Published:** April 27, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Build your literary muscles by practicing a mix of five contemporary and traditional forms: sonnets,...
**Content:**
# Want to learn about a handful of fun poetic forms and practice writing a few?
Build your literary muscles by practicing a mix of five contemporary and traditional forms: sonnets, golden shovels, abecedarians, villanelles, and sestinas. Classes are a mix of instruction, reading sample poems, lots of tips, Q&A, and sharing what we write (optional, but encouraged). Struggling to find time to write? Each class will include 20-30 minutes of writing time to begin drafting your own poem.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- the rules for, and examples of, five poetic forms: sonnets, golden shovels, abecedarians, villanelles, and sestinas
- how to find the best topics that fit best with certain forms
- how to write in rhyme and keep your poems from sounding sing-songy
- how writing in form can provide great practice with line breaks and repetition, and building compelling stories in your poems
# Time requirements
- 20-60 minutes
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This class is for poets, and prose writers, with some experience who want to write poems i a variety of forms.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 3 Sessions, Intermediate/Advanced Level, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Persona Poem Crash Course](https://writer.org/event/persona-poem-crash-course-4/)
**Published:** April 27, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** In the Persona Poem, or Dramatic Monologue, the poet writes in the voice of another real or imagined...
**Content:**
# The poet’s “I” does not always mean “me.”
In the Persona Poem, or Dramatic Monologue, the poet writes in the voice of another real or imagined person—or even an inanimate object. Guided by a widely published author of persona and other poems, you will read and discuss several time-honored examples, then start new ones of your own. You may find unexpected insights, expanding your poetic range in the process.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- The power of seeing through different eyes
- Perspective and freedom
- Persona poems by classic and contemporary poets
- Feedback on participant poems
# Time requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for poets who would like a simple but dramatic way to expand their range.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Polishing Your First Draft](https://writer.org/event/polishing-your-first-draft-2/)
**Published:** April 27, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** When the first draft is complete, the real work begins. You should not be your only editor, but you ...
**Content:**
# Review your manuscript with an editor’s eye.
When the first draft is complete, the real work begins. You should not be your only editor, but you can be the first. Learn tips on how to tighten your prose, improve the immediacy and urgency of your work, identify plot holes, and more so that your work shines when you send it out wherever you decide to send it next. Note, this is not a class in grammar. You will learn the rules of developmental editing, so that you can follow or break them if you choose!
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Tighten your prose
- Plot development
- Weed out cliches and hesitancies
# Time requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for fiction writers in the final stages of the first draft of a short story or novel.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Fiction, Intermediate Level, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Building a Writing Process](https://writer.org/event/building-a-writing-process-3/)
**Published:** April 27, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Do you ever think to yourself: “Why is it so hard to get my ideas out of my head and onto the page?”...
**Content:**
# Learn techniques to stop overthinking and get words on the page.
Do you ever think to yourself: “Why is it so hard to get my ideas out of my head and onto the page?” This workshop offers a variety of techniques that help writers develop their ideas and break down barriers to writing. Whether you are a plotter or a pantser, neurotypical or neurodivergent, you will come away understanding your creative process on a deeper level so you can work with it and not against it. You will experiment with different approaches to idea generation, prewriting, outlining, drafting and revising so when you get stuck, you can reach into your toolbox and try a different method. Writers will come away with a rough draft of a personal narrative and a new appreciation for each stage of the writing process.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Idea generation techniques
- Outlining methods
- Story arc development
- Drafting and revising techniques
- Tips for building a sustainable writing practice
- Prompts to spark ideas and overcome blocks
# Time requirements
- 1-2 hours per week
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is ideal for personal narrative writers struggling with creative blocks, idea development, overthinking, perfectionism, and procrastination.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 3 Sessions, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Washington Writers' Publishing House Capital Love LitFest](https://writer.org/event/capital-love/)
**Published:** April 16, 2026
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Capital Love LitFest is an 8-hour literary salon of writing workshops, deep-dive literary discussions, and poetry and prose readings from the new WWPH pocket-sized anthology, ***Capital Love***. The Capital Love LitFest, and our anthology, are dedicated to all those who believe love is the antidote to hate, and that love is action, intent, healing, and hope.
This event is a pay-as-you-can literary event designed to inspire and generate your writing, deepen your craft, introduce you to your Washington Writers’ Publishing House’s community, and raise up our collective voices in literary solidarity. Attendance will be limited to 120 people, which is the capacity for the theater at The Writer’s Center, so reserve your seat now.
Writers scheduled to appear include co-presidents Caroline Bock and Jona Colson along with legendary Grace Cavalieri and E. Ethelbert Miller, plus, Kim Roberts, Bernardine ‘Dine’ Watson, Samantha Neugebauer, Jason Gebhardt, Emily Holland, and over 25 more! A dozen literary presses from across the DMV will also be there. A reception for all will culminate the day.
# [A complete schedule of the day’s events can be found here »](https://washingtonwriters.org/capital-love-lit-fest/)
All monies from this pay-as-you-can donation will be shared between your WWPH and the Writer’s Center of Bethesda, two nonprofit literary organizations dedicated to supporting the DMV literary community. The Washington Writers’ Publishing House is grateful to The Writer’s Center for their partnership and support with the Capital Love LitFest.
The Capital Love LitFest is made possible by generous grants from the Maryland State Arts Council and the DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities.
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat w/ Poet Kay E. Bancroft](https://writer.org/event/kay-bancroft/)
**Published:** April 21, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
Poet Lore and The Writer’s Center present a FREE virtual chat about the craft of poetry! We’re joined by **Kay E. Bancroft** to discuss their debut collection, *Bloodroom*. Kay is in conversation with Emily Holland, poet and editor of [*Poet Lore,*](https://www.poetlore.com/)[ America’s oldest poetry journal](https://www.poetlore.com/).
RSVP below to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). FREE and open to the public, all times Eastern.
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from the publisher »](https://sundress-publications.square.site/product/bloodroom-by-kay-e-bancroft-preorder-/GQ7KTQC3J5SCQPZTTYC2EKI5?cs=true&cst=custom)
---
**Kay E. Bancroft** (they/them) is a queer nonbinary writer, poet, editor, educator, and artist based in Cincinnati, OH. They hold an MFA in Poetry from Randolph College, and a BA from the University of Cincinnati. You can find their writing in *Poet Lore*, *Pleiades Journal*, *RHINO Poetry*, *Passengers Journal*, *The Rumpus*, & more. Explore more at [kayebancroftpoet.com](http://kayebancroftpoet.com).
---
# About *Bloodroom*
“Do you identify with any of the above terminology? Occasionally. Some days they feel appropriate. Others, I resent these tools of our language. I reject and embrace, synchronously.”
*Bloodroom* is a howling, scorching debut collection of deftly formatted poetry—circling, and delicately probing, themes of familial debt, legacy, obligation, and the matriline. Through an index of past wounds and inherited scars, the speaker bleeds their histories together with the slow erosion of nostalgia. These poems offer an incisive and scalding interrogation of gender, yet are often unbearably tender—a swirling emulsion of grief and anger poured into an intricately technical and beautifully challenging mold. Each piece draws out a tragic, cyclical song of love and loss, resentment and admiration, as though drawing poison from a wound. Bancroft’s writing is meditative, cleansing, and compulsively readable: recounting a feminine childhood transformed into something monstrous until seen through a new lens. *Bloodroom* is a plea to identity, to the process of searching for purpose and of seeking certainty in a broken world.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat w/ Author Rebecca Lee](https://writer.org/event/rebecca-lee/)
**Published:** June 25, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of nonfiction! We’re joined by author **Rebecca Lee** for a discussion of her new publication, *Rogues, Widows and Orphans: Mischief and Misadventures in the World of Books.* Rebecca is in conversation with Amy Freeman, author and Development Director at The Writer’s Center.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [directly from the publisher>>](https://brandeisuniversitypress.com/title/rogues-widows-and-orphans-mischief-and-misadventures-in-the-world-of-books/)
---
**Rebecca Lee** is a senior editorial manager at Penguin Random House, and the author of *How Words Get Good: The Story of Making a Book* and *Rogues, Widows and Orphans: Mischief and Misadventure in the World of Books*. She’s spent twenty-five years managing hundreds of high-profile books from delivery of manuscript to finished copies, signing off millions of words as fit to go to print with only the occasional regret.
---
# About *Rogues, Widows and Orphans*
**A publishing industry insider reveals the hilarious and fascinating mishaps, hoaxes, and gaffes behind your favorite books.**
It’s a long journey from a writer’s mind to a finished book, and a lot needs to go right along the way. But isn’t it more interesting when things go wrong?
Rebecca Lee, a senior editorial manager at Penguin Random House, guides readers through the secrets of the book industry, a world fizzing with scandals, rivalries, catastrophes, and con jobs. Lee demonstrates how the tiniest of typos can have oversized consequences, unearths horrifying examples of bad taste and worse style, and peeks into tales of forgeries and feuds as dramatic as any thriller. She unredacts the most egregious cases of censorship, exposes hoarders and thieves, and asks whether AI is really an existential threat to the literary universe—or if we are our own worst enemies.
An irresistible tour of mistakes and misbehavior, *Rogues, Widows and Orphans* will make you cringe, crack you up, and renew your appreciation for the hard work of making books—and all the ways it can go sidewise.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [How to Write A Grant Proposal](https://writer.org/event/how-to-write-a-grant-proposal-3/)
**Published:** April 27, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** This workshop will cover how to research prospective funders, the elements of a good proposal, and h...
**Content:**
# Learn how to write proposals to request grants from funders.
This workshop will cover how to research prospective funders, the elements of a good proposal, and how to approach funders. Proposal writing is a practical skill that, applied to those who work or volunteer for non-profit organizations, can be a good source of freelance writing income. Please come to class with a non-profit or project in mind to use as the focus of your research and proposal. By the end of class, you will have a draft of a proposal to use for fundraising.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Prospect Research
- Sections of a Good Proposal
- Reporting and Budgeting
# Time requirements
- 1-2 hours/week
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Writers associated with non-profit organization
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 3 Sessions, All Levels, Professional Writing, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Let the Soft Animals Speak: Writing the Wild with Craft and Care](https://writer.org/event/let-the-soft-animals-speak-writing-the-wild-with-craft-and-care-2/)
**Published:** April 27, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** When Mary Oliver tells us to let the soft animal of [our bodies] love what [they] love, we know exac...
**Content:**
# Explore the essence of unexpected characters across genres
When Mary Oliver tells us to let the soft animal of \[our bodies\] love what \[they\] love, we know exactly what she means. But how does she engage the natural world to create pieces that linger on our tongues and in our hearts, and how can we endeavor to do the same? In this workshop, our goal is to learn how to enter the diverse topographies and umwelts around us and represent them authentically on the page. We will begin by examining exemplary works in a discussion of how to navigate and move beyond “othering” in human relationships with animals and nature. Following our critique, together we will explore the art of “noticing” and — through our own on-the-spot attempts — see how the practice can open up opportunities to use places, natural elements, and animals as compelling characters and structural guides in our writing.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Explore the unique essence animals and nature as critical story elements
- Understand the value of non-traditional characters
- Writing outside of your comfort zone
- Creatively incorporating science in writing
# Time Requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This is workshop is designed for multi-genre writers interested in exploring new ways of “seeing” the world around them and representing it on the page — through the eyes and senses of non-traditional (and non-human) characters.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 2 Sessions, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Poetry, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [DIY Novel Revision](https://writer.org/event/diy-novel-revision-7/)
**Published:** April 27, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Do you have a finished draft of a novel but don’t know what to do next? This workshop will take you ...
**Content:**
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.
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Learn to identify issues and strategize your revision plan.
- Learn how to prioritize editorial concerns including characterization and plot.
- Learn how to tighten your prose.
# Time requirements
- 3-5 hours/week
# Materials
- Required: *Story Fix* by Larry Brooks
- Recommended (but not required) *Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, Second Edition: How to Edit Yourself Into Print* by Renni Browne and Dave King
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for anyone seeking to be their own first editor.
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, All Levels, Fiction, Wet Ink, Workshop
---
### [Poetry Book Club w/ Adam Gianforcaro!](https://writer.org/event/poetry-book-club-w-adam-gianforcaro/)
**Published:** June 18, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
[*Poet Lore*, America’s oldest poetry journal](https://www.poetlore.com/) and The Writer’s Center welcomes poet **Adam Gianforcaro** to our monthly Virtual Poetry Book Club for a discussion of his collection, *Poems to Stage Dive to.* Adam is joined by Book Club Host, Hannah Grieco.
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online »](https://www.stanchionzine.com/product-page/poems-to-stage-dive-to)
**\*\*\*Get a 30% discount on *Poems to Stage Dive to through the above link (Stanchion Zine) with the coupon code STAGEDIVE\*\*\***
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
**Adam Gianforcaro** is the author of the poetry collection *Every Living Day* (Thirty West, 2023). His poems can be found in *The Offing, Foglifter, Poet Lore, Muzzle Magazine, Northwest Review*, and elsewhere. He lives in Delaware.
---
# About *Poems to Stage Dive to*
The poetry chapbook Poems to Stage Dive examines the journey of self-acceptance and queer joy through the often hostile environment of hardcore punk music and live shows. Poems to Stage Dive to captures the exhaustion and exhilaration of the pit, of stage-diving, and falling to be caught. It is a tough and tender ode to reveling in the anonymity and tacit pacts of the pit alongside the simultaneous brutality and blessing of queerness.
---
# About Book Club
This is no *run-of-the-mill book club*. Visiting writers will read excerpts, join the discussion, and answer your questions about craft, process, the publishing industry, and getting advice for our own writing! We’ll hang and eat snacks with the authors and escape your doomscrolling.
***Poetry Book Club*** will meet on Zoom ***every second Wednesday*** of the month with a new poet.
***Fiction Book Club*** will meet ***every third Sunday*** of the month in person at The Writer’s Center with a new author.
Come build community and read amazing books that the Big 5 didn’t have the sense to publish!
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Poetry Book Club w/ Taylor Byas!](https://writer.org/event/poetry-book-club-w-taylor-byas/)
**Published:** June 18, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
[*Poet Lore*, America’s oldest poetry journal](https://www.poetlore.com/) and The Writer’s Center welcomes poet **Taylor Byas** to our monthly Virtual Poetry Book Club for a discussion of her collection, *Resting Bitch Face.* Taylor is joined by Book Club Host, Hannah Grieco.
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online »](https://softskull.com/books/resting-bitch-face/) directly from the publisher, [Soft Skull Press.](https://softskull.com/about-us/)
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
**Dr. Taylor Byas, Ph.D.** is a Black Chicago native currently living in Cincinnati, Ohio, where she is a Features Editor for *The Rumpus,* an Editorial Advisor for *Jackleg Press*, a member of the *Beloit Poetry Journal* Editorial Board, and a Poetry Editor-at-Large for *Texas Review Press*. Her debut full-length, *I Done Clicked My Heels Three Times* from *Soft Skull Press*, won the 2023 Maya Angelou Book Award, the 2023 Chicago Review of Books Award in Poetry, and the 2024 Ohioana Book Award in Poetry. Her second full-length, *Resting Bitch Face* (2025), was a September 2025 pick for Roxane Gay’s Audacious Book Club, and was named a Top 5 Poetry Collection of the Year by *Electric Literature*. She is also a coeditor of *The Southern Poetry Anthology, Vol X: Alabama,* from *Texas Review Press,* and *Poemhood: Our Black Revival,* a YA anthology from *HarperCollins*. She is represented by **Noah Grey Rosenzweig** at Triangle House Literary.
---
# About *Resting Bitch Face*
**The author of the award-winning national bestseller *I Done Clicked My Heels Three Times* returns with a poetry collection that transforms the Black female speaker from object, artistic muse, and victim to subject, critic, and master of her story**
*Resting Bitch Face* is a book for women, for Black women, for lovers of art and film criticism, and for writers interested in work that finds a middle ground between poetry and prose. Taylor Byas uses some of our most common ways of “watching” throughout history (painting, films, sculpture, and photographs) to explore how these mediums shape Black female subjectivity.
From the examination of artwork by Picasso, Gauguin, Sally Mann, and Nan Goldin, Byas displays her mastery of the poetic form by engaging in intimate and inventive writing. Fluctuating between watcher and watched, the speaker of these poems uses mirrors and reflections to flip the script and talk back to histories of art, text, photography, relationships, and men. From Polaroids to gesso primer to sculpture, Byas creates a world in which the artist calls out and the muse responds. For not only does she enter the world of the long-revered classic artist, but she also infuses her poems with such iconic pop culture works as *The Joker*, *WandaVision*, and *Last Tango in Paris*.
---
# About Book Club
This is no *run-of-the-mill book club*. Visiting writers will read excerpts, join the discussion, and answer your questions about craft, process, the publishing industry, and getting advice for our own writing! We’ll hang and eat snacks with the authors and escape your doomscrolling.
***Poetry Book Club*** will meet on Zoom ***every second Wednesday*** of the month with a new poet.
***Fiction Book Club*** will meet ***every third Sunday*** of the month in person at The Writer’s Center with a new author.
Come build community and read amazing books that the Big 5 didn’t have the sense to publish!
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Poetry Book Club w/ Chet'la Sebree!](https://writer.org/event/poetry-book-club-w-chetla-sebree/)
**Published:** June 18, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
[*Poet Lore*, America’s oldest poetry journal](https://www.poetlore.com/) and The Writer’s Center welcomes poet **Chet’la Sebree** to our monthly Virtual Poetry Book Club for a discussion of her collection, *Blue Opening.* Chet’la is joined by Book Club Host, Hannah Grieco.
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online »](https://zandoprojects.com/books/blue-opening-paperback) directly from the publisher, [Zando.](https://zandoprojects.com/about)
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
An essayist and poet from the Mid-Atlantic, **Chet’la Sebree** is the author of the debut essay collection TURN (W)HERE: A Geography of Home as well the poetry collections *Blue Opening*, longlisted for PEN/Voelcker Award for Poetry and a finalist for both the *Los Angeles Times Book Prize* and the *Lambda Literary Award* for Bisexual Poetry; *Field Study*, winner of the 2020 James Laughlin Award from the Academy of American Poets; and *Mistress*, nominated for an NAACP Image Award. She’s an assistant professor at the George Washington University and serves as a faculty mentor in Randolph College’s MFA in Creative Writing program.
---
# About *Blue Opening*
**“A profound poetic talent.”—Ada Limón**
***Blue Opening***, Chet’la Sebree’s brilliant, illuminating poetry collection, grapples with origins—of illness, of language, of the universe—as the speaker contemplates whether she, too, can be a site of origin through motherhood. Navigating chronic health challenges alongside grief and questions about the nature of knowledge and religion, she searches personal history and the cosmos for answers to the unknowable.
With startling clarity and vivid tenderness, *Blue Opening* calls into question not only where to begin, but how to create, across thirty-two poems that press the fluid boundaries of form through sonnets, prose poems, odes, and two unforgettable poetic sequences. As the speaker traverses loss, possibility, and the choice, or often the lack of choice, in the direction of her future, she determines to press forward even as she is “unsure of what shape this language should take / and hulling, from blue rock, faith.”
---
# About Book Club
This is no *run-of-the-mill book club*. Visiting writers will read excerpts, join the discussion, and answer your questions about craft, process, the publishing industry, and getting advice for our own writing! We’ll hang and eat snacks with the authors and escape your doomscrolling.
***Poetry Book Club*** will meet on Zoom ***every second Wednesday*** of the month with a new poet.
***Fiction Book Club*** will meet ***every third Sunday*** of the month in person at The Writer’s Center with a new author.
Come build community and read amazing books that the Big 5 didn’t have the sense to publish!
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Poetry Book Club w/ Michele Evans!](https://writer.org/event/poetry-book-club-w-michele-evans/)
**Published:** June 2, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
[*Poet Lore*, America’s oldest poetry journal](https://www.poetlore.com/) and The Writer’s Center welcomes poet **Michele Evans** to our monthly Virtual Poetry Book Club for a discussion of her collection, *februaries.* Michele is joined by Book Club Host, Hannah Grieco.
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online »](https://www.yellowarrowpublishing.com/store/p/februaries-paperback)
**\*\*\*Get a discount on *februaries* through the above link (Yellow Arrow Publishing) with the order code WritersCenter20\*\*\***
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
**Michele Evans**, the author of the poetry collection *purl,* returns with *februaries*—a chapbook of poems inspired by her participation in the National African American Read-In (AARI) founded by the Black Caucus of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE). Chronicling and preserving the achievements and contributions of ancestors Harriet Tubman, Billie Holiday, Maya Angelou, and others, *februaries*, a museum constructed of poignant poems diverse in form, reminds readers: Black History is American History, and it should be “celebrated, appreciated, and narrated” well beyond the annual 28-day observance.
---
# About *februaries*
Chronicling and preserving the achievements and contributions of ancestors Harriet Tubman, Billie Holiday, Maya Angelou, and others, *februaries*, a museum constructed of poignant poems diverse in form, reminds readers: Black History is American History, and it should be “celebrated, appreciated, and narrated” well beyond the annual 28-day observance.
Inspired by the literary tradition established by an assembly of living legends from the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, such as Dr. Joanne V. Gabbin and E. Ethelbert Miller, Evans, a fifth-generation Washingtonian (D.C.) and English teacher, revisits significant and complicated moments from America’s past to spark necessary and challenging conversations about the future of humanity.
---
# About Book Club
This is no *run-of-the-mill book club*. Visiting writers will read excerpts, join the discussion, and answer your questions about craft, process, the publishing industry, and getting advice for our own writing! We’ll hang and eat snacks with the authors and escape your doomscrolling.
***Poetry Book Club*** will meet on Zoom ***every second Wednesday*** of the month with a new poet.
***Fiction Book Club*** will meet ***every third Sunday*** of the month in person at The Writer’s Center with a new author.
Come build community and read amazing books that the Big 5 didn’t have the sense to publish!
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Historical Research for Narrative Writing](https://writer.org/event/historical-research-for-narrative-writing/)
**Published:** April 27, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** An introduction to narrative writing and experimentation through historical research. Learn how to w...
**Content:**
# An introduction to narrative writing and experimentation through historical research.
An introduction to narrative writing and experimentation through historical research. Learn how to work with and harness archival resources, interpret historical gaps, and use narrative reconstruction as a public history tool. The workshop will include a presentation of examples from the instructor’s current research process, featuring archival imagery, documents, and story iterations. Participants will engage in exercises to think and write through their own historical narrative projects, whether meant for personal memoir or public scholarship.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn how to:
- Harness archival resources
- Write into the past
- Use narrative reconstruction as a research method
# Time requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Designed for emerging scholars, writers, and community members interested in recovering underrepresented histories. Open to all levels and genres, but especially those interested in ex-PEER-imenting with their writing and creative practice.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 5 Sessions, Beginner Level, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Writer Wayne Brown Book Reading](https://writer.org/event/wayne-brown/)
**Published:** June 16, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes writer **Wayne Brown** for a reading from his new book, *Sports…Biblically Speaking: Life Lessons From The World Of Sports.*
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
**Wayne Brown Sr**. is a military veteran having served honorably for 13 years in the United States Air Force from 1979-1992. He and his wife, Joanne, have been married for 43 years and have five children while also enjoying nine grandchildren. They reside in Maryland and have been involved in some level of church ministry throughout their marriage, to include places in Virginia, Belgium, Illinois and now Maryland where he is an ordained minister and currently pastors.
---
# About *Sports…Biblically Speaking*
Applying sports language and examples to day-to-day life with corresponding biblical scriptures that show God is willing to be a part of all that we do provided we yield to and trust Him in all things.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Book Launch for Poet Robert Tobias](https://writer.org/event/robert-tobias/)
**Published:** June 16, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes poet **Robert Tobias** for a reading from his newest collection, *What Lives in Me.*
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
**Robert M. Tobias**, a debut author at 82, completed his fourteen-year career as the General Counsel of the National Treasury Employees Union successfully suing Presidents Nixon ($533M in back pay) and Reagan (reversing his cancellation of all federal appointments from the time of his election to the date of his inauguration), and several federal agencies concerning violations of the 1978 Civil Service Reform Act. He then served as the union president for sixteen years leading federal employees as they lobbied for increased federal employee pay and benefits. His third twenty-four-year career involved creating the Key Executive Leadership Certificate Program at American University, targeted toward increasing career federal supervisors’ leadership capacity. *What Lives in Me,* is career four
---
# About *What Lives in Me*
*What Lives in Me* is a collection of autobiographical poems that explores how a father’s toxic masculinity can echo across a lifetime. The speaker’s father—a 1921-born farm boy, relentless competitor, and hard-edged “man’s man”—teaches his son early that failure is unforgivable. By age four, through sharp words and head slaps, the boy has absorbed the lesson: he is not good enough and Real Men don’t cry.
Through scenes drawn from small-town storefronts, factory floors, classrooms, and family memory, the poems follow him into adulthood—law school, labor organizing, leading others, teaching others about leadership and the cost of secrets. Along the way,the same fear of failure becomes the hidden engine of success, driving him to work harder and longer than those around him.
Taken together, the poems reveal how a father’s voice can live inside a son long after childhood ends. Moving from secrecy and shame toward self-recognition, *What Lives in Me* examines the emotional inheritance of masculine toxicity in a culture that prizes toughness over tenderness.
As the speaker confronts the beliefs that shaped him, he begins the difficult work of reclaiming his own voice through developing the courage to name his fear, feel it, and ultimately develop the courage to face it. These poems seek to give language to experiences that often remain unexamined by men.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Activating Creativity Through Play](https://writer.org/event/activating-creativity-through-play/)
**Published:** April 27, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Even the most disciplined writers encounter creative stalls, moments when the page feels resistant a...
**Content:**
# Participants will leave with new work on the page, a toolkit of exercises they can use in their own writing practice, and a renewed sense of creative momentum.
Even the most disciplined writers encounter creative stalls, moments when the page feels resistant and momentum fades. This workshop is designed to help writers restart their creative engines through structured exercises, collaborative prompts, and short creative challenges. Across a series of guided activities, participants will engage in quick writing sprints, storytelling games, and group sharing designed to lower resistance and spark new ideas. The goal isn’t simply to “have fun,” but to reconnect writers with the generative side of their practice, where curiosity, experimentation, and risk-taking often lead to unexpected breakthroughs. By combining playful exercises with thoughtful discussion, the workshop offers writers practical strategies for overcoming blocks, generating fresh material, and maintaining a sustainable creative rhythm.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Structure & Plot
- Character Development
- Concrete Detail
# Time requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop would be for people looking to reignite their writing practice, generate new material, and reconnect with the creative side of their craft through structured exercises, prompts, and collaborative exploration.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Self-Publishing 101](https://writer.org/event/self-publishing-101/)
**Published:** April 27, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Discover the core steps of self-publishing from a 40-time bestselling author. Explore editing, writi...
**Content:**
# Ever wanted to learn more about the self-publishing process? Then this workshop might be the right fit for you!
Discover the core steps of self-publishing from a 40-time bestselling author. Explore editing, writing, and publishing tips intended to expedite the drafting journey. Delve into the core tools necessary to turn a strong draft into a memorable novel. Please come prepared with questions which will be discussed near the end.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Editing tips
- Intellectual property tools
- Copyright details
- Publications pointers
# Time requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Individuals interested in publishing their own novel or curious about the self-publishing realm.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Beginner Level, Publishing, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Plot Like a Pro](https://writer.org/event/plot-like-a-pro-4/)
**Published:** April 27, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** You have a great idea for a story. Do you dive in and just begin writing, or start by drafting an ou...
**Content:**
# Think you can’t plot? Join us for this course, and we’ll show you how!
You have a great idea for a story. Do you dive in and just begin writing, or start by drafting an outline? Are you a born planner or a writer who loves to discover stories organically (i.e., a pantser)? Understanding how to structure a well-conceived story around a main character and central conflict, while paying attention to pacing, can make the difference between a finished, publishable manuscript and an abandoned work-in-progress. Plotting provides a safety net that never robs the author of the joy of writing and always reduces revision time.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Beating Writer’s Block
- How to Find Ideas
- Painless Plot Outlines
- Flexible Plans that Grow Themselves
- Where Inspiration Comes From
# Time requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Any writer of short stories, novels, creative nonfiction or memoir who finds themself “stuck,” unsure of how to start, or searching for the missing parts of their project.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Advanced Fiction Workshop](https://writer.org/event/advanced-fiction-workshop/)
**Published:** April 27, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Deep reading and insightful questions are the hallmarks of this course. If you have previous worksho...
**Content:**
# Refine your accomplished stories in a supportive atmosphere.
Deep reading and insightful questions are the hallmarks of this course. If you have previous workshop experience and are well along on your fiction-writing journey, this 6-week workshop might be for you. Participants of the class should come in with a well-honed understanding of point of view, character, and narrative tension. We’ll explore such questions as: Does your story hook readers in? Do your characters live and breathe? If the course sounds like a good fit, please apply by submitting a one-page summary outlining your previous fiction experience, plus the first fifteen pages (double-spaced, 12 pt. font, pages numbered) of a piece of fiction you’ve written. Send these by June 22, 2026 to laura.spencer@writer.org. Participants will be notified within five days of the submission deadline and should register for the course upon notification.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How to be sure your characters are realistic and complex.
- How to make your dialogue reveal character and sound natural.
- How to structure a story to increase narrative tension.
# Time requirements
- You’ll need to set aside approximately 2-4 hours outside of class each week to develop your own stories and to give thorough feedback to your fellow authors.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This course is designed for advanced fiction writers with previous workshop experience and a well-honed understanding of point of view, character, and narrative tension. Participants will have the opportunity to bounce their stories-in-progress off other writers in preparation for polishing and sending the work out for publication.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 6 Sessions, Advanced Level, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Chapter One Workshop](https://writer.org/event/chapter-one-workshop/)
**Published:** June 5, 2026
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
# Learn how to hook a reader in the opening pages of your book.
Every week we will go over the elements of what makes a good first chapter and what you can leave out and save for the middle of the book. We’ll talk tone, genre, pacing, and reader expectations. By the end of the workshop, you should have the skills to write a first chapter that will have readers eager for more. Participants can come to class with a finished first chapter (or the first 2000 words of one) to be critiqued, but it’s not necessary.
• Hook the reader: How to grab the reader’s attention by starting in the middle of a high-stakes situation.
• Introduce your Main Character: Give your reader a protagonist they can root for or identify with right away and clarify the point-of-view.
• Establish Setting: Make sure the physical space your character is in sets the tone, heightens tension, underscores the mood, and adds to the story.
• Conflict: Set up a problem or dilemma early on that fits within your genre’s expectations.
• Learn What to Avoid: Starting the story too early, information dumping (too much backstory too soon), too many characters to keep track of, and rushing into action without establishing who your protagonist is and why we should care.
Participants are welcome to bring in a first chapter (up to 2000 words) for critique.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 2 Sessions, Beginner Level, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Fiction, Intermediate Level, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Words that Heal: Expressive Writing for Self-Discovery](https://writer.org/event/words-that-heal-expressive-writing-for-self-discovery/)
**Published:** April 27, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Writing can be both a creative act and a path toward healing. In this workshop, we’ll explore the pr...
**Content:**
# Transform pain into meaning through the power of personal narrative.
Writing can be both a creative act and a path toward healing. In this workshop, we’ll explore the practice of narrative healing—using storytelling and expressive writing to process life’s challenges and uncover meaning in our experiences. Participants will learn a creative, accessible approach to the expressive writing method, a well-researched practice shown to support emotional well-being, resilience, and personal growth. Through guided exercises, reflective prompts, and discussion, writers will explore memories, emotions, and emerging insights that can be shaped into personal narratives, reflections, or creative pieces. This workshop focuses on self-discovery and meaning-making for idea generation, rather than structuring memoirs or book-length projects. Participants will leave with new insights, creative starting points, and approaches for continuing their own reflective writing practice.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How to break down emotionally-charged experiences through using the expressive writing method
- Techniques that combine the healing power of writing with the tools of literary craft
- How to develop a healing narrative arc for your story
- Strategies for developing a reflective writing practice that supports emotional insight and creativity
# Time requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for beginning and intermediate writers interested personal reflection, healing-centered writing, and developing ideas for personal narrative projects.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [This Isn't Real: Add Dream Logic to Your Work](https://writer.org/event/this-isnt-real-add-dream-logic-to-your-work/)
**Published:** April 27, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Become the next David Lynch -- apply dream logic to your fiction, poetry, and hybrid work. Participa...
**Content:**
# Use dream logic techniques to make your work weird and beautiful!
Become the next David Lynch — apply dream logic to your fiction, poetry, and hybrid work. Participants in this one-day class will learn what dream logic is and its methods. They will practice these strategies through an in-class generative exercise. Participants will leave with one piece started and ideas for further exploration.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Dream Logic
- Stream-of-consciousness
- Weird Strategies
# Time requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for any writer who wants to add a taste of the strange and weird to their work.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [UnClogging Your Brain](https://writer.org/event/unclogging-your-brain-8/)
**Published:** April 27, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Prompts will spark memories, characters, and places, turning them into poems, scenes, dialogues, and...
**Content:**
# Improvisation fearlessly puts you directly into the heart of the moment allowing your creative genius to ‘script’ on the spot in a judgement free zone.
Prompts will spark memories, characters, and places, turning them into poems, scenes, dialogues, and stories. During ‘UnClogging’ you will likely come up with an ‘idea’ that you feel compelled to expand on, or perhaps be re-inspired to continue an unfinished work later. Find new perspective and confidence!
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# Time Requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Write the Day](https://writer.org/event/write-the-day-3/)
**Published:** April 27, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** We will read and then write poems and stories starting from close observation of our day, from wakin...
**Content:**
# You will transform your day into poetry and fiction. You will make poems and stories from everyday details of your life.
We will read and then write poems and stories starting from close observation of our day, from waking to preparing coffee and buttering bread, to recalling a dream, to answering a nagging question from the night’s quarrel, to walking in the woods.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn how:
- To write from dreams
- To consider every experience as material for poetry and fiction
- To write a poem in ten minutes
- To make writing a kind of exercise like walking or filling out a crossword puzzle
# Time requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Poets, fiction writers, memoirists
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Creating Conflict & Tension](https://writer.org/event/creating-conflict-tension-7/)
**Published:** April 27, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Strengthening the conflict in any type of fiction will bump up the tension and turn limp, ordinary f...
**Content:**
# Learn how to build tension in virtually every scene…and keep readers turning pages.
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.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Characters’ Motivation
- Structure
- Emotion
- Sensory Details
- Action
# Time requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Any fiction author who worries that their stories lack the necessary tension to hold readers’ attention, or whose past submissions for publication have not met with success.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Ten Pro Tips for Writing Life Stories](https://writer.org/event/ten-pro-tips-for-writing-life-stories-3/)
**Published:** April 27, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Where do you begin your life story and how do you guarantee it is interesting to others? With ten cr...
**Content:**
# Learn ten solid tips for the successful writing of your life story for both a personal and a public readership.
Where do you begin your life story and how do you guarantee it is interesting to others? With ten crucial tips and in-class writing prompts, learn how to capture your life on the page scene by scene. From point-of-entry to transformative conclusion, you will find your story subjects, create tension, and most of all, meaning–so that the story you tell is the one that most mattered.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Selecting the best story material
- Creating tension
- Finding insight
- Developing meaning and emotional depth
- Finding transformation
# Time requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for new and experienced writers alike who need help in selecting material, finding a structure, and an overall plan for writing life stories, as stand-alone pieces or collectively as a memoir.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Intermediate Novel Writing: The 8 Cs](https://writer.org/event/intermediate-novel-writing-the-8-cs-5/)
**Published:** April 27, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Are you serious about writing a novel but struggling? This intermediate course will examine the eigh...
**Content:**
# Let’s finish that novel you started!
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.)
---
***Learn at your own pace:** This workshop will take place over **Wet Ink**, which is an asynchronous creative writing platform. The instructor will post a lesson and assignment at the beginning of each week, and participants can log in and read the lessons/post assignments/comment on other classmates’ work at their convenience. Shortly before the start date, participants will receive an invite from Wet Ink to create their login info and access the class. Please check your spam if you don’t see it.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Concept
- Character
- Circumstances
- Conflict
- Complications
- Crisis
- Climax
- Conclusion
# Time requirements
- 3-5 hrs/week
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for writers looking to deepen their understanding of the major components of novel-writing.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 8 Sessions, Fiction, Intermediate/Advanced Level, Wet Ink, Workshop
---
### [Writing the Feature-length Screenplay](https://writer.org/event/writing-the-feature-length-screenplay/)
**Published:** April 27, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** In this 10-week intermediate to advanced workshop, writers will complete a feature-length screenplay...
**Content:**
# Write a feature-length screenplay from idea to first draft in this supportive workshop that teaches the essential principles of story structure, character goals, and meaningful conflict while guiding you step by step through drafting and workshopping your script.
In this 10-week intermediate to advanced workshop, writers will complete a feature-length screenplay from outline to first draft. Participants are expected to arrive with a developed idea they are ready to write. The course begins with a brief review of key screenwriting principles—premise questions, structure, and character—before quickly moving into reviewing written pages the second week. Writers will be expected to generate approximately 10 pages per week, building toward a complete 90-page screenplay by the end of the course. Class sessions will focus on reading and discussing student work, with guided feedback designed to strengthen narrative momentum, deepen character arcs, and support each writer through the challenges of finishing a full draft. By the end of the workshop, participants will have a completed feature-length screenplay and a clearer understanding of how to sustain and execute a cohesive cinematic story.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Screenplay Structure & Plot Points – Learn the foundational structure of a feature-length screenplay and how to build a story that sustains audience engagement.
- Protagonist Goals & Character Development – Create compelling protagonists with clear motivations, obstacles, and character arcs.
- Meaningful Conflict – Develop conflict that naturally arises from your character’s goals and the pressures they face.
- Scene Construction & Visual Storytelling – Write cinematic scenes that move the story forward through action, dialogue, and visual detail.
- Workshopping & Revision Techniques – Receive guided feedback and learn how to revise pages to strengthen clarity, pacing, and emotional impact.
# Time requirements
- 5-8 hours per week writing outside of class.
# Materials
- *The Secret of Life Through Screenwriting* by Joy Cheriel Brown
- *Writing for Emotional Impact* by Karl Iglesias
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for beginning writers who want to learn the fundamentals of screenwriting and develop their first feature-length screenplay. It is ideal for writers who have an idea for a film but need guidance on story structure, character goals, and conflict, as well as those interested in learning the craft of cinematic storytelling.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 10 Sessions, Intermediate/Advanced Level, Stage and Screen, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Poems After Art, Media, and Ruin](https://writer.org/event/poems-after-art-media-and-ruin/)
**Published:** April 27, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** This workshop studies how poems can respond to paintings, photographs, monuments, advertisements, fi...
**Content:**
# Write poems that look hard at public images without reducing them to commentary
This workshop studies how poems can respond to paintings, photographs, monuments, advertisements, films, and other public images without collapsing into summary or explanation. Each week includes a short reading, a brief craft talk, and a generative prompt centered on image, stance, and tonal control, followed by discussion and optional sharing. By the end of the workshop, participants will have drafted a small sequence of poems that engage visual culture with pressure, clarity, and formal intelligence. No preparation is required for the first class beyond bringing something to write with.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How to build a poem from visual material without merely describing it
- Strategies for writing ekphrastically with tension, distance, and authority
- Ways to use public imagery as structure rather than backdrop
- Techniques for managing tone when writing toward history, violence, or spectacle
- Revision methods that sharpen image, syntax, and line-level pressure
# Time Requirements
- 3 hours
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for poets and hybrid writers who are drawn to art, film, photography, archives, and public culture, and who want to turn visual encounter into serious poetic material. It will suit both emerging and experienced writers who want to deepen their control of image, tone, and composition.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 7 Sessions, All Levels, Poetry, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Finding Your Poetic Voice](https://writer.org/event/finding-your-poetic-voice-4/)
**Published:** April 27, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Writing poems is discovery on paper, and good poems surprise and delight the poet as much as anyone....
**Content:**
# In this workshop you will try on a variety of styles and forms on the way to finding your own poetic voice.
Writing poems is discovery on paper, and good poems surprise and delight the poet as much as anyone. In this workshop you will try on a variety of styles and forms on the way to finding your own poetic voice. We will read poems together and use them as starting points for your own work, both in and out of class. The goal is for you to come away from the class with a portfolio of favorite poems–poems discovered in reading, discovered in writing. Be prepared to cast aside your inner critic and write a lot! Required text: *A Poetry Handbook* by Mary Oliver
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop:
- This might be considered a back-to-basics class, appropriate for any level, using Mary Oliver’s book as a jumping off point for exploration and discussion. We will cover sound, meter, image, voice, reading as a writer, and revision. The class includes one workshop session, and lots of chances to write and share.
# Time requirements
- 30-60 minutes
# Materials
- *A Poetry Handbook* by Mary Oliver
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is geared towards novice poets, but we will cover a lot of ground, so is appropriate for anyone wanting a refresher on the basics of poetry writing.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 6 Sessions, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Using the Tools of Fiction in Nonfiction](https://writer.org/event/using-the-tools-of-fiction-in-nonfiction-2/)
**Published:** April 27, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Whether you are crafting an essay or writing a memoir, the tools of fiction can bring depth and susp...
**Content:**
# **Enrich your nonfiction with the powerful tools of fiction.**
Whether you are crafting an essay or writing a memoir, the tools of fiction can bring depth and suspense to your work. Each week this class will focus on one tool of fiction, reading both classic and contemporary examples of nonfiction pieces that utilize them, and using generative exercises to practice them. There will be the opportunity to submit your work and receive feedback. Participants will leave with the confidence to bring characterization, dialogue, metaphor, and counterfactuality to their nonfiction. Writers should come with a piece they are working on or want to start.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Rich Characterization
- Dynamic Dialogue
- Extended Metaphor
- Counter-factuality
# Time requirements
- 4 hours/week (2 hours in class, 2 hours outside of class)
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for writers in the midst of or hoping to start a work of nonfiction
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, Intermediate/Advanced Level, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Starting a Novel or Memoir](https://writer.org/event/starting-a-novel-or-memoir/)
**Published:** April 27, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Ready to write that novel or memoir? Or have you started a large writing project and need some sound...
**Content:**
# Get your mind and body ready! Avoid potholes and injuries!
Ready to write that novel or memoir? Or have you started a large writing project and need some sound advice and a clear path forward? With a bit of planning, reasonable goals, well-timed support, and a wider lens you can see your large writing project over the finish line. This class is for writers who are ready to turn their Idea into Action and for those who have started writing but are feeling a bit overwhelmed and could use some guidance and inspiration. This class will provide you with a lot of information and tips to get on and stay on the right track.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn how to:
- Make space and time for your writing project
- Create and keep a positive mindset
- Avoid common potholes (inner critics, inefficient plans, getting ahead of yourself, etc.)
- Balance research and writing
- Build your skills and get help when/where you need it
- Understand how YOU work best so you can create a successful road ma
# Time requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Writers who’ve started writing the first draft of a novel or memoir (1-75 pages). Writers who’ve had an idea for a novel or memoir for a while and are ready to get in action! Writers of essays, stories, poems who are looking to write a bigger project next.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Caroline Bock Book Launch](https://writer.org/event/caroline-bock/)
**Published:** February 3, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes novelist Caroline Bock for a reading and a wide-ranging discussion of the writing life and publishing journeys, as she celebrates the publication of her first novel for adults, *The Other Beautiful People*. Caroline is in conversation with Writer’s Center Executive & Artistic Director Zach Powers, who will also share from his new novel, *The Migraine Diaries*. A wine and cheese reception will follow for all, along with book signings.
**Free and open to all. RSVP below.**
---
******Caroline Bock** is the author of *The Other Beautiful People*, a workplace love story, inspired by her two-decade career at AMC, Bravo, IFC, and IFC Films. She is also the author of the young adult novels *LIE* and *Before My Eyes* from St. Martin’s Press, as well as the award-winning short story collection *Carry Her Home* from the Washington Writers’ Publishing House. She is the co-president/prose editor at the Washington Writers’ Publishing House. She lives in Maryland with her family, but when she first moved to the area fourteen years ago, she found her writing community at The Writer’s Center. More at [carolinebockofficialauthor.site](https://carolinebockofficialauthor.site/)
---
# **About *The Other Beautiful People***
In the entertainment world, the spotlight shines on the beautiful—but behind the scenes are those who make the magic happen. Amy Greene is one of them. As head of marketing and public relations at the Cinema Channel, a beloved yet struggling cable network, Amy is at the height of her career, and torn between work, family, and the secrets she’s kept locked away. A dazzling cinematic novel about love, loss, and the search for meaning in work, family, and the spaces in between.
“Aaron Sorkin, move over. Caroline Bock’s beautiful people are fast-talking, witty, and driven. Old-movie references pepper the prose and fuel both the humor and the warmth of this gorgeous novel. No-nonsense New Yorker Amy Greene tries to keep her balance in a time of societal and personal tumult as she navigates a choice of three loves and two crucial voices from her past. The book is an unstoppable ride, a thrilling read.”–Virginia Hartman, author of The Marsh Queen
“With a traumatized and ailing husband in the Washington DC suburbs, and a beloved job working for a classic film network in midtown Manhattan, Amy Greene spends her days traversing the Northeast corridor trying to make sense of her complicated family life. Set against the backdrop of a forever changed post-9/11 landscape, Caroline Bock’s The Other Beautiful People is an ode to New York City in all its manic grittiness. It is also an ode to work families and nuclear families as well as a testament to the power of a single aching, forbidden, cinematic kiss.” —Susan Coll, author of eight novels, most recently, The Literati, Bookish People and Real Life and Other Fictions
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
---
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Making a Broadside](https://writer.org/event/making-a-broadside/)
**Published:** April 27, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** A broadside is an art print with text and drawings. Participants will receive printmaking paper, ste...
**Content:**
# Create a broadside of your poetry.
A broadside is an art print with text and drawings. Participants will receive printmaking paper, stencils, stamps, and a surprise material based on the venue or setting to create a broadside. Generative writing exercises will be interwoven with examples of historically-revered posters, visual art pieces, and literary works printed by letterpresses. The broadside continues to transform over time while telling our stories as a form of literary artifact. This workshop offers the opportunity to write poems, or literary works, and receive editorial feedback. Participants will receive printmaking paper and stamps to create their own broadside.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Ekphrasis
- Rhetoric
- Elegy
# Time Requirements
- 1 hour
# Materials
- *Kingdom Animalia* by Aracelis Girmay
- *Citizen Printer* by Amos Paul Kennedy, Jr.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for advanced and early writers, alike.
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Poetry, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [***CANCELED** Fiction Book Club w/ Lauren D. Woods!](https://writer.org/event/lauren-woods/)
**Published:** April 21, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
# This event has been canceled and will be rescheduled for another date.
The Writer’s Center welcomes author **Lauren D. Woods,** to our monthly Fiction Book Club for a discussion of her most recent novel, *The Great Grown-Up Game of Make-Believe*, at The Writer’s Center! Zach is joined by Book Club Host, Hannah Grieco.
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online directly from the publisher»](https://square.link/u/1pwMkl5J)
**\*\*\*The above link will give you a 22% discount and free shipping\*\*\***
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
**Lauren D. Woods**, originally from the Dallas area, now lives and writes in Washington, DC, where she was a 2024-25 Washington, DC Arts and Humanities Fellow for Fiction. Her writing has appeared as a spotlighted story in *The Best Small Fictions*, as well as in *The Antioch Review, The Normal School, Passages North, Hayden’s Ferry Review, Red Rock Review, Southern Humanities Review*, and *Lunch Ticket*, among others. Lauren works in consulting and lives with her husband, four children, two cats, and a guinea pig. *The Great Grown-Up Game of Make-Believe* is her debut collection.
---
# About *The Great Grown-Up Game of Make-Believe*
**Winner of the 2024 Autumn House Fiction Prize, these lyrical, haunting stories invite us to question the stories we tell ourselves and to imagine other paths**—**joyful, whimsical, even absurd**—**through the world.**
A wife finds herself literally shrinking in her house, day by day; a mother recalls the surreal day when her infant daughter survives a close encounter with a bear; and, inside her lover’s heart, a woman discovers a secret nightclub populated by all the women he’s loved and left.
In the worlds Woods conjures, childhood memories ripple through adult lives, and characters test the limits of their self-created realities. *The Great Grown-Up Game of Make-Believe* urges us to contemplate how we can escape loneliness and heartbreak and live on our own terms.
---
# About Book Club
This is no *run-of-the-mill book club*. Visiting writers will read excerpts, join the discussion, and answer your questions about craft, process, the publishing industry, and getting advice for our own writing! We’ll hang and eat snacks with the authors and escape your doomscrolling.
***Poetry Book Club*** will meet on Zoom ***every second Wednesday*** of the month with a new poet.
***Fiction Book Club*** will meet ***every third Sunday*** of the month in person at The Writer’s Center with a new author.
Come build community and read amazing books that the Big 5 didn’t have the sense to publish!
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Honoring the Ancestors: A Poetry Workshop](https://writer.org/event/honoring-the-ancestors-a-poetry-workshop/)
**Published:** April 27, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** This generative poetry workshop begins with a grounding exercise that prepares participants to begin...
**Content:**
# Take a journey inward and find connections with the ancestors that will inspire your poetry.
This generative poetry workshop begins with a grounding exercise that prepares participants to begin a journey inward. With this experiential starting point, and specific writing prompts, attendees will delve into individual, shared and personal experiences and memories. These prompts are intended to provide the inspiration to connect with and create work that honor their ancestors.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# This generative poetry workshop:
- Is an experiential journey inward
- Uncovers ancestral memories
- Respects personal experiences and memories
- Creates shared experiences
- Creates work that honor the ancestors
# Time Requirements
- Participants will need time outside each session of the workshop to polish the work they created during class. Attending The Writer’s Center Open Mic will be recommended to share their work.
# Materials
- Unsettling America: An Anthology of Contemporary Multicultural Poetry (recommendation but not required)
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for all levels and genres.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, All Levels, Poetry, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing](https://writer.org/event/fundamentals-of-persuasive-writing-2/)
**Published:** April 27, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Learn how to pack a powerful punch when writing persuasively! This four-week workshop covers the pro...
**Content:**
# Learn how to change minds, build support and make the case for your viewpoints and goals.
Learn how to pack a powerful punch when writing persuasively! This four-week workshop covers the processes involved in writing persuasively and with confidence, whether it is crafting newspaper op-eds and speeches or official emails, memos, letters and proposals. Everything starts with a core message. Think. Plan. Write. Participants will learn the techniques of audience analysis, message development, targeted research, organization, using persuasive language and effective use of “AI” in planning/strategizing. This class features hands-on writing instruction, engaging discussion and an extensive reading list.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How to Nail Down Your Opinion and Stake Out Your Argument or Ultimate Goal
- How to Plan and Write Strategically
- How to Refine and Finalize Your Writing
# Time requirements
- 1-2 hours weekly
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This is a great workshop for beginners and intermediate writers who want to tap into the power of “penning with persuasion.”
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Professional Writing, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Book Marketing On A Budget](https://writer.org/event/book-marketing-on-a-budget-6/)
**Published:** April 27, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** In this workshop you’ll discover over 30 practical, budget-friendly book marketing strategies, from ...
**Content:**
# You don’t need a big budget to make a big splash with your book; just the right strategy.
In this workshop you’ll discover over 30 practical, budget-friendly book marketing strategies, from building a book launch to leveraging social media, blogs, podcasts, Amazon tools, press releases, and more. Each session will be fast-paced, idea-heavy, and packed with real-world tactics you can apply immediately. By the end of the program, you’ll walk away with a personalized, actionable marketing plan, and the confidence to promote your book like a pro.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Over 30 marketing ideas.
- Tips on negotiating larger book sales.
- The value of working with book distributors.
- Strategies designed to get those Amazon reviews.
- How to create a book launch that energizes those who support you!
# Time requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers who have published a book, are preparing to publish, or have a finished manuscript they believe in. Whether you’re launching your debut or giving new life to an existing title, it’s never too early, or too late, to champion your book and get it into the hands of readers.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 2 Sessions, All Levels, Publishing, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat w/ Essayist & Poet Chet’la Sebree](https://writer.org/event/turn-where/)
**Published:** March 31, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of nonfiction! We’re joined by author Chet’la Sebree for a discussion of her new essay collection, *Turn (W)here*. Chet’la is in conversation with Zach Powers, novelist and Executive & Artistic Director at The Writer’s Center.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from Bookshop.org »](https://bookshop.org/a/22600/9781638933380)
---
****An essayist and poet from the Mid-Atlantic, **Chet’la Sebree** is the author of the debut essay collection TURN (W)HERE: A Geography of Home as well the poetry collections Blue Opening, longlisted for PEN/Voelcker Award for Poetry and a finalist for both the Los Angeles Times Book Prize and the Lambda Literary Award for Bisexual Poetry; Field Study, winner of the 2020 James Laughlin Award from the Academy of American Poets; and Mistress, nominated for an NAACP Image Award. She’s an assistant professor at the George Washington University and serves as a faculty mentor in Randolph College’s MFA in Creative Writing program.
---
# About *Turn (W)here*
**A probing essay collection that chronicles one woman’s complicated quest to find home in a fractured America, from the award-winning author of *Field Study*
At eighteen, Chet’la Sebree began, as she writes, “perfecting the art of leaving.” After moving out of her parents’ house in Delaware for college, the lauded poet, essayist, and academic rarely kept the same address for more than two years—bouncing from city to city, country to country, perpetually in search of her next adventure.
For Sebree, traveling has been a life-long passion, forged during family road trips and vacations with friends; college study abroad programs in Europe; and far-flung writing residencies and job opportunities. She dreamed of one day taking her own Great American Road Trip, Jack Kerouac–style—except refashioned as a millennial Black woman who had also begun considering her next chapter: settling down and starting a solo fertility journey.
During the pandemic, Sebree thought she might finally get her chance to hit the road. But then, George Floyd was murdered, following the killings of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Aubrey, and so many others. As America continued to reveal its most violent self, Sebree started to wrestle with the very idea of home: *Where do I belong in a country not meant for people like me to survive? What does this mean for a child I might bring into it?*
In *Turn (W)here*, Sebree turns to the page for answers, seamlessly weaving memoir with history and cultural criticism in a collection of inventive essays bound by themes of movement, home, inheritance, and belonging. Spanning continents, geographies, and states of mind, Sebree lights a pathway for the wanderer, the seeker—anyone propelled into the unknown by the desire for a place to truly belong.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Your First (or Next) Novel](https://writer.org/event/your-first-or-next-novel-7/)
**Published:** April 27, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Writing a novel takes commitment, but it doesn’t need to be daunting. Learn how to generate a handfu...
**Content:**
# Prepare yourself for a literary adventure–writing book-length fiction!
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.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How to Begin
- Finding Inspiration
- Building Confidence
- The 3 Most Important Element of Every Scene
- Creating a Writing Routine
# Time requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed to help novice writers move into longer form fiction or aid experienced authors refresh their writing and rediscover their muse.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Finding Your Light on the Page: A Summer Solstice Workshop](https://writer.org/event/finding-your-light-on-the-page-a-summer-solstice-workshop/)
**Published:** April 27, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** This generative workshop invites writers to explore what becomes visible when we write toward the li...
**Content:**
# Harness the energy of the longest day of the year to uncover your authentic writing voice.
This generative workshop invites writers to explore what becomes visible when we write toward the light. Through guided prompts, reflection, and discussion, participants will explore how internal censorship and perfectionism can obscure authentic voice and limit creative expression. By the end of the workshop, writers will leave with new material and practical strategies for writing more freely, with greater clarity and confidence. No preparation required.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Techniques for quieting internal censorship while writing
- How instinctive writing can reveal authentic voice
- Methods for generating surprising material through timed prompts
- Strategies for moving past perfectionism and self-editing
- How to identify and develop the voice that already exists
# Time Requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers who want to reconnect with their highest voice on the page. It’s ideal for writers feeling blocked, over-edited, or stuck in perfectionism, as well as those looking for a supportive space for self-exploration.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Mixed Genre, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [How to Write a Stand Up Comedy Act](https://writer.org/event/how-to-write-a-stand-up-comedy-act-3/)
**Published:** April 27, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Learn how to recognize a premise, extract the humor, and hone it into a stand-up act or funny story....
**Content:**
# How do comedians come up with ideas? It all starts with finding the funny in your life and turning it into material.
Learn how to recognize a premise, extract the humor, and hone it into a stand-up act or funny story. Join an engaging, workshop class led by a professional writer and comedian who will guide you through the craft of comedy, from idea generation to polished performance. We’ll study comedians and styles and work on your unique voice in a fun and supportive class.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Strengthen your voice
- Refine your storytelling skills
- Discover how to turn your perspective into material that connects
# Time requirements
- Review notes each week – about 30 minutes.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Great workshop for essayists, storytellers, bloggers, comedians and anyone who wants to sharpen their voice through humor. Whether or not you plan to perform, you’ll learn the fundamentals of joke writing, timing, and storytelling in ways that strengthen all forms of communication.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, All Levels, Stage and Screen, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Smart Marketing Writers](https://writer.org/event/smart-marketing-writers/)
**Published:** April 27, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** These days, writers increasingly are expected to be their own best publicists, which can be a challe...
**Content:**
# You’ve done great work–learn how to tell the world about it!
These days, writers increasingly are expected to be their own best publicists, which can be a challenge for those of us introverts who enjoy playing with words in solitude. In this session, you’ll learn how to grow your author platform and publicize your book in smart, efficient, and cost-effective ways that go beyond social media posts and help you stay true to your authentic self. By the end of the class, you’ll feel energized and excited rather than daunted by the prospect of letting the world know who you are and what you create.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- What is an author platform and how to build one
- Creating a network to help spread the word about your work
- Marketing and publicity on a budget
- Being as creative with your publicity as you are with your writing
- Learn to publicize yourself and your work in ways that are true to your core beliefs and values as a writer and person.
# Time requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for writers of all genres who want to learn more about publicizing their work.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Publishing, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Reading and Writing Contemporary Poetry](https://writer.org/event/reading-and-writing-contemporary-poetry/)
**Published:** April 27, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** In this generative poetry course, we will immerse ourselves in the landscape of contemporary poetry ...
**Content:**
# Write new poems based on exciting new poetic voices!
In this generative poetry course, we will immerse ourselves in the landscape of contemporary poetry and craft our own poems. Each week, we will read works published in contemporary literary journals from a diverse range of writers including Patrycja Humienik, KB Brookins, Kenzie Allen, Hanif Abdurraqib, and many others. We will also engage with their work via interviews/craft essays. We will then use techniques and inspiration from them to kickstart our writing process. With writing exercises and prompts, students can expect to write at least one poem a week. There will be opportunities to receive written feedback on your work from your peers, plus feedback from the instructor across the duration of the class.
---
***Learn at your own pace:** This workshop will take place over **Wet Ink**, which is an asynchronous creative writing platform. The instructor will post a lesson and assignment at the beginning of each week, and participants can log in and read the lessons/post assignments/comment on other classmates’ work at their convenience. Shortly before the start date, participants will receive an invite from Wet Ink to create their login info and access the class. Please check your spam if you don’t see it.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Craft Elements of Contemporary Poetry
- Poetry Writing Prompts
- Ways to Tap Into Your Creativity (and Maintain a Creative Practice)
- How to Find New Journals/Poets for Inspiration
# Time requirements
- Approximately 2-3 hours a week
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for poets and writers of all levels who are interested in generating new work and gaining inspiration from new poetic voices at their own pace.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, All Levels, Poetry, Wet Ink, Workshop
---
### [Writing About Mental Health Topics in Fiction](https://writer.org/event/writing-about-mental-health-topics-in-fiction-4/)
**Published:** April 27, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Write about mental health with intention. Along with general guidelines, examples from popular media...
**Content:**
# Learn to write about mental health topics in your fiction with accuracy and care.
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.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn how to:
- Recognize and analyze mental health tropes in popular media.
- Write about specific mental health diagnoses.
- Include mental health themes across fiction genres.
# Time requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for fiction writers who want to explore aspects of mental health in their stories with accuracy and care.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [From Novice to Novelist](https://writer.org/event/from-novice-to-novelist-3/)
**Published:** April 27, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** This workshop will offer a practical plan that takes you from the mere germ of an idea all the way t...
**Content:**
# A bird’s eye view of all the moving parts involved in the novel-writing process.
This workshop will offer a practical plan that takes you from the mere germ of an idea all the way through the creative process, with an eye on getting a finished book into the hands of potential fans. We’ll discuss how to transform the nub of an idea into a book-length project, populated with interesting characters, a twisty-turny plot, snappy dialogue, and an interesting setting. We’ll also look at strategies for finding an agent and marketing the finished product. You’ll come away from the class with the encouragement to begin and perfect your project.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How to tap into your creative subconscious
- Character Creation
- Story Structure
- How to Stay Organized
# Time requirements
- No outside “requirements,” but students will be given homework writing suggestions.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Intended Audience: This class is best suited for a beginner who has thought about writing a novel, but hasn’t done so for any number of reasons (excuses?) 1. I don’t have enough discipline, 2. I don’t have enough time, 3. I don’t know where to start. It’s also for intermediate writers who have begun, or even finished a manuscript, but feel like they’re stuck, or want to take their writing to a higher level.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 6 Sessions, Beginner Level, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [How—and Where—To Pitch Your Personal Essays](https://writer.org/event/how-and-where-to-pitch-your-personal-essays-2/)
**Published:** April 27, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Personal essays are perhaps the genre that has the largest array of publication possibilities—litera...
**Content:**
# Learn how and where to submit your personal essays!
Personal essays are perhaps the genre that has the largest array of publication possibilities—literary journals, newspapers, magazines, alumni publications, and more all publish this form. That’s the good news! The challenge: finding the right publications for your story, along with submission guidelines, pay rates, and style preferences. In this workshop, you’ll learn where to find writer’s guidelines for popular newspaper and magazine essay columns (many with tips from the editor), how to create a submission plan to increase your success, and the pros and cons of submitting essays to newspapers and magazines vs. literary journals. By the end, you’ll have a list of resources and actionable tips to move your submissions forward. Give that essay on your hard drive (or in your journal) a chance to be published.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Discover where and how to find publications that accept essays and their writers guidelines
- Learn the differences between submitting to, and publishing in, magazines, newspapers and literary journals
- Leave with actionable tips and resources to submit essays
# Time requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for beginning to advanced essay writers looking to learn where and how to submit their essays for publication.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Letting Your Characters Talk: Dialogue Intensive](https://writer.org/event/letting-your-characters-talk-dialogue-intensive/)
**Published:** April 27, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Take your dialogue to the next level with this online three-week intensive course. Good dialogue doe...
**Content:**
# Learn the secrets of great dialogue!
Take your dialogue to the next level with this online three-week intensive course. Good dialogue does not mimic regular speech. It brings rhythm to the page, characterizes, sets the scene, advances plot, and creates immediacy in your storytelling. Over the three weeks, you’ll learn the mechanics of what makes dialogue flow on the page and how to make your characters sound natural or realistic. We’ll do this by studying novel excerpts, scripts, and craft books. By the end of the course, you’ll be able to apply new techniques that improve the dialogue in your own fiction.
---
***Learn at your own pace:** This workshop will take place over **Wet Ink**, which is an asynchronous creative writing platform. The instructor will post a lesson and assignment at the beginning of each week, and participants can log in and read the lessons/post assignments/comment on other classmates’ work at their convenience. Shortly before the start date, participants will receive an invite from Wet Ink to create their login info and access the class. Please check your spam if you don’t see it.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Characterizing through dialogue
- Subtext
- Mechanics of dialogue
# Time requirements
- 2-4 hours/No reading required in advance
# Materials
- All materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers looking to deepen their understanding of what makes for great dialogue.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 3 Sessions, All Levels, Fiction, Wet Ink, Workshop
---
### [Creating Backstory & Flashbacks](https://writer.org/event/creating-backstory-flashbacks-4/)
**Published:** April 27, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Every character in your story has a past. The events that occurred in a character’s life before they...
**Content:**
# Discover how to shift between time frames within a story and show a character’s life events before the beginning of a tale.
Every character in your story has a past. The events that occurred in a character’s life before they ever appear in your story determine his or her personality, life goals, the way they react to situations, even the way they speak. Your ability to understand your characters’ history, and share glimpses of it with readers, will determine how realistic your paper people will seem. Savvy writers use Backstory and Flashbacks, special tools to show their audience a character’s motivation, thus bringing them to life on the page. These are powerful, advanced techniques, and yet they are easy to master once you know how.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- The Flashback
- Characterization
- Motivation to create reality
- Structure
# Time requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is perfect for any author interested in enriching fiction of any kind or using “time slip” or “dual time” elements.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Fiction, Intermediate/Advanced Level, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [How to Write Successful Micro Memoir](https://writer.org/event/how-to-write-successful-micro-memoir/)
**Published:** April 27, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Write your life story as you lived it, one moment at a time. This interactive workshop teaches write...
**Content:**
# Learn how to make your life story compelling to others by turning memories into moments that both move and entertain.
Write your life story as you lived it, one moment at a time. This interactive workshop teaches writers to distill a moment of change, conflict, contradiction, or mystery to its essence, so that the impact on the writer resonates profoundly with the reader. We will examine inspiring published examples to learn exactly how the writer moved and entertained us. Using the same tools with which we craft fiction, this workshop is an excellent learning environment for both genres. We’ll conclude with a review of where to publish.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How to write short but resonant anecdotes
- The disproportionate power of the very small to impact readers
- Economy of language
- How to find the metaphor in virtually every experience
# Time requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for people who want to jumpstart their writing and learn to tell their life stories in manageable moments of under 400-600 words. This is for those who want to learn the power of compression on all of their work.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Writing From Memory](https://writer.org/event/writing-from-memory/)
**Published:** April 27, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Memory is rarely objective truth, but it tells an important story that affects our identities and th...
**Content:**
# Unlock distant memories and describe them using all five senses.
Memory is rarely objective truth, but it tells an important story that affects our identities and the legacy we pass down through generations. Work with an award-winning memoirist to understand different types of memory and how life stories are built from them. Examine examples of memoir to learn ways to translate memory fragments into a narrative on the page. Then participate in exercises to unlock distant memories and describe them using all five senses. Participants will come away with the beginning of a new piece and the tools to continue to write from memory.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Mechanics of memory
- Tools to access distant memories
- Creating narrative from memory fragments
# Time requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Anyone interested in writing from memory.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [The Writer as Archivist: A Generative Workshop](https://writer.org/event/the-writer-as-archivist-a-generative-workshop/)
**Published:** April 27, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** In this multi-week writing workshop, writers will be immersed in a safe space to experiment, fail, a...
**Content:**
# Let’s have fun engaging research and/or ephemera as a strategy to approaching our poems or prose!
In this multi-week writing workshop, writers will be immersed in a safe space to experiment, fail, and soar one draft at a time. Our central concern will be how do writers use memory, physical objects, and Big Feelings to enhance the energy of a piece. We will read examples of poems and prose that invite readers to reimagine the work as more than a container for confessions or observation. Instead, we will aim for writing that is alive, in conversation with the broader world, and that pushes the boundaries of the page. We will engage material objects, geography, personal and public history, and popular culture as a stage to explore surprising revelations in tight, lyrical, breath-stealing work. This will be equal parts a generative workshop (designed to create new drafts) and we will also workshop your own writing.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- The exciting archival turn in American poetry and prose.
- How to experiment and use different POV.
- How to build a blueprint for your own writing projects.
# Time requirements
- There will be writing prompts given that you should bring to completion of a draft for us to discuss during workshop.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is open to poets and prose writers at any level looking for a new entry point into their writing.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 5 Sessions, All Levels, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Teen Open Mic @ The Writer's Center](https://writer.org/event/teen-open-mic-may2026/)
**Published:** May 18, 2026
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
# A special Open Mic to uplift the voices and work of the teenagers in our community.
Prose, poetry, and spoken word Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center! All writers are welcome to come and share 4-5 minutes of their latest work.
- **Sign-up starts at 1:45pm, and readings begin promptly at 2pm.**
- **Limited to 20 readers, so arrive early if you plan to read.**
Sponsored by [*Poet Lore*](poetlore.com), America’s oldest poetry magazine.
FREE and open to the public.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Fiction Book Club w/ Zach Powers!](https://writer.org/event/fiction-book-club-w-zach-powers/)
**Published:** March 10, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes author, and Executive Director of The Writer’s Center, **Zach Powers,** to our monthly Fiction Book Club for a discussion of his most recent novel collection, *The Migraine Diaries*, at The Writer’s Center! Zach is joined by Book Club Host, Hannah Grieco.
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online »](https://jacklegpress.org/fiction)
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
**Zach Powers** is a native of Savannah, Georgia, and lives and writes in Arlington, Virginia. He will publish his next novel, [*The Migraine Diaries*](https://k8d.4a5.myftpupload.com/the-migraine-diaries/), in April 2026 with [JackLeg Press](https://jacklegpress.org/). His novel *[First Cosmic Velocity](https://k8d.4a5.myftpupload.com/firstcosmicvelocity/)* was published in 2019 by [Putnam](http://www.penguin.com/publishers/gpputnamssons/), and his debut story collection *[Gravity Changes](https://k8d.4a5.myftpupload.com/gravitychanges)* won the BOA Short Fiction Prize and was published in 2017 by [Boa Editions](http://www.boaeditions.org/). His prose and poetry have been featured by [*American Short Fiction*](http://americanshortfiction.org/2018/10/09/surface-treatments/), *[Black Warrior Review](http://bwr.ua.edu/)*, *[The Brooklyn Rail](https://brooklynrail.org/2026/03/fiction/from-the-migraine-diaries/)*, and [elsewhere](https://k8d.4a5.myftpupload.com/blog/?page_id=27). He co-founded the literary arts nonprofit [Seersucker Live](https://www.facebook.com/seersuckerlive). He led the writers’ workshop at the [Flannery O’Connor Childhood Home](http://www.flanneryoconnorhome.org/) for eight years. He was an arts and culture columnist for *[Savannah Morning News](http://www.dosavannah.com/authors/zach-powers)*. He serves as Executive & Artistic Director for [The Writer’s Center](https://www.writer.org/) and [*Poet Lore*](https://www.poetlore.com/), America’s oldest poetry journal. He once won a regional Emmy for writing a public service announcement.
---
# About *The Migraine Diaries*
**With lyrical prose and a deeply empathetic voice, The Migraine Diaries offers a raw, unflinching look at the impact of chronic illness on the human spirit.**
When a 30-something man experiences his first migraine at the funeral for his best friend, his life within a close-knit friend group threatens to come undone. He must navigate despair and debilitation alongside relationships, work, and the quest for meaning. He struggles to find sparks of hope and beauty even as his body and mind rebel against him.
How does he live with endless, invisible hurt? How does he support his friends even as he loses the ability to support himself? His very experience of time alters—looping, regressing, and flashing back to a before that’s lost forever. The Migraine Diaries, told in the unique format of a diagnostic headache journal, is a visionary look at human endurance, as well as a poignant exploration of pain. Most of all, it’s a testament to the power of friendship in the face of strife and grief.
---
# About Book Club
This is no *run-of-the-mill book club*. Visiting writers will read excerpts, join the discussion, and answer your questions about craft, process, the publishing industry, and getting advice for our own writing! We’ll hang and eat snacks with the authors and escape your doomscrolling.
***Poetry Book Club*** will meet on Zoom ***every second Wednesday*** of the month with a new poet.
***Fiction Book Club*** will meet ***every third Sunday*** of the month in person at The Writer’s Center with a new author.
Come build community and read amazing books that the Big 5 didn’t have the sense to publish!
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Reimagining America: Toward a Poetry of the Demos](https://writer.org/event/reimagining-america/)
**Published:** May 12, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes **Writers for Democratic Action** for a special forum on the democratic imagination, featuring DC-area poets, scholars, and journalists.
[RSVP here>>](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/reimagining-america-toward-a-poetry-of-the-demos-tickets-1989174596766)
---
# About the event
Join us for an inspiring in-person gathering as DC-area poets and scholars reflect on the past, present, and future of the democratic imagination, in American life and beyond.
Presenters include:
- Hayes Davis
- Terri Cross Davis
- Gregory Luce
- Roman Kostovski
- Osita Nwanevu
- Ena Selimovic
- Jonathan Sinnreich
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Banshee Press: Irish Literary Talent & Support for the Arts](https://writer.org/event/banshee-press/)
**Published:** May 12, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center and Solas Nua welcomes **Banshee Press**, Ireland’s award-winning independent publisher, to learn about Irish literary talent & support for the arts.
Join Irish writers **Bebe Ashley, Eimear Ryan, and Jessica Traynor**, in conversation with Zach Powers, Executive & Artistic Director of The Writer’s Center, for a conversation about the work of Banshee Press in the context of the current explosion of Irish literary talent, and how support for the Arts plays into the success of Irish writers.
**Free and Open to the Public.** [RSVP Here>>](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/banshee-press-irish-literary-talent-support-for-the-arts-tickets-1989278717193?aff=oddtdtcreator)
---
**Jessica Traynor**, the Poetry Editor at Banshee Press, is a poet, essayist and librettist. Her debut collection, *Liffey Swim* (Dedalus Press, 2014), was shortlisted for the Strong/Shine Award. *The Quick* (Dedalus Press, 2018) was an *Irish Times* book of the year. *Pit Lullabies* (Bloodaxe, 2022) was a Poetry Book Society Recommendation and a *Guardian* Best Summer Read of 2022. She was the 2023 recipient of the Lawrence O’Shaughnessy Award for Poetry. Other awards include the Ireland Chair of Poetry Prize, the Listowel Poetry Prize, and Hennessy New Writer of the Year. A new collection, *New Arcana*, is forthcoming from Bloodaxe Books in 2025.
**Bebe Ashley** lives in Northern Ireland and works at the Seamus Heaney Centre at Queen’s University Belfast. Her debut collection [*Gold Light Shining*](https://bansheepress.org/shop/p/goldlightshining) (Banshee Press, 2020) was selected for the Arts Council’s Read Mór programme in 2022. Her work is most recently published in *Granta, The Stinging Fly, bath magg,* and *Modern Poetry in Translation*. In 2023, Bebe received the Ivan Juritz Prize for Creative Experiment (Text) and in 2024, she received a British Council Fellowship.
**Eimear Ryan**, the Managing Editor of Banshee Press, is the author of the novel *Holding Her Breath* (Sandycove 2021, Mariner Books 2022) and the memoir *The Grass Ceiling: On Being a Woman in Sport* (Sandycove 2023), which won Sports Book of the Year at the 2023 Irish Book Awards. She has also been shortlisted for Best Newcomer at the Irish Book Awards, the Kate O’Brien Award, and the John McGahern Annual Book Prize. Other writing has appeared in *Granta, Winter Papers, The Dublin Review* and *The Stinging Fly*. From Co. Tipperary, she now lives in Cork city, where she lectures in creative writing at University College Cork.
---
# About Banshee Press
Banshee Press is a small independent Irish publisher, founded in 2015 and currently run by award-winning writers Eimear Ryan and Jessica Traynor. To date the press has published ten books of fiction. Our authors include Bebe Ashley, Dylan Brennan, Lucy Sweeney Byrne, Gustav Parker Hibbett, Claire-Lise Kieffer, Tim MacGabhann, Mary Morrissy, Billy Ramsell, Deirdre Sullivan, Rosamund Taylor and David Toms. We have recently celebrated our tenth anniversary, and the 20th issue of our diverse literary journal *Banshee*, which published flash fiction, poetry, flash fiction and essays.
In 2024 and 2025, Banshee Press was selected as the island of Ireland winner in the Small Press of the Year Award at the Nibbies, The Bookseller’s annual publishing awards. Banshee Press authors have recently been listed for or won such awards as the Edge Hill Prize, the Kate O’Brien Award, the Butler Literary Award, the John McGahern Annual Book Prize, the Seamus Heaney Poetry Prize, the Polari First Book Prize, the Ivan Juritz Prize, the Laurel Prize, the T. S. Eliot Prize, and the John Pollard International Poetry Prize.
---
# About Solas Nua
Solas Nua — meaning “new light” in Irish — is a leading multi-disciplinary arts organization that is dedicated exclusively to contemporary Irish arts. With 100+ nominations and multiple awards, we have presented the work of 1,000+ Irish artists across: Theatre | Film | Literature | Music | Visual Arts
Solas Nua acts as an ambassador and advocate for Irish arts in the U.S., promoting contemporary, multi-disciplinary Irish arts and culture. By offering new opportunities for artists based in both Ireland and the U.S., Solas Nua provides access and inclusion for artists and audiences to connect and participate on both sides of the Atlantic. We present, produce, and commission thought-provoking and ground-breaking work across the arts, and are recognized for making a substantive, unique contribution to the artistic and cultural richness of the city of Washington, D.C. and beyond. We present work that is cross-cultural, representing today’s Ireland – a globally diverse society. Our programming reflects our conviction that Irish arts travel across borders, cultures, and socio-economic lines.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Intro to the Novel](https://writer.org/event/intro-to-the-novel-2/)
**Published:** May 4, 2026
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
# Have you always wanted to write a novel but didn’t know where to start?
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.
---
***Learn at your own pace:** This workshop will take place over **Wet Ink**, which is an asynchronous creative writing platform. The instructor will post a lesson and assignment at the beginning of each week, and participants can log in and read the lessons/post assignments/comment on other classmates’ work at their convenience. Shortly before the start date, participants will receive an invite from Wet Ink to create their login info and access the class. Please check your spam if you don’t see it.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn how to:
- Develop you Premise
- Establish Point of View/Narrative Voice
- Create authentic Characters
- Organize Plot and Structure
- Create good writing habits
- Determine your personal Process
# Time requirements
- 3-5 hours/week
# Materials
- *Hooked* by Les Edgerton
- *Plot & Structure* by James Scott Bell
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for those who have never written a novel before – or for those who are looking for a strong foundation in the basic components of novel-writing.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 8 Sessions, Fiction, Wet Ink, Workshop
---
### [Poetic Rhythm](https://writer.org/event/poetic-rhythm/)
**Published:** April 27, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Make the rhythm of your poetry run, skip, and dance! We'll learn the fundamentals of repeating rhyth...
**Content:**
# Make the rhythm of your poetry run, skip, and dance!
We’ll learn the fundamentals of repeating rhythms in the poetic line – how to see it in others’ work, and then how to adapt our own lines to repeated rhythm, whether it’s regular meter, or various rhythmic patterns in free verse. We’ll begin by scanning well known verse, become familiar with the rhythmic structure of our own lines, then practice rewriting one of our own poems in a metric form. In the second half of the course, we’ll generate a draft of a new poem in either a verse form, or in free verse which has been rhythmically enriched.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Sounding out words aloud to find their stresses
- Strong and weak stresses – not a switch that’s on or off!
- Basic feet and how they are grouped
- Iambic lines and their variety
- 5,4,3 feet/lines
- Headless lines
- Feminine endings
- Elisions
- “Strict” and “Loose” iambics
- Skipping and Dancing rhythms – Dactyl and Anapest
- Irregular rhythms in free verse
# Time requirements
- 45 – 60 min/week
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Those who are interested in exploring meter, but who don’t really feel or understand how to scan, those who want to write free verse with a more rhythmical component, and those who already write in meter but who want to refine and expand their skill. In all cases, we’ll connect the natural rhythms of the way we speak with the way we write.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 6 Sessions, Intermediate/Advanced Level, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [How to Write a Heist](https://writer.org/event/how-to-write-a-heist/)
**Published:** April 27, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** This one-day, generative workshop will help you brainstorm a heist story, explore how heists immerse...
**Content:**
# Learn how to write a heist story or novel, from building your squad, to pulling off the caper!
This generative workshop will help you brainstorm a heist story, explore how heists immerse the audience, and work out ways to up the stakes.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- The top characteristics most heist stories share
- How to immerse your audience in the story
- Maximizing the elements of surprise
- Establishing each character’s wants and needs
# Time requirements
- Optional reading in advance; work as needed to bring heists to share for second class.
# Materials
- Optional reading and media materials list will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for intermediate to expert writers who have always wanted to try their hand at espionage or heists. Craft skills practiced here will be useful in many different genres.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 2 Sessions, Fiction, Intermediate/Advanced Level, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Virtual Info Session for Novel Overhauler w/ Lacey N. Dunham](https://writer.org/event/virtual-info-session-for-novel-overhauler-w-lacey-n-dunham/)
**Published:** May 5, 2026
**Author:** Emily Holland
**Content:**
**Meet Lacey N. Dunham, instructor for our Novel Overhauler 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: June 15, 2026**
**Workshop Dates: Begins July 16, meeting biweekly for ~6 months**
**Cost: $2,600 \| Members $2,500**
Revise your novel in 6 months!
Have you written a novel but don’t know where to begin revising? Or maybe you’re feeling stuck in the middle of drafting your novel and need help moving forward to the end? This intensive, six-month novel revision workshop is open to writers of all genres and forms of the novel. In a supportive workshop atmosphere, writers will workshop their novel three times alongside a group of dedicated peers.
# [**Find the full details and apply here »**](https://writer.org/event/novel-overhauler/)
**Event Categories:** Fiction, Workshop
---
### [Capitol Hill Poetry-Group Anthology Launch](https://writer.org/event/other-side-of-the-hill/)
**Published:** April 21, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes the **Capitol Hill Poetry-Group** for a reading from the new poetry anthology *The Other Side of the Hill: 1975 – 2025*. This launch will include readings from **Patricia Gray**, **Jean Nordhaus**, **Rosemary Winslow**, **Greg McBride**, **Noel Salinger**, and **Anne Harding Woodworth.**
**Free and Open to the Public**
---
# About *The Other Side of the Hill: 1975 – 2025*
This anthology by members of the Capitol Hill Poetry Group celebrates the 50th anniversary of its founding. Jean Nordhaus, who along with Shirley Cochrane founded the group on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. in 1975, is still a member. This group of both long-term and newer members, who are the authors included in this book, currently includes: Jean Nordhaus , Patricia Gray, Charise M.Hoge, Mary Ann Larkin, Greg McBride, Nancy Fitz-Hugh Meneely, Patric Pepper, Noel Salinger, Rosemary Winslow, and Anne Harding Woodworth. They still meet every two or three weeks to read and critique each other’s work. The poets who have passed through this workshop over 50 years have published scores of poetry books and chapbooks, a testimony to their dedication to the art of making excellent poems. They look forward to sharing their key craft techniques with you.
---
**Jean Nordhau**s is the author of *The Porcelain Apes of Moses Mendelssohn* and 7 other volumes of poetry. She served for 8 years as review editor of *Poet Lore.*
**Rosemary Winslow** writes poetry in the spare time she has when not yogaing, hiking, swimming, kayaking, reading, and talking. Her poems have won numerous prizes and awards.
**Greg McBride**’s most recent book of poems is *Guest of Time*. He’s a lawyer, Vietnam veteran, and edits the *Innisfree Poetry Journal.*
**Anne Harding Woodworth** is the author of nine books of poetry and five chapbooks. Her book *Trouble* received the 2022 William Meredith Award for Poetry.
**Patricia Gray** formerly directed the Poetry and Literature Center at the Library of Congress. Her next writing workshop Zooms from TWC on May 31.
**Noel Salinger** is retired after a career in non-profit development at the ACLU, University of Chicago and Smithsonian. He studied poetry with Stephen Dunn and Philip Booth at Syracuse University.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Intro to the Novel](https://writer.org/event/intro-to-the-novel-8/)
**Published:** April 15, 2026
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Excerpt:** This workshop will help you understand the process of writing a novel so you can get started putting...
**Content:**
# Have you always wanted to write a novel but didn’t know where to start?
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.
---
***Learn at your own pace:** This workshop will take place over **Wet Ink**, which is an asynchronous creative writing platform. The instructor will post a lesson and assignment at the beginning of each week, and participants can log in and read the lessons/post assignments/comment on other classmates’ work at their convenience. Shortly before the start date, participants will receive an invite from Wet Ink to create their login info and access the class. Please check your spam if you don’t see it.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn how to:
- Develop you Premise
- Establish Point of View/Narrative Voice
- Create authentic Characters
- Organize Plot and Structure
- Create good writing habits
- Determine your personal Process
# Time requirements
- 3-5 hours/week
# Materials
- Required: *Hooked* by Les Edgerton and *Plot & Structure* by James Scott Bell
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for those who have never written a novel before – or for those who are looking for a strong foundation in the basic components of novel-writing.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 8 Sessions, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Fiction, Wet Ink, Workshop
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat on Nonfiction w/ Lauren Westerfield](https://writer.org/event/lauren-westerfield/)
**Published:** February 17, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE Virtual Craft Chat on the craft of Nonfiction! We’re joined by author **Lauren Westerfield** for a discussion of her new collection of essays, *Woman House: Essays and Assemblages.*
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [directly from the publisher>>](https://www.umasspress.com/9781625349231/woman-house/)
---
**Lauren W. Westerfield** is the author of *Woman House* and *Depth Control*. Her essays and poetry have been published in *FENCE, Seneca Review, Willow Springs, Denver Quarterly, Indiana Review, Ninth Letter*, and elsewhere. Westerfield is a 2022 Idaho Commission on the Arts Literary Fellow. She teaches at Washington State University, where she serves as the editor-in-chief of *Blood Orange Review*.
---
# About *Woman House*
**A compelling and inventive memoir exploring how pain and pleasure are passed down through generations of women**
For years, Lauren W. Westerfield looked back at her childhood as an imaginative playscape lovingly crafted by her artist mother. But in truth, theirs was always a fraught relationship, close yet turbulent. It wouldn’t be until her mid-twenties that Westerfield would learn that her mother was assaulted while living as a single woman in 1970s Los Angeles, or until her mid-thirties when caretaking for her now chronically ill mother during pandemic lockdown would reveal how that earlier incident and its ripple effects had shaped both their lives.
The essays and assemblages in this book plumb the depths of two women’s experiences, exploring the pain and pleasure they find in their bodies, in culture, and in their own art. Violence, beauty, and love reverberate and dissipate and shape the forms and psyches of these two profoundly connected family members. At once raw and refined, narrative and lyrical, nostalgic and blunt, the stories and images presented here explore Westerfield’s life—from childhood to adulthood—passing through innocence, self-discovery and familial tethers. In unpacking her mother’s history and the complexities of their relationship, Westerfield finds herself confronted with her own story: one grounded in a yearning for agency and individuation, of a body and mind groomed to be at odds with one another, of a feminist politics examining deeply rooted patriarchal understandings of beauty, control, and power.
Part memoir, part critical sense-making, part reckoning with family, identity, illness, addiction, art, and inheritance, *Woman House* draws on diverse inspirations in an attempt to recontextualize the female body—in danger, in pleasure, in portraiture, in proximity, in resistance—and challenge the structures that silence and restrict female expression.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [End of Season Celebration Reading!](https://writer.org/event/end-of-season-celebration-reading-apr26/)
**Published:** April 2, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
Ever wonder who else is taking classes at The Writer’s Center? Want the chance to hear the work being made in other classes? Meet with Instructors of the coming season’s courses?
We invite you to attend our first ever **End of Season Celebration**, a time to meet and hear work from the participants from the numerous workshops we’ve hosted for the past four months.
This in-person event will gather the community of writers and instructors of the past four months to showcase work generated, revised, and inspired by the workshops held this season. Following this showcase, there will be a reception to meet fellow workshop participants and instructors.
We hope to see you, at the Center, in celebration of our wonderful community.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
Attending? We encourage you to [become a member of The Writer’s Center for only $65/year »](https://writer.org/become-a-member/)
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Poet Adam Tavel Book Release](https://writer.org/event/adam-tavel/)
**Published:** April 28, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes poet **Adam Tavel** for a reading from his new collection, *The Ghost-Star King*. Adam is joined by Melissa Reddish for the reading and conversation.
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
**Adam Tavel** is the author of seven books of poetry and the recipient of the Richard Wilbur Book Award, Permafrost Book Prize, and the Robert Frost Award, among other honors. His work can be found in more than 1,500 public libraries nationwide, and in recent issues of *The North American Review*, *The Massachusetts Review*, *The Hopkins Review*, *AGNI*, and *Ploughshares*, among others.
**Melissa Reddish**’s work has appeared in many literary journals, including *Tampa Review, South Carolina Review, and Gris*t. She is the author of three full-length works, most recently *The Lives We’ve Yet to Live* (Tailwinds Press, 2022). She has received residencies at Soaring Gardens and the Rensing Center.
---
# About *The Ghost-Star King*
A kaleidoscopic examination of post-pandemic America, *The Ghost-Star King* resurrects the tragic hero Oedipus, a figure from Greek antiquity, in a series of monologues that rage, plead, and pray for the empathy to confront power, alienation, and polarization in the digital age. Part poetry sequence, part stage drama, *The Ghost-Star King* rollicks through myth, politics, pop culture, neurodivergence, and the American Dream in its search for community and belonging.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Writerly Happy Hour](https://writer.org/event/writerly-happy-hour-5/)
**Published:** April 29, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
Join us for cocktails and writerly conversation at metrobar!
Come connect with the local writing community! Hang with staff, board, and friends of The Inner Loop, The Writer’s Center, DC Writer’s Room, and PEN/Faulkner, and tell us how your writing is going!
# [**Register here »**](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/writerly-happy-hour-tickets-1988296039979?aff=oddtdtcreator)
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Getting Started Creative Writing: Try 3 Genres](https://writer.org/event/getting-started-creative-writing-try-3-genres/)
**Published:** April 27, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Find your creativity with fun exercises in poetry, memoir, and fiction. You’ll take home two origina...
**Content:**
# Find Your Niche
Find your creativity with fun exercises in poetry, memoir, and fiction. You’ll take home two original poems plus at least one short piece of fiction and memoir. Opportunities to read your writing aloud and receive positive feedback can help you identify your specific writing talents. If you’re an experienced writer, this is your opportunity to experiment with other genres. Please bring your favorite writing instruments to the workshop and check your email the night before to print out any handouts to bring with you the next day.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Sensory Details
- Dialogue
- Identifying Real life characters
# Time requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Take this workshop if you’ve itching to write creatively but don’t know where to start or if you just want to get past your resistance or if you are an experienced writer who wants to try your hand at other genres.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [How to Write a Lot](https://writer.org/event/how-to-write-a-lot-7/)
**Published:** April 27, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** You may think you don't have the time, energy, or inspiration to write because of your hectic lifest...
**Content:**
# Establish an invincible writing habit!
You may think you don’t have the time, energy, or inspiration to write because of your hectic lifestyle. Wrong! Learn what professional writers know about organizing their time, establishing a productive writing routine, and getting their stories written. We’ll share methods many professional writers use to complete their books in months instead of years, their short stories in mere weeks. Become the dedicated author you’ve always dreamed of being.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Time Management
- Prioritizing Your Writing
- Professional techniques
- Working to Completion
# Time requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Writers of fiction, memoir, or creative nonfiction looking to improve their production.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Flash Fiction: A Generative Workshop](https://writer.org/event/flash-fiction-a-generative-workshop/)
**Published:** April 27, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Discover how a single moment can hold an entire world: write bold, luminous flash fiction in this fl...
**Content:**
# Learn to transform fleeting ideas into complete, compelling flash fiction through four weeks of focused generative writing.
Discover how a single moment can hold an entire world: write bold, luminous flash fiction in this flexible, go-at-your-own-pace four-week generative workshop. Each week, you’ll read short examples of flash fiction and explore craft elements such as compression, image, voice, and narrative movement. Through guided prompts, participants will generate new work and have the opportunity to share drafts in a supportive, craft-focused environment. By the end of the workshop, participants will have written several original flash pieces and developed strategies for expanding or revising them into polished stories. There will be reading assignments.
---
***Learn at your own pace:** This workshop will take place over **Wet Ink**, which is an asynchronous creative writing platform. The instructor will post a lesson and assignment at the beginning of each week, and participants can log in and read the lessons/post assignments/comment on other classmates’ work at their convenience. Shortly before the start date, participants will receive an invite from Wet Ink to create their login info and access the class. Please check your spam if you don’t see it.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Techniques for compression and narrative economy; how to build a complete story in under 1,000 words.
- How to use image, voice, and precise detail to create emotional resonance in very short fiction.
- Strategies for generating flash fiction quickly through prompts and constraints.
- Methods for shaping a flash piece through structure, surprise, and meaningful endings.
- Approaches to revision and expansion, including how flash pieces can evolve into longer stories
# Time requirements
- You can choose to spend as much or as little time as possible. But an average of 3-4 hours a week is reasonable to expect.
# Materials
- Reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for beginning and intermediate fiction writers interested in exploring flash fiction, as well as poets, essayists, and experienced writers curious about working in a compressed narrative form. Writers looking to generate new work, sharpen their sense of image and voice, and experiment with short, powerful storytelling will find this workshop especially useful.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Fiction, Wet Ink, Workshop
---
### [Plotting Your Novel](https://writer.org/event/plotting-your-novel-7/)
**Published:** April 27, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Whether you are an organized planner or a writer who flies by the seat of their pants, a novel still...
**Content:**
# Are you a pantser or a planner?
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.
---
***Learn at your own pace:** This workshop will take place over **Wet Ink**, which is an asynchronous creative writing platform. The instructor will post a lesson and assignment at the beginning of each week, and participants can log in and read the lessons/post assignments/comment on other classmates’ work at their convenience. Shortly before the start date, participants will receive an invite from Wet Ink to create their login info and access the class. Please check your spam if you don’t see it.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Clearly define the premise of your novel
- Determine your main character(s) and the central conflicts (both external and internal)
- Define (and write) the inciting incident
- Determine the novel’s climax
- Begin to consider possible conclusions
# Time requirements
- 3-5 hours/week
# Materials
- *Hooked* by Les Edgerton
- *Plot & Structure* by James Scott Bell
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for anyone struggling with the plot and structure of their novel.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, All Levels, Fiction, Wet Ink, Workshop
---
### [Writing as a Restorative Practice](https://writer.org/event/writing-as-a-restorative-practice-2/)
**Published:** April 27, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** As writers, it’s vital that we nurture our creativity through self-care so we can work with our natu...
**Content:**
# Learn how to navigate all phases of the creative process without giving up or burning out.
As writers, it’s vital that we nurture our creativity through self-care so we can work with our natural rhythms and not against them. In this class, you will work through exercises that identify limiting beliefs, clarify needs and motivations, and rejuvenate creative energy. This workshop is ideal for writers of all levels struggling with time management, critical self-talk, burnout, creative blocks, perfectionism, and procrastination. We will explore where our creative blocks come from and how to work through them so they don’t stop our progress. Whether you have been writing for years or are just starting or returning to the practice, you will come away with techniques and strategies that support you in building a restorative writing practice that brings your creative callings to life in a sustainable way.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Mindset shifts for unraveling creative blocks
- Time management strategies
- The four-step creative process and patterns of behavior that support it
- Self-discovery as an idea generation technique
# Time requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers of all levels and genres who want to pursue their creative callings at a pace that works for their temperament and lifestyle.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Your Personal Artifacts in Fiction and Nonfiction](https://writer.org/event/your-personal-artifacts-in-fiction-and-nonfiction/)
**Published:** April 27, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Jumpstart your fiction or literary nonfiction with a focus on important parts and objects of your li...
**Content:**
# Focus on real-life artifacts to jumpstart new works of fiction or creative nonfiction.
Jumpstart your fiction or literary nonfiction with a focus on important parts and objects of your life. The goal of the class will be both instructive and generative, focusing on layering stories with subtext, depth, and meaning.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Focus on descriptive, contextual language layered with subtext and meaning.
- Jumpstart new pieces or deepen works in progress through analysis of literary examples and guided prompts designed to experiment with language and generate new ideas and new work
# Time Requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Open to all levels of writers — will be designed to jumpstart your writing journey with a deep dive into bringing out larger theme in descriptive language.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 2 Sessions, All Levels, Mixed Genre, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Point of View](https://writer.org/event/point-of-view/)
**Published:** April 27, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** One of the most challenging fiction techniques is perspective. A wandering Point of View confuses re...
**Content:**
# Give your fiction a professional edge and increase its publication chances.
One of the most challenging fiction techniques is perspective. A wandering Point of View confuses readers and signals literary agents and publishers that the author has lost control of their own story. Choosing a plan that is well matched to your story and voice can make the difference between a publishing contract and rejection. Learn how to develop an effective and consistent perspective that will demonstrate your competence and enable readers to follow a story’s progress while avoiding confusing “head hopping.”
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How to understand perspective
- Tools for choosing POVs
- Structure
- Genre preferences for POV
# Time requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is expressly designed to help writers of fiction, memoir, and creative nonfiction understand and use the power of perspective.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Evoking Reader Empathy](https://writer.org/event/evoking-reader-empathy-3/)
**Published:** April 27, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Even a well-crafted story can fail to resonate with readers if it lacks emotional impact. The key is...
**Content:**
# Discover techniques to infuse your writing with emotional depth.
Even a well-crafted story can fail to resonate with readers if it lacks emotional impact. The key is to forge a connection that encourages readers to invest in your characters and embark on their own emotional journeys. In this workshop, we’ll discuss how to avoid clichés and heavy-handed moralizing while finding the right balance of internal thought, scene, and underlying tension. Additionally, we’ll explore how to use specific objects or images (such as your father’s watch, a beloved place, or a work of art) to carry the emotional weight of your narrative. Through reading examples and participating in short exercises, you will practice and refine your ability to evoke empathy on the page.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- The importance of underlying emotion
- How to avoid clichéd emotions
- The objective correlative technique
- How to craft resonant endings
# Time requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop will benefit both memoir and fiction writers wishing to deepen reader engagement.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat w/ Author Haili Blassingame](https://writer.org/event/haili-blassingame/)
**Published:** April 28, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of nonfiction! We’re joined by author **Haili Blassingame** for a discussion of her new publication, *They All Fall in Love at the End.* Haili is in conversation with Amy Freeman, author and Development Director at The Writer’s Center.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from Bookshop.org »](https://bookshop.org/a/22600/9781668204122)
---
**Haili Blassingame** is a producer for the NPR program *1A*. She has written for publications like *The New Republic* and *The New York Times*, in which she published the essay “My Choice Isn’t Marriage or Loneliness” for “Modern Love”. She was one of twelve essayists selected to write a follow-up piece for the column’s 20th anniversary in October 2024. Her debut novel is THEY ALL FALL IN LOVE AT THE END. She lives in Washington, DC.
---
# About *THEY ALL FALL IN LOVE AT THE END*
**Cat St. Clair is ready for her messy love triangle era now that she’s in an open relationship. But she didn’t foresee a *forbidden* love triangle with the only two people who are off-limits: her boyfriend’s best friend and his girlfriend. Being a twenty-something writer who lives for plot, she falls for them anyway, with deliciously disastrous consequences, in this electric literary debut for fans of Xochitl Gonzalez, Coco Mellors, Lily King, and Raven Leilani.**
It’s the fall of 2024, and twenty-four-year-old Cat isn’t asking for too much: all she wants is three boyfriends, to write her little novels, and to survive another chaotic presidential election. She’s in an open relationship with her college sweetheart Jay, but nonmonogamy isn’t just a hot trend she’s trying. It’s her sliver of freedom in a world eager to wrestle it from her for being a Black woman going after what she wants with reckless abandon.
While political tensions roil the campus where Cat is slowly earning her creative writing degree, she finds herself drawn to Jay’s best friend, Tristan, who’s smart, super hot, and…in a monogamous relationship. And then she meets Tristan’s girlfriend, Nia, a captivating art student with her own gravitational pull.
Friends and family urge her to just be happy with Jay, but Cat is determined to have it all—or blow up her life trying. As she falls for all the wrong people, racking up lies, betrayals, and terrible drafts of her novel, she tries to write her way to a happy ending. But in art, politics, and love, true liberation may take more than rewriting the old scripts. It may mean inventing something entirely new.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Creating Novel Characters](https://writer.org/event/creating-novel-characters-8/)
**Published:** April 15, 2026
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Excerpt:** When writing a novel, we must know our primary characters inside and out. We need to understand thei...
**Content:**
# Bring your characters to life on the page.
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.
---
***Learn at your own pace:** This workshop will take place over **Wet Ink**, which is an asynchronous creative writing platform. The instructor will post a lesson and assignment at the beginning of each week, and participants can log in and read the lessons/post assignments/comment on other classmates’ work at their convenience. Shortly before the start date, participants will receive an invite from Wet Ink to create their login info and access the class. Please check your spam if you don’t see it.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Your character’s past and future
- Your character’s motivations
- How the plot will bring about your character’s arc
- How to reveal your character on the page
# Time requirements
- 3-5 hours/week
# Materials
- None required
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers looking to add dimension to their fictional characters.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, All Levels, Fiction, Wet Ink, Workshop
---
### [Reading Poems to Write Poems](https://writer.org/event/reading-poems-to-write-poems/)
**Published:** April 15, 2026
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Excerpt:** This is a reader’s workshop, focusing on close readings of poems by two great American poets, Stanle...
**Content:**
# Study and analyze great poets and poems to discover new ways to write great poems.
This is a reader’s workshop, focusing on close readings of poems by two great American poets, Stanley Plumly and Natasha Trethewey, in order more deeply to enjoy their poems and to derive specific strategies and prompts for our own work. This focused two-hour gathering will be in two parts, with David Baker examining Plumly’s work and Christopher Kondrich plumbing Trethewey’s. We’ll dive-deep into specific poems, identify each poet’s signature tactics, and talk about the class’s own practices. We hope to have some time for in-class writing, and we hope you take away specific, engaging new methods for your next poems. There’s no prior preparation necessary, though familiarity with the two poets would be useful; we’ll have handouts for class and if you have Plumly’s *Collected Poems* and Trethewey’s *Native Guard*, it would be helpful to bring with you.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn how to:
- Read, analyze, and enjoy specific poems from two master poets
- Identify distinct strategies of poetic composition
- Discover various techniques from form to voice, syntax to story, personal narrative to social relevance
- Derive writing opportunities and prompts for your future poetry
# Time Requirements
- This is a one-day two-hour experience. To prepare, read or reread poems by Stanley Plumly and Natasha Trethewey; and be able to describe your own compositional methods and aspirations for poetry.
# Materials
- *Collected Poems of Stanley Plumly* (W. W. Norton, 2025)
- *Native Guard* by Natasha Trethewey (Houghton Mifflin, 2006)
- If you don’t have either or both of these books, we will also have a handout of the poems we’ll discuss.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop-class will be useful both for beginning and experienced poets as they strive toward new methods, forms, and inspiration for their work to come.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Poetry, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Show and Tell Intensive](https://writer.org/event/show-and-tell-intensive-5/)
**Published:** April 15, 2026
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
# Learn to make your work compelling with the most important skill any writer can possess.
Successful writers make readers feel and intuit precisely what they want them to by using the technique of showing writing. No other element of craft promises this immediacy and power to bring a work to life. This is how to make a flat passage sing, how to gain your readers’ trust and emotional participation. Through exploration of compelling published examples, exercises, lively discussion, and inspiring instruction, you will learn to elevate your stories to submission-quality prose.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Learn to write in scenes
- Learn to dramatize rather than summarize
- Learn to create reader emotions
- Learn to present the evidence rather than tell
# Time requirements
- N/A
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed to improve the skill of seasoned writers and demonstrate to new writers the power of showing rather than telling writing to elevate work to literary quality.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Poetry Book Club w/ Brittany Rogers!](https://writer.org/event/brittany-rogers/)
**Published:** April 21, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
[*Poet Lore*, America’s oldest poetry journal](https://www.poetlore.com/) and The Writer’s Center welcomes poet **Brittany Rogers** to our monthly Virtual Poetry Book Club for a discussion of her collection, *Good Dress.* Brittany is joined by Book Club Host, Hannah Grieco.
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online »](https://bookshop.org/a/22600/9781959030836)
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
**Brittany Rogers** is a poet, educator, and lifelong Detroiter. She has work published or forthcoming in *Prairie Schooner*, *Indiana Review*, *Four Way Review*, *underbelly*, *Mississippi Review*, Lambda Literary, and Oprah Daily. Brittany is a fellow of VONA, The Watering Hole, Poetry Incubator, and Pink Door Writing Retreat. She is editor-in-chief of *Muzzle* magazine and co-host of *VS* Podcast.
---
# About *Good Dress*
Following the tradition of Nikky Finney, Krista Franklin, and Morgan Parker, Brittany Rogers’s *Good Dress* documents the extravagant beauty and audacity of Black Detroit, Black womanhood, community, class, luxury, materialism, and matrilineage. A nontraditional coming of age, this collection witnesses a speaker coming into her own autonomy and selfhood as a young adult, reflecting on formative experiences. With care and incandescent energy, the poems engage with memory, time, interiority, and community. They also nudge tenderly toward curiosity: What does it mean to belong to a person, to a city? Can intimacy and romance be found outside the heteronormative confines of partnership? And in what ways can the pursuit of pleasure be an anchor that returns us to ourselves?
---
# About Book Club
This is no *run-of-the-mill book club*. Visiting writers will read excerpts, join the discussion, and answer your questions about craft, process, the publishing industry, and getting advice for our own writing! We’ll hang and eat snacks with the authors and escape your doomscrolling.
***Poetry Book Club*** will meet on Zoom ***every second Wednesday*** of the month with a new poet.
***Fiction Book Club*** will meet ***every third Sunday*** of the month in person at The Writer’s Center with a new author.
Come build community and read amazing books that the Big 5 didn’t have the sense to publish!
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat w/ Poet Aldo Amparán](https://writer.org/event/aldo-amparan/)
**Published:** April 21, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
Poet Lore and The Writer’s Center present a FREE virtual chat about the craft of poetry! We’re joined by **Aldo Amparán** to discuss their new collection, *THE HOUSE HAS TEETH*. Aldo is in conversation with Emily Holland, poet and editor of [*Poet Lore,*](https://www.poetlore.com/)[ America’s oldest poetry journal](https://www.poetlore.com/).
RSVP below to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). FREE and open to the public, all times Eastern.
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from the publisher »](https://www.alicejamesbooks.org/bookstore/the-house-has-teeth?srsltid=AfmBOookRuNveByY_4lXzZMGjI43coPurSfV3Lg71wWGCPorNrgqzqf7)
---
**Aldo Amparán** is the author of *Brother Sleep*, a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award for Gay Poetry in 2023. They have received fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts & CantoMundo. Born & raised in the border cities of El Paso, TX, USA, & Ciudad Juárez, CHIH, Mexico, Amparán’s work has been featured in the Academy of American Poets’ *Poem-a-Day, Best New Poets, Gulf Coast, Kenyon Review Online, New England Review, Ploughshares, Poetry Magazine,* & elsewhere.
---
# About *THE HOUSE HAS TEETH*
Aldo Amparán returns with a collection of surreal borderland poems about the queer and Latinx body as a site of politicization. Haunted by the author’s personal ghosts of violent trauma and the insidious pain of refusing to heal, *THE HOUSE HAS TEETH* (September 2026, Alice James Books) asks whether it’s possible to unknow—and transcend—the nightmares that creep around the edges of our adult psyches. Amparán writes with tenderness and impressive vulnerability about unlearning gendered cultural expectations of cruelty and brutality in order to break patterns of aggression and finally heal the shattered self.
Influenced by horror films, ghost stories, and the fever dream of violence on TV screens and in the media, *THE HOUSE HAS TEETH* is a poetic haunting about how to survive childhood assault in order to embrace love.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat w/ Poet Jake Rose](https://writer.org/event/jake-rose/)
**Published:** April 21, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
Poet Lore and The Writer’s Center present a FREE virtual chat about the craft of poetry! We’re joined by **Jake Rose** to discuss their debut collection, *JOAN*. Jake is in conversation with Emily Holland, poet and editor of [*Poet Lore,*](https://www.poetlore.com/)[ America’s oldest poetry journal](https://www.poetlore.com/).
RSVP below to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). FREE and open to the public, all times Eastern.
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from the publisher »](https://cdcshoppingcart.uchicago.edu/Cart2/ChicagoBook?ISBN=9780226848235&PRESS=CHICAGO)
---
**Jake Rose** is the author of *JOAN*, winner of the 2026 Phoenix Emerging Poets Book Prize, published by the University of Chicago Press in March 2026. A poet, artist, and educator living in California’s Central Valley, Rose teaches at the University of California, Davis, and has work published in *West Branch*, *The Atlantic*, *The* *Academy of American Poets*, *Foglifter*, *Coach House Books*, and elsewhere. Other literary works include [*The Art of the Death*](https://theartofthedeath.com/), a book-length erasure poem; [Spectropoetics](https://spectropoetics.com/), a location-based series of interspecies writing; and [*The Month Books*](https://themonthbooks.com/), a collection of handmade chapbooks exploring chronic illness and hybrid form.
---
# About *JOAN*
A narrative sequence of lyric poems reimagining Joan of Arc as a framework for queer identity, transformation, and poetic voice.
Collapsing biography and autobiography, the poetry of Jake Rose’s debut explores queer identity, grief, and desire through the historical framework of Joan of Arc’s life. Moving through rural landscapes of the speaker’s youth, contradictions of faith, consequences of desire, and fragmentations of trauma, *JOAN* is structured as an excavation of the speaker’s most intimate moments, combining poetry with historical quotations, visual collage, and a sequence of film stills. Through vivid lyric moments, the poems construct a speaker and world both intimate and charged—“I have to touch my farthest feeling,” “the sapphire dusk draping its lace arias”—with clarity and vibrant intensity. Refusing resolution, these poems dwell in rupture, reinvention, and fluid forms of gender that come to life outside of inherited boundaries. This collection speaks from the margins, searching for a body the self might inhabit and asking what it means to transform through language, gender, and desire.
*JOAN* is the winner of the Phoenix Emerging Poet Book Prize.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Book Launch for Writer Abby Reid](https://writer.org/event/abby-reid/)
**Published:** April 21, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes writer **Abby Reid** for a reading from her new book, *How to Write Like a Human: Writing for Work, School, and Life—Without AI.*
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
A keen editor and digital storyteller, **Abby Reid** derives a great deal of joy (probably too much!) from turning complex content into easily digestible information for a wide range of audiences. Abby has over 15 years of experience as a communicator with the federal government, and has earned a B.A. in English Literature from Ithaca College, as well as an M.A. in Communication from Johns Hopkins University. [*How to Write Like a Human: Writing for Work, School, and Life—Without AI*](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GQC93YR4?ref=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_TD5R03FG84CMX4DWC6FR_1&ref_=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_TD5R03FG84CMX4DWC6FR_1&social_share=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_TD5R03FG84CMX4DWC6FR_1&bestFormat=true) is her first published book.
---
# About *How to Write Like a Human: Writing for Work, School, and Life—Without AI*
From texting friends to creating status reports at work, writing is part of our daily lives. It can be tempting to do all that writing with AI, but AI can never capture *your* voice, *your* thoughts, and *your* personality. Only you can do that. Learning to write well on your own is a superpower in today’s society. It will help you gain confidence, succeed at work and at school, and express yourself clearly and effectively.
Practical, approachable, and refreshingly real, [*How to Write Like a Human: Writing for Work, School, and Life—Without AI*](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GQC93YR4?ref=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_TD5R03FG84CMX4DWC6FR_1&ref_=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_TD5R03FG84CMX4DWC6FR_1&social_share=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_TD5R03FG84CMX4DWC6FR_1&bestFormat=true) teaches you the basics of writing anything, from business emails to slam poetry. It’s designed for real people, not grammar experts.
Whether you’re a young adult, student, early-career professional—or simply someone who’s interested in becoming a stronger writer—this book will help you gain a clear understanding of different types of writing, how to adjust your writing to different audiences, and which rules to follow (and which you can happily break).
Abby Reid draws on extensive experience in writing and editing to break writing down into easy concepts, provide examples, and help you improve your writing—without AI.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Book Launch for Herminia Gil Guerrero](https://writer.org/event/herminia-gil-guerrero/)
**Published:** April 21, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes writer **Herminia Gil Guerrero** for a reading from her new publication, *Lo Que No Te Pertence.* This reading will be followed by a Q&A and signing.
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
**Herminia Gil Guerrero** is a Spanish writer and scholar. She holds a PhD on the work of Jorge Luis Borges from the University of Hamburg and is a professor of language and literature at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. She has lived for more than twenty-five years across countries and languages—an experience shaped by displacement and a perspective from the margins that permeates her writing. She is the author of the short story collection Stories from Silicon Valley. What Does Not Belong to You is her first novel.
---
# About *Lo Que No Te Pertence*
When the first children begin arriving alone and terrified at a detention center on the U.S.–Mexico border, three lives become irreversibly entwined.
Silvia, a Spanish journalist living in Washington, D.C., balances single motherhood with her work as a correspondent. When she travels to Texas to cover the separation of migrant families during Donald Trump’s presidency, the professional distance that once protected her begins to fracture in the pages of her diary.
Roy, a veteran Border Patrol agent, is assigned to care for the newly arrived children. Haunted by a violent episode from his past, he struggles to reconcile his duty with the growing weight of his conscience.
Manuela, a young girl from Guatemala, is forced to leave her home and embark on a journey north in search of a place where she can belong.
Set between Washington, Texas, and Central America, *What Does Not Belong to You* is a powerful novel about geographic, emotional, and moral borders—and about the limits of narrating another’s suffering without becoming trapped in it.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Writer Pauline Steinhorn Book Release](https://writer.org/event/pauline-steinhorn/)
**Published:** March 4, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes writer **Pauline Steinhorn** for a reading from her new publication, *Dreaming of the River*. **FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
**Pauline Steinhorn** enjoys telling other people’s stories. Throughout her career as an award-winning filmmaker and writer, she has written and directed documentaries for PBS, Maryland Public Television, Sesame Street, Discovery Channel, the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, the Smithsonian, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Her articles and essays have appeared in The Wall Street Journal and Moment magazine.
---
# About *Dreaming of the River*
Bronia Feldman never imagined she would become the backbone of an underground medical lifeline, least of all inside the brutal forced-labor system of the HASAG munitions factory in occupied Poland. Torn from her family in September 1942, she arrives shattered by grief. The only force strong enough to keep her alive is the chance to save others.
Left behind in the ghetto of Skarzysko-Kamienna are her husband and two young daughters. Her 13-year-old daughter, Hajuta, was sent to a nearby labor site. Bronia seizes a rare opportunity to escape and reaches her daughter. After their brief reunion, she faces an impossible choice: flee into the forest to join the partisans or slip back to the place she just escaped. When they are reunited months later, the moment is both miraculous and heartbreaking. Hajuta is no longer the girl Bronia remembers. Together they endure still darker days when they are deported to Bergen-Belsen in January 1945.
This true story of a Jewish mother and daughter is a testament to courage, devotion, and the fragile thread of hope that sustained them. Amid cruelty and terror, they also encounter moments of deep humanity and unimaginable courage. Throughout it all, both cling to memories of the River Kamienna, where they once danced, played music, and believed in a future. For Bronia and Hajuta, the river is more than a memory. It is a promise that one day, they might return home.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Convergence: Poetry on Environmental Impacts of War Reading](https://writer.org/event/convergence/)
**Published:** April 7, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes **Randall Amster, Colonel Roger Chang**, **Lisa Couturier** and **Linda Dove** for a reading from the new poetry anthology *Convergence: Poetry on the Environmental Impacts of War* (Scarlet Tanager Books).
---
# About *the Anthology*
*Convergence: Poetry on Environmental Impacts of War* offers a groundbreaking and vital perspective on war’s destruction of the natural world—the creatures, plants, soil, water, and atmosphere of Earth. In poems and contextual comments, 61 contemporary poets focus on military damages to the ecosystems on six continents and the moon. Framed by a cogent introduction and a pair of forewords, one on the poetry and the other on global consequences, the poems are accompanied by a tally of ecological costs and a set of thought-provoking discussion and writing prompts for teens and adults. This compelling anthology alerts readers to environmental degradation of our planet while affirming nature’s resilience and regeneration.
---
**Randall Amster,** J.D., Ph.D., is a Teaching Professor in The Earth Commons at Georgetown University. He writes for a wide range of publications on themes of peace and nonviolence, social and environmental justice, political theory, and emerging technologies. His most recent book is *Peace Ecology* (Routledge).
**Colonel Roger Chang**, with 30 years active and reserve duty in the United States Army, escaped the Communist Chinese takeover as a child. Currently at work on his story, “Helping Keep the Cold War Cold,” about the part he played, in 1973, to prevent the exchange of 7,500 thermonuclear warheads in seventeen minutes, Colonel Chang will read the poetry of veteran Sean Mclain Brown that appears in the anthology.
A 2022 finalist for the Annie Dillard Award in Creative Nonfiction and a Pushcart Prize winner for “Dark Horse,” **Lisa Couturier** is author of *The Hopes of Snakes* (Beacon) and *Animals / Bodies* (Finishing Line), winner of the Jean Pedrick Chapbook Prize. A notable essayist in *Best American Essays*, 2004, 2006, 2011, she is a writer with the Sowell Family Collection in Literature, Community and the Natural World.
**Linda Dove** holds a Ph.D. in Renaissance literature and teaches college writing. She is also an award-winning poet of five books: *In Defense of Objects* (2009), *O Dear Deer,* (2011), *This Too* (2017; reprint 2027), *Fearn* (2019), and *Switchfish* (2023), as well as the scholarly collection of essays, *Women, Writing, and the Reproduction of Culture in Tudor and Stuart Britain* (2000). Poems have been nominated for a Pushcart Prize, the Robert H. Winner Award from the Poetry Society of America, Best of the Net, and Best Microfiction. While in southern California, she served as the Altadena Poet Laureate from 2012-2014, as well as the founding editor of *MORIA* Literary Magazine. She recently relocated to her hometown of Columbia, Maryland.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Open Mic @ The Writer's Center](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-the-writers-center-2/)
**Published:** April 15, 2026
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Prose, poetry, and spoken word Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center! All writers are welcome to come and share 4-5 minutes of their latest work.
- **Sign-up starts at 6:45pm, and readings begin promptly at 7pm.**
- **Limited to 20 readers, so arrive early if you plan to read.**
Sponsored by [*Poet Lore*](poetlore.com), America’s oldest poetry magazine.
FREE and open to the public. Please note that we no longer offer advance sign-up.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Me Myself and I: Understanding Memoir](https://writer.org/event/me-myself-and-i-understanding-memoir-2/)
**Published:** January 29, 2026
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
This workshop is a two-hour seminar for those who want to better understand the genre of memoir and the craft elements required to write it well. In this course we will: Explore the tensions inherent in being author, narrator, and subject all at once; Unpack the subjectivity of truth; Commit to treat all characters fairly; Learn to report from the body; Realize why writing the story you can’t bear to share is your gateway; and Examine your obligations to the others about whom you will be writing.
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [All About Tone _ TEST](https://writer.org/event/all-about-tone-_-test/)
**Published:** April 9, 2026
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Robert Frost said, "It's tone I'm in love with; that's what poetry is, tone." The ability to control...
**Content:**
# In poetry, it’s not about what you say; it’s how you say it.
Robert Frost said, “It’s tone I’m in love with; that’s what poetry is, tone.” The ability to control tone in a poem is what makes a poet credible and their intention clear. But tone has not always been easy to define, let alone control. In this workshop, we will attempt to distinguish tone from voice, style, and mood. We will explore what contributes to a poem’s tone and how these elements can be used to convey attitude and emotion.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- What tone is, and how it differs from style, voice, and mood.
- What contributes to the tone of a poem.
- Different approaches to establishing tone.
- How to avoid sentimentality.
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Because even experienced poets often don’t pay close attention to tone, this workshop will benefit anyone who wants to learn how to control the effect a poem has on its readers.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat w/ Author Mathangi Subramanian](https://writer.org/event/mathangi-subramanian/)
**Published:** April 7, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of nonfiction! We’re joined by author **Mathangi Subramanian** for a discussion of her new publication, *Our Periods, Ourselves: An Empowered Teen’s Guide.* Mathangi is in conversation with Amy Freeman, author and Development Director at The Writer’s Center.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from Bookshop.org »](https://bookshop.org/a/22600/9798216201908)
---
**Mathangi Subramanian**, EdD, is an award winning neurodiverse, South Asian American author, educator, and advocate who has been a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award, longlisted for the Pen/Faulkner Prize, and a winner of the South Asia Book Award. She is the founder of Moon Rabbit Writing Studio, an online writing workshop that supports socially conscious authors with seriously busy lives, and serves on the Denver Library Commission. She currently lives in Denver with her child, a gerbil named Ham, and way too many picture books.
---
# About *Our Periods, Ourselves: An Empowered Teen’s Guide*
**An inclusive guide to menstruation and what makes everyone’s experience unique**
Despite what you might have been taught, periods do not happen in a vacuum. While it’s important to know the facts of menstruation, it’s just as important to take a holistic, inclusive, and deeper look into the ways in which everything around us—from our genetics and culture to religion and society—influenceshow we each experience our periods.
In *Our Periods, Ourselves*, Mathangi Subramanian covers how society shapes our monthly cycles just as much as science. She discusses how neurodiversity, disability, gender, adoption status, and immigration status can impact our periods while offering healthy, concrete recommendations forcoping with these realities. Subramanian additionally examines how important issues such asreproductive rights, culture and religion, capitalism, and climate change affect access to the information and resources menstruators need to manage their physical and mental health.
*Our Periods, Ourselves* is an empowering resource for every body. It provides the information, encouragement, and support menstruators need to make informed decisions about their periods, and reminds us that ourbodies and our identities are sources of power and strength.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Novel 101: How to Write the Story](https://writer.org/event/novel-101-how-to-write-the-story/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** If you’ve always wanted to create your own exciting novel then this is the class for you. The class ...
**Content:**
# Explore the building blocks of creating your own novel!
If you’ve always wanted to create your own exciting novel then this is the class for you. The class offers the key concepts of plotting and pacing while delving into different genres. Beginners have the opportunity to share their works with the class while also building confidence in their craft. Short homework assignments will encourage practice outside of assigned class hours. Students will leave with an evolved sense of fiction and the tools necessary to continue writing their own story.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Setting
- Pacing and Plotting
- Character Development
- Exposure to Multiple Genres
# Time requirements
- About 25 to 40 minutes outside of class
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop works well for beginners interested in crafting their own novel and gaining confidence in their writing process.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, Beginner Level, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat w/ Poet Diana Cao](https://writer.org/event/diana-cao/)
**Published:** March 31, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of poetry! We’re joined by author **Diana Cao** for a discussion of her debut poetry collection, *Slipstream*. Diana is in conversation with Brandon Johnson, poet and Events Director at The Writer’s Center.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [directly from the publisher](https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/distributed/S/bo278119986.html)
---
**Diana Cao** is the author of the chapbook *Relational*. Her work has appeared in *Ploughshares*, *The Kenyon Review*, *The Yale Review*, *The Threepenny Review*, and elsewhere. She has received support from MacDowell, the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, and the Just Buffalo Literary Center.
---
# About *Slipstream*
**The poems in** ***Slipstream*** **deal with the slippery concept of home, with robots and the internet and other human inventions, and with what we can learn from the natural world around us.**
Winner of the Berkshire Prize, *Slipstream* is a bracing, intimate, and formally adventurous debut that moves with equal grace through personal memory, inherited history, myth, and the ambient technologies of contemporary life. Diana Cao’s poems braid ancient Chinese legend, family migration, illness, love, and grief with moon landers, algorithms, privacy policies, and online ritual, creating a lyric field where the ancestral and the digital speak fluently to one another. The book is formally restless and assured. Sonnets, sestinas, villanelles, fables, and linked sequences feel conversational rather than ornate, their intelligence worn lightly, their music precise and unforced. Throughout, Cao writes with a clarity that never flattens complexity: humor and vulnerability coexist with philosophical rigor. Tenderness is sharpened, not softened, by attention to politics, history, and care.
What emerges is a voice attuned to relational life in all its registers—daughterhood, friendship, desire, citizenship, species—asking how to live, love, and remain lucid inside systems that both sustain and estrange us. *Slipstream* is a book of uncommon range and emotional intelligence, one that feels fully of this moment while remaining in deep, living conversation with the past.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat w/ Poet Preeti Vangani](https://writer.org/event/preeti-vangani/)
**Published:** December 15, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of poetry! We’re joined by author **Preeti Vangani** for a discussion of her newest poetry collection, *Fifty Mothers*. Preeti is in conversation with Brandon Johnson, poet and Events Director at The Writer’s Center.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [directly from the publisher](https://riverriverbooks.org/store/-Preorder--Fifty-Mothers-by-Preeti-Vangani-p801227256)
---
**Preeti Vangani** is an Indian poet, writer and educator. Born and raised in Mumbai, she is the author of *Mother Tongue Apologize* (RLFPA Editions). Her debut short story, *Work Wives*, was awarded the 2022 PEN America/Robert J. Dau Prize. She is the Poetry Editor for *Glass* and has worked as a Poet Mentor with Youth Speaks. Her work has been supported by residencies and fellowships from Ucross, Djerassi, Tin House, PEN America and CCI. She holds an MFA (Writing) from University of San Francisco and currently teaches in the program.
---
# About *Fifty Mothers*
**Fifty Mothers** weaves narrative and elegy around the figure of a mother, the poems unfolding in the speaker’s Mumbai home. Pierced with joy, with music and sweat, traffic and smoke, the collection layers family dynamics, gender roles, and the pain and pleasure of the speaker’s body, while drawing a living, lyric line between the “gone mother” and daughter. These poems are the fiercely loving, grieving, sexual, and always-processing songs for the grown children of mothers living in a world that takes without asking. In the keen, interwoven contexts of grief, physical pain, and lyric poetry, Vangani’s **Fifty Mothers** considers the variety of the phenomenal world and discovers an abundance of taste, touch, and mothers.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat w/ Poet Arielle Hebert](https://writer.org/event/arielle-hebert/)
**Published:** March 31, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
*Poet Lore* and The Writer’s Center present a FREE virtual chat about the craft of poetry! We’re joined by Arielle Hebert to discuss her debut poetry collection, *Bottom Feeders*. Arielle is in conversation with Emily Holland, poet and editor of [*Poet Lore*, America’s oldest poetry journal](https://www.poetlore.com/).
RSVP below to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). FREE and open to the public, all times Eastern.
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from the publisher »](https://blacklawrencepress.com/books/bottom-feeders/)
---
**Arielle Hebert** is a queer poet based in North Carolina with roots in Florida and Louisiana. Her debut poetry collection, Bottom Feeders, was a finalist for the St. Lawrence Book Award and is forthcoming from Black Lawrence Press in June 2026. She holds an MFA in poetry from North Carolina State University. Her poems have been nominated for the Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net and have appeared in Southern Humanities Review, Poetry Daily, Best New Poets, Grist, Great River Review, Nimrod, and Redivider, among others. Arielle believes in ghosts and magic.
---
# About *Bottom Feeders*
A vibrant and gritty debut from poet Arielle Hebert, Bottom Feeders is a queer coming-of-age collection set in late 2000s Florida, during the height of the opioid epidemic. Here, overdoses, red tide blooms, and hurricanes are as much a part of growing up as fleeting teenage desires, beach parties, and prom.
This is a landscape of glitter and grime, where young queer love is tested by the tides of addiction and recovery. The collection thrums with a sense of spectacle and surreality, accented by Sarasota’s history as a circus town and Florida’s deadly wildlife—alligators, needlefish, invasive snakes. The heat, humidity, and salt air of the Gulf become characters in their own right, as haunting as the love, grief, and loss found here. Despite the long shadows cast over these poems, there is beauty, friendship, chosen family, and hope in Bottom Feeders.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Publishing Your Writing: Choosing the Right Path](https://writer.org/event/publishing-your-writing-choosing-the-right-path/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Writers today have more options than ever, but the choices can be overwhelming. Should you try to fi...
**Content:**
# You’ve finished your manuscript—what do you do next?
Writers today have more options than ever, but the choices can be overwhelming. Should you try to find an agent and go the traditional route? Figure out self-publishing on your own? Work with a hybrid publisher? This workshop will break down the pros and cons of each option, helping you understand the best path for your writing. You’ll leave with a better understanding of next steps to move forward.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Publishing, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Opening Art Reception & Book Talk for The Green Heart of Italy](https://writer.org/event/green-heart-of-italy/)
**Published:** March 30, 2026
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
# The Green Heart of Italy: Umbria and its Ancient Neighbors
**Photographs by Judith Goodman and Frank Van Riper**
**Text by Frank Van Riper**
The Writer’s Center of Bethesda is proud to welcome Chevy Chase, DC husband and wife photographer/authors Frank Van Riper and Judith Goodman to a **reception, exhibition and book-signing** to celebrate publication of their latest international bestseller, featuring Umbria—the little-known area in the center of Italy that often is called “Tuscany without the tourists.”
Ten years in the making, the *The Green Heart of Italy* twins glorious documentary and fine art photography with lyrical prose. It follows their previous award-winning book, *Serenissima: Venice in Winter*.
Much more than a tourist guide, this book takes you into homes, palazzi and artist’s studios to give readers a taste of daily life that complements Umbria’s stunning vistas and architecture.
During his remarks, Frank Van Riper—also a nationally acclaimed journalist and author, will discuss “the exponential magic of networking,” and how he used his own practice of personal, longform writing to bring Umbria alive.
---
**Frank Van Riper** and **Judith Goodman** are husband and wife documentary and fine art photographers, whose work has been published internationally. Goodman’s photography has hung in the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, DC and the Baltimore Museum; she also is an award-winning assemblage sculptor and a member of the Washington Sculptors’ Group. Van Riper’s photography is in the permanent collections of the National Portrait Gallery (Washington, DC) as well as the Portland Gallery of Art (Portland, ME.) His 1998 book of photography and essays, *Down East Maine/A World Apart,* was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize and won the silver award for photography from the Art Director’s Club of Metropolitan Washington. His current book is *Recovered Memory: New York & Paris 1960-1980.*
Goodman and Van Riper are the co-authors of *Serenissima: Venice in Winter*, an internationally bestselling coffee table book of black and white photographs and essays that was published in the United States and in Italy.
Frank Van Riper also is a widely read online photography columnist ([www.TalkingPhotography.com](http://www.TalkingPhotography.com)) and for nineteen years was the photography columnist of the Washington Post. Before that he served as White House correspondent, national political correspondent and Washington Bureau news editor of the New York Daily News. He was a 1979 Nieman Fellow at Harvard and holds the 1980 Merriman Smith Award (with the late Lars-Erik Nelson) from the White House Correspondents Association.
Van Riper is a popular teacher and lecturer, and is on the faculty of PhotoWorks at Glen Echo Park, Md. He has lectured widely, including at the Maine Photographic Workshops and the Smithsonian Resident Associate program. In 2007 he was awarded the Distinguished Achievement Award from the University of Maine at Machias for his “outstanding career in journalism and photography” and in 2011 was inducted into the City College of New York Communications Alumni Hall of Fame.
Goodman and Van Riper jointly taught photography workshops in the US and in Italy: The Lubec Photo Workshops at SummerKeys (Lubec, ME) and, in Italy, the Umbria Photo Workshops, as well as Unseen Serenissima: The Venice in Winter Photo Workshops ([www.GVRphoto.com](http://www.GVRphoto.com)).
They live in Washington, DC.
Photo Credit: © Fritz Gibbon
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Book Launch for Handbook of Foams / Manual de espumas](https://writer.org/event/handbook-of-foams/)
**Published:** March 30, 2026
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Join Francisco Aragón and a constellation of DC-area poets to celebrate *Handbook of Foams*/*Manual de espumas* by Gerardo Diego, translated by Francisco Aragón.
Gerardo Diego was arguably the least known of Spain’s “generation of 27,” which included Federico Garcia Lorca.
Written in 1922 when the poet was 26, *Handbook of Foams* was one of the most important eruptions in the early phase of the 20th century Spanish avant-garde. Aragón’s rendering is the first English translation.
**FREE & open to the public, RSVP required below.**
---
# About the Readers
**Francisco Aragón** is the son of Nicaraguan immigrants. His books include, *After Rubén* (2020), *Glow of Our Sweat* (2010), and *Puerta de Sol* (2005). *Handbook of Foams* by Gerardo Diego is his latest book of translations from the Spanish. His poetry has appeared in over twenty anthologies. A native of San Francisco, CA, he directs Letras Latinas, the literary initiative at the University of Notre Dame’s Institute for Latino Studies. For more information, visit: [franciscoaragon.net](http://franciscoaragon.net)
**José Ballesteros**’s poetry appears in journals and the anthology *Al Pie de La Casa Blanca*. His book of poetry *Lovedust/Polvo enamorado* was published in 2014 (Izote Press). He co-edited the anthology *Voces de España* and is a translator of poetry, including *The Word of the Dead* by Marcial Molina Richter. From 2014-2025 he was a poetry publisher in the DC-based Zozobra Publishing. He is currently a professor at St. Mary’s College of Maryland.
**Teri Ellen Cross Davis** is the author of *a more perfect Union*, 2019 winner of The *Journal*/Charles B. Wheeler Poetry Prize and *Haint*, winner of the 2017 Ohioana Book Award for Poetry. She is the 2022 recipient of the Maryland State Arts Council Award and the 2020 Poetry Society of America’s Robert H. Winner Prize. She lives in Maryland with her husband, poet Hayes Davis and their two teens.
**Adrian Gaston Garcia (AGG)** is a queer Latine storyteller from Chicago, rooted in Washington, D.C. His work spans across poetry, performance, and theater and centers community, softness, and joy as resistance. He has performed widely across DC and beyond, and his work has been published in Latino Book Review and Split This Rock. Adrian co-hosts Los Bookis Podcast and founded Tintas DC, a writing collective uplifting Latine voices and stories across the DMV.
**Yvette Neisser** is an award-winning poet, Spanish translator, and founder of the DC-Area Literary Translators Network (DC-ALT). Her co-translation of Venezuelan poet Maria Teresa Ogliastri’s *From the Diary of Madame Mao* won the 2025 Carnegie Mellon University Press Translation Prize and will be published in 2026. Her poems, translations, and essays have appeared in *Foreign Policy in Focus, Tikkun, Virginia Quarterly Review,* and Split This Rock’s *The Quarry*. She lives in Silver Spring, MD.
**Kim Roberts Meikle** is the author of seven books of poems, most recently *Q&A for the End of the World*, a collaboration with Michael Gushue (WordTech Editions, 2025), and two guidebooks, including *The District’s Departed: Walking Tours of DC-Area Cemeteries* (Rivanna Books, 2026). Meikle co-curates DC Pride Poem-a-Day each June, and co-directs the Pride Poetry Fellowship at the Arts Club of Washington.
**Dan Vera** is a writer, editor, and literary historian. He co-edited *Imaniman: Poets Writing In The Anzaldúan Borderlands* and authored three books of poetry, most recently, *Celestial Fire: Songs For A Love That Dares*. His work has been featured by the Poetry Foundation, the NEA, the Poetry Out Loud project; and appears in textbooks, university curricula, and various journals and anthologies.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.givecloud.co/fundraising/forms/KJEZ2JE2)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat on Fiction w/ Ramona Ausubel in Conversation w/ Masie Cochran](https://writer.org/event/ramona-ausubel/)
**Published:** March 30, 2026
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of fiction! We’re joined by novelist Ramona Ausubel to discuss her new writer’s guide, *Unstuck: 101 Doorways Leading from the Blank Page to the Last Page*. Ramona is in conversation with Masie Cochran, Editorial Director of Zando & Tin House.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern.
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online »](https://bookshop.org/a/22600/9781963108712)
---
**Ramona Ausubel** is the author of five books, most recently *The Last Animal* which was a national bestseller, received the National Book Foundation Science + Nature Prize and was a Barnes & Noble book of the month. Her previous books are *Awayland: stories*, *Sons and Daughters of Ease and Plenty*, *A Guide to Being Born* and *No One is Here Except All of Us*. She is the recipient of the PEN/USA Fiction Award, the Cabell First Novelist Award and has been a finalist for both the California and Colorado Book Awards and the New York Public Library Young Lions Award. Her work has been published in *The New Yorker*, *The New York Times*, *The Paris Review* daily, *One Story*, *Tin House*, *The Oxford American*, *Ploughshares* and elsewhere. She is a professor at Colorado State University and has taught in the Bennington Writing Seminars, Tin House Writing Workshop, Writing by Writers, the Community of Writers, Bread Loaf Environmental, Writing Workshop Paris and elsewhere. She lives in Boulder, Colorado with her family.
**Masie Cochran** is Editorial Director of Zando & Tin House, acquiring literary fiction and nonfiction with distinctive voice and lasting impact. Before joining Tin House, she worked at InkWell Management Literary Agency, where she developed a deep understanding of author partnership and career-building. Masie has edited numerous bestselling and award-winning titles, including *Night of the Living Rez* and *Fire Exit* by Morgan Talty, *The Language of Trees* by Katie Holten, *The Seas* by Samantha Hunt, and *Sour Cherry* by Natalia Theodoridou. Her authors have won or been finalists for major honors including the PEN/Jean Stein Award, National Book Critics Circle Award, Edgar Award, Lambda Literary Award, and the National Book Award. At Zando and Tin House, Masie focuses on shaping ambitious, voice-driven work that expands the contemporary literary canon.
---
# About the Book
*Unstuck*: *101 Doorways Leading from the Blank Page to the Last Page* is about staying in love with your writing: feeling excited, mischievous, productive, and hopeful—the opposite of being stuck.
Critically acclaimed, award-winning author and beloved teacher Ramona Ausubel offers 101 exercises that promise to welcome you back to the page again and again; to reinvigorate your process and help you see your writing through to the end. Full of personal stories and hard-earned wisdom of a veteran writer, *Unstuck* is written in the first person, human to human, writer to writer. Practical, clear, and welcoming, *Unstuck* offers immediately useable strategies for beginning, continuing, and finishing a piece of writing.
Organized into doorways and keys, *Unstuck* turns problems into possibilities, offers keys to put into use right now, all designed to lead the writer back to the art, not toward an outside idea or formula. With Ausubel’s steady, encouraging advice—find your doorway, unlock the lock, and get writing again.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.givecloud.co/fundraising/forms/KJEZ2JE2)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Poet Elizabeth Hazen Book Launch](https://writer.org/event/elizabeth-hazen/)
**Published:** February 5, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes Poet Elizabeth Hazen and Poet Rose Solari for a reading of their newest collections, *The Sky Will Hold* and *The Last Girl*, respectively*.*
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
**Elizabeth Hazen** is a poet and essayist. Her work has appeared in *Best American Poetry, Epoch, American Literary Review, Shenandoah,* and other journals. She has published three collections of poetry: *Chaos Theories* (2016), *Girls Like Us* (2020), and *The Sky Will Hold* (2026). She lives in Baltimore with her family.
**Rose Solari** is the author of three full-length collections of poetry, *The Last Girl,* *Orpheus in the Park*, and *Difficult Weather*; the one-act play, *Looking for Guenevere*, in which she also performed; and a novel*, A Secret Woman.* In her work for the stage, she has collaborated and performed her poetry with several dance companies and, most recently, The Folger Consort, a renowned early music ensemble.
---
# About *The Sky Will Hold*
*The Sky Will Hold* is a meditation on life: life inside a second marriage, life in middle age, life as a stepparent. It’s a close look at desire and addiction, at love and loss, at learning how to let go while still holding on to what is necessary. Elizabeth Hazen doesn’t back away from sticky topics, we see the inner workings of blended families, parenting a nearly-grown child, and living in an aging body with all the freedoms and pitfalls it can bring. This collection is a mantra of survival and love and continuing to move forward and always, always, believing the sky will hold, even when all signs point to the opposite.
---
# About *The Last Girl*
A shimmering girl who disappears in daylight. A boy who goes to war and comes back forever broken. New landscapes in which old ghosts appear, telling their stories. Such are the people, places, and images that fill Rose Solari’s third collection of poetry, The Last Girl. Moving beyond the often-narrative constructions of her previous collection, the poems in this collection tell their truths slant-wise, in spiky, inventive lines that sing their way under the reader’s skin.
The Last Girl by Rose Solari casts the spell of a held piano note on a dark key. A haunting melancholy runs through these rich, finely crafted poems. Solari writes with honesty, empathy, and tenderness about the islands we find ourselves on—our shipwrecked lives and our survival. — Jim Daniels, poet and co-editor of American Poetry: The Next Generation
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [***Canceled***Black, White, Colored: A Short Film and Q&A](https://writer.org/event/black-white-colored/)
**Published:** March 10, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes writers **Lauretta Malloy Noble** and **LeeAnét Noble** for a short film and Q&A surrounding their latest publication, *Black, White, Colored: The Hidden Story of an Insurrection.*
The film and Q&A will cover a Family, a Southern Town, and Identity in America as they dive into their ancestors incredible life and uncovered the first insurrection in the United States, the first Black boarding school, a family of Black doctors during reconstruction and the early 1900s. It also follows the family to Silver Spring diving into it’s history and the Black families that resided in the Kemp Mill area including prominent politicians and public figures
FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.
---
**Lauretta Malloy Noble** is a critically acclaimed educator. She has a BSc degree and studied psychology and music at Howard University. She is certified in Genealogy Research from the University of Strathclyde and in scriptwriting from The National Film and Television School. Her work with LeeAnét for Rick Owens’ 2014 collection at Paris Fashion Week that made headlines worldwide for its celebration of African American sorority step shows.
**LeeAnét Noble** has appeared in numerous award-winning theatre productions. She graduated with honors from Howard University (BFA) and is certified in Organizational Behavior from IESE Business School. She teaches history for George Washington University’s MFA classical acting program, courses at Morgan State University and is on senior staff at Shakespeare Theatre Company.
---
# About *Black, White, Colored*
**An absorbing investigation into a little-known historical tragedy—an insurrection which upended a resilient and wealthy Black community who found themselves in the clutches of an insurrection at the turn of the twentieth century in Laurinburg, North Carolina.**
In the late nineteenth century, Laurinburg, North Carolina, was a beacon of racial calm—a place where Blacks and whites could live and work together. Black families like the Malloys became landlords, business owners, and doctors. Thriving together and changing the economic landscape. But that progress was shattered on the eve of Election Day, 1898, when supremacist groups launched a bloody attack, forcing Laurinburg’s Black citizens to flee. This riot was beginning of the only recorded insurrection, stripping middle-class Blacks—who made strides during Reconstruction—of their seats on every electoral board.
With meticulous research drawn from sources including The New York Age and census records, the descendants of the town’s early Black leaders, Lauretta Malloy Noble and LeeAnét Noble uncover the trailblazing achievements of their ancestors. Piecing together proof of Black resilience in a region shaped by profound adversity whose contributions extended beyond Laurinburg to institutions including Howard University and Meharry Medical College.
Black, White, Colored is the first book to shine a spotlight on the events in Laurinburg and its impact on the town’s Black occupants, giving Laurinburg its rightful place in American history.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Poetry for the End of the World (and other hard times)](https://writer.org/event/poetry-for-the-end-of-the-world-and-other-hard-times-2/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** In this workshop, writers will consider end-times poems both ancient and contemporary in order to fi...
**Content:**
# Join the long tradition of apocalyptic verse.
In this workshop, writers will consider end-times poems both ancient and contemporary in order to find their own voice for lamenting hard times. Students will let this work inspire new approaches to their own work in order to generate 2-3 new poems and ideas for moving forward in this tradition.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Be exposed to apocalyptic poems both old and new
- Understand the role that such poetry plays during challenging times
- Developed your own voice in this tradition
- Move your work from the abstract to figurative gesture and concrete image
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers familiar with the foundational tools of poetry who want advance their craft and knowledge in this genre and tradition.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Revise, Revise, Revise](https://writer.org/event/revise-revise-revise/)
**Published:** January 7, 2026
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Writers often hear about “the revision process” as if it’s a singular thing. It’s not. Revising your work entails several processes and sub-processes, from the “30,000 feet” view to macro-strategies to micro-editing. If all you’re doing is going over it “from the top” again and again, a manuscript may need up to fifty revisions before it’s ready for submission. In this workshop you’ll learn a more strategic approach that can save you months of work and result in a better book. You’ll learn what those strategies are, and begin to put them into practice with your own work, with hands-on guidance from the
instructor every step of the way. Participants should bring to the workshop their own work-in-progress (whether rough draft or completed manuscript), either hard copy or electronic version, and arrive ready to revise. The first session is focused on macro (developmental) revisions; the second on micro (copyediting) revisions.
**Event Categories:** 2 Sessions, All Levels, Fiction, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Writing Micro Memoir](https://writer.org/event/writing-micro-memoir-2/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Write your life story as you lived it, one moment at a time. This interactive workshop teaches write...
**Content:**
# Learn the art of compression: how to make your life stories compelling.
Write your life story as you lived it, one moment at a time. This interactive workshop teaches writers to distill a moment of change, conflict, contradiction, or mystery to its essence, so that the impact on the writer resonates profoundly with the reader. We will examine inspiring published examples to learn exactly how the writer moved and entertained us. Using the same tools with which we craft fiction, this workshop is an excellent learning environment for both genres. We’ll conclude with a review of where to publish.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How to write short but resonant anecdotes
- The disproportionate power of the very small to impact readers
- Economy of language
- How to find the metaphor in virtually every experience
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Any writer interested in learning the art of compression to both improve their writing and as a means for telling stories in easily absorbed moments that move and entertain.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Me Myself and I: Understanding Memoir](https://writer.org/event/me-myself-and-i-understanding-memoir/)
**Published:** January 28, 2026
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
This workshop is a two-hour seminar for those who want to better understand the genre of memoir and the craft elements required to write it well. In this course we will: Explore the tensions inherent in being author, narrator, and subject all at once; Unpack the subjectivity of truth; Commit to treat all characters fairly; Learn to report from the body; Realize why writing the story you can’t bear to share is your gateway; and Examine your obligations to the others about whom you will be writing.
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Show, Don’t Tell](https://writer.org/event/show-dont-tell-2/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Show, Don’t Tell is a hands-on writing workshop designed to help participants transform plain prose ...
**Content:**
# A hands-on writing workshop designed to help participants transform plain prose into vivid storytelling.
Show, Don’t Tell is a hands-on writing workshop designed to help participants transform plain prose into vivid storytelling. Through guided exercises, writers learn how to use sensory detail, dialogue, and subtext to bring scenes to life and create emotional resonance. The session focuses on how to engage readers’ senses and imagination rather than simply delivering information. By the end, participants will leave with sharper descriptive skills, a more dynamic writing style, and practical tools for turning telling statements into showing moments.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Structure & Plot
- Character Development
- Concrete Detail
# Time requirements
- None, but writing is always encouraged for outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for all levels of writers looking to learn new basics for storytelling.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Your First (or Next) Novel](https://writer.org/event/your-first-or-next-novel-6/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Writing a novel takes commitment, but it doesn’t need to be daunting. Learn how to generate a handfu...
**Content:**
# Discover how to get started writing a compelling novel others will want to read.
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.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- The three necessary elements for every novel
- Building Structure
- Creating the movie in your reader’s mind
- Plot development
- Character development
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Writers who wish to experiment with long-form fiction for the first time, or who wish to up their game in book publishing.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat on Fiction w/ Bret Anthony Johnston](https://writer.org/event/bret-anthony-johnston/)
**Published:** March 19, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of fiction! We’re joined by author Bret Anthony Johnston for a discussion of his new collection, *Encounters with Unexpected Animals*. Bret is in conversation with Varun Gauri, novelist and Board member at The Writer’s Center.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from Bookshop.org »](https://bookshop.org/a/22600/9780399590153)
---
**Bret Anthony Johnston** is the author of the bestselling novels *We Burn Daylight* and *Remember Me Like This*, the award-winning *Corpus Christi: Stories*, and the editor of *Naming the World: And Other Exercises for the Creative Writer*. His work has appeared in *The New Yorker, Esquire, The Paris Review, Thrasher Magazine, The Best American Short Stories*, and elsewhere. A recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts Literature Fellowship and the Sunday Times Short Story Award, he was born and raised in Texas and is the director of the Michener Center for Writers at the University of Texas at Austin.
---
# About *Encounters with Unexpected Animals*
**An imaginative, moving collection of stories infused with the magic and enigma of the human condition and drenched in Texas heat, from the best-selling author of *We Burn Daylight.***
*Encounters with Unexpected Animals* takes readers deep into the heart of bestselling author Bret Anthony Johnston’s home state of Texas, where teenagers search for love, parents grasp at connections with their children, and animals—real or imagined, familiar or unexpected—are reminders of the mystery, danger, and beauty of being alive.
In “Caiman,” a father buys a baby alligator in hopes of keeping his family safe. In “Soldier of Fortune,” a teenage boy dog-sits for his neighbors after tragedy strikes, and his innocent snooping uncovers the family’s most guarded secret. And in the luminous “Half of What Atlee Rouse Knows About Horses,” an elderly man’s heart is laid bare with the raw and breathtaking power of wild horses.
Johnston’s humor, empathy, and mastery of prose ring out through each story, bringing every finely-drawn character to radiant life. Individually, the stories are by turns suspenseful, poignant and exhilarating. Taken together, they reveal the abiding connections that lead us from sorrow and impermanence back to ourselves and, ultimately, to each other.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Poetry Book Club w/ Elizabeth Hazen!](https://writer.org/event/poetry-book-club-w-elizabeth-hazen/)
**Published:** February 11, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
[*Poet Lore*, America’s oldest poetry journal](https://www.poetlore.com/) and The Writer’s Center welcomes poet **Elizabeth Hazen** to our monthly Virtual Poetry Book Club for a discussion of her collection, *The Sky Will Hold.* Elizabeth is joined by Book Club Host, Hannah Grieco.
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online »](https://riotinyourthroat.com/product/the-sky-will-hold-by-elizabeth-hazen/)
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
**Elizabeth Hazen** is a poet and essayist whose work has appeared in Best American Poetry, Epoch, Fourth Genre, Southwest Review, The Threepenny Review, The Normal School, and other journals. She’s the author of the full-length collections Chaos Theories, Girls Like Us, and The Sky Will Hold. She lives in Baltimore with her family.
---
# About *The Sky Will Hold*
*The Sky Will Hold* is a meditation on life: life inside a second marriage, life in middle age, life as a stepparent. It’s a close look at desire and addiction, at love and loss, at learning how to let go while still holding on to what is necessary. Elizabeth Hazen doesn’t back away from sticky topics, we see the inner workings of blended families, parenting a nearly-grown child, and living in an aging body with all the freedoms and pitfalls it can bring. This collection is a mantra of survival and love and continuing to move forward and always, always, believing the sky will hold, even when all signs point to the opposite.
---
# About Book Club
This is no *run-of-the-mill book club*. Visiting writers will read excerpts, join the discussion, and answer your questions about craft, process, the publishing industry, and getting advice for our own writing! We’ll hang and eat snacks with the authors and escape your doomscrolling.
***Poetry Book Club*** will meet on Zoom ***every second Wednesday*** of the month with a new poet.
***Fiction Book Club*** will meet ***every third Sunday*** of the month in person at The Writer’s Center with a new author.
Come build community and read amazing books that the Big 5 didn’t have the sense to publish!
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Poetry Book Club w/ Tonee Mae Moll!](https://writer.org/event/poetry-book-club-w-tonee-mae-moll/)
**Published:** March 10, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
[*Poet Lore*, America’s oldest poetry journal](https://www.poetlore.com/) and The Writer’s Center welcomes poet **Tonee Mae Moll** to our monthly Virtual Poetry Book Club for a discussion of her collection, *You Cannot Save Here.* Tonee is joined by Book Club Host, Hannah Grieco.
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online »](https://washingtonwriters.org/publication/you-cannot-save-here/)
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
**Tonee Mae Moll** holds a PhD in English from Morgan State University and an MFA in Creative Writing & Publishing Arts from the University of Baltimore. She is an assistant professor of English at a Maryland community college and teaches in MFA programs across the state. Her debut memoir, Out of Step, won a 2018 Lambda Literary Award and the 2017 Non/Fiction Prize. Her poetry collection, You Cannot Save Here, won the Jean Feldman Poetry Prize, and her poetry has also received the Adele V. Holden Award and the Bill Knott Poetry Prize, with nominations for the Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net.
---
# About *You Cannot Save Here*
Winner of the Jean Feldman Poetry Prize from the Washington Writers’ Publishing House, *You Cannot Save Here* is a collection of poems about how we live when each day feels like the world is ending. The poems ask what we do with the small moments that matter when so much around us—climate disaster, gun violence, pandemics, wars-makes these days feel apocalyptic. The book is a bit speculative and a bit confessional. It’s queer, punk, and woven tightly with cultural allusion-from visual art to video games, pop culture to counterculture.
---
# About Book Club
This is no *run-of-the-mill book club*. Visiting writers will read excerpts, join the discussion, and answer your questions about craft, process, the publishing industry, and getting advice for our own writing! We’ll hang and eat snacks with the authors and escape your doomscrolling.
***Poetry Book Club*** will meet on Zoom ***every second Wednesday*** of the month with a new poet.
***Fiction Book Club*** will meet ***every third Sunday*** of the month in person at The Writer’s Center with a new author.
Come build community and read amazing books that the Big 5 didn’t have the sense to publish!
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [The Business of Being an Author](https://writer.org/event/the-business-of-being-an-author/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Once your book is out in the world, how do you ensure it works for you? This session demystifies pub...
**Content:**
# Understanding Royalties, Rights, and Revenue
Once your book is out in the world, how do you ensure it works for you? This session demystifies publishing contracts, royalties, and rights so you can make informed choices about your book’s financial and creative future.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Publishing, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Let's Write! A Generative Workshop](https://writer.org/event/lets-write-a-generative-workshop-2/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Using various writing prompts will invite ourselves into new stories, and explore new ways to tell f...
**Content:**
# What is this next story, and how shall I tell it?
Using various writing prompts will invite ourselves into new stories, and explore new ways to tell familiar ones. Each week we will write together in response to prompts, and have the option and opportunity to share our fresh writing for positive feedback. We will consider aspects of technique, structure and genre as appropriate, and enjoy the enrichment of writing in community. Note: No meeting April 2
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- A number of fresh, unique pieces.
- A greater sense of how your writing style resonates with readers.
# Time Requirements
- No time requirement outside of class.
# Materials
- All materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for beginning writers who want to explore and grow, as well as more experienced writers who would like a fresh start, creative inspiration, or just some company on this often lonely journey.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, All Levels, Mixed Genre, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Reading and Celebration of Sara M. Taber](https://writer.org/event/sara-m-taber/)
**Published:** March 10, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes students, colleagues, and friends for a celebration of former Writer’s Center instructor, **Sara M. Taber,** with a reading and reception.
In lieu of flowers, the Memoir Club suggests donations be made to The Writer’s Center during or [in advance to the celebration.](https://writer.org/donate-today/)
Please feel free to bring something to share and read aloud. There will be an open mic. The event will also be livestreamed for anyone who cannot attend.
RSVP by emailing <fwhite@gmail.com>
---
**Sara Taber**, Silver Springs, MD, was born in Japan and grew up mostly in Europe and Asia. Her family moved frequently, following her father as an undercover US intelligence officer.
A psychology major at Carleton, she earned a graduate degree in social work (University of Washington) and doctorate in human development (Harvard). After a few years on the U of MN social-work faculty, she and her husband, Peter Thomas ’77, moved to the Washington, DC, area, where she pursued writing and teaching, and a small psychotherapy practice.
Sara wrote several books, including two memoirs, *Born Under an Assumed Name: The Memoir of a Cold War Spy’s Daughter,* and *Black Water and Tulips: My Mother, the Spy’s Wife, a Mother-Daughter Memoir.* She was generous in her support of other writers. In the last several years of her life, she worked with young Afghan women. In addition to Peter, she is survived by daughter Maud, son Forrest and a grandson.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
Add to calendar
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Cafe Muse Literary Salon](https://writer.org/event/cafe-muse-literary-salon-oct-26/)
**Published:** January 5, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes the Café Muse Literary Salon for a reading featuring writers **Lola Haskins** and **Mary Sesso.** The evening begins at 7 PM with Michael Davis live on classical guitar. The readings begin at 7:30 PM with opening remarks by a Café Muse co-host.
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP on [the Cafe Muse Website](https://sites.google.com/view/cafe-muse-events/home).**
---
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Creating & Writing Your First TV Pilot](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-first-tv-pilot/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** You'll not only learn how to write your own television pilot, but the ins and outs of the entire tel...
**Content:**
# Bring your first TV pilot to life!
You’ll not only learn how to write your own television pilot, but the ins and outs of the entire television industry. This workshop will give participants a “leg-up” on creating & writing that personal project you’ve always wanted to write, a necessity for any aspiring tv writer or producer. By the end of this 8 week session you should expect to have all the tools necessary to write or rewrite any script or concept you’ve been working on or even something brand new.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How to create characters that resonate
- How to write exposition in an entertaining, non- “preachy” manner
- The uses for A, B & C stories
- What separates a tv script from a novel or play
- The truth about the television industry
# Time requirements
- Up to the student!
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Beginning or intermediate writers who want to learn how to write for television and create their own tv pilots. Writers who want to learn all about the business of television.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 8 Sessions, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Stage and Screen, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [What we Inherit: a Panel on Family in Fiction](https://writer.org/event/what-we-inherit/)
**Published:** January 20, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes **Tamar Shapiro** and **John Vercher** for a conversation about exploring the impact of wanted and unwanted legacies in their novels.
---
## About the event
Home means many things to many people. It can be a source of comfort and familiarity. It can be serve as a connection to people we love and people we have lost. But home can also be a source of trauma, discomfort, or confusion. In this panel, **John Vercher** (author of *Devil is Fine*) and **Tamar Shapiro** (author of *Restitution*) will discuss how unfamiliar ancestral homes haunt the characters in their novels. How does family history shape identity and belonging? What does it mean to be connected to a family history one does not want to claim? How can the wounds caused by family secrets be healed?
---
**Tamar Shapiro**’s debut novel, Restitution, was published in September 2025 and named one of the 49 Must-Read Books of Fall 2025 by Town and Country Magazine. Her writing has also appeared in Literary Hub, Poets and Writers, Electric Literature, and the Washington Independent Review of Books. After a decades-long career as a non-profit leader in the community development field, Shapiro received her MFA in creative writing from Randolph College in January 2026 and is currently working on her second novel. She grew up in both the U.S. and Germany and now lives in Washington, DC.
**John Vercher** is the author of three critically acclaimed and award-nominated novels. His most recent, *Devil Is Fine*, was named one of TIME Magazine’s Top 100 Books of 2024 and was longlisted for the Aspen Literary Award, The PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction, The Mark Twain American Voice in Literature Award, and named a Finalist for the Library of Virginia’s Virginia Literary Award. John serves as returning faculty at Randolph College’s low-residency MFA program and is an Assistant Professor of English and Creative Writing in the graduate and undergraduate programs at Monmouth University, where he also served as the ’24-’25 artist-in-residence. He is currently at work on his fourth novel.
**Orlando R. Serrano, Jr.** is Head of PK-12 Learning at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History (NMAH). He manages the museum’s programs and resources for PK-12 audiences. He supports and develops informal educational and leadership experiences for students, professional development workshops for educators, and curriculum content. He is also a founding member of The Center for Restorative History at NMAH. In the museum field beyond Smithsonian, he is on the Board of Directors for the Museum Education Roundtable where he serves of Co-Chair of the Editorial Team that shepherds the *Journal of Museum Education*. Dr. Serrano holds a Ph.D. in American Studies and Ethnicity from the University of Southern California. He is an educator and public academic with expertise in human geography, social movements, and pedagogy. Dr. Serrano’s research and writing have been funded by the Ford Foundation, National Science Foundation EDGE-SBE, and National Endowment for the Humanities.
---
*f you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Vulnerability in Personal Storytelling](https://writer.org/event/vulnerability-in-personal-storytelling-5/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** We will explore the complexities of writing about sensitive topics with vulnerability and creative c...
**Content:**
# Deepen your ability to write with vulnerability while developing ideas for writing projects.
We will explore the complexities of writing about sensitive topics with vulnerability and creative courage. We will look at our lived experiences to find meaning, wisdom, and the confidence to express our true selves on the page. Through interactive exercises, participants will learn how to view creative vulnerability as an act of generosity to oneself and to others. On the first day, writers will receive instruction and start a rough draft of a personal story. On the second day, they will share their work and receive feedback and additional resources.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Idea generation
- Creative process
- Unraveling creative blocks
- Writing rough drafts
- Story development
- Ethical dilemmas
# Time requirements
- 1-2 hours
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for beginning and intermediate nonfiction writers who want to write about sensitive topics while taking care of themselves and others.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 2 Sessions, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Turning Points: The Role of the Volta in Poetry](https://writer.org/event/turning-points-the-role-of-the-volta-in-poetry/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Although we associate the term "volta" with the traditional sonnet form, it has been used with great...
**Content:**
# Wondering why the best poem you’ve ever written has never been accepted for publication?
Although we associate the term “volta” with the traditional sonnet form, it has been used with great success by many contemporary poets. Marking a shift in the poem’s tone, subject or logic, the volta has been compared to a change of key in music. In this workshop, we will explore how turning your attention in a new direction can open up a poem, allowing it to leap to another level of significance or meaning.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- What a volta is and its roots in the sonnet form.
- The many forms that a volta can take in a poem.
- How contemporary poets have adapted the volta to expand their poem’s meaning and impact.
- Whether every poem needs a volta in order to succeed.
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Poets at all levels should understand what a volta is and what it can do for a poem that seems to be going nowhere.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Revising Your Poems](https://writer.org/event/revising-your-poems-2/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Revising can be very intimidating territory for all of us, but in this workshop we will take a diffe...
**Content:**
# Learn new and generative approaches to the creative work of poetry revision!
Revising can be very intimidating territory for all of us, but in this workshop we will take a different approach from that of the cruel taskmaster that lives in many of our brains. Together, we will approach our poems as gardeners and not police, remembering that they are merely drafts—fertile soil for possible regenerations of an original impulse or feeling. Drawing from Rachel Zucker’s method of “radical revision,” we will examine our own poems through lenses of re-visioning, exploring new incarnations for our poems. And, we’ll take a look at the revision processes of other published poets.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- The difference between revision and editing
- Methods to reimagine structure
- How to close read your own poems as well as others’
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Since the focus of this course is on revision, this workshop is designed for writers at any level who have already taken a poetry workshop before, or who already have a body of poems they can pull from.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Poetry Book Club w/ Alina Stefanescu!](https://writer.org/event/poetry-book-club-w-alina-stefanescu-2/)
**Published:** March 2, 2026
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
[*Poet Lore*, America’s oldest poetry journal](https://www.poetlore.com/) and The Writer’s Center welcomes poet **Alina Stefanescu** to our monthly Virtual Poetry Book Club for a discussion of her collection, *My Heresies.* Alina is joined by Book Club Host, Hannah Grieco.
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or[ online »](https://www.sarabandebooks.org/all-titles/p/my-heresies-alina-stefanescu)
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
**Alina Stefanescu** was born in Romania and lives in Birmingham, Alabama with her partner and several intense mammals. Recent books include a creative nonfiction chapbook, *[Ribald](https://www.alinastefanescuwriter.com/ribald)* (Bull City Press Inch Series, Nov. 2020) and *[Dor](https://www.alinastefanescuwriter.com/dor)*, which won the Wandering Aengus Press Prize (September, 2021). Her debut fiction collection, *[Every Mask I Tried On](https://www.alinastefanescuwriter.com/every-mask-i-tried-on)*, won the Brighthorse Books Prize (April 2018). Alina’s poems, essays, and fiction can be found in *Prairie Schooner, North American Review, World Literature Today, Pleiades, Poetry, BOMB, Crab Creek Review,* and others. She serves as editor, reviewer, and critic for various journals and is currently working on a novel-like creature. She would be elated if you ordered [*My Heresies*](https://www.sarabandebooks.org/all-titles/p/my-heresies-alina-stefanescu), her new poetry collection from Sarabande. More online at [alinastefanescuwriter.com](http://www.alinastefanescuwriter.com/).
---
# About *My Heresies*
Riven by the tension between hagiographies, utopias, belief, longing, and grief, the poems of *My Heresies* catalog a personal and familial history originating in Bucharest, Romania and landing in Birmingham, Alabama. Whether through sardonic takes on old Bible myths or homage paid to French-Romanian poet Paul Celan, Stefanescu’s poems are laden in subtext, in imagery sometimes abstract and lush, at other times stark and shocking. *My Heresies* probes the boundaries between the sacred and the profane, and the result is a hauntological mapping of life, love, family, and womanhood.
---
# About Book Club
This is no *run-of-the-mill book club*. Visiting writers will read excerpts, join the discussion, and answer your questions about craft, process, the publishing industry, and getting advice for our own writing! We’ll hang and eat snacks with the authors and escape your doomscrolling.
***Poetry Book Club*** will meet on Zoom ***every second Wednesday*** of the month with a new poet.
***Fiction Book Club*** will meet ***every third Sunday*** of the month in person at The Writer’s Center with a new author.
Come build community and read amazing books that the Big 5 didn’t have the sense to publish!
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Publish Now! A One-Day Conference @ The Writer's Center](https://writer.org/event/publish-now-26/)
**Published:** January 13, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
# Learn the ins and outs of publishing, make connections, and build your writing career!
Publish Now is a one-day conference for writers interested in learning more about all the ways you can share and publish your work. You’ll attend up to 4 panels featuring experts in all aspects of the writing and publishing cycle. Topics will include broad overviews, preparing your work, querying agents, publishing short-form work, and more!
More than 25 panelists will be giving their insights and expertise on all aspects of publishing. *Learn more about our panelists at the links in the panel descriptions below.*
Many of our panelists will be available between sessions, at lunch, and at the closing reception, so you can make personal connections. And you’re strongly encouraged to connect with your fellow attendees, too.
Morning coffee, lunch, and a post-conference reception are included.
---
## Schedule
# **8:15am: Registration & Coffee**
# **9:00am: Welcome**
---
# **9:15 – 10:30am:**
**Intro Panel**
**Paths to Publication**
**with [Dara Kaye](http://www.darakaye.com/about.html), [Jessica Berg](https://www.rosecliffliterary.com/), [Manil Suri,](https://www.manilsuri.com/) Alonzo Vereen, moderated by [Brandon Blue](http://brandonbluepoet.com)**
This panel provides an overview of the different ways to get published, ranging from major presses and indie presses to vanity presses and self publishing. Panelists include authors and agents experienced with the whole publishing spectrum.
---
# **10:45am – 12:00pm: Session 1**
**Panel A – Theater**
**Traditional Publishing Step-by-Step**
**with [David Stewart](https://davidostewart.com/), Alonzo Vereen, and [Ken Ackerman](https://kennethackerman.com/), moderated by Karen Outen**
Learn from experienced authors about the steps of working with a traditional publisher, from querying through the editing process and into publication and marketing.
**Panel B – Reading Room**
**Making a Career as a Writer**
**with [Ariel Felton](https://arielfelton.com/), [GG Renee Hill](https://www.allthemanylayers.com/), [Chet’la Sebree](https://www.chetlasebree.com/), [Hannah Grieco](https://hgrieco.com/), moderated by [Amy Freeman](https://amylfreeman.com/)**
This panel will provide advice on how to make a living (or at least part of one) from writing. Learn how to craft sellable pieces, find paid publication opportunities, and work freelance.
---
# **12:00pm – 1:15pm:
Lunch**
---
# **1:30 – 2:45pm: Session 2**
**Panel C – Theater**
**First Books: Debut Authors Share Tips, Tricks, and Surprises**
**with [Sam Ashworth](https://www.samuelashworth.com/), [Lacey Dunham](https://www.laceyndunham.com/), [Michele Evans](https://www.awordsmithie.com/), [Marisa Kashino](https://www.marisakashino.com/), moderated by [Emily Holland](https://emily-holland.com/)**
Debut authors share their experiences of publishing a book for the first time and offer guidance on how to navigate the first-book experience.
**Panel D – Reading Room**
**Breaking Down Barriers – Diversity in Publishing**
**with [Tope](https://www.topefolarin.com/about) [Folarin,](https://www.topefolarin.com/about) [Brandon Blue](https://www.brandonbluepoet.com/), [Majda Gama](https://www.majdagama.com/), moderated by [Steve Majors](https://steve-majors.com/)**
As hard as it is to get published, writers from historically underrepresented populations face even greater challenges. Learn from experienced authors and industry professionals about how to overcome some of these challenges and grow your writing career.
---
# **3:00 – 4:15pm: Session 3**
**Panel E – Theater**
**Working with Small Presses and Lit Mags**
**with [Lauren Woods](https://laurendwoods.com/), Sylvia Jones, [Tope Folarin](https://www.topefolarin.com/about), moderated by [Zach Powers](https://zachpowers.com/)**
This panel will feature experienced authors and editors sharing tips for sending out work to small presses and literary magazines. Learn the benefits of these forms of publishing and how to get your work in shape to submit.
**Panel F – Reading Room**
**Building Your Literary Community**
**with [Rachel Coonce](https://www.rachelcoonce.com/), [Majda Gama](https://www.majdagama.com/), Luke Sutherland, moderated by [Varun Gauri](https://www.varungauri.com/)**
Working toward publication can be a slow process. Being part of the community of writers is one great way to make the wait bearable. Plus, the right connections can help you find a home for your writing.
---
# **4:30pm:
Reception**
---
# Scholarships
We plan to offer 5 scholarships to Publish Now for writers unable to pay the registration fee. Please apply for the scholarship by emailing [claude.olson](mailto:claude.olson@writer.org)[@writer.org](mailto:claude.olson@writer.org) with “Publish Now Scholarship” in the subject line; no additional information is required. Scholarship recipients will be selected randomly from among all applicants. **Scholarship Deadline: February 7, 2026**
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Workshop
---
### [Writing Personal Essays](https://writer.org/event/writing-personal-essays-4/)
**Published:** December 7, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
# Journeys, relationships, hardships, love, and loss—these are just a few of the subjects personal essays explore.
In this workshop we’ll examine essays from magazines, literary journals, and newspapers to illuminate the ways imagery, dialogue, scene, and crafting an “I” narrator transform a personal experience into a compelling story. You’ll generate new material each week through in-class exercises, plus receive in-class feedback on your draft.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Any author looking to generate new personal essays.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 5 Sessions, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Literary Agents: What Do They Do?](https://writer.org/event/literary-agents-what-do-they-do/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Literary agents play a crucial role in the publishing world, yet authors are often in the dark about...
**Content:**
# Learn all about literary agents and how they work with authors to build their careers.
Literary agents play a crucial role in the publishing world, yet authors are often in the dark about how to find agents and what to expect from them. In this single-session class, we’ll go over the nuts and bolts of working with literary agents, starting from researching them, querying them, negotiating with an agent, and the agent-writer relationship. Insights from actual agents will be included in the class. Come to this session to get your questions about the agenting process answered!
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Publishing
- Query Letters
- How to Work with an Agent
- When to Break Up with an Agent
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Anyone interested in publishing their work.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Publishing, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [So, You Want to Write a Book?](https://writer.org/event/so-you-want-to-write-a-book-3/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Do you feel called to write a book? Is there something important that you have always wanted to say ...
**Content:**
# Explore the essential elements of crafting a book —from the first idea to the final draft.
Do you feel called to write a book? Is there something important that you have always wanted to say but need help organizing the ideas in your mind? No matter where you are in the process, this class will help you create a concrete plan to bring your book ideas to life. Learn how to develop themes, structure and outline key concepts, discover your authentic voice, and revise and prepare for publication. Please bring a journal and pen.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Idea development
- Techniques for theme exploration
- Outline and structure
- Drafting and editing
- Polishing and publishing.
# Time Requirements
- No time requirement outside of class.
# Materials
- All materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for writers, no matter where they are in their creative journey, who may have a book idea and are seeking guidance and support to confidently navigate the writing process from start to finish.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Michael Battisto and Friends Poetry Reading](https://writer.org/event/michael-battisto-poetry-reading/)
**Published:** February 19, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes Michael Battisto and friends for an afternoon of Poetry.
***Free and open*** to the public. **RSVP by** emailing poetrybethesda@gmail.com
---
**Michael Battisto** is an Oakland-based poet, essayist, editor, teacher, and tutor who worked for many years as a cook and chef in high-end kitchens throughout the country. Having written thousands of poems since he was a boy, but showing them to no one, he began submitting work in 2020. Since then he has had over one hundred and sixty poems accepted in journals such as *Rattle, Poet Lore, The Normal School, HAD, Pithead Chapel,* and others. He has lived in many places, but now he lives in Oakland.
---
# Program
2:45PM: Doors Open
3PM: Opening poets: Luther Jett, Ron Vogel, Lora Berg, JC Williams
3:20PM: Special guest poet Michael Battisto
3:50PM: Q&A discussion led by Luther Jet
4:10PM: Wine and cheese, mingle
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat w/ Poet Nur Turkmani](https://writer.org/event/nur-turkmani/)
**Published:** February 17, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
[*Poet Lore*, America’s oldest poetry journal](https://www.poetlore.com/) and The Writer’s Center present a FREE virtual chat about the craft of poetry! We’re joined by Nur Turkmani to discuss her debut collection, *October*. Nur is in conversation with Brandon Johnson, poet and Events Manager of The Writer’s Center.
RSVP below to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). FREE and open to the public, all times Eastern.
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or[ directly from the publisher>>](https://www.hajarpress.com/books/october)
---
**Nur Turkmani** is a writer and researcher from Beirut. Her work appears in *The Iowa Review*, *Poetry*, *The Rumpus*, and *New England Review*, among others. She is the recipient of the Anthony Veasna So Award for Fiction from *The Adroit Journal*. Her debut poetry collection, *October*, will be out in April 2026 with Hajar Press.
---
# About *October*
October in Lebanon is heavy with memory. The euphoria of the 2019 revolution feels far away, its anniversaries marked by crisis, war and the genocide in Gaza.
Across multiple Octobers, Nur Turkmani meditates on rupture, transformation and the quiet undoing and remaking of relationships during collective catastrophe. Part archive, part love letter, her debut poetry collection holds the ordinary and the extraordinary in the same breath, spanning balconies and border towns, fig trees and songs for friends, autumn light and the instinct to flee.
Formally spare and emotionally saturated, *October* refuses both numbness and spectacle. These poems ask what it means to survive the world and still long for it; and how we hold what’s disappearing, or changing too quickly to make sense of.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Scene Stealers: Details and Dialogue](https://writer.org/event/scene-stealers-details-and-dialogue/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** What makes a scene stay in your mind, is it rhythmic language, a character’s gesture, or that line o...
**Content:**
# Enhance your writing with the specific details and dialogue that bring scenes alive on the page!
What makes a scene stay in your mind, is it rhythmic language, a character’s gesture, or that line of dialogue? It’s in the details! The specificity, the unexpected emotional turn, the layered meaning of just one word. In this workshop, we will study and practice the art of brevity and selective details in scene writing. We will study how sensorial language connects with readers and our imaginations as we write. And finally, we will talk about the elements in scene work that create the voice of a piece. Each week we will read a section from Abigail Thomas’ Safekeeping: Some True Stories from a Life and discuss how she achieves the depth of feeling and voice in her short chapters. The in-class exercises can be used to develop existing work or create a new piece. Safekeeping: Some True Stories from a Life and discuss how she achieves the depth of feeling and voice in her short chapters. The in-class exercises can be used to develop existing work or create a new piece. Whether you write fiction, memoir, or personal essay, your paragraphs will become more evocative!
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Dialogue
- Evocative details
- Character development
- Narrative arcs
- Sentence structures
# Time requirements
- We will read 60 pages of short essays each week, likely an hour or two of reading outside of class.
# Materials
- Safekeeping: Some True Stories from a Life, Abigail Thomas
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for prose writers of all levels interested in developing their scene work through discussion, lecture, and in-class generative exercises.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 3 Sessions, All Levels, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/)
**Published:** December 18, 2025
**Author:** Emily Holland
**Content:**
# Jumpstart your novel and writing practice in this ten-month intensive!
If you’re wondering how to write a novel and sustain a writing practice in the midst of everything, Novel Club is for you. Together, with the guidance of an experienced mentor and author and the camaraderie of your Novel Club cohort, this is the year we will write and revise our novels. Through craft talks, workshops, and generative exercises, you’ll experiment, look at your blocks, and define your creative process, building a regular writing practice that works for your project and busy life. You’ll find a clear path forward for your manuscript and actionable next steps.
---
# Watch the Virtual Info Session
Meet Lisa Ko, instructor for our Novel Year workshop, and have all your questions about the program answered!
###### [**WATCH NOW >>>**](https://youtu.be/8A8UzaRDKT8)
---
# **Over these ten months, you will learn:**
- Storytelling techniques and craft strategies and how to apply them: building scenes; developing characters; and elements of structure, plot, dialogue, voice, and perspective
- Uncover what your novel is about, clarify your writing intentions, and develop a plan for how to achieve them
- Opportunities to workshop and thoughtfully engage with each other’s novels in progress in a supportive environment
- Practical skills for the writing life and demystifying the publication process
Students may read and prepare written comments on up to 50 pages of their peers’ writing for each class meeting. You may also read an excerpt of published work in preparation for craft discussions.
---
# You should take this workshop if:
- You have a story you want to tell, but don’t know where to start
- You’re at the beginning stages of writing a novel and unsure of how to proceed
- You’ve started writing a novel, but need a road map and more consistent structure to get to the finish line
- You’re a serious writer who is open to rigor and play and ready to show up with curiosity and consistency
---
# Schedule
This class will meet virtually every other Wednesday, with 20 total sessions. Workshop dates run from March 4, 2026 – December 30, 2026, 8 – 10 pm ET. Full dates TBD.
---
# 1:1 Mentoring
All workshops will be held over Zoom, with additional opportunities to meet 1:1 with Lisa upon request. All enrolled students will have the option to schedule an individual follow-up meeting (1 hour) with Lisa approximately 6 months after the conclusion of the workshop.
---
# To Apply
**Application Deadline: Monday, February 16, 2026**
To apply, send a brief cover letter explaining why you want to take this class and, if applicable, what your book in progress is about and where you are in your project (e.g., in the beginning/brainstorming stages, in the middle of writing a first draft, on your second round of revisions). A 5-10 page writing sample is encouraged, but not required. Send your submission to <emily.holland@writer.org> by Monday, February 16th, 2026. Admissions will be on a rolling basis so participants are encouraged to submit early.
*Acceptance into the workshop is required before registering.*
---
# About Book Farm @ The Writer’s Center
The Writer’s Center hosts a series of workshops for serious writers to complete book-length projects, generate new work for publication, or master the elements of craft within a specific genre. You’ll work with an acclaimed author, guiding you through 4-12 months of lessons, workshops, and revisions. Our instructors are all accomplished educators with a track record of student success. Limited enrollment with rolling admission up to the application deadline, so apply right away to secure your spot!
All Book Farm participants receive an exclusive tote bag, a craft book recommended by the instructor, and a $100 gift certificate good toward future TWC workshops. Participants also receive exclusive access to The Writer’s Center staff, all of whom are accomplished writers with extensive experience in editing and publishing.
**Event Categories:** Fiction, Master Level, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Fiction Book Club w/ Megan Howell!](https://writer.org/event/fiction-book-club-w-megan-howell/)
**Published:** February 10, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes author **Megan Howell** to our monthly Fiction Book Club for a discussion of her debut short story collection, *Softie* at The Writer’s Center! Megan is joined by Book Club Host, Hannah Grieco.
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online »](https://wvupressonline.com/softie)
**\*\*\*Get a 25% discount on *Softie* through WVU Press with the order code SOFTIE25\*\*\***
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
**Megan Howell** is a DC-based writer and a 2025 National Book Foundation “5 Under 35” honoree. She earned her MFA in fiction from the University of Maryland in College Park, winning both the Jack Salamanca Thesis Award and the Kwiatek Fellowship. Her work has appeared in *McSweeney’s*, *The Nashville Review* and *The Establishment* among other publications. Her debut short story collection *Softie*: *Stories* won a 2025 IPPY Book Awards gold medal and was short-listed for the PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize for Debut Short Story Collection.
---
# About *Softie*
In beautifully melancholy stories of magical realism, the women and girls in Softie transform their bodies and test their sanity, trying to find meaning in the loneliest of places.
A former child star haunted by a past she can’t remember. An Afro-French girl with an obsession for ear lobes. A loner whose only friend is hiding a terrible, otherworldly secret. Each of these stories shares situations that are sometimes fantastical, sometimes commonplace, but always strange. From a Corsican vacation town in its off-season to hospital rooms and a seedy hotel suite in Chicago, experience the every day come fully untethered from reality.
---
# About Book Club
This is no *run-of-the-mill book club*. Visiting writers will read excerpts, join the discussion, and answer your questions about craft, process, the publishing industry, and getting advice for our own writing! We’ll hang and eat snacks with the authors and escape your doomscrolling.
***Poetry Book Club*** will meet on Zoom ***every second Wednesday*** of the month with a new poet.
***Fiction Book Club*** will meet ***every third Sunday*** of the month in person at The Writer’s Center with a new author.
Come build community and read amazing books that the Big 5 didn’t have the sense to publish!
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Novelist Justin Collmann Book Release](https://writer.org/event/justin-collmann/)
**Published:** February 10, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes novelist **Justin Collmann** for a reading from his debut new novel, *Thirteen Fallen Horses*.
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
**Justin Collmann** lives in Washington, DC where he enjoys spending time with family, friends, and his cat, Clementine. He loves music and plays the guitar and sings. He has always had a passion for history and been fascinated by the American Civil War since childhood.
---
# About *Thirteen Fallen Horses*
Justin Collmann’s debut historical fiction novel, Thirteen Fallen Horses, tells the story of Charles Russell Lowell, a cavalry officer in the Union Army, and explores the psychological and emotional toll of war on a young man burdened by family expectations and trauma.
In the spring of 1861, Charlie, a young man haunted by his father’s failures and troubled by a lung damaged from consumption, is working a boring administrative job at an ironworks in Western Maryland. When the Civil War breaks out, he becomes an officer in the Union Army and looks forward to a glorious adventure. He fights at the battle of Antietam and distinguishes himself on the field but is shocked by the immense carnage, a total of 23,000 casualties in a single day.
When he returns home to Massachusetts to lead a new regiment, Charlie meets a young woman and falls in love. He balances the strain of command with this new romance and feels conflicted by his desire to stay home and have a family and the continued pressure to serve a role in the war. He experiences a mutiny in which he shoots and kills one of his own soldiers. With his return to the front pending, and haunted by the killing of his own soldier, Charlie faces a decision between his duty to his wife and his desire to serve his country.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Women Writers Mixer](https://writer.org/event/women-writers-mixer-mar2026/)
**Published:** December 16, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
Women writers of DC! Join us for an informal gathering at The Writer’s Center! It’ll be a chance to talk shop, network, and hang out with other writers. Please bring a drink or an appetizer that serves six, and bring a friend, too. See you there!
**FREE & open to all women writers from the DMV. RSVP required below.**
Attending? We encourage you to [become a member of The Writer’s Center for only $65/year »](https://writer.org/become-a-member/)
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Writing Picture Books](https://writer.org/event/writing-picture-books-5/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Learn how to write a picture book from a successful author of thirty award-winning books for childre...
**Content:**
# Learn the basics–from story structure to marketing–of writing picture books for children.
Learn how to write a picture book from a successful author of thirty award-winning books for children. Each session will begin with a short discussion of an aspect of writing for children, including story openings and arcs, characterization, plot/pacing, rhythm/sound, and marketing. Suggested readings, prompts, and feedback on in-class writing will inspire and guide writers in the class. By the end of the workshop, participants should have written and/or revised part or all of a picture book and have a better sense of how to create one in the future. Feedback will be offered on in-class exercises only rather than workshopping writing done outside of class.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Craft a Strong Beginning
- Consider Characterization & Plot
- Revise for Rhythm & Sound
- Explore Marketing & Helpful Resources
# Time requirements
- No advance reading required. Outside class prep: 20-30 minutes a week.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for those interested in the basics of writing picture books for children. We will not be covering the writing of chapter books and novels for older kids.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 3 Sessions, Adults Write for Children, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Finish Writing Your Book!](https://writer.org/event/finish-writing-your-book/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Have you been working and reworking the beginning of your manuscript but can’t seem to push past a c...
**Content:**
# Learn how to push through writer roadblocks so you can finally finish that manuscript!
Have you been working and reworking the beginning of your manuscript but can’t seem to push past a certain point? Writing a book is challenging, whether you’re trying to finish a first draft or tackle a major revision. In this one-day workshop, we’ll talk about the different road-blocks writers face and practical tips for overcoming them. After a discussion on how to move beyond the detours, you’ll make a plan for finishing your manuscript, set deadlines, and learn ways to hold yourself accountable to your goals. You may even find another member of the workshop to act as your accountability partner. If you’re ready to finally finish writing your book, this class is for you.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll have:
- Learn a variety of practical tips to help you finish your draft or revision
- Create a loose outline or beat sheet
- Decide on a goal and set deadlines to keep you on track
- Discuss ways to stay accountable to your goal(s)
- Brainstorm solutions to common writing roadblocks
# Time Requirements
- No time requirement outside of class.
# Materials
- All materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for intermediate and advanced writers who are ready to finish the first draft or a major revision of their book-length manuscript.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Intermediate/Advanced Level, Mixed Genre, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Crafting Fiction, Element by Element](https://writer.org/event/crafting-fiction-element-by-element-6/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** By studying basic craft elements of fiction, participants will build a strong foundation for their w...
**Content:**
# Let’s demystify the craft of fiction writing!
By studying basic craft elements of fiction, participants will build a strong foundation for their writing—be it stories or novels. This 7-week workshop will explore elements (characterization, setting, scene, etc.) one at a time and ask participants to practice them through in-class exercises. We’ll also read published stories to help us understand how writers regularly employ these elements. Class members will begin to put the elements together, too, as they start a story. You’ll leave the workshop with the tools you need to write wonderful, authentic fiction.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Developing characters
- Moving from Character to Plot and Story
- Setting/Tone/Time
- Point of View / Narration
- Scene & Dialogue, and Revision
# Time requirements
- 1/2 hour – 1 hour weekly
# Materials
- The O. Henry Prize Winners/The Best Short Stories 2025, Edited by Edward P. Jones
# Who should take this workshop?
- The workshop is designed for beginning fiction writers, intermediate fiction writers, and anyone looking to focus on bettering their fiction technique.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 7 Sessions, Beginner Level, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Poets Claudia Gary and Roderick Deacey Book Launch](https://writer.org/event/gary-deacey/)
**Published:** February 3, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes Poets **Claudia Gary** and **Roderick Deacey** for a reading and discussion of their new collections, *Time and Other Solvents,* and *Birds Flew In*, respectively*.*
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
**Claudia Gary** teaches workshops on Sonnets, Villanelles, Natural Meter, Persona Poems, Poetry vs. Trauma, etc., at The Writer’s Center and privately, currently via Zoom. The author of *Time and Other Solvents* (Sligo Creek, 2026), *Humor Me* (2006), and several chapbooks, most recently *Genetic Revisionism*, she is an advisory editor for *New Verse Review*, as well as a science writer, visual artist, and composer of tonal art songs and chamber music. A semifinalist for the Anthony Hecht Prize (Waywiser), Pushcart Prize nominee, Honorable Mentionee in the Able Muse book contest, and three-time finalist in the Howard Nemerov Sonnet Contest, Claudia has chaired panels on Poetry and Music, Poetry and Science, and The Sonnet in 2016, at the West Chester University (Pa.) poetry conference; and on Poetry and Music at the Frost Farm poetry conference. Her 2022 article on setting poems to music is online at <https://straightlabyrinth.info/conference.html>. See [pw.org/content/claudia\_gary](http://pw.org/content/claudia_gary).
**Roderick Deacey** is a performing poet, reading with bass player, drummer & jazz pianist to emulate the Beat Poets’ poetry & jazz forays of the 1950s. Deacey was awarded the 2019 Frederick Arts Council Carl R. Butler Award for Literature. Crossing genres, he won the Gold Award for Best Lyrics in the Mid-Atlantic Song Contest, held by the Song-writers Association of Washington, in both 2020 and 2023, plus the Silver Award in 2022 and 2025. He is a Pushcart Prize nominee & his contemporary poems appear regularly in literary journals. He is the editor of *Pen in Hand,* Maryland Writers’ Association’s biannual literary journal.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat w/ Novelist Zach Powers](https://writer.org/event/zach-powers/)
**Published:** January 30, 2026
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of fiction! We’re joined by our own Zach Powers to discuss his new novel, *The Migraine Diaries*. Zach is in conversation with Emily Holland, poet and editor of [*Poet Lore*, America’s oldest poetry journal](https://www.poetlore.com/).
**RSVP below to receive login information** (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern.
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from Bookshop.org »](https://bookshop.org/a/22600/9781956907254)
---
**Zach Powers** is the author of the forthcoming novel *The Migraine Diaries* (JackLeg 2026), the novel *First Cosmic Velocity*, and the story collection *Gravity Changes*, winner of the Boa Short Fiction Prize. His writing has been featured by *American Short Fiction*, *Lit Hub*, and elsewhere. He serves as Executive & Artistic Director for The Writer’s Center and *Poet Lore*, America’s oldest poetry journal. Originally from Savannah, Georgia, he now lives in Arlington, Virginia. Get to know him at ZachPowers.com.
---
# About The Migraine Diaries
**“A prismatic chronicle of mind, memory and loss.”
–Patricia Lockwood, Booker Prize finalist author of *Will There Ever Be Another You***
With lyrical prose and a deeply empathetic voice, *The Migraine Diarie*s offers a raw, unflinching look at the impact of chronic illness on the human spirit.
When a 30-something man experiences his first migraine at the funeral for his best friend, his life within a close-knit friend group threatens to come undone. He must navigate despair and debilitation alongside relationships, work, and the quest for meaning. He struggles to find sparks of hope and beauty even as his body and mind rebel against him.
How does he live with endless, invisible hurt? How does he support his friends even as he loses the ability to support himself? His very experience of time alters—looping, regressing, and flashing back to a before that’s lost forever.
*The Migraine Diaries*, told in the unique format of a diagnostic headache journal, is a visionary look at human endurance, as well as a poignant exploration of pain. Most of all, it’s a testament to the power of friendship in the face of strife and grief.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat w/ Poet Dora Malech](https://writer.org/event/dora-malech/)
**Published:** October 7, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
[*Poet Lore*, America’s oldest poetry journal](https://www.poetlore.com/) and The Writer’s Center present a FREE virtual chat about the craft of poetry! We’re joined by Dora Malech to discuss her latest collection, *Trying x Trying*. Dora is in conversation with Brandon Johnson, poet and Events Manager of The Writer’s Center.
RSVP below to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). FREE and open to the public, all times Eastern.
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from Bookshop.org »](https://bookshop.org/a/22600/9780887487118)
---
**Dora Malech**‘s newest book of poetry is *Trying × Trying*, published by Carnegie Mellon University Press in 2025. Previous books of poetry include *Flourish, Stet, Say So, and Shore Ordered Ocean*; her poems have appeared in publications that include *The New Yorker* and *Best American Poetry*. She is coeditor of *The American Sonnet: An Anthology of Poems and Essays*, cotranslator of *Dolore Minimo* by Giovanna Cristina Vivinetto, and recipient of honors that include an Amy Clampitt Residency Award, a Ruth Lilly Poetry Fellowship, a Mary Sawyers Baker Prize, and a Writing Residency Fellowship from the Civitella Ranieri Foundation. She is a professor at Johns Hopkins University, where she is chair of the Writing Seminars and editor in chief of *The Hopkins Review.*
---
# About the Book
**Poetry that wrestles with language, loss, and resilience in times of crisis.**
In *Trying × Trying*, Dora Malech dissects the language of our times; she turns over the familiar phrases of politics, parenthood, and pandemic to reveal what lies beneath. Through playing with the double meaning of “trying” as both perseverance and reproductive struggle, these poems navigate public and private spheres and interrogate the words we use to make sense of uncertainty and belief.
With sharp lyricism and restless energy, Malech transforms language into prayer and protest. Sound bends, meanings shift, and repetition becomes a revelation as she traces the tensions between individual and collective experience. *Trying × Trying* is an enlightening meditation on persistence, reminding us that even in fractured times, poetry finds a way forward.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat on Fiction w/ Toni Ann Johnson](https://writer.org/event/toni-ann-johnson/)
**Published:** September 2, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of fiction! We’re joined by author for a discussion of her new collection of stories, *But Where’s Home?* Toni Ann is in conversation with Zach Powers, novelist and Executive & Artistic Director at The Writer’s Center.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from Bookshop.org »](https://bookshop.org/a/22600/9781967165032)
---
**TONI ANN JOHNSON** is the winner of the 2021 Flannery O’Connor Award for short fiction with her linked collection *Light Skin Gone to Waste*, released in October 2022. Roxane Gay selected the book for the prize and is its editor. Johnson’s novella *Homegoing* was a semi-finalist for the William Faulkner Wisdom Award in fiction. It won Accents Publishing’s inaugural novella contest in 2020 and was released in May of 2021. The novel *Remedy For a Broken Angel* was released in 2014 and earned Johnson a 2015 NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding Literary Work by a Debut Author.
---
# About the Book
It’s 1963 in the small town of Monroe, New York. The Arringtons, a Black family, buy a house in a picturesque, all-white neighborhood. Some residents are welcoming, but many react to Dr. Philip Arrington, his wife Velma, and their daughters Livia and Maddie by conspiring against their success in both big and small ways. Amidst this mix of hostility and shaky acceptance, the Arringtons must navigate their careers, deal with a volatile marriage, and raise their daughters.
*But Where’s Home?,* Toni Ann Johnson’s linked short story collection, explores the sometimes painful and often humorous experiences of the Arrington family as upper-middle-class Black people in a predominantly white, mostly working-class community. This book follows Johnson’s previous collection, *Light Skin Gone to Waste*, which won the 2021 Flannery O’Connor Award. Through multiple perspectives that span from the 1960s to 2022, readers are invited into the lives of the eldest daughter, who longs for her father’s affection while striving for independence; the youngest daughter, who seeks to overcome childhood pain through music and love; a mother dealing with infidelity that wounds and infuriates her, while raising her daughters in a place that rejects them; and a father practicing psychology while engaging in affairs with the white women of the town.
Deeply emotional, funny, and unflinchingly honest, *But Where’s Home*? lays bare the realities of Black life in America, challenging readers to confront issues of racism, classism, colonized thinking, narcissism, abuse, and parent-child relationships. Johnson’s complex and interwoven characters create a kaleidoscope of truths about human nature and the complicated relationship the United States has with race.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [American Gothik: The Changing Face of American Families - A Staged Reading](https://writer.org/event/american-gothik/)
**Published:** January 30, 2026
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Writer Steve Majors presents a staged reading of his new play, *American Gothik*, which grew out of a Writer’s Center workshop. A full-cast reading will be presented Sunday, February 22 at 2pm inside the theatre at The Writer’s Center. Admission is free.
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Boot Camp for Writers](https://writer.org/event/boot-camp-for-writers-4/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Each session of Boot Camp for Writers will begin with a prompt followed by writing time. Participant...
**Content:**
# Tone, strengthen, and flex your writing muscles.
Each session of Boot Camp for Writers will begin with a prompt followed by writing time. Participants will have the opportunity to share and discuss their work as well as receive in-class feedback. The workshop is designed so that participants will have the start of six new pieces by the end of class. Former Boot Camp participants are always (and happily) welcome. Note: No Class on March 5.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Effective beginnings
- Creative prose and lyrical storytelling
- Strong conclusions
- Structure
- Deepening story
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers at all level and stages who want to take their creative endurance to the next level.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 7 Sessions, All Levels, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [DC LIT FEST](https://writer.org/event/dc-lit-fest/)
**Published:** January 29, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The nation’s capital is full of readers, and the **DC LIT FEST will give those readers a chance to mix, mingle, and meet the city’s literary organizations all in one place. Organized by the [**PEN/Faulkner Foundation**](https://www.penfaulkner.org/) and the [**Goethe-Institute Washington**](https://www.goethe.de/ins/us/en/sta/wsh.html), this **FREE** event will start with an **open house** and **a pop-up book sale**, then conclude with a **panel discussion\*** featuring some of DC literary leaders and a **wine reception** for the entire literary community.
- 3-5 pm — Open House & Book Sale
- 5-6 pm — Raffle & Panel Discussion
- 6-7 pm — Wine Reception
RSVP using [this link!](https://events.humanitix.com/dc-lit-fest)
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Search Party: Find Your Writing Group](https://writer.org/event/search-party-apr-26/)
**Published:** January 28, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
# Looking for a writing group? We want to help you meet other interested writers!
**The Writer’s Center** and [**The Inner Loop**](https://theinnerlooplit.org/) invite you to Search Party, a social event connecting writers to other writers interested in forming/joining a writing group. Simply show up, fill out a nametag with your genres and other areas of interest, and mingle. You can:
- Visit themed tables for specific genres.
- Follow our guide to ask a few useful questions.
- Collect names and contact information on a handy form provided to all registrants.
- Enjoy complimentary refreshments!
**FREE and open to the public. RSVP below.**
**Suggested donation of $10 at the door.**
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat w/ Novelist Paige Lewis](https://writer.org/event/paige-lewis/)
**Published:** January 28, 2026
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of fiction! We’re joined by novelist and poet Paige Lewis for a discussion of their debut novel, *Canon*. Paige is in conversation with [Zach Powers](https://zachpowers.com/), novelist and Executive & Artistic Director at The Writer’s Center.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from Bookshop.org »](https://bookshop.org/a/22600/9798217059362)
---
**Paige Lewis** is the author of the poetry collection *Space Struck* and coeditor of *Another Last Call: Poems on Addiction and Deliverance*. Lewis teaches at the University of Iowa; *Canon* is their first novel.
---
**“A scorchingly brilliant, wildly funny, and deeply moving epic.” —John Green, #1 globally bestselling author of *The Fault in Our Stars***
Two unlikely heroes embark on quests to win God’s favor in this outrageously entertaining, profoundly heartfelt novel that announces an ingenious new voice in the tradition of *Chain-Gang All-Stars*, *No One Is Talking About This*, and *Martyr!*
Yara can’t comprehend why God has chosen them to slay Dominic, the ruthless leader of the army of Bad Guys. Cast out by their family and reeling from a destructive relationship, Yara has never felt weaker—but with nothing left to lose, they strike a deal. Abandoning their solitary days of embroidery and obsessive cleaning, Yara reluctantly embarks on a perilous odyssey designed to prepare them for the daunting mission ahead.
Meanwhile, Adrena, a disillusioned prophet with a terrifying secret power, is determined to become the hero of this story. Desperately seeking the glory of God’s approval and the promise of heaven, where she hopes to reunite with her beloved mother, Adrena must first persuade Harpo, the leader of the Good Guys, that her plan is God’s will.
As their journeys unfold in a series of unforgettable adventures, Yara and Adrena are propelled toward each other and transformative revelations about life, death, and destiny in this intensely captivating, irreverent epic from a singularly brilliant new voice in fiction.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Opening Art Reception for Deborah Tomlin's SUTRA](https://writer.org/event/deborah-tomlin-opening/)
**Published:** December 1, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center is pleased to present *SUTRA*, an exhibition of drawings and paintings by artist Deborah Tomlin, on display in the Center’s Joram Piatigorsky Gallery, January 29–March 23, 2026.
**Opening reception is FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
In 2022, Deborah Tomlin was diagnosed with breast cancer from a routine mammogram. She underwent treatment, which consisted of three different surgeries including a bilateral mastectomy. In *SUTRA*, Tomlin chooses to paint her scars and unfamiliar body and to examine the healing process through her art. As Audre Lorde expresses, in The Cancer Journals, “Any woman who has had a breast removed because of cancer knows she does not feel the same. But we are allowed no psychic time or space to examine what our true feelings are, to make them our own. With quick cosmetic reassurance, we are told that our feelings are not important, our appearance is all, the sum total of self.”
The title *SUTRA* in sanskrit means to stitch, to mend, to bring together, to heal. This body of work drew Tomlin to a more abstract approach to painting and drawing including the layering of collage materials and stitching directly on the canvas. Text based on comments by doctors and friends during her treatment is also significant to this work. Painting on top of overflowing and overlapping text expresses Tomlin’s grief and anger. Stitching directly on the canvas with yarn and thread reframes her sutures and scars through the lens of darning and mending, traditionally women’s work, transforming an object ripped and torn into a material stronger and more beautiful by the act of repair.
---
Additional Program:
Artist talk in the Gallery followed by light refreshments
Sunday, March 15, 2pm
[RSVP for the Artist Talk here »](https://writer.org/event/deborah-tomlin-talk/)
---
*Deborah Tomlin is grateful for support by The Maryland State Arts Council, the Montgomery County Government, the Arts & Humanities Council of Montgomery County, and Virginia Center for the Creative Arts.*
 
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [***CANCELED**Open Mic @ The Writer's Center](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-jan2026-2/)
**Published:** December 16, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
**Tonight’s Open Mic is canceled due to weather conditions. See you on February 11th!**
Prose, poetry, and spoken word Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center! All writers are welcome to come and share 4-5 minutes of their latest work.
- **Sign-up starts at 6:45pm, and readings begin promptly at 7pm.**
- **Limited to 20 readers, so arrive early if you plan to read.**
Sponsored by [*Poet Lore*](poetlore.com), America’s oldest poetry magazine.
FREE and open to the public. Please note that we no longer offer advance sign-up.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Book Launch for Poet Richard Smith](https://writer.org/event/richard-smith/)
**Published:** October 28, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes poet **Richard Smith** for a reading from his new collection, *Beyond Where Words Can Go.* This reading will be followed by a Q&A and signing.
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
**Richard Smith**’s first book, *Not a Soul but Us*, is a narrative in sonnets about the plague pandemic in mid-14th-century England. It won the 2021 May Sarton New Hampshire Poetry Prize and was released in 2022 by Bauhan Publishing. His second book, *Beyond Where Words Can Go: A Novel in 200 Sonnets*, also from Bauhan, will be published in April 2026. Richard is a psychologist with a clinical practice in Washington, D.C.
**Stephen Holland (Moderator)** is a clinical psychologist. He is former Director of Capital Institute for Cognitive Therapy and author of a widely used text on empirically supported treatments for depression and anxiety. He has known Richard for more than 25 years and had the privilege of reading these poems as they were being written.
---
# About the Book
*Beyond Where Words Can Go* traces a group of Tudor-era Benedictine monks before, during, and after Henry VIII’s dissolution of the monasteries and England’s zigzag into Protestantism. What happens when a top-down authority dictates changes in a faith’s doctrines and rituals and even the language in which it’s understood? How do you reconcile devotion to God with love for another man? Where’s home when the place you’ve lived for decades is destroyed not only as an institution but also as a physical structure? It takes creativity and profound fellow-feeling for these “odd and precious” men to chart a path forward.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Claire Fuller Virtual Book Launch w/ Melissa Faliveno](https://writer.org/event/fuller-faliveno/)
**Published:** January 27, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual book launch! We’re joined by writer **Claire Fuller** to discuss her latest publication, *Hunger and Thirst.* Claire is in conversation with writer **Melissa Faliveno.**
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online »](https://bookshop.org/a/22600/9781963108729)
---
**Claire Fuller** is the author of *Our Endless Numbered Days*, which won the Desmond Elliott Prize; *Swimming Lessons*; *Bitter Orange*; *Unsettled Ground,* which won the Costa Novel Award and was a finalist for the Women’s Prize for Fiction; and *The Memory of Animals*. She has an MA in Creative and Critical Writing from the University of Winchester and lives in Hampshire with her husband.
**Melissa Faliveno** is the author of the novel *Hemlock* (Little, Brown, 2026) and the essay collection *Tomboyland*, named a Best Book of 2020 by NPR, New York Public Library, *Oprah Magazine*, *Electric Literature*, and Debutiful, and recipient of a 2021 Award for Outstanding Literary Achievement from the Wisconsin Library Association. Her work, which has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize and received notable selection in *Best American Essays*, has appeared in *Esquire*, *Paris Review*, *Kenyon Review*, *Literary Hub*, *Prairie Schooner*, *Brevity*, and *Brooklyn Rail*, among others, and in the anthologies *Sex and the Single Woman* and *Hit Repeat Until I Hate Music*. She is an assistant professor of creative writing at the University of North Carolina and lives in the woods outside Chapel Hill.
---
# About *Hunger and Thirst*
**A dark, intoxicating story about a young girl desperate to belong, a reckless dare, and a choice that will haunt her for a lifetime, from the critically acclaimed author of *Bitter Orange* and *Swimming Lessons*** 1987: After a childhood trauma and years in and out of the care system, sixteen-year-old Ursula finds herself with a new job delivering mail at a local art school, a bed in a halfway house, and some new friends, including wild-child Sue. When Ursula is invited to join a squat at the Underwood, a mysterious house whose owners met a terrible end, she can’t resist this hodgepodge family. But as Sue’s behavior and demands become more extreme, Ursula, who has always been hungry—for food, but more importantly for love and acceptance—carries out her friend’s terrible dare. And, for this, Ursula finds herself literally haunted.
Thirty-six years later, Ursula is a renowned but reclusive sculptor living under a pseudonym in London when her identity is exposed by a true-crime documentarian researching an unsolved disappearance. But the filmmaker is not the only one who has discovered Ursula’s whereabouts, and as her past catches up with her present, Ursula must work out whether the monsters are within her or without—and if they will finally make her pay for her past mistakes.
Part gothic horror, part coming-of-age, and a with contemporary twist on the haunted-house story, *Hunger and Thirst* is a chilling tale of loneliness, of the dangerous line between wanting and needing, and of how far a person will go to truly belong.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat w/ Poet Alan Chazaro](https://writer.org/event/alan-chazaro/)
**Published:** January 27, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
[*Poet Lore*, America’s oldest poetry journal](https://www.poetlore.com/). and The Writer’s Center present a FREE virtual chat about the craft of poetry! We’re joined by **Alan Chazaro** to discuss his latest collection, *These Spaceships Weren’t Built For Us*. Alanis in conversation with Brandon Johnson, poet and Events Manager of The Writer’s Center.
RSVP below to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). FREE and open to the public, all times Eastern.
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from Bookshop.org »](https://bookshop.org/p/books/these-spaceships-weren-t-built-for-us-poems-alan-chazaro/ce46264f2115ca2f?ean=9781882688654&next=t)
---
**Alan Chazaro** is the author of *This Is Not a Frank Ocean Cover Album* (Black Lawrence Press, 2019), *Piñata Theory* (Black Lawrence Press, 2020) and *Notes from the Eastern Span of the Bay Bridge* (Ghost City Press, 2021). He is a graduate of June Jordan’s Poetry for the People program at UC Berkeley and was selected as a Lawrence Ferlinghetti Poetry Fellow at the University of San Francisco. A former high school teacher, he was raised by Mexican immigrants in the Bay Area and writes about the world. His work can be found in *NPR*, *The Guardian*, *SLAM*, *GQ*, *L.A. Times*, *Condé Nast Traveler, Eater* and more.
---
# About *These Spaceships Weren’t Built For Us*
In his newest poetry collection, *These Spaceships Weren’t Built For Us*, Alan Chazaro reconsiders the possibilities of space travel as the son of Mexican immigrants while navigating daily life across rapidly shifting social spaces. From barren gas stations in Central California during the height of the pandemic to faraway jungle planets governed by paleteros, Chazaro imagines the present and future in ways that are simultaneously bleak and dire, hopeful and beautiful, and seemingly, impossibly unrealized.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat w/ Author Aaron Fountain](https://writer.org/event/aaron-fountain/)
**Published:** January 27, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of nonfiction! We’re joined by author **Aaron Fountain** for a discussion of his new publication, *High School Students Unite!* Aaron is in conversation with Amy Freeman, author and Development Director at The Writer’s Center.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from Bookshop.org »](https://bookshop.org/a/22600/9781469691824)
---
**Aaron G. Fountain, Jr.** is a historian who studies U.S. History. He holds a Doctorate in History from Indiana University and a Bachelor of Arts in History from Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina. As of now, he currently resides in Bloomington, Indiana. He writes and presents public talks about twentieth-century American political and social history. His book, High School Students Unite!: Teen Activism, Education Reform, and FBI Surveillance in Postwar America, was published in 2025 by the University of North Carolina Press. On January 31, 2026, he will be speaking at Charis Books & More in Decatur, Georgia. And on February 5, he will participate on a panel at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in New York City. See event page for other upcoming talks. He has also begun his second book project, a cultural and political history of teenagers and the Vietnam War in North America, Australia, and New Zealand. In addition to multiple academic articles, Dr. Fountain’s writing has appeared in Time, Smithsonian Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Hill, and other outlets. He has provided interviews for The Atlantic, NPR, Elle Magazine, and The Guardian, among others. His freelance essays explore themes of student activism, race and ethnicity, and online misogyny.
---
# About *High School Students Unite!*
**Teen spirit, radical change**
Mid-twentieth-century student activism is a pivotal chapter in American history. While college activism has been well documented, the equally vital contributions of high school students have often been overlooked. Only recently have scholars begun to recognize the transformative role teenagers played in reshaping American education.
*High School Students Unite!* highlights the crucial impact of high school activists in the 1960s and 1970s. Inspired by civil rights and antiwar movements, students across the nation demanded a voice in their education by organizing sit-ins, walkouts, and strikes. From cities such as San Francisco and Chicago to smaller towns such as Jonesboro, Georgia, these young leaders fought for curricula that reflected their evolving worldviews. Drawing on archival research and interviews, Aaron G. Fountain Jr. reveals how teenagers became powerful agents of change, advocating for constitutional rights and influencing school reform. Ironically, the modernization of school security, including police presence, was partly a response to these student-led movements. Through oral histories and FBI records, this fascinating history offers a fresh perspective on high school activism and its lasting impact on American education.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Writing Steamy Scenes that Stick with Golden Angel](https://writer.org/event/writing-steamy-scenes-that-stick/)
**Published:** December 3, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
# Learn to Captivate a Reader in a Romance Novel
USA Today Bestselling Author Golden Angel presents her tricks and tips on writing steamy scenes that stick with readers long after the book is over. It’s really easy to write a bad steamy scene, it’s difficult to write a good one. Golden Angel discusses the various factors that help readers engage with and enjoy the steamy scenes in any heat-level of romance, as well as the pitfalls of writing them.
**Participants will then take time to put the finishing touches on their steamy scenes before reading them to an audience.**
###### [RSVP for the reading and Q&A >>>](https://writer.org/event/steamy-reading/)
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How to prime an audience for a steamy scene
- The dos and don’ts of what makes romance scenes stick
- How to write great hooks and convincing endings to a romance scene
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This generative workshop is designed for all levels to play with language.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Fiction, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [A Steamy Reading and Q&A with Romance Writer Golden Angel](https://writer.org/event/steamy-reading/)
**Published:** December 3, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
Keep the Valentine’s Day spirit going by spending an afternoon hearing Steamy Scenes written with the guidance of **USA Today Bestselling Author Golden Angel**. This reading will be followed by a Q&A with Golden Angel about Romance Writing.
**This event is Free and Open to the public.**
Our **Writing Steamy Scenes That Stick** workshop will take place before this reading and Q&A!
###### [Register for the workshop >>>](https://writer.org/event/writing-steamy-scenes-that-stick/)
---
**Golden Angel** is a USA Today Bestselling Author of heart and bottom warming romance. Publishing since 2012, she’s now a full-time, six-figure romance author who is known for dispensing publishing and authoring tips on Tiktok and Substack. Vice President of the Maryland Romance Writers, she has given presentations and run roundtables on marketing, publishing, and craft to a variety of writers including InkersCon, Romance Author Mastermind, the Write Women’s Festival, the Romance Writers of America, Regency Fiction Writers, etc. When she’s not behind her computer or a book, she can be found wandering the grounds of the Maryland Renaissance Festival.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Novelist Maria Karametou Book Launch](https://writer.org/event/maria-karametou/)
**Published:** December 16, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes Maria Karametou for a book launch celebration of her debut novel, *The Amalgam*. Maria is in conversation with author Frances Park.
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
# About the Book
Athens, 1984. All Meta wants is to escape her tyrannical father and the future he demands of her. But when her dying grandmother, Metaxia, presses a mysterious heirloom into her hands—begging her to return it to the lost Greek village in Asia Minor from which she was violently expelled during World War I—Meta makes a promise she doesn’t fully understand.
Fleeing to America in a desperate bid for freedom, Meta must survive on her own after her father cuts her off—penniless, hungry, and clinging to her dream of becoming an artist. Yet the heirloom wrapped in her grandmother’s handkerchief refuses to be forgotten. Years later, a shattering moment forces Meta to confront the life she has built—and the history she has tried to outrun.
Her journey to Turkey becomes a pilgrimage across continents and across time, echoing Metaxia’s own flight from violence decades earlier. As their parallel stories converge, Meta must finally face the truth: can we ever return to the places that made us—or only to the person we were meant to become?
Sweeping, intimate, and deeply human, [*The Amalgam*](https://vineleavespress.myshopify.com/products/the-amalgam-by-maria-karametou) is the tale of two women bound by survival, exile, and the unbreakable pull of home.
---
****
**Maria Karametou,** a first-generation immigrant to the U.S. from Athens, Greece, is a visual artist, writer, curator, and professor whose mixed media works are exhibited internationally in numerous museum and gallery shows that, aside from the U.S., include Germany, Greece, Russia, Bulgaria, Turkey, China, and Korea, and are also in various museum, private, and public collections, including at the Holter Museum, Helena, MT; The Vorres Museum of Contemporary Art, Athens, Greece; the Freddie Mac Corporation; and the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities. Her most recent solo exhibition, “Kallos,” was at the Katzen Museum, Washington, D.C. Karametou has organized and curated several international projects, such as *EcoReflections* (Resim ve Heykel Müzesi Galerisi, Ankara, Turkey) and participated in international collaborative projects, like *Penelopeia*, sponsored by the Presidency of the European Union. Her long career as a university professor includes, among others, a Fulbright Research Scholar award.
As a writer, Karametou has published short stories and poems in literary magazines, including *Poet Lore*, *The RavensPerch*, *A Bilingual Anthology of Greek American Poetry*, and *Bethesda Magazine*, after receiving an award in the Washington Metropolitan Area Short Story Competition. Other publications involve numerous artist statements, artist books, and essays. Presentations include reading her poems at the D.C. Embassy of Greece.
She is a Professor Emerita, having recently left her tenured position at the School of Art, George Mason University, Virginia, where she directed the Drawing Division to devote more time to her studio work and writing.
Inspired by her experiences and history of migration, mobility, and displacement, her work, both visual and literary, relates to identity and our personal journey of self-discovery. *The Amalgam* is her first novel. Website: [mariakarametou.com](https://www.mariakarametou.com)
**Frances Park** is a Korean American author of sixteen highly-praised books – novels, memoirs, and award-winning children’s books. Her newest novel *Ahn Love* (Penguin Books SEA) was recently published in Southeast Asia and will be released in the US and UK in November 2026. Frances has spoken at the Smithsonian, the Korean Embassy, The Kennedy Center, American University, GMU, Virginia Tech, and has been interviewed on Good Morning America, NPR, Diane Rehm, Voice of America, Radio Free Asia, and CNN.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [UnClogging Your Brain](https://writer.org/event/unclogging-your-brain-7/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Prompts will spark memories, characters, and places, turning them into poems, scenes, dialogues, and...
**Content:**
# Improvisation fearlessly puts you directly into the heart of the moment allowing your creative genius to ‘script’ on the spot in a judgement free zone.
Prompts will spark memories, characters, and places, turning them into poems, scenes, dialogues, and stories. During ‘UnClogging’ you will likely come up with an ‘idea’ that you feel compelled to expand on, or perhaps be re-inspired to continue an unfinished work later. Find new perspective and confidence!
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Artist Talk for Deborah Tomlin's SUTRA](https://writer.org/event/deborah-tomlin-talk/)
**Published:** December 1, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center is pleased to present *SUTRA*, an exhibition of drawings and paintings by artist Deborah Tomlin, on display in the Center’s Joram Piatigorsky Gallery, January 29–March 23, 2026.
**Artist Talk is FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
In 2022, Deborah Tomlin was diagnosed with breast cancer from a routine mammogram. She underwent treatment, which consisted of three different surgeries including a bilateral mastectomy. In *SUTRA*, Tomlin chooses to paint her scars and unfamiliar body and to examine the healing process through her art. As Audre Lorde expresses, in The Cancer Journals, “Any woman who has had a breast removed because of cancer knows she does not feel the same. But we are allowed no psychic time or space to examine what our true feelings are, to make them our own. With quick cosmetic reassurance, we are told that our feelings are not important, our appearance is all, the sum total of self.”
The title *SUTRA* in sanskrit means to stitch, to mend, to bring together, to heal. This body of work drew Tomlin to a more abstract approach to painting and drawing including the layering of collage materials and stitching directly on the canvas. Text based on comments by doctors and friends during her treatment is also significant to this work. Painting on top of overflowing and overlapping text expresses Tomlin’s grief and anger. Stitching directly on the canvas with yarn and thread reframes her sutures and scars through the lens of darning and mending, traditionally women’s work, transforming an object ripped and torn into a material stronger and more beautiful by the act of repair.
---
*Deborah Tomlin is grateful for support by The Maryland State Arts Council, the Montgomery County Government, the Arts & Humanities Council of Montgomery County, and Virginia Center for the Creative Arts.*
 
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Setting in Fiction: Beyond Time and Place](https://writer.org/event/setting-in-fiction-beyond-time-and-place/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Setting is the foundation for any story. Whether you’re thinking about character, motivation, obstac...
**Content:**
# Write beyond conventional ideas of setting to elevate your fiction!
Setting is the foundation for any story. Whether you’re thinking about character, motivation, obstacles, plot, or the feelings you want to invoke in your reader, setting is where your entire story takes root. This one-session class expands on traditional ideas of setting as merely the where and when of story. Writers will acquaint themselves beyond typical conventions of setting through a short lecture and brief in-class readings. Writing prompts and in-class writing time will be intermixed throughout. Whether you’re writing a realistic story or an otherworldly one that might involve more world-building, you’ll leave this class with concrete tools to apply to your current project or your next one.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How people and place interact in stories
- How conflict and tension derive from setting as much as character
- How a character’s motivations are influenced by geography and time
- How writers can use setting to establish mood, tone, and genre for a piece of writing
# Time requirements
- Workshop participants will be asked to find an example of setting from a book they’ve recently read to reflect on during the workshop.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for beginning and intermediate writers who are looking to elevate their work by applying craft techniques and theory of setting to their writing.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Life Stories Intensive](https://writer.org/event/life-stories-intensive-3/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Whether you want to write a memoir, blog, letter to your granddaughter, or use your life as the foun...
**Content:**
# Discover how your personal story can capture the essence of being human.
Whether you want to write a memoir, blog, letter to your granddaughter, or use your life as the foundation for fiction, life story writing requires us to share where we come from and who we are. Consider the feelings of others without allowing this to censor your experience or hinder your writing. Learn to identify your story’s essence, the truth it reveals, and how to engage readers through fictional techniques. Participants will leave inspired to start or enhance a work in progress.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- What constitutes the truth in memoir?
- Anecdote vs. Story
- How to let your experiences illustrate universal truths
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This overview workshop is designed for beginning and intermediate writers who want to understand the components of life story writing and learn what pitfalls to avoid.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Journaling Techniques for Writing Memories](https://writer.org/event/journaling-techniques-for-writing-memories-3/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** This workshop is about the pursuit of insight through writing personal memories. Whether you current...
**Content:**
# Use your journaling practice to mine your memories for writing projects.
This workshop is about the pursuit of insight through writing personal memories. Whether you currently keep a journal or want to start journaling to nurture a consistent writing practice, in this two-day workshop you will learn journaling techniques that help you recall significant memories and explore the meaning behind those experiences. We will explore how a memoir writer’s journal differs from a regular journal, how to get your memoir journal started, and how to work with your captured memories to explore themes and storylines that you are motivated to write about.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Idea generation
- Journaling techniques
- Story development
- Building a writing practice
# Time requirements
- 1-2 hours
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for writers who want to identify compelling themes for personal storytelling.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 2 Sessions, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Collage Poetry: Telling Your Story in Pieces](https://writer.org/event/collage-poetry-telling-your-story-in-pieces/)
**Published:** December 7, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
# How to tell your story in pieces.
Create physical / digital collage poems representing your personal journey(s), origin stories, and / or future aspirations using found imagery and text. This hands-on workshop encourages creative inquiry, experimentation and expression through the art of collaging. Source, sort, and assemble with generative prompt questions in mind.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Found poetry
- Confessional poetry
- Digital / paper collaging
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- Digital: Access to an editing platform like Canva or similar
- Physical: Images and/or text cut from magazines, mementos or personal photos; scissors, glue or tape; colored pencils or markers; dried flowers or anything else to add texture/depth.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is open to all levels and genres, but especially those interested in ex-PEER-imenting with their writing and creative practice.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Susan Scheid and Burgi Zenhaeusern Book Launch](https://writer.org/event/scheid-zenhausern/)
**Published:** January 20, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes Susan Scheid and Burgi Zenhausern for a launch of their respective new books, *True Blue* and *White Door.*
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
**Susan Scheid** is the author of *After Enchantment*, which was inspired by beloved fairy tale characters. Scheid’s poetry has appeared in *The Southern Quill, Blue Heron Review,* *The* *Mid-Atlantic Review*, *The Orchards Poetry Journal*, *Burgeon Press*, *Gargoyle*, *About Place Journal, Truth to Power, Beltway Poetry Quarterly, Little Patuxent Review, The Sligo Journal, Silver Birch Press, Tidal Basin Review*, and other journals. Her work is also included in the anthologies, *Poetic Art,* *Enchantment of the Ordinary,* and *Dear Vaccine: Global Voices Speak to the Pandemic*. Scheid served for a number of years as the Board co-chair for Split This Rock. She lives in the Brookland neighborhood of Washington, DC.
**Burgi Zenhaeusern** (she/her) grew up in Switzerland. She majored in English and Spanish Literature and Linguistics at the University of Basel, Switzerland, and attended workshops led by Rose Solari, Jean Nordhaus, Laura Fargas, and Yvette Neisser at the Writer’s Center in Bethesda, MD. She is the author of *White Door* (Carbonation Press, 2025), her debut full-length poetry collection. Her chapbook *Behind Normalcy* (CityLit Press, 2020) won the 2019 Harriss Poetry Prize, chosen by Erica Dawson, final judge, and Kwame Alexander, series editor. She co-edited the translations of the bilingual poetry anthology *Knocking on the Door of the White House* (Zozobra Publishing, 2017, J. Ballesteros et al., editor), which was selected by Beltway Poetry Quarterly as a “2017 Ten Best” book. Her poem “To her fury” was a runner-up in the inaugural Ashland Poetry PressBroadside Contest 2023. Work of hers appeared in a variety of journals and in the anthology From the Belly: poets respond to Gertrude Stein’s Tender Buttons (Karren Alenier, editor, The Word Works, 2023). She volunteered behind the scene for the Café Muse reading series and served as consulting editor for the online journal River Mouth Review. She lives in Chevy Chase, MD, on Piscataway and Nacotchtank land.
---
## About *True Blue*
This book was built around poems written about and during the pandemic. Broken into three sections, the first one asks us to look at what we may have lost during that time, connections we longed to have—memory, ancestors, family. The middle section describes the struggles and hard feelings many experienced: isolation, grief, chaos, depression, eventually leading us to a path of resilience, strength and hope. The book ends with praise poems that show how hope can be found in the smallest thing, and in the big questions we ask. These poems navigate life’s struggles and remind us that in end we are stronger for having lived through them.
---
## About *White Door*
In a wide range of formally varied and playful poems, the speaker of White Door explores her emigration to the US from a European country as an adult: how fundamentally and irreversibly distance and longing change old perspectives and memories; how watching her child grow up in a in many ways alienating environment helped root her while challenging ideas of herself; what a complex and ambivalent web of emotions questions of home and belonging can set off; how there is no one nor any definite answer. In that sense, the poems are largely autobiographical and self-reflective. Their poetry is firmly rooted in the speaker’s everyday and the bonds that hold her.
In White Door, Burgi Zenhaeusern circles back again and again to necessary, enduring questions—how to care for each other, what home is—refusing to settle for anything less than the real. Despite the way exploration tends to “re-etch longing,” despite the complexities of language and being, these poems do not give up their hunger to understand. Intelligence and integrity shine through them. Kasey Jueds, author of The Thicket
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [The Practice of Nonfiction Revision](https://writer.org/event/the-practice-of-nonfiction-revision/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** This class is designed for writers of all levels of experience to help them find the story tapping t...
**Content:**
# How to take a piece from first draft to submission ready.
This class is designed for writers of all levels of experience to help them find the story tapping them on the shoulder right now so they can put it on the page and begin the process of getting it out in the world where it belongs. The first session will focus on germinating new ideas or further exploring existing ones through prompts and discussion. The second is finding joy and harnessing the power of revision. The third and final session focuses on next steps and sharing your work. Writers will leave the class with a start of a new piece of creative nonfiction, memoir, or hybrid work.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Generate an idea and Identify the story within it
- Structure
- Pacing
- Revision
- Confidence to keep writing
- How to love the process
# Time Requirements
- A handful of short selections to read in advance.
# Materials
- Reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- For writers at any stage of their writing journey.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 3 Sessions, All Levels, Nonfiction, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Publishing Your Book for Children](https://writer.org/event/publishing-your-book-for-children-4/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Having a children's book published in today's tough market may seem like an impossible dream. But, i...
**Content:**
# The insider tips you’ll need to write a marketable first book.
Having a children’s book published in today’s tough market may seem like an impossible dream. But, in reality, getting your book idea into shape and into print can hinge on just the right advice from a pro. Do you need an agent? Should you connect with an artist? What about self-publishing? In a one-session workshop, nationally-known author Peter Mandel will pass on the insider’s tips writers need to know in order to create a marketable first book and get it into the hands of exactly the right gatekeepers in the publishing world.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How to turn your book idea into a marketable manuscript;
- How to get your book seen by the right agents and publishers;
- How to work with illustrators and editors;
- How to self-publish a children’s book.
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for all levels. In addition to conveying ‘insider’ tips and information, Peter Mandel’s seminars are always interactive and open to audience questions and comments. Bring your opinions, experiences, and ideas along with your notepad.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Adults Write for Children, All Levels, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [All About Tone](https://writer.org/event/all-about-tone/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Robert Frost said, "It's tone I'm in love with; that's what poetry is, tone." The ability to control...
**Content:**
# In poetry, it’s not about what you say; it’s how you say it.
Robert Frost said, “It’s tone I’m in love with; that’s what poetry is, tone.” The ability to control tone in a poem is what makes a poet credible and their intention clear. But tone has not always been easy to define, let alone control. In this workshop, we will attempt to distinguish tone from voice, style, and mood. We will explore what contributes to a poem’s tone and how these elements can be used to convey attitude and emotion.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- What tone is, and how it differs from style, voice, and mood.
- What contributes to the tone of a poem.
- Different approaches to establishing tone.
- How to avoid sentimentality.
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Because even experienced poets often don’t pay close attention to tone, this workshop will benefit anyone who wants to learn how to control the effect a poem has on its readers.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Creating Backstory & Flashbacks](https://writer.org/event/creating-backstory-flashbacks-3/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Every character in your story has a past. The events that occurred in a character’s life before they...
**Content:**
# One of the most valuable but often misunderstood technique, the flashback scene, can strengthen your novel.
Every character in your story has a past. The events that occurred in a character’s life before they ever appear in your story determine their personality, life goals, the way they react to situations, even the way they speak. Your ability to understand your characters’ history, and share glimpses of it with readers, will determine how realistic your paper people will seem. Savvy writers use backstory and flashbacks, special tools to show their audience a character’s motivation, thus bringing them to life on the page. These are powerful, advanced techniques, and yet they are easy to master once you know how.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Where to place backstory
- The difference between good and bad backstory
- Creating effective flashback scenes
- Where flashbacks fail to work
- Using time jumps
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Any writer of fiction, memoir or creative nonfiction who wants to add depth and sophistication to their fiction by varying time sequences.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Intermediate/Advanced Level, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Writing Memorable Characters](https://writer.org/event/writing-memorable-characters/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Whether you’re in the midst of your manuscript or just starting out, in this workshop you will devel...
**Content:**
# Explore and practice the art of writing memorable characters.
Whether you’re in the midst of your manuscript or just starting out, in this workshop you will develop your main (or a secondary) character through writing about them. We will start with exercises designed to ground your understanding of the character you choose. We will then read a well-regarded short story and participate in a guided discussion of the fundamentals of character-development craft at work in that story and in general. In the second half of the workshop, we will take inspiration from the readings and write, responding to prompts designed to help us explore our character’s desires and motivations. Each writer can expect to leave this course with new work and a new or enhanced awareness of essential craft elements of character development that they can use in their current and future works-in-progress.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Fine points of character development
- How to develop complex characters
- How to communicate your character’s characteristics, needs, and desires on to the page
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Intermediate writers looking to solidify their writing craft
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Fiction, Intermediate Level, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Travel Storytelling in Words and Pictures](https://writer.org/event/travel-storytelling-in-words-and-pictures-2/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Travel isn’t about mileage. It’s about the personal experiences and stories that bring a journey ali...
**Content:**
# The insider tips you need to make your articles, blogs and photos stand out from the crowd!
Travel isn’t about mileage. It’s about the personal experiences and stories that bring a journey alive. Don’t keep these to yourself. Peter Mandel, a nationally-known Lowell Thomas Award-winning travel journalist, will show you easy ways to use words and photography to bring the ‘afterglow’ of a trip to readers and editors — and make your articles, blogs and pictures stand out from the crowd.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How to personalize your writing so you’re the story’s main character;
- How to use light and color to bring destination photos alive;
- How to hook readers and editors with your very first sentence;
- How to market and promote a travel article, photo essay, or blog.
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for all levels: from experienced travel writers and photographers to beginners who are new to the craft.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Your Writing Journey Begins](https://writer.org/event/your-writing-journey-begins/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** You have a story inside you, but how do you even start to bring it out? With so many crazy things go...
**Content:**
# You have a story inside you, now learn how to bring it to the world.
You have a story inside you, but how do you even start to bring it out? With so many crazy things going on today, should you even think about doing something so “frivolous” as writing? Come to this interactive zoom workshop and take the first steps in learning how to bring your writing into the world. You’ll never know whose life you’ll change; the world needs your story!
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Who can write a story
- What kinds of stories you can write
- How to set up your writing environment
- Where to get help
- Why now is the best time to write
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for those who have been thinking about writing but haven’t figured out how to start.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Beginner Level, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [DIY Novel Revisions](https://writer.org/event/diy-novel-revisions/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Do you have a finished draft of a novel but don’t know what to do next? This workshop will take you ...
**Content:**
# Edit your novel without an editor.
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.
---
***Learn at your own pace:** This workshop will take place over **Wet Ink**, which is an asynchronous creative writing platform. The instructor will post a lesson and assignment at the beginning of each week, and participants can log in and read the lessons/post assignments/comment on other classmates’ work at their convenience. Shortly before the start date, participants will receive an invite from Wet Ink to create their login info and access the class. Please check your spam if you don’t see it.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Learn to identify issues and strategize your revision plan.
- Learn how to prioritize editorial concerns including characterization and plot.
- Learn how to tighten your prose.
# Time requirements
- 3-5 hours/week
# Materials
- Required: Story Fix by Larry Brooks
- Recommended (but not required) Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, Second Edition: How to Edit Yourself Into Print by Renni Browne and Dave King
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for anyone seeking to be their own first editor.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, All Levels, Fiction, Wet Ink, Workshop
---
### [$40 Pop Up: Write Your Query Letter](https://writer.org/event/40-pop-up-write-your-query-letter/)
**Published:** January 7, 2026
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
# Learn the ins and outs of writing the perfect query letter!
For many writers, to get a book deal first requires getting a literary agent. Through the querying process, prospective authors pitch their book projects to agents using a query letter—a very short introduction of less than 500 words to you, your book, and why you think the agent in question is the perfect fit.
The goal of this class is to take the daunting task of writing a query letter and make it manageable. First, we’ll discuss what a query letter is (and is not) and the general guidelines and terms used when writing one. Then, we’ll break down the key components of a query letter, using samples from actual query letters that have landed agents. We’ll also chat about other items that potential agents might request. Finally, we’ll cover how to find potential agents to query, how to manage your expectations throughout the process, and red flags to be aware of when querying.
This 60-minute class will be packed with knowledge and tips to make the querying process feel less daunting and impossible. You’ll leave with detailed information on how to write and revise your letter, how to be strategic with your queries, and a list of post-class resources.
Note: This workshop is ideal for writers of books for adults, including novels and memoirs. While we will go in-depth on query letters, workshop participants will not be sharing, swapping, or critiquing letters with other students.
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Fiction, Mixed Genre, Nonfiction, Publishing, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Researching for Creativity: Practical tips of DC-Area writers, from the1930s and Now](https://writer.org/event/researching-for-creativity/)
**Published:** October 1, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes **Kim Roberts, David Nicholson**, and **David Taylor** for a conversation and practical creative exercises on how to research in your writing. This event will also include examples of local resources.
---
# About the Event
How can real-world research foster your creative work and thinking? In connection with The People’s Recorder podcast, this conversation with three DMV writers starts from the experiences of writers in a Depression-era cultural experiment, the Federal Writers’ Project. And it comes up to now with views from writers today about how research and interviews feed their own creative work.
As heard in the People’s Recorder podcast, many emerging writers in the 1930s found their voices in community with peers on a government project intended to put people to work documenting American life and history. Young writers — including some who later grew to prominence including Margaret Walker, Tillie Olsen, Richard Wright, Ralph Ellison and John Cheever — honed skills in archival research, oral history interviews, and street-level research. Those skills also helped in shaping their distinctive voices in poetry, novels and nonfiction.
---
**David Nicholson** was born in Washington, D.C., where he attended public schools and the private Sidwell Friends School. He has worked as a reporter for the Associated Press and the Dayton (Ohio) *Daily News*. After earning an MFA at the Iowa Writers Workshop, Nicholson returned to Washington, where he started *Black Film Review* and worked as an editor and daily book reviewer for *The Washington Post Book* *World*. He’s the author of three books, most recently *The Garretts of Columbia: A Black South Carolina Family from Slavery to the Dawn of Integration* (University of South Carolina Press, 2024). He and his wife live in Vienna, Va. <https://davidnicholson.info/>
**Kim Roberts** is the author of seven books of poems, most recently *Q&A for the End of the World*, a collaboration with Michael Gushue (WordTech Editions, 2025), and *The District’s Departed: Walking Tours of DC-Area Cemeteries* (Rivanna Books, 2026), her second guidebook. Roberts co-curates DC Pride Poem-a-Day each June, and co-directs the Pride Poetry Residency at the Arts Club of Washington. She has been the recipient of grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities, Humanities DC, and the DC Commission on the Arts, and has been a writer-in-residence at 21 artist colonies and nonprofit organizations. <http://www.kimroberts.org>
**David Taylor** is a writer of fiction and nonfiction. His journalism appears in the *Washington Post, Scientific American*, and *Smithsonian*, and his nonfiction includes *Ginseng, the Divine Root* (Algonquin, 2006) and *Cork Wars: Intrigue and Industry in World War II* (Hopkins Press, 2018), featuring two Baltimore families. His fiction includes *Success: Stories* (WWPH, 2008) winner of the Washington Writers’ Publishing House fiction prize; has appeared in *Gargoyle, Rio Grande Review,* and *Subnivean*; and has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize. He teaches in the Johns Hopkins Science Writing Program and is a producer for *The People’s Recorder* podcast. He lives in Washington, DC. <https://davidataylor.org>
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [The Survival Power of the Lyric Poem](https://writer.org/event/the-survival-power-of-the-lyric-poem-3/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Think now of poetry as a school for emotions, and the lyric has had a revelatory power evoked throug...
**Content:**
# Write from the heart!
Think now of poetry as a school for emotions, and the lyric has had a revelatory power evoked through both beauty and pain for thousands of years. When you’re in the middle of writing a lyric poem that is fully inspired, it isn’t a poem at all, but a light in blindness, a splintered house in a whirlwind, with a gaping door, but you feel your way through it, until something surprises you. It is only afterwards, through revision, that it becomes anything like a poem, and then it takes off on its own. This workshop is open to all levels and offers mini-lectures as well as critiques on craft and content. The only requirement is to write from the heart, and nearly everything works, if only from the intellect, almost nothing works: it takes both to find your poem.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Students will learn how to find the poem within, and to develop skills that best capture the artistry of imagery, figurative language, formal techniques both in traditional and free forms.
# Time requirements
- 3 to 4 hours
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for all levels of poetry because the emphasis is on the generation of the poem, and finding it from within, and there is no pre-requisite for that.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 5 Sessions, All Levels, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Focus on Scene Building](https://writer.org/event/focus-on-scene-building/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Scenes are the building blocks of fiction. They convey the vision of the story in the author’s head ...
**Content:**
# Each new scene beckons your reader further into the story.
Scenes are the building blocks of fiction. They convey the vision of the story in the author’s head to the minds of readers miles away. A well-written scene is the story teller’s little miracle tool—transporting readers to other worlds, into the lives of characters, and creating a reality all their own. Learn how to build vivid, active, compelling scenes and you’ll have captured an audience for life. This is a half-day course useful to novice writers as a place to begin thinking about their stories. But more experienced authors, who wish to refresh their fiction skills, will find the session helps them take their writing to the next level.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- What makes a great scene
- How to bring characters to life
- Keeping scenes active
- Using the 5 senses to speak to the reader
- Employing universality and emotion
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Writers wishing to increase reader appeal or who wonder why their manuscripts haven’t attracted agents/publishers.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Beginner Level, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Writing About Mental Health Topics in Fiction](https://writer.org/event/writing-about-mental-health-topics-in-fiction-3/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Write about mental health with intention. Along with general guidelines, examples from popular media...
**Content:**
# Learn to write about mental health topics in your fiction with accuracy and care.
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.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Recognize and analyze mental health tropes in popular media.
- How to write about specific mental health diagnoses.
- How to include mental health themes across fiction genres.
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for fiction writers who want to explore aspects of mental health in their stories with accuracy and care.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Lyrical Memoir Writing](https://writer.org/event/lyrical-memoir-writing/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** How do we turn the fragments of memory into writing that resonates? In this workshop guided by award...
**Content:**
# Explore how to access subconscious thought and emotion to turn everyday moments into memoir.
How do we turn the fragments of memory into writing that resonates? In this workshop guided by award-winning poet Chioma Urama, you’ll learn the techniques of lyrical memoir writing—using image, rhythm, and voice to shape personal experience into powerful narratives. Through guided exercises and discussion, we’ll explore how to access subconscious thought and emotion, and how to find the deeper story hidden in everyday moments. With in-class prompts, shared readings, and guided reflection, you’ll practice transforming raw memory into evocative writing that moves both you and your reader. You’ll leave with a new piece of writing and inspiration to continue exploring your inner landscape.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Techniques to engage the subconscious mind and flesh out a memory
- Crafting compelling narratives drawn from lived experience
- What creates lyrical writing
- Associative vs linear narrative
# Time requirements
- 1.5 hours
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Designed for both novice and experienced writers, this workshop is for anyone eager to uncover the stories hidden within memory. Participants may be interested in exploring their inner world, finding new language for emotion, or experimenting with more lyrical approaches to prose. If you’re drawn to writing that feels both intimate and masterful, this workshop will meet you where you are and invite you deeper.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Creating Conflict & Tension](https://writer.org/event/creating-conflict-tension-6/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Strengthening the conflict in any type of fiction will bump up the tension and turn limp, ordinary f...
**Content:**
# Invite readers into your story with a strong central conflict!
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.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Genre related conflict
- Why publishers demand conflict
- Conflict in memoir and creative nonfiction
- Strongest sources of conflict
- Why conflict sells
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Any author seeking publication for their fiction. (Yes, it’s that important!)
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [How to Discover Your Voice](https://writer.org/event/how-to-discover-your-voice/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Agents say it all the time. What sells a manuscript? A standout voice. Acquire the tools you need fo...
**Content:**
# Acquire a writing voice that is unique to you and irresistible to agents and editors.
Agents say it all the time. What sells a manuscript? A standout voice. Acquire the tools you need for developing a compelling voice of your own through the study of entertaining published examples, a clear explanation and writing exercises designed to ignite your unique way of expressing yourself. You will enjoy a sense of excitement in this inspiring and instructive workshop as you successfully translate the voice in your head to the page.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- What we mean by authorial voice
- How to acquire one authentically yours
- How to make your voice distinct from others
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is ideal for both new and seasoned writers seeking to discover the most genuine way to express themselves on the page and in such a way as to attract the eye of agents and editors.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Memoir? Maybe?](https://writer.org/event/memoir-maybe/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** This class is for writers who are exploring the idea of writing a memoir. Maybe you have an idea, or...
**Content:**
# Thinking of writing a memoir? Let’s talk it over, look at options, and build a plan!
This class is for writers who are exploring the idea of writing a memoir. Maybe you have an idea, or half of an idea, or a strong pull to tell your story, but you’re not sure what this Dream looks like on the Ground. Let’s talk about it. We’ll look at the logistics (size, time commitment, final product) and also talk about strong mindsets, good planning, and ways to keep the momentum. We’ll do some in-class exercises to help you get focused, get organized, and plan for potholes. Create a realistic plan so you can succeed! Join me and let’s get a strong roadmap in place.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- What makes a memoir (size, scope, audience)
- Writing a “book” – and other options
- Steps to completing a book, and the time it takes
- Publishing options
- Things to consider at different steps of the process
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This class is designed for writers of all levels who are considering writing a memoir and want to learn more about what that process entails.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Defeat the Blank Page! Generative Fiction Workshop](https://writer.org/event/defeat-the-blank-page-generative-fiction-workshop/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** In this generative fiction writing workshop, we'll confront the blank page head-on. Our emphasis wil...
**Content:**
# Get past the blank page with in-class exercises and supportive feedback!
In this generative fiction writing workshop, we’ll confront the blank page head-on. Our emphasis will be on writing new pages and creating a supportive, encouraging space in which to experiment with new directions in our writing practice. Participants will do in-class writing exercises, share from works-in-progress, read essays on the craft of writing, and examine published fiction from a writerly perspective. We’ll also discuss key craft issues like voice, setting, dialogue, and place, honing in on a different craft element each week. Participants will be invited to share a few pages of new writing each week for in-class discussion and feedback.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Writing Exercises
- Voice
- Character
- Revision
- Drafting strategies
# Time requirements
- An hour or less to read participants’ pages and any published work
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers of all levels looking to generate new pages, experiment with new material, or get over writers’ block.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 8 Sessions, All Levels, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Let the Soft Animals Speak: Writing the Wild with Craft and Care](https://writer.org/event/let-the-soft-animals-speak-writing-the-wild-with-craft-and-care/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** When Mary Oliver tells us to let the soft animal of [our bodies] love what [they] love, we know exac...
**Content:**
# Explore the essence of unexpected characters across genres.
When Mary Oliver tells us to let the soft animal of \[our bodies\] love what \[they\] love, we know exactly what she means. But how does she engage the natural world to create pieces that linger on our tongues and in our hearts, and how can we endeavor to do the same? In this workshop, our goal is to learn how to enter the diverse topographies and umwelts around us and represent them authentically on the page. We will begin by examining exemplary works in a discussion of how to navigate and move beyond “othering” in human relationships with animals and nature. Following our critique, together we will explore the art of “noticing” and — through our own on-the-spot attempts — see how the practice can open up opportunities to use places, natural elements, and animals as compelling characters and structural guides in our writing.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Explore the unique essence animals and nature as critical story elements
- Understand the value of non-traditional characters
- Writing outside of your comfort zone
- Creatively incorporating science
# Time Requirements
- A handful of short selections to read in advance.
# Materials
- Reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This is workshop is designed for multi-genre writers interested in exploring new ways of “seeing” the world around them and representing it on the page — through the eyes and senses of non-traditional (and non-human) characters.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Mixed Genre, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Melanie McCabe & Brad Barkley Book Launch](https://writer.org/event/mccabe-barkley/)
**Published:** January 14, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes writers Melanie McCabe and Brad Barkley for a reading from their respective novels, *Road Longer Than Memory* and *The Reel Life of Zara Kegg.*
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
**Melanie McCabe** is a writer of poems, essays, memoir, and most recently, fiction. She is a lifelong Virginian and was a high school English and creative writing teacher in Arlington for twenty-two years. Her debut novel, *Road Longer Than Memory,* will be published by Oceanview Publishing on June 2, 2026. Her forthcoming book of poems, *All The Signs Were There,* won the Longleaf Poetry Prize and will be out in the winter of 2026. Her memoir, *His Other Life: Searching For My Father, His First Wife, and Tennessee Williams*, won the 2016 University of New Orleans Publishing Lab Prize and was published in the fall of 2017. Previous books of poems include: *The Night Divers* (Terrapin Books), *What The Neighbors Know* (FutureCycle Press) and *History of the Body* (David Robert Books.) Her essays have appeared in The Washington Post, Reader’s Digest, Shenandoah, Cumberland River Review, Sweet, Forge Literary Magazine and elsewhere.
**Brad Barkley** is the author of the novels Money, Love and Alison’s Automotive Repair Manual, two collections of short stories, and three YA novels with Penguin (including Scrambled Eggs at Midnight). His work has been translated into five languages. His short stories have appeared in 40+ magazines, including Fractured Lit, The Southern Review, The Virginia Quarterly Review, Glimmer Train, and USA Today. He’s won numerous awards, including Four Individual Artist Awards from the State of Maryland, and a Creative Writing Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts.
---
## About *Road Longer Than Memory*
**Sometimes the road home runs through everything you tried to forget**
After a failed relationship and an unsettled teaching career, Sara Barlow returns to her childhood home in Arlington, Virginia, hoping for a fresh start. But when she applies for a job at her old high school, a chance glimpse into the gymnasium shakes her to the core—she spots the man she suspects was involved in a classmate’s violent death a decade earlier.
Haunted by the past, Sara confronts the memories she’s spent years trying to suppress: her sister Suzanne’s fatal car crash, her secret summer with the reckless Devlin Barrie, and the anonymous 911 call she made after witnessing what she believes was a murder. As the construction of Interstate 66 physically fractures her community, Sara grapples with emotional fault lines of her own—guilt, silence, and buried truth.
Set against the backdrop of suburban upheaval in the 1970s and ’80s, *Road Longer Than Memory* is a compelling story of memory, reckoning, and the cost of what we leave unsaid.
---
## About *The Reel Life of Zara Kegg*
*Love, grief, Godzilla, and one very weird winter at the beach…*
Three years after her mother’s death, 16-year-old Zara is still settling into life in Carolina Beach, N.C., where she knows almost no one. Working as the lone projectionist at the Palace Theatre—a rundown movie house that shows only vintage ’50s sci-fi and horror flicks—Zara spends her nights in a dusty booth, fueled by coffee, pushups, and the occasional existential crisis (with popcorn).
Then she meets Zachary, whose “Z” name feels like fate. His clothes don’t match, his stories don’t always add up, and he might be the most interesting person she’s ever met. As their friendship deepens into something more, Zara learns about the struggles Zachary hides beneath his charm—and wonders if trust is possible.
When her boss tasks her with organizing a Valentine’s Day Godzilla marathon—complete with 150 inflatable Godzillas on the roof—Zara must confront the chaos in her own life. Like any good Godzilla movie, the big question remains: who will survive, and who will be crushed?
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
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**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [The Artist's Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner](https://writer.org/event/the-artists-way/)
**Published:** November 18, 2025
**Author:** Emily Holland
**Content:**
# ***Through reflection, community, and practice, you’ll awaken the artist within and build a creative life that feels aligned and alive.***
This year-long journey through The Artist’s Way offers a sustained path for creative reawakening and artistic growth. Writers, artists, and creative seekers will move chapter by chapter through Julia Cameron’s classic text, reconnecting with their sense of purpose and play. The course offers the freedom to move at your own pace on Wet Ink, while regular virtual gatherings provide structure, engagement, and a sense of shared creative energy. Participants will receive guidance, accountability, and community support as you nurture your creative practices. Each session weaves reflection, discussion, and inspiration to help build consistency, courage, and joy in your work.
---
# Watch the Virtual Info Session
Meet Lindsey Van Wagner, instructor for The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening, and have all your questions about the program answered!
###### [**WATCH NOW >>>**](https://youtu.be/8kY6GvBXJQo)
---
# **Format**
- Zoom sessions every month (11 total) for guided discussion and exercises. Full schedule for meetings TBD.
- Weekly engagement on Wet Ink through prompts, reflections, and peer feedback.
- Optional “Creative Partner” pairings for accountability.
- Monthly themes (e.g., Courage, Flow, Abundance, Trust) to anchor growth.
- Year-end community celebration and sharing of work.
Participants should plan to spend 1–2 hours per week on reading, journaling, and completing creative exercises from The Artist’s Way. Engagement on Wet Ink will support this rhythm through short reflections, prompts, and check-ins. Because the course combines self-paced work with monthly live meetings, students will benefit from both flexibility and community accountability.
This workshop is designed for writers, artists, and creative seekers at any stage who want to rekindle inspiration, develop consistency, and strengthen trust in their creative process. It’s especially well-suited for those feeling creatively blocked, in transition, or craving a supportive community to hold them throughout the year. Whether you’re returning to your art after time away or seeking to deepen your connection to your voice, this journey offers both structure and spaciousness to help you rediscover your creative rhythm.
**Required text:** The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron
---
# Students Can Expect To:
- Complete The Artist’s Way with structured accountability and community support.
- Reconnect with creative intuition, curiosity, and confidence.
- Develop sustainable creative habits and rituals.
- Build lasting connections with fellow artists and writers.
- Leave with tangible work—such as written reflections, short pieces, a portfolio, and a Creative Manifesto—that embodies your year of transformation.
---
# To Apply
**Application Deadline: Sunday, January 11, 2026**
Please submit responses to the application questionnaire [via this Google Form](https://forms.gle/ZKe8gxGhuH8xJu567). We accept students on a rolling basis and encourage you to apply early! If you do not hear back from us with a confirmation that we received your application or you have any questions, please reach out to Emily Holland at <emily.holland@writer.org>.
###### **[APPLY HERE >>>](https://forms.gle/ZKe8gxGhuH8xJu567)**
*Acceptance into the workshop is required before registering.*
---
# About Book Farm @ The Writer’s Center
The Writer’s Center hosts a series of workshops for serious writers to complete book-length projects, generate new work for publication, or master the elements of craft within a specific genre. You’ll work with an acclaimed author, guiding you through 4-12 months of lessons, workshops, and revisions. Our instructors are all accomplished educators with a track record of student success. Limited enrollment with rolling admission up to the application deadline, so apply right away to secure your spot!
All Book Farm participants receive an exclusive tote bag, a craft book recommended by the instructor, and a $100 gift certificate good toward future TWC workshops. Participants also receive exclusive access to The Writer’s Center staff, all of whom are accomplished writers with extensive experience in editing and publishing.
**Event Categories:** All Levels, Mixed Genre, Wet Ink, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Writer Matthew Pitt in Conversation w/ Monica Prince](https://writer.org/event/matthew-pitt/)
**Published:** January 6, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes writer and Writer’s Center Emerging Writer Fellowship awardee Matthew Pitt for a reading of his debut novel, *Tear Here.* Matthew is in conversation with poet Monica Prince. **FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
**Matthew Pitt** is the author of the novel *Tear Here* and two collections of short fiction: *These Are Our Demands and Attention Please Now*. A novella, *The Be-Everything! Brothers*, is forthcoming in late 2026. Individual works appear in *Cincinnati Review, Conjunctions, EPOCH, Michigan Quarterly Review, New Letters, Oxford American, Story*, and *The Southern Review*. Raised in St. Louis, he now operates out of Fort Worth, where he is an associate professor of Creative Writing at TCU.
**Monica Prince,** associate professor of activist and performance writing at Susquehanna University, is a Guyanese American poet that writes, teaches, and performs choreopoems across the country. Her poetry and essays appear or are forthcoming in national and international literary journals, and her published choreopoems include Roadmap: A Choreopoem, How to Exterminate the Black Woman, and FORCE, releasing in January 2026. She shares her life with her husband, polycule, and three disrespectful cats.
---
# About *Tear Here*
**Reflects on the dark rise and fall of an ambitious rock music collective in the upper Midwest.**
Matthew Pitt’s first novel draws from characters introduced in his debut story collection. The rock band Some Assault—comprised of dropouts and hedonists—flails from gig to gig, directed by their volatile drummer Liddy, who careens between foster homes and addictions. She and the band strike up a surprise friendship with Charlie Shales, their remedial algebra teacher. At first, this link is transactional, with Shales seeking drugs and the band seeking a customer. Before long, an odd and meaningful bond is formed.
When Charlie later passes, Liddy orchestrates an elaborate sonic empire, dismissing her own health woes. She recruits new members with targeted zeal, including Oliv, heiress to twin fortunes in condiment packaging and shortbread cookies. Deploying Oliv’s funds to buy a shuttered women’s prison, Some Assault converts the acreage into a farm collective and a massive recording studio dubbed The Hive.
Misfits continue to swell Some Assault’s roster, lured by The Hive’s promise of security and rabid praise: Andy Warhol’s Factory in an Instagram age. However, once the band’s fifteen minutes of fame threaten to expire, territorial violence rises, driven by dark desires to command the public eye at all costs. Chronicled by a member who managed to flee The Hive, *Tear Here* surveys the fierce fallout of cravings for celebrity that warp into cultish conduct.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat w/ Author & Physicist Chanda Prescod-Weinstein](https://writer.org/event/chanda-prescod-weinstein/)
**Published:** January 8, 2026
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of science writing! We’re joined by acclaimed author and professor of physics and astronomy Chanda Prescod-Weinstein for a discussion of her new book, *The Edge of Space-Time: Particles, Poetry, and the Cosmic Dream Boogie*. Chanda is in conversation with Zach Powers, author and Executive & Artistic Director at The Writer’s Center.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from Bookshop.org »](https://bookshop.org/a/22600/9781638933380)
---
**Chanda Prescod-Weinstein** is an associate professor of physics and astronomy and core faculty in women’s and gender studies at the University of New Hampshire. She conducts award-winning theoretical physics research on dark matter, the early universe, and neutron stars, while also researching Black feminist science studies. Her first book, *The Disordered Cosmos: A Journey into Dark Matter, Spacetime, and Dreams Deferred,* won the 2021 Los Angeles Times Book Prize in Science and Technology, the 2022 Phi Beta Kappa Award in Science, and a 2022 PEN Oakland/Josephine Miles Award. A columnist for *New Scientist* and *Physics World,* she is originally from East L.A., California, and now divides her time between the New Hampshire Seacoast and Cambridge, Massachusetts.
---
**A fresh, charming, socially conscious tour of the mysteries of space-time, from the award-winning author of *The Disordered Cosmos***
In her highly acclaimed debut, distinguished cosmologist and particle physicist Dr. Chanda Prescod-Weinstein shared with her audience an abiding sense of wonder at the cosmos, while imagining a world without the entrenched injustice that plagues her field. Now, in *The Edge of Space-Time*, she embraces that cosmic wonder, taking readers on a mind-altering journey to the boundaries of the universe, inviting us to spend time at the edge of what we know about space-time and about ourselves.
Guided by her conviction that for humanity to go forward we must know our cosmic past and drawing on poetry and popular culture—from Langston Hughes, Queen Latifah, and Lewis Carroll, to Big K.R.I.T., Sun Ra, and *Star Trek*—Prescod-Weinstein renders accessible some of the most abstract concepts of theoretical physics to tell fascinating stories about the history and fundamental nature of our universe. Here we meet the quantum cat that is both dead and alive, learn the difference between dark matter and dark energy, explore the inner workings of black holes, and investigate the possibility of a unified theory of quantum gravity, following our guide out to the far reaches of the cosmic event horizon and down to the tiniest (and queerest) neutrino. Along the way, she calls on us to resist colonial approaches to space exploration and instead imagine a better path forward in our pursuit of humanity’s undeniable connection with the stars.
Through Prescod-Weinstein’s clear-eyed and unique perspective, and informed by her deep knowledge of post-colonial history and Black feminist thought, *The Edge of Space-Time* argues that physics is an essential way for everyone to look at the universe and presents a compelling case that “the edge” is a powerful vantage point from which to see the big picture.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [The Honest Truth about the Publishing Industry: One Survivor's Perspective](https://writer.org/event/amin-ahmad/)
**Published:** August 12, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes novelist and former instructor Amin Ahmad for a frank discussion of writing with an eye on the market, writing in genre, how agents work and different pathways to publication. Amin will be joined in conversation with Susan Coll as they discuss how these considerations led to their most recent publications, *A Killer in the Family* and *The Literati,* respectively.
**FREE & open to the public. Register below.**
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from Bookshop.org »](https://bookshop.org/a/22600/9781250394897)
---
**Amin Ahmad** was raised in India and came to America at the age of 17. He worked as an architect for many years before turning to writing. He teaches creative writing at Duke University, and lives in Durham NC with his family and a very mischievous cat. When he’s not writing, he can be found on his front porch, drinking tea and watching the world go by.
*Real Life and Other Fictions* is **Susan Coll**’s seventh novel. Her previous books include *Bookish People*; *The Stager*, a *New York Times* and *Chicago Tribune* Editor’s Choice; and *Acceptance*, which was made into a television movie starring Joan Cusack. Her work has appeared in publications including the *New York Times Book Review*, the *Washington Post*, *Washingtonian Magazine*, *Moment Magazine*, NPR.org, and Atlantic.com. She is the events advisor at Politics and Prose Bookstore in Washington, DC, and was the president of the PEN/Faulkner Foundation for five years. She has taught workshops at The Writer’s Center for more than twenty years.
---
# About the *A Killer in the Family*
**A thrilling, intoxicating novel set among New York City’s most elite residents, for readers of *My Sister, the Serial Killer* and *The Age of Vice***
Ali Azeem, a naive Muslim bachelor from Mumbai, thinks he has hit the jackpot when he agrees to an arranged marriage with Maryam Khan, daughter of Abbas Khan, a self-made real-estate tycoon and one of the richest men in New York. Moving with her to the United States, Ali quickly enters an intoxicating, Gatsbyesque world of supertall skyscrapers, sumptuous clothing, and helicopter rides to the Hamptons. However, shortly after the newlyweds move into one of the city’s most luxurious apartments, Maryam’s older sister, Farhan, tells Ali that beneath her father’s success lies sinister deeds.
But can Farhan be trusted? She is a rebellious outsider and, according to Maryam, an unstable liar. Plus, as the newly minted husband of Abbas’s favorite daughter, Ali has an open invitation to join Tiger Corp., the family’s business empire. Before he commits, Ali launches his own investigation to determine who the Khans really are: the embodiment of the American dream—or cutthroat one-percenters out for themselves? As he closes in on the truth, Ali must ask himself if he can pay the price unimaginable wealth demands.
An unforgettable, riveting portrait of power and family secrets, *A Killer in the Family* will have readers second-guessing every Khan until its shocking end.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat on Fiction w/ Luke Kennard](https://writer.org/event/luke-kennard/)
**Published:** October 8, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of fiction! We’re joined by author Luke Kennard for a discussion of his new novel, *Black Bag*. Luke is in conversation with Zach Powers, novelist and Executive & Artistic Director at The Writer’s Center.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from Bookshop.org »](https://bookshop.org/a/22600/9781638933380)
---
**Luke Kennard** is an award-winning poet and novelist. In 2014 he was named one of the Next Generation Poets by the Poetry Book Society in their once-per-decade list. His collection, *Cain*, was shortlisted for the International Dylan Thomas Prize and described by Alan Hollinghurst as “the cleverest and funniest thing I’ve read this year,” and *Notes on the Sonnets* won the Forward prize for Best Poetry Collection in 2021. *The Transition*, his first novel, was a BBC Radio 4 Book at Bedtime and longlisted for the Desmond Elliott Prize. *The Book of Jonah*, his new poetry collection, will be published by Picador in 2025. Luke Kennard lives in Birmingham, UK, where he teaches Creative Writing at Birmingham University.
---
# About the Book
**An out-of-work actor accepts the role of a lifetime—sitting soundlessly in a lecture theater, zipped into a large leather bag—to aid a professor’s psychological experiment. What could possibly go wrong?**
In Luke Kennard’s audacious new novel, a penniless and out-of-work actor picks up a job working for Dr. Blend, a university professor who is conducting a psychological experiment. How will Dr. Blend’s students react to someone zipped into an oversized bag, sitting at the back of the lecture hall over a series of Fall lectures? The role, eagerly accepted, soon has unexpected consequences. A professor of post-humanism develops research questions of her own—in particular, can you love someone secreted away inside a black bag?—and the actor’s childhood friend forms a vision for monetizing this new situation . . .
A warped campus novel, an investigation into the crisis of masculinity, and an off-kilter love story, *Black Bag* is a firework of a novel: blazingly funny and profoundly humane.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat w/ Poets Asa Drake & Laura Cresté](https://writer.org/event/drake-creste/)
**Published:** October 15, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
*Poet Lore* and The Writer’s Center present a FREE virtual chat about the craft of poetry! We’re joined by poets Asa Drake to discuss her debut poetry collection, *Maybe The Body* and Laura Cresté, author of *In the Good Years.* These poets are in conversation with Emily Holland, poet and editor of [*Poet Lore*, America’s oldest poetry journal](https://www.poetlore.com/).
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online » (Maybe The Body)](https://bookshop.org/a/22600/9781963108682) [online» (In the Good Years)](https://bookshop.org/a/22600/9781961897564)
---
****
**Asa Drake** is a Filipina/white poet in Central Florida. A 2024 National Poetry Series finalist, she is the recipient of fellowships and awards from the 92Y Discovery Poetry Contest, the Florida Book Awards, the Rona Jaffe Foundation, Storyknife, Sundress Publications, Tin House, and Idyllwild Arts. Her poems have been published with The Slowdown Podcast, The American Poetry Review, The Paris Review Daily, and The Georgia Review. A former librarian, she currently works as a teaching artist.
**Laura Cresté** is the author of *In the Good Years* (Four Way Books, 2025) and *You Should Feel Bad*, winner of a 2019 Chapbook Fellowship from the Poetry Society of America. She holds an MFA from New York University and has received fellowships and other support from the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown, the Sewanee Writers’ Conference, the Tin House Summer Workshop, the Community of Writers, Monson Arts, and the St. Botolph Club Foundation. Her work has appeared in *The American Poetry Review, Bennington Review, Best New Poets 2023 & 2025, The Cortland Review, The Kenyon Review, Poetry Northwest, The Yale Review*, and elsewhere. She lives in western Massachusetts.
---
# About *Maybe The Body*
**A brilliant debut poetry collection by National Poetry Series finalist Asa Drake that explores the lineage and future lineage of a body shaped by economic, ecological, and political dissonance.**
In her stunning debut poetry collection, *Maybe the Body*, Asa Drake witnesses firsthand the conflicts between art and patriotism, labor and longing. She reaches for the lush landscapes—real and recounted—of the Philippines and the American South as she traces the lineage of a body shaped by economic, ecological, and political dissonance. As one poem reminds us, “it’s so hard to write about love without writing about the country we live in.” These thirty-eight poems, threaded together with a six-part braided sequence, bind a multigenerational conversation between grandmothers, mothers, and aunts through a range of forms, from pantoums to prose poems. With its vivid imagery and an unforgettable lyrical perspective, *Maybe the Body* reconsiders the “natural” transactions of work, intimacy, and the poem itself.
---
# About *In the Good Years*
A high-lyric historian of the human project, Laura Cresté fixes her scrupulous gaze on the interwoven threads of this distressed anthropocene era, taking in the whole cloth of our globalized societies while recording the singular details of our individual lives and most intimate relationships–their intricate embroidery, characterizing stains, and fraying hems. *In the Good Years* confronts a painful family legacy, returning to the violent artistic censorship of Argentina’s military dictatorship, her relatives’ survival of a Dirty War death camp, and the scattered paths of their migration to safer ground. In reconstructing the past, Cresté resists the individualistic contraction of the coming of age model, not merely solidifying the psychological actualization of a single person as they enter adulthood but discursively expanding the notion of self, discovering the boundaries of identity as they overlay the seams of the broader world. These poems exist because of a narrowly avoided fate, and they bristle with the wild energy of improbable existence even as they touch on seemingly unrelated and often ordinary things: a roast chicken recipe, an aunt’s questionable romantic advice, flea-ridden dogs, high school parties, waitressing at a dive bar, drowned newts in the swimming pool, unruly tomato plants, horseback riding. This stunning debut champions that ravening, relishes the external and internal wilderness of the surrounding environment and our own human nature, and honors appetite as an opportunity to savor each bite for as long as we get to sit at the table. Throughout, these poems keenly subvert experience and memory, asking how we will remember this moment, and if the blessing of being here means we are somehow, even now in all the present’s suffering, living in the good years.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat w/ Memoirist Mai Serhan](https://writer.org/event/mai-serhan/)
**Published:** September 16, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of nonfiction! We’re joined by author Mai Serhan for a discussion of her new memoir, *I Can Imagine It for Us*. Mai is in conversation with Amy Freeman, author and Development Director at The Writer’s Center.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from Bookshop.org »](https://bookshop.org/a/22600/9781649034601)
---
**Mai Serhan** is a Palestinian writer who grew up in Egypt. She is the author of *CAIRO: the undelivered letters*, winner of the 2022 Center for Book Arts Poetry Award, and *I Have Never Been to the Place Where I am From, But I Will Imagine It For Us*, a finalist for the 2022 Narratively Memoir Prize. She holds an MSt in creative writing from Oxford University, and has studied at NYU and AUC. She lives in Cairo.
---
# About the Book
**A young woman’s search for connection with her estranged father, her family’s past, and the Palestinian homeland she can never visit**
“Mai Serhan’s writing is unique, sincere, dark, funny, and cuttingly tragic.”—Selma Dabbagh
Mai Serhan lives in Cairo and has never been to Palestine, the country from which her family was expelled in 1948. She is twenty-four years old when one morning she receives a phone call from her estranged father. His health is failing and he might not have long to live, so he asks her to join him in China where he runs a business empire about which Mai knows nothing. Mai agrees to go in the hopes that they will become close, but this strange new country is as unknowable to her as her father. There, the ghosts of the Nakba come to haunt them both. With this grief comes violence, and a tragic death brings a whole new meaning to the word erasure.
In a narrative made rich by its layers of fragmentation, as befitting the splintered and disordered existence of exile over generations, this courageous memoir spans Egypt, Lebanon, Dubai, China and, of course, Palestine. It is filled with bitter tragedy and loss and woven through with an understated humor and much grace.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat w/ Poet Ally Ang](https://writer.org/event/ally-ang/)
**Published:** August 12, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
*Poet Lore* and The Writer’s Center present a FREE virtual chat about the craft of poetry! We’re joined by Ally Ang to discuss their debut collection, *Let the Moon Wobble*. Ally is in conversation with Emily Holland, poet and editor of [*Poet Lore*, America’s oldest poetry journal](https://www.poetlore.com/).
RSVP below to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). FREE and open to the public, all times Eastern.
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from the publisher »](https://bookshop.org/a/22600/9781949944884)
---
**Ally Ang** is a gaysian poet & editor based in Seattle, WA. Their work has appeared in The Rumpus, Muzzle Magazine, ANMLY, and elsewhere. Ang is a 2023 National Endowment for the Arts fellow and MacDowell fellow. Their debut poetry collection, Let the Moon Wobble, is forthcoming from Alice James Books in 2025. Find them at [allysonang.com](http://allysonang.com/) or on Twitter and Instagram @TheOceanIsGay.
---
# About the book
What makes the end of the world worth surviving? Ally Ang’s audacious, urgent, and full-hearted debut collection *Let the Moon Wobble* follows multiple unnamed narrators through crisis after crisis, ranging from the COVID-19 pandemic to the climate emergency to the rise of fascism in the U.S. With lyrical trips into grief and rage, Ang deftly plumbs the depths of institutions whose aim is to repress and kill queer people of color.
Yet this isn’t a despairing collection. Ang’s narrators refuse erasure. They take up space and tap into the absurdity of debilitating moments. With humor and lyricism, this debut is a testament to the ways queer joy and community fuel resistance, and how we might imagine radical new ways of existing in a world that’s breaking apart.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Writer Melanie McCabe in Conversation w/ Jennifer Keith](https://writer.org/event/melanie-mccabe-poetry/)
**Published:** January 6, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes writer Melanie McCabe for a reading of her latest collection of poems, *All The Signs Were There.* Melanie is in conversation with poet Jennifer Keith. **FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
**Melanie McCabe** is a writer of poems, essays, memoir, and most recently, fiction. She is a lifelong Virginian and was a high school English and creative writing teacher in Arlington for twenty-two years. Her debut novel, *Road Longer Than Memory,* will be published by Oceanview Publishing on June 2, 2026. Her forthcoming book of poems, *All The Signs Were There,* won the Longleaf Poetry Prize and will be out in the winter of 2026. Her memoir, *His Other Life: Searching For My Father, His First Wife, and Tennessee Williams*, won the 2016 University of New Orleans Publishing Lab Prize and was published in the fall of 2017. Previous books of poems include: *The Night Divers* (Terrapin Books), *What The Neighbors Know* (FutureCycle Press) and *History of the Body* (David Robert Books.) Her essays have appeared in The Washington Post, Reader’s Digest, Shenandoah, Cumberland River Review, Sweet, Forge Literary Magazine and elsewhere.
**Jennifer Keith**’s poems have appeared in The Nebraska Review, Sewanee Theological Review, The Free State Review, Unsplendid, Smartish Pace, Best American Poetry 2015 and elsewhere. Keith was a finalist for the 2021 Erskine J. Poetry Prize from Smartish Pace and her first full-length poetry book, *Terminarch*, was selected by David Yezzi for the 2023 Able Muse Book Award.
---
# About *All The Signs Were There*
“To date, there has been no bomb,” writes Melanie McCabe in her gorgeously foreboding collection of poems, *All the Signs Were There*. Here are overgrown vacant lots, ants running in the walls, shadowy relationships, a “coastline of sharp and slice.” This is a powerful book of omens—and of the courage to live through them. —*David Ebenbach, author of What’s Left to Us by Evening*
“Feral is the name given to what’s wild/ by what isn’t,” writes Melanie McCabe in this shimmering sequence that maps the heart’s bewitching cartography. Traveling through the lush landscapes of childhood and adolescence where fields reveal “the sudden stonehenge of a lone/gate,” to the stormy world of adulthood where “\[m\]orning, still beating, is swallowed/mouse-whole down a snake,” McCabe pays tribute to time’s uncanny passage. Here, lovers clasp hands and plunge like “banished angels” from an “edge” they carved themselves, while teenaged rivals reunite late in life, carving out friendship, forgiveness, and healing. All the Signs Were There is filled with breathtaking insight and painterly vision.—*Jane Satterfield, author of The Badass Brontës*
On behalf of all of us at Longleaf– and previous Longleaf Press Book Prize winners–who helped read and comment on hundreds of manuscripts, I want to celebrate *All the Signs Were There*, the intelligence and range of Melanie McCabe’s atmospheric poems and her unique and otherworldly ear for the language. We were riveted: “/the air that finds my lungs is chosen for its jade/ stillness. Each breath for its lull.” —*Roger Weingarten,* Publisher, Longleaf Press
# About *Terminarch*
*Terminarch*, winner of the 2023 Able Muse Book Award, is Jennifer Keith’s debut full-length poetry collection. The title, a neologism that evokes both terminus and matriarch, signals a collection that confronts endings and what survives—personal, cultural, and ecological. Keith’s poems move from intimate meditations on memory, grief, and family loss to broader reflections on extinction (including the passenger pigeon’s “endling”), technology, and the traces we leave behind. Working in free verse and traditional forms with dark wit and lyric intensity, *Terminarch* maps the terrain between loss and resilience, finding in language itself a means of preservation and renewal.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Recent Grad Writers Mixer](https://writer.org/event/recent-grad-writers-mixer-may26/)
**Published:** January 6, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
Are you a writer who recently graduated? Join us for an informal gathering at The Writer’s Center to hang out and talk writing! Please bring a drink or an appetizer that serves six. You’re welcome to bring a friend, too.
**FREE & open to all DMV writers who have recently graduated. RSVP required below.**
Attending? We encourage you to [become a member of The Writer’s Center for only $65/year »](https://writer.org/become-a-member/)
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Disabled Writers Mixer](https://writer.org/event/disabled-writers-mixer-apr26/)
**Published:** January 6, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
Are you a writer who identifies as disabled? Join us for an informal gathering at The Writer’s Center to hang out and talk writing! Please bring a drink or an appetizer that serves six. You’re welcome to bring a friend, too.
**FREE & open to all DMV writers who identify as disabled. RSVP required below.**
Attending? We encourage you to [become a member of The Writer’s Center for only $65/year »](https://writer.org/become-a-member/)
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [LGBTQ+ Writers Mixer](https://writer.org/event/lgbtq-writers-mixer-jun26/)
**Published:** January 6, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
Are you a writer who identifies as LGBTQ+? Let’s hang out and talk writing! Come join us for an informal gathering at The Writer’s Center. Please bring a drink or an appetizer that serves six. You’re welcome to bring a friend, too.
**FREE & open to all DMV writers who identify as LGBTQ+. RSVP required below.**
Attending? We encourage you to [become a member of The Writer’s Center for only $65/year »](https://writer.org/become-a-member/)
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Music in the Words: Book Launch for Y.S. Fing's Elysium, Part Three with Garinè Isassi](https://writer.org/event/music-in-the-words/)
**Published:** January 6, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes Y.S. Fing and Garinè Isassi for musical performances and a discussion on how music influences writing. As teens, these authors absorbed similar musical, cultural and literary vibes, which remained at the forefront of their creative pursuits. To celebrate Fing’s newest book, Elysium, Part Three of The Profane Comedy and revisit Isassi’s previously published novel, Start with the Backbeat, join them in a musically literary conversation.
**This event is free and open to the public. RSVP Below**
---
**Y.S. Fing** is one of several pseudonyms used by Will Pittman for use in his various artistic projects. Will is a world-traveller, English professor, and mutli-media content producer who has lived in MD for the past 20 years. Under the name D. Selby Fing, he has published the three-part epic poem *The Profane Comedy* with New Academia Publishing, the separate parts brewing, *Perdition, Limbo,* and *Elysium.* Under the name D. Selby Fing Jr., he has written 200 pages of annotations for *The Profane Comedy.* As Y.S. Fing, he has written numerous other works, including *Event Horizons: Aphorisms on the Life of D. Selby Fing*, and a variety of essays for the Washington Independent Review of Books, as well as writing and producing songs for his band The Microcosmic Examples. As Bugs Pacino, Will has produced hundreds of collages, many as illustrations of *The Profane Comedy.* His ultimate goal is to produce *The Profane Comedy* as a staged musical. We can dream!
**Garinè Isassi** is recovering journalist and the author of the award–winning novel *Start with the Backbeat*, winner of the IPPY Silver Medal for contemporary fiction. Additional fiction publications include short stories in anthologies, *This is What America Looks Like (2021), Grace in Love (2023), and America’s Future,* as well as a variety of online publications. She currently lives in Maryland and serves as the Gaithersburg Book Festival Workshops Chair.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Cafe Muse Literary Salon](https://writer.org/event/cafe-muse-literary-salon-dec-26/)
**Published:** January 5, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes the Café Muse Literary Salon for a reading featuring writers from **Washington Writer’s Publishing House** reading from the America’s Future Anthology**.** The evening begins at 7 PM with Michael Davis live on classical guitar. The readings begin at 7:30 PM with opening remarks by a Café Muse co-host.
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP on [the Cafe Muse Website](https://sites.google.com/view/cafe-muse-events/home).**
---
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Cafe Muse Literary Salon](https://writer.org/event/cafe-muse-literary-salon-july-26/)
**Published:** January 5, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes the Café Muse Literary Salon for a reading featuring writers **Greg Luce** and **Burgi Zenhaeusern.** The evening begins at 7 PM with Michael Davis live on classical guitar. The readings begin at 7:30 PM with opening remarks by a Café Muse co-host.
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP on [the Cafe Muse Website](https://sites.google.com/view/cafe-muse-events/home).**
---
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Cafe Muse Literary Salon](https://writer.org/event/cafe-muse-literary-salon/)
**Published:** January 5, 2026
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes the Café Muse Literary Salon for a reading featuring writers **Holly Karapetkova** and **Steven Leyva.** The evening begins at 7 PM with Michael Davis live on classical guitar. The readings begin at 7:30 PM with opening remarks by a Café Muse co-host.
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP on [the Cafe Muse Website](https://sites.google.com/view/cafe-muse-events/home).**
---
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Mapping Strategies for Story Structure](https://writer.org/event/mapping-strategies-for-story-structure-4/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** There is no one-size-fits-all strategy for story structure. Let’s discuss a plan that works for you....
**Content:**
# Explore questions, mapping exercises, tools, and techniques to discover your story’s direction and how to get there.
There is no one-size-fits-all strategy for story structure. Let’s discuss a plan that works for you. We’ll examine your story’s strengths and weaknesses, focusing on both the destination and the journey. Does your narrative feature a compelling character arc, a strong point of entry, well-placed flashbacks, a transformative and resonant ending, and will readers care? We will use maps, sketches, and diagrams, emphasizing the importance of revising your initial plan as your story evolves. Bring your specific idea for a short story, memoir, or novel.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Flexible outlines that enhance your plot
- How to clarify the true purpose of your story
- Techniques for effective beginnings and endings
- Character arcs, yearning, internal and external conflict, and transformation
- Key components of a successful scene
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for beginning and intermediate fiction and memoir writers looking to build the confidence to start, finish, and refine the plot and structure of their manuscripts.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Novelist Nancy Garruba in Conversation w/ Katherine Gekker](https://writer.org/event/nancy-garruba/)
**Published:** September 25, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes novelist Nancy Garruba for a reading and discussion of her debut novel, *The Vanishing of Rose B.* Nancy is in conversation with Katherine Gekker. **FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
**Nancy Garruba** studied Comparative Literature at Rutgers University. She later trained in the conservation of rare books in Florence, Italy and at the Library of Congress, work which led to her study of bookmaking history, book design and photography, and to the making of artist’s books—her writing combined with visual images. Nancy has received grants and awards from the National Endowment for the Arts, the DC Commission on the Arts, and the American Institute of Graphic Arts for her *Skin of Glass* and *Not Altogether True Not Altogether False*. *The Vanishing of Rose B.* is her debut novel.
**Katherine Gekker**’s first full-length collection, *In Search of Warm Breathing Things*, was published by Glass Lyre Press in 2019. Her poetry has been called “affecting” and “elusive” by the *New York* *Times*, and “ethereal” and “sensuous” by other newspapers. Her poems have been nominated for Best of the Net and Pushcart Prizes. Her poems have been published or are forthcoming in Calyx, Quartet Journal, Rappahannock Review, Delmarva Review, Little Patuxent Review, Gargoyle, ASP Bulletin, Broadkill Review, Baltimore Review, Northern Virginia Review, Poetry South, Claudius Speaks, Last Call Anthology, and others. A collection of eight poems, Childhood Poems, was published in 1974.
---
# About *The Vanishing of Rose B.*
Rose B. defied mid-century expectations of what a woman could be and do. Not only a devoted wife and mother, and one never to be seen without gloves and a hat, she was the family’s main breadwinner. Exemplary, indeed—although in private, Rose suffered her charismatic, volatile husband’s abuse, abuse witnessed by their twin daughters, Claire and Frances. Frances urged Rose to divorce, Claire played mediator, and Rose persevered, determined to preserve her family, even if at cost to herself. But a violent incident one spring evening would upset Rose’s plan and propel Frances to a life far from her parents and sister.
Decades later, Claire’s a reclusive high school art teacher who creates beautiful photographs but never exhibits. Frances is an architect in Los Angeles. Rose has died, and Frances has flown home to help Claire sort through their mother’s clothes. Claire, insisting that Frances is their mother’s mirror image, one that she must capture, asks Frances to pose for her as Rose, dressed in Rose’s clothes. Frances, wanting to force a discussion of that long-ago violent spring evening, agrees, but on one condition: She’ll tell stories as she poses, stories about Rose. Told in two voices—that of the dynamic, conflicted Frances and the tender, diffident Claire, who has her own stories about Rose—The Vanishing of Rose B. explores the difficulties mothers and daughters encounter in defining themselves within the world and against each other.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat w/ Author Tayyba Kanwal](https://writer.org/event/tayyba-kanwal/)
**Published:** September 18, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of fiction! We’re joined by author **Tayyba Kanwal** for a discussion of her new story collection, *Talking with Boys*. Tayyba is in conversation with Brandon Johnson, poet and Events Director at The Writer’s Center.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from Bookshop.org »](https://bookshop.org/a/22600/9781625571793)
---
**Tayyba Kanwal** is a Pakistani-American writer, Senior Editor at Conjunctions., and Associate Fiction Editor at Cutleaf Journal. An absconded mathematician and technologist, a lover of lizards and morbid illustrations, she is Literary Director at Inprint. She holds an MFA from the University of Houston Creative Writing Program where she was an Inprint C. Glenn Cambor Fellow, and an MS in Mathematics from the University of Oregon.
---
# About the Book
A community of Pakistani immigrants in Houston distract ICE with unlikely bait. A housekeeper in a Dubai mansion plots to liberate her fellow indentured workers. In Lahore, an empty-nester finds herself bound by more than the jinxed bracelet her adult son has gifted her. Talking with Boys is a collection of linked stories filled with irony, humor, and magic. Spanning generations and continents—from Lahore to Dubai to Houston—these characters navigate economic upheavals, political turmoil, and personal betrayals. Amid crises both imposed and self-inflicted, the people in these stories pursue love, plot for survival and play subtle power games to triumph against patriarchal forces of all genders.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll](https://writer.org/event/novel-year/)
**Published:** November 6, 2025
**Author:** Emily Holland
**Content:**
# **Bring your novel to life with best-selling author Susan Coll!**
Whether you have been thinking about writing a novel for years but are not sure how to get started, or are already published but embarking on a new project, this year-long workshop is intended to help get the next book off the ground.
---
# Watch the Virtual Info Session
Meet Susan Coll, instructor for our Novel Year workshop, and have all your questions about the program answered!
###### [**WATCH NOW >>>**](https://youtu.be/EQwwbC5U89g "Virtual Info Session for The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll")
---
# **Over the course of twenty sessions, we will:**
- create a fun, warm, and supportive writing community
- discuss and engage in exercises focused on various aspects of craft including dialogue, setting, plot, point of view, character development, tense, and much more
- workshop one hundred pages per student, broken into four submissions of 25 pages each (\*students are also welcome to use their allotted workshop time to discuss their work and/or writing dilemmas rather than submit pages).
- discuss publishing, including drafting sample query letters and elevator pitches
- hear from guest speakers including published novelists and industry experts
- read two novels (tbd) to discuss and deconstruct as a group with an eye toward both craft and publishing trends
- the instructor is happy to schedule individual follow up sessions as requested following critique sessions, as well as a six-month or one-year check in after the class concludes.
\*Students should be prepared to read and offer comments on the work of other participants. Detailed guidance will be provided at the first class about how this process will work.
---
# Schedule
This class will meet virtually every other Tuesday, with a two-month reading and writing break over the summer. Workshop dates run from January 20, 2026 – December 1, 2026, 7–9:30pm ET, with a month-long break over the summer for students to focus on writing.
Jan. 20
Feb. 3
Feb. 17
March 3
March 17
March 31
April 14
April 28
May 12
May 26
June 9
June 23
SUMMER BREAK
August 25
Sept. 8
Sept. 22
Oct. 6
Oct. 20
Nov. 3
Nov. 17
Dec. 1
---
# 1:1 Mentoring
All workshops will be held over Zoom, with additional opportunities to meet 1:1 with Susan upon request. All enrolled students will have the option to schedule an individual follow-up meeting (1 hour) with Susan approximately 6 months after the conclusion of the workshop.
---
# To Apply
**Application Deadline: Friday, January 9, 2026**
To apply, please submit a cover letter describing your background and the project that you have in mind. The first five pages of the novel you will be working on are welcome as part of the application, but not required. The class will be limited to ten students. Send your submission to <emily.holland@writer.org> by Friday, January 9th, 2026. Admissions will be on a rolling basis so participants are encouraged to submit early.
*Acceptance into the workshop is required before registering.*
---
# About Book Farm @ The Writer’s Center
The Writer’s Center hosts a series of workshops for serious writers to complete book-length projects, generate new work for publication, or master the elements of craft within a specific genre. You’ll work with an acclaimed author, guiding you through 4-12 months of lessons, workshops, and revisions. Our instructors are all accomplished educators with a track record of student success. Limited enrollment with rolling admission up to the application deadline, so apply right away to secure your spot!
All Book Farm participants receive an exclusive tote bag, a craft book recommended by the instructor, and a $100 gift certificate good toward future TWC workshops. Participants also receive exclusive access to The Writer’s Center staff, all of whom are accomplished writers with extensive experience in editing and publishing.
**Event Categories:** Fiction, Master Level, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Awakening Through Words: A Spring Equinox Workshop](https://writer.org/event/awakening-through-words-a-spring-equinox-workshop/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** As the world tilts toward renewal, this workshop invites writers to align with the energy of the Spr...
**Content:**
# Step into the balance of light and dark, and let your words become your offering to spring.
As the world tilts toward renewal, this workshop invites writers to align with the energy of the Spring Equinox and deepen their creative expression. Participants will engage in guided journaling, visualization, and inspired writing to shed what no longer serves—and to plant the seeds of what’s next. Through reflection, shared writing prompts, and gentle community, you’ll move from stillness to story and emerge with words that signal new growth. Bring a pen or pencil and something to write on. Also bring an open mind and curious heart.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Engage writing as a tool for transition, renewal and intention-setting.
- Identify and release creative blocks or habits that are holding you back.
- Craft a written piece that captures a seasonal intention or creative vision.
- Establish a nature-aligned, mindful writing practice that reflects the rhythms of renewal.
# Time Requirements
- No time requirement outside of class.
# Materials
- All materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Writers, journalers, and creative seekers who wish to explore the intersection of nature, ritual, and writing—especially those looking to refresh their process or begin anew in the spring.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Crafting Swoonworthy Romance](https://writer.org/event/crafting-swoonworthy-romance/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Romance is a booming market. Although maligned as “fluff,” writing a compelling romance requires ser...
**Content:**
# Write a romance novel readers can’t put down!
Romance is a booming market. Although maligned as “fluff,” writing a compelling romance requires serious craft! This workshop will be presented asynchronously in four sessions, focused on identifying your ideal reader, meeting your main characters, crafting a plot, and showing romantic tension on the page. Although the instructor specializes in writing LGBTQ+ romantic comedies, they welcome romance writers of all genres.
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Select the romance sub-genre(s) that are right for your story
- Develop a compelling protagonist and love interest
- Craft a page-turning romantic plot
- Amp up romantic tension on the page
# Time requirements
- 1-2 hours per week outside of class.
# Materials
- Romancing the Beat: Story Structure for Romance Novels by Gwen Hayes
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for anyone struggling with the plot and structure of their novel.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Fiction, Wet Ink, Workshop
---
### [Intermediate Novel Writing: The 8 Cs](https://writer.org/event/intermediate-novel-writing-the-8-cs-4/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Are you serious about writing a novel but struggling? This intermediate course will examine the eigh...
**Content:**
# Let’s finish that novel you started!
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.)
---
***Learn at your own pace:** This workshop will take place over **Wet Ink**, which is an asynchronous creative writing platform. The instructor will post a lesson and assignment at the beginning of each week, and participants can log in and read the lessons/post assignments/comment on other classmates’ work at their convenience. Shortly before the start date, participants will receive an invite from Wet Ink to create their login info and access the class. Please check your spam if you don’t see it.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Concept
- Character
- Circumstances
- Conflict
- Complications
- Crisis
- Climax
- Conclusion
# Time requirements
- 3-5 hours/week
# Materials
- All materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for writers looking to deepen their understanding of the major components of novel-writing.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 8 Sessions, Fiction, Intermediate Level, Wet Ink, Workshop
---
### [From Novice to Novelist](https://writer.org/event/from-novice-to-novelist-2/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** This workshop deconstructs and demystifies the novel-writing process for struggling and/or aspiring ...
**Content:**
# An overview of all the moving parts involved in writing–and marketing–your novel.
This workshop deconstructs and demystifies the novel-writing process for struggling and/or aspiring writers. We’ll discuss everything, 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, 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.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop:
- Students will get a birds-eye view of all the moving parts involved in the novel-writing process.
- Students will learn how to tap into their creative subconscious to access the “write-what-you-know” details of their lives that will inform their fiction.
- Students will gain practical skills for igniting their curiosity, enabling them to get out of their comfort zones and into the lives of people of other genders, cultures, and ages.
- Students will gain practical rewriting, proofreading, and copy editing skills that will add depth, texture, detail, and professionalism to their manuscripts.
- Students will come away with the confidence and encouragement to start — and/or complete — their novel.
# Time requirements
- I’ll provide writing assignment “suggestions” for students who want to apply what they’re learning, but there’s no required work outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This is primarily for people who have finally decided to get serious about writing the novel they’ve been putting off writing–sometimes for decades. It’s also for the person who has begun to write a novel, but who feels overwhelmed and/or stuck.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 6 Sessions, Beginner Level, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing](https://writer.org/event/fundamentals-of-persuasive-writing/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Learn how to pack a powerful punch when writing persuasively! This four-week workshop covers the pro...
**Content:**
# Learn how to change minds, build support and make the case for your viewpoints and goals.
Learn how to pack a powerful punch when writing persuasively! This four-week workshop covers the processes involved in writing persuasively and with confidence, whether it is crafting newspaper op-eds and speeches or official emails, memos, letters and proposals. Everything starts with a core message. Think. Plan. Write. Participants will learn the techniques of audience analysis, message development, targeted research, organization, using persuasive language and effective use of “AI” in planning/strategizing. This class features hands-on writing instruction, engaging discussion and an extensive reading list.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How to Nail Down Your Opinion and Stake Out Your Argument or Ultimate Goal
- How to Plan and Write Strategically
- How to Refine and Finalize Your Writing
# Time requirements
- 1-2 hours weekly.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This is a great workshop for beginners and intermediate writers who want to tap into the power of “penning with persuasion.”
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Write the Day](https://writer.org/event/write-the-day-2/)
**Published:** December 7, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
# You will transform your day into poetry and fiction. You will make poems and stories from everyday details of your life.
We will read and then write poems and stories starting from close observation of our day, from waking to preparing coffee and bread, to recalling a dream, to answering a nagging question from the night’s quarrel, to walking in the woods, to calling a friend for a chat, to starting a virtual session with a client, or putting on a jacket and catching a bus and taking it to the metro and then an office.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- To write from dreams.
- To consider every experience as material for poetry and fiction.
- To write a poem in ten minutes.
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Poets, fiction writers, memoirists
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Virtual Info Session for Novel Club w/ Lisa Ko](https://writer.org/event/virtual-info-session-for-novel-club-w-lisa-ko/)
**Published:** December 18, 2025
**Author:** Emily Holland
**Content:**
**Meet Lisa Ko, instructor for our Novel Club 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: February 16, 2026**
**Workshop Dates: Begins March 4, meeting biweekly for ~10 months**
**Cost: $5,400 \| Members $5,300**
Jumpstart your novel and writing practice in this ten-month intensive!
If you’re wondering how to write a novel and sustain a writing practice in the midst of everything, Novel Club is for you. Together, with the guidance of an experienced mentor and author and the camaraderie of your Novel Club cohort, this is the year we will write and revise our novels. Through craft talks, workshops, and generative exercises, you’ll experiment, look at your blocks, and define your creative process, building a regular writing practice that works for your project and busy life. You’ll find a clear path forward for your manuscript and actionable next steps.
# [**Find the full details and apply here »**](https://writer.org/event/novel-club-w-lisa-ko/)
**Event Categories:** Fiction, Workshop
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat w/ Poet Cortney Lamar Charleston](https://writer.org/event/cortney-lamar-charleston/)
**Published:** October 28, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
*Poet Lore* and The Writer’s Center present a FREE virtual chat about the craft of poetry! We’re joined by Cortney Lamar Charleston to discuss his new collection, *It’s Important I Remember*. Cortney is in conversation with Emily Holland, poet and editor of [*Poet Lore*, America’s oldest poetry journal](https://www.poetlore.com/).
RSVP below to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). FREE and open to the public, all times Eastern.
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from the publisher »](https://nupress.northwestern.edu/9780810149649/its-important-i-remember/)
---
**Cortney Lamar Charleston** is the author of three full-length poetry collections: *Telepathologies* (Saturnalia Books, 2017), selected by D.A. Powell for the 2016 Saturnalia Books Poetry Prize; *Doppelgangbanger* (Haymarket Books, 2021), named a best book of 2021 by the New York Public Library and The Boston Globe; and *It’s Important I Remember* (Curbstone Books/Northwestern University Press, 2026). He was awarded a Ruth Lilly and Dorothy Sargent Rosenberg Fellowship from the Poetry Foundation, and he has also received fellowships from Cave Canem and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. Winner of a Pushcart Prize, his poems have appeared in *POETRY*, *The Nation*, *The American Poetry Review*, *The Kenyon Review*, *Granta* and many other publications. Charleston currently serves on the Haymarket Books Poetry Advisory Board.
---
# About the Book
An incantation of strength and solace for persisting in twenty-first-century America
“History doesn’t repeat, it rhymes.” In his sweeping third collection, Charleston brings a poet’s ear for echo and rhythm to bear on American history and life after 2016. For Charleston, these rhymes cut two ways: the long tradition of American racism and fascism, and the steady pulse of Black persistence. The collection’s titular invocation frames each poem, at times an oratory to rally a crowd, in other moments a private prayer whispered as the speaker gathers himself to face another day. Charleston insists that should we cede memory of our national biography—whether to repression or indifference—we will witness the country’s dissolution into something unrecognizable to many, yet all too familiar to its most marginalized people. But with each reiteration and riff, he also invokes a tenuous hope—that if we summon an American history of Black resistance, we might still make a more perfect union.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Audiobook Creation: Tips on Publishing Accessible Audiobook Stories](https://writer.org/event/audiobook-creation/)
**Published:** December 15, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes **Sarah Keisler** who will introduce authors to the process of publishing an audiobook-version of their story using audiobook creation platforms like ACX, Author’s Republic, and more.
---
# Why Create an Audiobook?
Audiobooks are more popular than ever, and are a great way for both established authors and self-published indie writers to increase their works’ accessibility and popularity. Digital audiobook publishing, especially through subscription services like Audible, is at an all-time high in consumption. An Audio Publishers Association Sales Survey found that audiobook sales had increased 13% from 2023 to 2024. After a number of years of sales growing at a rate of at least 10% annually, sales rose 9% in 2023. 38% of American adults listened to an audiobook in the last year. Those who read via audiobook (at least once per year) consumed 6.8 titles in the year. Authors who take advantage of this popularity are primed increase their readership and grow their writing careers. Self-publishing authors who don’t have access to publishers’ audiobook-producing resources can now also create their own audiobooks through technology platforms like ACX.
---
**Sarah Keisler** is an audiobook narrator and actor originally from Louisville, Kentucky. She lives in Washington D.C. with her cat, Peach. Sarah graduated from Youth Performing Arts School as a Musical Theater Major in 2018. After graduating from Georgetown as an international affairs major, she revived her passion for performing arts and has performed in productions with The Little Theater of Alexandria and the COIL Project. She began her first narration project in 2025 as a federal government furlough project and fell in love. She is on her fifth project, and working to bring small authors’ work to life is her favorite part of the journey. Sarah has always had a passion for reading, especially audiobooks, and identifies as an “English major” at heart. Her favorite genres are horror, fantasy, and romance, and her favorite authors are Leigh Bardugo and T. Kingfisher. Her narration hero is Shelby Novak from Scare You To Sleep. Please see her website here: <https://sarahtellsstories.my.canva.site/>
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [BIPOC Writers Mixer](https://writer.org/event/bipoc-writers-mixer-feb/)
**Published:** December 16, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
**Calling all BIPOC writers in the DMV! Let’s hang out and talk writing!**
Come join us for an informal gathering at The Writer’s Center to meet new writers, make new friends, and share your love of the written word. Please bring a drink or an appetizer that serves six. You’re welcome to bring a friend, too.
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP required below.**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Open Mic @ The Writer's Center](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-apr2026-1/)
**Published:** December 16, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
Prose, poetry, and spoken word Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center! All writers are welcome to come and share 4-5 minutes of their latest work.
- **Sign-up starts at 6:45pm, and readings begin promptly at 7pm.**
- **Limited to 20 readers, so arrive early if you plan to read.**
Sponsored by [*Poet Lore*](poetlore.com), America’s oldest poetry magazine.
FREE and open to the public. Please note that we no longer offer advance sign-up.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Open Mic @ The Writer's Center](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-dec2026/)
**Published:** December 16, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
Prose, poetry, and spoken word Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center! All writers are welcome to come and share 4-5 minutes of their latest work.
- **Sign-up starts at 6:45pm, and readings begin promptly at 7pm.**
- **Limited to 20 readers, so arrive early if you plan to read.**
Sponsored by [*Poet Lore*](poetlore.com), America’s oldest poetry magazine.
FREE and open to the public. Please note that we no longer offer advance sign-up.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Open Mic @ The Writer's Center](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-nov2026/)
**Published:** December 16, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
Prose, poetry, and spoken word Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center! All writers are welcome to come and share 4-5 minutes of their latest work.
- **Sign-up starts at 6:45pm, and readings begin promptly at 7pm.**
- **Limited to 20 readers, so arrive early if you plan to read.**
Sponsored by [*Poet Lore*](poetlore.com), America’s oldest poetry magazine.
FREE and open to the public. Please note that we no longer offer advance sign-up.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Open Mic @ The Writer's Center](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-oct2026-2/)
**Published:** December 16, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
Prose, poetry, and spoken word Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center! All writers are welcome to come and share 4-5 minutes of their latest work.
- **Sign-up starts at 6:45pm, and readings begin promptly at 7pm.**
- **Limited to 20 readers, so arrive early if you plan to read.**
Sponsored by [*Poet Lore*](poetlore.com), America’s oldest poetry magazine.
FREE and open to the public. Please note that we no longer offer advance sign-up.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Open Mic @ The Writer's Center](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-oct2026-1/)
**Published:** December 16, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
Prose, poetry, and spoken word Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center! All writers are welcome to come and share 4-5 minutes of their latest work.
- **Sign-up starts at 6:45pm, and readings begin promptly at 7pm.**
- **Limited to 20 readers, so arrive early if you plan to read.**
Sponsored by [*Poet Lore*](poetlore.com), America’s oldest poetry magazine.
FREE and open to the public. Please note that we no longer offer advance sign-up.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Open Mic @ The Writer's Center](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-sep2026-2/)
**Published:** December 16, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
Prose, poetry, and spoken word Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center! All writers are welcome to come and share 4-5 minutes of their latest work.
- **Sign-up starts at 6:45pm, and readings begin promptly at 7pm.**
- **Limited to 20 readers, so arrive early if you plan to read.**
Sponsored by [*Poet Lore*](poetlore.com), America’s oldest poetry magazine.
FREE and open to the public. Please note that we no longer offer advance sign-up.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Open Mic @ The Writer's Center](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-sep2026-1/)
**Published:** December 16, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
Prose, poetry, and spoken word Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center! All writers are welcome to come and share 4-5 minutes of their latest work.
- **Sign-up starts at 6:45pm, and readings begin promptly at 7pm.**
- **Limited to 20 readers, so arrive early if you plan to read.**
Sponsored by [*Poet Lore*](poetlore.com), America’s oldest poetry magazine.
FREE and open to the public. Please note that we no longer offer advance sign-up.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Open Mic @ The Writer's Center](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-aug2026-2/)
**Published:** December 16, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
Prose, poetry, and spoken word Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center! All writers are welcome to come and share 4-5 minutes of their latest work.
- **Sign-up starts at 6:45pm, and readings begin promptly at 7pm.**
- **Limited to 20 readers, so arrive early if you plan to read.**
Sponsored by [*Poet Lore*](poetlore.com), America’s oldest poetry magazine.
FREE and open to the public. Please note that we no longer offer advance sign-up.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Open Mic @ The Writer's Center](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-aug2026-1/)
**Published:** December 16, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
Prose, poetry, and spoken word Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center! All writers are welcome to come and share 4-5 minutes of their latest work.
- **Sign-up starts at 6:45pm, and readings begin promptly at 7pm.**
- **Limited to 20 readers, so arrive early if you plan to read.**
Sponsored by [*Poet Lore*](poetlore.com), America’s oldest poetry magazine.
FREE and open to the public. Please note that we no longer offer advance sign-up.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Open Mic @ The Writer's Center](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-july2026-2/)
**Published:** December 16, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
Prose, poetry, and spoken word Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center! All writers are welcome to come and share 4-5 minutes of their latest work.
- **Sign-up starts at 6:45pm, and readings begin promptly at 7pm.**
- **Limited to 20 readers, so arrive early if you plan to read.**
Sponsored by [*Poet Lore*](poetlore.com), America’s oldest poetry magazine.
FREE and open to the public. Please note that we no longer offer advance sign-up.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Open Mic @ The Writer's Center](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-july2026-1/)
**Published:** December 16, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
Prose, poetry, and spoken word Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center! All writers are welcome to come and share 4-5 minutes of their latest work.
- **Sign-up starts at 6:45pm, and readings begin promptly at 7pm.**
- **Limited to 20 readers, so arrive early if you plan to read.**
Sponsored by [*Poet Lore*](poetlore.com), America’s oldest poetry magazine.
FREE and open to the public. Please note that we no longer offer advance sign-up.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Open Mic @ The Writer's Center](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-jun2026-2/)
**Published:** December 16, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
Prose, poetry, and spoken word Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center! All writers are welcome to come and share 4-5 minutes of their latest work.
- **Sign-up starts at 6:45pm, and readings begin promptly at 7pm.**
- **Limited to 20 readers, so arrive early if you plan to read.**
Sponsored by [*Poet Lore*](poetlore.com), America’s oldest poetry magazine.
FREE and open to the public. Please note that we no longer offer advance sign-up.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Open Mic @ The Writer's Center](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-jun2026-1/)
**Published:** December 16, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
Prose, poetry, and spoken word Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center! All writers are welcome to come and share 4-5 minutes of their latest work.
- **Sign-up starts at 6:45pm, and readings begin promptly at 7pm.**
- **Limited to 20 readers, so arrive early if you plan to read.**
Sponsored by [*Poet Lore*](poetlore.com), America’s oldest poetry magazine.
FREE and open to the public. Please note that we no longer offer advance sign-up.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Open Mic @ The Writer's Center](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-may2026-2/)
**Published:** December 16, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
Prose, poetry, and spoken word Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center! All writers are welcome to come and share 4-5 minutes of their latest work.
- **Sign-up starts at 6:45pm, and readings begin promptly at 7pm.**
- **Limited to 20 readers, so arrive early if you plan to read.**
Sponsored by [*Poet Lore*](poetlore.com), America’s oldest poetry magazine.
FREE and open to the public. Please note that we no longer offer advance sign-up.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Open Mic @ The Writer's Center](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-may2026-1/)
**Published:** December 16, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
Prose, poetry, and spoken word Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center! All writers are welcome to come and share 4-5 minutes of their latest work.
- **Sign-up starts at 6:45pm, and readings begin promptly at 7pm.**
- **Limited to 20 readers, so arrive early if you plan to read.**
Sponsored by [*Poet Lore*](poetlore.com), America’s oldest poetry magazine.
FREE and open to the public. Please note that we no longer offer advance sign-up.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Open Mic @ The Writer's Center](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-march2026-2/)
**Published:** December 16, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
Prose, poetry, and spoken word Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center! All writers are welcome to come and share 4-5 minutes of their latest work.
- **Sign-up starts at 6:45pm, and readings begin promptly at 7pm.**
- **Limited to 20 readers, so arrive early if you plan to read.**
Sponsored by [*Poet Lore*](poetlore.com), America’s oldest poetry magazine.
FREE and open to the public. Please note that we no longer offer advance sign-up.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Open Mic @ The Writer's Center](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-march2026-1/)
**Published:** December 16, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
Prose, poetry, and spoken word Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center! All writers are welcome to come and share 4-5 minutes of their latest work.
- **Sign-up starts at 6:45pm, and readings begin promptly at 7pm.**
- **Limited to 20 readers, so arrive early if you plan to read.**
Sponsored by [*Poet Lore*](poetlore.com), America’s oldest poetry magazine.
FREE and open to the public. Please note that we no longer offer advance sign-up.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Open Mic @ The Writer's Center](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-feb2026-2/)
**Published:** December 16, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
Prose, poetry, and spoken word Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center! All writers are welcome to come and share 4-5 minutes of their latest work.
- **Sign-up starts at 6:45pm, and readings begin promptly at 7pm.**
- **Limited to 20 readers, so arrive early if you plan to read.**
Sponsored by [*Poet Lore*](poetlore.com), America’s oldest poetry magazine.
FREE and open to the public. Please note that we no longer offer advance sign-up.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Open Mic @ The Writer's Center](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-feb2026-1/)
**Published:** December 16, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
Prose, poetry, and spoken word Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center! All writers are welcome to come and share 4-5 minutes of their latest work.
- **Sign-up starts at 6:45pm, and readings begin promptly at 7pm.**
- **Limited to 20 readers, so arrive early if you plan to read.**
Sponsored by [*Poet Lore*](poetlore.com), America’s oldest poetry magazine.
FREE and open to the public. Please note that we no longer offer advance sign-up.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Open Mic @ The Writer's Center](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-jan2026-1/)
**Published:** December 16, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
Prose, poetry, and spoken word Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center! All writers are welcome to come and share 4-5 minutes of their latest work.
- **Sign-up starts at 6:45pm, and readings begin promptly at 7pm.**
- **Limited to 20 readers, so arrive early if you plan to read.**
Sponsored by [*Poet Lore*](poetlore.com), America’s oldest poetry magazine.
FREE and open to the public. Please note that we no longer offer advance sign-up.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Ten Pro Tips for Writing Life Stories](https://writer.org/event/ten-pro-tips-for-writing-life-stories-2/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** With ten crucial tips and in-class writing prompts, learn how to capture your life on the page scene...
**Content:**
# Where do you begin your life story and how do you guarantee it is interesting to others?
With ten crucial tips and in-class writing prompts, learn how to capture your life on the page scene by scene. From point-of-entry to transformative conclusion, you will find your story subjects, create tension, and most of all, meaning— so that the story you tell is the one that most mattered.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Where to find your subjects
- How to include humor and pathos
- How to make those stories of universal interest to readers
- The elements of craft that make your work potent and polished
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Writers in search of the best approach to telling their stories, who want the quality of their work to be publishable whether or not that is the goal, who need help finding and honing stories that are true, humorous, and moving, both individually and as a means to a memoir.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Crafting Compelling Characters](https://writer.org/event/crafting-compelling-characters/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Fictional characters are the entry point for readers to engage with the worlds that writers create. ...
**Content:**
# Craft realistic characters that step off the page!
Fictional characters are the entry point for readers to engage with the worlds that writers create. In this session, we will look at previously published books to examine 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! The class includes hands-on writing exercises. Attendees will walk away with the tools they need to craft compelling characters.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Character Development
- Backstory
- Concrete Detail
- Personality Models
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- Suggested reading: The Science of Storytelling by Will Storr and Outlining Your Novel by K.M. Weiland
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for beginning and intermediate fiction writers who want to craft more compelling characters. Memoir writers will be able to apply many of the lessons to their writing as well.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Poem Fundamentals](https://writer.org/event/poem-fundamentals/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** This class aims to teach students how to write poems that surprise with imagery and ingenuity. Sever...
**Content:**
# Create poems that succeed with editors!
This class aims to teach students how to write poems that surprise with imagery and ingenuity. Several poetic fundamentals will be discussed in class using example poems. Students will also workshop their poems throughout the class. Each class will include a reading of 1-2 poems, discussion of a poetic fundamental, and some workshopping of poems. At the end of the class each participant should have 2-3 poem drafts written that are on their way toward revision.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll look at:
- Generating content
- Dreams and streams of consciousness
- Metaphors and similes
- Imagery
- Revision
# Time requirements
- To prepare reading, critiquing classmates’ poems, and writing poems, it takes about 2-3 hours a week.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Beginning to intermediate students who wish to improve their poetry by writing the poems of their dreams.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 6 Sessions, Beginner Level, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [It’s All in the Details: Description in Fiction](https://writer.org/event/its-all-in-the-details-description-in-fiction/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Description is an important element in fiction to orient the reader to setting and characters. But h...
**Content:**
# Explore how selecting the right details can add texture and depth to a story.
Description is an important element in fiction to orient the reader to setting and characters. But how do you know what and how much to describe? Too much can slow the narrative and bore the reader, and not enough can leave a reader feeling lost or confused. By reviewing excerpts from a wide array of short stories and novels, we will explore how selecting the right details can add texture and depth to a story. Participants will have an opportunity to practice writing their own descriptions.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Description in fiction
- Setting and characters
- Concrete detail
# Time Requirements
- No time requirement outside of class.
# Materials
- All materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This is for intermediate writers looking to enhance their writing craft.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Fiction, Intermediate Level, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Freedom With Forms](https://writer.org/event/freedom-with-forms-5/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Here’s an opportunity to shed any misconception that poetic forms are only constricting. Inspired by...
**Content:**
# Have you discovered the liberation of writing poetry in forms?
Here’s an opportunity to shed any misconception that poetic forms are only constricting. Inspired by Richard Moore’s “The Rule That Liberates,” we will do brief writing exercises that use the enchantment of meter and rhyme to free your deeper imagination. After exploring several traditional forms, we will experiment with creating improvised (nonce) forms. Participants may leave with at least one new draft poem and ideas for creating more.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How “received” forms can tap the imagination in unexpected ways
- How to vary forms and yet leave them recognizable
- Triolet and other short forms
- Ghazal and other longer forms
- Nonce Forms
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for any poet who would like to understand (or better understand) the freedom of writing in forms.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Intermediate/Advanced Level, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [How to Write a Lot](https://writer.org/event/how-to-write-a-lot-6/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** You may think you don't have the time, energy, or inspiration to write because of your hectic lifest...
**Content:**
# Discover how to complete any writing project more efficiently!
You may think you don’t have the time, energy, or inspiration to write because of your hectic lifestyle. Wrong! Learn what Kathryn Johnson’s Extreme Novelists know about organizing their time, establishing a productive writing routine, and getting their stories written. We’ll share methods EN Grads (and many professional writers) use to complete their books in months instead of years, their short stories in mere weeks. Become the dedicated author you’ve always dreamed of being. (Ideal for writers who don’t have 8 weeks to dedicate to the Extreme Novelist course.)
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Developing focus
- Time management skills
- Inspiration
- Creating a writing habit
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Any author needing help with fitting their writing into an already busy life.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [30 Ways to Market Your Book on a Budget](https://writer.org/event/30-ways-to-market-your-book-on-a-budget-2/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** You’ve written, or are writing your book; now it’s time to fight for it! In this workshop you’ll dis...
**Content:**
# You don’t need a big budget to make a big splash with your book; just the right strategy.
You’ve written, or are writing your book; now it’s time to fight for it! In this workshop you’ll discover over 30 practical, budget-friendly book marketing strategies, from building a book launch to leveraging social media, blogs, podcasts, Amazon tools, press releases, and more. Each session will be fast-paced, idea-heavy, and packed with real-world tactics you can apply immediately. By the end of the program, you’ll walk away with a personalized, actionable marketing plan, and the confidence to promote your book like a pro.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Over 30 marketing ideas.
- Tips on negotiating larger book sales.
- The value of working with book distributors.
- Strategies designed to get those Amazon reviews.
- How to create a book launch that energizes those who support you!
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers who have published a book, are preparing to publish, or have a finished manuscript they believe in. Whether you’re launching your debut or giving new life to an existing title, it’s never too early, or too late, to champion your book and get it into the hands of readers.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 2 Sessions, All Levels, Publishing, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Playwriting I: The Playwright’s Toolbox](https://writer.org/event/playwriting-i-the-playwrights-toolbox/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Write your first (or newest) play, break that writers’ block, and unlock your theatrical voice! Duri...
**Content:**
# Learn the core elements of playwriting and theatrical storytelling and build the first draft of your new play!
Write your first (or newest) play, break that writers’ block, and unlock your theatrical voice! During this three-month course, a cohort of writers will learn the central elements of playwriting and write a new play from page 0 to draft 1. In the first few sessions, class will involve a group discussion of a contemporary American play and its use of craft and an in-class writing exercise inspired by the text – then, writers will bring in pages from their new plays and practice generative feedback as a group. By the end of the workshop, our writers will have completed at least one draft of their new play and received one round of generative feedback from their cohort.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Character – How can you use linguistic patterns, repetition, and even font size to develop your central protagonists?
- Tone and world-building – What is this world you’ve invited us into?
- Adaptation – How can you be in conversation with novels, existing plays, and even nonfiction?
- Structure, Themes, and Form – Contemporary American plays have their own unique engine and dramatic structure. How can you craft the structure that fits your story and themes? What do you want this play to do?
- Theatrical gesture – You are writing a work to be performed in a space with an audience. What does your audience need to see? What must they hear, experience?
# Time requirements
- Around 1-2 hours of outside preparation will be required outside of class. For the first part of the “semester,” we will be reading plays in preparation to discuss and experiment with their core elements of storytelling.
# Materials
- These plays should be available digitally from their publishers or in print from many local booksellers (I recommend the Drama Bookshop in NYC or the Understudy in Chicago) – buying the published scripts are important in supporting the working lives of the writers!
THE CHINESE LADY by Lloyd Suh
WISH YOU WERE HERE by Sanaz Toossi
AND I AND SILENCE by Naomi Wallace
FAIRVIEW by Jackie Sibblies Drury
WILD GOOSE DREAMS by Hansol Jung
LUNCH BUNCH by Adrien Einspanier
ON SUGARLAND by Aleshea Harris
INDECENT by Paula Vogel (this is available to watch)
PASSING STRANGE by Stew & Heidi Rodewald (this is available to watch)
YERMA by Simon Stone, from Llorca (this is available to rent on NT At Home) CRAFT IN THE REAL WORLD by Matthew Salesses (small excerpts will be referenced, purchase not required)
SPRING, SUMMER, ASTEROID, BIRD by Henry Lien (small excerpts will be referenced, purchase not required)
VISIT TO A SMALL PLANET by Eleanor Fuchs (PDF will be provided)
CRITICAL RESPONSE PROCESS by Liz Lerman (PDF will be provided)
# Who should take this workshop?
- This course is designed for beginning playwrights who can’t seem to finish that first draft and for writers who’ve always wanted to write a play but don’t know where to start! If you have writers’ block, if you think you just “can’t” write that play, if you want to learn how to build your own unique craft as a playwright, this is the beginning of that journey!
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 10 Sessions, Beginner Level, Stage and Screen, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [The Extreme Novelist](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-6/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** If you struggle to get your novel written, you aren't alone. Most novelists never complete the story...
**Content:**
# Create a full first draft of your novel in three months!
If you struggle to get your novel written, you aren’t alone. Most novelists never complete the story they set out to tell because they go at the job of writing book-length fiction the wrong way. Years into the attempt, they give up. Join us to discover effective methods for making your journey to a complete rough draft of your book less stressful, more exciting and satisfying. Many students are able to complete their stories in 8-12 weeks and are then well-prepared for tackling their revisions and polishing prior to submission to literary agents and publishers.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Structure
- Plot development
- Voice & Style
- Time Management & Productivity
# Time requirements
- Writing time: 90 minutes per day/6 days per week for 8 weeks
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Authors interested in learning the basics and more advanced tools and processes for writing long-form fiction.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 8 Sessions, Fiction, Intermediate/Advanced Level, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Mystery Novel for the Novice](https://writer.org/event/mystery-novel-for-the-novice/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Learn how to differentiate the unique mystery tropes while gaining a better understanding of the exp...
**Content:**
# Learn about the different mystery tropes and subgenres while obtaining the building blocks for your caper!
Learn how to differentiate the unique mystery tropes while gaining a better understanding of the expectations surrounding popular mystery subgenres. Explore important tools related to crafting clues and red herrings. Beginners will have the opportunity to use the tips provided to craft their own miniature plot outline.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Mystery tropes
- Mystery subgenres
- Plot expectations
- Setting tools
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is intended to help beginners interested in writing their own mystery novel.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Beginner Level, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Interiority: What Is It and How Do I Do It?](https://writer.org/event/interiority-what-is-it-and-how-do-i-do-it/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** In this one-session workshop we'll dive into the creative writing workshop buzzword "interiority" so...
**Content:**
# Learn to make your characters pop off the page by making their interiority come alive!
In this one-session workshop we’ll dive into the creative writing workshop buzzword “interiority” so that you can use it to flesh out your characters. We’ll talk about why interiority is so crucial to characterization in both fiction and creative nonfiction and how to make it feel vital and exciting. We’ll also discuss the crucial differences between interiority and the dreaded “telling” (as in “show, don’t tell”), looking at examples from published writing. Then we’ll try out some exercises so you feel confident about adding interiority to your writing.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Characterization
- Communicating Emotion Through Thought
- Specific Language to Express Emotions Instead of the Usual Clichés
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for fiction and CNF writers of all levels who want to explore interiority and break down this oft-used workshop term, finding practical ways to address it on the page.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Words that Heal: An Expressive Writing Workshop](https://writer.org/event/words-that-heal-an-expressive-writing-workshop/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Writing can be both a creative act and a path toward healing. In this workshop, we’ll explore the pr...
**Content:**
# Transform pain into meaning through the power of words.
Writing can be both a creative act and a path toward healing. In this workshop, we’ll explore the practice of narrative healing—using storytelling and expressive writing to process life’s challenges and uncover meaning in our experiences. Participants will learn a creative, accessible approach to the expressive writing method, a well-researched practice shown to support emotional well-being, resilience, and personal growth. Through guided exercises, reflective prompts, and discussion, you’ll learn how to transform raw emotion into language that restores, empowers, and connects. Participants will leave with new writing and inspiration for future projects.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How to explore complex experiences through storytelling
- Techniques that combine the healing power of writing with the tools of literary craft
- How to develop a healing narrative arc for your story
- Strategies for developing a restorative writing practice
# Time requirements
- 1-2 hours
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for beginning and intermediate writers interested in using expressive writing as a tool for reflection, healing, and creative story development.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 2 Sessions, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Poetry as Autobiography](https://writer.org/event/poetry-as-autobiography/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** The autobiographical impulse has always been a strong one in American poetry, but it wasn’t until th...
**Content:**
# If you want to write about your life, beware of the pitfalls!
The autobiographical impulse has always been a strong one in American poetry, but it wasn’t until the so-called “confessional” poets began writing in the late 1950s and 60s that the poet’s life became a widely accepted source of inspiration. In this workshop, we will examine autobiographical poetry’s roots in Confessionalism and some of the legal and ethical concerns that have arisen as a result. Then we will look at some contemporary poets who write about their own lives and discuss how their work transcends the confessional impulse.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- What is confessional poetry, and why has its reputation suffered over the years?
- Who are the poets we associate with the confessional movement?
- What are some of the legal and ethical issues that have been raised when poets write about their own lives and personal relationships?
- What is the difference between a “good” autobiographical poem and a self-indulgent one?
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Because writing about the events of our lives is such a widespread impulse, this workshop will benefit poets at all levels.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Writing Food & Memories](https://writer.org/event/writing-food-memories/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Food carries the stories of who we are and where we come from. In this workshop, we’ll explore how t...
**Content:**
# Discover how flavor, memory, and storytelling intertwine on the page!
Food carries the stories of who we are and where we come from. In this workshop, we’ll explore how taste, smell, and texture can become entry points into personal and cultural memory through readings by writers such as Sandra Cisneros, Alberto Ríos, Jaime Cortez, and Elizabeth Acevedo. Each week, we’ll read, discuss, and write short pieces that connect food to identity, belonging, and transformation, with in-class prompts and guided feedback. By the end of the course, participants will have drafted one complete short essay, prose poem, or poem that captures a vivid food memory. Please bring a short memory or family story involving a meaningful dish to the first class.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Sensory Writing: Using taste, smell, and texture to bring memories to life
- Memory & Storytelling: Turning personal experiences into vivid narratives
- Cultural Context: Exploring how food reflects identity, heritage, and belonging
- Voice & Tone: Finding the right language to express emotion and nostalgia
- Revision & Reflection: Shaping raw memories into polished creative pieces
# Time requirements
- Perhaps 1-2 hours working on extra revising work.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for everyone who loves food and wants to have fun writing about it—no experience required, just an appetite for stories.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 3 Sessions, All Levels, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Sonnet Crash Course](https://writer.org/event/sonnet-crash-course-4/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Guided by an award-winning and internationally published author of sonnets, villanelles, and other m...
**Content:**
# What is special about the sonnet?
Guided by an award-winning and internationally published author of sonnets, villanelles, and other metrical poems, you’ll first read time-honored sonnets to see how and why they work. Next the class will write a group sonnet, and then — with or without shortcuts — you’ll start one of your own. You’ll leave with at least one new (draft) or improved sonnet, as well as insights about how writing poems in form can unlock deeper meaning and enhance everything you write.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Shakespearean and Petrarcan sonnets
- Iambic pentameter
- The Volta
- Can any 14-line poem (or any poem at all) be a sonnet?
- Feedback on participant poems
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for poets who would like to improve their sonnet skills, or write their first sonnet.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Intermediate/Advanced Level, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Plotting Your Novel](https://writer.org/event/plotting-your-novel-6/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Whether you are an organized planner or a writer who flies by the seat of their pants, a novel still...
**Content:**
# Are you a pantser or a planner?
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.
---
***Learn at your own pace:** This workshop will take place over **Wet Ink**, which is an asynchronous creative writing platform. The instructor will post a lesson and assignment at the beginning of each week, and participants can log in and read the lessons/post assignments/comment on other classmates’ work at their convenience. Shortly before the start date, participants will receive an invite from Wet Ink to create their login info and access the class. Please check your spam if you don’t see it.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Clearly define the premise of your novel
- Determine your main character(s) and the central conflicts (both external and internal)
- Define (and write) the inciting incident
- Determine the novel’s climax
- Begin to consider possible conclusions
# Time requirements
- 3-5 hours/week
# Materials
- Hooked by Les Edgerton
- Plot & Structure by James Scott Bell
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for anyone struggling with the plot and structure of their novel.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, All Levels, Fiction, Wet Ink, Workshop
---
### [Poetry Vs. Trauma](https://writer.org/event/poetry-vs-trauma-4/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Trauma can shut us down; writing poems can help free us to open up again. This workshop will present...
**Content:**
# Learn, and try out, some of the ways poetry can help free the writer.
Trauma can shut us down; writing poems can help free us to open up again. This workshop will present some of the many ways poetry has helped writers both heal trauma and prevent post-traumatic stress syndrome. Guided by an internationally published poet and health journalist, you will explore the science behind this and learn a range of techniques, immediately putting several of them to use in drafting new work. The workshop includes reading and discussion of time-honored poems, close attention to emotional and sensory aspects of poetry, several class writing exercises, and feedback on poems for those who wish to share them. (NOTE: All sharing is optional. This workshop is not a substitute for therapy.)
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Individual and societal healing through poetry
- Writing to help heal or prevent PTSD
- Emotional and sensory aspects of poetry
- Feedback on participant poems (optional)
# Time requirements
- Up to one hour per week
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for all those who would like to learn new ways of using poetry to help free themselves and/or others from effects of trauma.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 3 Sessions, All Levels, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Poet Bonnie Naradzay Book Launch](https://writer.org/event/bonnie-naradzay/)
**Published:** December 9, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes Poet Bonnie Naradzay for a reading and discussion of her new collection, *Invited to the Feast**.* Bonnie is in conversation with Poet David Keplinger who will also be reading his own poems.
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
**Bonnie Naradzay**’s poems appear in AGNI, New Letters (Pushcart Nomination), RHINO, Kenyon Review online, Tampa Review, Florida Review online, EPOCH, Pinch (Pushcart Nomination), American Journal of Poetry, One Art (Pushcart Nomination), Potomac Review, Poetry Miscellany, Dappled Things, The Birmingham Poetry Review, Crab Creek Review, Cumberland River Review, and others. Her poetry manuscript, Invited to the Feast, was published October 28, 2025 by Slant Books. Her essay on friendship was published in the anthology, Deep Beauty, in 2020. At Harvard University in the late 1960’s, she was a student in Robert Lowell’s class, “The King James Bible as English Literature.”
**David Keplinger** is a poet, translator, professor, and certified teacher of mindfulness. On April 23, 2025 it was announced that he is the recipient of the 2025 Joseph Brodsky Rome Prize from the American Academy in Rome. David is the author of *Ice* (Milkweed Editions, 2023) and seven other collections of poetry, including *The World to Come* (Conduit Books, 2021), winner of the 2020 Minds on Fire Prize and *Another City* (Milkweed Editions, 2018)*,* which was awarded the 2019 UNT Rilke Prize. Among his earlier books are *The Most Natural Thing* (New Issues, 2013) and *The Prayers of Others* (New Issues, 2006) which won the Colorado Book Award. His first collection, *The Rose Inside,* was selected by Mary Oliver for the 1999 T.S. Eliot Prize. Other honors include The Poetry Society of America’s Emily Dickinson Prize, the Cavafy Prize from *Poetry International*, and two fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts.
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# About *Invited to the Feast*
“Do not hurry your journey,” the poet says midway through this stunning collection. “Better if it lasts for years, so you arrive / laden with all you’ve lost along the way.” Bonnie Naradzay’s journey—as mother, professional, teacher, and longtime volunteer, leading poetry sessions in prisons, a retirement community, and among the homeless—has gathered much of both the lost and found, culminating in the publication of *Invited to the Feast*, a collection of poems and literary debut coming in her eightieth year.
With wisdom gleaned over time and craft honed over decades, Naradzay presents us with poems that range from dank encampments under city bridges to windswept Irish cliffs and Venetian vistas, finding a common human thread in street talk and the classic tropes of myth and our shared literary heritage.
*Invited to the Feast* is divided into three sections, each beginning with an epigraph that serves as a guide to reading each part. The poems collected here immerse the reader in the experience of interactive poetry classes, laments for mentors and family members who have gone, and far-flung travels. Free verse consorts with a diversity of forms, including the villanelle, ghazal, pantoum, sestina, and a poem in quatrains with the syllable count of sapphics.
Throughout this collection we sense that, despite loss and brokenness, love is still possible, and every one of us has been invited to this feast.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
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**Event Categories:** Event
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### [Let's Write! A Generative Workshop](https://writer.org/event/lets-write-a-generative-workshop-3/)
**Published:** December 9, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
# What is this next story, and how shall I tell it?
Using various writing prompts will invite ourselves into new stories, and explore new ways to tell familiar ones. Each week we will write together in response to prompts, and have the option and opportunity to share our fresh writing for positive feedback. We will consider aspects of technique, structure and genre as appropriate, and enjoy the enrichment of writing in community.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll have:
- A number of fresh, unique pieces.
- A greater sense of how your writing style resonates with readers.
# Time Requirements
- No time requirement outside of class.
# Materials
- All materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for beginning writers who want to explore and grow, as well as more experienced writers who would like a fresh start, creative inspiration, or just some company on this often lonely journey.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 5 Sessions, All Levels, Mixed Genre, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Writing Poetry Like a Movie](https://writer.org/event/writing-poetry-like-a-movie/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Imagine your poem as though you held a camera and planned a sequence, choosing what to include “in t...
**Content:**
# Organize what you show and tell your audience in your poems like a movie director.
Imagine your poem as though you held a camera and planned a sequence, choosing what to include “in the frame,” and where to go from shot to shot. Choose visual imagery and other poetic elements, and how to present them, whether in close-up, middle distance, or long shot, and move from one set of images to another as you uncover the structure of your poem. By the end of the workshop, poets will have two poems which hold the attention like a good movie.
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***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- “Camera” placement
- Distance: close-up, middle distance, long shot
- Point of view
- Panning – presenting information in continuous sequence
- Cutting – presenting information in segments
- Narration/Dialogue
- Solo voice
- “Over the shoulder”
- “The two shot”
- Pace
- Line length
- Meter/rhythm
# Time requirements
- 45-60 minutes weekly
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Those with experience writing narrative or story poems will benefit most from this approach to organizing such poems, but it also opens up the imagination for those who write lyric poetry – what do we show and tell the reader; how and when?
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 6 Sessions, Intermediate Level, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Writing from Deep Emotion](https://writer.org/event/writing-from-deep-emotion/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** When asked about her creative process, the writer Can Xue said: "Emotions are completely unleashed. ...
**Content:**
# Plunge into emotion and emerge with heart-driven new writing!
When asked about her creative process, the writer Can Xue said: “Emotions are completely unleashed. I turn towards the dark abyss of consciousness and plunge in, and in the tension between those two forces, I build… my stories.” In this generative writing workshop, we’ll plunge into our deepest emotions and emerge with heart-driven new writing. Each week’s session will be structured around a single emotion: joy, anger, fear, surprise, excitement, disgust, love, hope, sadness. During the session, we’ll read from examples in various genres by authors who have channeled that emotion into their work. From the seeds of these examples and other narrative prompts, we’ll plunge into our own consciousness and build new pieces of writing. After we emerge, we’ll share and compliment what we write. Authors we may read include Susan Choi, Han Kang, James Baldwin, Percival Everett, Clarice Lispector, Mariana Enriquez, Jose Saramago, and others. The emotions that structure the first three sessions will be of the moderator’s choosing; the last session will be selected by the students through vote. This workshop’s primary focus is to create and share new writing.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll gain:
- A number of new, fresh pieces.
- A greater sense of how to channel emotion into your work
- Prompts to continue sparking ideas and overcoming blocks
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for all writers looking to create new work inspired by their own emotions.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, All Levels, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Writing about Family](https://writer.org/event/writing-about-family/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** In this workshop, participants will receive guidance on writing about family relationships, dynamics...
**Content:**
# Find the story beneath the story in your family narrative.
In this workshop, participants will receive guidance on writing about family relationships, dynamics, and experiences to start drafting stories that can be developed into personal essays. We’ll explore the emotional and ethical complexities of writing about family, the importance of understanding the intention behind your writing, and key elements to include in the personal essay format. Participants will do in-class writing exercises, share their work if they choose, and come away with themes for future writing.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How to Identify themes and stories from family experiences
- How to translate personal moments into essay form
- How to navigate the challenges of writing about complex relationships
- Idea generation for future writing projects
# Time requirements
- optional 1 – 2 hours
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for beginning and intermediate writers seeking to explore and articulate family experiences with both insight and compassion.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Fast Drafting: The Art of Speed and Imperfection](https://writer.org/event/fast-drafting-the-art-of-speed-and-imperfection/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** John Boyne wrote The Boy in the Striped Pajamas in less than three days. Kazuo Ishigurodrafted The R...
**Content:**
# This course will teach you how to write as quickly and imperfectly as possible to finish a first draft of your novel.
John Boyne wrote The Boy in the Striped Pajamas in less than three days. Kazuo Ishiguro drafted The Remains of the Day in four weeks. About his process, Ishiguro explained, “The priority was simply to get the ideas surfacing and growing. Awful sentences, hideous dialogue, scenes that went nowhere – I let them remain and ploughed on.” By examining the fast-drafting process of established writers, this course will teach you how to silence the inner critic and accept imperfection as a necessary part of writing the first draft of any book. The majority of each session will be a lecture; however, you should also expect to complete writing exercises or respond to writing prompts. You can expect each lecture to discuss some aspect of fast drafting, including but not limited to where to begin, how to outline and prepare, how to set goals and deadlines, and how to overcome mental obstacles. By the end of this course, you’ll have learned fast drafting techniques to help jumpstart a new writing project or reignite enthusiasm for a languishing manuscript. For the first class, you should make sure you know which writing project you’d like to focus on for the duration of the course.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- how to outline and prepare to write a first draft
- how to write a first draft
- how to set drafting goals and deadline
- how to overcome mental obstacles
# Time requirements
- About one hour outside of class to prepare for each session.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Fiction writers at various levels with a novel manuscript they would like to start or complete.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, Fiction, Intermediate/Advanced Level, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [On Duende and Surrealism](https://writer.org/event/on-duende-and-surrealism/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Participants will be prompted to create literary works inspired by Federico García Lorca’s concept o...
**Content:**
# Experience concepts of duende and surrealism through the lens of poet Federico García Lorca and artist Salvador Dalí.
Participants will be prompted to create literary works inspired by Federico García Lorca’s concept of duende, Salvador Dalí’s concept of surrealism, as well as the two artists’ friendship. Generative writing exercises will encourage participants to think of friendship as a creative space where literary work can be exchanged and as a means to deepen friendships. Participants will have the opportunity to write poems and request feedback on their writing.
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***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
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# In this workshop you’ll:
- Identifying duende in a literary piece
- Understanding Surrealism in poetry
- Deciphering craft’s utility
# Time Requirements
- No time requirement outside of class.
# Materials
- Poet in New York – Poeta en Nueva York by Federico García Lorca (Any bilingual copy)
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for new and experienced poets and writers, alike.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Poetry, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [How to Get Your Work Accepted at Literary Conferences](https://writer.org/event/how-to-get-your-work-accepted-at-literary-conferences/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Being invited to read your creative work at a conference is a huge feather in your literary cap. Thi...
**Content:**
# Get accepted to read your work at a professional writers’ conference!
Being invited to read your creative work at a conference is a huge feather in your literary cap. This workshop offers information, guidance, and strategies for writers wishing to have their work accepted at a writers’ conference, whether virtual or in-person. This workshop is open to writers of all levels who feel prepared to present their work at a professional writers’ conference. We will be engaging in hands-on research and working on our literary resumes. Participants completing this workshop will be prepared to select and prepare submissions for several literary conferences and have leads on finding funding to support travel.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# We will explore how to:
- choose the right writers’ conference for you
- prepare a polished submission
- make a professional impression from submission to attendance
- secure financial support to attend
- practice conference etiquette: the do’s and dont’s of both applying and attending
- avoid common, costly mistakes in your CV and bio that mark you as an amateur
# Time requirements
- Students will complete a pre-work questionnaire prior to class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is open to writers of all levels who are ready to take the next step in their professional development journey: presenting their creative work at a professional conference.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Intermediate/Advanced Level, Publishing, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [How to Plot Like a Pro](https://writer.org/event/how-to-plot-like-a-pro-4/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** You have a great idea for a story. Do you dive in and just begin writing, or start by drafting an ou...
**Content:**
# Build a strong story structure from page 1.
You have a great idea for a story. Do you dive in and just begin writing, or start by drafting an outline? Understanding how to structure a well-conceived story around a main character and central conflict, while paying attention to pacing, can make the difference between a finished, publishable manuscript and an abandoned work-in-progress. Plotting provides a safety net that never robs the author of the joy of writing, and always reduces revision time. Think you can’t plot? Join us for this course, and we’ll show you how!
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Character as plot
- Plot as a journey
- Building active details
- Keeping things moving
- Conflict’s role in plotting
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Authors whose plots feel limp, disconnected or less than compelling–or any author wanting help to make the plotting process easier and more effective.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year/)
**Published:** November 6, 2025
**Author:** Emily Holland
**Content:**
# **Work on your memoir with bestselling author Nicole Chung!**
This intensive workshop is open to writers working on a memoir or memoir-in-essays. You’ll have the opportunity to participate in lively craft discussions, generative exercises, and in-depth workshops designed to help you identify and hone your strengths as a writer. If you have an idea for a memoir and are looking to jumpstart it—or are already underway, but want some help to maintain your momentum—this class will help you take concrete next steps and deepen your craft in a supportive community.
---
# Watch the Virtual Info Session
Meet Nicole Chung, instructor for our Memoir Year workshop, and have all your questions about the program answered!
###### [**WATCH NOW >>>**](https://youtu.be/FEXKflPe0dc "Virtual Info Session for Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung")
---
# **Format**
Through in-class readings, craft talks, and guided writing prompts, we’ll explore book openings, plot structure, characterization, setting, writing the self, and more. We’ll spend time reflecting and brainstorming, learning how to identify and pursue the stories that matter most to you. You will have the opportunity to generate new pages throughout the course and have at least two memoir excerpts (10 – 20 pages each) workshopped by your instructor and peers.
We’ll discuss the different types of memories, the role imagination can play in personal storytelling, and whether and how to bring research and reportage into your memoir. We’ll read excerpts from both classic and recent memoirs, examining how other writers have organized and explored their personal stories. We’ll consider the ethics of writing about real people and events, and how to establish the boundaries you may need. We’ll address your questions about book proposals, pitching, and the publishing industry. We’ll hear from visiting authors and literary agents who will share tips and talk about the writing and publication processes.
This course will allow you to focus on and grow in your craft in community with your fellow writers, helping you build the sustainable writing practice you want—one that will allow you to continue showing up for your work, and telling the stories you need to tell, long after our workshop ends.
Writers are expected to read and respond to their peers’ work outside of class, and generate new writing at their own pace.
---
# Schedule
This class will typically meet twice per month from February 3, 2026 – November 17, 2026, 7–9pm ET, although there may be one or two longer breaks over the summer for students to focus on writing. Full schedule TBD.
---
# 1:1 Mentoring
All workshops will be held over Zoom, with additional opportunities to meet 1:1 with Nicole upon request. All enrolled students will have the option to schedule an individual follow-up meeting (1 hour) with Nicole during the first quarter of 2027.
---
# To Apply
**Application Deadline: Saturday, January 24, 2026**
Please share 1-2 paragraphs detailing your writing goals and/or intentions and a writing sample of 10-20 pages (double-spaced). You may also choose to include a one-page résumé or CV. Send your submission to <emily.holland@writer.org> by Saturday, January 24th, 2026. Admissions will be on a rolling basis so participants are encouraged to submit early.
*Acceptance into the workshop is required before registering.*
---
# **Student Testimonials**
“Working with Nicole was like getting an ultra-engaged MFA professor, an eagle-eyed editor, and an ever-supportive writing coach all in one. I am a much better writer (not to mention critical reader!) as a result of her teaching, and I would absolutely recommend her to any writer who’s seeking to take their work and creative journey to the next level.” —Nik Chang Hoon
“Nicole is an exceptional teacher whose superpower is nurturing her students’ creativity, empowering their growth, and building community. Through craft talks, readings, writing prompts, and insightful comments, she supports each student in finding their stories and bringing them to life.” —Enid K.
“Nicole’s class was one of the first I took after spending more than 10 years away from creative writing. I felt like she opened this whole world up to me by sharing her expertise not only on the craft of writing but also on the business of publishing. The lessons I learned in her class have paid immense dividends for me—I would not have the writing community and career that I have today without learning from her example. I consider Nicole a role model for her generosity toward her students and fellow writers in general, and I couldn’t recommend her classes more enthusiastically!” —Hannah Bae
“Nicole’s class is terrific for both novices to the genre and experienced writers. She creates an ideal mix of workshops, craft lectures, and guest speakers that teaches students new skills and keeps them inspired about their own work. Nicole is also warm, supportive, and brings out the best in her students. She curates a supportive cohort of students who strive to bring out the best in each other. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to participate!” —Anne Kim
“It was truly a life-changing experience getting the opportunity to learn about memoir writing under the guidance of Nicole Chung. She was so thoughtful and generous with her enlightening ideas and exercises, as well as feedback on my writing. The boundless empathy and encouragement she showed her students brought us all closer together as a cohort, where we felt free to truly express ourselves and grow as writers and people in the process. I highly recommend Nicole’s workshops to anyone looking to evolve in their writing craft.” —Jean Trinh
“I feel very fortunate to have taken Nicole’s memoir class. She offers the perfect blend of workshopping opportunities, craft discussions, and guest author/agent appearances, all while coaching, cheering, and nudging participants along in a low-key but highly effective manner. Perhaps what I appreciate most about Nicole is the great care she takes with each participant’s story. Her class has been transformational for my writing.” —Ruth Berg
“Nicole is a thoughtful and skilled facilitator. I love that she uses a clear and consistent strengths-based philosophy. Working from strengths creates an environment of safety for memoirists to share, critique, and revise our most personal stories. In our memoir workshop, Nicole facilitates skillfully to bring out the shared wisdom of the group and ensure that writers feel empowered to generate and revise our work. Highly recommend working with her if you have the chance!” —Alex Shevrin Venet
---
# About Book Farm @ The Writer’s Center
The Writer’s Center hosts a series of workshops for serious writers to complete book-length projects, generate new work for publication, or master the elements of craft within a specific genre. You’ll work with an acclaimed author, guiding you through 4-12 months of lessons, workshops, and revisions. Our instructors are all accomplished educators with a track record of student success. Limited enrollment with rolling admission up to the application deadline, so apply right away to secure your spot!
All Book Farm participants receive an exclusive tote bag, a craft book recommended by the instructor, and a $100 gift certificate good toward future TWC workshops. Participants also receive exclusive access to The Writer’s Center staff, all of whom are accomplished writers with extensive experience in editing and publishing.
**Event Categories:** Master Level, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Intro to the Novel](https://writer.org/event/intro-to-the-novel-7/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** This workshop will help you understand the process of writing a novel so you can get started putting...
**Content:**
# Have you always wanted to write a novel but didn’t know where to start?
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.
---
***Learn at your own pace:** This workshop will take place over **Wet Ink**, which is an asynchronous creative writing platform. The instructor will post a lesson and assignment at the beginning of each week, and participants can log in and read the lessons/post assignments/comment on other classmates’ work at their convenience. Shortly before the start date, participants will receive an invite from Wet Ink to create their login info and access the class. Please check your spam if you don’t see it.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn how to:
- Develop your Premise
- Establish Point of View/Narrative Voice
- Create authentic Characters
- Organize Plot and Structure
- Create good writing habits
- Determine your personal Process
# Time requirements
- 3-5 hours/week
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for those who have never written a novel before – or for those who are looking for a strong foundation in the basic components of novel-writing.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 8 Sessions, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Fiction, Wet Ink, Workshop
---
### [Creating Novel Characters](https://writer.org/event/creating-novel-characters-7/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** When writing a novel, we must know our primary characters inside and out. We need to understand thei...
**Content:**
# Bring your characters to life on the page.
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.
---
***Learn at your own pace:** This workshop will take place over **Wet Ink**, which is an asynchronous creative writing platform. The instructor will post a lesson and assignment at the beginning of each week, and participants can log in and read the lessons/post assignments/comment on other classmates’ work at their convenience. Shortly before the start date, participants will receive an invite from Wet Ink to create their login info and access the class. Please check your spam if you don’t see it.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Your character’s past and future
- Your character’s motivations
- How the plot will bring about your character’s arc
- How to reveal your character on the page
# Time requirements
- 3-5 hours/week
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers looking to add dimension to their fictional characters.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, All Levels, Fiction, Wet Ink, Workshop
---
### [Book Publishing 101](https://writer.org/event/book-publishing-101-2/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** This class pulls back the curtain on the ins and outs of publishing by walking participants through the component parts of the publishing industry. From the role of literary agents to the dreaded query letter to what an editor’s job is to the different types of publishers (big 5, indie, small press, vanity press, self-publishing) to how authors are paid, this jam-packed class takes a practical approach that will focus on the business side of writing with lots of time for Q&A. Whether you want to know how books come to exist or are simply curious about how this notoriously opaque industry works, this class is for you.
Please note: This class will touch on what query letters are and the purpose they serve but this is not a class on how to write query letters.
PRIOR PARTICIPANTS SAY:
— “A remarkable two hours. That was the very best—and most helpful—presentation on publishing I've ever experienced.”
— “Outstanding seminar. Lacey was well prepared, organized, knowledgeable, experienced & responsive. She engaged attendees & provided ample yet structured time for questions.”
— “Very helpful and I learned a lot. I liked how she was realistic but hopeful.”
— “It’s totally worth the time and money.”
— “Absolutely do it if you’re able. I absolutely loved the class and got a ton out of it.”
**Content:**
# What are the steps to publishing a book?
This class pulls back the curtain on the ins and outs of publishing by walking participants through the component parts of the publishing industry. From the role of literary agents to the dreaded query letter to what an editor’s job is to the different types of publishers (big 5, indie, small press, vanity press, self-publishing) to how authors are paid, this jam-packed class takes a practical approach that will focus on the business side of writing with lots of time for Q&A. Whether you want to know how books come to exist or are simply curious about how this notoriously opaque industry works, this class is for you.
Please note: This class will touch on what query letters are and the purpose they serve but this is not a class on how to write query letters.
PRIOR PARTICIPANTS SAY:
— “A remarkable two hours. That was the very best—and most helpful—presentation on publishing I’ve ever experienced.”
— “Outstanding seminar. Lacey was well prepared, organized, knowledgeable, experienced & responsive. She engaged attendees & provided ample yet structured time for questions.”
— “Very helpful and I learned a lot. I liked how she was realistic but hopeful.”
— “It’s totally worth the time and money.”
— “Absolutely do it if you’re able. I absolutely loved the class and got a ton out of it.”
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- An overview of how publishing functions as a business
- An introduction to the role of agents, editors, and fellow authors in bringing a book into the world
- An introduction to different types of publishers—and publishing scams to watch out for
- The differences between the creative process and the publishing process
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers who are curious about the behind-the-scenes of book publishing and writers who think they might want to one day publish a book.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Mixed Genre, Publishing, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [How Do You Pronounce That? A Panel on Non-English Words in English Language Poetry](https://writer.org/event/how-do-you-pronounce-that/)
**Published:** December 3, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes three poets to discuss their use of non-English words in their English language poetry. Do they italicize? Translate? Footnote? Endnote? Through a craft discussion focused on the poem on the page, the poetry book as a whole and the ideal reader, you’ll leave the panel with some choices and directions for both reading and writing poetry.
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
**Sara R. Burnett** is the author of *Seed Celestial* (2022), winner of the Autumn House Press Poetry Prize. She has published in *Barrow Street*, *Copper Nickel*, *PANK, Poet Lore, Prairie Schooner, RHINO* and elsewhere. She holds an MFA from the University of Maryland, and a MA in English Literature from the University of Vermont. She also writes picture books. She lives in Maryland with her family. Her website is: [www.sararburnett.com](http://www.sararburnett.com/)
**Majda Gama** was born in Beirut to a Saudi father and American mother. Her hometown is Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and her roots Hijazi, but she also has a long, complicated relationship with Northern Virginia where her father was stationed in the 1970’s. Majda is the author of the debut poetry collection *In the House of Modern Upbringing for Girls*, winner of the Wandering Aengus Press prize for poetry, and the chapbook *The Call of Paradise* selected by Diane Seuss for the Two Sylvia’s press chapbook prize. Her poetry has been published recently in *Adroit, AGNI, Ploughshares, Poetry, Prairie Schooner, TriQuarterly*, and *Tupleo Quarterly.* Her honors include a Gregory Djanikian Scholar award from *The Adroit Journal* and the Graybeal-Gowen award for Virginia poets from *Shenandoah* literary journal. In 2025 she received a special mention from the Pushcart Prize for a poem published by *Terrain*. [https://www.majdagama.com](https://www.majdagama.com/)
**Chloe Yelena Miller** is the author of *Perforated* (2026) and *Viable* (2021), both out from Lily Poetry Review Books. A series of English and Italian Vocabulary poems span both books. She is a co-founder of Brown Bag Lit, an online writing community, where she teaches poetry workshops. She also offers classes through Politics and Prose, New Directions in Writing and privately. [www.chloeyelenamiller.com](http://www.chloeyelenamiller.com/)
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Eric Lichtblau Book Launch](https://writer.org/event/eric-lichtblau/)
**Published:** December 3, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes author Eric Lichtblau for a reading from his new novel, *American Reich: A Murder in Orange County, Neo-Nazis, and a New Age of Hate*.
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
**Eric Lichtblau** is a Washington author and investigative journalist and a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner. His latest non-fiction book, *American Reich: A Murder in Orange County, Neo-Nazis, and a New Age of Hate,* is being released in January, and he has written three previous books*:* the New York Times best-seller *The Nazis Next Door,* as well *Bush’s Law,* and *Return to the Reich.* He was a Washington reporter for the New York Times for fifteen years, where he earned two Pulitzer Prizes, and for the Los Angeles Times for fifteen years before that, and he has also written for *The New Yorker*, TIME Magazine and other publications*.* He has been a frequent guest on NPR, MSNBC, C-SPAN, and other networks, as well as a speaker at many universities and institutions, and a teacher in writing and journalism at Georgetown, UCLA, the Writer’s Center in Bethesda, Md., and elsewhere.
---
**From the Pulitzer-winning author of the *New York Times* bestseller *The Nazis Next Door***
A deeply reported exploration of the violent resurgence of hatred and white supremacy through the lens of Orange County, California—“ground zero” for racial extremism—and the story of one brutal murder there that revealed the deep roots of violent bigotry as a bellwether for the country.
One night in early 2018, while he was home from college, an Ivy League student named Blaze Bernstein snuck out of his parents’ house in Orange County. Waiting for him in a car outside was an old high-school classmate: Sam Woodward, someone who Blaze mostly remembered as a brooding, bigoted loner. But that night, after months of flirtatious messaging, Sam had succeeded in coaxing Blaze—a gay, Jewish sophomore at UPenn—out for a rendezvous. No one would ever see him alive again.
In *American Reich*, veteran investigative journalist Eric Lichtblau uses the story of Blaze’s life and death to shine a light on the epidemic of hate in Southern California and, increasingly, the nation as a whole. Orange County has long been a bastion of the ultra-right: carved out of farmland as a haven for wealthy whites fleeing the diversifying metropolis to the north, it was the birthplace of the far-right John Birch Society, a hub for neo-Nazi recruitment, and a powerful springboard for race-baiting Republican politicians including Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan. But in the years leading up to Blaze’s disappearance, Orange County was changing: like the country as a whole, it was rapidly diversifying, to the outrage of many of its white residents. No one was more opposed to the changes than America’s resurgent neo-Nazi groups, one of which had recently gained a new member: Sam Woodward.
Revealing how Orange County has exported racial hatred to the rest of the country and the world, *American Reich* weaves this tragic tale together with stories from across the nation, showing what this haunted place and the colliding paths of two of its residents reveal about America’s fractured soul and our hope for healing.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Virtual Info Session for The Artist's Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening w/ Lindsey Van Wagner](https://writer.org/event/virtual-info-session-for-the-artists-way/)
**Published:** November 18, 2025
**Author:** Emily Holland
**Content:**
**Meet Lindsey Van Wagner, instructor for The Artist’s Way: A Year of Creative Reawakening, 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: January 11th, 2026**
**Workshop Dates: Begins February 2026, self-paced with monthly group Zoom meetings Cost: $2000 \| Members $1900**
This year-long journey through The Artist’s Way offers a sustained path for creative reawakening and artistic growth. Writers, artists, and creative seekers will move chapter by chapter through Julia Cameron’s classic text, reconnecting with their sense of purpose and play. The course offers the freedom to move at your own pace on Wet Ink, while regular virtual gatherings provide structure, engagement, and a sense of shared creative energy. Participants will receive guidance, accountability, and community support as you nurture your creative practices. Each session weaves reflection, discussion, and inspiration to help build consistency, courage, and joy in your work.
# [**Find the full details and apply here »**](https://writer.org/?post_type=tribe_events&p=2214153)
**Event Categories:** All Levels, Mixed Genre, Workshop
---
### [Virtual Info Session for The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll](https://writer.org/event/virtual-info-session-for-novel-year/)
**Published:** November 6, 2025
**Author:** Emily Holland
**Content:**
**Meet Susan Coll, instructor for our Novel Year 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: January 9th, 2026**
**Workshop Dates: Begins January 20th, meeting biweekly for ~10 months**
**Cost: $5,400 \| Members $5,300**
Bring your novel to life with best-selling author Susan Coll! Whether you have been thinking about writing a novel for years but are not sure how to get started, or are already published but embarking on a new project, this year-long workshop is intended to help get the next book off the ground.
# [**Find the full details and apply here »**](https://writer.org/?post_type=tribe_events&p=2213627 "The Novel Year w/ Susan Coll")
**Event Categories:** Fiction, Workshop
---
### [Virtual Info Session for Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung](https://writer.org/event/virtual-info-session-for-memoir-year/)
**Published:** November 6, 2025
**Author:** Emily Holland
**Content:**
**Meet Nicole Chung, instructor for our Memoir Year 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: January 24th, 2026**
**Workshop Dates: Begins February 3rd, meeting biweekly for ~10 months**
**Cost: $5,400 \| Members $5,300**
Work on your memoir with bestselling author Nicole Chung! This intensive workshop is open to writers working on a memoir or memoir-in-essays. You’ll have the opportunity to participate in lively craft discussions, generative exercises, and in-depth workshops designed to help you identify and hone your strengths as a writer. If you have an idea for a memoir and are looking to jumpstart it—or are already underway, but want some help to maintain your momentum—this class will help you take concrete next steps and deepen your craft in a supportive community!
# [**Find the full details and apply here »**](https://writer.org/?post_type=tribe_events&p=2213597 "Memoir Year w/ Nicole Chung")
**Event Categories:** Nonfiction, Workshop
---
### [Cafe Muse Literary Salon](https://writer.org/event/cafe-muse-literary-salon-dec-25/)
**Published:** November 25, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes the Café Muse Literary Salon for a reading featuring poets **Karren Alenier**, **Anne Becker**, **Ellen Cole**, **Henry Crawford,** and **M. Mack** reading from the anthology, *From the Belly: Poets Respond to Gertrude Stein’s Tender Buttons Vol. III, Rooms***.** The evening begins at 7 PM with Michael Davis live on classical guitar. The readings begin at 7:30 PM with opening remarks by a Café Muse co-host.
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP on [the Cafe Muse Website](https://sites.google.com/view/cafe-muse-events/home).**
---
**KARREN LALONDE ALENIER** is author of eight poetry collections—including: how we hold on from Broadstone Books, 2021— and editor or co-editor of three anthologies, including From the Belly, Volumes I, II & III. Gertrude Stein Invents a Jump Early On, her jazz opera with composer Bill Banfield, premiered June 2005 in New York by Encompass New Opera Theatre. More at <https://www.alenier.com/>.
**ANNE BECKER** is author of Human Animal, The Transmutation Notebooks: Poems in the Voices of Charles and Emma Darwin, and The Good Body. She has collaborated with Carl Banner, director of Washington DC Musica Viva, on The Jamie Raskin Oratorio with Nathan Faingold, composer, Carl Banner, on piano, and Chris Royal on trumpet.
**ELLEN ARONOFSKY COLE**’s books are Notes from the Dry Country, (Mayapple Press, 2019) and Prognosis, (Finishing Line Press, 2011.) Journal publications include Bellevue Literary Review, Ekphrastic Review, Gargoyle, Little Patuxent Review, Potomac Review, Innisfree, Beltway Poetry Quarterly, Fledgling Rag, and New Verse News. Her work was featured on Verse Daily and nominated for Best of the Net.
**HENRY CRAWFORD** is author of three collections of poetry, American Software (CW Books, 2017), Binary Planet (The Word Works, 2020, 2nd ed. 2024) and Screens (Broadstone Books 2025). His poem, “The Fruits of Famine” won first prize in the 2019 World Food Poetry Competition. He is a long-time co-director of the Café Muse literary salon.
**M. MACK** (they/he) is a trans and disabled poet in Virginia. He is an Instructional Associate Professor in English at George Mason University where he works with multilingual students. They are the author of Theater of Parts (Sundress Publications) and the chapbooks Mine (Big Lucks Books), Imaginary Kansas (dancing girl press), and Traveling (Hyacinth Girl Press).
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [POSTPONED: Genre Jumper! A Daylong Workshop @ The Writer's Center](https://writer.org/event/genre-jumper/)
**Published:** October 28, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
# POSTPONED: Please check back for a new date in the near future.
2 workshops, 2 genres, 2 panels, 1 great day for writers!
Genre Jumper is a one-day conference for writers interested in experimenting in multiple genres. You’ll attend 2 workshops (**one in your primary genre and one in a new/secondary genre**) and 2 panels with expert multi-genre authors, including Avitus B. Carle, Aubrey Hirsch, Hannah Grieco, Monica Prince, Séamus Isaac Fey, and Susan Muaddi Darraj.
Whether it’s Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction, Flash Fiction, or Graphic Memoir, you will leave this conference with new ways of thinking about your work and new strategies to tackle your biggest hurdles.
Our workshop leaders will be available between sessions, at lunch, and at the closing reception, so you can make personal connections. And you’re strongly encouraged to connect with your fellow attendees, too!
Morning coffee, lunch, and a post-conference reception are included.
---
# Workshops
After registering you will receive an email with a form to denote your preference for which of the workshops you’d like to attend. If you do not receive an email within 1 business day, please email Brandon Johnson at brandon.johnson@writer.org
- **Fiction: Compelling Prose \| Workshop Leader: Susan Muaddi Darraj**
“Powerful fiction requires not only a good story, but impeccable storytelling. In this workshop, we will hone your ability to deliver compelling and engaging prose through a focus on sentence structure, voice, and style. Workshop includes analyses of published works, discussion, and generative exercises.
- **Flash Fiction: Check Please! Flash and the Listicle \| Workshop Leader: Avitus B. Carle**
In the age of technology, we still find ourselves surrounded by lists, whether they are virtual or handwritten: To-Do lists, Step-by-Step Instructions, or How-To Guides. In this generative workshop, attendees will be provided a series of prompts inspired by writers who have transformed these transcribed notes found on post-it notes, scraps of paper, apps, or on the backs of opened envelopes into flash stories that resonate with readers. Participants will analyze different forms of flash lists or listicles and how these forms enhance a story’s narrative. Finally, attendees will be given time to write their own listicles, applying skills they may utilize beyond the workshop’s conclusion.
- **Graphic Memoir: Comics for People Who Can’t Draw \| Workshop Leader: Aubrey Hirsch** Comics are awesome! They’re fun to make, quick and easy to read, and endlessly shareable. Yet when I talk to writers who want to try making comics, I often hear the same hesitation: *“But… I can’t draw!”* Here’s the secret: your ability to make great comics has very little to do with your drawing skills. In this workshop, I’ll show you how *you (*yes, you!) can create engaging, expressive comics without any traditional art training at all. In this workshop, we’ll identify the main goals of comics artists and talk about the fundamentals of using art as communication. We’ll discuss ideas to work around gaps in artistic skills while still producing work that is visually compelling. We’ll also identify and practice ways you can leverage what you have to create a readable style that’s uniquely yours. This workshop is open to anyone with an interest in comics—no drawing experience or special equipment required!
- **Nonfiction: From Blank Page to First Draft (Twice!) \| Workshop Leader: Hannah Grieco** Are you stuck? Do you feel like your writing is in a rut? Want to try something new, explore ideas you’ve tiptoed around in the past, or just get inspired to write again? In this class, we’ll read, brainstorm, and write in response to prompts. You’ll start two new nonfiction pieces: one flash work of creative nonfiction and one personal essay! You’ll leave with two well-developed new drafts and a guided plan for revisions!
- **Poetry: Constraints & Forms Excite Me: Oulipian Constraints in Poetry \|Workshop Leader: Monica Prince**
Of the many poetic forms imagined and inherited, the Oulipian constraint offers an opportunity to expand one’s vocabulary and creative attention. Participants of all poetry levels will read and write a particular Oulipian constraint, the lipogram or beautiful outlaw. By working with this challenging but exciting form, beginner and intermediate poets will discover new ways of circumlocution and enliven their poetic preoccupations.
- **Poetry: How to Surprise your Reader \|Workshop Leader: Séamus Isaac Fey** With the sheer amount of books being published, it’s growing more and more difficult to say anything that someone hasn’t said before. The best we can do is sharpen our voices, and use the tool of specificity to write something that leaves a lasting impression on its reader. In this workshop, you’ll learn how to use the element of surprise in your poems (or otherwise) to engage the reader and say something in the way only you would say it.
---
# Schedule
9:30am: Registration & Coffee
10:00am-11:30am: Workshop 1
11:45am-12:15pm: Panel 1 \| Why Genre Jump? with Monica Prince, Avitus B Carle, and Aubrey Hirsch
12:15pm-1:15pm: Lunch
1:30-3:00pm: Workshop 2
3:15pm-3:45pm: Panel 2 \| Genre as a tool! with Séamus Isaac Fey, Susan Muaddi Darraj and Hannah Grieco
4:00pm: Reception
---
# Workshop Leaders
**Avitus B. Carle** (she/her) lives and writes outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her stories have been published in a variety of places including Ghost Parachute, X-R-A-Y Litmag, SoFloPoJo, Necessary Fiction, The Commuter (Electric Lit.), and elsewhere. Her work was selected for the 2025, 2024, and 2022 Best Small Fictions anthology, the Wigleaf Top 50 in 2023 and 2024, the 2022 and 2020 Best of the Net anthology, and has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize, PEN/O. Henry Prize, and the Best Microfictions anthology. She is the author of the flash fiction collection, These Worn Bodies, which won the 2023 Moon City Press Short Fiction award. Avitus can be found at avitusbcarle.com or online everywhere @avitusbcarle.
**Aubrey Hirsch** is the author of *Graphic Rage: Comics on Gender, Justice, and Life as a Woman in America*. Her stories, essays, and comics have appeared in *The Washington Post*, *The New York Times*, *Vox*, *TIME Magazine*, *American Short Fiction* and elsewhere. She is the recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts fellowship in literature and an individual artist award from The Sustainable Arts Foundation. You can find her on Substack or Instagram as @aubreyhirsch.
**Hannah Grieco** is a writer, professor, and editor in Washington, DC. Her short story collection *First Kicking, Then Not* is out now from Stanchion Books. She writes the monthly SpotLIT column for Washington City Paper, and you can find more of her work in The Washington Post, Al Jazeera, Brevity, Craft, The Rumpus, Shenandoah, The Offing, Wigleaf, Fairy Tale Review, and more. Find her online at [www.hgrieco.com](http://www.hgrieco.com/) and on most social media @writesloud.
**Monica Prince,** associate professor of activist and performance writing at Susquehanna University, is a Guyanese American poet that writes, teaches, and performs choreopoems across the country. Her poetry and essays appear or are forthcoming in national and international literary journals, and her published choreopoems include Roadmap: A Choreopoem, How to Exterminate the Black Woman, and FORCE, releasing in January 2026. She shares her life with her husband, polycule, and three disrespectful cats.
****
**Séamus Isaac Fey** (he/they) is a Trans writer from Chicagoland. Currently, he is the poetry editor at Hooligan Magazine. His debut poetry collection, decompose, is out with Not a Cult Media. His work has appeared in American Poetry Review, Poet Lore, The Offing, Sonora Review, and others. He loves to beat his friends at Mario Party. Find him online @sfeycreates.
**Susan Muaddi Darraj** is an award-winning writer of books for adults and children. She won an American Book Award, two Arab American Book Awards, and a [Maryland State Arts Council](https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/harford/aegis/cng-ag-hcc-english-professor-wins-independent-artist-award-20220307-lcggfuju3rhqdmu3ese2oobwju-story.html) Independent Artists Award. In 2018, she was named a [USA Artists Ford Fellow](https://www.unitedstatesartists.org/fellow/susan-muaddi-darraj/). Her books include her linked short story collection, *A Curious Land*, as well as the *[Farah Rocks](https://www.amazon.com/Farah-Rocks-Fifth-Muaddi-Darraj/dp/1496583396)* children’s book series. She lives in Baltimore, where she teaches creative writing at [Harford Community College](https://www.harford.edu/about/get-to-know-harford/faculty-staff-directory/susan-muaddi-darraj.php) and the [Johns Hopkins University](https://advanced.jhu.edu/directory/susan-muaddi-darraj/). Her new novel, [BEHIND YOU IS THE SEA](https://www.harpercollins.com/products/behind-you-is-the-sea-susan-muaddi-darraj?variant=41049302335522), was published in January 2024 by HarperVia. It received praise from *The New York Times, The San Francisco Chronicle,* and *Ms Magazine,* and it was named a Best Book of 2024 by *The New Yorker* andApple Books. *Behind You Is the Sea* was also longlisted for the [2025 PEN/Faulkner Award](https://www.penfaulkner.org/2025/02/03/announcing-the-longlist-for-the-2025-pen-faulkner-award-for-fiction/).
---
# Scholarships
We plan to offer 2 scholarships to Genre Jumper for writers unable to pay the registration fee. Please apply for the scholarship by emailing <brandon.johnson@writer.org> with “Genre Jumper Scholarship” in the subject line; no additional information is required. Scholarship recipients will be selected randomly from among all applicants. **Scholarship Deadline: November 28, 2025**
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event, Workshop
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat w/ Novelist Marisa Kashino](https://writer.org/event/marisa-kashino/)
**Published:** September 3, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of fiction! We’re joined by author Marisa Kashino for a discussion of her new novel, *Best Offer Wins*. Marisa is in conversation with Amy Freeman, author and Development Director at The Writer’s Center.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from Bookshop.org »](https://bookshop.org/a/22600/9781250400543)
---
**Marisa Kashino** was a journalist for 17 years, most recently at *The Washington Post.* She spent the bulk of her career at *Washingtonian* magazine, writing long-form features and overseeing the real estate and home design coverage. She grew up near Seattle, graduating from the University of Washington with a degree in journalism and political science. She lives in the DC area with her husband, two dogs, and two cats. *Best Offer Wins* is her first novel.
---
# About the Book
**An insanely competitive housing market. A buyer pushed to the breaking point. How far would you go for the American dream?**
Eighteen months and eleven lost bidding wars into house-hunting in the overheated Washington, DC suburbs, 37-year-old publicist Margo Miyake gets a tip about the perfect house, in the perfect neighborhood, slated to come up for sale in one month. Desperate to escape the cramped apartment she shares with her husband Ian—and in turn, get their marriage, plan to have a baby, and whole life back on track—Margo becomes obsessed with buying the house before it’s publicly listed and the masses descend (unbeatable, all-cash offers in hand).
With some (harmless!) stalking and a bit of (very light!) trespassing, she worms her way into the homeowners’ lives. But just when she believes she’s won them over, she hits a snag in her plan. Undeterred, Margo will prove again and again that there’s nothing she won’t try—no secret too dark to leverage, no tactic too unhinged—to finally kickstart the dream life she’s worked so hard to achieve. Most terrifying of all? You’ll cheer her on, even as she leaves you gasping in disbelief.
Dark, biting, and laugh-out-loud funny, *Best Offer Wins* is a propulsive debut and a razor-sharp exploration of class, ambition, and the modern housing crisis.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Allison Ashton Book Release](https://writer.org/event/allison-ashton/)
**Published:** November 4, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes writer Allison Ashton for a reading from her new publication, *Sweet, Spicy, Delicate.* Allison is joined in conversation with sexuality educator Lisa M. Orange.
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
**Allison Ashton** has thrown herself off a moving train, unknowingly opined about Hillary Clinton to a former investigator of the Rose Law Firm, and been an actress in a Shakespeare troupe that performed the filthiest possible interpretations of the source material. Somehow her wife tolerates the excitement. They live in America with their pets. Her debut romance novel *Sweet, Spicy, Delicat*e was published by Ylva Press in April 2025 and is now available on Amazon.
**Lisa M. Orange** is a former medical journalist who wrote for International Medical News Group and Reuters Health. She is a sexuality educator, a parent, a feminist and a Unitarian Universalist. She lives in Maryland near Washington DC. Lisa grew up in the American Midwest and is writing a multigenerational memoir about the women in her family.
---
# About the Book
The knives are out in this delicious age-gap lesbian romance about sharing a kitchen with your maddening polar opposite.
For breezy new actress Piper Halliday, the only thing worse than being forced to play empty ingenues on Broadway is being kicked to the curb when COVID hits. She’s prepared to take any role, no matter how lame, to make rent.
Cooking legend and international foodie Helena Chatfield is licking her wounds after the explosive cancellation of her TV show. Her last chance to save her career is to host “I’m a Millennial and I Don’t Know How to Cook”. Infuriatingly, she’s paired with Piper, an out-of-work young actress who can’t even chop an onion.
While the warring women try to put aside their differences for the show, their bubbling secrets are threatening to boil over.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Writing Picture Books II](https://writer.org/event/writing-picture-books-ii-4/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** You’ve drafted your picture book, what’s the next step? Learn to revise and polish your picture book manuscript before submitting to an agent or publisher. A widely published author and an acclaimed illustrator will lead discussions in pacing, page turns, storyboarding, and visually dramatic storytelling. During this hands-on workshop, writers will be editing their own manuscripts and enhancing their skills as picture book creators. Bring your questions and two double-spaced copies of your picture-book manuscript. Workshop may most benefit those who have taken Writing Picture Books or another picture book class.
**Content:**
# Learn how to polish your picture book manuscript before submitting to an agent or editor.
You’ve drafted your picture book, what’s the next step? Learn to revise and polish your picture book manuscript before submitting to an agent or publisher. A widely published author and an acclaimed illustrator will lead discussions in pacing, page turns, storyboarding, and visually dramatic storytelling. During this hands-on workshop, writers will be editing their own manuscripts and enhancing their skills as picture book creators. Bring your questions and two double-spaced copies of your picture-book manuscript. Workshop may most benefit those who have taken Writing Picture Books or another picture book class.
**Please bring 3 identical copies of your picture book manuscript, double-spaced. This should be a manuscript that you have revised several times on your own and which is probably no more than 700 words. In the workshop, you will be learning how to revise this manuscript at the next level.**
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Learn the Traditional Structure of a Picture Book
- Explore Self-Editing, Pacing & Page Turns
- Explore Storyboarding & Visually Dramatic Storytelling
- Consider Next Steps & Marketing
# Time Requirement
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Designed for those interested in revising and polishing a picture book mss. and learning how to pace a story and consider visual possibilities.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Adults Write for Children, Intermediate/Advanced Level, Kid Lit, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Francene Hill Book Release](https://writer.org/event/francene-hill/)
**Published:** November 13, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes author Francene Hill as she shares insights from her new biography, *Tiny Tots in Tiaras and Tuxedos: The Life, Love, and Business Success of Kermit B. Hill.* Francene will read excerpts and discuss how she transformed genealogy records, weather reports, and newspaper clippings into a vivid, creative biography. She will also touch on how her parents’ love letters helped shape the dialogue and real-life characters at the heart of her mother’s intimate story. Francene is joined in conversation with Pamela Barnes-Monroe.
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
**Francene M. D. Hill** grew up surrounded by the energy and purpose of the Tiny Tot Nursery School, founded by her mother, Kermit Hill, in 1951 before she was born. She holds a B.A. in Psychology from Smith College and an M.S. in Human Development and Family Studies from Penn State University. Her passion for storytelling has taken her to open mics, book readings, and book festivals, including The Moth StorySLAM in DC. She has been featured in Sisters From AARP Magazine and on multiple stages sharing her mother’s inspiring legacy. Tiny Tots in Tiaras and Tuxedos is her tribute to Kermit’s groundbreaking achievements and enduring community impact.
---
# About the Book
**What does it take to build a legacy that transforms generations?**
Meet **Kermit B. Hill**— a woman with an unforgettable name and an even more remarkable story. Rising from the segregated South, she shattered barriers of race and gender to carve an unexpected path that changed her community forever.
From guarding wartime secrets at the Pentagon to implementing a revolutionary, culturally affirming approach to early childhood education, Kermit’s life was defined by resilience, vision, and service. The book’s vivid storytelling delves into Kermit’s early days—her struggle with the stress of her husband serving overseas, the wartime career opportunities she seized as a woman, and the joy she found blowing off steam dancing the Lindy Hop at local juke joints.
Recognizing a crucial need at the dawn of the baby boom era, what began as a simple idea blossomed into the Tiny Tot Nursery School of St. Louis, Inc.— an innovative institution decades ahead of its time. Kermit created something extraordinary: a place where African American children could discover their potential and build confidence that would last a lifetime.
Told by her daughter, Francene Mary Diane Hill, who grew up immersed in the school’s daily life, T***iny Tots in Tiaras and Tuxedos: The Life, Love, and Business Success of Kermit B***. Hill brings her mother’s authentic voice to life. Through intimate letters, rare photographs, newspaper clippings, and carefully preserved archives, the narrative weaves together Kermit’s actual words, private thoughts, and vivid memories to create an immersive reading experience. This creative biography reveals the untold story of a woman whose influence reached far beyond what anyone imagined possible. Perfect for readers who appreciate stories of resilience, entrepreneurship, and family legacy, this book celebrates the power of vision, determination, and love to create lasting change.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Natural Meter Crash Course](https://writer.org/event/natural-meter-crash-course-5/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Have you ever wondered how scanning the lines of your first draft can make for a better poem? Here’s an opportunity to improve your ear for meter—a major element of poetic prosody—and to fine-tune your understanding of how it works. Guided by an internationally published author of sonnets, villanelles, and other metrical poems, this one-day workshop includes scansion of well-known poems, writing exercises, and, if you like, close examination of a poem you’ve drafted prior to class. You’ll leave with new insights about improving the auditory qualities of all your poems and prose.
**Content:**
Have you ever wondered how scanning the lines of your first draft can make for a better poem? Here’s an opportunity to improve your ear for meter—a major element of poetic prosody—and to fine-tune your understanding of how it works. Guided by an internationally published author of sonnets, villanelles, and other metrical poems, this one-day workshop includes scansion of well-known poems, writing exercises, and, if you like, close examination of a poem you’ve drafted prior to class. You’ll leave with new insights about improving the auditory qualities of all your poems and prose.
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Intermediate/Advanced Level, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat w/ Pulitzer Prize Winning Author Jonathan Eig](https://writer.org/event/jonathan-eig/)
**Published:** November 13, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of nonfiction! We’re joined by Pulitzer Prize Winning author Jonathan Eig for a special Black History Month discussion of his Pulitzer Prize Winning biography, ***King: A life***. Jonathan is in conversation with David O. Stewart, historian and board member at The Writer’s Center.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from Bookshop.org »](https://bookshop.org/a/22600/9781250335647)
---
**Jonathan Eig** is the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of “King: A Life.” He’s the author of six books, four of them New York Times bestsellers. The New York Times hailed “King: A Life” as the “definitive” biography of Martin Luther King Jr. The book was awarded the New York Historical Society’s 2024 Barbara and David Zalaznick Book Prize, which is presented annually to the nation’s best work of history or biography. “King” was also nominated for the National Book Award. Eig’s previous book, “Ali: A Life,” won a 2018 PEN America Literary Award. His works have been translated into more than 20 languages.
---
# About the Book
**Hailed by *The New York Times* as “the new definitive biography,” *King* mixes revelatory new research with accessible storytelling to offer an MLK for our times.**
Vividly written and exhaustively researched, Jonathan Eig’s *King: A Life* is the first major biography in decades of the civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr.—and the first to include recently declassified FBI files. In this revelatory new portrait of the preacher and activist who shook the world, the bestselling biographer gives us an intimate view of the courageous and often emotionally troubled human being who demanded peaceful protest for his movement but was rarely at peace with himself. He casts fresh light on the King family’s origins as well as MLK’s complex relationships with his wife, father, and fellow activists. *King* reveals a minister wrestling with his own human frailties and dark moods, a citizen hunted by his own government, and a man determined to fight for justice even if it proved to be a fight to the death. As he follows MLK from the classroom to the pulpit to the streets of Birmingham, Selma, and Memphis, Eig dramatically re-creates the journey of a man who recast American race relations and became our only modern-day founding father—as well as the nation’s most mourned martyr.
In this landmark biography, Eig gives us an MLK for our times: a deep thinker, a brilliant strategist, and a committed radical who led one of history’s greatest movements, and whose demands for racial and economic justice remain as urgent today as they were in his lifetime.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [A Conversation with Laura Demaría](https://writer.org/event/laura-demaria/)
**Published:** November 12, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes the Graduate students from the Department of Spanish and Portuguese at the University of Maryland to a dialogue with Professor **Laura Demaría** about her recent book, *Provincias- Un-Idas: Un itinerario conceptual en el presente* (LASA Press, 2025). In the book, the concept of the province unfolds as a theoretical category that reorders ways of thinking about the here and now. For this conversation, we suggest reading the chapters “On the Province Today” and “Part I. A Conceptual Itinerary.”
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [**directly from the publisher**](https://lasapress.org/books/m/10.25154/book16)
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
****
**Laura Demaría** es profesora de Literaturas y Culturas Latinoamericanas en el Departamento de Español y Portugués de la Universidad de Maryland, College Park. Recibió su licenciatura de la Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Argentina, y su Ph.D. de la Universidad de Washington en St. Louis. Es autora de Provincias Un-Idas: Un itinerario conceptual en el presente (LASA Press, 2025), Buenos Aires y las provincias: relatos para desarmar (Beatriz Viterbo Editora, 2014) y Argentina-s: Ricardo Piglia dialoga con la generación del 37 en la discontinuidad (Editorial Corregidor, 1999). También es escritora creativa y ha publicado Prosa chica (Borde Perdido editora, 2020), St. Louis Blues (Rialta Editora, 2018) y Cruces de Carlota (Alción, 2008), una colección de cuentos. Su libro Buenos Aires y las provincias fue galardonado con el Premio de Humanidades 2015 de la Sección de Estudios del Cono Sur, perteneciente a la Asociación de Estudios Latinoamericanos (LASA); Cruces de Carlota recibió el Premio de Literatura Latinoamericana de la Universidad de California en Los Ángeles. Actualmente trabaja en su segunda novela, Laiseca.
**Laura Demaría** is Professor of Latin American Literatures and Cultures in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese at the University of Maryland, College Park. She received her undergraduate degree at the Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Argentina, and her Ph.D. at Washington University, in St. Louis. She is the author of Provincias Un-Idas: Un itinerario conceptual en el presente (LASA Press, 2025), Buenos Aires y las provincias: relatos para desarmar (Beatriz Viterbo Editora, 2014), and Argentina-s: Ricardo Piglia dialoga con la generación del 37 en la discontinuidad (Editorial Corregidor, 1999). She is also a creative writer and has published Prosa chica (Borde Perdido editora, 2020), St. Louis Blues (Rialta Editora, 2018), and Cruces de Carlota (Alción, 2008), a collection of short stories. Her book Buenos Aires y las provincias was awarded the 2015 Premio Humanidades by the Section Studies on the Southern Cone, affiliated to the Latin American Studies Association (LASA); Cruces de Carlota received the University of California-Los Angeles Premio de Literatura Latinoamericana. Currently she is working on her second novel, Laiseca.
---
# About the Book
“Esa cosa que las filosofías de la historia argentina llaman ‘El Interior’, y que ellas se representan como una especie de ente global amorfo, oscuro, opuesto al otro ente claro, formal y específico –Buenos Aires–, en cierta consabida dialéctica de la existencia nacional”. Si se cambiara “interior” por “provincia”, la frase de Bernardo Canal Feijóo en *De la estructura mediterránea argentina* (1948) podría perfectamente servir de epígrafe a este libro de Laura Demaría. De hecho, ella misma dedicó un capítulo iluminador a Canal en su libro anterior, *Buenos Aires y las provincias* (2014). Pero si en ese libro se ocupaba de desarmar esa “consabida dialéctica”, la propuesta de *Provincias Un-idas* es centrarse ahora en el polo de “lo provinciano” para desmontarlo y reconfigurarlo en los mil planos de creación artística e intelectual que presentan una nueva geografía de la cultura, no sólo para Argentina, sino con incursiones decisivas por Chile y Colombia.
Edward Shils mostró hace tiempo la lógica implacable con que la dinámica metrópoli-provincia diseña el mapa intelectual. Desde la provincia, esa dinámica suele ser respondida con dos actitudes: abroquelarse en la lealtad localista a una tradición, o ejercer la ventaja periférica de apropiarse de todas las tradiciones (la conocida jugada de Borges, que demuestra de paso que, con el mapa en otra escala, Buenos Aires también es una provincia). Apoyándose en ejemplos contemporáneos del arte y la literatura que dan por superado todo estereotipo regionalista, Laura Demaría propone una respuesta diferente y original: un programa teórico de desestructuración general del lugar asignado a la provincia, reemplazado en plural por “lugares asimétricos, heterogéneos, múltiples”, al punto de incluir tipográficamente el quiebre en el guión del título. Se puede pensar que aquella dinámica implacable no se desvanece por un acto de voluntad teórica, pero eso sólo califica el desafío, que este libro encara con una confianza contagiosa.
“That thing that Argentine historical philosophies call ‘El Interior’ (the interior), which they represent as a kind of amorphous, obscure global entity, opposed to the other clear, formal, and specific entity—Buenos Aires—in a certain well-known dialectic of national existence.” If “interior” were replaced with “province,” Bernardo Canal Feijóo’s phrase in De la estructura mediterránea argentina (1948) could perfectly serve as an epigraph for this book by Laura Demaría. In fact, she herself dedicated an illuminating chapter to Canal in her previous book, Buenos Aires y las provincias (2014). But while that book sought to dismantle that “well-known dialectic,” Provincias Un-idas now focuses on the pole of “the provincial” in order to deconstruct and reconfigure it in the thousand planes of artistic and intellectual creation that present a new geography of culture, not only for Argentina, but with decisive incursions into Chile and Colombia.
Edward Shils long ago demonstrated the relentless logic with which the metropolis-province dynamic shapes the intellectual map. From the province, this dynamic is usually responded to with two attitudes: retreating into local loyalty to tradition, or exercising the peripheral advantage of appropriating all traditions (the well-known move by Borges, which demonstrates in passing that, on a different scale, Buenos Aires is also a province). Drawing on contemporary examples from art and literature that transcend all regionalist stereotypes, Laura Demaría proposes a different and original response: a theoretical program of general deconstruction of the place assigned to the province, replaced in the plural by “asymmetrical, heterogeneous, multiple places,” to the point of including the break in the title’s hyphen typographically. One might think that this relentless dynamic cannot be dispelled by an act of theoretical will, but that only qualifies the challenge, which this book tackles with contagious confidence.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Plotting Your Novel](https://writer.org/event/plotting-your-novel-5/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** 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.
**Content:**
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.
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, Fiction, Wet Ink, Workshop
---
### [Know Your Competition!](https://writer.org/event/know-your-competition-2/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** For your book to succeed, you must know which books you are competing against. In this interactive workshop, we will look at resources for locating comparable and competing titles, analyze comparable and competing titles, and look at how to use that information to inform your writing as well as in your proposal or query letter. Attendees will walk away with an in-depth understanding of one more piece of the book-publishing puzzle.
**Content:**
# Discover competing and comparable titles and learn from them!
For your book to succeed, you must know which books you are competing against. In this interactive workshop, we will look at resources for locating comparable and competing titles, analyze comparable and competing titles, and look at how to use that information to inform your writing as well as in your proposal or query letter. Attendees will walk away with an in-depth understanding of one more piece of the book-publishing puzzle.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How to analyze competing and comparable titles
- Elements of a proposal and query letter
- Resources for locating comparable titles
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers of books who are struggling to identify their competition
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Mixed Genre, Professional Writing, Publishing, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Author Robert W. Fieseler in Conversation w/ Ronald Collins](https://writer.org/event/robert-w-fieseler/)
**Published:** September 16, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes author **Robert W. Fieseler** for a reading from his new publication, *American Scare, Florida’s Hidden Cold War on Black and Queer Lives*. Robert is joined by author Ronald Collins.
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
**Robert W. Fieseler** is a journalist investigating marginalized groups and a scholar excavating forgotten histories. A National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association Journalist of the Year and recipient of the Pulitzer Traveling Fellowship, his debut book *Tinderbox* won seven awards, including the Edgar Award, and his reporting has appeared in *Slate*, *Commonweal*, and *River Teeth*, among others. Fieseler graduated co-valedictorian from the Columbia Journalism School and is pursuing a PhD at Tulane University as a Mellon Fellow. He lives with his husband on the gayest street in New Orleans.
**Ronald Collins** is a retired law professor and author of 13 books on topics such as civil rights, free speech, artificial intelligence, popular culture, and noted literary figures. He is the co-founder of the History Book Festival. Some years back he was selected as a Norman Mailer Fellow in fiction writing with residence in Provincetown and before that served as a Supreme Court fellow under Chief Justice Warren Burger, among other things.
---
# About the Book
**A vital exposé for both our history and our present day, *American Scare* tells the riveting story of how the Florida government destroyed the lives of Black and queer citizens in the twentieth century.**
In January 1959, Art Copleston was escorted out of his college accounting class by three police officers. In a motel room, blinds drawn, he sat in front of a state senator and the legal counsel for the Florida Legislative Investigation Committee, nicknamed the “Johns Committee.” His crime? Being a suspected homosexual. And the government of Florida would use any tactic at their disposal—legal or not—to get Copleston to admit it.
Using a secret trove of primary source documents that have been decoded and de-censored for the first time in history, journalist Robert Fieseler unravels the mystery of what actually happened behind the closed doors of an inquisition that held ordinary citizens ransom to its extraordinary powers.
The state of Florida would prefer that this history remain buried. But for nearly a decade, the Florida Legislature founded, funded, and supported the Johns Committee—an organization using the cover of communism to viciously attack members of the NAACP and queer professors and students. Spearheaded by Charley Johns, a multi-term politician in a gerrymandered legislature, the Committee was determined to eliminate any threats to the state’s white, conservative regime.
Fieseler describes the heartbreaking ramifications for citizens of Florida whose lives were imperiled, profiling marginalized residents with compassion and a determination to bring their devasting experiences to light at last. A propulsive, human-centered drama, with fascinating insight into Florida politics, *American Scare* is a page-turning reckoning of our racist and homophobic past—and its chilling parallels to today.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Novelist Virginia Pye Book Release in Conversation with Mary Kay Zuravleff](https://writer.org/event/virginia-pye/)
**Published:** October 30, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes novelist Virginia Pye for a reading from her new novel, *Marriage and Other Monuments*. Virginia is joined by award winning writer, Mary Kay Zuravleff.
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
**Virginia Pye**’s most recent novel, *Marriage and Other Monuments*, published by Koehler Books in February, is set in Richmond, Virginia in the summer of 2020. She is also the author of four previous award-winning books of fiction, including two post-colonial historical novels set in China, *River of Dust* and *Dreams of the Red Phoenix*, and the short story collection, *Shelf Life of Happiness*. Her last novel, *The Literary Undoing of Victoria Swann* is a love story to writers and readers set in Gilded Age Boston. Virginia’s essays have appeared in *The New York Times*, *Literary Hub*, *Publisher’s Weekly*, *Writer’s Digest*, *The Rumpus*, and elsewhere. To learn more about her, please visit: [www.virginia@virginiapye.com](http://www.virginia@virginiapye.com/ "http://www.virginia@virginiapye.com/").
**Mary Kay Zuravleff** is the award-winning author of ***[American Ending](https://www.americanending.net/)***, inspired by both her grandmothers and her coal-mining grandfathers. Her third novel, [***Man Alive!***,](https://www.marykayzuravleff.com/bio.htm) a *Washington Post* Notable Book, was praised by *People* magazine for its “impressive intelligence and sly humor,” and the *New York Times* called her second, [***The Bowl Is Already Broken***,](https://www.marykayzuravleff.com/bio.htm) “a tart, affectionate satire of the museum world’s bickering and scheming.” She is the recipient of the American Academy of Art’s Rosenthal Award, the James Jones First Novel Award, and multiple Artist Fellowships from the DC Commission on the Arts.
---
# About the Book
Cynthia Powers’ husband, Bobby, can no longer hide his dire financial situation as it finally ruptures their marriage. Her sister Melissa’s marriage to Marshall Stone has gone off the rails, too, as she dedicated herself so fully to racial justice activism that she drifted from her own Black husband. As the summer heats up, the sisters move into adjacent apartments and though their relationship remains chilly and their marriages veer in opposite directions, they have no choice but to turn to one another. When the history of their husbands’ ancestors—one, old Virginia white, the other, old Virginia Black—comes to light, it reveals a crime that Cynthia and Bobby aim to correct through homegrown reparations, transferring to Marshall a historic house on Monument Avenue where Bobby’s father has lived all his life, and which is now at the epicenter of the protests.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Let's Write! A Generative Workshop](https://writer.org/event/lets-write-a-generative-workshop/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Each week we will use writing prompts to generate fresh authentic work and invite participants to share their new work for immediate encouraging feedback. In week 2 we will discuss editing strategies that enhance the craft of narrative fiction and nonfiction. Additionally, for weeks 3, 4, and 5 participants are invited to submit one polished piece to the group for more comprehensive feedback.
**Content:**
# Where do you find your stories, and how do you shape an idea into crafted work, to be shared with the world?
Each week we will use writing prompts to generate fresh authentic work and invite participants to share their new work for immediate encouraging feedback. In week 2 we will discuss editing strategies that enhance the craft of narrative fiction and nonfiction. Additionally, for weeks 3, 4, and 5 participants are invited to submit one polished piece to the group for more comprehensive feedback.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you will gain:
- A number of fresh, unique pieces.
- A greater sense of how your writing style resonates with readers.
- Some useful and practical tools for editing your work and making it beautiful.
# Time requirements
- No preparation is required for the first 2 sessions. For the 3rd, 4th and 5th sessions about an hour and a half per week.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for beginner writers who want to explore and grow, as well as more experienced writers who would like a fresh start or creative inspiration.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 5 Sessions, Mixed Genre, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat w/ Novelist Eman Quotah](https://writer.org/event/eman-quotah/)
**Published:** August 7, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of fiction! We’re joined by author Eman Quotah for a discussion of her new novel, *The Night Is Not for You*. Eman is in conversation with Amy Freeman, author and Development Director at The Writer’s Center.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from Bookshop.org »](https://bookshop.org/a/22600/9780316595810)
---
Eman Quotah is the author of *Bride of the Sea*, winner of the Arab American Book Award for Fiction, and *The Night Is Not for You*, a novel forthcoming in October 2025. Her essays and stories have appeared in The Washington Post, USA Today, Literary Hub, and [other publications](https://www.emanquotah.com/essays-and-stories).
When she’s not writing fiction or essays, Eman is a communications consultant and ghost writer for nonprofit and business leaders. She’s also a board member of RAWI, which represents writers of Southwest Asian and North African heritage. She lives with her family near Washington, D.C.
---
# About the Book
“Wildfire, an imprint of Headline, has snared *The Night Is Not For You*, a ‘hauntingly dark coming-of-age story’ by Eman Quotah. Senior commissioning editor Areen Ali acquired world all-language rights from Steven Chudney at The Chudney Agency. North American rights sold to Orbit US, which will publish simultaneously with Wildfire on 7th October 2025.
Inspired by folk myths of a jinn known as Umm Al-Duwais, Quotah’s horror novel follows Layla, who grows up in a neighbourhood where men are continually murdered.
The synopsis reads: ‘As years go by and more men are found murdered, rumours fly of supposed hoofprints and a woman with hair like black silk. Ambiguous messages left in lipstick and the sweet smell of perfume at the murder sites cause the finger of blame to point towards women and parents to keep their children closer. Meanwhile, Layla grows into the kind of woman she has always dreamt of becoming: A woman with sharp instincts. A woman who cannot be tamed.’
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Defining Place: Three Writers Untangle the Research Process](https://writer.org/event/defining-place/)
**Published:** October 29, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes three DC-area authors to discuss the importance of place in writing!
Every place holds stories of past and present. But those stories can be hard to find, especially when so much of history can be covered up or purposefully disappeared. Moderated by writer Moa Short, authors Charlotte Taylor Fryar, Andrea Seiger, and Paige Muller discuss their recent books that chronicle underrepresented stories and places of Washington, DC. They dive into their research processes, touching on finding and writing about stories previously not told—even of one of the most famous cities in the world.
---
**Charlotte Taylor Fryar** is the author of *Potomac Fever: Reflections on the Nation’s River* (Bellevue Literary Press, 2025). Her essays, which have been twice nominated for a Pushcart Prize and recognized in *The Best American Essays*, can be found in *Orion*, *Fourth Genre*, *Literary Hub*, and the *Southern Humanities Review*, among other publications. Her writing has been supported by the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, Bread Loaf Environmental Writers’ Conference, and the Inner Loop, where she is 2025 featured author. Charlotte holds a Ph.D. in American Studies from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and lives just outside in Washington D.C., less than 700 feet from the banks of the Potomac River. She is the Writer-In-Residence at a boarding school in northern Virginia, and operates a small community herbal clinic. For more information, visit [www.charlottetaylorfryar.com/](http://www.charlottetaylorfryar.com/).
**Andrea Seiger** is a curious explorer and tour guide, and in her career in tourism and meetings management she has had many unique DC and international adventures. Road tripping is her biggest joy, and she is prone to walking into entryways to mysterious interiors and exploring the uncommon everywhere she goes. She authored *111 Places in Washington That You Must Not Miss*, and her list of places yet to visit in DC and the world is a constant companion. She also co-wrote *22 Walks in Washington That You Must Not Miss* with Paige Muller. In her spare time, she runs her small business, Urban Safari, for which she creates off-the-beaten-path tours to unique and intriguing locations in the US and abroad.
**Paige Muller** is the founder of Curious Caravan, a trip planning service that curates one-of-a-kind adventures for curious explorers seeking the unexpected in Washington, DC. After growing up in South America, Japan, and the United Kingdom, she called the District home for over 20 years. She is totally \*that\* person who reads all the plaques in museums and takes copies of the materials at the information desk (and reads them!). Infinite curiosity and a perpetual wanderlust keep her on the go, whether exploring places locally or across the globe. She co-wrote the book *22 Walks in Washington That You Must Not Miss* with Andrea Seiger.
**Moa Short’s** work has appeared in or is forthcoming from *New York* Magazine, *The Atlantic*, *The New* *Republic*, *The Rumpus*, *Pleiades*, *Southern Review of Books*, and elsewhere. She has an MFA from American University and has received support from Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, where she was a Rona Jaffe Foundation scholar, as well as from Kenyon Review Writers’ Workshop and Sewanee Writers Conference. She’s working on a memoir of domestic violence survival situated within the American South and alongside the 2016 election. She lives in DC.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Writerly Happy Hour](https://writer.org/event/writerly-happy-hour-4/)
**Published:** October 29, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
Join us for cocktails at No Kisses Bar to mingle with friends of The Inner Loop, The Writer’s Center, DC Writers Room and PEN/Faulkner!
# [**Register here »**](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/writerly-happy-hour-tickets-1901740971439?aff=oddtdtcreator)
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Personal Essays from Start to Finish: 10 Essays in 5 Months!](https://writer.org/event/personalessay-fa23/)
**Published:** August 4, 2023
**Author:** Cary Smith
**Content:**
# Inspiration, accountability, and the tools you need to get your essays out into the world!
Join us for five months of craft lessons, workshops, editor visits, and personal editorial feedback! This small and inclusive class meets weekly, alternating between live Zoom sessions and asynchronous lessons, with the goal of creating an intimate, writer-based community of essayists who learn and grow together.
You’ll read, brainstorm, and write drafts. You’ll explore different essay forms and practice a variety of narrative techniques. You’ll learn tangible self-editing tools, then revise, workshop, and revise some more! You’ll discover the publications you love, whether literary or freelance in nature (or both!), and you’ll create a plan to get those bylines! You’ll receive supportive, thoughtful peer workshop feedback on six drafts. You’ll have three personal one-on-one meetings (with detailed line edits) from your instructor. You’ll meet editors, attend panels, and participate in a final online reading event to celebrate your hard work! You’ll discuss next steps in publication, including how to pitch editors and begin forming a full collection.
This workshop is for writers who already have some experience publishing personal essays in either literary or freelance publications. The workshop model will be carefully scaffolded and writer-centric, evolving as the class evolves. Writers will finish the class with ten complete drafts and a path forward for publication.
We will meet weekly, with 12 live Zoom sessions every other Tuesday alternating with 12 asynchronous lessons, from January 16 to May 28 2024 from 7:00pm ET to 9:00pm ET.
## **TO APPLY**
**Send a cover letter and a 10- to 15-page personal essay writing sample to <laura.spencer@writer.org> by January 5, 2024.** Acceptance is competitive and applications will be considered on a rolling basis. This course is limited to 15 participants. **Please note that acceptance to the program is required before registering.**
Writers who are Black, Indigenous, and/or People of Color are warmly encouraged to apply. This course offers two full scholarships for BIPOC writers. To be considered for the scholarship, in addition to the regular submission, state in your application email that you would like to be considered and include a 2-3 sentence statement of need. If more than 2 applicants qualify, the scholarship recipients will be chosen from among them via lottery.
***LIVE VIDEO CONFERENCE:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, Zoom. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. Shortly before the start date participants will receive an email with login info. Please check your spam if you don’t see it.*
*This Zoom class has live captioning. If you need another type of accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 12 Sessions, Advanced Level, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [End of Season Celebration Reading!](https://writer.org/event/end-of-season-reading-jan-26/)
**Published:** October 22, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
Ever wonder who else is taking classes at The Writer’s Center? Want the chance to hear the work being made in other classes? Meet with Instructors of the coming season’s courses?
We invite you to attend our first ever **End of Season Celebration**, a time to meet and hear work from the participants from the numerous workshops we’ve hosted for the past four months.
This in-person event will gather the community of writers and instructors of the past four months to showcase work generated, revised, and inspired by the workshops held this season. Following this showcase, there will be a reception to meet fellow workshop participants and instructors.
We hope to see you, at the Center, in celebration of our wonderful community.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
Attending? We encourage you to [become a member of The Writer’s Center for only $65/year »](https://writer.org/become-a-member/)
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Carving Out a Literary Life: Four Authors on Their Nontraditional Journeys to Publication](https://writer.org/event/carving-out-a-literary-life/)
**Published:** October 22, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes four recently-published DC-area authors to discuss the inspirations, obstacles, and lessons gleaned on their writing journeys. Each of them has engaged with The Writer’s Center in the course of their careers. The event will include brief readings and ample time for audience questions and discussion.
---
Elizabeth Bruce’s debut story collection, *Universally Adored & Other One Dollar Stories*, was published in January 2024 by the Athens, Greece-based Vine Leaves Press. Her debut novel, *And Silent Left the Place,* won Washington Writers’ Publishing House’s Fiction Award, *ForeWord Magazin*e’s Bronze Fiction Prize, and was one of two finalists for the Texas Institute of Letters’ Award for Best Work of First Fiction. Bruce has published prose in the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Israel, Sweden, Romania, India, South Korea, Malawi, Yemen, and The Philippines.
Tom Navratil grew up in Illinois and Wisconsin, and graduated from Haverford College. His debut novel, *Dog’s Breakfast*, is a comedy of international intrigue, inspired by his experiences as a U.S. diplomat. Tom’s humor writing has appeared in Points in Case, Weekly Humorist, Slackjaw, and many other publications.
Bernardine (Dine) Watson is a nonfiction writer and poet who lives in Washington, D.C. Dine’s memoir: *Transplant,* the story of her battle with kidney disease, won the 2023 Washington Writers’ Publishing House prize for nonfiction and appeared on National Public Radio’s 2023 list of *“*Books We Love.” Dine was selected by Poets and Writers magazine as one of their “5 over 50” debut authors for 2023. Her poetry has been published in many local and national journals.
Lauren D. Woods is the author of *The Great Grown-Up Game of Make-Believe*, winner of the 2024 Autumn House Fiction Prize. Originally from the Dallas area, she now lives and writes in Washington, DC. Her writing has appeared in *Best Small Fictions*, *The Antioch Review, The Normal School, Passages North,* and elsewhere. Lauren works in consulting and lives with her husband, four children, two cats, and a guinea pig.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [$40 Pop Up! Bite-Sized Horror: How To Write (and Publish!) Freaky Flash Fiction](https://writer.org/event/bite-sized-horror-how-to-write-and-publish-freaky-flash-fiction/)
**Published:** September 30, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
In this pop-up session, students will learn the essential tools for crafting effective and haunting literary horror flash pieces through lecture and close readings. Experience in writing horror is not required, and in fact if the thought of writing horror “scares” you, it could be just what you need, as the lessons and tools for writing bite-sized horror can easily be applied to other genres and modes of writing. There will be generative prompts as well as tips for how and where to submit work like this in order to get published.
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [$40 POP UP: QueryTracker 101](https://writer.org/event/40-pop-up-querytracker-101/)
**Published:** October 15, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
QueryTracker is a powerful tool for finding literary agents, sending them queries, and tracking their responses. In this course we’ll cover the basics: search tools, the who-represents-whom tool, and data view options. We’ll also look at cool features that are a little harder to find: pasting in agency/agent notes, flagging agents by priority, and setting alerts for when closed agents become open. Coupons for a free year of premium membership will be provided for up to 10 attendees. Bring your laptop to follow along.
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, Publishing, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [POSTPONED: Submit-O-Rama!](https://writer.org/event/submit-o-rama/)
**Published:** September 18, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
# 
# **This event has been postponed. Keep an eye out for our new date!**
Get a jump on submission season while you raise money for The Writer’s Center!
Each autumn, thousands of lit mags and journals open their portals/queues/websites to read your work. We know that submitting on your own can be a slog, so let’s get it done, together!
The Writer’s Center is hosting our first ever Submit-o-rama, a jam-packed afternoon where you commit to submitting your work for 4 hours, and enlist your friends and family to support you (and our programming) along the way! Grab some sponsors to cheer you on and dig in on submitting. Bring your laptop and spend the afternoon with us, and end with prizes and a celebration to commemorate your work and the funds you’ve raised!
The donations you raise will help pay for
- Our public programming (including readings, panels, and craft chats)
- Bi-monthly open mics
- Quarterly mixers
- Creative writing workshops
- Scholarships
- And more!
As a fundraiser, you’ll receive a **30 minute submission crash course on best tips for submitting** and **a one month free subscription of Chill Subs!**
You’ll spend your time submitting to a **minimum of 20 literary journals and magazines** to get your work out there!
In return for you hard work, we will have prizes like totes, gift certificates, and more!
***Once you’ve registered, you will receive an email with a personal fundraising page to send to your loved ones.***
---
## What to Expect:
# 1pm: Check-in and receive 1 month free subscription to Chill Subs
# **1:15 pm: Submission Crash Course**
Learn some best practices and free resources to continue your submission journey!
# **1:30pm: Submit-o-Rama Begins!**
Receive a list of literary journals and magazines in your genre that are open for submissions and start submitting!
Meet our writers in your genre, submitting work!
# 5pm: Prizes Awarded and Reception Begins!
---
## Fundraising Prize Tiers
# Tier 1, $250 raised: A Free Writer’s Center Tote
# Tier 2, $500 raised: 1 Writer’s Center Gift Certificate (Valued at $60) and personalized notebook
# Tier 3, $750 raised: $200 workshop certificate, Poet Lore subscription, plus a Writer’s Center Mug
# Top 3 Donors: A 1 year Free subscription to Chill Subs
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Workshop
---
### [Personal Essays from Start to Finish: 10 Essays in 6 Months w/ Hannah Grieco](https://writer.org/event/personal-essays-from-start-to-finish/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Join us for five months of craft lessons, workshops, editor visits, and personal editorial feedback! This small and inclusive class meets bi-weekly on Zoom, with the goal of creating an intimate, writer-based community of essayists who learn and grow together.
You’ll read, brainstorm, and write drafts. You’ll explore different essay forms and practice a variety of narrative techniques. You’ll learn tangible self-editing tools, then revise, workshop, and revise some more! You’ll discover the publications you love, whether literary or freelance in nature (or both!), and you’ll create a plan to get those bylines! You’ll receive supportive, thoughtful peer workshop feedback on six drafts. You’ll have three personal one-on-one meetings (with detailed line edits) from your instructor. You’ll meet editors, attend panels, and participate in a final online reading event to celebrate your hard work! You’ll discuss next steps in publication, including how to pitch editors and begin forming a full collection.
This workshop is for writers who already have some experience publishing personal essays in either literary or freelance publications. The workshop model will be carefully scaffolded and writer-centric, evolving as the class evolves. Writers will finish the class with ten complete drafts and a path forward for publication.
**Content:**
# Inspiration, accountability, and the tools you need to get your essays out into the world!
Join us for six months of craft lessons, workshops, editor visits, and personal editorial feedback! This small and inclusive class meets bi-weekly on Zoom, with the goal of creating an intimate, writer-based community of essayists who learn and grow together.
You’ll read, brainstorm, and write drafts. You’ll explore different essay forms and practice a variety of narrative techniques. You’ll learn tangible self-editing tools, then revise, workshop, and revise some more! You’ll discover the publications you love, whether literary or freelance in nature (or both!), and you’ll create a plan to get those bylines! You’ll receive supportive, thoughtful peer workshop feedback on six drafts. You’ll have three personal one-on-one meetings (with detailed line edits) from your instructor. You’ll meet editors, attend panels, and participate in a final online reading event to celebrate your hard work! You’ll discuss next steps in publication, including how to pitch editors and begin forming a full collection.
This workshop is for writers who already have some experience publishing personal essays in either literary or freelance publications. The workshop model will be carefully scaffolded and writer-centric, evolving as the class evolves. Writers will finish the class with ten complete drafts and a path forward for publication.
---
# Virtual Info Session w/ Hannah Grieco!
Meet Hannah Grieco, instructor for our Personal Essays from Start to Finish workshop, and have all your questions about the program answered!
[**Watch the recording on YouTube »**](https://youtu.be/lQHbK3bQD2E)
---
# Application Deadline: October 27, 2025
**To apply, send a cover letter and a 10- to 15-page personal essay writing sample to <laura.spencer@writer.org> by October 27, 2025.** Acceptance is competitive and applications will be considered on a rolling basis. This course is limited to 15 participants. **Please note that acceptance to the program is required before registering.**
Writers who are Black, Indigenous, and/or People of Color are warmly encouraged to apply. This course offers two full scholarships for BIPOC writers. To be considered for the scholarship, in addition to the regular submission, state in your application email that you would like to be considered and include a 2-3 sentence statement of need. If more than 2 applicants qualify, the scholarship recipients will be chosen from among them via lottery.
---
***LIVE VIDEO CONFERENCE:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, Zoom. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. Shortly before the start date participants will receive an email with login info. Please check your spam if you don’t see it.*
---
*This Zoom class has live captioning. If you need another type of accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Intermediate/Advanced Level, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [An Evening of Tributes to Percival Everett](https://writer.org/event/percival-everett/)
**Published:** May 6, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
# A Free Fitzgerald Festival Event Co-sponsored with The Writer’s Center
The [F. Scott Fitzgerald Festival](https://fitzgeraldfestival.com/) and The Writer’s Center present a reading in tribute to Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award-winning novelist Percival Everett. Featuring best-selling author Samuel Ashworth, multiple award-winning novelist Madison Smartt Bell, and acclaimed novelist Afabwaje Kurian, plus concluding remarks by Everett.
**FREE and open to the public. RSVP required below.**
---
**Percival Everett** is a celebrated American author, poet, and academic known for his diverse body of work that spans novels, short stories, and poetry. With over thirty books to his name, his most recent novel, James, won the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Award for Fiction, and the Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction, awarded by the American Library Association. Everett has made a lasting impact on contemporary literature through his exploration of race, identity, and the human condition, often with an infusion of wit and satire. His novels include *Erasure* (2001), a searing critique of racial stereotypes in publishing, *I Am Not Sidney Poitier* (2009), a humorous and complex take on identity, and *The Trees* (2021), which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize and combines mystery with social critique. Everett’s style defies easy categorization, and he is praised for his ability to navigate genre-bending themes with both intellectual rigor and humor. In addition to his writing, Everett is a professor of English at the University of Southern California, where he shares his craft with emerging writers and scholars. He has received numerous accolades throughout his career, including the PEN Center USA Award for Fiction and the Dos Passos Prize for Literature. Everett’s work often challenges readers to question their assumptions about race, power, and truth, establishing him as one of the most influential voices in contemporary American literature.
**Samuel Ashworth** is a professor of creative writing at George Washington University and the author of the novel *The Death and Life of August Sweeney*. His fiction and nonfiction have appeared in the *Atlantic*, the *Washington Post*, *Longreads*, *Eater*, and many others. A native New Yorker, he now lives with his wife and two sons in Washington, DC.
**Madison Smartt Bell** is the author of twelve novels. *Soldier’s Joy* (1989) received the Lillian Smith Award; and *All Soul’s Rising* (1995) was a finalist for the National Book Award and the PEN/Faulkner Award and won the 1996 Anisfield-Wolf award for the best book of the year dealing with matters of race. He has also published two collections of short stories, *Zero db (*1987) and *Barking Man* (1990), and biographies of Toussaint Louverture (2007) and Robert Stone (2020). His most recent work is the novel *The Witch of Matongé* (2022). Born and raised in Tennessee, he has lived in New York, Haiti, Paris and London and now lives in Baltimore, Maryland. A graduate of Princeton University (A.B 1979) and Hollins College (M.A. 1981), he has taught in various creative writing programs, including the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and the Johns Hopkins University Writing Seminars. He taught creative writing at Goucher College from 1984 to 2023, along with his wife, poet [Elizabeth Spires](http://blogs.goucher.edu/creativewriting/standing-professors/elizabeth-spires/).
**Afabwaje Kurian** is the author of the novel *Before the Mango Ripens*, which has been shortlisted for the 2025 Aspen Words Literary Prize. She received her MFA from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. Her short fiction has been published in *McSweeney’s Quarterly Concern*, *Callaloo*, *swamp.pink*, *The Bare Life Review*, and *Joyland Magazine*. She’s taught creative writing at the University of Iowa, for the International Writing Program, and for The Writer’s Center.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
---
***If the event is sold out, you can join the waitlist by sending an email to brandon.johnson@writer.org specifying you’re interested in attending.***
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Teen Open Mic @ The Writer's Center](https://writer.org/event/teen-open-mic-the-writers-center/)
**Published:** October 7, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
# A special Open Mic to uplift the voices and work of the teenagers in our community.
Prose, poetry, and spoken word Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center! All writers are welcome to come and share 4-5 minutes of their latest work.
- **Sign-up starts at 1:45pm, and readings begin promptly at 2pm.**
- **Limited to 20 readers, so arrive early if you plan to read.**
Sponsored by [*Poet Lore*](poetlore.com), America’s oldest poetry magazine.
FREE and open to the public. Please note that we no longer offer advance sign-up.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Spooky Open Mic @ The Writer's Center](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-the-writers-center/)
**Published:** September 23, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
# A Halloween-themed night featuring scary/creepy writings. Costumes encouraged.
Prose, poetry, and spoken word Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center! All writers are welcome to come and share 4-5 minutes of their latest work.
- **Sign-up starts at 6:45pm, and readings begin promptly at 7pm.**
- **Limited to 20 readers, so arrive early if you plan to read.**
Sponsored by [*Poet Lore*](poetlore.com), America’s oldest poetry magazine.
FREE and open to the public. Please note that we no longer offer advance sign-up.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Boot Camp for Writers](https://writer.org/event/boot-camp-for-writers-3/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Each session of Boot Camp for Writers will begin with a prompt followed by writing time. Participants will have the opportunity to share and discuss their work as well as receive in-class feedback. The workshops is designed so that participants will have the start of six new pieces by the end of class. Former Boot Camp participants are always (and happily) welcome.
**Content:**
# Tone, strengthen, and flex your writing muscles
Each session of Boot Camp for Writers will begin with a prompt followed by writing time. Participants will have the opportunity to share and discuss their work as well as receive in-class feedback. The workshops is designed so that participants will have the start of six new pieces by the end of class. Former Boot Camp participants are always (and happily) welcome.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Effective beginnings
- Creative prose and lyrical storytelling
- Strong conclusions
- Structure
- Deepening story
# Time requirements
- No specific time requirements, but writing outside of class in encouraged.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers at all level and stages who want to take their creative endurance to the next level.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 6 Sessions, Mixed Genre, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Show and Tell Intensive](https://writer.org/event/show-and-tell-intensive-4/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** A dynamic workshop on the single most important skill any writer can have. Skilled writers make readers feel and intuit precisely what they want them to by using the technique of showing writing. No other element of craft promises this immediacy and power to bring a work to life. This is how to make a flat passage sing, how to gain your readers’ trust and emotional participation. Through exploration of compelling published examples, exercises, lively discussion, and inspiring instruction, you will learn to elevate your stories to submission-quality prose.
**Content:**
# Develop the most critical skill a writer can possess in order to create compelling prose and make flat work sing.
A dynamic workshop on the single most important skill any writer can have. Skilled writers make readers feel and intuit precisely what they want them to by using the technique of showing writing. No other element of craft promises this immediacy and power to bring a work to life. This is how to make a flat passage sing, how to gain your readers’ trust and emotional participation. Through exploration of compelling published examples, exercises, lively discussion, and inspiring instruction, you will learn to elevate your stories to submission-quality prose.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- to identify showing writing
- to write so that readers intuit emotion
- to eliminate padded prose
- to write precise descriptions with potent verbs
- to make the reader feel what you want him to feel
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Absolutely any writer, of fiction or nonfiction, who wants to learn to dramatize at will, to create potent, active scenes in which the reader emotionally participates,
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Diction for Poets: Choosing the Right Word](https://writer.org/event/diction-for-poets-choosing-the-right-word/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Diction, or word choice, is crucial to poetry, where every word matters. In this workshop, we will examine what diction is "appropriate" in a poem and why understanding where certain words come from is essential to using them effectively. We will discuss the relationship between diction and tone, the difference between idiom and cliché, and the role that ambiguity can play. We will also talk about “poetic diction” and how to avoid it.
**Content:**
# Should the language used in poetry be different from that used in everyday speech?
Diction, or word choice, is crucial to poetry, where every word matters. In this workshop, we will examine what diction is “appropriate” in a poem and why understanding where certain words come from is essential to using them effectively. We will discuss the relationship between diction and tone, the difference between idiom and cliché, and the role that ambiguity can play. We will also talk about “poetic diction” and how to avoid it.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- What “poetic diction” is and how it has changed over the centuries.
- Why knowing a word’s etymology–the study of its origins–is so important.
- How word choice can affect the tone of a poem.
- Whether ambiguity in a poem is a good thing or a bad thing.
- How to expand and improve your diction.
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for beginners as well as poets who have been writing for many years.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Building a Writing Process](https://writer.org/event/building-a-writing-process-2/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Do you ever think to yourself: “Why is it so hard to get my ideas out of my head and onto the page?” This workshop offers a variety of techniques that help writers develop their ideas and break down barriers to writing. Whether you are a plotter or a pantser, neurotypical or neurodivergent, you will come away understanding your creative process on a deeper level so you can work with it and not against it. You will experiment with different approaches to idea generation, prewriting, outlining, drafting and revising so when you get stuck, you can reach into your toolbox and try a different method. Writers will come away with a rough draft of a personal narrative and a new appreciation for each stage of the writing process.
**Content:**
# Learn techniques to stop overthinking and get words on the page.
Do you ever think to yourself: “Why is it so hard to get my ideas out of my head and onto the page?” This workshop offers a variety of techniques that help writers develop their ideas and break down barriers to writing. Whether you are a plotter or a pantser, neurotypical or neurodivergent, you will come away understanding your creative process on a deeper level so you can work with it and not against it. You will experiment with different approaches to idea generation, prewriting, outlining, drafting and revising so when you get stuck, you can reach into your toolbox and try a different method. Writers will come away with a rough draft of a personal narrative and a new appreciation for each stage of the writing process.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Idea generation techniques
- Outlining methods
- Story arc development
- Drafting and revising
- Building a sustainable writing practice
- Using prompts to spark ideas and overcome blocks
# Time requirements
- 1-2 hours per week
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This generative workshop is designed for all levels and is intended to tap into creativity in a new way.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 3 Sessions, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [The Muddle in the Middle](https://writer.org/event/the-muddle-in-the-middle-3/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** This quick-take session focuses on ways to get yourself unstuck when a story’s middle gets thorny, or you lose your way. A relaxed, informative 90 minutes chockful of information from a multi-published author who often has to fight her way out of the middle of a manuscript…and onward to a completed novel. Loads of tips and tricks for you to take away!
**Content:**
# Discover all the stuff you didn’t realize could speed you through the middle of your story!
This quick-take session focuses on ways to get yourself unstuck when a story’s middle gets thorny, or you lose your way. A relaxed, informative 90 minutes chockful of information from a multi-published author who often has to fight her way out of the middle of a manuscript…and onward to a completed novel. Loads of tips and tricks for you to take away!
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Plot Enhancers
- Pacing
- Character Development
- Bumping up Tension
- Resolution prep
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Authors of fiction, creative nonfiction and memoir who need support working to completion their projects
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Writing to Heal](https://writer.org/event/writing-to-heal-3/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Pain is part of life, whether it’s the loss of a job, a pet, a friendship, your innocence, your health, or a loved one. In my case, I've lost a sister to suicide and a son to a heroin overdose. Even though death is a part of life, it need not be crippling or debilitating. In this session, we’ll look at strategies -- including journaling and storytelling -- to help you move forward, through and beyond the pain and into a future that can once again be filled with hope—and even joy. The session includes short writing exercises.
**Content:**
# How writing through your pain can lead to inner healing.
Pain is part of life, whether it’s the loss of a job, a pet, a friendship, your innocence, your health, or a loved one. In my case, I’ve lost a sister to suicide and a son to a heroin overdose. Even though death is a part of life, it need not be crippling or debilitating. In this session, we’ll look at strategies — including journaling and storytelling — to help you move forward, through and beyond the pain and into a future that can once again be filled with hope—and even joy. The session includes short writing exercises.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How journaling can help you capture and analyze your thoughts and feelings
- How to transform painful experiences into a memoir or novel
- How to face your fears about writing—and living
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for any writer who is struggling with grief
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Promoting Your Collection of Poetry](https://writer.org/event/promoting-your-collection-of-poetry/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** This workshop will provide ideas and suggestions for promoting your new collection of poetry. Courtney LeBlanc is the author of four full length collections of poetry and for her 3rd collection she went on a self-organized book tour that encompassed 9 months, 18 states, and 64 readings. Not only is this an impressive feat, but she *made money* on her book tour! She'll share her tips and tricks for promoting your work without feeling icky doing it.
**Content:**
# Learn creative and inexpensive ways to promote your collection of poetry.
This workshop will provide ideas and suggestions for promoting your new collection of poetry. Courtney LeBlanc is the author of four full length collections of poetry and for her 3rd collection she went on a self-organized book tour that encompassed 9 months, 18 states, and 64 readings. Not only is this an impressive feat, but she \*made money\* on her book tour! She’ll share her tips and tricks for promoting your work without feeling icky doing it.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Inexpensive (or free!) ways to promote your collection of poetry
- New ways to promote your poetry
- Promotion ideas that don’t make you feel icky
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for any poet with a new or forthcoming collection, or a poet who wants to plan and learn about promotion in advance of their collection getting accepted for publication.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Poetry, Professional Writing, Publishing, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Organizing a Collection of Poetry](https://writer.org/event/organizing-a-collection-of-poetry/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** This workshop will walk you through how to organize your collection of poetry, offering multiple examples and different techniques to ensure your manuscript is as cohesive and organized as it can be!
**Content:**
# This workshop will walk you through different ways of organizing a collection of poetry.
This workshop will walk you through how to organize your collection of poetry, offering multiple examples and different techniques to ensure your manuscript is as cohesive and organized as it can be!
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Different techniques for organizing a manuscript
- Suggestions based on current trends in publishing
- Dos and Don’ts of organizing a collection of poems
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for any poet who is ready to begin compiling and organizing their manuscript.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Publishing Well: Hands-on Advice](https://writer.org/event/publishing-well-hands-on-advice/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Do you want to get your writing published (in literary journals and as books), but don't know where to start? Are you already publishing but want to publish in more competitive markets? In this workshop we'll learn about the business of submitting to editors of literary journals and presses. We'll also discuss tips for finding appropriate markets for your writing.
**Content:**
# Learn strategies from a well-published author to get your work published.
Do you want to get your writing published (in literary journals and as books), but don’t know where to start? Are you already publishing but want to publish in more competitive markets? In this workshop we’ll learn about the business of submitting to editors of literary journals and presses. We’ll also discuss tips for finding appropriate markets for your writing.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Publishing
- Querying
- Marketing
- Prose and poetry
- What editors want
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for beginning and experienced prose and poetry writers who want to begin to get their work published in literary journals and magazines and/or access more competititve markets.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Publishing, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Creating Backstory & Flashback Scenes](https://writer.org/event/creating-backstory-flashback-scenes-2/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Every character has a hidden history from before your story starts. Learn how to masterfully weave in details and experiences that enrich your characters and create believable motivation. Novelists, short story authors, and creative nonfiction writers will all benefit from these twin skills. You’ll see your writing grow in sophistication and depth
**Content:**
# Add to your fiction-skill toolbox by learning how to create scenes from multiple time frames through flashback scenes.
Every character has a hidden history from before your story starts. Learn how to masterfully weave in details and experiences that enrich your characters and create believable motivation. Novelists, short story authors, and creative nonfiction writers will all benefit from these twin skills. You’ll see your writing grow in sophistication and depth.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Time Skips
- Flashbacks
- Character Motivation
- Advancing the Plot
- Hidden Pitfalls
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Authors interested in enriching their fiction and learning more advanced techniques.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Fiction, Intermediate/Advanced Level, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Writing the Braided Story](https://writer.org/event/writing-the-braided-story/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** A braided story weaves two or more distinct threads—memories, events, voices, topics, or styles—into one cohesive narrative. The strands speak to one another through juxtaposition, echo, interruption, and surprise. In this workshop you will study published examples, both fiction and nonfiction, create strands of your own, and explore creating your own narrative braid.
**Content:**
# Explore the structure, technique, and emotional resonance of braided narratives in both fiction and nonfiction.
A braided story weaves two or more distinct threads—memories, events, voices, topics, or styles—into one cohesive narrative. The strands speak to one another through juxtaposition, echo, interruption, and surprise. In this workshop you will study published examples, both fiction and nonfiction, create strands of your own, and explore creating your own narrative braid.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- The definition of a braided story
- How to create resonance among narrative strands
- How to make disparate threads illuminate a main emotional takeaway
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Writers of all levels interested in experimenting with braided narrative structure in fiction and nonfiction.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Literary Translation Basecamp](https://writer.org/event/literary-translation-basecamp/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Are you bilingual or fluent in two (or more) languages? Are you learning a foreign language? Are you interested in exploring a heritage language you grew up hearing? This informative presentation will provide tips for getting started as a literary translator and include time for questions at the end. From Charles Simic to Robert Bly and Elizabeth Bishop, many poets and writers have also translated significant works from other languages. How does turning a pen toward literary translation enrich a poet's own writing practice? What are some of the practical, cultural, and ethical considerations that translators should consider and what should you know about world language rights and publication before allowing translations of your own verse to go into print? This workshop is open to poets of all levels and backgrounds, as well as to translators working out of any language into English. Presentation includes elements of translation ethics, culture, trauma-informed practice, equity and inclusion, outreach to authors, and publication.
**Content:**
# Your expedition into getting started and getting published!
Are you bilingual or fluent in two (or more) languages? Are you learning a foreign language? Are you interested in exploring a heritage language you grew up hearing? This informative presentation will provide tips for getting started as a literary translator and include time for questions at the end. From Charles Simic to Robert Bly and Elizabeth Bishop, many poets and writers have also translated significant works from other languages. How does turning a pen toward literary translation enrich a poet’s own writing practice? What are some of the practical, cultural, and ethical considerations that translators should consider and what should you know about world language rights and publication before allowing translations of your own verse to go into print? This workshop is open to poets of all levels and backgrounds, as well as to translators working out of any language into English. Presentation includes elements of translation ethics, culture, trauma-informed practice, equity and inclusion, outreach to authors, and publication.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn more about:
- Literary translation
- Finding works to translate
- Getting your literary translations published
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Writer and translators of all levels are welcome.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, Translation, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Introduction to the Craft and Beauty of Poetry](https://writer.org/event/introduction-to-the-craft-and-beauty-of-poetry-2/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** This workshop is for writers looking to begin, or deepen, their exploration of poetry with a focus on craft. Each session is devoted to one aspect of craft—imagery, line, form, voice, etc.—and begins with a chance to share your work aloud (not workshop). Participants learn by discussing great poems, reading short, engaging chapters, and doing fun weekly assignments. One session will be devoted to revision. Please bring a copy of The Poet’s Companion by Addonizio and Laux to the first class.
**Content:**
# “I am amazed by the amount I learned!” is what participants say about this popular class.
This workshop is for writers looking to begin, or deepen, their exploration of poetry with a focus on craft. Each session is devoted to one aspect of craft—imagery, line, form, voice, etc.—and begins with a chance to share your work aloud (not workshop). Participants learn by discussing great poems, reading short, engaging chapters, and doing fun weekly assignments. One session will be devoted to revision. Please bring a copy of The Poet’s Companion by Addonizio and Laux to the first class.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- See how specific craft issues work in, and enhance, poems
- Use fun prompts and exercises to draft new poems
- Use imagery, line breaks, rhythm, and repetition to strengthen your poems
- Approach revision from a place of discovery rather than “fixing”
- Appreciate poems and become a stronger reader of poetry
# Time requirements
- 20 minutes reading; 30-60 minutes writing
- Short chapters from the class text and sometimes an additional poem as illustration.
# Materials
- The Poet’s Companion by Addonizio and Laux
# Who should take this workshop?
- This class is designed for beginning poets looking to learn the basics and enhance their appreciation of poetry.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 6 Sessions, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Creating Conflict & Tension](https://writer.org/event/creating-conflict-tension-5/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** 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.
**Content:**
# Creating conflict, emotion and tension in any story is crucial for its success; find out how to include them in any story you write!
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.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Emotional development
- Pacing
- Tools to create Conflict
- Linking Character Tension to Reader Involvement
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Writers desiring to increase their chances of publication.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Mixed Genre, Workshop
---
### [Writing Personal Essays](https://writer.org/event/writing-personal-essays-3/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Journeys, relationships, hardships, love, and loss—these are just a few of the subjects personal essays explore. In this workshop we’ll examine essays from magazines, literary journals, and newspapers to illuminate the ways imagery, dialogue, scene, and crafting an “I” narrator transform a personal experience into a compelling story. You’ll generate new material each week through in-class exercises, plus receive in-class feedback on your draft. Note: No meeting November 25.
**Content:**
Journeys, relationships, hardships, love, and loss—these are just a few of the subjects personal essays explore. In this workshop we’ll examine essays from magazines, literary journals, and newspapers to illuminate the ways imagery, dialogue, scene, and crafting an “I” narrator transform a personal experience into a compelling story. You’ll generate new material each week through in-class exercises, plus receive in-class feedback on your draft. Note: No meeting November 25.
**Event Categories:** 5 Sessions, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Punctuation: A Poet's Dilemma](https://writer.org/event/punctuation-a-poets-dilemma/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** When it comes to punctuating poems, opinions vary widely. Some poets are as careful and correct as T.S. Eliot, while others, like W.S. Merwin, have gotten rid of punctuation altogether. In this workshop we will discuss what traditional punctuation can achieve and whether syntax and line breaks can be used in its place. We will explore in depth the role played by the period and the comma, and we’ll take a look at some of the more unusual punctuation marks that poets have invented to suit their own purposes. By looking closely at a few poets who turned away from conventional punctuation at some point in their careers, we will be able to judge for ourselves whether and how to punctuate our own poems.
**Content:**
# Does a poem even need punctuation? It all depends…
When it comes to punctuating poems, opinions vary widely. Some poets are as careful and correct as T.S. Eliot, while others, like W.S. Merwin, have gotten rid of punctuation altogether. In this workshop we will discuss what traditional punctuation can achieve and whether syntax and line breaks can be used in its place. We will explore in depth the role played by the period and the comma, and we’ll take a look at some of the more unusual punctuation marks that poets have invented to suit their own purposes. By looking closely at a few poets who turned away from conventional punctuation at some point in their careers, we will be able to judge for ourselves whether and how to punctuate our own poems.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- What the use of certain punctuation marks can achieve.
- How misusing something as simple as a comma can undermine your poem’s meaning and impact.
- How removing or avoiding traditional punctuation changes a poem.
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for poets at all levels who are interested in experimenting with punctuation or in learning to use it more effectively.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Yes, You Can Write a Poem!](https://writer.org/event/yes-you-can-write-a-poem/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** We will circumvent the analytic brain and give imagination a chance to thrive. You can expect to take home three of your own original poems. You will receive helpful prompts for in-class writing exercises with the opportunity to read your writing and receive positive feedback that points the way toward your specific writing talents. Please bring your favorite writing instruments to the workshop, and please look for an email from the instructor the evening before the workshop begins.
**Content:**
# This workshop jump-starts your creativity with fun exercises.
We will circumvent the analytic brain and give imagination a chance to thrive. You can expect to take home three of your own original poems. You will receive helpful prompts for in-class writing exercises with the opportunity to read your writing and receive positive feedback that points the way toward your specific writing talents. Please bring your favorite writing instruments to the workshop, and please look for an email from the instructor the evening before the workshop begins.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn how to:
- Develop Vivid Imagery
- Write Unexpected Detail
- Make Interesting comparisons
# Time requirements
- You may receive some forms the night before to print out and bring to the workshop, which could take 5-10 minutes.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for anyone who wants to think in more creative ways or try their hand at writing a poem, or for anyone suffering writer’s block in any genre, or for intermediate writers who want to approach writing from a different angle.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Evoking Reader Empathy](https://writer.org/event/evoking-reader-empathy-2/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Even when a story is skillfully crafted, it may not be enough to make the reader care. The key lies in creating an emotional impact that connects them to your narrative—encouraging readers to invest in your characters and embark on their own emotional journeys. We’ll discuss how to avoid clichés and heavy-handed moralizing while determining the right balance of internal thought, scene, and underlying tension. Additionally, we’ll explore how to use an object or image (such as your father’s watch, a specific place, or a work of art) to carry the emotional weight of your story. Through reading examples and participating in short exercises, you will have the opportunity to practice and refine your ability to evoke empathy on the page.
**Content:**
# Discover techniques to infuse your writing with emotional depth.
Even when a story is skillfully crafted, it may not be enough to make the reader care. The key lies in creating an emotional impact that connects them to your narrative—encouraging readers to invest in your characters and embark on their own emotional journeys. We’ll discuss how to avoid clichés and heavy-handed moralizing while determining the right balance of internal thought, scene, and underlying tension. Additionally, we’ll explore how to use an object or image (such as your father’s watch, a specific place, or a work of art) to carry the emotional weight of your story. Through reading examples and participating in short exercises, you will have the opportunity to practice and refine your ability to evoke empathy on the page.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- The importance of underlying emotion
- How to avoid clichéd emotions
- The objective correlative technique
- How to craft resonant endings
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop will benefit both memoir and fiction writers wishing to strengthen reader engagement.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Beginner Level, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Turning Memories into Transformational Stories](https://writer.org/event/turning-memories-into-transformational-stories-3/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** How have your ups and downs, wins and losses shaped your life? Whether you want to write privately or wish to publish, identifying the turning points and themes in your life is an important first step in memoir writing. In this workshop, participants will reflect on the transformational seasons in their lives and associate stories and themes to each one. We will explore the dynamics of character development and narrative arc, and learn techniques to capture universal meaning through personal experiences. You will come away with a timeline technique to uncover life themes and storylines, a bank of memories to serve as writing prompts, and tips for starting a memoir journaling practice.
**Content:**
How have your ups and downs, wins and losses shaped your life? Whether you want to write privately or wish to publish, identifying the turning points and themes in your life is an important first step in memoir writing. In this workshop, participants will learn writing exercises that highlight meaningful life experiences, memories, and emotions that can be leveraged as creative material for writing personal stories. We’ll explore the dynamics of character development and narrative arc, and learn techniques to draw universal meaning from your unique experiences. You’ll leave with practical tools, including a timeline method for uncovering life themes and storylines, a collection of memories to use as writing prompts, templates for structuring narrative arcs, and tips for beginning your memoir or personal storytelling project.
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Plot Like a Pro](https://writer.org/event/plot-like-a-pro-3/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** You have a great idea for a story. Do you dive in and just begin writing, or start by drafting an outline? Are you a born planner or a writer who loves to discover stories organically (i.e., a pantser)? Understanding how to structure a well-conceived story around a main character and central conflict, while paying attention to pacing, can make the difference between a finished, publishable manuscript and an abandoned work-in-progress. Plotting provides a safety net that never robs the author of the joy of writing and always reduces revision time
**Content:**
# Think you can’t plot? Join us and we’ll show you how!
You have a great idea for a story. Do you dive in and just begin writing, or start by drafting an outline? Are you a born planner or a writer who loves to discover stories organically (i.e., a pantser)? Understanding how to structure a well-conceived story around a main character and central conflict, while paying attention to pacing, can make the difference between a finished, publishable manuscript and an abandoned work-in-progress. Plotting provides a safety net that never robs the author of the joy of writing and always reduces revision time.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- The one-sentence summary/pitch
- Pacing
- Plotting a short or long novel
- Conflict
- Building in Detail
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Any author who finds plotting a challenge or who is “stuck” during the writing process.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Writing Micro Memoir](https://writer.org/event/writing-micro-memoir/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Write your life story as you lived it, once experience at a time. This interactive workshop teaches writers to distill a moment of change, conflict, contradiction, or mystery, to its essence, so that the impact on the writer resonates profoundly with the reader. We will examine inspiring published examples to learn exactly how the writer moved and entertained us. Using the same tools with which we craft fiction, this workshop is an excellent learning environment for both genres. We'll conclude with a review of where to publish.
**Content:**
# Leave readers smiling and deeply moved as you learn the power of compression.
Write your life story as you lived it, once experience at a time. This interactive workshop teaches writers to distill a moment of change, conflict, contradiction, or mystery, to its essence, so that the impact on the writer resonates profoundly with the reader. We will examine inspiring published examples to learn exactly how the writer moved and entertained us. Using the same tools with which we craft fiction, this workshop is an excellent learning environment for both genres. We’ll conclude with a review of where to publish.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn how to:
- Select the experiences and anecdotes that resonate
- Create tension and imply stakes
- Distill for maximum impact
- Amplify metaphor
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Writers who would like to learn to write potent, funny and deeply moving pieces that are distilled to their essence should take this workshop.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Writing Picture Books](https://writer.org/event/writing-picture-books-4/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Learn how to write a picture book from a successful author of thirty award-winning books for children. Each session will begin with a short discussion of an aspect of writing for children, including story openings and arcs, characterization, plot/pacing, rhythm/sound, and marketing. Suggested readings, prompts, and feedback on in-class writing will inspire and guide writers in the class. By the end of the workshop, participants should have written and/or revised part or all of a picture book and have a better sense of how to create one in the future. Feedback will be offered on in-class exercises only rather than workshopping writing done outside of class.
**Content:**
# Learn the basics–from story structure to marketing–of writing picture books for children.
Learn how to write a picture book from a successful author of thirty award-winning books for children. Each session will begin with a short discussion of an aspect of writing for children, including story openings and arcs, characterization, plot/pacing, rhythm/sound, and marketing. Suggested readings, prompts, and feedback on in-class writing will inspire and guide writers in the class. By the end of the workshop, participants should have written and/or revised part or all of a picture book and have a better sense of how to create one in the future. Feedback will be offered on in-class exercises only rather than workshopping writing done outside of class.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn how to:
- Craft a Strong Beginning
- Consider Characterization & Plot
- Revise for Rhythm & Sound
- Explore Marketing & Helpful Resources
# Time requirements
- No advance reading required. Outside class prep: 20-30 minutes a week.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for those interested in the basics of writing picture books for children. We will not be covering the writing of chapter books and novels for older kids.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 3 Sessions, Beginner Level, Kid Lit, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [$40 Pop Up! Getting Unstuck](https://writer.org/event/40-pop-up-getting-unstuck/)
**Published:** July 5, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Journal techniques are like tools in a writer’s toolbox. Just as a hammer is the right choice for placing a nail in the wall, so a particular journal method can be exactly the right tool to use to advance the dialogue in a story, to help craft the end of a novel, or to create a compelling protagonist. Writing prompts are tools that inspire ideas and help queue our thoughts; they are useful when finding the thread of an idea is difficult or when we experience writer’s block. Journal writing prompts can help writers to channel their ideas into a flow of words. Among the many journaling techniques that have been espoused by journaling experts, in this interactive workshop the facilitator will demonstrate how the following six tools can inspire and spark creativity. Participants will have a chance to practice with several journaling methods to move ahead on a current work in progress, to jump start a writing idea, and/or to address their writing blocks.
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Fiction, Mixed Genre, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [How to Craft a Short Mystery](https://writer.org/event/how-to-craft-a-short-mystery/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Fans of mystery have the chance to build their own condensed caper using helpful tips and tools by a popular published mystery author.
**Content:**
# Learn how to create an exciting short mystery story (beginners encouraged)!
Fans of mystery have the chance to build their own condensed caper using helpful tips and tools by a popular published mystery author.
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Character Development
- Pacing
- Suspense Building
- Mystery Tropes
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Fans of mystery novels and lovers of short stories, delight! This workshop aims provide key building blocks necessary for crafting eloquent short mystery stories. It’s applicable for both fans of the larger mystery genre as well as lovers of the shortened tale.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Beginner Level, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Crafting Fiction, Element by Element](https://writer.org/event/crafting-fiction-element-by-element-5/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** By studying basic craft elements of fiction, participants will build a strong foundation for their writing—be it stories or novels. This 7-week workshop will explore elements (characterization, setting, scene, etc.) one at a time and ask participants to practice them through in-class exercises. We'll also read published stories to help us understand how writers regularly employ these elements. Class members will begin to put the elements together, too, as they start a story. You’ll leave the workshop with the tools you need to write wonderful, authentic fiction.
**Content:**
# Let’s demystify the craft of fiction writing!
By studying basic craft elements of fiction, participants will build a strong foundation for their writing—be it stories or novels. This 7-week workshop will explore elements (characterization, setting, scene, etc.) one at a time and ask participants to practice them through in-class exercises. We’ll also read published stories to help us understand how writers regularly employ these elements. Class members will begin to put the elements together, too, as they start a story. You’ll leave the workshop with the tools you need to write wonderful, authentic fiction.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Developing characters
- Moving from Character to Plot and Story
- Setting/Tone/Time
- Point of View / Narration
- Scene & Dialogue, and Revision
# Time requirements
- 1/2 hour – 1 hour weekly
# Materials
- The Best American Short Stories 2024, Lauren Groff Ed.
# Who should take this workshop?
- The workshop is designed for beginning fiction writers, intermediate fiction writers, and anyone looking to focus on bettering their fiction technique. More advanced writers have benefitted too.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 7 Sessions, Beginner Level, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [$40 Pop Up! Diction and Etymology](https://writer.org/event/pop-up-diction-and-etymology/)
**Published:** July 1, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Choosing the “best” words requires the use of a thesaurus, but also asks the writer to consider origins, etymology, and changes over time. Words from other languages, for instance “canoe” or “turban,” demand the same attention. Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “language is fossil poetry.” A writer can tap into buried or historical meanings of words, amplifying the effect of a single image. Moreover, etymology provides access to history and ideological change. Workshop examples and exercises are taken from a variety of genres and modes.
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Fiction, Mixed Genre, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Revive & Revise: A Writing Workshop](https://writer.org/event/revive-revise-a-writing-workshop/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Your story wants readers, but how do you get it to the point where publishers just can't put it down? Through my own twist on the traditional workshop model we will focus on the pacing, intrigue, cause & effect, and general appeal of your story and rework it into the story it always wanted to be. Before the class starts, you should have a short story or novel anywhere from 10-20 pages (double spaced) ready to submit for workshop, and be ready to revise, revise, revise!
**Content:**
Your story wants readers, but how do you get it to the point where publishers just can’t put it down? Through my own twist on the traditional workshop model we will focus on the pacing, intrigue, cause & effect, and general appeal of your story and rework it into the story it always wanted to be. Before the class starts, you should have a short story or novel excerpt anywhere from 10-20 pages (double spaced) ready to submit for workshop, and be ready to revise, revise, revise!
**Event Categories:** 7 Sessions, Fiction, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Book Launch for Poets Geraldine Connolly and Nancy Naomi Carlson](https://writer.org/event/geraldine-connolly-and-nancy-naomi-carlson/)
**Published:** September 18, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes poet **Geraldine Connolly** and poet **Nancy Naomi Carlson** for a reading from their new collections, *Instructions at Sunset* and translation of French Djiboutian poet, novelist, and essayist Abdourahman A. Waberi collection *When We Only Have the Earth,* respectively. These wonderful poets will be in conversation with Natasha Sajé.
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
**Geraldine Connolly** was born in Greensburg, Pennsylvania. She earned a B.A. from the University of Pittsburgh and and an M.A. from the University of Maryland. For seven years she served as co-editor of the literary quarterly, *Poet Lore.* She is author of a chapbook, *The Red Room,* and four full-length poetry collections: *Food for the Winter* (Purdue), *Province of Fire* (Iris Press), *Hand of the Wind* (Iris Press) and *Aileron*, published by Terrapin Books in 2018. Her new book, *Instructions at Sunset* is forthcoming in July 2025.
**Nancy Naomi Carlson** won the 2022 Oxford-Weidenfeld Translation Prize. Author of 16 titles (11 translations), her work has been noted in the NEW YORK TIMES. A recipient of grants from the NEA, she was decorated by the French government with the Academic Palms and was a finalist for the Sarah Maguire Translation Prize and the CLMP Firecracker Poetry Award. Her translation of GESTUARY (Seagull Books, 2026) by French-Senegalese writer Sylvie Kandé, is forthcoming. Carlson is the Translations Editor for On the Seawall.
**Natasha Sajé** is the author of five books of poems, including The Future Will Call You Something Else (Tupelo, 2023). Her prose books are Windows and Doors: A Poet Reads Literary Theory (Michigan, 2014) and a memoir-in-essays, Terroir: Love, Out of Place (Trinity, 2020). Her honors include the Robert Winner and the Alice Fay di Castagnola Awards from the Poetry Society of America; a Pushcart prize; a Fulbright Scholarship to Slovenia; a Camargo Fellowship in France; Lambda, IPPY, Foreword, and Pen Finalist prizes. Sajé is Professor Emerita of English at Westminster University in Salt Lake City, and has been teaching in the Vermont College of Fine Arts MFA in Writing Program since 1996. She lives in Washington, DC.
---
# About the Books
*Instructions at Sunset:* **Geraldine Connolly**‘s Instructions at Sunset instructs us about why we love poetry—the sensuality evoked throughout by the warmth of the sun, the scent of underbrush, and the simmer of dinner on the stove—images gifted us so we also live these rare moments. And surprises, too, when Connolly’s noticing transforms suddenly into meaning, and we draw a breath. Many poets rely on “the pain-of-the-past” for deep feelings, but this is a book about the present, the startling brilliant present, caught exactly as it happens, for the reader to know the splendor of living in the best possible air.
*When We Only Have the Earth:* In this ode to the earth and all its living creatures, French Djiboutian poet, novelist, and essayist Abdourahman A. Waberi sounds the alarm about our imperiled planet, where “the Sahel rises in you, in me / the Red Sea boils in you, in me / Nunvut is melting in you, in me.” This translation by **Nancy Naomi Carlson** preserves the rich musicality of the original French, as well as its frequent use of wordplay and often unusual word choice. Waberi, a nomad at heart, takes us on a whirlwind tour across North America, Africa, and Europe, daring us to love the earth “beyond all rational thought” and to “turn into earth, both literally and figuratively,” as we “turn from vanity, fears, and other pointless rustling.” These lyrical, playful, and moving poems urge us to look for the truth and beauty hidden in our daily lives, singing of Waberi’s own enduring love for our endangered planet and also, more forcefully, exhorting us to join him in the collective fight to save our planet from destruction.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Cafe Muse Literary Salon](https://writer.org/event/cafe-muse-literary-salon-oct-25/)
**Published:** September 30, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes the Café Muse Literary Salon for a reading featuring poets **Bonnie Naradzay, Michele Wolf, Kim Roberts,** and **Michael Gushue.** The evening begins at 7 PM with Michael Davis live on classical guitar. The readings begin at 7:30 PM with opening remarks by a Café Muse co-host.
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP on [the Cafe Muse Website](https://sites.google.com/view/cafe-muse-events/home).**
---
**Bonnie Naradzay** has led regular poetry sessions at day shelters and at a retirement community, all located in Washington, DC. Her poems, three of which have been nominated for Pushcart Prizes, have appeared in AGNI, New Letters, RHINO, Kenyon Review Online, Tampa Review, EPOCH, Dappled Things, Cumberland River Review, and many other places. While a graduate student at Harvard in the late 1960’s, she was in Robert Lowell’s class: “The King James Bible as English Literature.” In 2010 she was awarded the University of New Orleans Poetry Prize – a month’s stay in Northern Italy, in the South Tyrol castle of Ezra Pound’s daughter Mary. There, Bonnie had tea with Mary, hiked the Dolomites, and read drafts of Pound’s early poems. In 2008 she earned her MFA in poetry and in 2017 she was awarded a Master’s Degree from the Graduate Institute at St. John’s College in Annapolis, Maryland.
Over the last few years, she has led sessions (including Gilgamesh, Homer’s Epics and Don Quixote) on Zoom for The Catherine Project, [https://catherineproject.org](https://catherineproject.org/). [www.bonnienaradzay.com](http://www.bonnienaradzay.com/)
**Michele Wolf** is an editor, writer, and teacher. She holds degrees from Boston University and Columbia. Her latest poetry book, Peacocks on the Streets was released by Broadstone Books in September, 2025. Her book, [Immersion](https://michelewolf.com/books.html#immersion) (2011), was selected by Denise Duhamel for the Hilary Tham Capital Collection, published by [The Word Works](http://www.wordworksdc.com/). Previous books are [Conversations During Sleep](https://michelewolf.com/books.html#conversations) (1998, [Anhinga Press](http://www.anhinga.org/)), winner of the Anhinga Prize for Poetry, judged by Peter Meinke, and [The Keeper of Light](https://michelewolf.com/books.html#keeper) (1995, Painted Bride Quarterly Poetry Chapbook Series), judged by J.T. Barbarese.
Her poems have appeared in The Southern Review, The Hudson Review, Poetry, Boulevard, North American Review, and The Antioch Review. A former contributing editor for Poet Lore and Kirkus Reviews, she has received a Maryland State Arts Council literary arts Independent Artist Award (2022). Among her other honors are an Anna Davidson Rosenberg Award and fellowships from Yaddo, the Edward F. Albee Foundation, the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, and the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County, Maryland. She has also served on the administrative staff of the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, where she was a National Arts Club Scholar in Poetry.
**Kim Roberts** will release two new books in 2025: Q&A for the End of the World, a collaboration with Michael Gushue (WordTech Editions), her seventh book of poems; and Buried Stories: Walking Tours of Washington, DC-Area Cemeteries (Rivanna Books), her second guidebook. She has edited two anthologies of poems by Washington, DC authors, and co-curates DC Pride Poem-a-Day each June. http://www.kimroberts.org.
**Michael Gushue** is co-founder of Poetry Mutual. He ran several poetry series, e.g., Poetry at the Watergate. His books: Pachinko Mouth, Conrad, Gather Down Women, Sympathy for the Monster, I Never Promised You A Sea Monkey (with CL Bledsoe) and The Judy Poems (with CL Bledsoe), Palace of Depression ((January 2025, with CL Bledsoe) and Q&A For The End Of The World (April 2025, with Kim Roberts). He lives in the Brookland neighborhood of DC.
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Intermediate Nonfiction](https://writer.org/event/intermediate-nonfiction/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** The workshop will allow participants to write non-fiction works in different formats and lengths, from first-person writing to essays and magazine-style pieces.
**Content:**
The workshop will allow participants to write non-fiction works in different formats and lengths, from first-person writing to essays and magazine-style pieces.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn how to:
- Write with power and clarity.
- Tell a narrative story.
- Identity characters to drive the story.
- Develop and eye for color and detail.
- Connect with the reader.
# Time Requirements
- 30 minutes a week of outside reading and writing.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This course is designed for people who have some experience in non-fiction writing and are aiming to hone and expand their skills.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 5 Sessions, Nonfiction, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Lessons in Nonfiction Narrative Writing](https://writer.org/event/lessons-in-nonfiction-narrative-writing/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** The workshop will allow beginning writers to learn the building blocks of researching and writing non-fiction works in different formats and lengths, from first-person writing to essays and magazine-style pieces. The only catch: it has to be true.
**Content:**
# Learn essential tools for writing non-fiction narratives in a variety of different styles and formats.
The workshop will allow beginning writers to learn the building blocks of researching and writing non-fiction works in different formats and lengths, from first-person writing to essays and magazine-style pieces. The only catch: it has to be true.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn how to:
- Write with power and clarity.
- Tell a narrative story.
- Identity characters to drive the story.
- Develop an eye for color and detail.
- Connect with the reader.
# Time Requirement
- 30 minutes a week of outside reading and writing.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- The workshop is designed for beginners looking to get a foothold in narrative, non-fiction writing.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 5 Sessions, Nonfiction, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Contracts and Copyrights for Writers](https://writer.org/event/contracts-and-copyrights-for-writers/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** In this one-session workshop, author/lawyer Ken Ackerman covers the basic legal framework of how writers interact with publishers, what copyrights are, why they matter, and how publishing contracts work -- all with an eye toward defending your work in a rough and tumble world.
**Content:**
# Every writer needs to know about the legal netherworld of contracts and copyrights.
In this one-session workshop, author/lawyer Ken Ackerman covers the basic legal framework of how writers interact with publishers, what copyrights are, why they matter, and how publishing contracts work — all with an eye toward defending your work in a rough and tumble world.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How to read a publishing contract and understand the basics of what rights you’re selling.
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- All writers hoping to engage with the world of publishing.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Publishing, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Lee Woodman Book Launch of Colorscapes](https://writer.org/event/lee-woodman/)
**Published:** September 25, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes poet Lee Woodman for a reading from her new collection, *Colorscapes*. Lee is joined by Emily Holland, poet and editor of [*Poet Lore*, America’s oldest poetry journal](https://www.poetlore.com/).
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
Lee Woodman is the author of the “Scapes” poetry series (Homescapes, Mindscapes, Lifescapes, Artscapes, and Soulscapes) and winner of the Independent Press Gold Award 2025, the Nautilus Gold Award for Poetry 2025, and the Independent Press Award for Distinguished Favorite in Poetry 2023. She is also winner of the 2020 William Meredith Prize for Poetry, the 2021 Atlantic Review International Poetry Competition Merit Award, and First Prize in Poetry and Prose Contest for Carve Magazine 2022.
Her essays and poems have been published in Poet Lore, Tiferet Journal, Zócalo Public Square, Grey Sparrow Press, The Ekphrastic Review, vox poetica, The New Guard Review, The Concord Monitor, The Hill Rag, Naugatuck River Review, Tulip Tree Publishing, and The Broadkill Review. A Pushcart nominee, she received an Individual Poetry Fellowship from the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities FY 2019 and FY 2020, and a Virginia Center for the Creative Arts Fellowship in 2022.
Woodman has been a featured guest on numerous radio shows and podcasts, including Grace Cavalieri’s “Poet and the Poem” at the Library of Congress, “The Packaged Tourist Show” at The National Archives with Andrew Dibiase, “The Authors Show” with Don McCauley, and “Gab Talks” with Gabby Olczak. Woodman believes poetry is a reflection of all creative expression: dance, music, drama, visual arts, and language.
---
# About the Book
The sixth volume in Lee Woodman’s renowned SCAPES series, COLORSCAPES is a veritable celebration of the colors of Woodman’s life. As a child living in India, she absorbed the rich and colorful fruits and spices in the marketplace and the wild combos of yellows, greens, and purples in village women’s saris. Studying studio art and art history in college, she encountered color theory and the phenomenology of perception. Throughout her career came opportunities to submerge herself in color, working at the Smithsonian, the Library of Congress, and other stewards of art, architecture, technology, and science. For Woodman, color is more than a fascination, as she charges us to live and breathe through color, noting that color suffuses our lives with meaning and memory, bidding us to relive experiences we’ve had, people we’ve met, and passions that have enriched our lives.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Disability Through a Literary Lens](https://writer.org/event/disability-literary-lens/)
**Published:** September 16, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE symposium addressing the subject of disability in literature and popular culture, offering **free creative writing workshops and a panel discussion**. Featured writers include Ava Serra, Casey Catherine Moore, Natalie Illum, and Rhonda Zimlich. The symposium concludes with a reception for all attendees.
**All events are FREE and open to the public. Limited space, registration required. The workshops are simultaneous, so please only sign up for ONE. Scroll down to register!**
---
# Check In \| 1:00pm
---
# **Workshops \| 1:30-3:00pm**
***Please register for ONE workshop** using the form below. Workshop registration includes admission to the panel discussion and reception.*
- **From Cliché to Cosmos: Crafting Metaphors from the Body to Beyond \| Workshop Leader: Rhonda Zimlich** Escape the familiar aches and flutters to find a language of the body as vast and complex as the expanding universe. The journey begins in your own embodied experience. This workshop provides tools to move beyond cliché to build compelling, profound metaphors. Using the natural world as our guide, we will explore personal themes of chronic illness, disability, and our physical beings. We will practice identifying the earth, the sky, and the seasons within our bodies to shape lyric essays/prose poems that are truly transformative. Leave with a richer, more powerful vocabulary for the stories only you can tell.
- **Written on the Disabled Body \| Workshop Leader: Natalie Illum**
This poetry workshop will look at some of the work of contemporary disabled writers and use their work to inform our own writing. You do not have to identify as disabled to attend. Participants will be provided with prompts, given time to write, and have the opportunity to share and receive feedback on their work, if desired.
- **The Body in Verse: Poetry of Disability & Mental Health \| Workshop Leader: Casey Catherine Moore** How does poetry speak from and to disabled and neurodivergent experiences? How can writing honor the complexities of body and mind—such as chronic illness, mental health, and the diverse ways we experience the world? In this creative workshop, we’ll explore poems rooted in crip poetics, mad pride, and neurodivergent traditions alongside broader disability-focused writing. Together, we’ll analyze how poets use form, image, rhythm, and silence to express what resists easy articulation: pain and joy, access and exclusion, struggle and resilience.Participants will then take part in guided writing exercises aimed at inspiring original work. Prompts will encourage experimentation with perspective, metaphor, and sensory details, while also allowing space for reflection on personal and collective experiences of body and mind.
- **Baroque Confessionalism \| Workshop Leader: Ava Serra**
This workshop takes a “baroque” approach to confessional poetry—poetry of the personal, the “I.” “Baroque confessionalism” encourages and embraces bold, bizarre ornamentation over traditional restraint. This mode of writing acknowledges critics’ call for attention to craft and poetic strategy, and counters stigmatization with controlled peculiarity and maximalism. To contextualize this workshop, we will recap some confessional archetypes and briefly address the gendered, ableist roots of anti-confessional rhetoric. We will then experiment with baroque confessionalism in our own practice via a guided writing exercise. (Note: All sharing is optional. This workshop is not intended as a substitute for therapy.)
***Please register for ONE workshop** using the form below. Workshop registration includes admission to the panel discussion and reception.*
---
# **Panel Discussion \| 3:15-4:15pm**
*To attend the panel and reception, please register for one of the workshops, or you can choose the panel-only option below.*
- Our workshop leaders will be joined by author and Operations Manager **Claude Olson** for a discussion on how the literary community addresses disability in all its forms.
## Reception to follow.
---
# **Workshop Leaders/Panelists**
**Ava Serra** (they/she) is a non-binary writer and former caretaker of large carnivores. In addition to an award from the Academy of American Poets and a Pushcart Prize nomination, their works appear in multiple anthologies and have been published in Salt Hill Journal, Arkana, Lavender Review, Grey Sparrow, White Wall Review, among others. They hold an MFA from the University of Maryland.
**Casey Catherine Moore** (she/her) is a bipolar, bisexual poet, writing coach, and educator. She holds a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from the University of South Carolina, focusing on Latin poetry, invective, and gender studies. Her work centers gender, sexuality, and dis/ability and can be found in various scholarly and creative publications, including The Comparatist, Sinister Wisdom, and Samfiftyfour. Her disability and mythology-inspired poetry collection, Psyche, was published in 2024 by Anxiety Press. She founded and hosts Electric Euphoria, a monthly queer and neurodivergent open mic series, and hosts open mics at Busboys & Poets’ Brookland location.
**Natalie E.** **Illum** (she/her) is a poet, disability activist, and singer living in Washington, DC. She is the recipient of multiple poetry fellowship grants from the DC Commission for the Arts and Humanities, and is a Best of the Net and Pushcart Prize Finalist. She is a 2025 Pride Fellow and Teaching Artist for the Arts Club of Washington. She is also a founding board member of mothertongue, an LGBTQIA+ poetry open mic that lasted for 14 years. Illum competed on the National Poetry Slam circuit and was the 2013 Beltway Grand Slam Champion. Her work has been published on NPR’s Snap Judgement, among various other outlets. Illum earned an MFA in creative writing from American University. She loves whiskey, giraffes and house plants.
**Rhonda Zimlich** is the Director of the MFA in Creative Writing program at American University in Washington, DC. Her debut novel, Raising Panic, won the 2023 Book Award from Steel Toe Books. Her other writing received the 2024 Nonfiction Award from Barely South Review, the 2021 Mental Health Award for Fiction from Please See Me, the 2020 Literary Award in Nonfiction from Dogwood Journal at Fairfield University (the same essay received an honorable mention in Best American Essays 2021). Her writing focuses on themes of grief, family dysfunction, and intergenerational trauma. More at www.rhondazimlich.com
**Claude Olson** (she/they) is a graduate of Smith College and a writer whose work has appeared in the anthologies Awakenings: Stories of Bodies and Consciousness and Disability Intimacy: Essays on Love, Care, and Desire, as well as in The Massachusetts Review . She is passionate about literary education, disability justice, and zine-making.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
# *Please register for ONE workshop using the form below. Workshop registration includes admission to the panel discussion and reception.*
***If a workshop is full, you can join the waitlist by sending an email to claude.olson@writer.org specifying the workshop you’re interested in attending.***
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [High Octane Grammar](https://writer.org/event/high-octane-grammar-2/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** In this one-session workshop, Ken Ackerman shares his own secrets to get the most out of wordsmithing, using simple rules of grammar to energize your writing like a fine-tuned engine. This workshop includes a refresher on grammar essentials, strong verbs, and sharp sentences to make your writing sing.
**Content:**
# Make grammar your friend, not your enemy!
In this one-session workshop, Ken Ackerman shares his own secrets to get the most out of wordsmithing, using simple rules of grammar to energize your writing like a fine-tuned engine. This workshop includes a refresher on grammar essentials, strong verbs, and sharp sentences to make your writing sing.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Learn how to polish your verbs, paragraphs, and sentences like fine silver.
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- All writers.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Writer Maddie Ballard Book Launch in Conversation w/ Betsy Greer](https://writer.org/event/maddie-ballard/)
**Published:** September 23, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual book launch! We’re joined by writer Maddie Ballard to discuss her debut memoir, *Patchwork: A Sewist’s Diary.* Maddie is in conversation with Betsy Greer.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online »](https://bookshop.org/a/22600/9781963108484)
---
**Maddie Ballard** is a writer and editor of mixed Chinese heritage. Born in Syracuse, New York, she grew up in Aotearoa New Zealand and currently lives in Melbourne, Australia.
**Betsy Greer** believes that making can serve as a balm, a buoy, and a lighthouse. Since 2023, she’s shared how textiles have been used in modernity and throughout history to connect and empower humans in a variety of ways. To learn about her writing, creative practice, talks, and workshops, visit hellobetsygreer.com.
---
# About the Book
**Lyrical, probing, soothing, and wise, *Patchwork* is a strikingly original debut and a celebration of the remarkable, everyday process of making and remaking: of story, of clothing, and of ourselves.**
In *Patchwork*, a charming and evocative sewist’s diary, Maddie Ballard explores the making (and sometimes remaking) of seventeen specific garments over a period of great change in her life—from a jacket lined with the embroidered Cantonese names of her female ancestors, to a dressing gown made as a gift for a dear friend, to an eco-friendly, zero-waste dress.
As the wardrobe grows, so too does Maddie. From her first off-kilter dresses and coats to perfectly fitting pants, readers follow along as she learns to navigate the world around her and how she sees herself in it—both as she is and as she hopes to be. Stitch by stitch, word by word, Maddie drafts her own patterns for ways of living. Throughout the diary, delightful illustrations bring Maddie’s creations to life on the page.
With a focus on the practical comfort and pleasure provided by sewing in a time of personal renewal, *Patchwork: A Sewist’s Diary* is a warmhearted celebration of the value of craft in the modern age.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
Add to calendar
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Virtual Info Session for Personal Essays from Start to Finish w/ Hannah Grieco](https://writer.org/event/virtual-info-session-hannah-grieco/)
**Published:** September 22, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
**Meet Hannah Grieco, instructor for our Personal Essays from Start to Finish 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!**
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# About the Program
**Application Deadline: October 27, 2025**
**Workshop Dates: November 8, 2025 – April 11, 2026, meeting biweekly**
**Cost: $2,600 \| Members $2,500**
Inspiration, accountability, and the tools you need to get your essays out into the world! Join us for six months of craft lessons, workshops, editor visits, and personal editorial feedback! This small and inclusive class meets bi-weekly on Zoom, with the goal of creating an intimate, writer-based community of essayists who learn and grow together.
# [**Find the full details and apply here »**](https://writer.org/event/personal-essays-from-start-to-finish/)
**Event Categories:** Nonfiction, Workshop
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### [Virtual Craft Chat with Memoirist Sara Kehaulani Goo](https://writer.org/event/sara-goo/)
**Published:** July 30, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of writing! We’re joined by author Sara Kehaulani Goo for a discussion of her new memoir, *Kuleana.* Sara is in conversation with Amy Freeman, author and Development Director at The Writer’s Center.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from Bookshop.org »](https://bookshop.org/a/22600/9781250333445)
---
**Sara Kehaulani Goo** is a journalist and senior news executive who has led several news organizations including *Axios*, *NPR* and *The Washington Post*. She is the former editor-in-chief at Axios, where she launched the company’s editorial expansion into national and local newsletters, podcasts and live journalism. Before *Axios*, she led online audience growth as a managing editor at NPR, overseeing the newsroom’s digital news operation. Goo also served as news director at The *Washington Post*, where she also served as a business editor and reporter. Originally from Dana Point, California, she graduated from the University of Minnesota’s journalism school. She lives in Washington, D.C.
---
# About the Book
Set in one of the world’s most beautiful landscapes, Kuleana is the story of an award-winning journalist’s effort to hold on to her family’s ancestral Hawaiian lands—and find herself along the way.
**“A powerful story of land, belonging, loss, and survival that challenges us all to think about what we are responsible for.”** **—Rebecca Nagle, bestselling author of *By the Fire We Carry***
From an early age, Sara Kehaulani Goo was enchanted by her family’s land in Hawai‘i. The vast area on the rugged shores of Maui’s east side—given by King Kamehameha III in 1848—extends from mountain to sea, encompassing ninety acres of lush, undeveloped rainforest jungle along the rocky coastline and a massive sixteenth-century temple with a mysterious past.
When a property tax bill arrives with a 500 percent increase, Sara and her family members are forced to make a decision about the property: fight to keep the land or sell to the next offshore millionaire. When Sara returns to Maui from the mainland, she reconnects with her great-uncle Take and uncovers the story of how much land her family has already lost over generations, centuries-old artifacts from the temple, and the insidious displacement of Native Hawaiians by systemic forces.
Part journalistic offering and part memoir, *Kuleana* interrogates deeper questions of identity, legacy, and what we owe to those who come before and after us. Sara’s breathtaking story of unexpected homecomings, familial hardship, and fierce devotion to ancestry creates a refreshingly new narrative about Hawai‘i, its native people, and their struggle to hold on to their land and culture today.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Novel Mill w/ Kristen Arnett](https://writer.org/event/novel-mill/)
**Published:** September 2, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
# Write your novel in a year with bestselling author Kristen Arnett!
Are you looking for an exciting, fun, collaborative way to get your writing brain into gear? Are you ready to finally sit down and write that novel that you’ve been thinking about forever? Do you wish you had a confident, cheerful writing coach to guide you to the finish line? If so, then this is definitely the course for you!
Students of this generative workshop will share their work with others in the class, learn to edit their own writing effectively, become naturals at crafting powerful openings, and will learn to stick the landing when it comes to novel endings. Place-writing techniques, craft capsules on injecting humor into your work, and myriad other learned skills will guide students through the sticky patches that often crop up in the middle of a project.
Regardless of the fact that we often write alone, novels are not formed completely in a silo. Crafting a novel with the help of a supportive community can mean the difference between finally drafting your dream project or leaving behind yet another empty word document. Students will have the opportunity to further develop their projects both inside of class and outside of it: we will read and comment on everyone’s work. Writers participating in this workshop will discover how to spot successful techniques already loaded in their arsenal. They will learn what engages readers, and how to effectively keep that engagement. Students will learn to ask questions of their work that will help them analyze tone, POV, structure, characterization, and much more. We will work toward developing processes that are the correct fit for each individual project. Every novel is like a thumbprint: perfectly unique.
---
# Virtual Info Session Recording
Meet Kristen Arnett, instructor for our Novel Mill workshop, and have all your questions about the program answered!
[**Watch the recording on YouTube >>>**](https://youtu.be/bnAcc59i92c?si=Bwxr3MsWacWx_pfN)
---
# This course will include:
- Information of intros and how to make them sizzle
- How to draft compelling ends to your work
- Plotting/Planning/Shaping– determining pace, finding what works for your particular project
- Lists of tips and techniques to employ when you’re feeling stuck in a scene
- Instructive readings that will help students fine tune their work
- How to develop momentum to keep a project moving forward
- A clear sense of process
- Deeper understanding of the underpinnings of the novel
- Determining the proper voice and perspective for your project
- How to develop compelling characters
- Master crafting finely detailed place writing
- A clear discussion of writing difficulties when it comes to crafting a longform project
- How to create and maintain reasonable writing goals
- An assortment of helpful writing prompts
---
# Schedule
This class meets via Zoom every other Wednesday beginning October 1, 2025, for a total of 21 sessions, with breaks for holidays and dedicated writing periods. Between Zoom meetings, participants can expect readings and assignments. *Exact class dates subject to change at the discretion of the instructor and in collaboration with participants.*
October 1, 15
November 5, 19
Dec 3, 17
Jan 7, 21
Feb 4, 18
March 4, 18
April 1, 15, 29
May 13, 27
June 10, 24
July 8, 22
---
# 1:1 Mentoring
Each student will have the chance for a private mentoring sessions with Kristen, including a 6-month follow up after completion of the workshop.
---
# To Apply
**Application Deadline: September 19, 2025**
Send a cover letter and writing sample of 5-20 pages to laura.spencer@writer.org by September 19th. Admissions will be on a rolling basis so participants are encouraged to submit early.
*Acceptance into the workshop is required before registering.*
---
# About Book Farm @ The Writer’s Center
The Writer’s Center hosts a series of workshops for serious writers to complete book-length projects, generate new work for publication, or master the elements of craft within a specific genre. You’ll work with an acclaimed author, guiding you through 4-12 months of lessons, workshops, and revisions. Our instructors are all accomplished educators with a track record of student success. Limited enrollment with rolling admission up to the application deadline, so apply right away to secure your spot!
All Book Farm participants receive an exclusive tote bag, a craft book recommended by the instructor, and a $100 gift certificate good toward future TWC workshops. Participants also receive exclusive access to The Writer’s Center staff, all of whom are accomplished writers with extensive experience in editing and publishing.
**Event Categories:** Fiction, Master Level, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Poet jason b. crawford in Conversation w/ Poet Abi Pollokoff](https://writer.org/event/jason-b-crawford-abi-pollokoff/)
**Published:** September 17, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes poet **jason b. crawford** for a reading from their new, award winning collection, *YEET!* jason is joined by poet **Abi Pollokoff** reading from her debut collection *night myths • • before the body.*
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
**jason b. crawford** (They/He) born in Washington, DC, and raised in Lansing, MI, is the author of *Year of the Unicorn Kidz*. Their second collection, *YEET!* is the winner of the Omnidawn 1st/2nd Book Prize and will be published Fall 2025. They have been published in *POETRY Magazine*, Academy of American Poets, *Cincinnati Review*, *Beloit Poetry Journal*, and *RHINO Poetry*, among others. They are a 2023 Emerging Writers Fellow for Lambda Literary and hold their MFA in Poetry from The New School.
**Abi Pollokoff** is the author of *night myths • • before the body* (Red Hen Press, 2025). A Pushcart-nominated poet, her poems can be found in *TriQuarterly*, *The Pinch*, *The Seventh Wave*, and *Radar*, where she was a finalist for the Coniston Prize. Abi was a 2024 AWP Writer to Writer mentee and has been supported by organizations such as the Jack Straw Cultural Center and Hugo House. The former events manager for Open Books: A Poem Emporium, she now serves as the managing editor for Poetry NW Editions and works in publishing. Find her at [abipollokoff.com](http://abipollokoff.com/).
---
# About the Books
*night myths • • before the body*: What are the stories we tell our bodies about our bodies? What are the myths we tell ourselves about ourselves? *night myths • • before the body* illuminates the dichotomies contemporary women grapple with every day: identity and expectation, self-preservation and doubt, freedom and entrapment, wildness and cultivation. By dissolving the boundaries between the body and the natural world, Abi Pollokoff’s evocative debut deconstructs the essence of womanhood, carrying the reader into a communing at once vulnerable and insistent. night myths • • before the body is a resounding interrogation of being human in a posthuman world.
YEET!: Following the traditions of Eve L. Ewing, Rio Cortez, and Douglas Kearney, jason b. crawford’s *YEET!* envisions the Black community lifted off the earth and set free towards the stars. These poems ask what a free Black people would look like and how we might achieve such a thing. This collection presents a new take on Afrofuturism and utopianism. Rather than looking to a future of technological change, it steps years ahead to show how people are happier once they are no longer owned. These poems speak to racism, gun violence, colonization, global warming, flight, joy, friendship, and noise. This is a book about creating new worlds without the systems of supremacy that held down the old one.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Ten Pro Tips for Writing Life Stories](https://writer.org/event/ten-pro-tips-for-writing-life-stories/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Where do you begin your life story and how do you guarantee it is interesting to others? With ten crucial tips and in-class writing prompts, learn how to capture your life on the page scene by scene. From point-of-entry to transformative conclusion, you will find your story subjects, create tension, and most of all, meaning--- so that the story you tell is the one that most mattered.
**Content:**
# Learn ten solid tips for the writing of your life story for both a personal and public readership.
Where do you begin your life story and how do you guarantee it is interesting to others? With ten crucial tips and in-class writing prompts, learn how to capture your life on the page scene by scene. From point-of-entry to transformative conclusion, you will find your story subjects, create tension, and most of all, meaning— so that the story you tell is the one that most mattered.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Selecting the best story material
- Creating tension
- Finding insight
- Developing meaning and emotional depth
- Finding transformation
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for new and experienced writers alike who need help in selecting material, finding a structure and an overall plan for writing life stories, individually or as a memoir.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Novelist Anbara Salam Book Launch in Conversation w/ Rene Denfeld](https://writer.org/event/anbara-salam/)
**Published:** September 16, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual book launch! We’re joined by writer Anbara Salam to discuss her gothic thriller, *The Salvage.* Anbara is in conversation with best selling novelist Rene Denfeld.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online »](https://tinhouse.com/book/the-salvage/)
---
**Anbara Salam** is half-Palestinian and half-Scottish, and grew up in London. She is the author of Hazardous Spirits, Belladonna, and Things Bright and Beautiful. She has a PhD in Theology and lives in Oxford, England.
**Rene Denfeld** is the bestselling author of The Enchanted, The Child Finder and other novels. Her novels are inspired by her real life career as a death row investigator, exonerating innocents and helping trafficking victims. In 2017 The New York Times called her a hero of the year.
---
# About the Book
**A twisting, gothic literary thriller sure to delight fans of *Our Wives Under the Sea* by Julia Armfield, *The Wonder* by Emma Donaghue, and *The Paying Guests* by Sarah Waters.**
It is 1962, and Marta Khoury, a trailblazing marine archaeologist, has been called to Cairnroch, a small island off the east coast of Scotland. A Victorian shipwreck, dragged from arctic waters, holds the remains of a celebrated explorer and the treasures of his final expedition. But on her first dive down to the ship, Marta becomes convinced she has seen a dark figure lurking amid the wreckage.
When the Cuban Missile Crisis and the deep chill of a record-breaking winter keeps Marta stranded on Cairnroch, she forms a relationship with Elsie, a local woman working in the island’s only hotel. When the ship’s artefacts inexplicably disappear, Marta and Elsie have to brave the freezing conditions to search for the missing objects before anyone else catches on. As something eerie seems to follow her at every step, Marta must confront if the haunting is a figment of her imagination, the repercussions from a terrible mistake from her past, or if something more sinister is at play that will trap her and everyone on the island—and their secrets—in an icy wilderness.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Building Your Story from the Ground Up](https://writer.org/event/building-your-story-from-the-ground-up/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** In this workshop you’ll learn how to craft engaging stories from scratch, even when you’re starting with no clear ideas. Through interactive exercises and creative techniques, we’ll explore how to tap into your imagination, develop characters, and build narratives that captivate any audience. Whether you’re a novice writer or simply looking to sharpen your storytelling skills, this workshop will equip you with the tools to transform a blank page into a powerful story. Participants will need simply a writing utensil and paper, or their computer.
**Content:**
# Discover how to create compelling stories from scratch, using simple techniques to unlock your imagination and bring ideas to life.
In this workshop you’ll learn how to craft engaging stories from scratch, even when you’re starting with no clear ideas. Through interactive exercises and creative techniques, we’ll explore how to tap into your imagination, develop characters, and build narratives that captivate any audience. Whether you’re a novice writer or simply looking to sharpen your storytelling skills, this workshop will equip you with the tools to transform a blank page into a powerful story. Participants will need simply a writing utensil and paper, or their computer.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Structure & Plot
- Character Development
- Concrete Detail
- Voice & Perspective
- Revision & Editing
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for all writers looking to learn the basics and find inspiration in their writing projects.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Women Artists of the DMV Opening Reception @ The Writer's Center](https://writer.org/event/women-artists-of-the-dmv/)
**Published:** August 27, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The largest ever curated fine arts multi-venue show in the United States comes this Fall to 16 art venues in the Greater Washington, DC capital region as curator Florencio Lennox Campello surveys over 400 female artists actively working around the DMV.
The Writer’s Center’s Joram Piatigorsky Gallery will host a portion of the exhibition from **September 13 to December 5**, featuring artists Nataliya Andreyeva, Sharon Armstrong, Lori Boocks, Andrea Dagmar-Swenson Brown, Amy Elvove, Sheila Flanders, Annette Fortt, Helen Glazer, Elyse Harrison, Carmen Jenkins, Carol Levin, Megan Maher, Michal (Mitak) Mahgerefteh, Beverly Ress, Carol Rubin, Eve Stockton, Jessica Van Brakle, and Pamela Viola.
# About the Exhibition
Featuring the work of over 400 women artists from the Greater Washington, DC capital region, this massive survey exhibition is curated by Florencio Lennox Campello, whose curatorial background includes over 200 exhibitions over the past four decades. “This region is not only home to some of the best art museums in the world, dozens of commercial art galleries, non-profit art spaces, alternative art venues, embassy art spaces, etc., but it also supports and fertilizes some of the most unique and creative visual art scenes in the nation,” notes Campello.
# Full List of Exhibition Locations
- Joan Hisaoka Healing Arts Gallery, Washington, DC \| Aug 29 – Sep 28
- Artists & Makers, Rockville, MD \| Sep 4 – Oct 29
- American University Museum at Katzen Center \| Sep 6 – Dec 7
- Adah Rose Gallery, Rockville, MD \| Sep 7 – Sep 28
- Universities at Shady Grove Priddy Library, Rockville, MD \| Sep 11 – Oct 31
- The Writer’s Center, Bethesda, MD \| Sep 13 – Dec 5
- Pyramid Atlantic Arts Center, Hyattsville, MD \| Sep 13 – Nov 2
- McLean Project for the Arts, McLean, VA \| Sep 11 – Nov 1
- University of Maryland Library, College Park, MD \| Sep 15 – Oct 23
- Montpelier Arts Center, Laurel, MD \| Sep 11 – Nov 2
- The Athenaeum, Alexandria, VA \| Sep 25 – Nov 2
- Children’s National Hospital Gallery, Washington \| Sep 1 – Jan 9
- Strathmore Mansion, North Bethesda, MD \| 4 Oct – 8 Nov 2025
- Maryland Hall, Annapolis, MD \| Oct 4 – Dec 18
- Melissa Ichiuji Gallery, Front Royal, VA \| Oct 18 – Dec 7
- Nepenthe Gallery, Alexandria, VA \| TBA
# Gallery Hours
*PLEASE NOTE: The gallery is often used for special events, so please email or call in advance to confirm that it is accessible before you plan to visit.*
Mon: 10am – 3pm
Tue – Thu: 10am – 9pm
Fri: Closed
Sat: 10am – 2pm
Sun: Closed
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Researching and Writing your Family History](https://writer.org/event/researching-and-writing-your-family-history-2/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Historian/biographer Ken Ackerman shows the nuts and bolts of investigating our family trees, going back generations. He will describe how to use archives, interviews, internet sources, family records, and memories and piece together a multigenerational story. The class is perfect for memoirists, biographers, or people interested to learn where they came from, or how to organize their family knowledge for children or grandchildren.
**Content:**
# This class is perfect for memoirists, biographers, or people just interested to learn where they came from or how to organize their family knowledge for children or grandchildren.
Historian/biographer Ken Ackerman shows the nuts and bolts of investigating our family trees, going back generations. He will describe how to use archives, interviews, internet sources, family records, and memories and piece together a multigenerational story.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How to use research materials, including personal, online, and archival.
- How to organize a complex family story into an entertaining source of knowledge for children and grandchildren or general readers.
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This class is perfect for memoirists, biographers, or people just interested to learn where they came from or how to organize their family knowledge for children or grandchildren.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [The Art of Description](https://writer.org/event/the-art-of-description/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Learn the secret to engaging readers with your writing! This six-week interactive class is designed to give you the skills to write rich descriptive sentences and paragraphs that infuse life into your characters and the worlds you create. During this course, you will strengthen your powers of observation through a variety of assigned weekly readings and writing exercises. You’ll also share some of your own writing and enjoy reading the work of other participants. A new lesson will open on Mondays and assignments will be due by the end of each week. After the completion of this course, you’ll have new material that may springboard future stories.
**Content:**
# Learn the secret to engaging readers with your writing!
This six-week interactive class is designed to give you the skills to write rich descriptive sentences and paragraphs that infuse life into your characters and the worlds you create. During this course, you will strengthen your powers of observation through a variety of assigned weekly readings and writing exercises. You’ll also share some of your own writing and enjoy reading the work of other participants. A new lesson will open on Mondays and assignments will be due by the end of each week. After the completion of this course, you’ll have new material that may springboard future stories.
---
***Learn at your own pace:** This workshop will take place over **Wet Ink**, which is an asynchronous creative writing platform. The instructor will post a lesson and assignment at the beginning of each week, and participants can log in and read the lessons/post assignments/comment on other classmates’ work at their convenience. Shortly before the start date, participants will receive an invite from Wet Ink to create their login info and access the class. Please check your spam if you don’t see it.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- How to write rich descriptive sentences
- How to use simile and metaphor
- How to incorporate the five senses in your writing
# Time requirements
- 3-4 hours/No reading required in advance
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for any writer hoping to improve their description skills.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 6 Sessions, All Levels, Fiction, Wet Ink, Workshop
---
### [Poet Michele Wolf Book Release w/ Margaret McCarthy](https://writer.org/event/michelewolf/)
**Published:** July 29, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes poet Michele Wolf for a reading from her new collection, *Peacocks on the Streets*. Michele is joined by poet Margaret McCarthy reading from her collection *In The Becoming: Poems On The Deirdre Story*, a meditation on a creative woman’s coming to language.
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
**Michele Wolf** is a poet, writer, editor, and teacher. Her previous poetry collections are *Immersion* (Hilary Tham Capital Collection winner, The Word Works), *Conversations During Sleep* (Anhinga Prize for Poetry), and *The Keeper of Light* (Painted Bride Quarterly Poetry Chapbook Series winner). Her poems have been featured in *The Southern Review, Poetry, The Hudson Review, North American Review*, and many other journals and anthologies, as well as on Poetry Daily, Verse Daily, [poets.org](http://poets.org/), and the Poetry Foundation website (Poem of the Day). Among her honors are a literary arts Independent Artist Award from the Maryland State Arts Council, an Anna Davidson Rosenberg Award, and fellowships from the Montgomery County, Maryland, Arts and Humanities Council, Yaddo, the Edward F. Albee Foundation, the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, and the Helene Wurlitzer Foundation of New Mexico. She teaches at The Writer’s Center in Bethesda and lives in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Her website is [http://michelewolf.com](http://michelewolf.com/).
**Margaret McCarthy** is a poet, playwright and photographer. Her collection *In The Becoming: Poems On The Deirdre Story* was published by Broadstone Books in 2024, followed by her collaboration with bi-lingual Irish poet Gabriel Rosenstock, *Beloved: Photo-Tanka Meditations,* published by Broadstone Books in 2025. Her collection *Notebooks From Mystery School* (Finishing Line Press, 2016) was a New Women’s Voices Awards Finalist. Her poems and dramatic monologues have appeared in international literary magazines, journals and anthologies including: The Pagan Muse: Poems of Ritual and Inspiration, Working Papers in Irish Studies, Cyphers Magazine (Ireland), The Albero Project (Italy) Poetry New Zealand, Gargoyle Magazine (Washington DC), and the *Hiv Here And Now On-Line Poetry Project*, to name a few. Her website is <http://www.margaretmccarthy.com>
---
# About the Book
Michele Wolf’s poetry collection *Peacocks on the Streets* possesses immediate mystique and grit. Life is strange, the poet alerts her reader, strange things happen. Embrace the strangeness, Wolf suggests, for “Living with wildlife is a part of life—/What we fear, what we prize.” Wolf draws a clear parallel between humans and animals; our worlds and our habitats constantly come into contact, even blur. In “Manatee Viewing Room,” the poet thinks, “Next they’ll receive Publix/Gift cards wrapped in BOGO circulars.” While the sentiment concerning these manatees is light-hearted, the inevitability of destruction due to carelessness and a sense of false-ownership is clear, and it extends human-to-human. Wolf asks, “Who is it who owns the recounting of history?/Who is it who owns a Black man’s life?” *Peacocks on the Streets* presents what at first feels absurd, and then through quick twists of imagery, absurdity becomes normalcy. This is our reality. In “Postcards at the Museum,” Wolf candidly describes, “The murderers had no fear of identification. Sometimes/The murderers were police. Vendors sold pop and sandwiches.” We are all spectacle, Wolf seems to say. Make the choice, come watch us.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Micro Memoirs: Your Life in Less than 250 Words](https://writer.org/event/micro-memoirs-your-life-in-less-than-250-words/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Join us to explore the elements of memoir in small manageable bites. We'll read and discuss Micro Memoirs, also called Flash Memoir, (50-250 words) to inspire your own writing and enhance your storytelling skills. Each week, with provided prompts, you’ll write about a variety of incidents, stories, or memories while building specific craft skills (image, metaphor, point of view, rhetorical strategies to address memory “gaps,” and more).
**Content:**
# Start or re-invigorate your memoir—or just create a handful of vivid vignettes—with this fun, satisfying form.
Join us to explore the elements of memoir in small manageable bites. We’ll read and discuss Micro Memoirs, also called Flash Memoir, (50-250 words) to inspire your own writing and enhance your storytelling skills. Each week, with provided prompts, you’ll write about a variety of incidents, stories, or memories while building specific craft skills (image, metaphor, point of view, rhetorical strategies to address memory “gaps,” and more).
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- What the micro memoir can offer to writers to create rich stories or jumpstart longer works
- To enhance your descriptive powers and build your craft skills (image, metaphor, point of view, rhetorical devices)
- How to manage “memory gaps” and use them to write effectively or forward your larger themes and inquiries
- How to integrate feedback and approach revision with more excitement and curiosity
- How to provide feedback that is useful and respectful to other writers
# Time requirements
- 30-60 minutes of reading and writing
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers who want to write short, engaging pieces about their lives or family histories, get out of their writing ruts, and enhance their skills with feedback and revision.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
Add to calendar
**Event Categories:** 6 Sessions, All Levels, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Virtual Info Session for Novel Mill w/ Kristen Arnett](https://writer.org/event/virtual-info-session-for-novel-mill/)
**Published:** September 2, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
**Meet Kristen Arnett, instructor for our Novel Mill 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: September 19, 2025**
**Workshop Dates: Begins October 1, meeting biweekly for ~10 months**
**Cost: $5,400 \| Members $5,300**
Write you novel in a year with bestselling author Kristen Arnett! Are you looking for an exciting, fun, collaborative way to get your writing brain into gear? Are you ready to finally sit down and write that novel that you’ve been thinking about forever? Do you wish you had a confident, cheerful writing coach to guide you to the finish line? If so, then this is definitely the course for you!
# [**Find the full details and apply here »**](https://writer.org/event/novel-mill/)
**Event Categories:** Fiction, Workshop
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat with Writer Steve Majors](https://writer.org/event/steve-majors/)
**Published:** August 28, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of nonfiction! We’re joined by author Steve Majors for a discussion of his new collection of essays, *Man Made**.* Steve is in conversation with Zach Powers, novelist and Executive & Artistic Director at The Writer’s Center.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from Bookshop.org »](https://bookshop.org/a/22600/9780299354145)
---
Steve Majors is the author of *High Yella*, the forthcoming essay collection *Man Made* (University of Wisconsin Press, 2025), and the graphic novel *Light Bright* (Graphic Mundi, 2026).
Steve’s writing explores issues of race, class, and identity. His essays have been published in outlets including the New York Times, Washington Post, Boston Globe, CNN.com and NBC Think.
---
# About the Book
Not all little boys want to grow up to be like their dads. The shy ones, the sensitive ones, the ones people mock as strange or call queer—sometimes they want to grow up to be loved by men who stand in for their fathers. They’ll put up with bullying from an older brother, taunts from the gym teacher, long work hours from a boss, and even discipline from a gay daddy, all as a means to discover what kind of man they truly want to be.
In this poignant and provocative memoir, Steve Majors takes us on a journey of his own self-discovery as he grows from a gay boy in search of a father figure to a gay man grappling with what it means to be a father himself.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat on Fiction w/ Chelsea Sutton](https://writer.org/event/chelsea-sutton/)
**Published:** August 31, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of fiction! We’re joined by author Chelsea Sutton for a discussion of her debut novella, *Krackle’s Last Movie*. Chelsea is in conversation with Zach Powers, novelist and Executive & Artistic Director at The Writer’s Center.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from the publisher »](https://www.splitlippress.com/krackles-last-movie)
---
**Chelsea Sutton** is an LA-based writer and theatre maker of what she likes to call gothic whimsy. She’s a PEN America Emerging Voices Fellow, a graduate of the 2022 Clarion Science Fiction and Fantasy Workshop, and holds an MFA in Creative Writing from UC Riverside. Her short fiction has appeared in *Uncanny Magazine*, *Apex Magazine*, *CRAFT Literary*, *Bourbon Penn*, *Orca Literary*, *Flash Fiction Online*, *Flash Frog*, and the anthology *Mooncalves: Strange Stories*, among others. Her debut flash fiction chapbook *Only Animals* is available through Wrong Publishing. *Krackle’s Last Movie* is her first novella. Chelseasutton.com
---
# About the Book
When underground documentarian Minerva Krackle mysteriously disappears after an interview with the “Modern-Day Mummy of San Bernardino County,” her assistant Harper is left with a mess of footage and a tight deadline. During her review of thirty years of interviews Krackle conducted with real-life monsters—werewolves, vampires, invisible dancers, mermaids, sea monsters in the desert—Harper pieces together their links with Krackle’s disappearance and also with the tragic on-stage death of pop-magician The Great Merlan. With the help of Krackle’s former bodyguard Dr. Danger and small-town diner waitress Liz, Harper must decide whether to expose her own hidden history to finish the film, or to let Krackle’s legacy disappear right along with her.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat on Fiction w/ James R. Gapinski](https://writer.org/event/james-gapinski/)
**Published:** August 5, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of fiction! We’re joined by author James R. Gapinski for a discussion of their award-winning debut story collection, *The Museum of Future Mistakes*. James is in conversation with Zach Powers, novelist and Executive & Artistic Director at The Writer’s Center.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from Bookshop.org »](https://bookshop.org/a/22600/9781960145864)
---
**James R. Gapinski** (they/them) is the author of the novella *Edge of the Known Bus Line*—winner of the 2018 Etchings Press Novella Prize, named to Kirkus Reviews’ Best Books of 2018, and a finalist for the 2019 Montaigne Medal. James is also the author of three fiction chapbooks, and their short work has appeared in the *Best Microfiction 2023* anthology, *HAD, Heavy Feather Review, SmokeLong Quarterly, Variant Literature*, and other publications. *The Museum of Future Mistakes* (BOA Editions 2025) is their first full length collection. Gapinski lives in Portland OR.
---
# About *The Museum of Future Mistakes*
**Gruesome scenarios take a tender turn; beautiful moments become sources of derision.** Winner of the BOA Short Fiction Prize, *The Museum of Future Mistakes* is packed with inventive narrative choices and sharp lyricism, upending expectations on every page.
In “Brother and Not-Brother,” the residents of an entire city transform into perfect copies of the narrator’s deceased brother, sparking meditations on childhood scars, grief, and how painful memories can bloom into joy, laughter, and love. In “The Last Dinosaurs of Portland,” two anthropomorphic dinosaurs yearn for companionship and empathy while fighting for a meager existence under the weight of past traumas. In “Three-Month Autopsy,” a character visits ex-lovers and returns Ziploc baggies full of their body parts, exploring infatuation, jealousy, regret, and the contours of both giving and receiving in a relationship.
Through these and other fabulist and magical realist stories, James R. Gapinski considers our physical relationship with our own bodies, how we process love and loss, and the fragility of identity amid moments of personal crisis. With elements of the grotesque and the surreal, fans of Carmen Maria Machado and Kelly Link will find much to admire in this award-winning collection.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat on Writing Horror w/ Tracy Cross in Conversation w/ Teri Ellen Cross Davis](https://writer.org/event/tracy-cross/)
**Published:** August 31, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of horror! We’re joined by Tracy Cross to discuss her new novel, *A Gathering of Weapons*. Tracy is in conversation with her sister, poet Teri Ellen Cross Davis.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from the publisher »](https://darkmattermagazine.shop/products/a-gathering-of-weapons)
---
**Tracy Cross** is a celebrated horror fiction author known for her powerful storytelling and complex characters. Her debut novel *Rootwork* has garnered critical acclaim for its deep exploration of societal issues through the horror genre. Tracy’s newest novel, *A Gathering of Weapons*, pushes the boundaries of horror fiction even further. Her works have been featured in numerous anthologies and she has received prestigious awards from the Ladies of Horror Fiction and the Horror Writers Association. Based in Washington, DC, Tracy is an active member of the HWA and a passionate fan of Prince and disco.
**Teri Ellen Cross Davis** is the author of *a more perfect Union*, awarded the 2019 Journal/Charles B. Wheeler Poetry Prize and Haint, which won the 2017 Ohioana Book Award for Poetry. She is the recipient of the Poetry Society of America’s [Robert H. Winner Memorial Award](https://poetrysociety.org/award-winners/year/2020) and a Maryland State Arts Council award. Her work has appeared in print, online, and in many journals and anthologies including: *Harvard Review*, *PANK*, *Poetry Ireland Review*, and *Kenyon Review*. She lives in Silver Spring, Maryland with her husband, poet Hayes Davis and their two teens.
---
# About the Book
**Nearly four years have passed since the events of *Rootwork*** (the first book in The Conjure Series), and the youngest Conway sister, Pee Wee, is now thirteen years old and on the cusp of magical greatness. Ever since the tragedy of 1889, she’s worked tirelessly to practice her Hoodoo and hone her conjure skills so as to right the wrongs done to her family. But as a young Black girl living in the post-Reconstruction era of the segregated South, her growing powers do not go unnoticed. Strange and malevolent forces have descended upon the small Louisiana parish Pee Wee calls home, and she must use her newly acquired conjure skills to fight back. Will she use them for good? Or will she pledge herself to the ghost of a dead Voodoo priestess and the darkness the woman serves in exchange for unlimited power and the promise of generational revenge?
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Author Peter Mountford Book Release w/ Karin Tanabe](https://writer.org/event/peter-mountford/)
**Published:** August 28, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes author Peter Mountford for a reading from his new collection, *Detonator*. Peter is joined by novelist Karin Tanabe.
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
**Peter Mountford** is the author of the novels *A Young Man’s Guide to Late Capitalism* (winner of the Washington State Book Award in Fiction), and *The Dismal Science* (a *New York Times* editor’s choice). His work has appeared in *The Paris Review*, *Southern Review*, the *New York Times* magazine, *The Atlantic* magazine, *The Sun*, *Ploughshares*, and *Guernica*. He teaches creative writing at University of Nevada, Reno, at Tahoe’s low-residency MFA program, and through MountfordWriting.com, and currently lives in Seattle, Washington.
**Karin Tanabe** is the author of seven novels. A former Politico reporter, she is a frequent contributor to *The Washington Post* Book World. Her writing has also appeared in the *Miami Herald, Chicago Tribune, and Newsday*. She has been featured as an entertainment, style, and politics expert on *Entertainment Tonight, CNN, and CBS Early Show*. Karin is a graduate of Vassar College and lives in Washington, D.C
---
# About the Book
Sensorily rich and narratively captivating, the stories in Detonator are utterly addictive. Author Peter Mountford invites readers with a balance of humor, sensuality, and compassion while spanning continents, offering intimate portraits of flawed characters caught in the crosshairs of personal and political upheavals.
In “One More Night Behind Walls,” set against the early 1980s-onset of Sri Lanka’s civil war, the young protagonist observes, “Some say the grown-ups used the war as an excuse to let go, but I think it’s more like the war forced them together, and that’s what made them go off the rails.” Soon, the interpersonal dramas of the expat community beget casual debauchery and fatal consequences during a drunken New Year’s Party.
In other stories, an American consultant faces personal and professional ruin after fateful decisions concerning Ecuador’s post-revolution economy. A divorcee in her forties finds unexpected chemistry with her ex-husband’s girlfriend after a Scottish Highland funeral. A married suburban feminist experiments with the escape of a dangerous love affair in Washington, D.C.
With remarkable sensitivity and psychological acuity, Mountford positions his characters not at the center of historical events, but at their peripheries — witnesses to momentous changes they can only partially comprehend.
Mountford illuminates each character with stunning humanity — free from condescension — as consequences swirl through even the purest intentions. With striking precision, he captures the visceral authenticity of emotions as characters gather fragmented understandings of their place in the world. Each story traces a unique path along the plane curve of history, honoring the messy, beautiful complexity of lifetimes unspooled and most of all — lived.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
Add to calendar
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Creating Novel Characters](https://writer.org/event/creating-novel-characters-6/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** 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.
**Content:**
# Bring your characters to life on the page.
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.
---
***Learn at your own pace:** This workshop will take place over **Wet Ink**, which is an asynchronous creative writing platform. The instructor will post a lesson and assignment at the beginning of each week, and participants can log in and read the lessons/post assignments/comment on other classmates’ work at their convenience. Shortly before the start date, participants will receive an invite from Wet Ink to create their login info and access the class. Please check your spam if you don’t see it.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Your character’s past and future
- Your character’s motivations
- How the plot will bring about your character’s arc
- How to reveal your character on the page
# Time requirements
- 3-5 hours/week
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers looking to add dimension to their fictional characters.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, All Levels, Fiction, Wet Ink, Workshop
---
### [Intermediate Novel Writing: The 8 Cs](https://writer.org/event/intermediate-novel-writing-the-8-cs-3/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** 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.)
**Content:**
# Let’s finish that novel you started!
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.)
---
***Learn at your own pace:** This workshop will take place over **Wet Ink**, which is an asynchronous creative writing platform. The instructor will post a lesson and assignment at the beginning of each week, and participants can log in and read the lessons/post assignments/comment on other classmates’ work at their convenience. Shortly before the start date, participants will receive an invite from Wet Ink to create their login info and access the class. Please check your spam if you don’t see it.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Concept
- Character
- Circumstances
- Conflict
- Complications
- Crisis
- Climax
- Conclusion
# Time requirements
- 3-5 hours/week
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for writers looking to deepen their understanding of the major components of novel-writing.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 8 Sessions, Fiction, Intermediate Level, Wet Ink, Workshop
---
### [Sonnet Crash Course](https://writer.org/event/sonnet-crash-course-3/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Guided by an award-winning and internationally published author of sonnets, villanelles, and other metrical poems, you’ll first read time-honored sonnets to see how and why they work. Next the class will write a group sonnet, and then -- with or without shortcuts -- you’ll start one of your own. You’ll leave with at least one new (draft) or improved sonnet, as well as insights about how writing poems in form can unlock deeper meaning and enhance everything you write.
**Content:**
# What is special about the sonnet?
Guided by an award-winning and internationally published author of sonnets, villanelles, and other metrical poems, you’ll first read time-honored sonnets to see how and why they work. Next the class will write a group sonnet, and then — with or without shortcuts — you’ll start one of your own. You’ll leave with at least one new (draft) or improved sonnet, as well as insights about how writing poems in form can unlock deeper meaning and enhance everything you write.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Shakespearean and Petrarcan sonnets
- Iambic pentameter
- The Volta
- Can any 14-line poem (or any poem at all) be a sonnet?
- Feedback on participant poems
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for poets who would like to improve their sonnet skills, or write their first sonnet.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Intermediate/Advanced Level, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [30 Ways to Market Your Book on a Budget](https://writer.org/event/30-ways-to-market-your-book-on-a-budget/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** You’ve written, or are writing your book; now it’s time to fight for it! In this workshop you’ll discover over 30 practical, budget-friendly book marketing strategies, from building a book launch to leveraging social media, blogs, podcasts, Amazon tools, press releases, and more. Each session will be fast-paced, idea-heavy, and packed with real-world tactics you can apply immediately. By the end of the program, you’ll walk away with a personalized, actionable marketing plan and the confidence to promote your book like a pro.
**Content:**
# You don’t need a big budget to make a big splash with your book; just the right strategy.
You’ve written, or are writing your book; now it’s time to fight for it! In this workshop you’ll discover over 30 practical, budget-friendly book marketing strategies, from building a book launch to leveraging social media, blogs, podcasts, Amazon tools, press releases, and more. Each session will be fast-paced, idea-heavy, and packed with real-world tactics you can apply immediately. By the end of the program, you’ll walk away with a personalized, actionable marketing plan and the confidence to promote your book like a pro.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Ways to get booked on podcast both on your own and with agencies.
- How to create podcast prep and pitch sheets for podcast bookings.
- How to make your podcast performance your best performance!
- How to create your own, miniature podcast studio to look and sound your best including equipment and where to find it.
# Time requirements
- 15 – 30 minutes
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers who have published a book, are preparing to publish, or have a finished manuscript they believe in. Whether you’re launching your debut or giving new life to an existing title, it’s never too early, or too late, to champion your book and get it into the hands of readers.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 2 Sessions, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Writer GG Renee Hill Book Release](https://writer.org/event/gg-renee-hill/)
**Published:** August 28, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes writer and long time instructor, GG Renee Hill for a reading from her new publication, ***Story Work**: Field Notes on Self-Discovery and Reclaiming Your Narrative*.
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
**GG Renee Hill** is an author whose books have helped thousands of people overcome the emotional obstacles keeping them from living fully expressed lives. GG’s recent releases include two guided journals published through Rockridge Press, *Self-Care Check-In: A Guided Journal to Build Healthy Habits* *and Devote Time to You* and *A Year of Self-Reflection: 365 Days of Guided Prompts to Slow Down, Tune In, and Grow*. GG is a creative coach and founder of the Inner Story Writing Circle, a membership community for writers and creatives seeking guidance, support, and tools for the heart-centered work of writing about their lives.
---
# About the Book
**A guide to understanding the stories we tell ourselves and the actions needed to reclaim power over our narrative.**
We absorb the world around us through stories. It’s how we make sense of our surroundings, our communities, and ourselves. There’s often truth and validity in these stories. But the stories we tell ourselves are not an end-all, be-all. Instead, they’re all part of a larger, ongoing, unfinished narrative–one that we must continually refresh, expand, and contemplate to stay soft and open-hearted.
Here’s the thing: we can choose to keep these stories open to possibility and imagination–or we can choose to keep them closed. That’s where *Story Work* comes in. Through essays and prompting questions, GG Renee Hill invites readers to breathe new life into the stories we carry. She leads by example, by penning the raw material of her own life: an upbringing raised by a mother with schizophrenia, and a lifetime of internal and external forces trying to minimize that impact. It was a long, old, heavy story Hill silently carried with her–the powerless girl who lost her voice in the wreckage of her mother’s condition — until she turned to writing and began to change the meaning she’d assigned to her experiences. And she doesn’t stop there. Hill invites readers to the transformative practice of creative self-discovery through storytelling — treating our life experiences as creative material that we have the power to shape. For the person searching, *Story Work* is the answer that enables us to live with an open-hearted curiosity–one that both fuels and grounds us.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Lyric A to Z: Exploring Abecedarian Forms in Poetry and Creative Nonfiction](https://writer.org/event/lyric-a-to-z-exploring-abecedarian-forms-in-poetry-and-creative-nonfiction/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Ignite your creative spark using the prompt of the abecedarian form, which works powerfully in both poetry and creative nonfiction. In an “abecedarian,” consecutive lines, sentences, or paragraphs lead with consecutive letters of the alphabet, posing unique opportunities and challenges. We’ll look at examples and identify options for further reading, including book-length projects. Participants will experiment with designing their own abecedarian structures for poems and essays.
**Content:**
# Ignite your creative spark using the prompt of the abecedarian form, which works powerfully in both poetry and creative nonfiction.
In an “abecedarian,” consecutive lines, sentences, or paragraphs lead with consecutive letters of the alphabet, posing unique opportunities and challenges. We’ll look at examples and identify options for further reading, including book-length projects. Participants will experiment with designing their own abecedarian structures for poems and essays.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Formal Play
- Structure
- Storytelling
# Time Requirement
- No advance preparation required.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is open to writers at all skill levels working in creative nonfiction or poetry, and is ideal for those looking for a fun formal prompt.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Writing Long Fiction](https://writer.org/event/writing-long-fiction/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** If the idea of starting on a novel or novella sounds daunting, or you wish to finally make the move from short fiction to long fiction—this is the class for you! This course is designed to help you launch and advance an outline and rough draft of a novel in 8 weeks. Expect guidance, encouragement, strategy, and development ideas of MFA caliber. Participants will write daily for at least 1 hour, or 7 to 10 hours per week.
Classes will include craft lessons, discussions of vision and revision, as well as the chance to share a portion of your work-in-progress with your instructor and peers for fast feedback and first impressions. This is not an 8-week workshop model. It is primarily a generative and project development course that will culminate with submissions for feedback.
**Content:**
# Plan, Pre-Write and Advance your Novel or Novella!
If the idea of starting on a novel or novella sounds daunting, or you wish to finally make the move from short fiction to long fiction—this is the class for you! This course is designed to help you launch and advance an outline and rough draft of a novel in 8 weeks. Expect guidance, encouragement, strategy, and development ideas of MFA caliber. Participants will write daily for at least 1 hour, or 7 to 10 hours per week.
Classes will include craft lessons, discussions of vision and revision, as well as the chance to share a portion of your work-in-progress with your instructor and peers for fast feedback and first impressions. This is not an 8-week workshop model. It is primarily a generative and project development course that will culminate with submissions for feedback.
---
***Learn at your own pace:** This workshop will take place over **Wet Ink**, which is an asynchronous creative writing platform. The instructor will post a lesson and assignment at the beginning of each week, and participants can log in and read the lessons/post assignments/comment on other classmates’ work at their convenience. Shortly before the start date, participants will receive an invite from Wet Ink to create their login info and access the class. Please check your spam if you don’t see it.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Learn to identify issues and strategize your revision plan.
- Learn how to prioritize editorial concerns including characterization and plot.
- Learn how to tighten your prose.
# Time requirements
- Participants should plan to spend 5 – 10 hours /week (on craft reading selections as well as on developing their manuscripts)
# Materials
- TBD
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for people with a novel or novella idea or a manuscript in progress. Take this fiction workshop if you have publishing aims but need help tackling a swift draft and/or an effective revision.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 8 Sessions, Fiction, Intermediate/Advanced Level, Wet Ink, Workshop
---
### [Writer's Block Unblocked](https://writer.org/event/writers-block-unblocked/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** You want to write. So why can't you get yourself to sit down and do it? We'll start by discussing some of the causes of creative blocks, before moving on to exercises that will help you melt back into your writing. We'll close with a generative writing exercise. You'll leave with tactics you can implement whenever you start to feel stuck, so you can finally do the writing you want to do!
**Content:**
# Find your creative flow… finally!
You want to write. So why can’t you get yourself to sit down and do it? We’ll start by discussing some of the causes of creative blocks, before moving on to exercises that will help you melt back into your writing. We’ll close with a generative writing exercise. You’ll leave with tactics you can implement whenever you start to feel stuck, so you can finally do the writing you want to do!
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Causes of Blocks and Creative Resistance
- Tactics to Combat Blocks and Resistance
- Generative Writing Exercise
# Time Requirement
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This class is designed for writers and artists who are experiencing any kind of blocks or resistance in their creative process.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat on Advocacy with Pedro R. Pierluisi & Mark A. Cymrot](https://writer.org/event/pierluisi-cymrot/)
**Published:** August 28, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of advocacy! We’re joined by former Puerto Rico Governor Pedro R. Pierluisi and author/attorney Mark A. Cymrot for a candid discussion of writing and speaking for a cause.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
- [Read Pedro R. Pierluisi’s article “Quiet Power: Leadership Beyond the Podium” on LinkedIn »](https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/quiet-power-leadership-beyond-podium-pedro-r-pierluisi-nae2e)
- [Learn more about Mark A. Cymrot and read his work at markcymrot.com »](https://markcymrot.com/)
---
**Pedro R. Pierluisi** served as Governor of Puerto Rico from 2021 to 2025. He is an attorney from San Juan with close to 40 years of experience in the public and private sectors. After beginning his career as a corporate attorney and commercial litigator in two prominent Washington, D.C. law firms, Pierluisi returned to practice law in P.R. He served as Puerto Rico’s Attorney General (Secretary of Justice) from 1993 to 1996. In 2008 Pierluisi was elected to Congress and served as P.R.’s Resident Commissioner in the U.S. House of Representatives for 8 years. At present, as the Managing Member of PRP Strategies, LLC, Pedro Pierluisi offers advice and assistance in connection with legal, commercial, and governmental challenges. Pierluisi, the father of four adult children and grandfather of six, is married to Fabiola Ansótegui-Blanc, Esq. He has a B.A. from Tulane University and a J.D. from The George Washington University Law School.
**Mark A. Cymrot** was the founder and leader of BakerHostetler’s International Arbitration and Litigation practice team. He is a member of the ICDR and AAA Commercial Panel of Arbitrators, and a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. His two books – written after taking Writer’s Center workshops – are *Squeezing Silver, The Trial of Nelson Bunker Hunt* (2018) and *The Case of the Welched Reward* (2023). His photography exhibition will be on display at the Center in July 2025. He has chapters in three prominent legal books, *Going First Makes A Difference: Decision-Making Dynamics in Arbitration* (Wolters Kluwer, 2017), *Enforcing Arbitral Awards against Foreign States* (Cambridge University Press, 2018) and the upcoming *Key Features of Arbitration and Litigation Involving Private Parties and Foreign States* (Elgar, 2025). He has numerous articles in professional journals such as “Cross Examination in International Arbitration in Disputes Resolution Journal,” “Barricades at The IMF: Creating A Municipal Bankruptcy Code For Foreign States,” *The International Lawyer*, and “Welcome to the Jury System: Supreme Court Limits Sovereign Immunity for State-Owned Companies” in *Business Law International*. As a speaker on litigation, arbitration, and sovereign immunity issues, he has appeared at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, the International Monetary Fund, the Inter-American Development Bank, and American Bar Association and International Bar Association conventions. He has represented foreign governments, major international companies, and businesspeople in litigation and arbitration nationally and internationally. He is ranked in Chambers Global and The Best Lawyers in America© and is listed in *Who’s Who in America*.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Your First (or Next) Novel](https://writer.org/event/your-first-or-next-novel-5/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** 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.
**Content:**
# Make the leap from short form fiction, or any nonfiction, to writing a really great novel!
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.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Characterization
- Plotting in the long form
- Pacing
- Perspective
- Time Management
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed to help beginning writers or more advanced authors who wish to brush up on their skills.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Is Self-Publishing Right for You?](https://writer.org/event/is-self-publishing-right-for-you-2/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** You have many options for publishing your work. Which one is best for you and your book? In this class we will explore self-publishing, hybrid, and alternative routes to publication: collaborating with a nonprofit and work-for-hire. We will set goals and evaluate the assets we bring to the publishing process to see how those affect available options for publishing. Attendees will walk away knowing what it takes to succeed in these varied and exciting routes to publication.
**Content:**
# Discover what it takes to self-publish successfully!
You have many options for publishing your work. Which one is best for you and your book? In this class we will explore self-publishing, hybrid, and alternative routes to publication: collaborating with a nonprofit and work-for-hire. We will set goals and evaluate the assets we bring to the publishing process to see how those affect available options for publishing. Attendees will walk away knowing what it takes to succeed in these varied and exciting routes to publication.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Self-publishing Options
- Finding professionals to help you
- Hybrid publishers
- Nontraditional routes to publication
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers with a book idea (nonfiction) or manuscript (fiction, memoir) who are ready to explore their publishing options.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Publishing, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Reading Your Work Out Loud](https://writer.org/event/reading-your-work-out-loud-4/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** 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 turn fuel a more authentic writing process and outcome. You’ll leave the workshop with an experience of camaraderie, community, and a more deeply rooted sense of your creative and expressive self. Please have on hand a number of pieces you’d be comfortable sharing during the meeting. There will be a break; please also bring a snack and water.
**Content:**
# 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 turn fuel a more authentic writing process and outcome. You’ll leave the workshop with an experience of camaraderie, community, and a more deeply rooted sense of your creative and expressive self. Please have on hand a number of pieces you’d be comfortable sharing during the meeting. There will be a break; please also bring a snack and water.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Public speaking skills
- Performance anxiety mitigation
- Performance conviction and authenticity
# Time Requirement
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers and others who want to practice and hone the skills of public performance and delivery.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, Nonfiction, Stage and Screen, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Getting Your Poetry Published](https://writer.org/event/getting-your-poetry-published-2/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** This intensive one-day workshop will offer all poets—whether they have yet to submit their first poem to a literary journal or are ready to present a publisher with a book-length manuscript—hands-on advice on how to achieve their publishing goals. Participants will learn how to place poems in print and online journals, why anthologies are such an appealing platform, how to publish chapbooks and books, the pros and cons of contests, the etiquette of poetry submission, ways to develop a poetry network, and how to keep morale high while facing rejection in a highly competitive field
**Content:**
# Learn helpful tips for placing your poems in literary journals and with publishers
This intensive one-day workshop will offer all poets—whether they have yet to submit their first poem to a literary journal or are ready to present a publisher with a book-length manuscript—hands-on advice on how to achieve their publishing goals. Participants will learn how to place poems in print and online journals, why anthologies are such an appealing platform, how to publish chapbooks and books, the pros and cons of contests, the etiquette of poetry submission, ways to develop a poetry network, and how to keep morale high while facing rejection in a highly competitive field.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How to place poems in print and online journals
- Why anthologies are such an appealing platform
- How to publish chapbooks and books
- The pros and cons of contests
- The etiquette of poetry submission
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for poets at any stage of the publishing process.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Write the Day](https://writer.org/event/write-the-day/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** You will transform your day into poetry and fiction. You will make poems and stories from everyday details of your life.
**Content:**
# You will transform your day into poetry and fiction. You will make poems and stories from everyday details of your life.
We will read and then write poems and stories starting from close observation of our day, from waking to preparing coffee and bread, to recalling a dream, to answering a nagging question from the night’s quarrel, to walking in the woods, to calling a friend for a chat, to starting a virtual session with a client, or putting on a jacket and catching a bus and taking it to the metro and then an office.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Enjambment
- Meter
- Free Verse
- Memoir
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Poets, fiction writers, memoirists
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Fall Equinox Writing Workshop](https://writer.org/event/fall-equinox-writing-workshop/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Step into the season of change and use the power of writing to reflect, realign, and begin again. In this Fall Equinox-inspired workshop, we’ll explore personal transformation through themed prompts that mirror the seasonal cycle—harvesting growth, shedding what no longer serves, and writing into what’s next. Explore personal transformation grounding reflection and intentional writing. Supportive discussion provides space to write freely and deeply. Walk away with several pieces of intuitive writing, a clearer sense of what you're ready to let go, and a written intention to carry into the season ahead. Please bring a journal or notebook and a pen.
**Content:**
# Through intentional prompts, gentle ritual, and intuitive journaling, you’ll harvest the lessons of the past season and plant seeds for what’s next—on the page and in your life.
Step into the season of change and use the power of writing to reflect, realign, and begin again. In this Fall Equinox-inspired workshop, we’ll explore personal transformation through themed prompts that mirror the seasonal cycle—harvesting growth, shedding what no longer serves, and writing into what’s next. Explore personal transformation grounding reflection and intentional writing. Supportive discussion provides space to write freely and deeply. Walk away with several pieces of intuitive writing, a clearer sense of what you’re ready to let go, and a written intention to carry into the season ahead. Please bring a journal or notebook and a pen.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Learn how to use seasonal energy (such as the Fall Equinox) as inspiration for reflection and creative writing
- Explore the connection between personal growth and the natural cycle of harvest, release, and renewal
- Practice intuitive, judgment-free writing using guided prompts
- Leave with fresh writing, deeper clarity, and a personal intention to carry into the new season
# Time Requirement
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is ideal for creatives and seekers of all levels who feel called to pause, reflect, and write with intention at the turning of the season. Whether you’re navigating personal change, craving creative connection, or simply wish to honor the fall equinox through words, this experience offers a gentle, soulful space to listen inward and write what’s true.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [How to Write a Lot](https://writer.org/event/how-to-write-a-lot-5/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** You may think you don't have the time, energy, or inspiration to write because of your hectic lifestyle. Wrong! Learn what Kathryn Johnson's Extreme Novelists know about organizing their time, establishing a productive writing routine, and getting their stories written. We'll share methods EN Grads (and many professional writers) use to complete their books in months instead of years, their short stories in mere weeks. Become the dedicated author you've always dreamed of being. (Ideal for writers who don’t have 8 weeks to dedicate to the Extreme Novelist course.)
**Content:**
# Find the tools and time you need to complete your novel, memoir, or book-length creative nonfiction project.
You may think you don’t have the time, energy, or inspiration to write because of your hectic lifestyle. Wrong! Learn what Kathryn Johnson’s Extreme Novelists know about organizing their time, establishing a productive writing routine, and getting their stories written. We’ll share methods EN Grads (and many professional writers) use to complete their books in months instead of years, their short stories in mere weeks. Become the dedicated author you’ve always dreamed of being. (Ideal for writers who don’t have 8 weeks to dedicate to the Extreme Novelist course.)
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Time management
- Focus
- Working to completion
- Writing like a Pro
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed to help authors short on time and energy to work in a consistent and effective way on their book-length projects.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Mapping Strategies for Story Structure](https://writer.org/event/mapping-strategies-for-story-structure-3/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** There is no one-size-fits-all strategy for story structure. Let’s discuss a plan that works for you. We’ll examine your story’s strengths and weaknesses, focusing on both the destination and the journey. Does your narrative feature a compelling character arc, a strong point of entry, well-placed flashbacks, a transformative and resonant ending, and will readers care? We will use maps, sketches, and diagrams, emphasizing the importance of revising your initial plan as your story evolves. Bring your specific idea for a short story, memoir, or novel.
**Content:**
# Explore questions, mapping exercises, tools, and techniques to discover your story’s destination and how to get there.
There is no one-size-fits-all strategy for story structure. Let’s discuss a plan that works for you. We’ll examine your story’s strengths and weaknesses, focusing on both the destination and the journey. Does your narrative feature a compelling character arc, a strong point of entry, well-placed flashbacks, a transformative and resonant ending, and will readers care? We will use maps, sketches, and diagrams, emphasizing the importance of revising your initial plan as your story evolves. Bring your specific idea for a short story, memoir, or novel.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Flexible outlines that enhance your plot
- How to clarify the true purpose of your story
- Techniques for effective beginnings and endings
- Character arcs, yearning, internal and external conflict, and transformation
- Key components of a successful scene
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop will benefit both memoir and fiction writers wishing to strengthen reader engagement.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Enrich Your Poems with Metaphor and Simile](https://writer.org/event/enrich-your-poems-with-metaphor-and-simile/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** This class aims to restore Metaphor and Simile to prominence in the writing of contemporary poems. In the first two weeks we'll run exercises in class and for homework on generating metaphor/simile pairs. For the next two weeks, metaphor and simile will be either added to a previously written poem, or a new one generated using them. FInally, we'll work on extending metaphor and building a new poem around such an extended metaphor.
**Content:**
# Create your own versions of metaphor and simile, which poets have used for thousands of years.
This class aims to restore Metaphor and Simile to prominence in the writing of contemporary poems. In the first two weeks we’ll run exercises in class and for homework on generating metaphor/simile pairs. For the next two weeks, metaphor and simile will be either added to a previously written poem, or a new one generated using them. Finally, we’ll work on extending metaphor and building a new poem around such an extended metaphor.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Brainstorming the connections
- Metaphor – identifying a similarity in otherwise unalike things
- Simile – stating a similarity between otherwise unalike things
- How far to go – managing the differences along with the similarities
- Extended Metaphor – creating patterns of connections
# Time requirements
- 30-45 minutes each week
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- The class is pitched at Intermediate, practicing poets who want to introduce richer language to their work, and advanced poets who want to refine their ongoing use of metaphor and simile.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 6 Sessions, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Writing Borders & Identity](https://writer.org/event/writing-borders-identity/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Discover the power of storytelling to map the borders we cross and the identities we claim. Each week, participants will read and discuss short creative works that explore migration, place, and belonging, followed by guided writing exercises designed to spark personal narrative, poetry, and hybrid experimentation. The workshop will blend group discussion, generative prompts, and peer feedback to create a supportive and imaginative writing space. By the end of the course, participants will have crafted a small portfolio of original pieces reflecting on borders—both real and metaphorical—and the identities that shape their voice. Please bring a notebook or device to write on, and be ready to share a short introduction and a place or memory that feels important to your identity for the first session.
**Content:**
# Explore the stories shaped by borders, and the identities that rise from them
Discover the power of storytelling to map the borders we cross and the identities we claim. Each week, participants will read and discuss short creative works that explore migration, place, and belonging, followed by guided writing exercises designed to spark personal narrative, poetry, and hybrid experimentation. The workshop will blend group discussion, generative prompts, and peer feedback to create a supportive and imaginative writing space. By the end of the course, participants will have crafted a small portfolio of original pieces reflecting on borders—both real and metaphorical—and the identities that shape their voice. Please bring a notebook or device to write on, and be ready to share a short introduction and a place or memory that feels important to your identity for the first session.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Personal Narrative Techniques – Crafting compelling stories drawn from lived experience
- Imagery & Concrete Detail – Using sensory language to bring place and memory to life
- Voice & Point of View – Exploring how identity shapes narrative voice
- Hybrid & Cross-Genre Experimentation – Blending poetry, prose, and nonfiction forms
- Reflective & Thematic Cohesion – Weaving identity, migration, and belonging into unified pieces
# Time requirements
- 2 hours before the session
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for emerging and experienced writers interested in exploring personal narrative, place, migration, and identity through creative writing. Whether you’re new to writing or looking to deepen work rooted in lived experience, this course offers a supportive space to experiment across genres and develop your voice.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 3 Sessions, All Levels, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Finding Your Authentic Voice](https://writer.org/event/finding-your-authentic-voice-4/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Look beyond your inner critic and tap into the flow of your limitless creativity, as you discover the powerful impact of your authentic voice. Learn how to identify limiting beliefs, deconstruct doubt, and write compelling pieces to foster a special connection with your readers. In a safe and supportive space, reintroduce your childlike wonder around creativity so you can write freely, reclaim your power, and uncover your true gifts. Unleash your brilliance and honor the impact of your stories, lessons, and innermost thoughts. Walk away feeling empowered with fresh awareness, confidence in your writing, and practical tips to stay inspired and let your art flow freely.
Agenda for each session:
Lesson and outline for the week
Writing prompts
Discussing the process and what came up while weaving in course content
Practical tools
What to expect in the next class
Week 1:
Identifying limiting beliefs and recognizing the perils of comparison
Working through core fears, insecurity, and other causes of writer’s block
Develop a better understanding of self and minimize shame
Week 2:
How to lean into vulnerability to foster connection with your readers
Fusing universal themes with specificity to write compelling pieces
Complete a first draft of a short piece to be completed by the end of the course
Learn the importance of building a writing community and support system
Week 3:
Mental frameworks to actualize your power and tap into your limitless Spirit
Letting your art flow freely
Healthy habits to stay inspired
The difference in creation and revision
Trusting the process
Week 4:
Maintaining a balanced inner space to put forth your best work
Staying inspired and remaining true to your path
Read your final draft out loud
Discuss main themes and takeaways
**Content:**
# Get out of your own way and let your inner voice, emotions, and instincts guide you as you freely express your unique truth to enhance your message and extend your impact.
Look beyond your inner critic and tap into the flow of your limitless creativity, as you discover the powerful impact of your authentic voice. Learn how to identify limiting beliefs, deconstruct doubt, and write compelling pieces to foster a special connection with your readers. In a safe and supportive space, reintroduce your childlike wonder around creativity so you can write freely, reclaim your power, and uncover your true gifts. Unleash your brilliance and honor the impact of your stories, lessons, and innermost thoughts. Walk away feeling empowered with fresh awareness, confidence in your writing, and practical tips to stay inspired and let your art flow freely.
---
***Learn at your own pace:** This workshop will take place over **Wet Ink**, which is an asynchronous creative writing platform. The instructor will post a lesson and assignment at the beginning of each week, and participants can log in and read the lessons/post assignments/comment on other classmates’ work at their convenience. Shortly before the start date, participants will receive an invite from Wet Ink to create their login info and access the class. Please check your spam if you don’t see it.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Taming your inner critic and its negativity
- Recovering a sense of identity and reclaim your power
- The power of vulnerability and connection
- Facing your fears around sharing your work
- Tools for integration and continued practice
- Discovering and spreading your truth
# Time requirements
- Participants may expect to spend 1-3 hours per week to fully integrate tools and techniques.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop welcomes creators of all levels and genres who are eager to deepen their relationship with language, unlock their authentic voices, and confidently put their powerful stories on paper.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, All Levels, Mixed Genre, Wet Ink, Workshop
---
### [Elements of Poetry Writing Workshop](https://writer.org/event/elements-of-poetry-writing-workshop/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Get started on your way toward writing wonderful poetry! This class aims to describe and explain a different poetry element each week. It also will allow students to workshop their poems throughout the class. Each class will include a reading of 1-2 poems, discussion of a poetry element in regards to them, and some workshopping of poems. At the end of the class each participant should have 2-3 poem drafts written that are on their way toward revision.
**Content:**
# Explore the basic elements of poetry writing!
Get started on your way toward writing wonderful poetry! This class aims to describe and explain a different poetry element each week. It also will allow students to workshop their poems throughout the class. Each class will include a reading of 1-2 poems, discussion of a poetry element in regards to them, and some workshopping of poems. At the end of the class each participant should have 2-3 poem drafts written that are on their way toward revision.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Lines and stanzas
- Beginning and Endings
- Imagery
- Revisions
# Time requirements
- To prepare reading, critiquing classmates’ poems, and writing poems, it takes about 2-3 hours a week.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Beginning to intermediate students who wish to improve their poetry writing through knowledge of the elements.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 6 Sessions, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Novel 101: How to Craft the Story](https://writer.org/event/novel-101-how-to-craft-the-story-3/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** If you’ve always wanted to create your own exciting novel then this is the class for you. The class offers the key concepts of plotting and pacing while delving into different genres. Beginners have the opportunity to share their works with the class while also building confidence in their craft. Short homework assignments will encourage practice outside of assigned class hours. Students will leave with an evolved sense of fiction and the tools necessary to continue writing their own story.
**Content:**
# Learn the building blocks of creating your own novel.
If you’ve always wanted to create your own exciting novel then this is the class for you. The class offers the key concepts of plotting and pacing while delving into different genres. Beginners have the opportunity to share their works with the class while also building confidence in their craft. Short homework assignments will encourage practice outside of assigned class hours. Students will leave with an evolved sense of fiction and the tools necessary to continue writing their own story.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Pacing and Plotting
- Character Development
- Exposure to Multiple Genres
- Setting
# Time requirements
- About 30 to 45 minutes outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Beginners and individuals interested in starting their own novel.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, Beginner Level, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [$40 Pop Up! How Architecture Amplifies Horror](https://writer.org/event/how-architecture-amplifies-horror/)
**Published:** May 15, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
This pop up session explores how architectural elements in literature reflect and intensify horror, tracing a path from Poe’s *The Fall of the House of Usher* to contemporary works like *In the Dream House* and *Model Home*. The talk incorporates a visual presentation, handouts, close readings, and discussion prompts designed to spark fresh thinking around horror and setting. Students will walk away with new tools to push their craft and reimagine the haunted house in more expansive, inventive ways.
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [$40 Pop Up! Collage Poetry](https://writer.org/event/40-pop-up-collage-poetry/)
**Published:** July 5, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
## How to tell your story in pieces
Create physical / digital collage poems representing your personal journey(s), origin stories, and / or future aspirations using found imagery and text. This hands-on workshop encourages creative inquiry, experimentation and expression through the art of collaging. Source, sort, and assemble with generative prompt questions in mind.
Supplies:
Digital: Access to an editing platform like Canva or similar
Physical: Images and/or text cut from magazines, mementos or personal photos; scissors, glue or tape; colored pencils or markers; dried flowers or anything else to add texture/depth.
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Journaling Techniques for Writing Memories](https://writer.org/event/journaling-techniques-for-writing-memories-2025/)
**Published:** April 16, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Use your journaling practice to mine your memories for writing projects.
This workshop is about the pursuit of insight through writing personal memories. Whether you currently keep a journal or want to start journaling to nurture a consistent writing practice, in this two-day workshop you will learn journaling techniques that help you recall significant memories and explore the meaning behind those experiences. We will explore how a memoir writer’s journal differs from a regular journal, how to get your memoir journal started, and how to work with your captured memories to explore themes and storylines that you are motivated to write about.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Idea generation
- Journaling techniques
- Story development
- Experimenting with form
# Time requirements
- Participants may spend 2-4 hours outside of the workshop working on a rough draft to share with the group.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for beginning and intermediate writers who want to mine their memories to identify compelling themes for personal storytelling.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 2 Sessions, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Intro to the Novel](https://writer.org/event/intro-to-the-novel-6/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** 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.
**Content:**
# Have you always wanted to write a novel but didn’t know where to start?
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.
---
***Learn at your own pace:** This workshop will take place over **Wet Ink**, which is an asynchronous creative writing platform. The instructor will post a lesson and assignment at the beginning of each week, and participants can log in and read the lessons/post assignments/comment on other classmates’ work at their convenience. Shortly before the start date, participants will receive an invite from Wet Ink to create their login info and access the class. Please check your spam if you don’t see it.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn how to:
- Develop you Premise
- Establish Point of View/Narrative Voice
- Create authentic Characters
- Organize Plot and Structure
- Create good writing habits
- Determine your personal Process”
# Time requirements
- 3-5 hours/week
# Materials
- *Hooked* by Les Edgerton
- *Plot & Structure* by James Scott Bell
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for those who have never written a novel before – or for those who are looking for a strong foundation in the basic components of novel-writing.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 8 Sessions, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Fiction, Wet Ink, Workshop
---
### [Crafting the Short Story](https://writer.org/event/crafting-the-short-story/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** What brings a short story to life? We’ll investigate this question by paying close attention to craft elements—the nuts-and-bolts of storytelling—in participants’ work and in published fiction. Each week, we’ll zoom in on a different aspect of the form such as plot, character, dialogue, place, or point of view. Together, we’ll explore the vast and varied potential of the short story, reading across eras and styles to expand the horizons of our own work. Participants will submit at least one short story for peer and instructor feedback during the workshop. As time allows, we’ll also do in-class writing exercises and read essays on the craft of fiction writing and art of revision.
**Content:**
# Take a deep dive into short story writing!
What brings a short story to life? We’ll investigate this question by paying close attention to craft elements—the nuts-and-bolts of storytelling—in participants’ work and in published fiction. Each week, we’ll zoom in on a different aspect of the form such as plot, character, dialogue, place, or point of view. Together, we’ll explore the vast and varied potential of the short story, reading across eras and styles to expand the horizons of our own work. Participants will submit at least one short story for peer and instructor feedback during the workshop. As time allows, we’ll also do in-class writing exercises and read essays on the craft of fiction writing and art of revision.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Voice & Point of View
- Character Development
- Setting & Place
- Precise Description
- Revision Strategies
- Writing Exercises
# Time requirements
- 1-2 hours (to read peers’ stories). Students may be asked to read 1-2 published short stories in advance of the first meeting.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for fiction writers at any level interested in focusing on short story craft.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 5 Sessions, All Levels, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Introduction to Art Journaling](https://writer.org/event/introduction-to-art-journaling-3/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Using quotes, poems and/or personal reflections, students will combine words with easy to follow art techniques to create an art journal reflecting their own personal style. *Students should bring to all classes a blank watercolor journal, 8x8 or larger. All other art materials used in class will be provided by instructor. (*For questions about what type of journal to purchase, please email instructor at: jwstudio@msn.com)
**Content:**
# Learn how to combine words and art to create personal artistic journals. \*No previous art experience necessary.
Using quotes, poems and/or personal reflections, students will combine words with easy to follow art techniques to create an art journal reflecting their own personal style. \*Students should bring to all classes a blank watercolor journal, 8×8 or larger. All other art materials used in class will be provided by instructor. (\*For questions about what type of journal to purchase, please email instructor at: jwstudio@msn.com)
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Have time in class to explore your own writing using prompts, poems, quotes, and/or personal narratives.
- Instruction in basic art and design principals.
- Have a chance to try a wide variety of art supplies and techniques.
- End the class with basic knowledge and skills to continue your art journaling practice.
# Time Requirements
- No time requirement outside of class.
# Materials
- Students should bring to all classes a blank watercolor journal, 8×8 or larger. All other art materials used in class will be provided by instructor.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This class is for all writers who want to explore and combine an artistic element to use in their personal journals.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 3 Sessions, All Levels, Mixed Genre, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [DIY Novel Revision](https://writer.org/event/diy-novel-revision-6/)
**Published:** August 14, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** 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.
**Content:**
# Edit your novel without an editor.
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.
---
***Learn at your own pace:** This workshop will take place over **Wet Ink**, which is an asynchronous creative writing platform. The instructor will post a lesson and assignment at the beginning of each week, and participants can log in and read the lessons/post assignments/comment on other classmates’ work at their convenience. Shortly before the start date, participants will receive an invite from Wet Ink to create their login info and access the class. Please check your spam if you don’t see it.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Learn to identify issues and strategize your revision plan.
- Learn how to prioritize editorial concerns including characterization and plot.
- Learn how to tighten your prose.
# Time requirements
- 3-5 hours/week
# Materials
- Required: *Story Fix* by Larry Brooks
- Recommended (but not required): *Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, Second Edition: How to Edit Yourself Into Print* by Renni Browne and Dave King
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for anyone seeking to be their own first editor.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, All Levels, Fiction, Wet Ink, Workshop
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat w/ Novelists Lacey N. Dunham & Laura Venita Green](https://writer.org/event/dunham-green/)
**Published:** July 7, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Just in time for Halloween, the Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of writing gothic and horror-adjacent fiction! Gothic fiction frequently blends realism with the otherworldly through the presence of doppelgangers, ghosts, the uncanny, and atmospheric prose that elicits dread and unease. We’re joined by authors Lacey N. Dunham and Laura Venita Green for a discussion of their genre-blending debut novels.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern.
We encourage you to order the books from your local, independent bookseller or online from Bookshop.org.
- [*The Belles* by Lacey N. Dunham](https://bookshop.org/a/22600/9781668084861)
- [*Sister Creatures* by Laura Venita Green](https://bookshop.org/a/22600/9781961884571)
---
**Lacey N. Dunham**’s novel *The Belles* is forthcoming from Atria / Simon & Schuster on September 9, 2025. She has received support from the Elizabeth George Foundation, the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, the Sewanee Writers Conference, and Catapult. Her writing has been published in *Ploughshares*, *Kenyon Review*, *Witness*, and elsewhere. Born and raised on a small family farm, she now lives in Washington, DC.
**Laura Venita Green** is a writer and translator with an MFA from Columbia University, where she was an undergraduate teaching fellow. Her fiction won the Story Foundation Prize, received two Pushcart Prize Special Mentions, and appears in *The Missouri Review*, *Story*, *Joyland*, *Fatal Flaw*, and translated to Italian in *Spazinclusi*. Her translations appear in *Asymptote*, *World Literature Today*, and *The Apple Valley Review*. Originally from Louisiana, she lives with her husband in New York City. Her debut novel, *Sister Creatures*, is forthcoming from Unnamed Press on October 7, 2025.
---
# About The Belles
**In this richly atmospheric, dark academia debut novel, a young woman with a secretive past will risk everything—including her life—to fit in.**
*Belles never tell…*
It’s 1951 at the secluded Bellerton College, and Deena Williams is an outsider doing her best to blend in with her wealthy and perfectly groomed peers. Infamous for its strict rules as much as its prestige, attending Bellerton could give Deena the comfortable life she’s always dreamed of.
She quickly forms an alliance with the five other freshmen on her floor, and soon they are singled out by the president’s wife as the most promising girls of their class, who anoints them: The Belles. They walk the college’s halls in menacing unison, matching velvet ribbons in their hair. But no sisterhood comes without secrets, and the Belles are no exception. Playing cruel pranks on their dormitory housemother and embarking on boundary-shattering night games, the Belles test the limits of the campus rules.
But as Deena begins to piece together the sinister history of Bellerton, her own past threatens to come to light, forcing her to make a dangerous choice. A chilling and seductive coming-of-age story, *The Belles* is an excavation of the dark side of girlhood, the intricacies of privilege, and the unbridled desire to belong at any cost.
---
# About Sister Creatures
**“Captivating and sublime… and centered on a cast of women bound to their roots in unexpected ways, this is a book that interchanges the tender and the cruel, the weird and the real, with breathtaking ease.” –Jinwoo Chong, author of *I Leave It Up to You***
In the muggy, insect-ridden town of Pinecreek, Louisiana, college dropout Tess Lavigne is watching two bickering siblings while their parents are away. Her listless day drinking is interrupted when someone emerges from the woods behind the house. Filthy and feral, the daughter of religious fundamentalists, the girl known in town as Sister Gail convinces Tess to take her in for the night. The strange events of that evening will set the course for Tess’s future, and Sister Gail’s ultimate fate.
Meanwhile, other residents of Pinecreek try to cobble together a future from what little they have, their lives intersecting in small and not-so-small ways. Sisters fight to define independence for themselves (and from each other), while two young women on a bicycling trip wonder what their relationship promises, or threatens. Throughout, a deeply unsettling presence connects the characters to the buried secrets of Pinecreek: the ominous Thea, a malevolent shape-shifting entity whose rage and despair stems from a tragic history of misogyny, maternal loss, and stolen ambitions.
As time marches forward, so does Tess, creating a new path for herself while accepting what can never be entirely left behind. At times atmospheric and eerie, and at others all too real, *Sister Creatures* is about manufacturing resilience from nothing but the bonds that tie us together.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [End of Season Celebration Reading!](https://writer.org/event/esc-reading-august2025/)
**Published:** August 15, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
Ever wonder who else is taking classes at The Writer’s Center? Want the chance to hear the work being made in other classes? Meet with Instructors of the coming season’s courses?
We invite you to attend our first ever **End of Season Celebration**, a time to meet and hear work from the participants from the numerous workshops we’ve hosted for the past four months.
This in-person event will gather the community of writers and instructors of the past four months to showcase work generated, revised, and inspired by the workshops held this season. Following this showcase, there will be a reception to meet fellow workshop participants and instructors.
We hope to see you, at the Center, in celebration of our wonderful community.
---
Attending? We encourage you to [become a member of The Writer’s Center for only $65/year »](https://writer.org/become-a-member/)
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Perfect and Publish Your Fiction](https://writer.org/event/perfect-and-publish-your-fiction/)
**Published:** April 16, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Learn when your fiction is ready to be submitted, how to get it ready for publication and tricks to get it published.
Is your short story, flash fiction, novella, or novel ready to be submitted and published? How do you polish it so it’s as perfect as it could be? Do you need an agent and how do you find one? This workshop’s participants can expect to learn how the world of publishing currently works, as well as how to evaluate the readiness of their own work. Participants should have a short story or an excerpt of around 3,000 words ready to submit for the second session, for instructor and peer analyses, feedback and edits. By the end of the workshop, the participants should have a better understand of when their work is ready to submit and publish, how to get it ready for submission and publishing, as well as learn various routes and tools of contemporary publishing. Please read Junot Diaz’s short story “How to Date a Brown Girl (Black Girl, White Girl, or Halfie)” for peer discussion during first class.
Note: No meeting August 30.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Publishing routes and tricks
- Finding an agent
- Analyzing and learning from published fiction
- Editing own work
- Giving and receiving constructive feedback
# Time requirements
- ~2 hours/week
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for intermediate and advanced fiction writer who are looking for constructive feedback, an expert eye on their work and guidance on how to get published or find an agent, or both.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 5 Sessions, Fiction, Intermediate/Advanced Level, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [More Short Poems](https://writer.org/event/more-short-poems/)
**Published:** April 16, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Short poems can say it all!
A continuation of the popular class, “big things in small packages,” though it’s also open to those who haven’t yet taken that class. We will explore the possibilities of saying a lot in a very few words. You will read a number of short poems, learn some new forms, and write five or six new poems over the two weeks.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Concise Language
- Power of Image
- How to Say Less
- Trust the Reader
# Time requirements
- 30-45 minute/week
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This is for all writers interested in the power of brevity.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 2 Sessions, Intermediate/Advanced Level, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Get Published](https://writer.org/event/get-published/)
**Published:** April 16, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Ready to turn your manuscript into a published book? Join this interactive class to get expert guidance, insider tips, and the support you need to navigate the publishing world—designed especially for women authors.
Demystify the path to publishing and get expert answers to your biggest book publishing questions—all in one hour. Led by founder Emily Barrosse, a former McGraw Hill Vice President and Editor in Chief, this one-hour workshop dives into the publishing process, how to assess if your manuscript is submission-ready, and the pros and cons of different publishing paths. By the end of each session, you’ll have actionable insights and a clearer understanding of your next steps toward publication. Preparation: Bring your publishing questions—there’s dedicated time for live Q&A.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- What you need to know about the changing landscape of publishing
- How to find your target audience
- How to develop a regular writing habit
- The 5 phases of the publishing process
- The pros and cons of your publishing options
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers interested in learning more about publishing and the options available.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Publishing, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [$40 Pop Up! Let the Soft Animals Speak: Writing the Wild with Craft and Care](https://writer.org/event/40-pop-up-let-the-soft-animals-speak-writing-the-wild-with-craft-and-care/)
**Published:** May 16, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
When Mary Oliver tells us to *let the soft animal of \[our bodies\] love what \[they\] love*, we know exactly what she means. But how does she engage the natural world to create pieces that linger on our tongues and in our hearts, and how can we endeavor to do the same? In this workshop, our goal is to learn how to enter the diverse topographies and umwelts around us and represent them authentically on the page. We will begin by examining exemplary works in a discussion of how to navigate and move beyond “othering” in human relationships with animals and nature. Following our critique, together we will explore the art of “noticing” and — through our own on-the-spot attempts — see how the practice can open up opportunities to use places, natural elements, and animals as compelling characters and structural guides in our writing.
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Fiction, Mixed Genre, Nonfiction, Poetry, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Hispanic Heritage Month Panel, Chisme and Chapters: Navigating Family Expectations](https://writer.org/event/chisme-and-chapters/)
**Published:** August 7, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
Join us for a candid conversation moderated by **Adrian Gaston Garcia** (aka AGG) about the unspoken rules, cultural pressures, and heartfelt desires that shape our lives and the stories we tell. In “Chisme and Chapters,” we bring together authors **Anna Lapera** (*Mani Semilla Finds Her Quetzal Voice)*, **Ursula Villarreal-Moura** (*Like Happiness),* and **Diana Rojas** *(Litany of Saints)* to explore how family expectations, for better or worse, become central to their narratives. From the weight of tradition to the freedom of forging one’s own path, this panel will delve into the universal experience of balancing who we are, with who our families want us to be. Mixed in with all the *chisme*, stories and cultural insights, the writers will also share their experience publishing their work and offer advice for those interested in getting started.
**FREE & open to the public! RSVP below.**
---
**Anna Lapera** is a Guatemalan-American author and educator. Her debut novel, *Mani Semilla Finds Her Quetzal Voice*, is an International Latino Book Award winner, the 2025 International Literacy Association Honor Book selection, a Jane Adamms Book Award finalist, an American Library Association’s 2025 Feminist Book Project selection, and was named one of the *Best of 2024* by the School Library Journal, New York Public Library, and others. Her superpower is teaching middle school by day. She is currently working on a Young Adult historical fiction novel set in 1970’s Guatemala.
**Ursula Villarreal-Moura** is the author of the novel *Like Happiness,* named a best book of 2024 by *NPR*, *San Francisco Chronicle*, *ELLE*, and *them* and longlisted for the Crook’s Corner Book Prize; and *Math for the Self-Crippling*, a flash fiction collection. Her writing has appeared in *Lit Hub*, *Electric Literature*, *Alta*, *Bennington Review*, *Story,* and elsewhere. She is a longtime advocate for reading diversely and for Land Back.
**Diana Rojas** is the author of *Litany of Saints: A Triptych* (Arte Público Press, 2024), the forthcoming novel, *They Hold Grudges* (Arte Público Press, 2026) and children’s book, *Clara’s Big Green Coat* (Piñata Books, 2027). Her essays are featured in *Grit & Gravity*, *The Washington Independent Review of Books, Latino News Network,* and the anthology America’s Future (WWPH, 2025). She lives, taxed and unrepresented, in Washington, DC.
**Adrian Gaston Garcia**, also known as AGG, is a queer Latine storyteller and poet originally from Chicago and now based in Washington, D.C. His work is a powerful love letter to his younger self and an ode to femininity, softness, and survival, aiming to build and nourish community through shared narratives. A graduate of the Spanish Sin Pena Academy and a 2023 202Creates resident, Adrian has showcased his poetry and performances at various notable venues, including Arena Stage, Busboys and Poets, and the American Poetry Museum. He is also the co-host and producer of the Los Bookis Podcast, the founder of the Latine writers group Tintas DC, and currently serves as the 2025 Pride Poet in Residence at the Arts Club of Washington.
---
# About the Books in Discussion
***Mani Semilla Finds Her Quetzal Voice**:* Mani Semilla Finds Her Quetzal Voice follows 12-year-old Mani, who wants two things: to get her period, and to thwart her mother’s plan of taking her to Guatemala on her 13th birthday. That is, until one day she finds secret letters written between her mother and a disappeared feminist-journalist aunt, revealing a family secret and transforming Mani from quiet bystander into budding activist.
***Like Happiness:** Like Happiness* is a searing debut about the complexities of gender, power, and fame, told through the story of a young woman’s destructive relationship with a legendary writer.
***Litany of Saints:** Litany of Saints* is a collection of three interrelated novellas that explores the immigrant experience of Costa Ricans. The stories delve into themes of cultural dissonance, identity, and the conflict between societal expectations and personal desires, as characters grapple with their own self-perceptions and their place in the world.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat w/ Novelist Kathleen Barber in Conversation w/ Suzanne Park](https://writer.org/event/kathleen-barber/)
**Published:** July 21, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of fiction! We’re joined by Kathleen Barber to discuss her new novel, *Both Things Are True*. Kathleen is in conversation with Suzanne Park.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from Bookshop.org »](https://bookshop.org/a/22600/9781662525742)
---
**Kathleen Barber** is the author of *Truth Be Told* (Gallery Books/Simon & Schuster, August 2017, originally published as *Are You Sleeping*), which was adapted into a series on AppleTV+ by Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine media company, and *Follow Me* (Gallery Books, February 2020). A graduate of the University of Illinois and Northwestern University School of Law, she now lives in Washington, DC, with her husband and children.
**Suzanne Park** is a Korean American writer who was born and raised in Tennessee. In her former life as a stand-up comedian, Suzanne appeared on BET, was the winner of the Seattle Sierra Mist Comedy Competition, and was a semi-finalist in NBC’s “Stand Up For Diversity” showcase. Suzanne graduated from Columbia University and received an MBA Degree from UCLA. She currently resides in Los Angeles with her husband, female offspring, and a sneaky rat that creeps around on her back patio. In her spare time, she procrastinates. Her comedic novels have been featured in “best of” lists in NPR, Elle, Popsugar, Real Simple, Country Living, Bustle, Buzzfeed, Marie Claire, Parade, Shondaland and The Today Show.
---
# About the Book
*For two exes who meet again, moving on is harder than ever in a funny and heartfelt romantic comedy about starting over by the author of* Truth Be Told*, now a major Apple TV+ series.*
Vanessa is a yoga influencer living high in New York. But after her crypto-entrepreneur fiancé ruins both their lives by fleeing the country amid fraud allegations, Vanessa’s only choice is to start over―by flying home to Chicago and moving in with her sister.
Just as Vanessa puts her life back together, she bumps into Sam. Years ago, they fell hard and too fast. Their relationship ended in heartbreak after an impromptu Las Vegas wedding officiated by a Dolly Parton impersonator―and an annulment that was just as sudden. Now Sam is co-owner of a solar company with a promising future, a future Vanessa wants to be included in. But she can’t shake the whiff of scandal from her AWOL fiancé, and to protect Sam’s reputation, she’s keeping her distance. Then again…
If anyone can turn a negative into a positive―and a first love into a second chance―it’s a young woman with influence.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Novelist Terri Lewis Book Release in Conversation with Barbara Esstman](https://writer.org/event/terri-lewis/)
**Published:** August 6, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes novelist Terri Lewis for a reading from her debut novel, *Behold the Bird in Flight*. Terri is joined by writer and former Writer Center instructor, Barbara Esstman, in conversation about the power of literary community and how lessons become craft.
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
Before she fell in love with the medieval period and became a writer, **Terri Lewis** had a career as a ballerina in German opera houses, got a BA in history and an MA in theater, and ran a dance company in Arkansas. She has published short stories in literary magazines and was accepted to the Sewanee Writers’ Conference as well as to advanced workshops with Rebecca Makkai and Laura van den Berg. Her next book, due out in May 2026 from Miami University Press, won their[ Novella Prize](https://terrilewis1.com/2669-2/). She lives in Denver, Colorado with her husband and two lively dogs. Find her online at [terrilewis1.com](https://terrilewis1.com/) and her Substack [terrilewis1.substack.com](http://terrilewis1.substack.com).
**Barbara Esstman**, MFA, is an NEA fellow, the co-editor of *A More Perfect Union*, and the author of many short stories. Her novels, *The Other Anna* and *Night Ride Home*, were published in multiple foreign editions and were both made into terrible (her word, not mine!) Hallmark movies. She taught creative writing workshops at local universities and at the Writer’s Center for 20 years. She currently edits and coaches writers working on novels and memoirs.
---
# About the Book
Romantic and stubborn, young Isi plans to marry for love and be mistress of her own castle. But life in 1198 is full of threat and a series of tragic events teaches her growing up is hard.
When Isi falls for Hugh, a French nobleman, he consents to marry her, but only for her dowry. She longs for more. Hoping a jealous man will fall in love, she flirts with a king. The flirtation backfires: King John abducts and marries her. Now trapped in cold, warring England with a malicious husband, Isi must hide her yearning for Hugh and find her own power. If she fails, she won’t live to return to her beloved.
Inspired by real historical figures—Isabelle d’Angoulême, Hugh de Lusignan, and King John of Magna Carta fame—*Behold the Bird in Flight* is set in a period that valued women only for their dowries and childbearing. Isabelle’s story has been mainly erased by men, but the medieval chronicles suggest a woman who developed her own power and wielded it. And as the woman behind the throne, who’s to say she didn’t influence history?
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Poet Shaheen Dil Book Release w/ Grace Cavalieri, Holly Karapetkova & Lyubomir Nikolov](https://writer.org/event/shaheen-dil/)
**Published:** July 29, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes poet Shaheen Dil for a reading of her new collection, *Letters to My Younger Self*. Shaheen is joined by poets Grace Cavalieri, Holly Karapetkova, and Lyubomir Nikolov.
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
**Grace Cavalieri** is an award-winning poet, playwright, and radio host of the Library of Congress program *The Poet and the Poem*. In 2019 Cavalieri was appointed as the 10th Poet Laureate of Maryland. She has published 26 books and chapbooks of poetry and fiction. She co-founded the Washington Writers Publishing House with John McNally in 1976 and served on its editorial board from 1976 to 1982. In addition, in 1979 she founded The Bunny and the Crocodile Press/Forest Woods Media Productions, Inc., a publishing house and media production company.
**Shaheen Dil** is a recovering banker and consultant who is now out of the closet as a poet. She was born in Bangladesh and lives in Pittsburgh. Her poems have been widely published in literary journals and anthologies and nominated for the Pushcart Prize. She has published three collections of poetry: *Acts of Deference (*Fakel 2016), *The Boat-maker’s Art* (Kelsay Books 2024), and *Letters to My Younger Self* (Gyroscope Press April 2025). More information is available on her website: shaheendil.com.
**Holly Karapetkova** is Poet Laureate Emerita of Arlington, Virginia, and recipient of a 2022 Academy of American Poets Laureate Fellowship for her work with young poets. Her poetry, prose, and translations have appeared widely in print and online. She is the author of three books of poetry, *Dear Empire* (Gunpowder Press), winner of the 2025 William Meredith Prize and the Barry Spacks Poetry Prize; *Towline* (Cloudbank Books), winner of the Vern Rutsala Poetry Prize; and *Words We Might One Day Say*, winner of the Washington Writers’ Publishing House Prize for Poetry. She teaches at Marymount University in Arlington, VA.
**Lyubomir Nikolov** is an award-winning poet and translator. He was born in Bulgaria and lives in Poolesville. His first poetry collection, *Summoned by the High Tide*, was awarded the National Southern Spring Award for best first book by a young poet in 1981. Nikolov’s fifth book, *Idle Lava*, was awarded The Third Annual Settlement House American Poetry Prize. His poems have been translated into seven languages. Nikolov’s poems are widely anthologized in books published in Bulgaria, Germany, and Great Britain.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Reading and Celebration of Stanley Plumly](https://writer.org/event/stanley-plumly/)
**Published:** July 29, 2025
**Author:** Brandon Johnson
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes students, colleagues and friends for a celebration of **Stanley Plumly** with a reading from *Collected Poems of Stanley Plumly*! Featuring readings and stories from poets Caroline Barnes, Julie Brigham, Ellen Cole, Joanne Rocky Delaplaine, Margaret Flaherty, Majda Gama, Jason Gebhardt, Claire McGoff, Pamela Murray Winters, Bonnie Naradzay, Susan Okie, Martin Shapiro, Katherine Smith, Martha Young Freedberg, Ellen Sazzman, and Joshua Weiner.
---
“Stanley Plumly is one of the most emotionally complex, sustaining and influential American poets of the last 50 years,” according to a W. W. Norton press release for the new *Collected Poems of Stanley Plumly*. “Born in 1939, Plumly wrote poems that explored the deep interiors of the human heart and mind against a wide backdrop of cultural and historical events. Profoundly personal yet socially astute, his work is both descriptively exact and allusive, engaging nature and art as well as family and friendship.
“For the two years before his death in 2019, Plumly worked with David Baker and Michael Collier, this book’s two editors, to make preparations for the present volume. *Collected Poems of Stanley Plumly****,*** published by W. W. Norton & Company, is the definitive collection of his works, containing nearly 300 of his poems—including nine new, previously unpublished ones. This book bears his gifts and specific blessing, embodying his wish to offer his poems in reverse chronology, tracing back from the present to the very origins of his aesthetic.
“Six years after his passing, *Collected Poems of Stanley Plumly* gathers the full range of Plumly’s talent as it charts the development of his unique and enduring contribution to the American lyric. In every way, it is the book Stanley Plumly wanted to be remembered by.”
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat w/ Novelist Susan Coll](https://writer.org/event/susan-coll/)
**Published:** July 29, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of fiction! We’re joined by author Susan Coll for a discussion of her new novel, *The Literati*. Susan is in conversation with Amy Freeman, author and Development Director at The Writer’s Center.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from Bookshop.org »](https://bookshop.org/a/22600/9781400346653)
---
**Susan Coll** is the author of seven novels, including *Bookish People* and *Real Life and Other Fictions*, a *Washington Post* 2024 Notable Work of Fiction and USA TODAY bestseller. Her third novel, *Acceptance*, was made into a television movie starring the hilarious Joan Cusack. Susan’s work has appeared in publications including the *New York Times Book Review*, the *Washington Post*, *Washingtonian* magazine, *Moment Magazine*, NPR.org, and Atlantic.com. She is the events advisor at Politics and Prose Bookstore in Washington, DC, and was the president of the PEN/Faulkner Foundation for five years. Visit Susan online at susancoll.com; Instagram: @susan\_keselenko\_coll
---
# About the Book
Aspirant, bookish, and close to broke, 26-year-old Clemi steps into her dream job at a prestigious literary nonprofit and finds herself in the bull’s eye of a financial, legal, and existential calamity. The executive director has disappeared, leaving behind an inscrutable cat to which she is highly allergic. Meanwhile, the bank accounts have been overdrawn, the FBI is asking questions, and she has three days to pull off the annual fundraising gala, a glamorous affair filled with famous writers and local literati.
On the upside, she will get to meet her all-time favorite writer, who has won the award. Clemi has read and reread her novels, pouring over her every word. But her interactions with the author and her eight-year-old son, as well as with the nonprofit’s Board Members, leave her wondering whether certain writers are better on the page than in person.
All the while, Clemi is trying to sort out her own life: her current boyfriend is, like every boyfriend before him, a pompous poseur, and the clock is running on her apartment-sitting gig. She finds herself wondering what all the goings-on in this dysfunctional, scandal-plagued nonprofit have to do with literature. And if it’s time to let go of her literary aspirations and apply to law school.
In the week in which this madcap story unfolds, *USA TODAY* bestselling author Susan Coll weaves together a charmingly witty and warm comedy of manners that offers a peek behind the literary curtain–one that anyone who’s ever been a little bit uncertain of what the future might hold can relate to.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Search Party: Find Your Writing Group](https://writer.org/event/search-party/)
**Published:** July 28, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
# Looking for a writing group? We want to help you meet other interested writers!
**The Writer’s Center** and [**The Inner Loop**](https://theinnerlooplit.org/) invite you to Search Party, a social event connecting writers to other writers interested in forming/joining a writing group. Simply show up, fill out a nametag with your genres and other areas of interest, and mingle. You can:
- Visit themed tables for specific genres.
- Follow our guide to ask a few useful questions.
- Collect names and contact information on a handy form provided to all registrants.
- Enjoy complimentary refreshments!
**FREE and open to the public. RSVP below.**
**Suggested donation of $10 at the door.**
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Search Party: Find Your Writing Group](https://writer.org/event/search-party-fa24/)
**Published:** August 15, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
# Looking for a writing group? We want to help you meet other interested writers!
**The Writer’s Center** and **[The Inner Loop](https://theinnerlooplit.org/)** invite you to Search Party, a social event connecting writers to other writers interested in forming/joining a writing group. Simply show up, fill out a nametag with your genres and other areas of interest, and mingle. You can:
- Visit themed tables for specific genres.
- Follow our guide to ask a few useful questions.
- Collect names and contact information on a handy form provided to all registrants.
- Enjoy complimentary refreshments!
**FREE and open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Women Writers Mixer](https://writer.org/event/women-writers-mixer-jul2025/)
**Published:** February 1, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Women writers of DC! Join us for an informal gathering at The Writer’s Center! It’ll be a chance to talk shop, network, and hang out with other writers. Please bring a drink or an appetizer that serves six, and bring a friend, too. See you there!
**FREE & open to all women writers from the DMV. RSVP required below.**
Attending? We encourage you to [become a member of The Writer’s Center for only $65/year »](https://writer.org/become-a-member/)
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Writing Your Story From Scratch](https://writer.org/event/writing-your-story-from-scratch/)
**Published:** April 16, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Discover how to create compelling stories from scratch, using simple techniques to unlock your imagination and bring ideas to life.
In this workshop you’ll learn how to craft engaging stories from scratch, even when you’re starting with no clear ideas. Through interactive exercises and creative techniques, we’ll explore how to tap into your imagination, develop characters, and build narratives that captivate any audience. Whether you’re a novice writer or simply looking to sharpen your storytelling skills, this workshop will equip you with the tools to transform a blank page into a powerful story. Participants will need simply a writing utensil and paper, or their computer.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Structure & Plot
- Character Development
- Concrete Detail
- Voice & Perspective
- Revision & Editing
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for all writers looking to learn the basics and find inspiration in their writing projects.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [America's Future: poetry & prose in response to tomorrow](https://writer.org/event/americas-future/)
**Published:** July 22, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes contributors to Washington Writers’ Publishing House’s 50th anniversary anthology, *America’s Future: poetry & prose in response to tomorrow*, for a virtual reading of their work. Featuring K. Avvirin Berlin, Myna Chang, Donald Illich, G.R. Kramer, Mary Ann Larkin, Chanlee Luu, Kathleen O’Toole, Patric Pepper, Leona Sevick, Gregg Shapiro, Laura-Gray Street, Claudia Wair, Raffi Wartanian, and Editors Caroline Bock and Jona Colson.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from WWPH »](https://www.washingtonwriters.org/americas-future-an-anthology-of-poetry-prose/)
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Poet Chet’la Sebree in Conversation w/ Lillian-Yvonne Bertram](https://writer.org/event/chetla-sebree/)
**Published:** July 21, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes award-winning poet Chet’la Sebree for a reading and discussion of her new collection, *Blue Opening*. Chet’la is in conversation with Lillian-Yvonne Bertram.
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
**Chet’la Sebree** is the author of *Field Study*, winner of the 2020 James Laughlin Award from the Academy of American Poets, and *Mistress*. Raised in the mid-Atlantic, she earned an MFA in creative writing, with a focus in poetry, from American University. Chet’la’s poetry and prose have appeared in *Colorado Review, Kenyon Review*, Lit Hub, *Pleiades, Guernica, Poetry International*, and *The Yale Review*. Currently, Chet’la is an assistant professor of English at George Washington University and teaches in the low-residency MFA program at Randolph College. Her debut essay collection is forthcoming from The Dial Press in 2026.
**Lillian-Yvonne Bertram** directs the MFA in creative writing program at the University of Maryland and is a 2024 Foundation for Contemporary Arts poetry grant recipient and 2024 Deutsch Foundation Ruby’s Grant recipient. They are co-editor with Nick Montfort of the recently released anthology *Output: An Anthology of Computer-Generated Text, 1953-2023.* They are the author of numerous books of poetry, including *Negative Money* and the National Book Award Longlist *Travesty Generator*.
---
# About the Book
**“A profound poetic talent.”—Ada Limón**
***Blue Opening***, Chet’la Sebree’s brilliant, illuminating poetry collection, grapples with origins—of illness, of language, of the universe—as the speaker contemplates whether she, too, can be a site of origin through motherhood. Navigating chronic health challenges alongside grief and questions about the nature of knowledge and religion, she searches personal history and the cosmos for answers to the unknowable.
With startling clarity and vivid tenderness, *Blue Opening* calls into question not only where to begin, but how to create, across thirty-two poems that press the fluid boundaries of form through sonnets, prose poems, odes, and two unforgettable poetic sequences. As the speaker traverses loss, possibility, and the choice, or often the lack of choice, in the direction of her future, she determines to press forward even as she is “unsure of what shape this language should take / and hulling, from blue rock, faith.”
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [The Muddle in the Middle](https://writer.org/event/the-muddle-in-the-middle-2/)
**Published:** April 16, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Story middles are author traps—discover how to avoid them!
This quick-take session focuses on ways to get yourself unstuck when a story’s middle gets thorny, or you lose your way. A relaxed, informative 90 minutes chockful of information from a multi-published author who often has to fight her way out of the middle of a manuscript…and onward to a completed novel. Loads of tips for you to take away!
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Keys to Unblocking the dreaded Writer’s Block
- Discovering fresh Plot
- Building Tension
- Creating Central Climaxes
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Fiction authors needing help completing their stories.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat w/ Novelist Jennifer Givhan](https://writer.org/event/jennifer-givhan/)
**Published:** July 17, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of fiction! We’re joined by author Jennifer Givhan for a discussion of her new novel, *Salt Bones*. Jennifer is in conversation with Amy Freeman, author and Development Director at The Writer’s Center.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from Bookshop.org »](https://bookshop.org/a/22600/9780316581523)
---
**Jennifer Givhan** is a Mexican-American and Indigenous poet and novelist from the Southwestern desert and the recipient of poetry fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and PEN/Rosenthal Emerging Voices.
She holds a Master’s degree from California State University Fullerton and a Master’s in Fine Arts from Warren Wilson College. She is the author of eleven books of poetry and fiction, including *Girl With Death Mask* (chosen by Ross Gay as the winner of the Blue Light Book Prize/Indiana Review Press), and the novel *Trinity Sight*, which was a finalist for the Arizona-New Mexico Book Awards and won The Southwest Book Award. Her latest novel *River Woman, River Demon* was chosen for Amazon’s Book Club and as a National Together We Read Library Pick and was featured on CBS Mornings. It also won an International Latino Book Award in the Rudolfo Anaya Latino-Focused Fiction category.
Her poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction have appeared in *American Poetry Review*, *The New Republic*, *The Nation*, *POETRY*, *TriQuarterly*, *The Boston Review*, *The Rumpus*, *Salon*, *Ploughshares*, and many others. She’s received the Southwest Book Award, *New Ohio Review*’s Poetry Prize chosen by Tyehimba Jess, *Phoebe Journal*’s Greg Grummer Poetry Prize, the *Pinch Journal* Poetry Prize chosen by Ada Limón, and *Cutthroat*’s Joy Harjo Poetry Prize.
Givhan has taught at the University of Washington Bothell’s MFA program as well as Western New Mexico University and has guest lectured at universities across the country. She was most recently the Visiting Professor of Creative Writing at The University of New Mexico.
Her newest novel *Salt Bones* was published this year from Mulholland/Little, Brown.
---
# About the Book
In Jennifer Givhan’s *Salt Bones* (July 22nd, Mulholland/Little, Brown), three women in one twisted family race for answers in this “stunning” mystery set in the Mexicali borderlands that “breathes new life into the myth of Persephone and Demeter” (Ana Reyes, author of The House in the Pines).
- “Beautifully explores the dark complexities of mother-daughter relationships.” —Erin E. Adams, author of *Jackal*
- “An irresistible world of secrets, grief, and horror.” —Tananarive Due, author of *The Reformatory*
- “Will absolutely mesmerize you.” —*Cosmopolitan Magazine*
At the edge of the Salton Sea, in the blistering borderlands, something is out hunting. . .
Malamar Veracruz has never left the dust-choked town of El Valle. Here, Mal has done her best to build a good life: She’s raised two children, worked hard, and tried to forget the painful, unexplained disappearance of her sister, Elena. When another local girl goes missing, Mal plunges into a fresh yet familiar nightmare. As a desperate Mal hunts for answers, her search becomes increasingly tangled with inscrutable visions of a horse-headed woman, a local legend who Mal feels compelled to follow. Mal’s perspective is joined by the voices of her two daughters, all three of whom must work to uncover the truth about the missing girls in their community before it’s too late.
Combining elements of Latina and Indigenous culture, family drama, mystery, horror, and magical realism in a spellbinding mix, *Salt Bones* lays bare the realities of environmental catastrophe, family secrets, and the unrelenting bond between mothers and daughters.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat w/ Poet Mary Ardery](https://writer.org/event/mary-ardery/)
**Published:** July 17, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
*Poet Lore* and The Writer’s Center present a FREE virtual chat about the craft of poetry! We’re joined by Mary Ardery to discuss her debut collection, *Level Watch*. Mary is in conversation with Emily Holland, poet and editor of [*Poet Lore*, America’s oldest poetry journal](https://www.poetlore.com/).
RSVP below to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). FREE and open to the public, all times Eastern.
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from the publisher »](https://www.juneroadpress.com/level-watch)
---
**Mary Ardery** is the author of [*Level Watch*](https://www.juneroadpress.com/level-watch) (June Road Press). Her poems appear in *Beloit Poetry Journal*, *Best New Poets, Poet Lore, Prairie Schooner, RHINO*, and elsewhere. She earned a BA from DePauw University and an MFA from Southern Illinois University Carbondale, where she won an Academy of American Poets Prize. The recipient of a Lifelong Arts Fellowship from the Indiana Arts Commission, she was born and raised in Bloomington and now lives in West Lafayette, Indiana with her family.
---
# About the book
Based on her experience as a wilderness guide for women in a substance-abuse treatment program, Mary Ardery’s visceral debut is set deep in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Asheville, North Carolina. These narrative-lyric poems chronicle a labor both physically and emotionally intense: bearing witness to campfire confessions, facing uphill climbs and frigid rivers and wildfires, reckoning with relapses and overdoses. Here is a nuanced exploration of intoxication and recovery, the ways we share and manage pain, and how our personal histories can haunt us but also lead us down transformative paths. Firmly grounded in time and place, part record and part elegy, this is a book for those who have been affected by addiction and all who have ever sought solace or redemption in nature.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat w/ Poet Heather Christle](https://writer.org/event/heather-christle/)
**Published:** July 3, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
*Poet Lore* and The Writer’s Center present a FREE virtual chat about the craft of poetry! We’re joined by Heather Christle to discuss her new collection, *Paper Crown*. Heather is in conversation with Emily Holland, poet and editor of [*Poet Lore*, America’s oldest poetry journal](https://www.poetlore.com/).
RSVP below to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). FREE and open to the public, all times Eastern.
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from the publisher »](https://www.weslpress.org/9780819501691/paper-crown/)
---
****
**Heather Christle** is the author of five poetry collections and two works of nonfiction. Her latest book of poems is *Paper Crown* (Wesleyan, 2025) and previous volumes include *Heliopause* (Wesleyan, 2015); *What is Amazing* (Wesleyan, 2012); *The Difficult Farm* (Octopus Books, 2009); and *The Trees The Trees* (Octopus Books, 2011), which won the 2012 Believer Poetry Award and was adapted into a ballet. Her nonfiction books are *In the Rhododendrons: A Memoir with Appearances by Virginia Woolf* (Algonquin Books, 2025) and *The Crying Book* (Catapult, 2019), which was a national bestseller and winner of the Georgia Book Award for memoir. Her writing has appeared in publications including *The Believer*, *Elle*, *The Guardian*, *London Review of Books*, *The Nation*, *The New Yorker*, and *Poetry*.
Christle attended Tufts University for her BA and received her MFA from UMass Amherst. She served as the Creative Writing Fellow at Emory from 2009–2011 and has taught at the University of Texas-Austin, Wittenberg University, Antioch College, and Sarah Lawrence College. She joined the core faculty of Emory’s Creative Writing Program in 2019, where she is now an Associate Professor.
---
# About the Book
**First poetry collection in a decade from acclaimed author of *The Crying Book***
Since Heather Christle published her last poetry collection a decade ago, her nonfiction works *The Crying Book* and *In the Rhododendrons* have found her readers around the world. *Paper Crown* marks Christle’s exuberant return to her home genre, in which she combines the imagination of her earliest poetry with the personal elements of her more recent prose. These poems conjure moments when the world’s events (a child’s words, early twentieth-century predictions of drone warfare, dinner with friends) align themselves with the odd logic of dreams and serendipity. With tenderness and verve, honesty and curiosity, *Paper Crown* invites readers to look up from its pages and recognize that the day going on around them could very well be its own poem.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [$40 Pop-Up: Persona Poems](https://writer.org/event/40-pop-up-persona-poems/)
**Published:** May 15, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
This Persona Poem Pop-Up will help writers get started on making their own persona poems. Part of the class will be lecture/discussion of what makes a good persona poem and what to avoid. The class will also feature discussion of 2-3 contemporary persona poems, concerning how they work and succeed and what students can learn from them. Then, with prompts given by the instructor, students get a chance to try these techniques in class. If there is time, students will be given a chance to share their work.
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [So, You Want to Write a Book?](https://writer.org/event/so-you-want-to-write-a-book-2/)
**Published:** April 16, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Learn the elements of writing a book of any genre, and walk away with a basic understanding of the overall process from start to finish.
Do you feel called to write a book? Is there something important that you have always wanted to say but need help organizing the ideas in your mind? No matter where you are in the process, this class will you create a concrete plan to bring your book ideas to life. Learn how to develop themes, structure and outline key concepts, discover your authentic voice, revise and prepare for publication, and about different publishing routes. No preparation is needed and no materials are necessary.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn the basics for:
- Idea development
- Techniques for theme exploration
- Outline and structure
- Drafting and editing
- Polishing and publishing
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers who have an idea for a book but need guidance andsupport to walk through the process.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Memoir Maker w/ Diane Zinna](https://writer.org/event/memoir-maker/)
**Published:** June 26, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
# Write your memoir in 9 months!
If you’re finally ready to write the memoir of your heart, we invite you to join longtime writing teacher and author Diane Zinna for her new class, Memoir Maker. This will be Diane’s 12th time leading a book-in-a-year course, which has helped bring so many writers to a finished draft. Classes will be a mix of proven lessons, exploratory exercises with opportunities for sharing, and workshops. There will be classes on captivating beginnings, mushy middles, climax scenes, and meaningful endings. As participants near the end of the course, lessons will cover publishing, including writing a successful book proposal. Each student will have four scheduled workshops during the year and receive thoughtful, guided class feedback. And the best thing: You’ll have a cohort of new writer-friends doing this right alongside you.
---
# Schedule
**This class will meet every other Tuesday morning, August 5 – April 2026 from 10am – 12:30pm ET**, for a total of 20 sessions:
- August 5, 19
- September 2, 16, 30
- October 14, 21
- November 4, 18
- December 2, 16
- January 6, 20
- February 3, 17
- March 3, 17, 31
- April 14, 28
---
# Frequently Asked Questions
**Tell me more about workshops.**
Workshops meet during our regular class time. You will send the class up to 25 double-spaced pages of your writing in advance of your scheduled date. You’ll be sending your pages to your classmates as Word documents, and they’ll provide thoughtful feedback during class. My teaching style involves you asking questions of your classmates about your own work. You’ll be able to leave every workshop with answers to questions you have really been asking yourself. We don’t get derailed in this class; you can expect workshops to feel positive.
**How much reading is expected of me?**
Generally, there will be two workshops per class, which may require you to read up to 50 double-spaced pages every two weeks. As I get to know your project, I’ll also be suggesting books you might want to check out that feel like they are in conversation with your memoir, or those with similar themes, style, or structure.
**Do I have to provide feedback to the other students on their work?**
Yes. Providing feedback on the work of other writers helps to reinforce what you believe about writing. You can be more objective when looking at the work of others, then apply that understanding to your own work. If you aren’t yet comfortable with giving feedback to others, don’t worry—I will provide a template to help you.
**Do I need to know what my story is before I start this class?**
So much of writing any book—especially memoir—is about discovery as you go. You should have a general sense, but even if you feel confident that you are sure what your book is about, I’m going to encourage you to be open to surprises. You may discover 3/4 of the way through the book that you’ve really been writing about hope the whole time you thought you were writing about illness. You may realize the book is not so much about your daughter but about your own sense of self. Be open, be free, and you’ll find the truest path.
**Am I ready?**
Only you know that for sure. If this is your year to do this, look at your year ahead. Of course there will be unexpected things that come our way, and we can always adjust and adapt class-wise. But if you have a lot of travel or demanding work coming up this year, it might be best to wait for another time. But maybe you were wondering if I think you are ready, as a writer? Here is what I can promise: I take care in accepting writers only when they are prepared for an intensive experience such as Memoir Maker. I will be meeting with applicants 1:1 before the class begins, so I’ll know what kind of group I am putting together. If you decide to join us, you can trust that you’ll have intentionally been included among writers with great instincts, smarts, and compassion.
---
# Apply Today!
**Application Deadline: July 28**
**Note: Acceptance to the course is required before registration.**
To be admitted into this intensive program, potential candidates will need to submit:
- A one-page cover letter detailing their interest in the program.
- A twenty-page writing sample from their memoir in progress. (Submissions must be double spaced and use a standard font.)
**Admissions will be on a rolling basis, and the number of participants will be limited to 8, so participants are encouraged to submit early. Send your application materials to <laura.spencer@writer.org>.**
**Event Categories:** Master Level, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Opening Art Reception for Mark Cymrot's “Around the World in 50 years with Photography”](https://writer.org/event/cymrot/)
**Published:** June 17, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center is pleased to present “Around the World in 50 years with Photography,” an exhibition of photographs by Mark A. Cymrot, on display in the Center’s Joram Piatigorsky Gallery, July 3 – August 26, 2025.
The proceeds of all photograph sales will be contributed to the Center.
**FREE & open to the public. Light refreshments provided.**
---
# Artist Statement
A career as counsel in major international lawsuits and arbitrations is exhilarating but stressful. Photography has been my escape. During work and on vacations, I have taken a few moments to record the world and people around me. Developing film using an enlarger or later using Photoshop was my substitute for the artistic skill that I craved. Oh, to be Rembrandt or Renoir! But, have you ever seen my doodles? Don’t look!
The Writer’s Center has given me support and skills for writing two books **(“A captivating account of a spectacular legal drama”)** and more than 30 publications (markcymrot.com). This exhibit brings my two passions together with a fundraiser for this important organization. The proceeds of all photograph sales will be contributed to the Center to support its writing and poetry workshops and many impressive writer events. Over time, my style has varied from realistic to impressionistic using different cameras, settings, and filters. We are displaying a variety of my photographs focused on the wonders of the many places I have been.
Come join us at the opening or see the exhibit while it is on display for several weeks. If you love the photographs, please tell me and buy one. If you hate them, keep that to yourself but still buy a photograph to support the important work of the Center.
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat with Memoirist Melissa Febos](https://writer.org/event/melissa-febos/)
**Published:** February 22, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of memoir! We’re joined by bestselling author Melissa Febos to discuss her new memoir, *The Dry Season: A Memoir of Pleasure in a Year Without Sex*. Melissa is in conversation with Emily Holland, poet, author, and editor of *Poet Lore*, America’s oldest poetry journal.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern.
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from Bookshop.org »](https://bookshop.org/a/22600/9780593537237)
---
**Melissa Febos** is the nationally bestselling author of four books, including *Girlhood*—which won the National Book Critics Circle Award in Criticism, and *Body Work: The Radical Power of Personal Narrative*. She has been awarded prizes and fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, LAMBDA Literary, the National Endowment for the Arts, the British Library, the Black Mountain Institute, the Bogliasco Foundation, and others. Her work has appeared in *The Paris Review, The New Yorker, The New York Times Magazine, The Best American Essays, Vogue, The Sewanee Review, New York Review of Books,* and elsewhere. Febos is a full professor at the University of Iowa and lives in Iowa City with her wife, the poet Donika Kelly.
---
# About the Book
**From Melissa Febos, the national bestselling author of *Girlhood,* comes an examination of the solitude, freedoms, and feminist heroes she discovered during a year of celibacy and a wise and transformative look at relationships and self-knowledge.**
In the wake of a catastrophic two-year relationship, Melissa Febos decided to take a break: For three months she would abstain from dating, relationships, and sex. Her friends were amused. Did she really think three months was a long time? But to Febos, it was. Ever since her teens, she had been in one relationship after another. As she puts it, she could trace a “daisy chain of romances” from her adolescence to her midthirties. Finally, she would carve out time to focus on herself and examine the patterns that had produced her midlife disaster. Over those first few months, she gleaned insights into her past and awoke to the joys of being single. She decided to extend her celibacy, not knowing it would become the most fulfilling and sensual year of her life. No longer defined by her romantic pursuits, she learned to relish the delights of solitude, the thrill of living on her own terms, the distinct pleasures unmediated by lovers, and the freedom to pursue her ideals without distraction or guilt. Bringing her own experiences into conversation with those of women throughout history—from eleventh-century mystic Hildegard von Bingen, Virginia Woolf, and Octavia Butler to the Shakers and Sappho—Febos situates her story within a newfound lineage of role models who unapologetically pursued their ambitions and ideals.
By abstaining from all forms of romantic entanglement, Febos began to see her life and her self-worth in a radical, new way. Her year of divestment transformed her relationships with friends and peers, her spirituality, her creative practice, and, most of all, her relationship to herself. Blending intimate personal narrative and incisive cultural criticism, *The Dry Season* tells a story that’s as much about celibacy as its inverse: pleasure, desire, fulfillment. Infused with fearless honesty and keen intellect, it’s the memoir of a woman learning to live at the center of her own story, and a much-needed catalyst for a new conversation around sex and love.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Writing About Sex and God](https://writer.org/event/writing-about-sex-and-god/)
**Published:** June 10, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Sex can just be sex. And while it doesn’t have to be a spiritual experience, there’s no denying that for many poets, there are transcendent moments when sex and the sacred touch each other. Sometimes that touch is gentle, and intimate. Sometimes that touch is overwhelming, or even grotesque in its unexpectedness. But either way, it’s undeniable in its potency. So what is it about sex that allows it to be—if one so chooses—an ecstatic experience, fully embodied and beyond the physical body all at once? How can one even manage to articulate it on the page, or in song? It’s a mystery older than poetry itself, and in this workshop the poets we’ll be reading from reckon with eros and the sacred in a surprising variety of ways. This 1-session workshop will include a brief artist talk, followed by group conversation of selected poems, and writing time.
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Ekphrasis: Writing from Art](https://writer.org/event/ekphrasis-writing-from-art/)
**Published:** April 16, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Explore the intersection of literary and visual arts.
The ancient art of ekphrastic writing, writing that responds to art, is more relevant than ever in the visual culture that surrounds us today. In this workshop, writers will be introduced to the literary possibilities unlocked by engaging with visual art. The workshop will explain this approach, share some examples, and walk participants through a few ekphrastic prompts. Writers will leave with three drafts and a better understanding of how they can engage in ekphrastic writing on their own.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- A brief history of ekphrastic writing
- How contemporary writers engage with this approach
- Different ways to let your writing respond to art
- Where and how to find art near you
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers of any genre interested in understanding how visual art can strengthen and broaden our literary craft.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [$40 Pop Up! Secondary Characters in Fiction](https://writer.org/event/40-pop-up-secondary-characters-in-fiction/)
**Published:** June 10, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Secondary characters in novels can provide greater opportunities to develop a deeper understanding of our protagonists. As readers we learn about characters through their thoughts and words, but also through other people’s responses to them. In this class, we will explore how secondary characters can help you reveal the truer nature of your main character and perhaps even your whole story.
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Food Memoir Writing with Recipes](https://writer.org/event/food-memoir-writing-with-recipes/)
**Published:** April 16, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Craft recipes as part of a food essay or memoir!
This workshop is open to all levels of writers – the only requirement is to have a passion for food – whether growing, harvesting, preparing, or eating. For some, growing food or cooking represents a career choice. For others, preparing a meal or spending an afternoon baking bread might be a way to relax. Many find cooking a great way to bring family and friends together around a table. In this workshop, we will draw on personal experience or food memories, and explore ways food provides the basis for a personal essay or even a memoir.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Techniques for weaving food memories into an essay
- How to format recipes
- Tips for writing in the voice of a favorite food writer
# Time requirements
- ~2 hours/week
# Materials
- Comfort Me with Apples by Ruth Reichl (optional)
- All other class reading materials will be provided
- Ingredients for testing one recipe (at home)
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for writers who want to learn how to tell a compelling story around food, including a tested, well-written, and easy-to-follow recipe.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 3 Sessions, All Levels, Nonfiction, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Sarah Kay Poetry Performance and Conversation w/ Clint Smith](https://writer.org/event/sarah-kay/)
**Published:** June 30, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Wonderland Books presents an exclusive event at The Writer’s Center!
**Beloved spoken word poet Sarah Kay will be in performance and in conversation with award-winning writer and poet Clint Smith.** Kay brings her long-awaited second full-length poetry collection, *[A Little Daylight Left](https://bookshop.org/p/books/a-little-daylight-left-poems-sarah-kay/21623541?ean=9780593733707&next=t)*, a decade after her acclaimed debut *[No Matter the Wreckage](https://bookshop.org/p/books/no-matter-the-wreckage-sarah-kay/17656948?ean=9781938912481&next=t)*.
# [**Registration required. Click here to reserve your spot »**](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sarah-kay-poetry-performance-and-conversation-with-clint-smith-registration-1419315714509)
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Virtual Reading w/ Poets Catherine Arnold & Richard Smith](https://writer.org/event/arnold-smith/)
**Published:** June 30, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes poets Catherine Arnold (*The Apple Tree*) and Richard Smith (*Beyond Where Words Can Go*) for a virtual reading.
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
**Catherine Arnold** grew up in Cheshire, in the northwest of England. Having fallen in love with painting, she moved to the United States to study at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. After graduating from the MFA program, she exhibited and taught widely, receiving awards from The Royal Academy of Arts, Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, Flintridge Foundation, and The Ludwig Vogelstein Foundation. While making her living as an artist, she also wrote, torn between the equally seductive demands of words and color. Over the years, the need to write became increasingly urgent. Arnold’s poems and prose have appeared in *The Cincinnati Review, The Gettysburg Review, Natural Bridge, The Ekphrastic Review,* and *Prairie Schooner*, among other publications. Her debut collection, *Receipt for Lost Words*, was awarded the 2022 May Sarton New Hampshire Poetry Prize and published by Bauhan Publishing. Arnold lives with her family in Western Massachusetts.
**Richard Smith**‘s first book, *Not a Soul but Us*, won the 2021 May Sarton New Hampshire Poetry Prize and was released in 2022 by Bauhan Publishing. The book is a story in sonnets about a twelve-year-old shepherd boy orphaned and abandoned during the mid-14th-century plague pandemic. In spring 2026, Bauhan will publish Richard’s *Beyond Where Words Can Go—*another historical narrative in sonnets, tracing a group of Tudor-era Benedictine monks before, during, and after Henry VIII’s dissolution of the monasteries. Richard is a psychologist with a clinical practice in Washington, D.C.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat w/ Hannah Grieco & Alina Stefanescu](https://writer.org/event/grieco-stefanescu/)
**Published:** June 30, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of writing! We’re joined by fiction writer Hannah Grieco and poet Alina Stefanescu for a cross-genre discussion about their new collections.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern.
We encourage you to order the books from your local, independent bookseller or online from the publishers.
- [*First Kicking, Then Not* by Hannah Grieco](https://www.stanchionzine.com/product-page/first-kicking-then-not)
- [*My Heresies* by Alina Stefanescu](https://www.sarabandebooks.org/all-titles/p/my-heresies-alina-stefanescu)
---
**Hannah Grieco**‘s debut short story collection *[First Kicking, Then Not](https://www.stanchionzine.com/product-page/first-kicking-then-not)* comes out August 12th from Stanchion. She teaches writing at Marymount University and writes a literary column for *Washington City Paper*. Read more of her work in *The Washington Post*, *The Independent*, *Al Jazeera*, *Brevity*, *Wigleaf*, *Poet Lore*, *Shenandoah*, *Fairy Tale Review*, and more. Find her online at [hgrieco.com](http://www.hgrieco.com/) and on most social media @writesloud.
**Alina Stefanescu** was born in Romania and lives in Birmingham, Alabama with her partner and several intense mammals. Recent books include a creative nonfiction chapbook, *[Ribald](https://www.alinastefanescuwriter.com/ribald)* (Bull City Press Inch Series, Nov. 2020) and *[Dor](https://www.alinastefanescuwriter.com/dor)*, which won the Wandering Aengus Press Prize (September, 2021). Her debut fiction collection, *[Every Mask I Tried On](https://www.alinastefanescuwriter.com/every-mask-i-tried-on)*, won the Brighthorse Books Prize (April 2018). Alina’s poems, essays, and fiction can be found in *Prairie Schooner, North American Review, World Literature Today, Pleiades, Poetry, BOMB, Crab Creek Review,* and others. She serves as editor, reviewer, and critic for various journals and is currently working on a novel-like creature. She would be elated if you ordered [*My Heresies*](https://www.sarabandebooks.org/all-titles/p/my-heresies-alina-stefanescu), her new poetry collection from Sarabande. More online at [alinastefanescuwriter.com](http://www.alinastefanescuwriter.com/).
---
# About First Kicking, Then Not
A young woman transforms after an unspeakable loss. A recent divorcee discovers a new life. An aging mother fears losing everything she loves, while another abandons her children at Starbucks. *First Kicking, Then Not* introduces these women and many more, all of whom are hungry to know who they are outside the expectations of others. Hannah Grieco’s captivating debut fiction collection acts as a mirror: Who looks back? Who do you want to see?
---
# About My Heresies
Riven by the tension between hagiographies, utopias, belief, longing, and grief, the poems of ***My Heresies*** catalog a personal and familial history originating in Bucharest, Romania and landing in Birmingham, Alabama. Whether through sardonic takes on old Bible myths or homage paid to French-Romanian poet Paul Celan, Stefanescu’s poems are laden in subtext, in imagery sometimes abstract and lush, at other times stark and shocking. *My Heresies* probes the boundaries between the sacred and the profane, and the result is a hauntological mapping of life, love, family, and womanhood.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Memoir Maker w/ Diane Zinna](https://writer.org/event/memoir-maker-2/)
**Published:** June 26, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
# Write your memoir in 9 months!
If you’re finally ready to write the memoir of your heart, we invite you to join longtime writing teacher and author Diane Zinna for her new class, Memoir Maker. This will be Diane’s 12th time leading a book-in-a-year course, which has helped bring so many writers to a finished draft. Classes will be a mix of proven lessons, exploratory exercises with opportunities for sharing, and workshops. There will be classes on captivating beginnings, mushy middles, climax scenes, and meaningful endings. As participants near the end of the course, lessons will cover publishing, including writing a successful book proposal. Each student will have four scheduled workshops during the year and receive thoughtful, guided class feedback. And the best thing: You’ll have a cohort of new writer-friends doing this right alongside you.
---
# Schedule
**This class will meet every other Tuesday morning, August 5 – April 2026 from 10am – 12:30pm ET**, for a total of 20 sessions:
- August 5, 19
- September 2, 16, 30
- October 14, 21
- November 4, 18
- December 2, 16
- January 6, 20
- February 3, 17
- March 3, 17, 31
- April 14, 28
---
# Frequently Asked Questions
**Tell me more about workshops.**
Workshops meet during our regular class time. You will send the class up to 25 double-spaced pages of your writing in advance of your scheduled date. You’ll be sending your pages to your classmates as Word documents, and they’ll provide thoughtful feedback during class. My teaching style involves you asking questions of your classmates about your own work. You’ll be able to leave every workshop with answers to questions you have really been asking yourself. We don’t get derailed in this class; you can expect workshops to feel positive.
**How much reading is expected of me?**
Generally, there will be two workshops per class, which may require you to read up to 50 double-spaced pages every two weeks. As I get to know your project, I’ll also be suggesting books you might want to check out that feel like they are in conversation with your memoir, or those with similar themes, style, or structure.
**Do I have to provide feedback to the other students on their work?**
Yes. Providing feedback on the work of other writers helps to reinforce what you believe about writing. You can be more objective when looking at the work of others, then apply that understanding to your own work. If you aren’t yet comfortable with giving feedback to others, don’t worry—I will provide a template to help you.
**Do I need to know what my story is before I start this class?**
So much of writing any book—especially memoir—is about discovery as you go. You should have a general sense, but even if you feel confident that you are sure what your book is about, I’m going to encourage you to be open to surprises. You may discover 3/4 of the way through the book that you’ve really been writing about hope the whole time you thought you were writing about illness. You may realize the book is not so much about your daughter but about your own sense of self. Be open, be free, and you’ll find the truest path.
**Am I ready?**
Only you know that for sure. If this is your year to do this, look at your year ahead. Of course there will be unexpected things that come our way, and we can always adjust and adapt class-wise. But if you have a lot of travel or demanding work coming up this year, it might be best to wait for another time. But maybe you were wondering if I think you are ready, as a writer? Here is what I can promise: I take care in accepting writers only when they are prepared for an intensive experience such as Memoir Maker. I will be meeting with applicants 1:1 before the class begins, so I’ll know what kind of group I am putting together. If you decide to join us, you can trust that you’ll have intentionally been included among writers with great instincts, smarts, and compassion.
---
# Apply Today!
**Note: Acceptance to the course is required before registration.**
To be admitted into this intensive program, potential candidates will need to submit:
- A one-page cover letter detailing their interest in the program.
- A twenty-page writing sample from their memoir in progress. (Submissions must be double spaced and use a standard font.)
**Admissions will be on a rolling basis, and the number of participants will be limited to 8, so participants are encouraged to submit early. Send your application materials to <laura.spencer@writer.org>.**
**Event Categories:** Master Level, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Washington Writers' Publishing House 50th Anniversary Celebration](https://writer.org/event/wwph50/)
**Published:** May 6, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes Washington Writers’ Publishing House for a celebration of the press’s 50th anniversary! Featuring readings from Grace Cavalieri (founder of WWPH), E. Ethelbert Miller, Kathleen Wheaton, Erika Raskin, Jacob Budenz, and more! Hosted by Caroline Bock & Jona Colson, co-presidents.
---
**3:00-4:30pm**
Theater
Welcome & Select Readings from *America’s Future: poetry & prose in response to tomorrow*
**4:30-6:00pm**
Celebration in the Reading Room
Refreshments & treats & more!
---
Included for your donation:
- Copy of either *America’s Future: poetry & prose in response to tomorrow*; *Capital Queer: A PRIDE Celebration from Washington Writers’ Publishing House*; or a signed, limited-edition letter press broadsheet
- Two drink tickets for wine/beer/nonalcoholic selection
---
Washington Writers’ Publishing House is a 501c3 nonprofit cooperative literary press established in 1975. Your support helps us pay it forward to writers in DC, Maryland, and Virginia for another 50 years!
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Creating & Writing Your First Original TV Pilot](https://writer.org/event/creating-writing-your-first-original-tv-pilot/)
**Published:** April 16, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Learn how to write for television and develop your concept into a professional first draft.
Applicable to comedy, drama, and reality, this unique course is designed for creative aspiring writers with no prior experience—as well as those with screenwriting experience—who seek to break into television writing. Learn in an interactive environment the basics of creating, writing, and presenting your first television script for both drama and/or comedy, including how to take your idea to the next step and create a complete half-hour or one-hour television script.
Beginning and professional writers are welcome. Prior screenwriting experience is not required.
Students will be emailed several TV scripts (shooting drafts) in PDF format prior to the first-class session (and more during the course) to be read in advance if possible. We’ll also be viewing videos related to the topics throughout the course.
This course will also include special guests, including WGA writers and producers working in television today. Students will get the opportunity to ask questions and get a behind-the-scenes look into how television is made, learning about the different career paths to becoming a professional television writer and what showrunners, producers, creative executives, and fellowship competitions are looking for from writers working today.
Note: No meeting on September 1.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- The steps usually taken for a first-time professional television writer towards writing the first script (general idea, character development, style, story acts, etc.)
- Structure
- Character development
- The importance of your first script as a calling card
- How to find an agent and get your script read
- Who should you be writing for
- Who does what job on a television series
- The outlets for new shows and new ideas
- Developing your idea
- The best way to write for you
- The Writers’ Room
- The collaboration processes
- Overview of winning past and current television show scripts
- Feedback on your current concepts, outline, scenes and scripts
# Time requirements
- Follow-up and prep time is up to each participant.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers of any level of experience, who would like to take their writing to the next level and learn how to develop their idea or script into a professional draft, which can be confidently shown to anyone (in or out of television), who is also a professional. In addition we will cover all of the important “real” details of the television/entertainment industry.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 8 Sessions, All Levels, Stage and Screen, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Short Fiction Intensive Reading hosted by R. O. Kwon](https://writer.org/event/short-fiction-intensive-reading/)
**Published:** June 24, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes five participants from R. O. Kwon’s [Short Fiction Intensive](https://writer.org/event/short-fiction-intensive/) for a virtual reading of work produced in the workshop. Featured readers: Margaret Chmiel, Blue Guldal, Alice Kim Hawari, Brent King, and Sergio Muro.
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
**Marjee Chmiel** is a writer, researcher, and documentarian who lives in the DC area with her spouse and their two tiny dogs. She has worked in science storytelling across a variety of organizations and medxia including National Geographic, PBS, the Smithsonian, as a Fulbright specialist in Indonesia, and most recently at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute where she oversees research and evaluation of audience engagement and public understanding of science. She is an alumna of the Stanford Continuing Studies writing program and Kenyon Summer Residential workshops. She has a flash fiction story forthcoming in *Bull Lit Mag*, and is at work on a novel.
**Blue Guldal** is a queer, Turkish immigrant, a geneticist, and an editor in nonprofit healthcare. She’s a Tin House, Kenyon and Sewanee alum and a 2025 Lambda Literary fellow. Her stories have appeared in *Reckon Review*, *Occulum* and *Beneath Ceaseless Skies*. Her work is supported by the Mineral School, Vermont Studio Center and BANFF Centre residencies. She’s currently working on her first novel and lives in Brooklyn, NY, with her partner of twenty-three years. She can be found at [blueguldal.com](http://www.blueguldal.com/).
**Alice Kim Hawari** broke away from the tech world to write fiction. When not writing, she romps in the mountains or beaches of California with her husband, three children, and tri-colored dog. She earned her BA from Yale University. Hawari’s yet-to-be published debut novel *History of Paradise* (a working title) was runner-up for the James Jones First Novel Fellowship.
**Brent King** practiced emergency medicine and pediatric emergency medicine for many years. He retired from practice in 2023 and is currently Professor Emeritus, Department of Emergency Medicine, The University of Maryland School of Medicine. Dr. King has published numerous academic articles and chapters in a variety of journals and textbooks. His fiction has been published in New Pop Lit and Bewildering Stories. His latest story was selected as a finalist in the Narrative Magazine Winter Fiction Contest and will appear in an upcoming issue of the magazine. He lives in Baltimore with his surgeon wife and their Bernedoodle, Thor.
**Sergio Muro** is a Mexican American writer from Laredo, TX, currently based in Austin. He is an assistant editor for *American Short Fiction* and a reader for the fiction and essay teams at *The Rumpus*. He is working on a short story collection.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Micro-Memoir](https://writer.org/event/micro-memoir/)
**Published:** April 16, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Write three linked micro-memoirs in this generative workshop.
Develop up to three micro memoirs (short, short stories of 250 words or less) via prompts and exercises to craft your stories.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Structure & Plot
- Concrete Detail
- How to write short, layered, lyrical micros in eye-catching formats
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Writers who are interested writing tightly-crafted, 250 words or less, memoir or autofiction pieces should take this course.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Nonfiction, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Memoirist Johnisha Matthews Levi in Conversation w/ Bernardine (Dine) Watson](https://writer.org/event/johnisha-matthews-levi/)
**Published:** June 23, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes Johnisha Matthews Levi for a reading and discussion of her new memoir, *Number’s Up: Cracking the Code of an American Family*. Johnisha is in conversation with DC author Bernardine (Dine) Watson.
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
**Johnisha Matthews Levi** is a nonprofit development professional and former litigation attorney. Her writing has appeared in *Wildsam*, [thekitchn.com](http://thekitchn.com/), *Northern Virginia Magazine*, and Yes! Media. She received her BA from Harvard University and her JD from New York University School of Law.
**Bernardine (Dine) Watson** is a non-fiction writer and poet who lives in Washington, D.C. Her memoir, *Transplant*, won the 2023 Washington Writers’ Publishing House prize for nonfiction. *Transplant* also appeared on National Public Radio’s 2023 list of Books We Love. Dine was selected by *Poets and Writers* as one of their “5 over 50” debut authors for 2023 and was featured in the magazine’s November/December 2023 issue. Her poetry has been published in *Beltway Poetry Quarterly, Bourgeon/Mid Atlantic Review* and *Gargoyle Magazine*.
---
# About the Book
*A piece of paper with a previously undisclosed truth has the power to bring you to your knees.*
For four decades, Johnisha Matthews Levi believed a conventional story about her birth, picturing her happy parents at the hospital together. While sorting through her late mother’s belongings, however, she discovered a document indicating that her father was instead serving time in Lorton Correctional Complex. This revelation, along with rumors about an FBI investigation of her deceased parents’ “private business,” leads Levi to unearth the hidden history of her family. She ties this story to public policy, demonstrating how state lottery legalization and the War on Drugs disrupted the Black institutions and communities in Washington, DC.
Levi’s stirring memoir centers on her brilliant but troubled father, a Black World War II radioman who, facing economic barriers after his naval service, reinvents himself as a “numbers man” for an underground gambling operation. The job enables John Matthews to provide for his loved ones and to achieve a level of success far beyond his childhood dreams in the impoverished Jim Crow South. In the process, he becomes an indirect target of law enforcement.
By examining the circumstances of her father’s incarceration, Levi explores how multiple generations of the Matthews family have been haunted by the specter of violence against Black people. *Number’s Up* offers a unique but quintessentially American story of survival through ingenuity as it asks: Is forgiveness the sole means of moving forward?
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Virtual Info Session for Novel Year with Mathangi Subramanian](https://writer.org/event/virtual-info-session-for-novel-year-with-mathangi-subramanian/)
**Published:** June 20, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
**Meet Mathangi Subramanian, instructor for our Novel Year 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** to receive login information. The info session is free and open to all interested writers.
---
# About the Program
**Application Deadline: July 28, 2025**
**Workshop Dates: August 20, 2025 – June 10, 2026**
**Cost: $5,400 \| Members $5,300**
Make this the year you finish your novel! Do you have a book-length work of fiction that can’t seem to find the time to finish? Are you stuck at a key point in a manuscript that you’ve poured your whole heart into? Do you feel like your novel is missing something, but you can’t quite figure out what that something is?
Don’t despair — and don’t struggle alone! Give yourself the gift of creative community and join our Fall 2025 Novel Year workshop with award-winning author and writing professor Dr. Mathangi Subramanian.
# [**Find the full details and apply here »**](https://writer.org/event/novel-year-subramanian25/)
**Event Categories:** Workshop
---
### [New Verse Review Reading](https://writer.org/event/new-verse/)
**Published:** June 17, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
*New Verse Review: A Journal of Lyric and Narrative Poetry* is an online journal committed to renewing the ancient affinities among poetry, song, and story. This reading features four prominent poets who have published in *NVR*.
---
**Ned Balbo** holds degrees from Vassar, the Johns Hopkins Writing Seminars, and the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. His books are *The Cylburn Touch-Me-Nots* (New Criterion Prize), *3 Nights of the Perseids* (Richard Wilbur Award), *Upcycling Paumanok, The Trials of Edgar Poe and Other Poems* (Donald Justice Prize and the Poets’ Prize), *Lives of the Sleepers* (Ernest Sandeen Prize), and *Galileo’s Banquet* (Towson University Prize co-winner). He has been a fellow or scholar at Sewanee, Bread Loaf, and the Vermont Studio Center. His awards include an NEA translation fellowship and four Maryland Arts Council grants.
**Claudia Gary**’s poems appear in anthologies and journals internationally. She teaches workshops on Sonnet, Villanelle, Meter, Poetry vs. Trauma, and more at The Writer’s Center ([writer.org](http://writer.org/)) and privately, currently via Zoom. Author of *Humor Me* (2006) and chapbooks including *Genetic Revisionism* (2019), she is also an advisory editor of *New Verse Review,* as well as a health/science journalist*,* visual artist, and composer. Her article on setting poems to music is online at <https://straightlabyrinth.info/conference.html>.
Poet and translator **A.M. Juster**’s work has appeared in *Poetry, The Hudson Review* and *The Paris Review*. He is the author of twelve books, most recently *Wonder and Wrath* (Paul Dry Books, 2020), *Gerytades* (Contubernales Books, 2023), and *Girlatee* (Paul Dry Books, 2025). His translation of Petrarch’s Canzoniere will be out from W.W. Norton this fall. He is the only three-time winner of the Howard Nemerov Sonnet Award, and he has won the Richard Wilbur Award and other significant literary prizes.
**Jane Satterfield**’s five poetry books include *The Badass Brontës* (Diode Editions Award), *Apocalypse Mix* (Autumn House Poetry Prize), and *Her Familiar*s. She has received National Endowment for the Arts and Maryland Arts Council poetry fellowships, *Bellingham Review*’s 49th Parallel Award for Poetry, and the Ledbury Poetry Festival Prize. Selections from *Daughters of Empire: A Memoir of a Year in Britain and Beyond* (Demeter Press, 2009) won *Florida Review*’s Editors’ Prize and the Faulkner Society’s Essay Award. Satterfield has served as faculty for the West Chester Poetry and Frost Farm Conferences and is a professor of writing at Loyola University Maryland.
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat with Novelist Emily St. James](https://writer.org/event/emily-st-james/)
**Published:** May 28, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of fiction! We’re joined by author and cultural critic Emily St. James for a discussion of her debut novel, *Woodworking*. Emily is in conversation with Amy Freeman, author and Development Director at The Writer’s Center.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from Bookshop.org »](https://bookshop.org/a/22600/9781638931478)
---
**Emily St. James** is a writer and cultural critic. This is her first novel. Her journalism and criticism have appeared in *The New York Times*, Vox, and The A.V. Club, and her writing for television has been featured on the Emmy-nominated series *Yellowjackets*. She lives in Los Angeles with her family.
---
# About the Book
**One of Book Riot’s and *The Mary Sue*’s 15 Most Anticipated Queer Books of 2025 • One of *The Millions*’, *Kirkus*’s, The AV Club’s, *Them*’s, and LGBTQ Reads’s Most Anticipated Books of 2025 • One of Vol. 1 Brooklyn’s, Autostraddle’s, *LA Times*’s, and BookBrowse’s Most Anticipated Reads of March 2025 • One of *Bustle*’s Best Books of Spring 2025 • Matty Maggiacomo’s March Book Club Pick**
Erica Skyberg is thirty-five years old, recently divorced—and trans. Not that she’s told anyone yet. Mitchell, South Dakota, isn’t exactly bursting with other trans women. Instead, she keeps to herself, teaching by day and directing community theater by night. That is, until Abigail Hawkes enters her orbit.
Abigail is seventeen, Mitchell High’s resident political dissident and Only Trans Girl. It’s a role she plays faultlessly, albeit a little reluctantly. She’s also annoyed by the idea of spending her senior year secretly guiding her English teacher through her transition. But Abigail remembers the uncertainty—and loneliness—that comes with it. Besides, Erica isn’t the only one struggling to shed the weight of others’ expectations.
As their unlikely friendship evolves, it comes under the scrutiny of their community. And soon, both women—and those closest to them—are forced to ask: Who are we if we choose to hide ourselves? What happens once we disappear into the woodwork?
*Detransition Baby* meets *Fleishman is in Trouble* in this remarkable debut novel from an incisive contemporary voice. A story about the awkwardness of growing up and the greatest love story of all, that between us and our friends, *Woodworking* is a tonic for the moment and a celebration of womanhood in all its multifaceted joy.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Vulnerability in Personal Storytelling](https://writer.org/event/vulnerability-in-personal-storytelling-4/)
**Published:** April 16, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Explore the therapeutic benefits of writing with vulnerability while developing ideas for writing projects.
We will explore self-healing and cathartic storytelling through writing. We will look at our lived experiences to find meaning and wisdom through the expressive writing method, a well-researched practice that leads to creative expansion and healing narratives for adversity, trauma, grief, and loss. Participants will learn how to view creative vulnerability as an act of generosity to oneself and to others. On the first day, writers will receive instruction and start a rough draft of a personal story. On the second day, they will share their work and receive feedback. We will address questions such as: How do I write about sensitive topics without doing harm to myself? How do I know when I’m oversharing? What about the other people that are involved in the things I want to write about? How do I turn a raw journal entry into a piece for publication?
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Idea generation
- Creative process
- Unraveling creative blocks
- Writing rough drafts
- Story development
- Ethical dilemmas
# Time requirements
- 2+ hours outside of class
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for beginning and intermediate nonfiction writers who want to write about difficult topics while taking care of themselves and others.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 2 Sessions, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [$40 Pop Up! Enchanted Objects in Fiction](https://writer.org/event/pop-up-enchanted-objects-in-fiction/)
**Published:** April 7, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Objects are the understated laborers in fiction. Capable of revealing character, escalating a narrative, carrying metaphorical weight, and speaking to a cultural inheritance, objects wear many hats in even short works of prose. Yet the potential in utilizing objects isn’t always at the forefront of a writer’s mind. In this Pop-Up Workshop, we will celebrate the magic of objects, recognizing that no object in fiction is ever neutral, while investigating the inexplicable object that haunts a story, its writer, and its readers. Through close readings and a multipronged writing exercise, we will invite play into our writing practice, while embracing the energy and the spark of magic that objects infuse into our work and our world.
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Playwrights' Staged Reading Showcase - Session 2](https://writer.org/event/playwrights-showcase-2/)
**Published:** June 10, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes playwrights Tyrone Colbert, Deryl Davis, and Charles Jones for staged readings of their new plays!
2:00pm
“Charlie’s Year”
Historical figures come to life as flamboyant art historian Bendor Grosvenor sets out to uncover the truth behind a series of paintings about Scottish romantic hero Bonnie Prince Charlie.
3:00pm
“The Waiting Room”
Based on the true story of an educated woman who falls in love with an incarcerated man and bonds with three women in the prison waiting room. Together they endure pain, disappointment and redemption during the most difficult experience of their lives.
5:00pm
“Finding Home”
Haunted by war and the secret love he lost, a Marine veteran returns home to a world that doesn’t understand and a grief he can’t outrun.
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Playwrights' Staged Reading Showcase - Session 1](https://writer.org/event/playwrights-showcase-1/)
**Published:** June 10, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes playwrights Steve Majors and Charles Jones for staged readings of their new plays!
2:00pm
“American Gothik”
In a rural Black home held together by half-truths and patchwork love, a boy must piece together who he is before the whole house of cards comes down.
3:00pm
“Finding Home”
Haunted by war and the secret love he lost, a Marine veteran returns home to a world that doesn’t understand and a grief he can’t outrun.
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Scrabble for Scholarships](https://writer.org/event/scrabble/)
**Published:** April 3, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
# Play Scrabble, win prizes, and support scholarships for writers!
The Writer’s Center presents the return of Scrabble for Scholarships, a fundraiser for our scholarship funds, providing financial assistance for writers to attend our workshops.
Scrabble for Scholarships is a party, plus all attendees are encouraged to join in one round (or more!) of Speed Scrabble for a chance to win exciting raffle prizes. Admission includes 2 tickets, which can be used to enter the raffle directly *or* to play a game of Speed Scrabble, where you’ll have the chance to win 2 tickets more. Admission includes beer, wine, seltzer and snacks. Additional donations are welcome and encouraged!
---
# Admission
*PURCHASE ADMISSION AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE*
- The $10 admission includes 2 tickets to play Scrabble or enter the raffle. Refreshments included.
- Additional tickets can be purchased for $5/each at the event.
---
# About the Speed Scrabble Competition
The game room will host concurrent 15-minute rounds of Speed Scrabble throughout the evening. Trade in your ticket, and you’ll be placed at a table for one round. The player with the most points at the end of each round will be awarded 2 tickets, which can be used to enter our raffle *or* join in more games of Speed Scrabble. Didn’t win? Don’t worry! Additional tickets are available for $5 each. *Full Speed Scrabble rules will be posted at the event and explained before each round*.
**Introducing Scrabble Cheats:**
Want an edge over the competition? We’ll be selling various Scrabble cheats for $10-$25. Cheats will include: shortening an opponent’s time, removing an opponent’s tile, getting an extra tile, getting a blank, and many more! Cheats will be available between rounds of play.
---
# About the Raffle
With huge thanks to our generous donors, you’ll have a chance to win one of many incredible prizes! Check out the list below:
**Raffle Prizes Include:**
- 30-minute Ask Me Anything on Publishing with Meera Trehan, $50
- Dinner for 2 at Central, $200
- Query Critique (2) with Steve Majors, $50 each
- One-year TWC membership (new or renewing), $65
- TWC Gift Certificate, $100
- Books Bundles (x2), ~$100 each
- One-year subscription to *Poet Lore*, $20
- Pen nib earrings with semi-precious gemstones and 18k gold vermeil (gold on sterling silver), $65
- Pen nib earrings with semi-precious gemstones and sterling silver, $55
- Deluxe Scrabble set and dictionary, $140
- Editorial consult by MFA professor and award-winning author Eugenia Kim on 20 pages of prose, $250
- Critique on a query letter from agent Susan Golomb at Writers House and author Angie Kim, $250
***Can’t attend but still want to help out? [Make a donation, and specify Scholarship Fund in the notes »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)***
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Speed Scrabble for Scholarships](https://writer.org/event/scrabble24/)
**Published:** March 6, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
# Play Scrabble, win prizes, and support scholarships for writers!
The Writer’s Center presents the return of Speed Scrabble for Scholarships, a fundraiser for the Ann McLaughlin Scholarship Fund, providing financial assistance for writers to attend our workshops.
Speed Scrabble for Scholarships is a party, plus all attendees are encouraged to join in one round (or more!) of Speed Scrabble for a chance to win exciting raffle prizes. Admission includes 1 ticket, which can be used to enter the raffle directly *or* to play a game of Speed Scrabble, where you’ll have the chance to win 10 tickets. Admission also includes beer, wine, seltzer and snacks.
### Admission
*PURCHASE TICKETS AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE*
• $5 per Raffle/Scrabble ticket
Your first raffle/Scrabble ticket includes a drink cup! Purchase multiple tickets with the plus button.
### About the Speed Scrabble Competition
The game room will host concurrent 15-minute rounds of Speed Scrabble throughout the evening. Trade in your ticket, and you’ll be placed at a table for one round. The player with the most points at the end of each round will be awarded 10 tickets, which can be used to enter our raffle *or* join in more games of Speed Scrabble. Didn’t win? Don’t worry! Additional tickets are available for $5 each. *Full Speed Scrabble rules will be posted at the event and explained before each round*.
### About the Raffle
With huge thanks to our generous donors, you’ll have a chance to win one of many incredible prizes! Check out the list below:
**Raffle Prizes Include:**
• Admission to the Washington Writers’ Conference (May 3-4, 2024), $389
• Deluxe Scrabble Set and Dictionary, $140
• 30-minute Ask Me Anything on Publishing with Meera Trehan
• Dinner for 2 at Central
• Admission to the [Conversations & Connections Writers Conference](https://www.barrelhousemag.com/conference) (Saturday, April 13, 2024), $75
• One year TWC membership (new or renewing) $60
• TWC Gift Certificate, $100
• Books from TWC’s Virtual Craft Chat Series, ~$100
• Books from TWC’s First Novel Prize, ~$100
• One Year Subscription to Poet Lore, $20
• TWC Mug, $15
• And more to come!!!
***Can’t attend but still want to help out? [Make a donation, and specify Scholarship Fund in the notes »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)***
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [$40 Pop Up! Writing the Flamenca](https://writer.org/event/40-pop-up-writing-the-flamenca/)
**Published:** May 1, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Learn to write the Flamenca, a poetic form resembling the rhythms of Flamenco, with award-winning poet María Fernanda. The Flamenca is a cinquian (or a five-line stanza) with defined assonant and syllabic structures. Participants will learn the technique of the original Flamenca literary form, which is defined as mimicking the “clicking” of the flamenco dancer’s heels, however flamenco dancers’ heels stomp and castanets click. With this in mind, María Fernanda will also introduce participants to her expansion on the poetic form. She aligns the flamenco dancer’s percussive footwork—planta, tacón, punta, talón—with the sounds in the Latin alphabet and also pairs flamenco props—floorboard, castanets, and fan—with literary devices. Participants will read examples of the Flamenca form, write their own poem(s), and learn the various cultural influences on Flamenco with an emphasis on Black diasporic perspectives (contemporary and historic).
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [$40 Pop Up! Scrivener for Writers & Poets ](https://writer.org/event/40-pop-up-scrivener-for-writers-poets/)
**Published:** April 28, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Learn about the basics of using the program Scrivener to best organize your ideas, as well as outline and draft efficiently. We’ll cover the basic features of the program, as well as ideas and strategies for best using this tool as a poet or fiction writer.
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Fiction, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [A Farewell for Margaret!](https://writer.org/event/a-farewell-for-margaret/)
**Published:** May 22, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
As she prepares for retirement, help us celebrate Margaret Meleney’s leadership and legacy as Executive Director of The Writer’s Center! Drinks and snacks for all!
Please RSVP below.
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [LGBTQ+ Writers Mixer](https://writer.org/event/lgbtq-writers-mixer-nov2025/)
**Published:** February 1, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Are you a writer who identifies as LGBTQ+? Let’s hang out and talk writing! Come join us for an informal gathering at The Writer’s Center. Please bring a drink or an appetizer that serves six. You’re welcome to bring a friend, too.
**FREE & open to all DMV writers who identify as LGBTQ+. RSVP required below.**
Attending? We encourage you to [become a member of The Writer’s Center for only $65/year »](https://writer.org/become-a-member/)
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [10 Prompts to Kickstart Your Summer Writing](https://writer.org/event/10-prompts-to-kickstart-your-summer-writing/)
**Published:** April 16, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Dive into the depths of water imagery as we explore various art forms, revealing layers of emotion, themes, and universal truths that equip you to craft stories resonating deeply with readers.
Guided by water imagery, this workshop aims to inspire you to imbue your writing with emotional depth. By examining your responses to various visual and musical prompts—including painting, sculpture, photography, short film, dance, and music videos—we’ll learn to identify underlying emotions. Recognizing that everything we create represents something larger, we’ll practice translating your feelings onto the page, enabling your characters to embody these emotions and forge connections with readers. Participants will leave with fresh ideas for their memoirs and fiction, as well as the confidence to move beyond surface-level writing.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Creating underlying emotion
- Making the ordinary extraordinary
- Defining your story’s intention and purpose
- Finding meaningful connections
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is open to all writers, especially fiction and memoir writers, who are interested in deepening their ideas and creating emotional resonance on the page.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Open Mic @ The Writer's Center](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-dec2025/)
**Published:** January 2, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Prose, poetry, and spoken word Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center! All writers are welcome to come and share 4-5 minutes of their latest work.
- **Sign-up starts at 6:45pm, and readings begin promptly at 7pm.**
- **Limited to 20 readers, so arrive early if you plan to read.**
Sponsored by [*Poet Lore*](poetlore.com), America’s oldest poetry magazine.
FREE and open to the public. Please note that we no longer offer advance sign-up.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Open Mic @ The Writer's Center](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-nov2025/)
**Published:** January 2, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Prose, poetry, and spoken word Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center! All writers are welcome to come and share 4-5 minutes of their latest work.
- **Sign-up starts at 6:45pm, and readings begin promptly at 7pm.**
- **Limited to 20 readers, so arrive early if you plan to read.**
Sponsored by [*Poet Lore*](poetlore.com), America’s oldest poetry magazine.
FREE and open to the public. Please note that we no longer offer advance sign-up.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Open Mic @ The Writer's Center](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-oct2025b/)
**Published:** January 2, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Prose, poetry, and spoken word Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center! All writers are welcome to come and share 4-5 minutes of their latest work.
- **Sign-up starts at 6:45pm, and readings begin promptly at 7pm.**
- **Limited to 20 readers, so arrive early if you plan to read.**
Sponsored by [*Poet Lore*](poetlore.com), America’s oldest poetry magazine.
FREE and open to the public. Please note that we no longer offer advance sign-up.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Open Mic @ The Writer's Center](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-oct2025a/)
**Published:** January 2, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Prose, poetry, and spoken word Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center! All writers are welcome to come and share 4-5 minutes of their latest work.
- **Sign-up starts at 6:45pm, and readings begin promptly at 7pm.**
- **Limited to 20 readers, so arrive early if you plan to read.**
Sponsored by [*Poet Lore*](poetlore.com), America’s oldest poetry magazine.
FREE and open to the public. Please note that we no longer offer advance sign-up.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Open Mic @ The Writer's Center](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-sep2025b/)
**Published:** January 2, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Prose, poetry, and spoken word Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center! All writers are welcome to come and share 4-5 minutes of their latest work.
- **Sign-up starts at 6:45pm, and readings begin promptly at 7pm.**
- **Limited to 20 readers, so arrive early if you plan to read.**
Sponsored by [*Poet Lore*](poetlore.com), America’s oldest poetry magazine.
FREE and open to the public. Please note that we no longer offer advance sign-up.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Open Mic @ The Writer's Center](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-sep2025a/)
**Published:** January 2, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Prose, poetry, and spoken word Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center! All writers are welcome to come and share 4-5 minutes of their latest work.
- **Sign-up starts at 6:45pm, and readings begin promptly at 7pm.**
- **Limited to 20 readers, so arrive early if you plan to read.**
Sponsored by [*Poet Lore*](poetlore.com), America’s oldest poetry magazine.
FREE and open to the public. Please note that we no longer offer advance sign-up.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Open Mic @ The Writer's Center](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-aug2025b/)
**Published:** January 2, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Prose, poetry, and spoken word Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center! All writers are welcome to come and share 4-5 minutes of their latest work.
- **Sign-up starts at 6:45pm, and readings begin promptly at 7pm.**
- **Limited to 20 readers, so arrive early if you plan to read.**
Sponsored by [*Poet Lore*](poetlore.com), America’s oldest poetry magazine.
FREE and open to the public. Please note that we no longer offer advance sign-up.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Open Mic @ The Writer's Center](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-aug2025a/)
**Published:** January 2, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Prose, poetry, and spoken word Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center! All writers are welcome to come and share 4-5 minutes of their latest work.
- **Sign-up starts at 6:45pm, and readings begin promptly at 7pm.**
- **Limited to 20 readers, so arrive early if you plan to read.**
Sponsored by [*Poet Lore*](poetlore.com), America’s oldest poetry magazine.
FREE and open to the public. Please note that we no longer offer advance sign-up.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat with Memoirist Sienna Liu](https://writer.org/event/sienna-liu/)
**Published:** March 7, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of memoir! We’re joined by Sienna Liu to discuss her new book-length essay, *Specimen*. Sienna is in conversation with Zach Powers, novelist and Artistic Director at The Writer’s Center.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from the publisher »](https://www.splitlippress.com/specimen)
---
**Sienna Liu** is a writer and literary translator living in New York City. She’s the author of *Square* (Black Sunflowers Poetry Press, 2022) and *Food Porn* (Game Over Books, 2024). Her translations (from English to Chinese) include Rachel Cusk’s *Second Place* (Guangxi Normal University Press, 2023), Claire-Louise Bennett’s *Checkout 19* (forthcoming), Ali Smith’s *Companion Piece* (forthcoming), and a new translation of Virginia Woolf’s *Mrs. Dalloway* (forthcoming).
---
# About the Book
Contaminated by literature and compelled by the impossibility of translating one another, two young lovers fall in love against their better judgment in Sienna Liu’s polyvocal book-length essay *Specimen*.
Through meetings and missives from Cape Town to Beijing to Paris to London, the lovers lie, fight, observe and analyze, write and re-write themselves for one another, only to find that their carefully constructed narrative has obtained a life of its own which overshadows and usurps their relationship. Weaving together years of diaries, notes, text messages, and memory, *Specimen* is an exploration of diaspora, nostalgia, writing, the creation of oneself through another, and time itself.
“Koi t-shirtsy, poetry-swooned, meta-anecdotal over a lover named E, Sienna Liu’s ‘four-dimensional rose’ *Specimen* is a blend of atmospheric nostalgia and bilingual love. Deprived of ‘sultry impatience,’ the essay, self-aware of its own making and quite unlike Anna Karenina, unequivocally moves through the vignettes of remorse like rainwater through a half-smoked cigarette. Love is hard to measure especially with the yardsticks of words, but Liu does it with effortless, erudite ease that one might wonder if she’s trapping a lightning bug of theory-based, archived memory within the pages of this essay, illuminating the translucency, emotionality, and philosophy of their elusive flutter. It’s such a sharp book that if you put it down you may risk feeling stupid.” —Vi Khi Nao, author of *The Italy Letters*
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Open Mic @ The Writer's Center](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-july2025b/)
**Published:** January 2, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Prose, poetry, and spoken word Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center! All writers are welcome to come and share 4-5 minutes of their latest work.
- **Sign-up starts at 6:45pm, and readings begin promptly at 7pm.**
- **Limited to 20 readers, so arrive early if you plan to read.**
Sponsored by [*Poet Lore*](poetlore.com), America’s oldest poetry magazine.
FREE and open to the public. Please note that we no longer offer advance sign-up.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Open Mic @ The Writer's Center](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-july2025a/)
**Published:** January 2, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Prose, poetry, and spoken word Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center! All writers are welcome to come and share 4-5 minutes of their latest work.
- **Sign-up starts at 6:45pm, and readings begin promptly at 7pm.**
- **Limited to 20 readers, so arrive early if you plan to read.**
Sponsored by [*Poet Lore*](poetlore.com), America’s oldest poetry magazine.
FREE and open to the public. Please note that we no longer offer advance sign-up.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat with Poet Keetje Kuipers](https://writer.org/event/keetje-kuipers/)
**Published:** March 13, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
*Poet Lore* and The Writer’s Center present a FREE virtual chat about the craft of poetry! We’re joined by Keetje Kuipers to discuss her new collection, *Lonely Women Make Good Lovers*. Keetje is in conversation with Emily Holland, poet and editor of [*Poet Lore*, America’s oldest poetry journal](https://www.poetlore.com/).
RSVP below to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). FREE and open to the public, all times Eastern.
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from the publisher ](https://www.boaeditions.org/products/lonely-woman?srsltid=AfmBOorM6rq2EutPzeo9dW-gQLG8yqJVlHs9p82-P9qcHJ8v_ymVsIv1)»
---
**Keetje Kuipers** is the author of four collections of poetry, all from BOA Editions: *Lonely Women Make Good Lovers* (2025), winner of the Isabella Gardner Award; *All Its Charms* (2019), which includes poems honored by publication in both the Pushcart Prize and Best American Poetry anthologies; *The Keys to the Jail* (2014); and *Beautiful in the Mouth* (2010), which was chosen by Thomas Lux as the winner of the A. Poulin, Jr. Poetry Prize. Her poetry and prose have appeared in *American Poetry Review*, *New York Times Magazine*, *Yale Review*, and *Poetry*, among others. Keetje has been a Wallace Stegner Fellow at Stanford University, an NEA Literature Fellow in Creative Writing, the Katharine Bakeless Nason Fellow in Poetry at Bread Loaf, the Emerging Writer Lecturer at Gettysburg College, and the recipient of multiple residency fellowships, including PEN Northwest’s Margery Davis Boyden Wilderness Writing Residency. Previously a VP on the board of the National Book Critics Circle, Keetje is currently Editor of *Poetry Northwest*, and teaches at universities and conferences around the world, including at the dual-language writers’ gathering Under the Volcano in Tepoztlán, Mexico. Her home is in Missoula, Montana, on the land of the Salish and Kalispel peoples and directly at the foot of the Rattlesnake Wilderness Area. She lives there with her wife and their two children, where she co-directs the Headwaters Reading Series for Health & Well-Being and keeps an eye out for bears in her backyard.
---
# About the Book
The daring and deeply sexy poems in *Lonely Women Make Good Lovers* are bold with the embodied, earthy, and startlingly sensual.
These unforgettable love poems—queer, complicated, and almost always compromised—engage a poetics of humility, leaning into the painful tendernesses of unbridgeable distance. As Kuipers writes, love is a question “defined not by what we / cannot know of the world but what we cannot know of ourselves.” These poems write into that intricate webbing between us, holding space for an “I” that is permeable, that can be touched and changed by those we make our lives with.
In this book, astonishingly intimate poems of marriage collide with the fetishization of freedom and the terror of desire. At times valiant and at others self-excoriating, they are flush with the hard-won knowledge of the difficulties and joys of living in relation.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
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**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Open Mic @ The Writer's Center](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-june2025b/)
**Published:** January 2, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Prose, poetry, and spoken word Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center! All writers are welcome to come and share 4-5 minutes of their latest work.
- **Sign-up starts at 6:45pm, and readings begin promptly at 7pm.**
- **Limited to 20 readers, so arrive early if you plan to read.**
Sponsored by [*Poet Lore*](poetlore.com), America’s oldest poetry magazine.
FREE and open to the public. Please note that we no longer offer advance sign-up.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Poets Michael Gushue & Kim Roberts Book Launch](https://writer.org/event/gushue-roberts/)
**Published:** November 6, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes Michael Gushue and Kim Roberts to celebrate the release of their collaborative poetry collection, *Q&A for the End of the World*. Book signing to follow.
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
**Michael Gushue** has been published in journals such as the *Indiana Review*, *Third Coast*, *Beltway Poetry Quarterly*, *Gargoyle*, and *American Letters and Commentary*. His books of poetry are: *Sympathy for the Monster* (Alien Buddha Press, 2023)*, Gather Down Women: Poems and Translations* (Souvenir Spoon Books, 2023)*, Pachinko Mouth* (Plan B Press, 2013)*,* *Conrad* (Souvenir Spoon, 2010)*,* and—in collaboration with CL Bledsoe—*The Judy Poems* (Ghoti Press, 2021), and *I Never Promised You A Sea Monkey* (Pretzelcoatl Books, 2017). He co-founded Poetry Mutual Press with Dan Vera, and co-ran a poetry reading series in Brookland and on Capitol Hill, and the series Poetry at the Watergate. He and CL Bledsoe run a column of very bad advice on Medium.com called *How To Even.* He lives in the Brookland neighborhood of Washington DC.
**Kim Roberts** is the author of the popular guidebook, *A Literary Guide to Washington, DC: Walking in the Footsteps of American Writers from Francis Scott Key to Zora Neale Hurston* ([University of Virginia Press](http://www.upress.virginia.edu/title/4920), 2018), and editor of two anthologies, *By Broad Potomac’s Shore: Great Poems from the Early Days of our Nation’s Capital* ([University of Virginia Press](https://www.upress.virginia.edu/title/5493), 2020, selected by the DC Public Library and East Coast Centers for the Book for the 2021 Route 1 Reads program), and *Full Moon On K Street: Poems About Washington DC* ([Plan B Press](http://www.planbpress.com/), 2010). She is the author of seven books of poems, including, most recently, another collaboration: *Corona/Crown*, a cross-disciplinary chapbook created with photographer Robert Revere (WordTech Editions, 2023). Kim co-curates DC Pride Poem-a-Day each June with Jon Gann.
---
*Q&A for the End of the World* is a series of poems about science fiction movies from the 1950s and 60s written by Michael Gushue and Kim Roberts. The poems in this collaboration interrogate pop culture references, their assumptions about race and gender, and their use of special effects and fake science. As the authors alternate poems about classic movies such as “Godzilla” and “The Day the Earth Stood Still,” they balance the surreal humor and kitsch of the movies with deeper cultural concerns about safety and the dehumanizing effects of technology. The book is available from WordTech Editions.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Open Mic @ The Writer's Center](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-june2025a/)
**Published:** January 2, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Prose, poetry, and spoken word Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center! All writers are welcome to come and share 4-5 minutes of their latest work.
- **Sign-up starts at 6:45pm, and readings begin promptly at 7pm.**
- **Limited to 20 readers, so arrive early if you plan to read.**
Sponsored by [*Poet Lore*](poetlore.com), America’s oldest poetry magazine.
FREE and open to the public. Please note that we no longer offer advance sign-up.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat with First Novel Prize Winner Jade Song](https://writer.org/event/jade-song/)
**Published:** March 25, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of fiction! We’re joined by Jade Song, winner of the [McLaughlin-Esstman-Stearns First Novel Prize](https://writer.org/first-novel-prize/) for their debut, *Chlorine*. Jade is in conversation with Amy Freeman, author and Development Director at The Writer’s Center.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from Bookshop.org »](https://bookshop.org/a/22600/9780063257610)
---
**Jade Song** is a writer, art director, and artist. Their debut novel *[Chlorine](https://bookshop.org/p/books/chlorine/18898638)*[ ](https://bookshop.org/p/books/chlorine/18898638)was published by [William Morrow](https://www.harpercollins.com/products/chlorine-jade-song?variant=40567092346914) (US) and [Footnote Press](https://footnotepress.com/books/chlorine/) (UK) and will be translated into French, Chinese, Turkish, and other languages. An American Library Association Alex Award winner, *Chlorine* was selected as a *New York Times* Editor’s Choice, lauded as “visionary and disturbing,” and listed as a must read book by Buzzfeed, *Cosmopolitan*, *Vanity Fair*, and other publications.
Song was selected for the 2024 [Black List Writers Lab](https://deadline.com/2024/10/the-black-list-2024-writers-lab-1236115863/) for her adapted screenplay of *Chlorine*. Their second novel, *I Love You Don’t Die*, and debut short story collection, *Ox Ghost Snake Demon*, are forthcoming from William Morrow in early 2026 and 2027.
---
# About *Chlorine*, Winner of the McLaughlin-Esstman-Stearns First Novel Prize
**In the vein of *The Pisces* and *The Vegetarian*, *Chlorine* is a debut novel that blurs the line between a literary coming-of-age narrative and a dark unsettling horror tale, told from an adult perspective on the trials and tribulations of growing up in a society that puts pressure on young women and their bodies… a powerful, relevant novel of immigration, sapphic longing, and fierce, defiant becoming.**
Ren Yu is a swimmer. Her daily life starts and ends with the pool. Her teammates are her only friends. Her coach is her guiding light. If she swims well enough, she will be scouted, get a scholarship, go to a good school. Her parents will love her. Her coach will be kind to her. She will have a good life.
But these are human concerns. These are the concerns of those confined to land, those with legs. Ren grew up on stories of creatures of the deep, of the oceans and the rivers. Creatures that called sailors to their doom. That dragged them down and drowned them. That feasted on their flesh. The creature that she’s always longed to become: the mermaid.
Ren aches to be in the water. She dreams of the scent of chlorine, the feel of it on her skin. And she will do anything she can to make a life for herself where she can be free. No matter the pain. No matter what anyone else thinks. No matter how much blood she has to spill.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat with Author Viet Thanh Nguyen](https://writer.org/event/viet-thanh-nguyen/)
**Published:** March 18, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of writing! We’re joined by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Viet Thanh Nguyen to discuss his new book, *To Save and to Destroy: Writing as an Other*. Viet is in conversation with Zach Powers, novelist and Artistic Director at The Writer’s Center.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from Bookshop.org »](https://bookshop.org/a/22600/9780674298170)
---
**Viet Thanh Nguyen** is the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of *The Sympathizer*, *Nothing Ever Dies*, and, most recently, *To Save and to Destroy*. A recipient of the MacArthur Foundation and Guggenheim fellowships and a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Nguyen is Aerol Arnold Chair of English and Professor of American Studies and Ethnicity at the University of Southern California.
---
# About *To Save and to Destroy*
From the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of *The Sympathizer* (now an HBO series) comes a moving and unflinchingly personal meditation on the literary forms of otherness and a bold call for expansive political solidarity.
Born in war-ravaged Vietnam, Viet Nguyen arrived in the United States as a child refugee in 1975. The Nguyen family would soon move to San Jose, California, where the author grew up, attending UC Berkeley in the aftermath of the shocking murder of Vincent Chin, which shaped the political sensibilities of a new generation of Asian Americans.
The essays here, delivered originally as the prestigious Norton Lectures, proffer a new answer to a classic literary question: What does the outsider mean to literary writing? Over the course of six captivating and moving chapters, Nguyen explores the idea of being an outsider through lenses that are, by turns, literary, historical, political, and familial.
Each piece moves between writers who influenced Nguyen’s craft and weaves in the haunting story of his late mother’s mental illness. Nguyen unfolds the novels and nonfiction of Herman Melville, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ralph Ellison, William Carlos Williams, and Maxine Hong Kingston, until aesthetic theories give way to pressing concerns raised by war and politics. What is a writer’s responsibility in a time of violence? Should we celebrate fiction that gives voice to the voiceless—or do we confront the forces that render millions voiceless in the first place? What are the burdens and pleasures of the “minor” writer in any society? Unsatisfied with the modest inclusion accorded to “model minorities” such as Asian Americans, Nguyen sets the agenda for a more radical and disquieting solidarity with those whose lives have been devastated by imperialism and forever wars.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Memoirist Hannah Stowe Virtual Paperback Launch in Conversation with Sonja Swift ](https://writer.org/event/hannah-stowe/)
**Published:** February 25, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual paperback launch! We’re joined by nature writer Hannah Stowe to discuss her memoir, *Move Like Water: My Story of the Sea*, now available in paperback. Hannah is in conversation with Sonja Swift.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online »](https://tinhouse.com/book/move-like-water/?tab=id_paperback)
---
**Hannah Stowe** lives in Dresden, Germany, writing, painting, and sailing her own boat named *Larry.*
**Sonja Swift** is a writer and poet of hybrid forms. She is the author of *Echo Loba, Loba Echo: Of Wisdom, Wolves and Women* (Rocky Mountain Books, 2023).
---
# About the Book
**Winner 2024 Banff Mountain Book Award for Adventure Travel**
**“A sensuous book, more felt than described, more described than explained, more painted than penned: part memoir, part journal and. . . . part natural mystery tour.” —Carl Safina, *The New York Times Book Review***
**A book to sweep you away from the shore, into a wild world of water, whale, storm, and starlight— to experience what it’s like to sail for weeks at a time with life set to a new rhythm.**
As a young girl, Hannah Stowe was raised at the tide’s edge on the Pembrokeshire coast of Wales, falling asleep to the sweep of the lighthouse beam. Now in her midtwenties, working as a marine biologist and sailor, Stowe draws on her professional experiences sailing tens of thousands of miles in the North Sea, North Atlantic, Mediterranean, Celtic Sea, and the Caribbean to explore the human relationship with wild waters. Why is it, she asks, that she and so many others have been drawn to life at sea—and what might the water around us be able to teach us?
Braiding her powerful and deeply personal narrative and illustrations with stories of six keystone marine creatures—the fire crow, sperm whale, wandering albatross, humpback whale, shearwater, and the barnacle—Stowe invites readers to fall in love, as she has, with the sea and those that call it home, and to discover the majesty, wonder, and vulnerability of the underwater world.
For fans of Rachel Carson and Annie Dillard, *Move Like Water: My Story of the Sea* is an inspiring, heartfelt hymn to the sea, a testament to finding and following a dream, and an unforgettable introduction to a deeply gifted nature writer of a new generation.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Reading and Discussion with Poets Steven Leyva & Holly Karapetkova](https://writer.org/event/leyva-karapetkova/)
**Published:** February 20, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes poets Steven Leyva and Holly Karapetkova for a reading and discussion to celebrate their new books.
---
**Steven Leyva** was born in New Orleans, Louisiana and raised in Houston, Texas. His poems have appeared or are forthcoming in *2 Bridges Review*, *Scalawag*, *Nashville Review*, *jubilat*, *Vinyl*, *Prairie Schooner*, and *Best American Poetry 2020*. He is a Cave Canem fellow and author of the chapbook *Low Parish* and author of *The Understudy’s Handbook* which won the Jean Feldman Poetry Prize from Washington Writers Publishing House. His second book of poems, *The Opposite of Cruelty*, is forthcoming from Blair Publishing in March 2025. Steven holds an MFA from the University of Baltimore, where he is an associate professor in the Klein Family School of Communications Design.
---
A winner of the 2024 Barry Spacks Poetry Prize for *[Dear Empire](https://gunpowderpress.com/product/dear-empire-poems-by-holly-karapetkova/)*, **Holly Karapetkova** is Poet Laureate Emerita of Arlington, Virginia, and a recipient of a 2022 Academy of American Poets Laureate Fellowship for her work with young poets. Her poetry, prose, and translations have appeared widely in print and online. She is the author of two previous books of poetry, *Towline*, winner of the Vern Rutsala Poetry Prize from Cloudbank Books, and *Words We Might One Day Say*, winner of the Washington Writers’ Publishing House Prize for Poetry. She lives in Arlington, Virginia, and teaches at Marymount University.
---
# About *Dear Empire*
**[Holly Karapetkova](https://gunpowderpress.com/poets/holly-karapetkova/)’s *Dear Empire* is a winner of the Barry Spacks Poetry Prize and a winner of the William Meredith Prize for Poetry.**
“The poems of Holly Karapetkova do not ask for forgiveness. They willingly tackle issues of race and explore ideas associated with the anatomy of whiteness. Here is a collection that is personal as well as historical. Karapetkova writes with a contagious honesty. Her poems describe an American mirror we should not turn away from. Karapetkova’s biblical references are a reminder that there is always goodness at the center of her work.”
—E. Ethelbert Miller, writer and literary activist, 2024 Grammy Nominee for Spoken Word and Poetry
“In *Dear Empire*, it is history that Holly Karapetkova addresses—and would have us address. History is a cabinet in a great room filled with mirrors and relics, some made “of ivory, cow teeth, slave teeth.” It is thus the story of slavery, lynching, cyclical dispossessions. And history is the story of what happened, regardless of who was or wasn’t there, as told by those with the *power* to circulate narratives. If only we could see clear through each other, the poet writes. But as her deft and incisive poems show, history is also the story of survival, sacrifice, and devotion; of how we are always running toward that light which can’t be bought or stolen.”
—Luisa A. Igloria, author *Caulbearer* and *Maps for Migrants and Ghosts*
---
# About *The Opposite of Cruelty*
**Steven Leyva’s second collection of poetry renders beauty through a Black man’s lens in a post-pandemic world populated with superheroes and characters from ancient mythology.**
In *The Opposite of Cruelty*, Steven Leyva’s poems ask readers to see and remember beauty when the world seems to be in ruins, to notice and praise “the industrious cherry // trees budding despite a summer / full of bullets to come.” For Leyva, beauty can be found in lineage and memory, in the heroes of the comics and TV shows he watched as a boy, in taking his children to the movies to see an Afro-Latino Spider-man on the big screen, and in doing so passing down that beauty, those means of survival. In these sonnets and urban pastorals you’ll find Selena, UGK and Outkast, Storm, Static, and Batman, as well as Sisyphus, Medusa, Perseus, and Grendel. This weaving of modern culture and the ancient world calls attention to our need for stories, how heroes and villains take up residence inside us, how important it is to see one’s self represented in art and film.
This book does not look away from life’s hard and cruel moments, it simply dares to ask “What is the opposite of cruelty?” The answers: The beauty of a Black boy in his school picture, the beauty of one man’s hand touching another man’s face at the barber, the beauty of a family home or a memory of what it once was, “not a season of phantasmal peace, but what’s left / when the world’s terrors retreat.”
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Open Mic @ The Writer's Center](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-may2025b/)
**Published:** January 2, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Prose, poetry, and spoken word Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center! All writers are welcome to come and share 4-5 minutes of their latest work.
- **Sign-up starts at 6:45pm, and readings begin promptly at 7pm.**
- **Limited to 20 readers, so arrive early if you plan to read.**
Sponsored by [*Poet Lore*](poetlore.com), America’s oldest poetry magazine.
FREE and open to the public. Please note that we no longer offer advance sign-up.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Poetry Reading with Subhaga Crystal Bacon, Brandel France de Bravo & Jennifer Martelli](https://writer.org/event/bacon-france-de-bravo-martelli/)
**Published:** February 22, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes poets Subhaga Crystal Bacon, Brandel France de Bravo, and Jennifer Martelli for a reading from their latest collections.
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
**Subhaga Crystal Bacon** (they/them), is the author of four collections of poetry including the Lambda Literary finalist, *[Transitory](https://www.boaeditions.org/products/transitory?srsltid=AfmBOoq4bxYm0NPAXyB9SmZ4JNCSga5GEuuhBJ0XXj1BS-xwJXLnjtgS)*, 2023, winner of the BOA Editions, Ltd. Isabella Gardner Award for Poetry; *Surrender of Water in Hidden Places*, winner of the Red Flag Poetry Chapbook Prize, 2023, released in an expanded second edition in the summer of 2024. A Pushcart and Best of the Net nominee, Subhaga is a teaching artist working in schools and libraries with youth and adults, as well as private students. Their work appears in a variety of print and online journals including *The Diode Poetry Journal,* *The* *Bellevue Literary Review*, *Nixes Mate, One Art, Indianapolis Review*, *Smartish Pace,* and others. A Queer elder, they live in rural north central Washington on unceded Methow land. You can read more about her and her work at [www.subhagacrystalbacon.com](http://www.subhagacrystalbacon.com/)
**Brandel France de Bravo**’s third collection of poems, *[Locomotive Cathedral](https://www.nebraskapress.unl.edu/the-backwaters-press/9781496240088/locomotive-cathedral/)*[,](https://www.nebraskapress.unl.edu/the-backwaters-press/9781496240088/locomotive-cathedral/) was chosen in the Backwaters Press contest for publication by the University of Nebraska Press in March 2025. Her poems have recently appeared in *Best American Poetry 2024, 32 Poems, Barrow Street, Conduit, Salamander, Southern Humanities Review* and elsewhere. She has received fellowships from the DC Commission for the Arts, the Hermitage Artist Retreat and the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts. Brandel is from Washington, D.C., and teaches a meditation program developed at Stanford University called Compassion Cultivation Training.© You can read more about her and her work at [www.brandelfrancedebravo.com](http://www.brandelfrancedebravo.com/)
**Jennifer Martelli** has received fellowships from The Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, Monson Arts, and the Massachusetts Cultural Council. Her work has appeared in The Academy of American Poets *Poem-A-Day*, *Poetry*, *Best of the Net* *Anthology, Braving the Body Anthology, Verse Daily, Plume, The Tahoma Literary Review,* and elsewhere. She is the author of *[Psychic Party Under the Bottle Tree](https://lilypoetryreview.blog/lily-poetry-review-press/psychic-party-under-the-bottle-tree/)*, *The Queen of Queens*, which won the Italian American Studies Association Book Award and was shortlisted for the Massachusetts Book Award, and *My Tarantella*, which was also shortlisted for the Massachusetts Book Award and named finalist for the Housatonic Book Award. Jennifer Martelli is co-poetry editor for *MER*. You can read more about her and her work at [www.jennmartelli.com](http://www.jennmartelli.com/).
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat on Flash Fiction with Avitus B. Carle](https://writer.org/event/avitus-b-carle/)
**Published:** November 18, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of flash fiction! We’re joined by Avitus B. Carle to discuss her debut collection, *These Worn Bodies*. Avitus is in conversation with Hannah Grieco, author and TWC instructor.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from the publisher »](https://www.uapress.com/product/these-worn-bodies/)
---
**Avitus B(uckhaulter) Carle**’s short fiction and nonfiction have appeared or are forthcoming in *The Commuter (Electric Lit.)*, *The Rumpus*, *Waxwing*, *JMWW*, and *Shondaland*, among others. Her work was selected for 2023 *Wigleaf Top 50*, 2024 and 2022 *Best Small Fictions* anthology, 2022 *Best of the Net* anthology and nominated for the *Pushcart Prize*, *O. Henry Prize*, and the *Best Microfictions* anthology. Avitus received an MA from West Chester University and MFA from the Naslund-Mann School of Creative Writing. She lives outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where she writes when not observing the lives of groundhogs, deer, foxes, and birds. *These Worn Bodies* is her first collection of flash fiction.
**Hannah Grieco** is a writer, editor, and teacher in Washington, DC. Her work can be found in a variety of literary and freelance publications, including *The Washington Post*, *Al Jazeera*, *Brevity*, *Craft*, *Shenandoah*, *The Rumpus*, *Passages North*, *Fairy Tale Review*, and more. Her writing has been nominated for The Pushcart Prize, Best of the Net, Best Small Fictions, and Best Microfiction, and has been selected for the Wigleaf Top 50. She teaches writing at Marymount University and The Writer’s Center, and is the editor of the anthologies *Already Gone* (Alan Squire Publishing, 2023) and *And If That Mockingbird Don’t Sing: Parenting Stories Gone Speculative* (Alternating Current Press, 2022). Find her online at [hgrieco.com](http://www.hgrieco.com/) and on Bsky/IG @writesloud.
---
# About the Book
In this richly imagined and unconventionally told debut collection, Avitus B. Carle turns tradition on its head, discarding and reframing antiquated portraits of women and girls as damsels, princesses, and homemakers relegated to lives of cleaning and baking and waiting in towers to be rescued or to receive a truly forced first kiss. Instead, Carle’s characters face the world head-on in unique, bold, and unexpected ways.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Poet Michele Evans Reading, Discussion & Open Mic](https://writer.org/event/michele-evans/)
**Published:** February 27, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Join Michele Evans for a reading and discussion of *purl*, her debut poetry collection from Finishing Line Press. Afterwards, Michele will host an open mic.
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
**Michele Evans**, a fifth-generation Washingtonian (D.C.), is a writer, teacher, and adviser for *Unbound*, an award-winning Northern Virginia high school literary magazine. This Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net nominee studied at Smith College, King’s College London, and the Graduate School at the University of Maryland. Her poems have appeared in *Artemis Journal*, *The ASP Bulletin, Maryland Literary Review, Mid-Atlantic Review, Spoken Black Girl Magazine, Welter Magazine, Yellow Arrow Journal, Zora’s Den,* and elsewhere. This Watering Hole fellow and Teacher Consultant for the Northern Vriginia Writing Project lives online at [www.awordsmithie.com](http://www.awordsmithie.com/). *purl*, nominated for the 2025 Maya Angelou Book Award, is her first full-length poetry collection.
---
# About the Book
Using a mixture of poetic forms varying in subject, shape, style, and size, *purl* reimagines timeless myths from Homer’s *Odyssey*. Stitched from classical translations, this poignant collection from Michele Evans resurrects feminine forces from ancient Greek mythology and relocates them in modern portraits and landscapes, pastoral and urban. Invoking Phillis Wheatley Peters as her muse, Evans amplifies a chorus of the marginalized: queens and maidens, mothers and daughters, wives and mistresses, goddesses and slaves, “muffled voices rarely heard.”
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat with Novelist Varun Gauri](https://writer.org/event/varun-gauri/)
**Published:** April 4, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of fiction! We’re joined by Varun Gauri to discuss his debut novel, *For the Blessings of Jupiter and Venus*. Varun is in conversation with Zach Powers, novelist and Artistic Director at The Writer’s Center.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from Bookshop.org »](https://bookshop.org/a/22600/9781941551424)
---
**Varun Gauri** was born in India and raised in the American Midwest. After studying philosophy in college and public policy in graduate school, he worked for more than two decades on global poverty and human rights, publishing academic articles and books on development economics and behavioral economics. He now teaches at Princeton University and lives with his family in Bethesda, Maryland. His short fiction was nominated for a Pushcart Prize and recognized in Best American Nonrequired Reading. He was a Summer Writer-in-Residence at Washington, DC’s The Inner Loop. *For the Blessings of Jupiter and Venus* is his first novel.
---
# About the Book
Disillusioned with modern romance, globe-trotting Meena tries an arranged marriage with Avi, an aspiring politician in Ohio. But when Avi’s political opponent launches racist attacks, Meena and Avi are forced to defend their immigrant community, which narrowly understands its own traditions, and protect their increasingly shaky relationship. This is an intimate, funny, and heartbreaking novel about small-town America and the politics of marriage.
“This debut novel looks at a contemporary couple of Indian background who opt for an arranged marriage. Meena and Avi go in with eyes open and settle in small town Ohio with the intention of making their relationship work. Varun Gauri narrates the story from both points of view with compassion and skill. Despite shared values and caring natures, the couple must navigate the stranglehold of family as well as familial judgment. Plenty of other misunderstandings and conflicts crop up to challenge their decision to marry. Gauri proves himself to be a wonderful storyteller.” –Martha Toll, NPR 2024 Books We Love Selection
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
**Enjoying our free events? [Help us offer more programs to support writers with a $10 donation »](https://writer.org/donate-today/)**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Poetry Demystified](https://writer.org/event/poetry-demystified/)
**Published:** April 16, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Wield the tools of poetry with confidence!
Poety’s magic is for everyone. Join this workshop that uses plain language to explain the tools of writing poetry. By considering the fundamentals that contemporary poetry values, writers can approach any genre of writing with a more lyrical command of language. Participants will leave with the seeds of a few new poems and a more confident understanding of 21st century poems.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- The Fundamentals of Poetry
- Poetic Image
- The Sonic Qualities of Poems
- Originality in Verse
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for writers of any genre interested in understanding the fundamentals of contemporary poetry.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Beginner Level, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Memoir Year w/ Edgar Gomez](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year-edgar-gomez/)
**Published:** May 5, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
# Write your memoir with award-winning author Edgar Gomez!
In this intensive, you will learn about the art of creative nonfiction and be given the tools to ready your memoir or memoir-in-essays for publication.
---
# Format
We will begin our time together with discussions about essential craft elements, such as structure, voice, audience, setting, characterization, navigating time, and weaving in research. We’ll have lively conversations about ethics, including approaches to writing about people you love (and don’t love…) and what responsibilities we have to our readers.
Then, we will workshop your stories, spending time considering your larger projects as well as your specific goals as a writer. I will give you concrete, actionable feedback to guide your future revisions and help you to create a sustainable writing practice for yourself.
I believe learning about the business side of publishing is important, so along the way, I will invite guests in the field, from award-winning writers and editors, who can offer you advice based on their own experiences in publishing. I will also address any questions you have about writing book proposals, querying agents, and pitching your stories to magazines, using real examples from book proposals and pitches that have led to deals.
By the end of this intensive, you will leave with stories workshopped multiple times, a growing community of writers, and an understanding of what next steps to take to get your memoir out in the world.
---
# Watch the Virtual Info Session recording
Meet Edgar and have your questions about the program answered!
---
# Schedule
Generally this class will meet twice per month, from June 3, 2025 – March 24, 2026, although there may be one or two breaks for students to focus on writing. Workshops will be held via Zoom, with additional opportunities to meet 1:1 with Edgar upon request. Outside of class, students will generate new writing and read and respond to their peers’ work. All students will have the option to schedule an individual follow-up with Edgar during the first quarter of 2026.
---
# Testimonials from Past Students
“I really wasn’t sure of myself walking into the class. But Edgar’s encouragement really gave me the go-ahead to just get my ideas out on the page, in all their candid messiness, in a way that I haven’t been able to accomplish otherwise…. I’m so excited to keep returning to the tools I picked up in class—I already know they’re gonna stick around for the long-haul!” —Patrick Mullen-Coyoy, poet and former student
“Taking a memoir class with Edgar was truly transformative for me. Their class was my first time taking my nonfiction writing seriously, and I credit his teaching as giving me both the confidence and the skills to turn the essay I worked on with my cohort into an entire book of personal essays…. And even years later, Edgar has continued to offer me guidance, mentorship, and support. I would highly recommend Edgar to anyone–they are a rare combination of deep expertise and boundless generosity. I wouldn’t be the writer I am today without this class and his guidance.” —Chaelee Dalton, author of *Mother Tongue*
---
# To Apply
**Deadline: May 23,2025**
Submit a writing sample of 10-20 pages (double-spaced, Times New Roman font) and 1-2 paragraphs detailing your writing goals, intentions, and questions. You may also choose to include a one-page résumé or CV if you have one. Send your submission to <laura.spencer@writer.org> by May 23.
**Acceptance into the workshop is required before registering.**
**Event Categories:** 21 Sessions, Master Level, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Fabulous First Pages](https://writer.org/event/fabulous-first-pages-2/)
**Published:** April 16, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Learn how to write the first pages of your novel or memoir in a way that will immediately capture reader, agent, and editor attention.
These days, readers and agents often won’t read past a book’s first page if it’s not grabbing their attention. This means your first page is probably the most important page of your entire manuscript — no pressure or anything! In this workshop, you’ll learn the things a first page should do to get and keep reader attention. We’ll study examples from recent bestselling and award-winning novels in various genres, breaking down how and why these first pages work so well. In addition we’ll do writing exercises and give constructive feedback on student first pages. By the end of the workshop, you will have the tools to write fabulous first pages and feel confident that your manuscript is starting in the right place, and in the right way. Students should have at least a first chapter (if not more) of a novel/memoir and be prepared to share the first few pages for critique. No meeting: July 5.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Why first pages are so important.
- The basic elements of a strong first page, based on the type of book you’re writing.
- How to tell if your book is starting in the right place.
- Examples and additional resources to help you write fabulous first pages.
# Time requirements
- In preparation for Classes 2-4, you will need to read student work and prepare feedback for each submission. ~1-2 hours/week.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for intermediate and advanced writers working on a novel/memoir they hope to one day publish, either traditionally or through self or hybrid publishing.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, Fiction, Intermediate/Advanced Level, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Writerly Happy Hour](https://writer.org/event/writerly-happy-hour-3/)
**Published:** May 6, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Join us for cocktails at No Kisses Bar to mingle with friends of The Inner Loop, The Writer’s Center, DC Writers Room and PEN/Faulkner!
# [**Register here »**](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/writerly-happy-hour-tickets-1345637721649?aff=oddtdtcreator)
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Memoirist Katie Goh Virtual Book Launch in Conversation w/ Shze-Hui Tjoa](https://writer.org/event/katie-goh/)
**Published:** March 24, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual book launch! We’re joined by author Katie Goh to discuss her debut memoir, *Foreign Fruit: A Personal History of the Orange*. Katie is in conversation with memoirist Shze-Hui Tjoa.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online »](https://tinhouse.com/book/foreign-fruit/)
---
**Katie Goh** is a writer, editor and author from the north of Ireland, currently living in Edinburgh. Her award-nominated essays, journalism and criticism have appeared in publications including *Port*, *the Guardian*, *Gutter*, *Wasafiri*, *i-D*, *Dazed* and *gal-dem*. *Foreign Fruit: A Personal History of the Orange* (Tin House) is her first full-length book.
**Shze-Hui Tjoa** is the author of the memoir *The Story Game* (Tin House), named a best nonfiction book of 2024 by Electric Lit and Paste Magazine. She is a nonfiction editor at Guernica and Adi magazines, and her latest author interviews can be found in BOMB, Lit Hub, Electric Literature, Between the Covers podcast, and elsewhere. She is currently working on a new hybrid memoir about touch, music, and motherhood.
---
# About the Book
**What stories could I unravel from the orange’s long ribboning peel? What new meanings could I find in its variousness, as it moves from east to west and from familiar to foreign?**
What begins as a curiosity into the origins of the orange soon becomes a far-reaching odyssey of citrus for Katie Goh. Katie follows the complicated history of the orange from east-to-west and west-to-east, from a luxury item of European kings and Chinese emperors, to a modest fruit people take for granted. This investigation parallels Katie’s powerful search into her own heritage. Growing up queer in a Chinese-Malaysian-Irish household in the north of Ireland, Katie felt herself at odds with the culture and politics around her. As a teenager, Katie visits her ancestral home in Longyan, China, with her family to better understand her roots, but doesn’t find the easy, digestible answers she hoped for.
In her mid-twenties, when her grandmother falls ill, she ventures again to the land of her ancestors, Malaysia, where more questions of self and belonging are raised. In her travels and reflections, she navigates histories that she wants to understand, but has never truly felt a part of. Like the story of the orange, Katie finds that simple and extractable explanations—even about a seemingly simple fruit—are impossible. The story that unfolds is Katie’s incredible endeavor to flesh out these contradictions, to unpeel the layers of personhood; a reflection on identity through the cipher of the orange. Along the way, the orange becomes so much more than just a fruit—it emerges as a symbol, a metaphor, and a guide. *Foreign Fruit: A Personal History of the Orange* is a searching, wide-ranging, seamless weaving of storytelling with research and a meditative, deeply moving encounter with the orange and the self.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Writing Compelling Historical Fiction](https://writer.org/event/writing-compelling-historical-fiction-4/)
**Published:** April 12, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
# Make your book come alive!
The D.C. area is rich with history, and the resources to explore it. This four-week virtual course will be a collaborative workshop that will teach participants a variety of techniques to find what they’re looking for and work it into a gripping and informative novel. At the final session, participants will share their ideas and suggestions about how to research and write each other’s work. Note: No meeting on May 24.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn to:
- find archived resources
- cultivate relationships with both the people charged with maintaining those resources and those with a connection to the historical event involved
- use a broad array of information to capture the feel of life at the time of the events
- employ other useful investigative and literary techniques to bring your particular piece of work to life
# Time requirements
- All of the required work can be done in three hours online each week. Students can augment their research by in-person visits to major D.C. research centers such as the Library of Congress and the National Archives.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed to be of greatest use to writers who have a good idea about a story rooted in history and who want to use authentic moments and characters to keep readers turning their pages.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
Add to calendar
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, All Levels, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Caregiving & Parenting Through a Literary Lens](https://writer.org/event/caregiving-literary-lens/)
**Published:** February 25, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE symposium addressing the subject of caregiving (including parenting, eldercare, and other ways we give care to the world) in literature and popular culture, offering **a short film screening, free creative writing workshops, and a panel discussion**. Featured writers include Hannah Grieco, Steve Majors, Seema Reza, and John Vercher. The symposium concludes with a reception for all attendees.
**All events are FREE and open to the public. Limited space, registration required. The workshops are simultaneous, so please only sign up for ONE. Scroll down to register!**
---
# Check In \| 1:00pm
# Film Screening of *We Carry On* \| 1:10pm
In July 2022, Wounded Warrior Project and Community Building Art Works brought together 12 caregivers of severely wounded veterans through a six-week virtual poetry workshop that culminated in an on-stage performance in Washington, D.C. We Carry On follows the caregivers as they prepare to take the stage, perform their collaborative poem, and reflect on the shared experience. Directed by Sareen Hairabedian.
---
# **Workshops \| 1:30-3:00pm**
***Please register for ONE workshop** using the form below. Workshop registration includes admission to the panel discussion and reception.*
- **Expressive Writing for Caregivers: How storytelling helps us navigate complicated experiences \| Workshop Leader: Hannah Grieco** Many caregivers experience PTSD and/or mental and physical symptoms related to the act of caring for others. One of the most effective ways to work through complicated caregiving experiences is the act of expressive writing. In this short workshop, we’ll discuss why we write about these experiences and the many ways it helps us, the people we love, and the larger world. We’ll briefly explore the research behind expressive writing and PTSD, and then move into short readings and generative exercises. Participants will leave with a strong beginning of a personal essay or poem, as well as a clear understanding of the next steps toward publication.
- **Giving Care \| Workshop Leader: Steve Majors**
Caregiving in your writing also means giving care to those you write about. In this workshop, we’ll explore ways writers can protect the identities, reputations, and feelings of those they write about in nonfiction.
- **This is a Love Story \| Workshop Leader: Seema Reza** This generative workshop, led by author Seema Reza, will invite participants to write a version of their story of caregiving that uses the classic love story plot points as a framework. Writers will be encouraged to use hybrid forms and experiments to discover new elements of familiar stories.
- **Imagined Resolutions Through Autofiction \| Workshop Leader: John Vercher**
Ever have a situation—particularly one with family—that felt unfinished? Can you recall a time when a conversation or an event with a loved one hadn’t gone the way you’d planned, the way you wanted or maybe not the way the other side planned or wanted? What if you could do it over? Do it differently? In this generative workshop, I’ll share a reading from my own work where I did just that. We’ll discuss how writing through these situations via the lens of fiction can be powerful and transformative. Then you’ll work to write your own reimagined scenes.
***Please register for ONE workshop** using the form below. Workshop registration includes admission to the panel discussion and reception.*
---
# **Panel Discussion \| 3:15-4:15pm**
*To attend the panel and reception, please register for one of the workshops, or you can choose the panel-only option below.*
- Our workshop leaders will be joined by author Melissa Scholes Young for a discussion on how the literary community addresses caregiving in all its forms. Reception to follow.
---
# **Workshop Leaders/Panelists**
**Hannah Grieco** is the author of *First Kicking, Then Not*, forthcoming from Stanchion in August of 2025. She writes a literary column for *Washington City Paper*, edits prose at a variety of small presses and literary journals, and teaches literature at Marymount University. She also works 1:1 with writers as an editor and book coach, helping with manuscript development, agent and publishing house searches, essay and short story placement, and more. Read her work in *The Washington Post*, *The Independent*, *Al Jazeera*, *Huffington Post*, *Brevity*, *Craft Literary*, *Poet Lore*, *Shenandoah*, *Fairy Tale Review*, and more. Find her online at [hgrieco.com](http://hgrieco.com) and on most social media @writesloud.
**Steve Majors** is the author of *High Yella: A Modern Family Memoir* and the forthcoming graphic novel, *Light Bright*. Steve’s writing explores issues of race, class, culture and identity and his personal essays have been published in national outlets including the *New York Times*, *Washington Post*, *Boston Globe*, CNN.com and NBC Think. Steve’s writing skills were honed as a journalist. For many decades he worked as a TV producer, first in major TV markets across the country, and then in New York where he held successive leadership positions at CNBC, MSNBC and NBC’s Weekend TODAY show. Most recently, he’s led marketing and communications for national nonprofits. He is currently chief of external affairs at Teach For America. He’s a vocal advocate on behalf of youth issues and in that capacity has been interviewed by the *Washington Post* and appeared on NPR, MSNBC and NBC/Current.
**Seema Reza** is a writer and performer and the author of When the World Breaks Open and A Constellation of Half-Lives. Based in Maryland, she is the CEO and founder of Community Building Art Works, an organization that encourages the use of the arts as a tool for narration, self-care and socialization among a military population struggling with emotional and physical injuries. Her writing has been widely anthologized and has appeared in the Washington Post, McSweeney’s, The LA Review, and LitHub among others.
**John Vercher** lives in the Philadelphia region with his wife and two sons. He has a Bachelor’s in English from the University of Pittsburgh and an MFA in Creative Writing from the Mountainview Master of Fine Arts program. John serves as an Assistant Teaching Professor in the Department of English & Philosophy at Drexel University and was the inaugural Wilma Dykeman writer-in-residence at the University of North Carolina, Asheville. His latest novel, *Devil Is Fine*, has received starred reviews from Booklist and BookPage, was named one of the 100 Must-Read Books of 2024 by *TIME Magazine*, a Best Novel of 2024 by *Electric Lit*, *Jezebel*, and The Chicago Public Library, a finalist for the Audie audiobooks award in literary fiction, and was longlisted for the 2025 Aspen Words Literary Prize and The PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction.
**Melissa Scholes Young** is the author of the award-winning novels *Flood* and *The Hive.* She received the Shelf Unbound Best Book Award in 2017 and 2021 and the Next Generation Indie Book Award in 2023. She’s published two chapbooks, *Scrap Metal Baby* and *Guinea Pig*. She serves as Editor of *Grace in Darkness,* *Furious Gravity,* *Grace in Love*, and *Grit & Gravity*, anthologies by DC women writers. Her essays have appeared in the *Atlantic, Ms., Washington Post, Poets & Writers, Literary Hub,* and *Believer Magazine*. A first generation college student from Hannibal, Missouri, she is Professor in the Literature Department of American University and in the MFA in Creative Writing at the University of Kentucky.
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
# *Please register for ONE workshop using the form below. Workshop registration includes admission to the panel discussion and reception.*
***If a workshop is full, you can join the waitlist by sending an email to zach.powers@writer.org specifying the workshop you’re interested in attending.***
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Novel Year w/ Julia Phillips](https://writer.org/event/novel-year-julia-phillips/)
**Published:** April 4, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
# Write your novel with bestselling author Julia Phillips!
This 10-month intensive class is open to writers working on a book-length work of fiction. It focuses on creating a propulsive story that is truly satisfying for the reader. Together, we’ll explore the different aspects of craft that help make a thrilling, fulfilling novel, including stakes, characterization, voice, and structure. By studying narratives both in and out of our workshop time, we’ll work to figure out how fiction functions. Our goal as a class will be for you to gain clarity on your own story as well as storytelling as a whole.
**APPLICATION DEADLINE: May 2, 2025**
---
# Virtual Info Session
Meet Julia Phillips, instructor for our Novel Year workshop, and have all your questions about the program answered! Recording now available!
---
# Format
Class meetings will consist of brief lectures focusing on different craft elements, group discussions on those aspects of craft, writing exercises, and workshops. You will workshop your work three times during the year for a total of up to 75 pages. After each of those times, you can choose to have a 30-minute one-on-one call with Julia for further discussion. The last two class meetings will be dedicated to workshopping student query letters or one-page book outlines, giving us the opportunity to prepare together for future writing, revising, or seeking publication.
You will read and prepare written comments on up to 50 pages of your peers’ work for each class meeting. You may also read a short story, novel excerpt, or excerpt of a craft book (no more than 50 pages and provided by Julia) to prepare for class discussion. As the class continues, we’ll cover writing, outlining, revising, and seeking publication, with the aim of supporting your process in creating your book and sharing it with the world. And we’ll build community with each other so that support might continue far past the class’s end date.
---
# Schedule
This class will meet over Zoom every other Wednesday, May 14, 2025 – February 25, 2026, for a total of twenty sessions, with breaks for holidays and independent work. Between Zoom meetings, you can expect readings and assignments.
---
# Applications
To be admitted into the program, please submit:
- A 10- to 20-page writing sample from your book in progress
- A brief cover letter explaining why you want to take this class, what your book in progress is about, and where you’re at in your project (e.g., in the middle of writing a first draft, on your fifth round of revisions, doing a final polish before querying)
Admissions will be on a rolling basis, and the number of participants will be limited to 12, so please submit early. **Send your submission to laura.spencer@writer.org by May 2**.
---
***Acceptance to the program is required before registering.***
**Event Categories:** 21 Sessions, Advanced Level, Fiction, Master Level, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Virtual Info Session for Novel Year w/ Julia Phillips](https://writer.org/event/virtual-info-session-for-novel-year-w-julia-phillips/)
**Published:** April 8, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
**Meet Julia Phillips, instructor for our Novel Year 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** to receive login information. Info session free and open to all interested writers.
---
# About the Program
**Application Deadline: May 2, 2025**
**Workshop Dates: May 14, 2025 – February 25, 2026**
**Cost: $5,400 \| Members $5,300**
Write your novel with bestselling author Julia Phillips! This 10-month intensive class is open to writers working on a book-length work of fiction. It focuses on creating a propulsive story that is truly satisfying for the reader. Together, we’ll explore the different aspects of craft that help make a thrilling, fulfilling novel, including stakes, characterization, voice, and structure. By studying narratives both in and out of our workshop time, we’ll work to figure out how fiction functions. Our goal as a class will be for you to gain clarity on your own story as well as storytelling as a whole.
# [**Find the full details and apply here »**](https://writer.org/event/novel-year-julia-phillips/)
**Event Categories:** Workshop
---
### [Micro Memoir How-to](https://writer.org/event/micro-memoir-how-to/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Write your life story as you lived it, one experience at a time. This interactive workshop teaches writers to distill a moment of change, conflict, contradiction, or mystery to its essence, so that the impact on the writer resonates profoundly with the reader. We will examine inspiring published examples to learn exactly how the writer moved and entertained us. Using the same tools with which we craft fiction, this workshop is an excellent learning environment for both genres. We'll conclude with a review of where to publish.
**Content:**
# Learn how to make your life story compelling to others by turning memories into moments that both move and entertain.
Write your life story as you lived it, one experience at a time. This interactive workshop teaches writers to distill a moment of change, conflict, contradiction, or mystery to its essence, so that the impact on the writer resonates profoundly with the reader. We will examine inspiring published examples to learn exactly how the writer moved and entertained us. Using the same tools with which we craft fiction, this workshop is an excellent learning environment for both genres. We’ll conclude with a review of where to publish.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How to find the metaphor in virtually every experience so the personal becomes universal
- How to write short but resonate anecdotes
- The disproportionate power of the very small to impact readers
- Economy of language
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers who love personal essays, would like to write memoir, and are ready to explore new ways of telling their stories.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Sonnet Crash Course](https://writer.org/event/sonnet-crash-course-2025/)
**Published:** April 16, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# What is special about the sonnet?
Guided by an award-winning and internationally published author of sonnets, villanelles, and other metrical poems, you’ll first read time-honored sonnets to see how and why they work. Next the class will write a group sonnet, and then — with or without shortcuts — you’ll start one of your own. You’ll leave with at least one new (draft) or improved sonnet, as well as insights about how writing poems in form can unlock deeper meaning and enhance everything you write.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Shakespearean and Petrarcan sonnets
- Iambic pentameter
- The Volta
- Can any 14-line poem (or any poem at all) be a sonnet?
- Feedback on participant poems
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for poets who would like to improve their sonnet skills, or write their first sonnet.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Intermediate/Advanced Level, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Write Like the News](https://writer.org/event/write-like-the-news-2025/)
**Published:** April 16, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Become concise as news, precise as law.
Lead with the future — not background — for lead-ership, especially in a crisis. That’s the most important of eight journalism skills that will transform your writing. The others: write your readers’ language, be positive (to be both clear and upbeat), lay out logically, be consistent, be precise, be concise and choose strong verbs. (Plus a Speak Like the News skill: avoid “uptalk?”) Emulate the vivid news examples you’ll see in this workshop, and you’ll strengthen your writing voice with lively, engaging news style. At 7 sharp, we’ll critique TheWallStreetJournal.com, seeing how to communicate your main point in just a few words. To cover as much ground as possible, we’ll have just a few writing exercises and most of them will take less than a minute each.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- “Lead with the future — not background” for lead-ership, especially in a crisis.
- Choose between raw numbers and a ratio.
- “Equal writes”: choose an egalitarian, engaging, non-clunky alternative to generic “he.”
- Break bad news the good way — and keep your readers reading.
- Plus a “Speak Like the News” skill: avoid “uptalk?””
# Time requirements
- ~30 minutes of reading before the class.
# Materials
- The Writer’s Center will email you a 9-page booklet a few days ahead of time.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Writers (business writers especially) who’d like to learn by emulating or improving excerpts from diverse sources — here news of course, but also the Supreme Court, Charles Dickens and the Ronettes.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Professional Writing, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Natural Meter Crash Course](https://writer.org/event/natural-meter-crash-course-2025/)
**Published:** April 16, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Strengthen your poetry by understanding how meter interacts with the natural rhythms of speech
Have you ever wondered how scanning the lines of your first draft can make for a better poem? Here’s an opportunity to improve your ear for meter—a major element of poetic prosody—and to fine-tune your understanding of how it works. Guided by an internationally published author of sonnets, villanelles, and other metrical poems, this one-day workshop includes scansion of well-known poems, writing exercises, and, if you like, close examination of a poem you’ve drafted prior to class. You’ll leave with new insights about improving the auditory qualities of all your poems and prose.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Scansion
- Prosody
- Ear training
- Metrical exercises
- Feedback on participant poems
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for all poets who would like to improve their understanding and use of meter.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Intermediate/Advanced Level, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Writing Pop Culture Poems](https://writer.org/event/writing-pop-culture-poems/)
**Published:** April 16, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Explore the ways pop culture — movies, music, food, and famous people — inspire new poems.
How can pop culture provide new and inventive ways to write poems, present complex truths, and provide an avenue into our deepest emotions? In this generative workshop, poet Courtney LeBlanc will provide examples that effectively, and creatively, weave pop culture into their poems. How does Nirvana or Taylor Swift inspire you? How does your favorite horror movie reflect your own truth or trauma? We’ll read poems together, discuss them, and the instructor will provide prompts to write your own pop culture-inspired poems. Students can expect to write 2-4 new drafts of poems.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Playful language
- A fun and creative way to write poems
- A creative way to tackle hard topics
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for all level of poets and is intended to provide inspiration for new poems.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Writing Characters that Stick](https://writer.org/event/writing-characters-that-stick/)
**Published:** April 16, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Explore and practice the art of writing memorable characters.
Whether you’re in the midst of your manuscript or just starting out, in this workshop you will develop your main (or a secondary) character through writing about them. We will start with exercises designed to ground your understanding of the character you choose. We will then read a well-regarded short story and participate in a guided discussion of the fundamentals of character-development craft at work in that story and in general. In the second half of the workshop, we will take inspiration from the readings and write, responding to prompts designed to help us explore our character’s desires and motivations. If time and interest exist, we will share and discuss some of the newly-generated work, but the main goal of this course is to make new work that will deepen your connection to and writing about your characters. Each writer can expect to leave this course with new work and a new or enhanced awareness of essential craft elements of character development that they can use in their current and future works-in-progress.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Fine points of character development
- How to develop complex characters
- How to communicate your character’s characteristics, needs, and desires on to the page
# Time requirements
- Two short stories will be provided beforehand for discussion in the workshop.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for beginning fiction writers looking to learn the basics of character development and intermediate writers looking to solidify this aspect of their craft.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Juggling POV (Perspective)](https://writer.org/event/juggling-pov-perspective/)
**Published:** April 16, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Control perspective in your stories and avoid one of the most common reasons for rejection.
Perhaps the most challenging fiction technique is Perspective. The Point of View plan that you choose for your story will often dictate its success. Learn to develop an effective and consistent POV that will enable readers to follow a story’s progress and avoid confusing “head hopping.” Give your fiction a professional edge and increase your publication chances.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Understand POV
- Learn Options for Perspective
- Discover Your Best POV Plan
- Add Narrative Controls
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Any fiction, memoir, or creative-nonfiction author.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Point of View and Narrative Voice](https://writer.org/event/point-of-view-and-narrative-voice-4/)
**Published:** April 16, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Find Your Narrator’s Voice.
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.
---
***Learn at your own pace:** This workshop will take place over **Wet Ink**, which is an asynchronous creative writing platform. The instructor will post a lesson and assignment at the beginning of each week, and participants can log in and read the lessons/post assignments/comment on other classmates’ work at their convenience. Shortly before the start date, participants will receive an invite from Wet Ink to create their login info and access the class. Please check your spam if you don’t see it.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Learn the various point of view options.
- Examine their associated benefits and limitations.
- Experiment with these options in your own work.
- Learn the “rules” of point of view.
# Time requirements
- 3-5 hours/week
# Materials
- *Point of View: How to use the different POV types, avoid head-hopping, and choose the best point of view for your book* (Writers’ Guide Series) by Sandra Gerth
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is aimed at those seeking the demystification of the concept of point of view in fiction writing.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, All Levels, Fiction, Wet Ink, Workshop
---
### [Writing as a Restorative Practice](https://writer.org/event/writing-as-a-restorative-practice/)
**Published:** April 16, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Learn how to navigate all phases of the creative process without giving up or burning out.
As writers, it’s vital that we nurture our creativity through self-care so we can work with our natural rhythms and not against them. In this class, you will work through exercises that identify limiting beliefs, clarify needs and motivations, and rejuvenate creative energy. This workshop is ideal for writers of all levels struggling with time management, critical self-talk, burnout, creative blocks, perfectionism, and procrastination. We will explore where our creative blocks come from and how to work through them so they don’t stop our progress. Whether you have been writing for years or are just starting or returning to the practice, you will come away with techniques and strategies that support you in building a restorative writing practice that brings your creative callings to life in a sustainable way.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Mindset shifts for unraveling creative blocks
- Time-management strategies
- The four-step creative process and patterns of behavior that support it
- Self-discovery as an idea generation technique”
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers of all levels and genres who want to pursue their creative callings at a pace that works for their temperament and lifestyle.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [The Nature of Poetry](https://writer.org/event/the-nature-of-poetry/)
**Published:** April 16, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Dive into poetry inspired by nature!
In this 2-hour workshop we’ll read and discuss nature inspired poems, but not the usual ones you might be expecting, these are nature poems that write about or are inspired by nature in a unique and different way. Participants can expect to come away with 1-3 new poems.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- A creative way to look at nature
- Playful language
- A new source of inspiration
- A fun way to write poems
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for all levels of writers who are looking to introduce new inspiration into their writing.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Poetry, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Creating Backstory & Flashback Scenes](https://writer.org/event/creating-backstory-flashback-scenes/)
**Published:** April 16, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Add to your fiction-skill toolbox by learning how to create scenes from multiple time frames.
Every character has a hidden history from before your story starts. Learn how to masterfully weave in details and experiences that enrich your characters and create believable motivation. Novelists, short story authors, and creative nonfiction writers will all benefit from these twin skills. You’ll see your writing grow in sophistication and depth.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Time Skips
- Flashbacks
- Character Motivation
- Advancing the Plot
- Hidden Pitfalls
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Authors interested in enriching their fiction and learning more advanced techniques.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Fiction, Intermediate/Advanced Level, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Micro Writing About Love](https://writer.org/event/micro-writing-about-love/)
**Published:** April 16, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Write 3 micro stories about love!
Write micros (fiction or creative nonfiction) about love lost or found based on prompts that challenge the romantic ideal. Writers should expect to have 2-3 works of 250 words or less developed by the end of the workshop
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Structure
- Character Development
- Concrete Detail
- Creating layered, lyrical, tightly written stories of 250 words or less
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Writers looking to explore writing short.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Publishing Your Book for Children](https://writer.org/event/publishing-your-book-for-children-3/)
**Published:** April 16, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# The insider tips you’ll need to write a marketable first book and get it into the hands of exactly the right gatekeepers in the publishing world!
Having a children’s book published in today’s tough market may seem like an impossible dream. But, in reality, getting your book idea into shape and into print can hinge on just the right advice from a pro. Do you need an agent? Should you connect with an artist? What about self-publishing? In a DC-area exclusive one-session workshop, nationally-known author Peter Mandel will pass on the insider’s tips writers need to know in order to create a marketable first book and get it into the hands of exactly the right gatekeepers in the publishing world.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How to turn your book idea into a marketable manuscript
- How to get your book seen by the right agents and publishers
- How to work with illustrators and editors
- How to self-publish a children’s book
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed to accommodate all levels.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Kid Lit, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Bringing a Scene to Life](https://writer.org/event/bringing-a-scene-to-life/)
**Published:** April 16, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Turn lifeless scenes into page-turning moments with techniques that make your writing feel real and dynamic!
A scene is an essential building block in any work of fiction. In this session, you’ll learn tips and strategies for making the scene you see in your head come alive on the page so that your reader is compelled to keep turning the pages rather than turn out the light. Writing exercises will give class members a hands-on feel for how to add texture, dynamism, and drama to a story. The session also provides practical, hands-on guidance about the rewriting process. An added benefit: giving and receiving critical feedback.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop:
- Learn the essential building blocks of a scene
- Writing exercises will take you from a blank page to a fully-formed scene
- You’ll get tips for transforming a rough draft into a polished draft
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This class is for beginners as well as intermediate and advanced writers
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Whole-Brain Poetry](https://writer.org/event/whole-brain-poetry-3/)
**Published:** April 16, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Learn how our brains are wired for poetry, and use that knowledge to enrich your writing.
“Whole-Brain Poetry” is an opportunity to explore some of the ways poetry interacts with the brain, and to enrich your writing with that knowledge. This includes but goes beyond the use of metaphor. Through writing exercises, close examination of time-honored and recent poems, workshopping of participant poems, and brief reading assignments, we will examine the neurology and psychology of poetry, the relationship between time and memory, how science has influenced well-known poets, how poetry can heal trauma and prevent PTSD, and more. Readings include essays by Frederick Turner, Ruth Padel, Frederick Feirstein, and others.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How metaphor is connected to learning and empathy
- The connections between time and memory
- Neurology and psychology of poetry
- How meter and rhyme interact with the brain
- And you’ll receive feedback on participant poems
# Time requirements
- Up to 1 hour/week
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for poets with an interest in science, and scientists with an interest in poetry. Maybe you are both!
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 5 Sessions, Intermediate/Advanced Level, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Intro to the Novel](https://writer.org/event/intro-to-the-novel-5/)
**Published:** April 16, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Have you always wanted to write a novel but didn’t know where to start?
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.
---
***Learn at your own pace:** This workshop will take place over **Wet Ink**, which is an asynchronous creative writing platform. The instructor will post a lesson and assignment at the beginning of each week, and participants can log in and read the lessons/post assignments/comment on other classmates’ work at their convenience. Shortly before the start date, participants will receive an invite from Wet Ink to create their login info and access the class. Please check your spam if you don’t see it.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn how to:
- Develop you Premise
- Establish Point of View/Narrative Voice
- Create authentic Characters
- Organize Plot and Structure
- Create good writing habits
- Determine your personal Process”
# Time requirements
- 3-5 hours/week
# Materials
- *Hooked* by Les Edgerton
- *Plot & Structure* by James Scott Bell
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for those who have never written a novel before – or for those who are looking for a strong foundation in the basic components of novel-writing.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 8 Sessions, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Fiction, Wet Ink, Workshop
---
### [DIY Novel Revision](https://writer.org/event/diy-novel-revision-5/)
**Published:** April 16, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Edit your novel without an editor.
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.
---
***Learn at your own pace:** This workshop will take place over **Wet Ink**, which is an asynchronous creative writing platform. The instructor will post a lesson and assignment at the beginning of each week, and participants can log in and read the lessons/post assignments/comment on other classmates’ work at their convenience. Shortly before the start date, participants will receive an invite from Wet Ink to create their login info and access the class. Please check your spam if you don’t see it.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Learn to identify issues and strategize your revision plan.
- Learn how to prioritize editorial concerns including characterization and plot.
- Learn how to tighten your prose.
# Time requirements
- 3-5 hours/week
# Materials
- Required: *Story Fix* by Larry Brooks
- Recommended (but not required) *Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, Second Edition: How to Edit Yourself Into Print* by Renni Browne and Dave King
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for anyone seeking to be their own first editor.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, All Levels, Fiction, Wet Ink, Workshop
---
### [Novel 101: How to Craft the Story](https://writer.org/event/novel-101-how-to-craft-the-story-2/)
**Published:** April 16, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Learn the building blocks of creating your own novel.
Fans of fiction delight! If you’ve always wanted to create your own exciting novel then this is the class for you. The class offers the key concepts of plotting and pacing while delving into different genres. Beginners have the opportunity to share their works with the class while also building confidence in their craft. Short homework assignments will encourage practice outside of assigned class hours. Students will leave with an evolved sense of fiction and the tools necessary to continue writing their own story.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Pacing and Plotting
- Character Development
- Exposure to Multiple Genres
- Setting
# Time requirements
- 30-45 minutes/week
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Beginners and individuals interested in learning more about the novel writing process.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, Beginner Level, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Starting a Memoir](https://writer.org/event/starting-a-memoir-3/)
**Published:** April 16, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Beginning your memoir? Learn how to start off strong and stay on track!
This popular class is for writers in the early stages of writing their memoir. Learn what you need to get off to a great start with this class led by an experienced writing coach and editor. Class includes practical discussion, lots of helpful tips, and some in-class exercises designed to offer clarity, direction, and inspiration as you move forward with your memoir. We’ll cover issues of time management, staying organized and motivated, good resources, and managing those inner critics. You’ll leave class with realistic goals and a clear map forward.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How to discover and refine what your memoir is really about
- Practical tips for reaching your goal and staying motivated
- How to rein in the scope of your idea so it packs a punch for the reader
- How to stay organized and in action
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This class is designed for writers who are in the early stages of writing a memoir (for those who are ready with an idea to those who’ve drafted no more than 100 pages).
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Beginner Level, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [You are Here: Poetry of Place and Identity](https://writer.org/event/you-are-here-poetry-of-place-and-identity/)
**Published:** April 16, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# In this workshop, we will explore how place informs our perspectives as poets.
How does a place inform our art? Use the lens of poetry and explore art across genres– From Cowboy Carter to the Star Apple Kingdom– to see how poetry can evoke different settings and speak to who we are in the moment. Join poet Daria-Ann Martineau as we read and write poems exploring the intersections of place, identity and poetry. Students will produce three new poems about the places that made us, the places we reside, and the places we are going.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How to read a poem so we may give and receive constructive feedback
- How poets can use landscape imagery to reflect state of mind
- How different poetic forms can reflect different landscapes
# Outside of class, participants will:
- Produce one new poem a week
- Review their peer’s work and come to session with written feedback
- Revise one of the three poems to share in our final workshop
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for poets of all levels, but may be of special interest to those interested in landscape poetry, environmental justice, or themes of migration.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, All Levels, Poetry, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Polishing Your First Draft](https://writer.org/event/polishing-your-first-draft/)
**Published:** April 16, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Review your manuscript with an editor’s eye
When the first draft is complete, the real work begins. You should not be your only editor, but you can be the first. Learn tips on how to tighten your prose, improve the immediacy and urgency of your work, identify plot holes, and more so that your work shines when you send it out wherever you decide to send it next. Note, this is not a class in grammar. You will learn the rules of developmental editing, so that you can follow or break them if you choose!
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Tighten your prose
- Learn plot development
- Weed out clichés and hesitancies
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Writers in the final stages of the first draft of a short story or novel.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [How to Plot Like a Pro](https://writer.org/event/how-to-plot-like-a-pro-3/)
**Published:** April 16, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Think you can’t plot? Join us and we’ll show you how!
You have a great idea for a story. Do you dive in and just begin writing, or start by drafting an outline? Are you a born planner or a writer who loves to discover stories organically (i.e., a pantser)? Understanding how to structure a well-conceived story around a main character and central conflict, while paying attention to pacing, can make the difference between a finished, publishable manuscript and an abandoned work-in-progress. Plotting provides a safety net that never robs the author of the joy of writing and always reduces revision time.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- The one-sentence summary/pitch
- Pacing
- Plotting a short or long novel
- Conflict
- Building in Detail
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Any author who finds plotting a challenge or who is “stuck” during the writing process.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Unclogging Your Brain](https://writer.org/event/unclogging-your-brain-5/)
**Published:** April 16, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Improvisation fearlessly puts you directly into the action and heart of the moment allowing your creative genius to ‘script’ on the spot in a judgement free zone.
Prompts will spark memories, characters, and places, turning them into poems, scenes, dialogues, and stories. During ‘UnClogging’ you will likely come up with an ‘idea’ that you feel compelled to expand on, or perhaps be re-inspired to continue an unfinished work later. Find new perspective and confidence!
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Finding Your Authentic Voice](https://writer.org/event/finding-your-authentic-voice-3/)
**Published:** April 16, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Get out of your own way and let your inner voice, emotions, and instincts guide you as you freely express your unique truth and enhance your message.
Look beyond your inner critic and tap into the flow of your limitless creativity, as you discover the powerful impact of your authentic voice. Learn how to identify limiting beliefs, deconstruct doubt, and write compelling pieces to foster a special connection with your readers. In a safe and supportive space, reintroduce your childlike wonder around creativity so you can write freely, reclaim your power, and uncover your true gifts. Unleash your brilliance and honor the impact of your stories, lessons, and innermost thoughts. Walk away feeling empowered with fresh awareness, confidence in your writing, and practical tips to stay inspired and let your art flow freely.
---
***Learn at your own pace:** This workshop will take place over **Wet Ink**, which is an asynchronous creative writing platform. The instructor will post a lesson and assignment at the beginning of each week, and participants can log in and read the lessons/post assignments/comment on other classmates’ work at their convenience. Shortly before the start date, participants will receive an invite from Wet Ink to create their login info and access the class. Please check your spam if you don’t see it.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Taming your inner critic and its negativity
- Recovering a sense of identity and reclaim your power
- The power of vulnerability and connection
- Facing your fears around sharing your work
- Tools for integration and continued practice
- Discovering and spreading your truth
# Time requirements
- 1-3 hours/week
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers of all levels and genre who want to explore ways to strengthen their connection to the creative process, so they may share their authentic voices and powerful stories with the world.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, All Levels, Mixed Genre, Wet Ink, Workshop
---
### [Building Conflict & Tension](https://writer.org/event/building-conflict-tension/)
**Published:** April 16, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Creating conflict, emotion and tension into any story is crucial for its success; find out how to include them in any story you write!
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.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Emotional development
- Pacing
- Tools to create Conflict
- How to link Character Tension to Reader Involvement
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Writers desiring to increase their chances of publication.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Introduction To Art Journaling](https://writer.org/event/introduction-to-art-journaling-2/)
**Published:** April 16, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Learn how to combine words and art to create personal artistic journals.
**\*No previous art experience necessary. This class will include different projects and techniques than the January 2025 session.\***
Using quotes, poems and/or personal reflections, students will combine words with easy to follow art techniques to create an art journal reflecting their own personal style. \*Students should bring to all classes a blank watercolor or mixed media journal, 8×8 or larger. All other art materials used in class will be provided by instructor.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Explore your own writing using prompts, poems, quotes, and/or personal narratives.
- Receive instruction in basic art and design principals.
- Try a wide variety of art supplies and techniques.
- Leave with a basic knowledge and skills to continue on with your art journaling practice.
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This class is for writers who want to explore and combine an artistic element to use in their personal journals.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 3 Sessions, All Levels, Mixed Genre, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Poetry Writing and Revision](https://writer.org/event/poetry-writing-and-revision-2/)
**Published:** April 16, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Craft new work and rebuild your relationship to revision
For some poets, the most difficult part of writing is getting to the page, but for others, it is the act of revisiting those early drafts. This course will help students not only write new work with ease, but also return to those poems with a keen eye towards revision. To start, students will respond to weekly prompts with a craft focus, based on contemporary readings from poets like Taylor Byas, Kenzie Allen, Chen Chen, and Kaveh Akbar. Midway through the course, we will shift our focus to revision, re-approaching the poems from earlier weeks. Readings and exercises will outline various revision strategies and techniques aimed at giving students new entry points into their work. By the end of the course, students can expect to have written at least 3-6 new poems, with 3 substantial revisions. There will be opportunities to receive feedback from other students and the instructor, but this is not an entirely workshop-style course. Students should have at least one poem in its early draft stages to begin the course. Note: there will be no class meeting on Wednesday, July 2nd.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Contemporary Forms
- Revision Strategies
- Poetry Writing Prompts
# Time requirements
- 2-3 hours/week
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for poets who want to generate new work and experiment with new approaches to revision.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 7 Sessions, All Levels, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Travel Storytelling in Words and Pictures](https://writer.org/event/travel-storytelling-in-words-and-pictures/)
**Published:** April 16, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# The insider tips you need to make your articles, blogs, and photos stand out from the crowd!
Travel isn’t about mileage, it’s about the personal experiences and stories that bring a journey alive. Don’t keep these to yourself. Peter Mandel, a nationally-known Lowell Thomas Award-winning travel journalist for The Washington Post, National Geographic, and The Los Angeles Times, will show you easy ways to use words and photography to bring the ‘afterglow’ of a trip to readers and editors — and make your articles, blogs and pictures stand out from the crowd.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How to personalize your writing so you’re the story’s main character
- How to use light and color to bring destination photos alive
- How to hook readers and editors with your very first sentence
- How to market and promote a travel article, photo essay, or blog
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed to accommodate all levels.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Life Stories](https://writer.org/event/life-stories/)
**Published:** April 16, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Learn how your real-life story can depict what it means to be human.
Whether you want to write a memoir, blog, letter to your granddaughter, or use your own life as the basis for fiction, life story writing requires that we tell where we come from and who we are. Consider other people’s feelings without allowing this to censor your experience or keep you from writing. Learn to identify your story’s essence, the truth it reveals, and to engage the reader through fictional techniques. Participants will leave inspired to begin or improve a work-in-progress.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- What is the truth in memoir?
- Anecdote vs. Story
- To let your experience illustrate universal truths
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This overview is for beginning and intermediate writers who want to understand the components of life story writing and learn what pitfalls to avoid.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [How to Use Setting for Impact](https://writer.org/event/how-to-use-setting-for-impact/)
**Published:** April 16, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Learn the impact and versatility of setting.
In this workshop we will learn to use setting as a map, as a structure for storytelling. Setting can be a situation, a tone, a time, an atmosphere, a relationship, and more. It can be as broad as a country, as small as a porch swing or bed. At its best, setting becomes a character in and of itself. In short, setting is the most versatile and under-utilized of all the elements of craft. This interactive and dynamic workshop will give you the means to improve both your fiction and nonfiction stories.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How to use setting as structure
- How setting is more than geography
- How setting amplifies emotion
- How setting incites action
- How setting is plot
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Every writer, new or seasoned, would benefit from learning the multiple ways in which setting can enhance a story’s impact by mirroring, citing, deepening and amplifying plot.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Intermediate Level, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [The Extreme Novelist](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-5/)
**Published:** April 16, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# If you’ve been struggling to find the time, energy or inspiration to get your book written—this is the course for you!
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 just 8 weeks. Students receive the encouraging guidance of 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. Classes will include accountability and progress reports from each student, troubleshooting discussions, a brief lecture on some aspect of the fiction craft, and the opportunity to submit portions of the work-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.)
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Structure & Plot
- Character Development
- Creating Priorities
- Time Management
- Writing to Completion
# Time requirements
- Students will be expected to write daily, working toward a goal of at least 90 minutes/day.
# Materials
- None, although The Extreme Novelist by Kathryn Johnson is recommended.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Any author serious about completing their novel, memoir, or creative nonfiction.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 8 Sessions, Advanced Level, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Four Weeks, Four New Speculative Stories](https://writer.org/event/four-weeks-four-new-speculative-stories/)
**Published:** April 16, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Launch your writing into new worlds with speculative stories, prompts, and feedback
This four-week generative course features readings and prompts to help you create four new speculative stories. In the first part of each session, we’ll discuss published work you’ll have read ahead of time, which we’ll then use as inspiration to explore new ways of unlocking narrative: what-ifs, rituals and traditions, discovering story in setting, and hermit crab speculative fiction (meaning stories in an unusual format, such as a scientific study). In the second part of each session, participants will have an opportunity to receive verbal feedback from classmates and the instructor on their works in progress.
Readings will include work by N.K. Jemisin, Lesley Nneka Arimah, Amber Sparks, Rion Amilcar Scott, and Silvia Park. The class is suitable for a wide audience, from those who are new to speculative fiction, to experienced authors looking for a little burst of inspiration (or a break from that stalled WIP).
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Reading as writers to analyze published stories
- Creating narrative from rituals and traditions
- Discovering story in setting
- Hermit crab speculative fiction
- Practice in offering productive and supportive feedback to classmates
# Time requirements
- 1-2 hours/week
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- The class is suitable for a wide audience, from those who are new to speculative fiction, to experienced authors looking for a little burst of inspiration (or a break from that stalled WIP).
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, Fiction, Intermediate/Advanced Level, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Creative Spirit: Infusing Your Writing with Energy](https://writer.org/event/creative-spirit-infusing-your-writing-with-energy-3/)
**Published:** April 16, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Unleash your creativity and overcome creative blocks as you learn to stimulate artistic expression and promote personal growth in your writing!
Are you struggling to find your voice as a writer? Do you have a story to tell but feel stuck? Let’s face it. Writing can be a confusing and challenging process. Whether you are a beginner or have been writing for years, chances are you go through ups and downs—sometimes you have so much to write about that you can hardly get it on the page fast enough, and other days you blankly stare at your computer screen unsure of where to start. No matter your beliefs, spirituality and open-mindedness can play a critical role in the creative process if we
allow it and nurture it.
In a safe and supportive space, reintroduce your childlike wonder around creativity so you can write freely, authentically reclaim your power, and uncover your true gifts. Unleash your brilliance and honor the impact of your stories, lessons, and innermost thoughts. Tap into a higher source of inspiration, whether viewed as the highest self, inner wisdom, or any other entity. You will walk away with efficient ways to set intentions for different writing projects, stay in the present, trust your process, set healthy boundaries, and follow signs and intuition. You will have the information necessary to create a sacred space and ritual for your writing practice, motivating you to enrich your content.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Techniques to get ideas flowing
- How to connect with the purpose of your writing
- Creative ways to bring spiritual practices to your process
- The importance of community in your creative journey
- How to build writing rituals infused with both structure and spirit
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for any writer who wants to tap into their creative power and potential!
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Your First (or Next) Novel](https://writer.org/event/your-first-or-next-novel-4/)
**Published:** April 16, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# 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.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Characterization
- Plotting in the long form
- Pacing
- Perspective
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed to help beginning writers or more advanced authors who wish to brush up on their skills.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Plotting Your Novel](https://writer.org/event/plotting-your-novel-4/)
**Published:** April 16, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Are you a pantser or a planner?
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.
---
***Learn at your own pace:** This workshop will take place over **Wet Ink**, which is an asynchronous creative writing platform. The instructor will post a lesson and assignment at the beginning of each week, and participants can log in and read the lessons/post assignments/comment on other classmates’ work at their convenience. Shortly before the start date, participants will receive an invite from Wet Ink to create their login info and access the class. Please check your spam if you don’t see it.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Clearly define the premise of your novel
- Determine your main character(s) and the central conflicts (both external and internal)
- Define (and write) the inciting incident
- Determine the novel’s climax
- Begin to consider possible conclusions
# Time requirements
- 3-5 hours/week
# Materials
- *Hooked* by Les Edgerton
- *Plot & Structure* by James Scott Bell
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for anyone struggling with the plot and structure of their novel.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, All Levels, Fiction, Wet Ink, Workshop
---
### [How Grammar Makes Poems Powerful](https://writer.org/event/how-grammar-makes-poems-powerful/)
**Published:** April 16, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Revise for greater impact through the use—and abuse—of grammar.
We know what the sentence means for prose, but what can it do for your poems? Whether or not we can name the parts of speech, our instinctive grasp of grammar, especially the sentence, offers us powerful tools for revision. Model texts by Ross Gay, Ada Limon, Rae Armantrout, and Louise Gluck will help us unpack basic terms and think about how grammar works in our own writing. Bring 3-4 old drafts you’d like to inject life into and together we’ll choose which to focus on. By the time we’re finished, you’ll have at least one fully revised draft—and a fundamental tool to heighten suspense, enliven language, and manipulate sound.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll heighten your understanding of:
- Syntax and line breaks
- Pacing
- Repetition and variation
- Structure and surprise
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for experienced poets looking for ways to revitalize old drafts. Knowledge of grammatical terms is not required.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 3 Sessions, Intermediate/Advanced Level, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Adding Humor to Any Story](https://writer.org/event/adding-humor-to-any-story/)
**Published:** April 16, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Learn how to add different elements of comedy to any piece of writing, making your stories more engaging, entertaining, and memorable.
Want to make your writing more engaging and entertaining? In Adding Humor to Any Story, you’ll learn how to incorporate different elements of comedy into any piece—whether it’s a personal essay, a blog post, or even a business presentation. Through interactive exercises and practical techniques, you’ll discover how to use timing, wordplay, and comedic structure to enhance your storytelling. No stand-up experience required—just a willingness to have fun and experiment with humor!
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Structure & Plot
- Character Development
- Concrete Detail
- Voice
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for all writers looking to add humor to any writing piece.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Writing Picture Books II](https://writer.org/event/writing-picture-books-ii-3/)
**Published:** April 12, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
# Learn how to polish your picture book manuscript before submitting to an agent or editor.
You’ve drafted your picture book, what’s the next step? Learn to revise and polish your picture book manuscript before submitting to an agent or publisher. A widely published author and an acclaimed illustrator will lead discussions in pacing, page turns, storyboarding, and visually dramatic storytelling. During this hands-on workshop, writers will be editing their own manuscripts and enhancing their skills as picture book creators. Bring your questions and two double-spaced copies of a picture-book manuscript that you’ve revised. Workshop may most benefit those who have taken Writing Picture Books or another picture book class.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Learn the Traditional Structure of a Picture Book
- Explore Self-Editing, Pacing & Page Turns
- Explore Storyboarding & Visually Dramatic Storytelling
- Consider Next Steps & Marketing
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Designed for those interested in revising and polishing a picture book manuscript and learning how to pace a story and consider visual possibilities.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Kid Lit, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [A Writing Voice that Sells and Compels](https://writer.org/event/a-writing-voice-that-sells-and-compels/)
**Published:** April 16, 2025
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Create a writing voice agents and readers will find irresistible.
Agents say it all the time. What sells a manuscript? A standout voice. Acquire the tools you need for developing a compelling voice of your own through the study of entertaining published examples and writing exercises designed to ignite your unique way of expressing yourself. You will enjoy a sense of excitement in this inspiring and instructive workshop as you successfully translate the voice in your head to the page.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Define voice
- Learn the elements of craft to include in creating your voice
- Learn what agents and readers respond to in an authorial voice
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for writers who have not yet mastered the art of getting the voice in their head to the page, those who are confused by the subject of voice, and for those who are experienced in one writing genre but would like to experiment with another.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Intermediate Level, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat with Poets Luisa A. Igloria & Christina Pugh](https://writer.org/event/igloria-pugh/)
**Published:** January 16, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
*Poet Lore* and The Writer’s Center present a FREE virtual chat about the craft of poetry! We’re joined by Luisa A. Igloria and Christina Pugh for an enlightening discussion about their latest books.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of our guests’ books from your local, independent bookseller or online:
- [*Caulbearer* by Luisa A. Igloria »](https://blacklawrencepress.com/books/caulbearer/)
- [*The Right Hand* by Christina Pugh »](https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/distributed/R/bo238319468.html)
- [*Ghosts and the Overplus: Reading Poetry in the Twenty-First Century* by Christina Pugh »](https://press.umich.edu/Books/G/Ghosts-and-the-Overplus)
---
Originally from Baguio City, **Luisa A. Igloria** is the author of *Maps for Migrants and Ghosts* (Co-Winner, 2019 Crab Orchard Open Poetry Prize, Southern Illinois University Press, 2020), *The Buddha Wonders if She is Having a Mid-Life Crisis* (Phoenicia Publishing, Montreal, 2018), and 12 other books. She is lead editor, along with co-editors Aileen Cassinetto and Jeremy S. Hoffman, of *Dear Human at the Edge of Time: Poems on Climate Change in the United States* (Paloma Press, September 2023). In 2015, she was the inaugural recipient of the Resurgence Poetry Prize (UK), the world’s first major award for ecopoetry, selected by a panel headed by former UK Poet Laureate Andrew Motion. She is a Louis I. Jaffe Professor of English and Creative Writing in the MFA Program at Old Dominion University, and also leads workshops for and is a member of the board of The Muse Writers Center in Norfolk. During her appointed term as 20th Poet Laureate of the Commonwealth of Virginia (2020-22), Emerita, the Academy of American Poets awarded her one of twenty-three Poet Laureate Fellowships in 2021, to support a program of public poetry projects.
- [Read Luisa’s craft essay on the title poem of *Caulbearer* at Poetry Daily »](https://poems.com/features/what-sparks-poetry/luisa-a-igloria-on-caulbearer/)
**Christina Pugh** is the author of six books of poems, including *The Right Hand* (Tupelo Press, 2024) and *Stardust Media* (University of Massachusetts Press, 2020), winner of the 2019 Juniper Prize in Poetry. This year she has also published a book of essays on poetry titled *Ghosts and the Overplus: Reading Poetry in the Twenty-First Century* (University of Michigan Press “Poets on Poetry” series, 2024). Her poems have appeared widely, including in *The Atlantic, Poetry, Yale Review, Ploughshares, Colorado Review*, and other publications. A former Guggenheim fellow in poetry, she has also received awards and fellowships from the Poetry Society of America*, Poetry* magazine, the Bogliasco Foundation, the Illinois Arts Council, and others. She is a professor in the Program for Writers at the University of Illinois at Chicago, where she was recently named Distinguished Scholar of the Year in Humanities, Arts, Design, and Architecture. Her website is [christinapughpoet.com](https://www.christinapughpoet.com/).
- [Read Christina’s craft essay on research and process of writing *The Right Hand* at *The Adroit Journal* »](https://theadroitjournal.org/2024/10/02/a-spider-on-berninis-marble-ekphrastic-research-and-the-right-hand/)
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [$40 Pop Up! Embracing Radical Revision](https://writer.org/event/40-pop-up-embracing-radical-revision/)
**Published:** February 5, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Revision is one of the most intimate, but also one of the most daunting, parts of the writing process. For some, revision looks like tinkering—small edits here and there to sharpen a poem. For others, revision is measured and planned out, with numerous drafts accumulating throughout the process. Sometimes, our tried-and-true methods don’t seem to work. Radical revision, which can involve anything from drastic restructuring to completely rewriting, is perhaps the most intimidating revision style of all, but it is a fruitful approach that can open up new windows of opportunity for our poems.
In this workshop, we’ll talk through our preferred revision approaches and learn from each other through the ways we each attempt to re-see and re-experience our poems. With that foundation, we’ll jump into the expansive world of radical revision. With brief craft readings and in-class exercises, you will start to embrace the possibilities of radical revision. Hopefully, after our time together, you’ll go back to your work with fresh eyes and excitement. It will be helpful to have at least one poem in-progress (perhaps one that has you at a revision dead-end) before the start of the workshop to give you a foundation for our exercises.
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Book Marketing on a Budget](https://writer.org/event/book-marketing-on-a-budget-5/)
**Published:** April 12, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
# Your job isn’t over once you’ve published a book; it’s just beginning and we’ll go cover over 30 ideas that are budget friendly!
You’ve written – or are writing your book – now fight for it! In this workshop we’ll focus on dozens of book marketing tips, with a close eye on budgets. From book launches, social media, blogging and podcasting, to writing press releases, creating Amazon Author’s pages, and connecting with publicists, we’ll fill your head, and notebook with ideas; over 30 of them! If you think writing a book is exciting, wait until you feel the thrill of professionally promoting it!
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Over 30 marketing ideas.
- Tips on negotiating larger book sales.
- The value of working with book distributors.
- Strategies designed to get those Amazon reviews.
- How to create a book launch that energizes those who support you!
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- A participant guide is provided to support this program.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers who have published a book, about to publish a book, or have a book on the horizon that will be published. It’s never too early or late to fight for your book!
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 2 Sessions, All Levels, Publishing, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Rhythm and Sound in Your Poems](https://writer.org/event/rhythm-and-sound-in-your-poems/)
**Published:** April 12, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
# Enrich your poems with stronger rhythm and more colorful sound.
How do poems feel and sound? This workshop gives participants practice in building rhythmic feel and colorful sounds to enrich their poems. What does the rhythm of the words in your poems add, whether you use meter or not? How much color can you add to the sound of your poems, whether you use rhymes or not? And how can those elements work with what you have to say in your poems to strengthen the experience for the reader? In the first three sessions, we’ll begin with exercises, drafting, and rewriting of a poem with special attention to sharpening the rhythm. In the latter three sessions, we’ll concentrate on use of musical devices in poems, again with exercises, drafting, and rewriting. Each participant will generate and refine two poems, and learn how to think about rhythm and sound while drafting and rewriting.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Rhythm and Meter – what’s the difference?
- Rhyme and Sound – what’s the difference?
- Sound and Rhythm – thinking about them while you’re writing the poem
- Sound and Rhythm – how can they add to what you’re saying in the poem?
- Smooth or Rough effects
- Pleasant or Harsh sounds
# Time requirements
- For 6 sessions, the homework will be around 30-45 minutes, depending on the assignment and the speed of the student. Assignments are given well in advance, and homework will be shared at each meeting.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Participants should have some experience writing poems in either free or formal verse, and be used to rewriting.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 6 Sessions, Intermediate Level, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Crafting Fiction: Element by Element](https://writer.org/event/crafting-fiction-element-by-element-4/)
**Published:** April 12, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
# Let’s demystify the craft of fiction writing!
By studying basic craft elements of fiction, participants will build a strong foundation for their writing—be it stories or novels. This 7-week workshop will explore elements (characterization, setting, scene, etc.) one at a time and ask participants to practice them through in-class exercises. We’ll also read published stories to help us understand how writers regularly employ these elements. Class members will begin to put the elements together, too, as they start a story. You’ll leave the workshop with the tools you need to write wonderful, authentic fiction.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Developing characters
- Moving from Character to Story and Plot
- Setting/Tone/Time
- Point of View / Narration
- Scene & Dialogue, and Revision
# Time requirements
- 30-60 minutes/week
# Materials
- The Best American Short Stories 2024, Lauren Groff, Ed.
# Who should take this workshop?
- The workshop is designed for beginning fiction writers, intermediate fiction writers, and anyone looking to focus on bettering their fiction technique. More advanced writers have taken this class and benefited too.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 7 Sessions, Beginner Level, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Fiction, Intermediate Level, Workshop
---
### [Writing Personal Essays](https://writer.org/event/writing-personal-essays-2/)
**Published:** April 12, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
# Turn your experiences into compelling stories!
Journeys, relationships, hardships, love, and loss—these are just a few of the subjects personal essays explore. In this workshop we’ll examine essays from magazines, literary journals, and newspapers to illuminate the ways imagery, dialogue, scene, and crafting an “I” narrator transform a personal experience into a compelling story. You’ll generate new material each week through in-class exercises, plus receive in-class feedback on your draft.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- The difference between the situation and the story
- How to employ tools from fiction such as scene, dialogue, and character development
- Structure
- First Paragraph Hooks
# Time requirements
- 15 minutes for weekly essay reading outside of class
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for beginning essay writers looking to learn the tools of form and intermediate writers looking to shape their essays in progress.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 5 Sessions, Beginner Level, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Intermediate Level, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Intermediate Novel](https://writer.org/event/intermediate-novel-8-cs/)
**Published:** April 12, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
# Let’s finish that novel you started!
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.)
---
***Learn at your own pace:** This workshop will take place over **Wet Ink**, which is an asynchronous creative writing platform. The instructor will post a lesson and assignment at the beginning of each week, and participants can log in and read the lessons/post assignments/comment on other classmates’ work at their convenience. Shortly before the start date, participants will receive an invite from Wet Ink to create their login info and access the class. Please check your spam if you don’t see it.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Concept
- Character
- Circumstances
- Conflict
- Complications
- Crisis
- Climax
- Conclusion
# Time requirements
- 3-5 hours/week
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for writers looking to deepen their understanding of the major components of novel-writing.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 8 Sessions, Fiction, Intermediate/Advanced Level, Wet Ink, Workshop
---
### [Creating Novel Characters](https://writer.org/event/creating-novel-characters-5/)
**Published:** April 12, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
# Bring your characters to life on the page.
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.
---
***Learn at your own pace:** This workshop will take place over **Wet Ink**, which is an asynchronous creative writing platform. The instructor will post a lesson and assignment at the beginning of each week, and participants can log in and read the lessons/post assignments/comment on other classmates’ work at their convenience. Shortly before the start date, participants will receive an invite from Wet Ink to create their login info and access the class. Please check your spam if you don’t see it.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Your character’s past and future
- Your character’s motivations
- Hzow the plot will bring about your character’s arc
- How to reveal your character on the page
# Time requirements
- 3-5 hours/week
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers looking to add dimension to their fictional characters.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, All Levels, Fiction, Wet Ink, Workshop
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat with Memoirist Freda Epum](https://writer.org/event/freda-epum/)
**Published:** January 26, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of memoir! We’re joined by Freda Epum to discuss her new book, *The Gloomy Girl Variety Show*, which mixes memoir, poetry, and criticism. Freda is in conversation with Amy Freeman, author and Development Director at The Writer’s Center.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from the publisher »](https://www.feministpress.org/books-overflow/the-gloomy-girl-variety-show)
---
**Freda Epum** is a Nigerian American writer and artist. She is the author of two chapbooks, *Input/Output* and *Entryways into memories that might assemble me*, which won the *Iron Horse Literary Review* Chapbook Competition. She is the cocreator of the Black American Tree Project, an interactive workshop about the legacies of slavery in American society. Epum’s work has been published in *The Rumpus*, *Electric Literature*, *Vol 1. Brooklyn*, *Entropy*, *Bending Genres*, and others. She received her MFA from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. Her work has been supported by Lambda Literary, the Tin House Workshop, VONA, the Ragdale Foundation, the Anderson Center at Tower View, and the Jordan-Goodman Prize. Originally from Tucson, she now lives in Cincinnati.
---
# About the Book
Merging memoir, poetry, and criticism, this radical literary revue traces a first-generation Nigerian American’s search for home and belonging on her own terms.
In *The Gloomy Girl Variety Show*, Freda Epum explores the opposing forces of her “no-place, no-where” identity as a Nigerian American daughter, diasporically displaced, who spent years in and out of institutions seeking treatment for life-threatening mental illness. Epum examines her journey through healthcare and housing systems via a pop cultural lens—our collective obsession with HGTV’s home buying and makeover shows—and a patchwork of poetry, art, and autotheory.
With raw honesty and glittering wit, this debut memoir maps the complexity of life under intersecting forms of oppression, revealing what it takes to turn from the brink of despair toward community and self-acceptance, find refuge in love, and reimagine home.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Open Mic @ The Writer's Center](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-apr2025b/)
**Published:** January 2, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Prose, poetry, and spoken word Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center! All writers are welcome to come and share 4-5 minutes of their latest work.
- **Sign-up starts at 6:45pm, and readings begin promptly at 7pm.**
- **Limited to 20 readers, so arrive early if you plan to read.**
Sponsored by [*Poet Lore*](poetlore.com), America’s oldest poetry magazine.
FREE and open to the public. Please note that we no longer offer advance sign-up.
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Building a Writing Process](https://writer.org/event/building-a-writing-process/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Do you ever think to yourself: “Why is it so hard to get my ideas out of my head and onto the page?” This workshop offers a variety of techniques that help writers develop their ideas and break down barriers to writing. Whether you are a plotter or a pantser, neurotypical or neurodivergent, you will come away understanding your creative process on a deeper level so you can work with it and not against it. You will experiment with different approaches to idea generation, prewriting, outlining, drafting, and revising so when you get stuck, you can reach into your toolbox and try another method. Writers will come away with a rough draft of a personal narrative and a new appreciation for each stage of the writing process.
**Content:**
# Techniques to stop overthinking and get words on the page.
Do you ever think to yourself: “Why is it so hard to get my ideas out of my head and onto the page?” This workshop offers a variety of techniques that help writers develop their ideas and break down barriers to writing. Whether you are a plotter or a pantser, neurotypical or neurodivergent, you will come away understanding your creative process on a deeper level so you can work with it and not against it. You will experiment with different approaches to idea generation, prewriting, outlining, drafting, and revising so when you get stuck, you can reach into your toolbox and try another method. Writers will come away with a rough draft of a personal narrative and a new appreciation for each stage of the writing process.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Creative process
- Idea generation
- Prompt writing
- Pre-writing techniques
- Drafting and revising
- Building a writing practice
# Time requirements
- 1-2 hours/week
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is ideal for personal narrative writers struggling with creative blocks, idea development, overthinking, perfectionism, and procrastination.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 3 Sessions, All Levels, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Creating Your Book for Children](https://writer.org/event/creating-your-book-for-children/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Having a children's book published in today's tough market may seem like an impossible dream. But, in reality, getting your book idea into shape and into print can hinge on just the right advice from a pro. Do you need an agent? Should you connect with an artist? What about self-publishing? In an exclusive one-session workshop, nationally-known author Peter Mandel will pass on the insider's tips writers need to know in order to create a marketable first book and get it into the hands of exactly the right gatekeepers in the publishing world.
**Content:**
# The insider tips you’ll need to write a marketable first book and get it into the hands of exactly the right gatekeepers in the publishing world!
Having a children’s book published in today’s tough market may seem like an impossible dream. But, in reality, getting your book idea into shape and into print can hinge on just the right advice from a pro. Do you need an agent? Should you connect with an artist? What about self-publishing? In an exclusive one-session workshop, nationally-known author Peter Mandel will pass on the insider’s tips writers need to know in order to create a marketable first book and get it into the hands of exactly the right gatekeepers in the publishing world.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How to turn your book idea into a marketable manuscript
- How to get your book seen by the right agents and publishers
- How to work with illustrators and editors
- How to self-publish a children’s book
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- The workshop is designed for all levels, including beginners.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Adults Write for Children, All Levels, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Creative Spirit: Infusing Your Writing with Energy](https://writer.org/event/creative-spirit-infusing-your-writing-with-energy-2/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Are you struggling to find your voice as a writer? Do you have a story to tell but feel stuck? Let’s face it. Writing can be a confusing and challenging process.Whether you are a beginner or have been writing for years, chances are you go through ups and downs—sometimes you have so much to write about that you can hardly get it on the page fast enough, and other days you blankly stare at your computer screen unsure of where to start. No matter your beliefs, spirituality and open-mindedness can play a critical role in the creative process if we allow it and nurture it.
In a safe and supportive space, reintroduce your childlike wonder around creativity so you
can write freely, authentically reclaim your power, and uncover your true gifts. Unleash your
brilliance and honor the impact of your stories, lessons, and innermost thoughts. Tap into a
higher source of inspiration, whether viewed as the highest self, inner wisdom, or any other
entity. You will walk away with efficient ways to set intentions for different writing projects,
stay in the present, trust your process, set healthy boundaries, and follow signs and
intuition. You will have the information necessary to create a sacred space and ritual for
your writing practice, motivating you to enrich your content and deepen your message.
In this workshop you’ll learn:
Provide 3 to 5 bullet points of concrete tools, skills, or techniques a participant
will learn in the workshop.
For example: a fiction workshop might include the bullet points:
Structure & Plot
Character Development
Concrete Detail
These bullet points will let website visitors quickly scan a workshop listing for key
details.
In this workshop you’ll learn:
-Techniques to get ideas flowing
-How to connect with the purpose of your writing
-Creative ways to bring spiritual practices to your process
-The importance of community in your creative journey
-How to build writing rituals infused with both structure and spirit
**Content:**
# Unleash your creativity and overcome creative blocks as you learn to stimulate artistic expression and promote personal growth in your writing!
Are you struggling to find your voice as a writer? Do you have a story to tell but feel stuck? Let’s face it. Writing can be a confusing and challenging process.Whether you are a beginner or have been writing for years, chances are you go through ups and downs—sometimes you have so much to write about that you can hardly get it on the page fast enough, and other days you blankly stare at your computer screen unsure of where to start. No matter your beliefs, spirituality and open-mindedness can play a critical role in the creative process if we allow it and nurture it.
In a safe and supportive space, reintroduce your childlike wonder around creativity so you can write freely, authentically reclaim your power, and uncover your true gifts. Unleash your brilliance and honor the impact of your stories, lessons, and innermost thoughts. Tap into a higher source of inspiration, whether viewed as the highest self, inner wisdom, or any other entity.
You will walk away with efficient ways to set intentions for different writing projects, stay in the present, trust your process, set healthy boundaries, and follow signs and intuition. You will have the information necessary to create a sacred space and ritual for your writing practice, motivating you to enrich your content and deepen your message.
---
# In this workshop you will learn:
- - Techniques to get ideas flowing
- How to connect with the purpose of your writing
- Creative ways to bring spiritual practices to your process
- The importance of community in your creative journey
- How to build writing rituals infused with both structure and spirit
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [What Is a Prose Poem?](https://writer.org/event/what-is-a-prose-poem/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Charles Simic once observed that “The prose poem has the unusual distinction of being regarded with suspicion not only by the usual haters of poetry, but also by many poets themselves.” What is it about the prose poem that has, on the one hand, so many readers and writers scratching their heads and, on the other, so many contemporary poets flocking to the form? In this workshop, we will try to define exactly what a prose poem is and how it differs from flash fiction, literary prose, and free verse with the line breaks removed. We will also discuss why, If you’ve never written a prose poem, you might want to try your hand at a form that has puzzled and attracted so many.
**Content:**
# Find out what qualifies as a “prose poem” and why you might want to try writing one.
Charles Simic once observed that “The prose poem has the unusual distinction of being regarded with suspicion not only by the usual haters of poetry, but also by many poets themselves.” What is it about the prose poem that has, on the one hand, so many readers and writers scratching their heads and, on the other, so many contemporary poets flocking to the form? In this workshop, we will try to define exactly what a prose poem is and how it differs from flash fiction, literary prose, and free verse with the line breaks removed. We will also discuss why, If you’ve never written a prose poem, you might want to try your hand at a form that has puzzled and attracted so many.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How prose poetry differs from free verse without line breaks
- Different approaches to prose poetry
- American poets known for their prose poems
- Why you should you try writing a prose poem
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for poets who are wondering why prose poetry has become so popular and are curious to try their hand at writing one.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Poetry & Public Memory with Jennifer Keohane, Steven Leyva & Joseph Ross](https://writer.org/event/poetry-and-public-memory/)
**Published:** November 14, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
How do we memorialize heroes in public spaces? How do we honor specific stories within our national story? Come join a conversation about these important questions with two poets and a scholar whose work engages with these crucial questions. Featuring Jennifer Keohane, Steven Leyva, and Joseph Ross. Book signing and light reception to follow.
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
**Jennifer Keohane** holds a Ph.D. in Communication Arts from the University of Wisconsin-Madison; an M.A. in Communication Arts from the University of Wisconsin-Madison; and a B.A. in Communication Studies and International Studies from Northwestern University. Broadly, her scholarship examines how social movements advocate for change. She recently published a book entitled *[Feminist Voices and Communist Rhetoric in Cold War America.](https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781498549813/Communist-Rhetoric-and-Feminist-Voices-in-Cold-War-America)* She also studies public memory—how societies commemorate the past in museums and memorials. You can find her work in *Women’s Studies in Communication, Rhetoric Society Quarterly, Rhetoric Review*, and *Journal for the History of Rhetoric*.
**Steven Leyva** was born in New Orleans and raised in Houston, Texas. He is a Cave Canem fellow and author of *Low Parish* (a chapbook) and the collection *The Understudy’s Handbook*, which won the Jean Feldman Poetry Prize. Steven holds an MFA from the University of Baltimore, where he is an associate professor in the Klein Family School of Communications Design. His new collection, *The Opposite of Cruelty*, will be released in March 2025.
**Joseph Ross** is the author of five books of poetry: *Crushed & Crowned* (2023), *Raising King* (2020), *Ache* (2017), *Gospel of Dust* (2013) and *Meeting Bone Man* (2012). His poems appear in many anthologies and journals, including *The New York Times Magazine*, *Xavier Review, The Langston Hughes Review,* and *The Los Angeles Times*. He serves on the Poetry Board at the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C. He teaches high school English and Creative Writing and writes regularly at [www.JosephRoss.net](http://www.JosephRoss.net)
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Writing the Truth: Lessons in Nonfiction Writing](https://writer.org/event/writing-the-truth-lessons-in-nonfiction-writing-2/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** The workshop will allow beginners and intermediate writers to learn the essentials of nonfiction writing in different formats and lengths. We’ll work on magazine-style writing, book-length narratives, and first person essays, among others. We’ll read from noted works to glean insights and examine the research and reporting skills needed to write nonfiction.
**Content:**
# Learn essential tools for powerful non-fiction writing in a variety of different styles and formats.
The workshop will allow beginners and intermediate writers to learn the essentials of nonfiction writing in different formats and lengths. We’ll work on magazine-style writing, book-length narratives, and first person essays, among others. We’ll read from noted works to glean insights and examine the research and reporting skills needed to write nonfiction.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Write with power and clarity
- Develop an eye for detail and color
- Identify characters to drive the story
- Connect with the reader
# Time requirements
- 30 minutes/week
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- The workshop is designed for beginning and intermediate writers looking to gain a footing in non-fiction writing of different length and format, from first-person essays to long-form magazine writing and book-length projects.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Nonfiction, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Opening Art Reception for Within the Process by Ruth Lozner & Kenzie Raulin](https://writer.org/event/lozner-raulin/)
**Published:** March 24, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center is pleased to present WITHIN THE PROCESS, a exhibition of visual storytelling by collaborators Ruth Lozner and Kenzie Raulin, on display in the Center’s Joram Piatigorsky Gallery April 24 – June 25, 2025.
The artists will also be in the Gallery on Monday, May 5, 1-3pm to meet guests and answer questions about the work.
**FREE & open to the public. Light refreshments provided.**
---
WITHIN THE PROCESS is a thought-provoking exhibition of visual storytelling. It is an exploration of issues of our time including climate change, artificial intelligence, constitutional threats and moral questioning. The Joram Piatigorsky Gallery installation leads the viewer through the artists’ thought process. The varied two-and three-dimensional pieces explore the tension between words and context, progress and disruption, and gravity and levity.
While maintaining separate art practices Ruth Lozner and Kenzie Raulin work together collaboratively twice a week since 2019. Their unusual process of co-creating promotes the evolution of concepts, while combining skills and techniques in real time.
For more of their work go to [LRCollaborate.com](https://www.lrcollaborate.com/).
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Novelist Natalia Theodoridou Virtual Book Launch in Conversation w/ Rory Power](https://writer.org/event/natalia-theodoridou/)
**Published:** February 18, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual book launch! We’re joined by author Natalia Theodoridou to discuss his new novel, *Sour Cherry*. Natalia is in conversation with bestselling author Rory Power.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online »](https://tinhouse.com/book/sour-cherry/)
---
**Natalia Theodoridou** is a queer and transmasculine writer whose stories have appeared in venues such as *Kenyon Review*, *The Cincinnati Review*, *Ninth Letter,* and *Strange Horizons*, and have been translated into Italian, French, Greek, Estonian, Spanish, Chinese, and Arabic. He won the 2018 World Fantasy Award for Short Fiction and the 2022 Emerging Writer Award by Moniack Mhor & The Bridge Awards, and has been a finalist for the Nebula award multiple times. He holds a PhD in media and cultural studies from SOAS, University of London. Born in Greece, with roots in Georgia, Russia, and Turkey, he currently lives in the UK. *Sour Cherry (*Tin House) is his debut novel.
**Rory Power** lives in Rhode Island. She has an MA in prose fiction from the University of East Anglia, and is the *New York Times* bestselling author of *Wilder Girls*, *Burn Our Bodies Down*, *Kill Creatures*, and The Windup Garden duology.
---
# About the Book
**A stunning reimagining of Bluebeard—one of the most mythologized serial killers—twisted into a modern tale of toxic masculinity, a feminist sermon, and a folktale for the twenty-first century.**
The tale begins with Agnes. After losing her baby, Agnes is called to the great manor house to nurse the local lord’s baby boy. But something is wrong with the child: his nails grow too fast, his skin smells of soil, and his eyes remind her of the dark forest. As he grows into a boy, then into man, a plague seems to follow him everywhere. Trees wither at the roots, fruits rot on their branches, and the town turns against him. The man takes a wife, who bears him a son. But tragedy strikes in cycles and his family is forced to consider their own malignancy—until wife after wife, death after death, plague after plague, every woman he touches becomes a ghost. The ghosts become a chorus, and they call urgently to our narrator as she tries to explain, in our very real world, exactly what has happened to her. The ghosts can all agree on one thing, an inescapable truth about this man, this powerful lord who has loved them and led them each to ruin: If you leave, you die. But if you die, you stay.
Natalia Theodoridou’s haunting and unforgettable debut novel, *Sour Cherry*, confronts age-old systems of gender and power, long-held excuses made for bad men, and the complicated reasons we stay captive to the monsters we love.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Indie Press Publishing Panel](https://writer.org/event/indie-press-publishing/)
**Published:** March 3, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
# Why publish with an independent press?
There are many paths to publication, so why choose an independent press? What are the benefits and drawbacks? What is the scope of your reach and will your book be read? Authors Varun Gauri and Len Kruger join Washington Writers Publishing House Co-Presidents Caroline Bock and Jona Colson to discuss the value of independent publishing from both sides of the process. Moderated by Bethanne Patrick. Bring all your burning questions about independent publishing for a robust discussion!
**FREE & open to the public! RSVP below.**
---
**Caroline Bock**’s short story collection, *Carry Her Home***,** received the 2018 WWPH Fiction Prize. She is the author of two critically acclaimed young adult novels, *LIE* and *Before My Eyes*, from St. Martin’s Press. In addition to her role as co-president, she is the prose editor at [*WWPH Writes*,](https://www.washingtonwriters.org/wwph-writes/) our bi-weekly literary journal, and the co-editor of our 2021 anthology *This Is What America Looks Like Fiction and Poetry from D.C. Maryland, and Virginia*. Her new novel, *THE OTHER BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE.*(Regal House Publishing) will be published on June 2, 2026. [carolinebockofficialauthorsite.wordpress.com](http://carolinebockofficialauthorsite.wordpress.com/)
**Jona Colson**’s poetry collection, Said Through Glass, won the 2018 Jean Feldman Poetry Prize from WWPH. He teaches English at Montgomery College. Notably, in addition to his role as co-president, he is the poetry editor of *[WWPH Writes](https://www.washingtonwriters.org/wwph-writes/)*, our bi-weekly literary journal, and the co-editor of *This Is What America Looks Like: Poetry and Fiction from D.C., Maryland, and Virginia.* He is also the translator for *Aguas/Waters* by Miguel Avero, our first work in translation, published in May 2024.
**Varun Gauri**’s short fiction was nominated for a Pushcart Prize and recognized in Best American Nonrequired Reading. His novel, *For the Blessings of Jupiter and Venus*, is a love story and comedy of manners about a young couple who, despite having dated, choose arranged marriage. He teaches courses on behavioral economics and global poverty at Princeton University and lives with his family in Bethesda, Maryland.
**Len Kruger** lives in Washington, D.C. His novel, *Bad Questions*, was the winner of the 2023 Washington Writers’ Publishing House Fiction Award. His short fiction has appeared in *Zoetrope-All Story*, *The Barcelona Review*, *The Potomac Review*, *Gargoyle*, *Splonk*, and the anthology, *This is What America Looks Like: Fiction and Poetry from DC, Maryland, and Virginia*. He is a graduate of the MFA Program at the University of Maryland.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [$40 Pop Up: Tugging the Tow-Lines in Memoir](https://writer.org/event/40-pop-up-tugging-the-tow-lines-in-memoir/)
**Published:** February 21, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
# Is there a memoir or story in you that is begging to be told?
In this multi genre workshop you’ll be given carefully chosen prompts intended to tug on the emotional tow lines of memory and pull up what’s down there. We will have several timed writing sessions followed by optional feedback for quick supportive reflection on our fresh new words.
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat with Novelist Karen Russell](https://writer.org/event/karen-russell/)
**Published:** October 30, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of fiction! We’re joined by Pulitzer Prize finalist Karen Russell to discuss her new novel, *The Antidote*. Karen is in conversation with Zach Powers, novelist and Artistic Director at The Writer’s Center.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from Bookshop.org »](https://bookshop.org/a/22600/9780593802250)
---
**Karen Russell** is the author of five books of fiction, including the *New York Times* bestsellers *Swamplandia!* and *Vampires in the Lemon Grove*. She is a MacArthur Fellow and a Guggenheim Fellow, a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, the recipient of two National Magazine Awards for Fiction, the Shirley Jackson Award, the 2023 Bottari Lattes Grinzane prize, the 2024 Mary McCarthy Award, and selected for the National Book Foundation’s “5 under 35” award and the *New Yorker*’s “20 under 40” list. (She is now decisively over 40.) She has taught literature and creative writing at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, the University of California-Irvine, Williams College, Columbia University, and Bryn Mawr College, and was the Endowed Chair of Texas State’s MFA program. She serves on the board of Street Books, a mobile-library for people living outdoors. Born and raised in Miami, Florida, she now lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband, son, and daughter.
---
# About the Novel
**From Pulitzer finalist, MacArthur Fellowship recipient, and bestselling author of *Swamplandia!* and *Vampires in the Lemon Grove* Karen Russell: a gripping dust bowl epic about five characters whose fates become entangled after a storm ravages their small Nebraskan town**
*The Antidote* opens on Black Sunday, as a historic dust storm ravages the fictional town of Uz, Nebraska. But Uz is already collapsing—not just under the weight of the Great Depression and the dust bowl drought but beneath its own violent histories. *The Antidote* follows a “Prairie Witch,” whose body serves as a bank vault for peoples’ memories and secrets; a Polish wheat farmer who learns how quickly a hoarded blessing can become a curse; his orphan niece, a basketball star and witch’s apprentice in furious flight from her grief; a voluble scarecrow; and a New Deal photographer whose time-traveling camera threatens to reveal both the town’s secrets and its fate.
Russell’s novel is above all a reckoning with a nation’s forgetting—enacting the settler amnesia and willful omissions passed down from generation to generation, and unearthing not only horrors but shimmering possibilities. *The Antidote* echoes with urgent warnings for our own climate emergency, challenging readers with a vision of what might have been—and what still could be.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [The Survival Power of the Lyric Poem](https://writer.org/event/the-survival-power-of-the-lyric-poem-2/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** When you’re in the middle of writing a poem that is fully inspired, it isn’t a poem at all, but a light in blindness, a splintered house in a whirlwind, with a gaping door, but you find your way through it. It is only afterwards that it becomes anything like a poem, when you’re telling it to yourself and to someone else. This workshop is open to all levels of poetry writers, all topics, with only one requirement: write from the heart, and nearly everything works, if only from the head, almost nothing works: it takes both.
**Content:**
# Throughout the centuries, the lyric has had revelatory power evoked through both beauty and pain.
When you’re in the middle of writing a poem that is fully inspired, it isn’t a poem at all, but a light in blindness, a splintered house in a whirlwind, with a gaping door, but you find your way through it. It is only afterwards that it becomes anything like a poem, when you’re telling it to yourself and to someone else. This workshop is open to all levels of poetry writers, all topics, with only one requirement: write from the heart, and nearly everything works, if only from the head, almost nothing works: it takes both.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- figurative language
- compression
- evocation
- formal structure
- tone
- re-vision
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- Optional: Poetry as Survival by Gregory Orr
- Required: any anthology of British or American poetry
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 7 Sessions, All Levels, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat with Sarah Fawn Montgomery on Writing and Disability, Chronic Illness, and Neurodivergence](https://writer.org/event/sarah-fawn-montgomery/)
**Published:** February 20, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of writing! We’re joined by Sarah Fawn Montgomery to discuss her new craft chapbook, *Nerve: Unlearning Workshop Ableism to Develop Your Disabled Writing Practice*. Sarah Fawn is in conversation with Zach Powers, author and Artistic Director at The Writer’s Center.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
Download the FREE craft chap (or listen to the audio version) at [Sundress Publications »](https://www.sundresspublications.com/craft-chaps/#2025)
---
**Sarah Fawn Montgomery** is the author of *Nerve: Unlearning Workshop Ableism to Develop Your Disabled Writing Practice*. She is also the author of *Quite Mad: An American Pharma Memoir*, which *The Paris Review* describes as “the wakeup call we need” and *The Atlantic* says “exemplifies a nuanced approach to life with mental illness.” She is also the author of *Halfway from Home*, winner of a Nautilus Book Award for lyric prose, as well as three poetry chapbooks. *Abbreviate*, a collection of flash nonfiction, is forthcoming. She is an Associate Professor at Bridgewater State University, where she teaches creative writing and disability studies.
---
# About the Book
*Nerve: Unlearning Workshop Ableism to Develop Your Disabled Writing Practice* is a vital craft text that interrogates power and privilege within the creative writing classroom, making space for disability, chronic illness, and neurodivergence. One of the only craft texts that explores the dangers of the ableist writing workshop, *Nerve* shares Montgomery’s experience living and writing with disabilities to offer readers essential tools and techniques to develop their own disabled writing practices. Providing a comprehensive overview in a manageable size, this text provides readers ways to unlearn ableist craft advice they may have come across in traditional writing workshops, strategies for developing disabled writing practices, techniques for designing disabled writing spaces, methods to discover disabled forms and structures for creative work, practical tips for the business of being a writer, and various craft exercises and creative writing prompts.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat with Marita Golden](https://writer.org/event/marita-golden/)
**Published:** November 6, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of writing! We’re joined by Marita Golden to discuss her new book, *How to Become a Black Writer: Creating and Honoring Black Stories That Matter*. Marita is in conversation with Amy Freeman, author and Development Director at The Writer’s Center.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller.
---
**Marita Golden** attended public schools in Washington, D.C. and graduated from American University and the Graduate School of Journalism at Columbia University. She has been a faculty member in the MFA Creative Writing Programs at George Mason University, Virginia Commonwealth University, and the MA Program in Creative Writing at Johns Hopkins University and a Writer-in-Residence at the University of the District of Columbia and Prince George’s Community College.
She has lectured and taught internationally, at universities in Israel, Turkey, and Spain. Her many awards include the Barnes and Noble Writers for Writers Award presented by Poets and Writers, Distinguished Service Award from the Authors Guild, Maryland Author Award from the Association of Maryland Librarians, Award for Fiction from the Black Caucus of the American Library Association and induction into the International Literary Hall of Fame of Writers of African Descent at the Gwendolyn Brooks Center at Chicago State University.
Her articles and essays have been published in a variety of publications including The New York Times, The Washington Post and Essence, and The Root.
Marita Golden has spoken or lectured at over 80 colleges and universities, including the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Columbia College, Medgar Evers College, Brandeis University, Bethune-Cookman University, the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, and Vanderbilt University.
As a literary activist, with Clyde McElvene, she cofounded the Zora Neale Hurston/Richard Wright Foundation that has been supporting the international community of Black writers for three decades.
---
# About the Book
Award-winning author Marita Golden explores her writing career and how the igniting power of storytelling is still inspiring generations of Black authors today.
A lifetime of stories to tell. Growing up, Marita would listen to bedtime stories of Sojourner Truth, Frederick Douglass, and many other champions of Black history. Now a champion herself in the literary world, she shares her story in a motivational autobiography you will never forget. How to Become a Black Writer details Marita Golden’s life, career, and the most cherished memories she made along the way. From nurturing her passions during the civil rights movement to celebrating her 40th writing anniversary in D.C., Marita shows that every dreamer can inspire others with their story.
A love letter to Black authors and readers. *How to Become a Black Writer* is not only just Marita’s story, but can also be the start of yours. Inside, you’ll find lessons and instructions based on her experiences during the renaissance of Black literature to help you cultivate your voice. Featuring timeless knowledge that helped not only Marita, but bestselling storytellers like Nzotake Shange and Toni Morrison, you, too can make a big change in the book publishing world.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [How to Write a Thriller](https://writer.org/event/how-to-write-a-thriller/)
**Published:** January 29, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
An overview that demystifies and deconstructs how it’s done — from the mere germ of an idea all the way through the creative process, with an eye on getting a finished book into the hands of potential fans. We’ll discuss the necessary components that make up a thriller, and look at how to tap into your subconscious and life experiences to transform them into a book-length project, populated with interesting characters, a high-stakes plot, snappy dialogue, and interesting settings.
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Publish Now! A One-Day Conference @ The Writer's Center](https://writer.org/event/publish-now/)
**Published:** January 30, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
# Learn the ins and outs of publishing, make connections, and build your writing career!
Publish Now is a one-day conference for writers interested in learning more about all the ways you can share and publish your work. You’ll attend up to 4 panels featuring experts in all aspects of the writing and publishing cycle. Topics will include broad overviews, preparing your work, querying agents, publishing short-form work, and more!
More than 25 panelists, including Kenneth D. Ackerman, Samuel Ashworth, Jessica Berg, Nicole Chung, Rachel Coonce, Patricia Coral, Ariel Felton, Tope Folarin, Amy Freeman, Varun Gauri, Hannah Grieco, Donna Hemans, Emily Holland, Kelsea Johnson, Angie Kim, Eugenia Kim, Steve Majors, Karen Outen, Bethanne Patrick, Zach Powers, Eman Quotah, David O. Stewart, Meera Trehan, Alonzo Vereen, and Vonetta Young. *Learn more about our panelists at the links in the panel descriptions below.*
Many of our panelists will be available between sessions, at lunch, and at the closing reception, so you can make personal connections. And you’re strongly encouraged to connect with your fellow attendees, too.
Morning coffee, lunch, and a post-conference reception are included.
---
## Schedule
# **8:15am: Registration & Coffee**
# **9:00am: Welcome**
---
# **9:15 – 10:30am:**
**Intro Panel**
**The Many Ways to Publish: An Overview**
**[Nicole Chung](https://nicolechung.net/), [Tope Folarin](https://www.topefolarin.com/), [David O. Stewart](https://davidostewart.com/), [Alonzo Vereen](https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/contributor/alonzo-vereen/), moderated by [Zach Powers](https://zachpowers.com/)**
Five authors who have worked with multiple types of publishers will provide an overview of what you need to know about the wide world of publishing.
---
# **10:45am – 12:00pm: Session 1**
**Panel A – Theater**
**An Agent, an Editor & Two Authors: From Query Through Publication & Beyond**
**[Jessica Berg](https://www.rosecliffliterary.com/), [Hannah Grieco](https://hgrieco.com/), [Angie Kim](https://angiekimbooks.com/), moderated by [Meera Trehan](https://www.meeratrehan.com/)**
If you’ve finished writing your book, that’s just the beginning. This panel of publishing professionals will tell you what it takes for a book to make it to print.
**Panel B – Reading Room**
**Submitting Outside the Book: Publishing Short-Form Work**
**[Samuel Ashworth](https://www.samuelashworth.com/), [Nicole Chung](https://nicolechung.net/), [Ariel Felton](https://arielfelton.com/), moderated by [Amy Freeman](https://amylfreeman.com/)**
Amazing writing is published every day, mostly in short form. Four expert short-form writers share their tips for finding a home for your articles, essays, stories, and more.
---
# **12:00pm – 1:15pm:
Lunch**
---
# **1:30 – 2:45pm: Session 2**
**Panel C – Theater**
**First Books: Debut Authors Share Tips, Tricks, and Surprises**
**[Varun Gauri](https://www.varungauri.com/), [Karen Outen](https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/authors/2280855/karen-outen/), [Bethanne Patrick](https://www.bethannepatrick.com/), moderated by [Steve Majors](https://steve-majors.com/about/)**
Publishing a book is always a learning experience. You’ll hear from recent debut authors about all they learned—and all they wish they’d known—about publishing for the first time.
**Panel D – Reading Room**
**Breaking Down Barriers: Equity in Publishing**
**[Patricia Coral](https://www.patriciacoral.com/), [Kelsea Johnson](https://www.kelseacjohnson.com/), [Eman Quotah](https://www.emanquotah.com/), moderated by [Eugenia Kim](https://www.eugenia-kim.com/)**
Publishing is hard, and it can be far harder for writers from historically marginalized communities. You’ll hear from successful authors about their paths to success, overcoming obstacles, and building community in the literary world.
---
# **3:00 – 4:15pm: Session 3**
**Panel E – Theater**
**The Art of Editing: How to Make Sure Your Work is Ready to Submit**
**[Kenneth D. Ackerman](https://kennethackerman.com/), [Samuel Ashworth](https://www.samuelashworth.com/), [Vonetta Young](https://www.vonettayoung.com/), moderated by [Emily Holland](https://emily-holland.com/)**
If you want to publish, you need to make sure your work is well written. Seasoned editors will offer advice on ways to make sure your work is as strong as possible before submitting.
**Panel F – Reading Room**
**You Can’t Do It Alone: The Importance of Literary Community**
**[Ariel Felton](https://arielfelton.com/), [Hannah Grieco](https://hgrieco.com/), [Donna Hemans](https://www.donnahemans.com/), moderated by [Rachel Coonce](https://www.rachelcoonce.com/)**
Successful authors are usually part of a community of writers (just read the acknowledgments page at the end of a book!). This panel will introduce you to the concept of good literary citizenship, and show you how giving back to the literary community is one the best ways to reward yourself—and to find avenues for publishing your own work.
---
# **4:30pm:
Reception**
---
# Scholarships
We plan to offer 5 scholarships to Publish Now for writers unable to pay the registration fee. Please apply for the scholarship by emailing <zach.powers@writer.org> with “Publish Now Scholarship” in the subject line; no additional information is required. Scholarship recipients will be selected randomly from among all applicants. **Scholarship Deadline: February 21, 2025**
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Workshop
---
### [A Tribute to the Life and Poetry of Elisavietta Ritchie](https://writer.org/event/elisavietta-ritchie/)
**Published:** March 5, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
A gathering for writers, friends, and family members to share their memories of Elisavietta and favorite poems from her collected works.
Open to the public.
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat with Poet Alicia Ostriker](https://writer.org/event/alicia-ostriker/)
**Published:** September 18, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
*Poet Lore* and The Writer’s Center present a FREE virtual chat about the craft of poetry! We’re joined by Alicia Ostriker to discuss her collection, *The Holy & Broken Bliss*. Alicia is in conversation with Emily Holland, poet and editor of *Poet Lore*, America’s oldest poetry journal.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern.
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from the publisher »](https://www.alicejamesbooks.org/bookstore/the-holy-and-broken-bliss)
---
**Alicia Ostriker** has published nineteen collections of poetry, been twice nominated for the National Book Award, and has twice received the National Jewish Book Award for Poetry, among other honors. As a critic she is the author of the now-classic *Stealing the Language: The Emergence of Women’s Poetry in America*, and other books on poetry and on the Bible. Her most recent collections of poems are *Waiting for the Light* and *The Volcano and After: Selected and New Poems 2002-2019*. Her poems have been translated into numerous languages, including Hebrew and Arabic. She was New York State Poet Laureate (2018-2021) and a Chancellor of the Academy of American Poets (2015-2020). She lives with her husband in New York City.
---
# About the Book
**“This essential collection resonates long after the final page, reminding readers that even in a fractured, plague-stricken world, there is still a living, breathing force within all things.” —*Publishers Weekly, starred review***
How can we find meaning in the face of aging, illness, and the inevitability of death? How can we respond to the double plague of a fierce pandemic and a divided society?
The keenly observant and urgent poems of ***The Holy & Broken Bliss*** are grounded in daily existence, human tenderness, the rituals of a long marriage, and the poet’s ongoing spiritual quest. In the middle of a world that seems to be breaking down into suffering and anger, the spare and direct lines of these poems, surrounded by silence, offer a kind of healing. The poems ask us to consider what living looks like inside of ongoing misery (misery we often are responsible for making and accepting). They call us to ask ourselves how we locate joy and even laughter when despair is ever-present.
*The Holy & Broken Bliss* contemplates free will, autonomy, self-control, the commodification of ourselves, and our desires for vengeance, satiation, rage, and acknowledgment of our collective sicknesses, along with the sacred possibilities of love, communication with nature, the power of art, and the “need to praise.”
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [$40 Pop Up! Synopses That Don't Suck](https://writer.org/event/40-pop-up-synopses-that-dont-suck/)
**Published:** December 13, 2024
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
# Agents hate reading synopses—and you hate writing them.
Learn to create concise, dynamic summaries that get the job done.
Participants will:
- Study the key elements of a strong synopsis, including capturing stakes, character arcs, and resolutions.
- Compare before and after examples to identify common pitfalls and how to fix them.
- Draft a flash synopsis in 10 minutes using guided prompts, then refine it with instructor feedback.
- Leave with a clear and concise synopsis draft tailored to their project.
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, Publishing, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [UnClogging Your Brain](https://writer.org/event/unclogging-your-brain-4/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Prompts will spark memories, characters, and places, turning them into poems, scenes, dialogues, and stories. During 'UnClogging' you will likely come up with an 'idea' that you feel compelled to expand on, or perhaps be re-inspired to continue an unfinished work later. Find new perspective and confidence!
**Content:**
# Improvisation fearlessly puts you directly into the action and heart of the moment allowing your creative genius to ‘script’ on the spot in a judgement free zone.
Prompts will spark memories, characters, and places, turning them into poems, scenes, dialogues, and stories. During ‘UnClogging’ you will likely come up with an ‘idea’ that you feel compelled to expand on, or perhaps be re-inspired to continue an unfinished work later. Find new perspective and confidence!
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Fiction Intensive with C Pam Zhang](https://writer.org/event/fiction-intensive/)
**Published:** February 12, 2024
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
# **Find new depths to your writing in a radical, anti-workshop workshop with award-winning writer C Pam Zhang!**
This course is for advanced fiction writers who want the rigor of an MFA program combined with a radically humanist approach to thinking about work-in-progress as truly *in progress*: malleable, thrillingly alive with potential, and containing the seeds of its own “aboutness.” This course is particularly well-suited to writers who feel they have hit a wall in their writing; writers who have the beginnings of a novel and want ideas for how to proceed; and writers who have had negative experiences with soliciting feedback in the past.
Together, we will practice a radical model of workshopping that begins with a “do no harm” policy, and proceeds with true curiosity and respect for the writing’s inherent intelligence. Workshops should feel exciting. They will, in this class, become sites of discovery where the writer plumbs the depths in their manuscript that they hadn’t been able to see on their own. In addition to workshopping, you will also read published fiction; explore generative writing techniques; and form accountability groups in which you build support systems with fellow students beyond the classroom.
---
# Virtual Info Session
**ZOOM**
**Wednesday, January 22, 8pm ET**
Meet C Pam Zhang, instructor for our Fiction Intensive 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 here »**](https://writer.org/event/virtual-info-session-for-fiction-intensive-with-c-pam-zhang/)
---
# Workshops
We will begin the course by learning a new approach to workshopping that assumes that the work, however rough and early-stage, has an innate intelligence. We will identify the work’s inherent “aboutness,” creating a space of inquiry and true curiosity in which the writer is empowered to direct the conversation. We will unlearn harmful workshop techniques we may have encountered in the past, and build a malleable practice that adapts to suit the individual writer. This workshop model is inspired by choreographer Liz Lerman, George Saunders, tarot, etc.
Each student will have several chances to workshop their writing. For longer projects, such as novels, we will adapt the format.
---
# Generative Exercises
Students will receive writing exercises about understanding characters, outlining, heat mapping, jumping through time and POV, intentional failure, intuitive list-making, writing into fear, and more. Techniques inspired by writers writers such as Alexander Chee, Laura van den Berg, Lauren Groff, Charles Yu, and more.
---
# Accountability Groups
Students will form self-directed accountability groups. Groups might decide to text once a week about what was most enjoyable, or hold silent Zoom writing sessions, or text “yes” at 10 every night, or track word count. Students will be guided toward identifying the accountability practices that are best suited to them.
---
# 1:1 Mentoring
Each student will have private mentoring sessions with Zhang.
---
# Professionalization
At the end of the course, we will discuss querying agents, publishing, and a writing career. Students will have a chance to see successful query letters from published writers, and workshop their own query letters.
---
# Schedule
This class meets via Zoom every other Monday, February 10, 2025 – Dec 15, 2025, for a total of 20 sessions, with breaks for holidays and dedicated writing periods. Between Zoom meetings, participants can expect readings and assignments.
---
# To Apply
**Application Deadline: February 1, 2025**
Send a cover letter and writing sample of 5-20 pages to laura.spencer@writer.org by February 1. Admissions will be on a rolling basis so participants are encouraged to submit early.
*Acceptance into the workshop is required before registering.*
**Event Categories:** Fiction, Master Level, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat with Memoirist Patricia Coral](https://writer.org/event/patricia-coral/)
**Published:** February 27, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center and The Inner Loop present a FREE virtual chat about the craft of nonfiction! We’re joined by Patricia Coral to discuss her celebrated memoir, *Women Surrounded by Water*. Patricia is in conversation with Chet’la Sebree, poet, essayist, and board member of both The Inner Loop and The Writer’s Center.
*Women Surrounded by Water* is The Inner Loop’s Author’s Corner spotlight. [The Inner Loop](https://www.theinnerlooplit.org/) cultivates and promotes the distinctive literary culture of Washington, DC. Author’s Corner supports local authors’ independently published books by spotlighting them in community programming and collaborations.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from Bookshop.org »](https://bookshop.org/a/22600/9780814259252)
---
**Patricia Coral** is a bilingual Puerto Rican writer. She holds a BA in Hispanic Studies from the University of Puerto Rico, an MA in Spanish from the InterAmerican University of Puerto Rico, and an MFA in Creative Writing from American University, where she received the Myra Sklarew Award and where she was Editor-in-Chief of FOLIO. Patricia writes creative nonfiction, fiction, and poetry, but frequently her words find their home in-between. The former director of events for Politics and Prose Bookstore, she has contributed to numerous literary magazines and her work has been supported by the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities. Her memoir *Women Surrounded by Water* is her first book and it was longlisted for the 2024 National Book Critics Circle Award in Autobiography.
**Chet’la Sebree** is the author *Field Study*, winner of the 2020 James Laughlin Award from the Academy of American Poets, and *Mistress*. Her third poetry collection *Blue Opening* and debut essay collection *turn (w)here: essays on (be)longing* are forthcoming in 2025 and 2026, respectively.
---
# About *Women Surrounded by Water*
**Longlisted for the 2024 National Book Critics Circle Award in Autobiography**
Growing up in Puerto Rico, Patricia Coral was surrounded by women who fought for their needs amid the demands of domesticity and who were dismissed and judged when they rejected any predetermined paths on an island that itself has never been free. At age twenty-five, she married her first love, a green-eyed musician whose internal storms drove Coral to slowly realize that the marriage must end. Faced with disillusionment—with her husband, with the patriarchal expectations that surrounded her like the Caribbean Sea, and with the limited options available to her—she leaves, only for Hurricane Maria to wrench her heart homeward.
Coral evokes the beauty, love, and language of her family and of Puerto Rico as well as the pain of yearning for more. Tastes, colors, and the dreamlike lushness of childhood memories infuse this mournful and propulsive memoir of personal and natural disasters—and the self-discovery made possible only when we choose what to leave behind.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Writerly Happy Hour](https://writer.org/event/writerly-happy-hour/)
**Published:** February 25, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Join us for cocktails at No Kisses Bar to mingle with friends of The Inner Loop, The Writer’s Center, DC Writers Room and PEN/Faulkner!
# [Register here »](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/writerly-happy-hour-tickets-1258625305169?aff=oddtdtcreator)
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [$40 Pop Up! Sentence Variety Primer](https://writer.org/event/40-pop-up-sentence-variety-primer/)
**Published:** February 20, 2025
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
# Learn 3 concrete techniques to enhance sentence variety in your prose.
Typically, when we talk about sentence variety, we talk about the grammatical structure of a sentence. If a string of sentences all have similar structures, then we can switch up the grammar in a couple to make things more interesting. But simple grammar is a byproduct of the ways we think on the page. A more effective way to achieve sentence variety is to use different types of thinking, and different literary elements, to change not just the structure but the very substance of our prose.
In this workshop you’ll learn and practice 3 simple techniques for bringing more variety to your sentences. We’ll consider syntax, musicality, and detail, and discover how focusing on any one of these areas will naturally generate varying sentence structures.
This workshop is designed for intermediate and advanced writers interested in the subtle ways that language can function.
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [David C. Metz Reading & Discussion with J. Morris](https://writer.org/event/david-metz/)
**Published:** February 22, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes David C. Metz for a reading and discussion to celebrate the release of his debut short story collection, *Nick and Lorraine Were Lovers*. David is in conversation with author and TWC instructor J. Morris.
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
**David C. Metz** was born and raised in Illinois and earned an English degree from Illinois State University. Following graduation he was drafted and served for two years in the U.S. Army, stationed in Frankfurt, Germany. After his stint in the Army, he and his wife moved to Montgomery County, MD. He earned a law degree from George Mason University School of Law and worked as a lawyer for various technology companies. Along the way he also worked as a busboy, a dishwasher, a proofreader, and a contracting officer for the Federal government. He published his first stories in his college literary magazine, *The Triangle*. In recent years his stories have appeared in several literary magazines, including *The MacGuffin*, *New Plains Review*, *Bull*, *Valparaiso Fiction Review*, and *Perceptions*. His first story collection, *Nick and Lorraine Were Lovers*, is due to be published by Apprentice House Press in April 2025.
**J. Morris** has published award-winning fiction and poetry in more than 90 literary magazines in the U.S. and Great Britain. His work has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize and reprinted in *Twentieth Century Literary Criticism* and *Anatomy of a Short Story* (Continuum Press). A longtime instructor at The Writer’s Center in Bethesda, MD, his collection of poetry, *Someone Is Breathing*, is available from Dos Madres Press. A short story collection, *When I Snap My Fingers You Will Remember Everything*, was published by No Record Press in 2016. His musical project, Mulberry Coach, a collaboration with singer and lyricist Katie Fisher, issued its ninth full-length release, *The Friendly Skies*, in April 2023. He currently serves as co-editor of *Vita Poetica Journal*.
---
# About the Book
**“David Metz’s compassionate vision shows us ordinary people trying to keep their resilience and their dignity as they roll with the punches of life. Without false sentiment, these stories affirm that we are mostly decent people trying to be better, and often succeeding, despite our foolishness and mistakes. It’s a pleasure to read such finely tuned, insightful fiction.” —J. Morris, author of *When I Snap My Fingers You Will Remember Everything***
There are no superheroes in *Nick and Lorraine Were Lovers*, just ordinary people caught in moments of crisis as they get on with their lives. A middle-aged corporate lawyer confronts a painful childhood memory in the wake of the George Floyd protests. A college student is on a mission to rescue his former lover from herself. A single mother is haunted by the suicide of her daughter. In a small Midwest town in the 1950s, a boy plays “army” with his friends and discovers the meaning of loyalty. These poignant stories are told with compassion, humor, and a clear understanding of the human condition.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Amsterdam Quarterly Reading](https://writer.org/event/amsterdam-quarterly-2025/)
**Published:** February 22, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes contributors to *Amsterdam Quarterly* for a reading in celebration of the latest issue. Readers include Claudia Gary, AQ editor Bryan R. Monte, Jim Ross, and Karin Chastain Turner.
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
# About the Readers
**Claudia Gary** is a poet, editor, essayist, health science writer, visual artist, and composer of tonal songs and chamber music. She teaches workshops on Villanelle, Sonnet, Meter, “Poetry vs. Trauma,” “Whole-Brain Poetry,” Persona Poems, and more, at The Writer’s Center, currently via Zoom. Author of *Humor Me* (2006) and of chapbooks including *Genetic Revisionism, Let’s Get Out of Here,* and others, she is also an advisory editor for the *New Verse Review*. Her 2022 article on setting poems to music can be found online at *Expansive Poetry Online* and elsewhere. Several of Claudia’s chapbooks will be available here.
**Bryan R. Monte** was a 2021 finalist in the Hippocrates Open Poetry Contest and the Gival Press Oscar Wilde Award and a 2022 Hippocrates Contest commended poet. His poetry has been published in *The* *Arlington Literary Journal*, *Irreantum*, *Italian Americana*, *Kaleidoscope,* *Poetry Pacific*, and *South Florida Poetry Journal* and in the anthologies *Gathered: Contemporary Quaker Poets*, (Sundress Press), and *Immigration and Justice for our Neighbors*, (Celery City Books). His book, *On the Level: Poems on Living with Multiple Sclerosis*, (Circling Rivers), has been praised by Philip Gross and Jacob M. Appel for its candor and humor. Monte edits *Amsterdam Quarterly.* (Photo: María Miniya)
A Best of the Net nominee, **Jim Ross** jumped into creative pursuits after obtaining a graduate degree from Howard University and a rewarding research career. In nine years he’s published nonfiction, fiction, poetry, photography, plays, hybrid, and interviews in 200 journals on five continents. His writing publications include *Barrelhouse*, *Columbia Journal*, *Hippocampus*, *Lunch Ticket*, *Manchester Review*, *The Atlantic*, and *Typehouse*. His text-based photoessays have been featured in *Amsterdam Quarterly*, *DASH*, *Kestrel*, *Litro*, and *Sweet*.
**Karin Chastain Turner** (she/her) is a Virginia born and raised artist currently working out of Baltimore, Maryland. After graduating Virginia Commonwealth University with a BFA in photography in 2021, she has found herself living up and down the East Coast photographing the everyday. Focusing on themes of escapism, closeness, and what it truly means to be alive, she uses both digital and film photography to capture a glimpse of the world around her in an attempt to better understand it herself.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Search Party: Find Your Writing Group](https://writer.org/event/search-party-feb2025/)
**Published:** January 24, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
# Looking for a writing group? We want to help you meet other interested writers!
**The Writer’s Center** and [**The Inner Loop**](https://theinnerlooplit.org/) invite you to Search Party, a social event connecting writers to other writers interested in forming/joining a writing group. Simply show up, fill out a nametag with your genres and other areas of interest, and mingle. You can:
- Visit themed tables for specific genres.
- Follow our guide to ask a few useful questions.
- Collect names and contact information on a handy form provided to all registrants.
- Enjoy complimentary refreshments!
**FREE and open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Memoir Year with Nicole Chung](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year-with-nicole-chung/)
**Published:** November 20, 2024
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
# Write your memoir with bestselling author Nicole Chung!
This intensive workshop is open to writers working on a memoir or memoir-in-essays. You’ll have the opportunity to participate in lively craft discussions, reflections, and exercises designed to help you identify key ideas and themes you want to explore in your work. If you have an idea for a memoir and are looking to jumpstart it—or are already underway, but struggling to maintain your momentum—this class will help you consider and take concrete next steps.
**Application Deadline: March 14, 2025**
---
# Watch the Virtual Info Session recording
---
# Format
We’ll spend time brainstorming, learning how to identify and pursue the stories that matter most to us. Through lectures, in-class reading and discussion, and guided writing prompts, we’ll explore characterization, setting, dialogue, structure, plot, pacing, and more. We’ll discuss the different types of memories, the role imagination can play in memoir, and whether and how to bring research and reportage into our stories.
Throughout the intensive, we’ll talk about the ethics of personal writing and how to establish the boundaries we need when writing about trauma or grief. We’ll practice multiple revision strategies, so you’ll never run out of ways to approach and build upon your work. We’ll address your questions about book proposals, pitching, and the publishing industry. And we’ll also hear from occasional guest speakers—editors, agents, and award-winning authors—who can share tips and answer questions about the writing and publication processes.
You will have the opportunity to generate new pages throughout the course and have several chapters/book excerpts workshopped in class. The focus of the workshop will be on growing your craft and building a writing practice that is healthy and sustainable for you, so that you can continue showing up for your work—and telling the stories you need to tell—long after this course ends.
---
# Schedule
Generally this class will meet twice per month, from March 25, 2025 – December 16, 2025, 7–9pm ET, although there may be one or two breaks for students to focus on writing. Workshops will be held via Zoom, with additional opportunities to meet 1:1 with Nicole upon request. Outside of class, students will generate new writing and read and respond to their peers’ work. All students will have the option to schedule an individual follow-up with Nicole during the first quarter of 2026.
---
# To Apply
**Deadline: March 14, 2025**
Submit a writing sample of 10-20 pages (double-spaced, Times New Roman font) and 1-2 paragraphs detailing your writing goals, intentions, and questions. You may also choose to include a one-page résumé or CV if you have one. Send your submission to <laura.spencer@writer.org> by March 14.
**Acceptance into the workshop is required before registering.**
**Event Categories:** Master Level, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [So, You Want to Write a Book?](https://writer.org/event/so-you-want-to-write-a-book/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Do you feel called to write a book? Is there something important that you have always wanted to say but need help organizing the ideas in your mind? No matter where you are in the process, this class will you create a concrete plan to bring your book ideas to life. Learn how to develop themes, structure and outline key concepts, discover your authentic voice, revise and prepare for publication, and about different publishing routes. No preparation is needed and no materials are necessary.
**Content:**
# Learn the elements of writing a book of any genre, and walk away with a basic understanding of the overall process from start to finish.
Do you feel called to write a book? Is there something important that you have always wanted to say but need help organizing the ideas in your mind? No matter where you are in the process, this class will help you create a concrete plan to bring your book ideas to life. Learn how to develop themes, structure and outline key concepts, discover your authentic voice, revise and prepare for publication, and about different publishing routes. No preparation is needed and no materials are necessary.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Idea development
- Techniques for theme exploration
- Outline and structure
- Drafting and editing
- Polishing and publishing
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers who have an idea for a book but need guidance and support to walk through the process.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Beginner Level, Mixed Genre, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Vulnerability in Personal Storytelling](https://writer.org/event/vulnerability-in-personal-storytelling-3/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Each of us has the power to look at our lived experiences to find meaning and wisdom that we can transform however we want: into art, into lifestyle, into legacy. In this workshop, you will learn how to view creative vulnerability as generosity, and how to offer up your humanity through story as a gift to yourself and others. We will address questions such as: How do I write about sensitive topics without doing harm to myself? How do I know when I'm oversharing? How do I turn a raw journal entry into a piece for publication? You will come away from this workshop with perspective on your unique storyteller type and how grasping it can build courage, as well as best practices for taking care of yourself as you do this introspective work.
**Content:**
# Find the courage to write about sensitive subjects.
Each of us has the power to look at our lived experiences to find meaning and wisdom that we can transform however we want: into art, into lifestyle, into legacy. In this workshop, you will learn how to view creative vulnerability as generosity, and how to offer up your humanity through story as a gift to yourself and others. We will address questions such as: How do I write about sensitive topics without doing harm to myself? How do I know when I’m oversharing? How do I turn a raw journal entry into a piece for publication? You will come away from this workshop with perspective on your unique storyteller type and how grasping it can build courage, as well as best practices for taking care of yourself as you do this introspective work.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Idea generation
- Creative process
- Unraveling creative blocks
- Writing rough drafts
- Story development
- Ethical dilemmas
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for beginning and intermediate nonfiction writers looking to build courage in their voices and process.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Virtual Info Session for Memoir Year with Nicole Chung](https://writer.org/event/virtual-info-session-for-memoir-year-with-nicole-chung/)
**Published:** January 14, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
**Meet Nicole Chung, instructor for our Memoir Year 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** to receive login information. Info session free and open to all interested writers.
---
# About the Program
**Application Deadline: March 14, 2025**
**Workshop Dates: March 25, 2025 – December 16, 2025**
**Cost: $5,400 \| Members $5,300**
Write your memoir with bestselling author Nicole Chung! This intensive workshop is open to writers working on a memoir or memoir-in-essays. You’ll have the opportunity to participate in lively craft discussions, reflections, and exercises designed to help you identify key ideas and themes you want to explore in your work. If you have an idea for a memoir and are looking to jumpstart it—or are already underway, but struggling to maintain your momentum—this class will help you consider and take concrete next steps.
# [**Find the full details and apply here »**](https://writer.org/event/memoir-year-with-nicole-chung/)
**Event Categories:** Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat with Poet Karen Rigby](https://writer.org/event/karen-rigby/)
**Published:** July 31, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
*Poet Lore* and The Writer’s Center present a FREE virtual chat about the craft of poetry! We’re joined by Karen Rigby to discuss her new collection, *Fabulosa*. Karen is in conversation with Emily Holland, poet and editor of *Poet Lore*, America’s oldest poetry journal.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern.
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from Bookshop.org](https://bookshop.org/a/22600/9781956907094) »
---
Born in the Republic of Panama in 1979, **Karen Rigby** now lives and writes in Arizona. Her latest poetry book is *[Fabulosa](https://www.karenrigby.com/fabulosa)* (JackLeg Press, 2024). Her debut poetry book, [*Chinoiserie*](https://www.karenrigby.com/chinoiserie) (Ahsahta Press, 2012), was selected by Paul Hoover for a 2011 Sawtooth Poetry Prize, and described by *Booklist* as “poignant, powerful, and urgent.”
Karen’s work has been honored by a [National Endowment for the Arts](https://www.arts.gov/grants/recent-grants/literature-fellowships/list-by-year?field_year_value=2007&field_lit_fellows_type_value=1&title=&page=1) literature fellowship, a Vermont Studio Center Fellowship, and an Artist Opportunity Grant from the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council. She is a 2023 recipient of an Artist Opportunity Grant from the Arizona Commission on the Arts. Her poetry is published in journals such as *The London Magazine*, *Poetry Northwest*, *The Oxonian* *Review*, and *Australian Book Review*.
She’s read at venues including Rice University, Saint Vincent College, and the Tucson Festival of Books, and serves as an AWP Writer to Writer Mentor ([Season 20](https://www.awpwriter.org/community_calendar/mentorship_program_mentorbios) and [Season 18](https://www.awpwriter.org/community_calendar/mentorship_program_previousmentors)). A graduate of [Carnegie Mellon University](https://www.cmu.edu/dietrich/english/academic-programs/creative-writing/index.html) and the [University of Minnesota-Twin Cities](https://cla.umn.edu/english/news-events/news/new-pages-summer-2024), Karen freelances as a book reviewer.
---
# About the Book
After her prize-winning debut*,* Karen Rigby returns with a beguiling ars poetica and tribute to the dazzling. From Dior to Olympic figure skating, Bruegel to British crime drama, Rigby’s poems revere memorable art, where “performance masks the hours.” Here, thread galvanizes air. A poem is a diamond heist. And menace and elegance are twin gloves directing each cinematic moment. A book of feminine ardor, teenaged MDD and survival, *Fabulosa* embroiders beauty out of ache.
From editor Simone Muench: “Deliciously inventive in its linguistic unfurlings, *Fabulosa* fibrillates with ‘noir and glitz’ in these strange, seductive poems that are in conversation with a range of players \[…\] it is exquisitely hewn.”
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [POSTPONED: Virtual Craft Chat on Fiction with Em J Parsley](https://writer.org/event/em-j-parsley/)
**Published:** September 18, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
# **POSTPONED: This event has been postponed. We’ll contact all registrants when a new date has been set. Thanks for your understanding!**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of fiction! We’re joined by Em J Parsley to discuss their debut novella, *You, From Below*. Em J is in conversation with Zach Powers, novelist and Artistic Director at The Writer’s Center.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from the publisher »](https://www.splitlippress.com/you-from-below)
---
**Em J Parsley** (also known as Wylde) is a poet, novelist, environmentalist, and gardener who usually lives in rural Kentucky. He is the author of the poetry chapbook, *the anonym gospels* (April Gloaming Publishing, 2024) which won the Apogee Poetry Chapbook Award. This is their first novella.
---
When an Appalachian holler town is suddenly swallowed into the earth, its sole survivor—the nameless, second-person narrator of ***You, From Below***—embarks on a journey up a nearby mountain to get answers. With a mysterious envelope in their pocket that they know they must deliver, the narrator encounters a faceless beekeeper, an undying woman, and a righteous schoolteacher of a town that was raptured overnight while confronting their own past and the death of both the town and people they left behind. Em J Parsley’s *You, From Below* burrows into the ecological, economic, and emotional state of Central Appalachia to examine its past, present, and the nature of reciprocity through this speculative, introspective, fable-like exploration of collapse and regeneration.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [CANCELLED - Open Mic @ The Writer's Center](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-feb2025a/)
**Published:** January 2, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
# CANCELLED: The Open Mic has been cancelled this week because of the snowy/icy conditions. We’ll see you on Feb 26!
Prose, poetry, and spoken word Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center! All writers are welcome to come and share 4-5 minutes of their latest work.
- **Sign-up starts at 6:45pm, and readings begin promptly at 7pm.**
- **Limited to 20 readers, so arrive early if you plan to read.**
Sponsored by [*Poet Lore*](poetlore.com), America’s oldest poetry magazine.
FREE and open to the public. Please note that we no longer offer advance sign-up.
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [The Poem As Prayer & Conjuring](https://writer.org/event/the-poem-as-prayer-conjuring/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** In this workshop we’ll read and discuss work by poets who invite the spiritual and metaphysical into the world of their poems—poets who wield language, story, and lyric as deftly as a wand. We’ll look at poems that pray and poems that argue, poems that don’t shy away from naming what they want. And we’ll spend some time writing our own poems together, too. No prior experience is required for this workshop—all that’s needed is a sense of fun, curiosity, and a little bit of faith in the magic of language.
**Content:**
# Let’s create as we speak!
In this workshop we’ll read and discuss work by poets who invite the spiritual and metaphysical into the world of their poems—poets who wield language, story, and lyric as deftly as a wand. We’ll look at poems that pray and poems that argue, poems that don’t shy away from naming what they want. And we’ll spend some time writing our own poems together, too. No prior experience is required for this workshop—all that’s needed is a sense of fun, curiosity, and a little bit of faith in the magic of language.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Generative poetry writing
- Spiritual poetics
- The poem as speech act
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This all-level workshop is designed for writers interested in spiritual poetics.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Write Like the News](https://writer.org/event/write-like-the-news-4/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Lead with the future — not background — for lead-ership, especially in a crisis. That’s the most important of eight journalism skills that will transform your writing. The others: write your readers’ language, be positive (to be both clear and upbeat), lay out logically, be consistent, be precise, be concise and choose strong verbs. (Plus a Speak Like the News skill: avoid “uptalk?”) Emulate the vivid news examples you’ll see in this workshop, and you’ll strengthen your writing voice with lively, engaging news style. At 7 sharp, we’ll critique TheWallStreetJournal.com, seeing how to communicate your main point in just a few words. To cover as much ground as possible, we’ll have just a few writing exercises and most of them will take less than a minute each.
**Content:**
# Become concise as news, precise as law.
Lead with the future — not background — for lead-ership, especially in a crisis. That’s the most important of eight journalism skills that will transform your writing. The others: write your readers’ language, be positive (to be both clear and upbeat), lay out logically, be consistent, be precise, be concise and choose strong verbs. (Plus a Speak Like the News skill: avoid “uptalk?”) Emulate the vivid news examples you’ll see in this workshop, and you’ll strengthen your writing voice with lively, engaging news style. At 7 sharp, we’ll critique TheWallStreetJournal.com, seeing how to communicate your main point in just a few words. To cover as much ground as possible, we’ll have just a few writing exercises and most of them will take less than a minute each.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- “Lead with the future — not background” for lead-ership, especially in a crisis.
- Choose between raw numbers and a ratio.
- “Equal writes”: choose an egalitarian, engaging, non-clunky alternative to generic “he.”
- Break bad news the good way — and keep your readers reading.
- Plus a “Speak Like the News” skill: avoid “uptalk?”
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Writers (business writers especially) who’d like to learn by emulating or improving excerpts from diverse sources — here news of course, but also the Supreme Court, Charles Dickens and the Ronettes.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Professional Writing, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [How to Write Compelling Scenes](https://writer.org/event/how-to-write-compelling-scenes/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** The building blocks of any short story, novel, memoir, or work of creative nonfiction are scenes. Each one has its own beginning, middle, and end and moves readers another step toward resolution. Elements discussed in this fast-paced, half-day class will include Perspective, Setting, Emotion, Action, Dialogue and Exposition—as well as the most effective types of scene openings and endings. Students who master the skills of scene building will gain confidence in their craft and learn how to avoid creating weak story segments that can result in bland and uninspiring stories.
**Content:**
# Scenes are vivid, active, and emotional. Write one after another…and soon you have an amazing short story, memoir, or novel!
The building blocks of any short story, novel, memoir, or work of creative nonfiction are scenes. Each one has its own beginning, middle, and end and moves readers another step toward resolution. Elements discussed in this fast-paced, half-day class will include Perspective, Setting, Emotion, Action, Dialogue and Exposition—as well as the most effective types of scene openings and endings. Students who master the skills of scene building will gain confidence in their craft and learn how to avoid creating weak story segments that can result in bland and uninspiring stories.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Creating Action
- Bonding Reader with Character
- The Power of Emotion
- Why Brain Science makes for great writing
- Building the Movie in Your Reader’s Head
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Beginning writers needing to ground themselves in fiction basics and experienced writers in need of an updated skill refresher.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Natural Meter Crash Course](https://writer.org/event/natural-meter-crash-course-4/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Have you ever wondered how scanning the lines of your first draft can make for a better poem? Here’s an opportunity to improve your ear for meter—a major element of poetic prosody—and to fine-tune your understanding of how it works. Guided by an internationally published author of sonnets, villanelles, and other metrical poems, this one-day workshop includes scansion of well-known poems, writing exercises, and, if you like, close examination of a poem you’ve drafted prior to class. You’ll leave with new insights about improving the auditory qualities of all your poems and prose.
**Content:**
# Strengthen your poetry by understanding how meter interacts with the natural rhythms of speech.
Have you ever wondered how scanning the lines of your first draft can make for a better poem? Here’s an opportunity to improve your ear for meter—a major element of poetic prosody—and to fine-tune your understanding of how it works. Guided by an internationally published author of sonnets, villanelles, and other metrical poems, this one-day workshop includes scansion of well-known poems, writing exercises, and, if you like, close examination of a poem you’ve drafted prior to class. You’ll leave with new insights about improving the auditory qualities of all your poems and prose.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Scansion
- Prosody
- Ear training
- Metrical exercises
- Feedback on participant poems
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for all poets who would like to improve their understanding and use of meter.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Intermediate/Advanced Level, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Reading Your Work Out Loud](https://writer.org/event/reading-your-work-out-loud-3/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** 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 turn fuel a more authentic writing process and outcome. You’ll leave the workshop with an experience of camaraderie, community, and a more deeply rooted sense of your creative and expressive self. Please have on hand a number of pieces you’d be comfortable sharing during the meeting. There will be a break; please also bring a snack and water.
**Content:**
# Practice sharing yourself and your story
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 turn fuel a more authentic writing process and outcome. You’ll leave the workshop with an experience of camaraderie, community, and a more deeply rooted sense of your creative and expressive self. Please have on hand a number of pieces you’d be comfortable sharing during the meeting. There will be a break; please also bring a snack and water.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Public speaking skills
- Performance anxiety mitigation
- Performance conviction and authenticity
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers and others who want to practice and hone the skills of public performance and delivery.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Stage and Screen, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [How to Plot Like a Pro](https://writer.org/event/how-to-plot-like-a-pro-2/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** You have a great idea for a story. Do you dive in and just begin writing, or start by drafting an outline? Are you a born planner or a writer who loves to discover stories organically (i.e., a pantser)? Understanding how to structure a well-conceived story around a main character and central conflict, while paying attention to pacing, can make the difference between a finished, publishable manuscript and an abandoned work-in-progress. Plotting provides a safety net that never robs the author of the joy of writing, and always reduces revision time. Think you can’t plot? Join us for this course, and we’ll show you how!
**Content:**
# Avoid the dreaded writer’s block and giving up on a good story by learning time-honed tools for plotting great fiction.
You have a great idea for a story. Do you dive in and just begin writing, or start by drafting an outline? Are you a born planner or a writer who loves to discover stories organically (i.e., a pantser)? Understanding how to structure a well-conceived story around a main character and central conflict, while paying attention to pacing, can make the difference between a finished, publishable manuscript and an abandoned work-in-progress. Plotting provides a safety net that never robs the author of the joy of writing, and always reduces revision time. Think you can’t plot? Join us for this course, and we’ll show you how!
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Creating Conflict
- Intensifying Emotion
- Preparing Effective Scenes
- Realist Progression
- Importance of Genre
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is geared toward the writer who recognizes the importance of having a safety net that will lessen the chance of becoming blocked and straying from their narrative, as well as wanting to reduce revision time.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Book Publishing 101](https://writer.org/event/book-publishing-101/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** This class pulls back the curtain on the ins and outs of publishing by walking participants through the component parts of the publishing industry. From the role of literary agents to the dreaded query letter to what an editor’s job is to the different types of publishers (big 5, indie, small press, vanity press, self-publishing) to how authors are paid, this jam-packed class takes a practical approach that will focus on the business side of writing with lots of time for Q&A. Whether you want to know how books come to exist or are simply curious about how this notoriously opaque industry works, this class is for you. Please note: This class will touch on what query letters are and the purpose they serve but this is not a class on how to write query letters.
**Content:**
# What are the steps to publishing a book?
This class pulls back the curtain on the ins and outs of publishing by walking participants through the component parts of the publishing industry. From the role of literary agents to the dreaded query letter to what an editor’s job is to the different types of publishers (big 5, indie, small press, vanity press, self-publishing) to how authors are paid, this jam-packed class takes a practical approach that will focus on the business side of writing with lots of time for Q&A. Whether you want to know how books come to exist or are simply curious about how this notoriously opaque industry works, this class is for you. Please note: This class will touch on what query letters are and the purpose they serve but this is not a class on how to write query letters.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- An overview of how publishing functions as a business
- An introduction to the role of agents, editors, and fellow authors in bringing a book into the world
- An introduction to different types of publishers—and publishing scams to watch out for
- The differences between the creative process and the publishing process
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers who are curious about the behind-the-scenes of book publishing and writers who think they might want to one day publish a book.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Publishing, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [DIY Novel Revision](https://writer.org/event/diy-novel-revision-4/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** 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.
**Content:**
# Edit your novel without an editor.
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.
---
***Learn at your own pace:** This workshop will take place over **Wet Ink**, which is an asynchronous creative writing platform. The instructor will post a lesson and assignment at the beginning of each week, and participants can log in and read the lessons/post assignments/comment on other classmates’ work at their convenience. Shortly before the start date, participants will receive an invite from Wet Ink to create their login info and access the class. Please check your spam if you don’t see it.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Learn to identify issues and strategize your revision plan.
- Learn how to prioritize editorial concerns including characterization and plot.
- Learn how to tighten your prose.
# Time requirements
- 3-5 hours/week
# Materials
- Required: *Story Fix* by Larry Brooks
- Recommended (but not required) *Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, Second Edition: How to Edit Yourself Into Print* by Renni Browne and Dave King
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for anyone seeking to be their own first editor.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, Fiction, Intermediate/Advanced Level, Wet Ink, Workshop
---
### [Immigrant Writers Mixer](https://writer.org/event/immigrant-writers-mixer-feb2025/)
**Published:** February 5, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Join us at The Writer’s Center for an informal gathering with other immigrant writers. It’s the perfect opportunity to network and share stories. Please bring a drink or an appetizer that serves six. You’re welcome to bring a friend, too.
A limited number of attendees will have the opportunity to read a 5-minute work they have written on the immigrant or second-generation experience. We will draw names from those who express interest in reading.
**FREE & open to second-generation immigrant writers from the DMV. RSVP required below.**
Attending? We encourage you to [become a member of The Writer’s Center for only $65/year »](https://writer.org/become-a-member/)
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [LGBTQ+ Writers Mixer](https://writer.org/event/lgbtq-writers-mixer-sep2025/)
**Published:** February 1, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Are you a writer who identifies as LGBTQ+? Let’s hang out and talk writing! Come join us for an informal gathering at The Writer’s Center. Please bring a drink or an appetizer that serves six. You’re welcome to bring a friend, too.
**FREE & open to all DMV writers who identify as LGBTQ+. RSVP required below.**
Attending? We encourage you to [become a member of The Writer’s Center for only $65/year »](https://writer.org/become-a-member/)
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [LGBTQ+ Writers Mixer](https://writer.org/event/lgbtq-writers-mixer-jun2025/)
**Published:** February 1, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Are you a writer who identifies as LGBTQ+? Let’s hang out and talk writing! Come join us for an informal gathering at The Writer’s Center. Please bring a drink or an appetizer that serves six. You’re welcome to bring a friend, too.
**FREE & open to all DMV writers who identify as LGBTQ+. RSVP required below.**
Attending? We encourage you to [become a member of The Writer’s Center for only $65/year »](https://writer.org/become-a-member/)
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [LGBTQ+ Writers Mixer](https://writer.org/event/lgbtq-writers-mixer-mar2025/)
**Published:** February 1, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Are you a writer who identifies as LGBTQ+? Let’s hang out and talk writing! Come join us for an informal gathering at The Writer’s Center. Please bring a drink or an appetizer that serves six. You’re welcome to bring a friend, too.
**FREE & open to all DMV writers who identify as LGBTQ+. RSVP required below.**
Attending? We encourage you to [become a member of The Writer’s Center for only $65/year »](https://writer.org/become-a-member/)
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Disabled Writers Mixer](https://writer.org/event/disabled-writers-mixer-dec2025/)
**Published:** February 1, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Are you a writer who identifies as disabled? Join us for an informal gathering at The Writer’s Center to hang out and talk writing! Please bring a drink or an appetizer that serves six. You’re welcome to bring a friend, too.
**FREE & open to all DMV writers who identify as disabled. RSVP required below.**
Attending? We encourage you to [become a member of The Writer’s Center for only $65/year »](https://writer.org/become-a-member/)
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Disabled Writers Mixer](https://writer.org/event/disabled-writers-mixer-aug2025/)
**Published:** February 1, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Are you a writer who identifies as disabled? Join us for an informal gathering at The Writer’s Center to hang out and talk writing! Please bring a drink or an appetizer that serves six. You’re welcome to bring a friend, too.
**FREE & open to all DMV writers who identify as disabled. RSVP required below.**
Attending? We encourage you to [become a member of The Writer’s Center for only $65/year »](https://writer.org/become-a-member/)
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Disabled Writers Mixer](https://writer.org/event/disabled-writers-mixer-may2025/)
**Published:** February 1, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Are you a writer who identifies as disabled? Join us for an informal gathering at The Writer’s Center to hang out and talk writing! Please bring a drink or an appetizer that serves six. You’re welcome to bring a friend, too.
**FREE & open to all DMV writers who identify as disabled. RSVP required below.**
Attending? We encourage you to [become a member of The Writer’s Center for only $65/year »](https://writer.org/become-a-member/)
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Disabled Writers Mixer](https://writer.org/event/disabled-writers-mixer-feb2025/)
**Published:** February 1, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Are you a writer who identifies as disabled? Join us for an informal gathering at The Writer’s Center to hang out and talk writing! Please bring a drink or an appetizer that serves six. You’re welcome to bring a friend, too.
**FREE & open to all DMV writers who identify as disabled. RSVP required below.**
Attending? We encourage you to [become a member of The Writer’s Center for only $65/year »](https://writer.org/become-a-member/)
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Women Writers Mixer](https://writer.org/event/women-writers-mixer-oct2025/)
**Published:** February 1, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Women writers of DC! Join us for an informal gathering at The Writer’s Center! It’ll be a chance to talk shop, network, and hang out with other writers. Please bring a drink or an appetizer that serves six, and bring a friend, too. See you there!
**FREE & open to all women writers from the DMV. RSVP required below.**
Attending? We encourage you to [become a member of The Writer’s Center for only $65/year »](https://writer.org/become-a-member/)
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Women Writers Mixer](https://writer.org/event/women-writers-mixer-apr2025/)
**Published:** February 1, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Women writers of DC! Join us for an informal gathering at The Writer’s Center! It’ll be a chance to talk shop, network, and hang out with other writers. Please bring a drink or an appetizer that serves six, and bring a friend, too. See you there!
**FREE & open to all women writers from the DMV. RSVP required below.**
Attending? We encourage you to [become a member of The Writer’s Center for only $65/year »](https://writer.org/become-a-member/)
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Women Writers Mixer](https://writer.org/event/women-writers-feb2025/)
**Published:** February 1, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Women writers of DC! Join us for an informal gathering at The Writer’s Center! It’ll be a chance to talk shop, network, and hang out with other writers. Please bring a drink or an appetizer that serves six, and bring a friend, too. See you there!
**FREE & open to all women writers from the DMV. RSVP required below.**
Attending? We encourage you to [become a member of The Writer’s Center for only $65/year »](https://writer.org/become-a-member/)
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [$40 Pop Up! On Dialogue](https://writer.org/event/40-pop-up-on-dialogue/)
**Published:** December 13, 2024
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Conflict, voice, and pacing infuse dialogue with aliveness on the page. How do we make it look effortless? In this one-hour class, we will discuss tools for effective dialogue: rhythm, subtext, word choice, active language, and verbal and physical reactions. We’ll consider what characters say to each other and what they keep hidden. And, how experimenting with scene-work can lead to finding a character’s voice. We will practice with prompts that may inspire a new writing piece, and/or bring a scene you’re working on in any genre.
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Playwriting: Revision](https://writer.org/event/playwriting-revision/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Students’ full-length play scripts will be the focus of our weekly critique sessions & the inspiration for lessons & exercises in playwriting. Each week, a small group of writers will gather to discuss each other’s plays, with brief lessons or exercises inspired by the writers’ own form & content, questions & preoccupations. This is a fully responsive playwriting course, creating an atmosphere that compassionately challenges each writer to seek out all the possibilities of their own (& each others’) writing.
**Content:**
# Each new play is a universe — containing multitudes of ideas, themes, techniques & ways into the craft of playwriting.
Students’ full-length play scripts will be the focus of our weekly critique sessions & the inspiration for lessons & exercises in playwriting. Each week, a small group of writers will gather to discuss each other’s plays, with brief lessons or exercises inspired by the writers’ own form & content, questions & preoccupations. This is a fully responsive playwriting course, creating an atmosphere that compassionately challenges each writer to seek out all the possibilities of their own (& each others’) writing.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Confidence in sharing & discussing your own writing
- Curious, constructive, collaborative critique approaches
- Brief lessons/exercises in playwriting inspired by students’ work
# Time requirements
- 1-2 hours/week
# Materials
- Each student will need to have an original full-length script (90 pages max). Brief excerpts of other relevant plays may be provided in class.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Intermediate & advanced playwrights who are ready to give & receive in-depth feedback on original full-length plays.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 8 Sessions, Intermediate/Advanced Level, Stage and Screen, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [The Complete Playwright](https://writer.org/event/the-complete-playwright-2/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Dig into the full spectrum of playwriting with lectures & exercises on process, form & technique that will help develop your individual approach to writing for performance. Over eight weeks, we’ll explore playwriting in a wide range of forms: from realism & adaptations to immersive theatre, musicals & verbatim plays. In-depth sessions on writing dialogue, crafting character & dramatic world-building will help writers interrogate new ideas & begin to find their unique style. You’ll come away with a full understanding of the playwright’s tools & techniques, as well as new connections with fellow scriptwriters.
**Content:**
# Explore the territory of dramatic writing — building stories, characters & worlds for the stage
Dig into the full spectrum of playwriting with lectures & exercises on process, form & technique that will help develop your individual approach to writing for performance. Over eight weeks, we’ll explore playwriting in a wide range of forms: from realism & adaptations to immersive theatre, musicals & verbatim plays. In-depth sessions on writing dialogue, crafting character & dramatic world-building will help writers interrogate new ideas & begin to find their unique style. You’ll come away with a full understanding of the playwright’s tools & techniques, as well as new connections with fellow scriptwriters.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Playwriting in various forms
- Character, dialogue, story structure, world-building & stagecraft
- Practical tips for getting script ideas onto the page
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Beginners will find a thorough introduction to the craft.
- Intermediate writers will discover new approaches & have space to stretch their abilities.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 8 Sessions, Beginner Level, Stage and Screen, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat with Poet Dorsía Smith Silva](https://writer.org/event/dorsia-smith-silva/)
**Published:** July 17, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of poetry! We’re joined by poet Dorsía Smith Silva to discuss her debut full-length collection, *In Inheritance of Drowning*. Dorsía is in conversation with Emily Holland, poet and editor of *Poet Lore*, America’s oldest poetry journal.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from the publisher »](https://www.cavankerrypress.org/product/in-inheritance-of-drowning/)
---
**Dorsía Smith Silva** is the author of *In Inheritance of Drowning* (CavanKerry, 2024), an eight-time Pushcart Prize nominee, Best of the Net finalist, Best New Poets nominee, Cave Canem Poetry Prize Semifinalist, Obsidian Fellow, Poetry Editor at *The Hopper*, and Full Professor of English at the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras. Her poetry has been shortlisted for the Queen Mary Wasafiri New Writing Prize and has been recently published or is forthcoming in *Cream City Review*, *Shenandoah*, *Terrain*, *The Ecopoetry Anthology: Volume II*, *The Cimarron Review*, *Beloit Poetry Journal*, and elsewhere. She has attended the Bread Loaf Environmental Writers’ Workshop, Bread Loaf Writers’ Workshop, Kenyon Review Writers’ Workshop, Tin House Winter Workshop, Looking Glass Rock Writers’ Conference, and Poets and Scholars Summer Writers Retreat at the Institute for the Study of Global Racial Justice. She has also received support from Bread Loaf and Martha’s Vineyard Institute of Creative Writing and is a member of the Get the Word Out Poetry Cohort of *Poets & Writers* in 2024. Moreover, she is the author of *Good Girl* (poetry micro-chapbook), editor of *Latina/Chicana Mothering*, and the co-editor of seven books. She has a Ph.D. in Caribbean Literature and Language.
---
# About the Book
***In Inheritance of Drowning*** begins with the exploration of the devastating Hurricane María in Puerto Rico. Written with vivid imagery, these poems highlight the natural world, significant impact of hurricanes, and marginalization of Puerto Ricans. The collection also explores the multiple sites of oppression in the United States, especially the racial, social, and political injustices and intersections of race and violence. Dorsía Smith Silva’s powerful voice confronts the “drowning” of BIPOC communities as they are displaced, exploited, and robbed of their identities and witnesses their resistance and resilience. In this memorable debut, Smith Silva’s *In Inheritance of Drowning* will grip and enrich readers.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Elements of Speechwriting](https://writer.org/event/speechwriting/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Washington, DC abounds with federal policymakers, lobbyists, CEOs, influencers and others eager to find writers who can get their message across and promote executive brand. These writers know how to capture a leader’s voice while leveraging the writing process to build internal consensus on executive communications. Whether you’re crafting a speech, ghosting a commentary or writing for social media, learn how to “get inside your leader’s head” to create high-impact messaging. This two-part workshop will combine informal lecture and interactive discussion to help students better understand their leader's unique POV and how the writing process itself can create organizational consensus.
**Content:**
Between the formality of a State of the Union address and the immediacy of a TED talk, there’s the daily world of leadership communications. Whether you’re writing speeches and remarks, or seeking to expand your writing talents, this three-part workshop will help you capture a leader’s unique POV.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- The field of leadership (executive) communications (What are talking points?
What is a keynote address?)
- Working in partnership with a leader to advise on key messaging
- Developing structure and identifying key content
# Time requirements
- The first two sessions will combine informal lecture with Q&A, and the third will focus on a short assignment provided at the end of session two. It will be up to each student to decide how much time they want to invest in this exercise, but probably at least 3 hours prep time.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for communications, speechwriting, marketing and PR professionals; also those in government relations. It is also open to writers of other genres who want to learn about speechwriting and executive communications.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 3 Sessions, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Professional Writing, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Fiction I: The Engines That Power a Story](https://writer.org/event/fiction-i-the-engines-that-power-a-story-2/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** There are many different engines that power our stories. Plot, character, voice, form, and place are all tools we can use to hook a reader and drag them along for the ride. We will discuss one element of fiction each week while reading works by contemporary writers such as Ottessa Moshfegh, Amber Sparks, and Rion Amilcar Scott, and discussing the different ways these professionals use their writing tools. Each week will include craft readings, a short lecture, and generative writing exercises that will be good for beginning writers as well as those who are returning to the page and hoping to think more deeply about their craft. You will leave the workshop with a deeper understanding of your own writing voice and the tools necessary to make your fiction sing. There will be two short stories (5-12 pages each) and two craft readings (1-5 pages each) to prepare for class each week as well as a short 15 minute-1/2 hour writing exercise. Note: No meeting March 25.
**Content:**
# Tune up the engines that drive your story!
There are many different engines that power our stories. Plot, character, voice, form, and place are all tools we can use to hook a reader and drag them along for the ride. We will discuss one element of fiction each week while reading works by contemporary writers such as Ottessa Moshfegh, Amber Sparks, and Rion Amilcar Scott, and discussing the different ways these professionals use their writing tools. Each week will include craft readings, a short lecture, and generative writing exercises that will be good for beginning writers as well as those who are returning to the page and hoping to think more deeply about their craft. You will leave the workshop with a deeper understanding of your own writing voice and the tools necessary to make your fiction sing. There will be two short stories (5-12 pages each) and two craft readings (1-5 pages each) to prepare for class each week as well as a short 15 minute-1/2 hour writing exercise. Note: No meeting March 25.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Structure & Plot
- Characterization
- Language & Voice
- Place & Region
# Time requirements
- 2 hours/week
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for beginning fiction writers looking to learn the basics and intermediate writers looking to solidify their writing craft.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 6 Sessions, Beginner Level, Fiction, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Making Your Characters Matter](https://writer.org/event/making-your-characters-matter/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** At the core of every good tale is a character with whom the reader wants to spend time. Discover how to move beyond the superficial and cliché, crafting characters who invite the reader to explore the human condition. Illustrations and exercises will help you uncover your character's inner values (in memoir, that character is you) and present them in ways that are integral to your story. We will examine effective techniques for depicting character yearning, physical description, and internal conflict and come to understand what influences reader empathy. This workshop will benefit those writing a novel, short story, or memoir.
**Content:**
# Dive deep into character creation to craft compelling fiction and memoir.
At the core of every good tale is a character with whom the reader wants to spend time. Discover how to move beyond the superficial and cliché, crafting characters who invite the reader to explore the human condition. Illustrations and exercises will help you uncover your character’s inner values (in memoir, that character is you) and present them in ways that are integral to your story. We will examine effective techniques for depicting character yearning, physical description, and internal conflict and come to understand what influences reader empathy. This workshop will benefit those writing a novel, short story, or memoir.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Moving Beyond Cliché
- Understanding Yearning
- Conveying Internal Wrestling and Character Transformation
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is open to all writers, especially fiction and memoir writers, who are interested in creating characters with whom readers will engage.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Your First (or Next) Novel](https://writer.org/event/your-first-or-next-novel-3/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** 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.
**Content:**
# Learn the powerful basics that will help you create a memorable novel.
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.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Structure & Plot
- Building Self-confidence
- Knowing your Characters
- Tools to Make Writing Easier
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- If you’re new (or relatively so) to book-length fiction, this workshop is a great way to gain self-confidence and dive in.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Know Your Competition](https://writer.org/event/know-your-competition/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** For your book to succeed, you must know which books you are competing against. In this interactive workshop, we will look at resources for locating comparable and competing titles, discuss the difference between comparable books and competing ones and how each can help you, analyze comparable and competing titles, and look at how to use that information to inform your writing as well as in your proposal or query letter. Attendees will walk away with an in-depth understanding of one more piece of the book-publishing puzzle.
**Content:**
# Discover competing and comparable titles and learn from them!
For your book to succeed, you must know which books you are competing against. In this interactive workshop, we will look at resources for locating comparable and competing titles, discuss the difference between comparable books and competing ones and how each can help you, analyze comparable and competing titles, and look at how to use that information to inform your writing as well as in your proposal or query letter. Attendees will walk away with an in-depth understanding of one more piece of the book-publishing puzzle.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How to analyze competing and comparable titles
- Elements of a proposal and query letter
- Resources for locating comparable titles
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers of books who are struggling to identify their competition.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Publishing, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [What Sound Effects Can Do for Your Poems](https://writer.org/event/what-sound-effects-can-do-for-your-poems/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Assonance, consonance, alliteration, internal rhyme—they’re often called “sound effects,” and they are among the most basic and essential tools that all poets should know how to use. This workshop will focus on how certain vowel or consonant sounds can be used to evoke or underscore emotion in a poem, and how sound effects can help you convey your poem’s “message” in a subtle, convincing way.
**Content:**
# Choose your words for how they sound—not just what they mean.
Assonance, consonance, alliteration, internal rhyme—they’re often called “sound effects,” and they are among the most basic and essential tools that all poets should know how to use. This workshop will focus on how certain vowel or consonant sounds can be used to evoke or underscore emotion in a poem, and how sound effects can help you convey your poem’s “message” in a subtle, convincing way.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How certain sounds are linked to human emotions
- How to use assonance, consonance, alliteration, internal rhyme, and other sound effects to underscore meaning in a poem
- The role that repetition–of a sound, a word, or a phrase–can play
- Contemporary poets who use sound to make their poems memorable”
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Even experienced poets often overlook the crucial role that sound can play. This workshop will benefit newcomers to poetry as well as those who have been writing it for years.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Virtual Info Session for Fiction Intensive with C Pam Zhang](https://writer.org/event/virtual-info-session-for-fiction-intensive-with-c-pam-zhang/)
**Published:** January 14, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
**Meet C Pam Zhang, instructor for our Fiction Intensive 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.
**Recording now available!**
---
# About the Program
**Application Deadline: February 1, 2025**
**Workshop Dates: February 10, 2025 – December 15, 2025**
**Cost: $5,400 \| Members $5,300**
Find new depths to your writing in a radical, anti-workshop workshop with award-winning writer C Pam Zhang! This course is for advanced fiction writers who want the rigor of an MFA program combined with a radically humanist approach to thinking about work-in-progress as truly in progress: malleable, thrillingly alive with potential, and containing the seeds of its own “aboutness.” This course is particularly well-suited to writers who feel they have hit a wall in their writing; writers who have the beginnings of a novel and want ideas for how to proceed; and writers who have had negative experiences with soliciting feedback in the past.
# [**Find the full details and apply here »**](https://writer.org/event/fiction-intensive/)
**Event Categories:** Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [POSTPONED: Essayists Elizabeth Lindsey Rogers & Adrienne Su Reading & Discussion](https://writer.org/event/rogers-su/)
**Published:** November 7, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
**POSTPONED: This event has been postponed. If you registered for the event, we’ll let you know when a new date has been selected. Thanks for your understanding!**
The Writer’s Center welcomes essayists Elizabeth Lindsey Rogers and Adrienne Su for a reading and discussion of their new essay collections, moderated by Sandra Beasley. Book signing and light reception to follow.
**FREE & open to the public. Register below.**
---
**Elizabeth Lindsey Rogers** is the author of the poetry collections *The Tilt Torn Away from the Seasons* and *Chord Box*. Her essays have appeared in *Missouri Review*, *The Rumpus*, *Best American Nonrequired Reading*, *Best American Travel Writing*, and elsewhere. Born and raised in North Carolina, she is an assistant professor at Oberlin College and leads the Writers in the Schools program in Oberlin, Ohio.
**Adrienne Su** is the author of five poetry books: *Peach State, Living Quarters, Having None of It, Sanctuary,* and *Middle Kingdom.* Her poems have also appeared in anthologies such as *The Hungry Ear, The Norton Introduction to Literature,* and six volumes of *The Best American Poetry.* Her awards include an NEA fellowship and residencies at Yaddo, MacDowell, The Frost Place, and The Virginia Center for the Creative Arts. A professor of creative writing at Dickinson College, in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, she published her first prose book, *Hot, Sour, Salty, Sweet,* on poetry and food, in 2024.
**Sandra Beasley** is the author of four poetry collections—*Made to Explode*, which won the Housatonic Book Award in poetry; *Count the Waves*; *I Was the Jukebox*, which won the Barnard Women Poets Prize; and *Theories of Falling*, which won the New Issues Poetry Prize—as well as *Don’t Kill the Birthday Girl: Tales from an Allergic Life*, a disability memoir and cultural history of food allergies. Honors for her work include the 2019 Munster Literature Centre’s John Montague International Poetry Fellowship, a 2015 NEA fellowship, and six DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities fellowships. She lives in Washington, D.C.
---
# About Hot, Sour, Salty, Sweet
**In this enchanting collection of essays and interviews, poet Adrienne Su reflects on her journey as a creative writer and avid home cook, beginning at a neighbor’s dinner table in 1980s Atlanta—lingering over poems, poets, and connections between food and literature—and ending in her present-day kitchen in central Pennsylvania.**
In *Hot, Sour, Salty, Sweet*, Adrienne Su contemplates her own use of food as a recurring metaphor, influential teachers and peers, the push and pull between cooking and writing, changing expectations around English usage, and craft questions such as: Why does some subject matter refuse to cooperate in the creative process, even when it appears close to home? How does one write a good poem about being happy? Why write in rhyme when it’s time-consuming and mostly out of style? What is a poem’s responsibility to the literal truth?
Su’s essays are driven by the tensions between worlds that overlap and collide: social conventions of the northern and southern United States; notions of what’s American and what’s Asian American; the demands of the page and the demands of the home; the solitariness of writing and the meaningful connection a poem can create between writer and reader. In interviews, often with fellow poets, she discusses a range of topics, from her early days in the Nuyorican poetry-slam scene to the solace of poetry and cooking during Covid-19 lockdown.
While Su’s previous books are all collections of poetry, she has been publishing individual essays for many years. *Hot, Sour, Salty, Sweet* gathers the best of them into one volume for the first time.
---
# About Miss Southeast
**A collection of narrative essays on femininity, sexuality, community, and belonging**
*Miss Southeast* explores the strange, often contradictory cultural circumstances of being queer and female in the American South and beyond. Born and raised in North Carolina, the youngest in a family of precocious daughters, Rogers spends her teenage years as a half-closeted lesbian desperate to escape the South, convinced the rest of the United States must be “more enlightened than our cow-dotted corner of the county.”
Adulthood takes Rogers to Ohio, New York, Louisiana, Arkansas, Washington, DC, and China, but each essay finds her reckoning with participation in and resistance to rigid cultural institutions—whether a coming-out story set at a high school beauty pageant or a meditation on swimming pools as emblems of racial divides across the South. In lyric prose enlivened by a poet’s sense of musicality, *Miss Southeast* considers how both place and our layered identities shape our sense of belonging.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Writing To Heal](https://writer.org/event/writing-to-heal/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Writing to Heal is exactly as the title suggest a class to inspire healing of your heart.
**Content:**
# Connect to the callings of your heart, listen and feel their messages as you write.
Writing to Heal is exactly as the title suggests: a class to inspire healing of your heart.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Connection
- Expression
- Sharing
- Healing
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for anyone wanting to experience the power of writing as a tool to healing.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Publishing Your Op-ed](https://writer.org/event/publishing-your-op-ed-2/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** This workshop will help you sharpen and develop your viewpoint, learn how to structure an op-ed, and close the deal by making an effective pitch to editors.
**Content:**
# Learn how to Think, Plan, and Write your way to publishing an op-ed.
This workshop will help you sharpen and develop your viewpoint, learn how to structure an op-ed, and close the deal by making an effective pitch to editors.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How to develop, shape and mold your opinion
- How to plan and write the piece
- Shopping around and submitting the piece
# Time requirements
- 1-2 hours/week
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for beginner and intermediate writers who want to learn how to translate their writing skills into writing publishable op-eds.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 3 Sessions, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Crafting Fiction: Element by Element](https://writer.org/event/crafting-fiction-element-by-element-3/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** By studying basic craft elements of fiction, participants will build a strong foundation for their writing—be it stories or novels. This 7-week workshop will explore elements one at a time and ask participants to practice them through in-class exercises. We'll also read published stories to help us understand how writers regularly employ these elements. Class members will begin to put the elements together, too, as they start a story. You’ll leave the workshop with the tools you need to write wonderful, authentic fiction.
**Content:**
# Let’s demystify the craft of fiction writing!
By studying basic craft elements of fiction, participants will build a strong foundation for their writing—be it stories or novels. This 7-week workshop will explore elements one at a time and ask participants to practice them through in-class exercises. We’ll also read published stories to help us understand how writers regularly employ these elements. Class members will begin to put the elements together, too, as they start a story. You’ll leave the workshop with the tools you need to write wonderful, authentic fiction.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Developing characters
- Moving from Character to Plot and Story
- Setting/Tone/Time
- Point of View / Narration
- Scene & Dialogue, and Revision
# Time requirements
- 30-60 minutes/week
# Materials
- *The Best American Short Stories 2024*, edited by Lauren Groff
# Who should take this workshop?
- The workshop is designed for beginning fiction writers, intermediate fiction writers, and anyone looking to focus on bettering their fiction technique.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 7 Sessions, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Show, Don't Tell](https://writer.org/event/show-dont-tell/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Are you tired of hearing "show, don't tell" in your creative writing workshops? Now's the time to do something about it! In this one session workshop, we'll cover a variety of devices you can use to make the feelings of the people you're writing about come to life. After seeing examples from published authors, we'll do some writing exercises so you can practice these approaches in your work. Writers of all genres are welcome!
**Content:**
# Learn strategies to get out of your “show, don’t tell” rut!
Are you tired of hearing “show, don’t tell” in your creative writing workshops? Now’s the time to do something about it! In this one session workshop, we’ll cover a variety of devices you can use to make the feelings of the people you’re writing about come to life. After seeing examples from published authors, we’ll do some writing exercises so you can practice these approaches in your work. Writers of all genres are welcome!
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Interiority
- The Power of Gesture + Object
- Dialogue
- The Uses and Misuses of Metaphor
- Setting: When Your World Brings Your Character to Life
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop will be especially helpful for fiction and creative nonfiction writers, but writers of all genres are welcome. Whether you have experience and are looking to solidify your craft or if you’re new to the writing game, this workshop is for you.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Building Suspense in Short Fiction](https://writer.org/event/building-suspense-in-short-fiction-2/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** How do you get your characters out of the kitchen and into the bedroom, or out of one situation into the next? This class covers moving your characters across space and over time without an over-dependence of narration and exposition. We will look at examples of prose where movement, both temporal and spatial, are handled well. We will also do some in-class writing where we’ll apply the techniques we learn through example, discussion, and lecture.
**Content:**
# Keep your reader engaged through tension and promises.
Creating suspense involves more than leaving questions unanswered; a lot of it has to do with dramatic irony. But hanging questions are a great entryway into building tension, as are using irony, temporality or the movement of time, and narrative delay. In this workshop, students will learn how to build and sustain tension, writing beyond surprises similar to literary clickbait. Also, we’ll explore how the audience is as much a part of creating suspense as the writer.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Analyze examples of dramatic irony and create examples of our own
- Determine the difference between surprise and suspense, and how to use them both
- Unpack details in dialog and narrative in ways to keep the audience engaged
- Manage time in short fiction
- Write short fiction that employs suspense
# Time requirements
- 1 hours/week
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for beginning and emerging writers of fiction, but seasoned writers who want to hone their craft will feel comfortable in the class.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 3 Sessions, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Persona Poem Crash Course](https://writer.org/event/persona-poem-crash-course-2/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** In the Persona Poem, or Dramatic Monologue, the poet writes in the voice of another real or imagined person—or even an inanimate object. Guided by a widely published author of persona and other poems, you will read and discuss several time-honored examples, then start new ones of your own. You may find unexpected insights, expanding your poetic range in the process.
**Content:**
# “I” does not always mean “Me”
In the Persona Poem, or Dramatic Monologue, the poet writes in the voice of another real or imagined person—or even an inanimate object. Guided by a widely published author of persona and other poems, you will read and discuss several time-honored examples, then start new ones of your own. You may find unexpected insights, expanding your poetic range in the process.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- The power of seeing through different eyes
- Perspective and freedom
- Persona poems by classic and contemporary poets
- Feedback on participant poems
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for poets who seek a simple but dramatic way to expand their range.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Intermediate/Advanced Level, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Creating Perspective (POV)](https://writer.org/event/creating-perspective-pov/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Perhaps the most challenging fiction technique is Perspective. The Point of View Plan that you choose for your story will often dictate its success. Learn to develop an effective and consistent POV that will enable readers to follow a story’s progress and avoid confusing “head hopping” that often condemns an otherwise good story to rejection. Give your fiction a professional edge and increase your publication chances.
**Content:**
# A writer’s choice for the perspective in their fiction can make or break a story.
Perhaps the most challenging fiction technique is Perspective. The Point of View Plan that you choose for your story will often dictate its success. Learn to develop an effective and consistent POV that will enable readers to follow a story’s progress and avoid confusing “head hopping” that often condemns an otherwise good story to rejection. Give your fiction a professional edge and increase your publication chances.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Why POV matters
- Your Options for Perspective
- The Importance of Intimacy
- Reader-Character Bond
- The Power of Emotion
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Any author looking for another way to bring their fiction up a notch professionally.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Short Story II](https://writer.org/event/short-story-ii-2/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** This workshop centers on your work. Through careful reading and guided discussion we will explore each student piece for its secret aims, visible strengths, and areas of needed development. We will talk about the role of feedback in a writer's process, and how reading sharpens our skills. These seven weeks should further your understanding of key craft elements, and, more importantly, equip you with new ideas, skills, and hope.
**Content:**
# Deepen your understanding of the short story.
This workshop centers on your work. Through careful reading and guided discussion we will explore each student piece for its secret aims, visible strengths, and areas of needed development. We will talk about the role of feedback in a writer’s process, and how reading sharpens our skills. These seven weeks should further your understanding of key craft elements, and, more importantly, equip you with new ideas, skills, and hope.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Perspective
- Character presentation
- Story development
- Tension
- Form
# Time requirements
- Instructor will discuss point of view, character presentation, story development, tension, and form, but the bulk of the content will arise from the particulars of each student’s work.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This intermediate workshop is best suited for people who are familiar with fiction’s basic craft terms, or anyone who has taken an introductory workshop and is ready for more.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 7 Sessions, Fiction, Intermediate Level, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Narrative Poems](https://writer.org/event/narrative-poems/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Do you want to tell personal or public stories in poems instead of prose? Narrative poems can be based on the real - drawing on personal experience, current events, or historical – or the imagination – keeping close to our world or creating myth or fable. In this course you’ll begin to learn how to structure narrative in poetic form, and bring stories of different kinds alive in the heightened language of poetry. You’ll practice creating both personal and fictional narrative poems that evoke human life and feelings using real and made-up stories.
**Content:**
# Tell real or imagined stories in the rich language of poetry.
Do you want to tell personal or public stories in poems instead of prose? Narrative poems can be based on the real – drawing on personal experience, current events, or historical – or the imagination – keeping close to our world or creating myth or fable. In this course you’ll begin to learn how to structure narrative in poetic form, and bring stories of different kinds alive in the heightened language of poetry. You’ll practice creating both personal and fictional narrative poems that evoke human life and feelings using real and made-up stories.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Selecting memory/history or imagined source
- Structure from fiction and film
- Developing character
- Evoking mood
- Embedding dialogue
# Time requirements
- 30-60 minutes/week
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for people who want to tell stories in the shortest and most concentrated written way. Interest in narrative fiction, film, and history is a good foundation. Experience writing poetry, formal or otherwise, is helpful. A knack for telling stories to friends is also helpful.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 6 Sessions, Intermediate Level, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Storytelling from Scratch](https://writer.org/event/storytelling-from-scratch/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** In this workshop you'll learn how to craft engaging stories from scratch, even when you're starting with no clear ideas. Through interactive exercises and creative techniques, we'll explore how to tap into your imagination, develop characters, and build narratives that captivate any audience. Whether you're a novice writer or simply looking to sharpen your storytelling skills, this workshop will equip you with the tools to transform a blank page into a powerful story. Participants will need simply a writing utensil and paper, or their computer.
**Content:**
# Discover how to create compelling stories from scratch, using simple techniques to unlock your imagination and bring ideas to life.
In this workshop you’ll learn how to craft engaging stories from scratch, even when you’re starting with no clear ideas. Through interactive exercises and creative techniques, we’ll explore how to tap into your imagination, develop characters, and build narratives that captivate any audience. Whether you’re a novice writer or simply looking to sharpen your storytelling skills, this workshop will equip you with the tools to transform a blank page into a powerful story. Participants will need simply a writing utensil and paper, or their computer.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Structure & Plot
- Character Development
- Concrete Detail
- Voice & Perspective
- Revision & Editing
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for beginning writers looking to learn the basics and intermediate writers looking to solidify their writing craft
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Love / Anti-Love Poems](https://writer.org/event/love-anti-love-poems/)
**Published:** November 26, 2024
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Explore both love and anti-love poems using a diverse collection of poetry that explores the topics in new and unexpected ways. Participants can expect to write 1-3 new poems in this workshop.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Comedy & Humor Writing](https://writer.org/event/comedy-humor-writing/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Develop your comedy writing skills while defining your style and voice in a fun, supportive and interactive class. This course is for anyone interested in learning more about the comedic arts and what makes something funny on the page and on the stage – (there is a difference!) We will create and share a humorous personal or short story, try our hand at some one-liners and jokes, study the works of comedians and learn some tricks of the comedy trade that you can incorporate into your writing, social media, speeches and conversations. Feel free to bring your own pieces to punch up and we will also create new material. Open to students of all levels. No homework. No prep.
**Content:**
# Learn what makes something funny on the page and on the stage!
Develop your comedy writing skills while defining your style and voice in a fun, supportive and interactive class. This course is for anyone interested in learning more about the comedic arts and what makes something funny on the page and on the stage – (there is a difference!) We will create and share a humorous personal or short story, try our hand at some one-liners and jokes, study the works of comedians and learn some tricks of the comedy trade that you can incorporate into your writing, social media, speeches and conversations. Feel free to bring your own pieces to punch up and we will also create new material. Open to students of all levels. No homework. No prep.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# Time requirements
- 15-30 minutes/week
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This course is for anyone interested in learning more about how to incorporate humor into their life, work, novel, social media, and any kind of writing. Feel free to bring your own pieces and we will also create new material.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 5 Sessions, All Levels, Stage and Screen, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Writing About Mental Health Topics in Fiction](https://writer.org/event/writing-about-mental-health-topics-in-fiction-2/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** 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.
**Content:**
# Include mental health themes in fiction with accuracy and care!
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.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How to spot and analyze mental health tropes used in popular media.
- How to include mental health themes in various fiction genres.
- How to write about characters with a mental health diagnosis.
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for fiction writers who want to explore aspects of mental health in their stories with accuracy and care.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Creating Conflict & Tension](https://writer.org/event/creating-conflict-tension-4/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** 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.
**Content:**
# It’s often said that without Conflict there is no story—make sure your Central Conflict is strong enough.
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.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Plotting
- Emotion
- Pacing
- Character Development
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- A great course for writers who want to learn best practices for engaging readers and holding their attention.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Finding Your Poetic Voice](https://writer.org/event/finding-your-poetic-voice-2/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Writing poems is discovery on paper, and good poems surprise and delight the poet as much as anyone. In this workshop you will try on a variety of styles and forms on the way to finding your own poetic voice. We will read poems together and use them as starting points for your own work, both in and out of class. The goal is for you to come away from the class with a portfolio of favorite poems--poems discovered in reading, discovered in writing. Required text: A Poetry Handbook, by Mary Oliver.
**Content:**
# Find you unique poetic voice!
Writing poems is discovery on paper, and good poems surprise and delight the poet as much as anyone. In this workshop you will try on a variety of styles and forms on the way to finding your own poetic voice. We will read poems together and use them as starting points for your own work, both in and out of class. The goal is for you to come away from the class with a portfolio of favorite poems–poems discovered in reading, discovered in writing. Required text: *A Poetry Handbook* by Mary Oliver.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Line and meter
- Image
- Sound
- How to steal (in a good way)
- How to workshop and revise
# Time requirements
- 2 hours/week
# Materials
- *A Poetic Handbook* by Mary Oliver (this is available free online)
# Who should take this workshop?
- The class is designed for new and intermediate poets interested in learning how to use sound, meter, and image in their poetry.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 6 Sessions, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Plotting Your Novel](https://writer.org/event/plotting-your-novel-3/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** 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.
**Content:**
# Are you a pantser or a planner?
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.
---
***Learn at your own pace:** This workshop will take place over **Wet Ink**, which is an asynchronous creative writing platform. The instructor will post a lesson and assignment at the beginning of each week, and participants can log in and read the lessons/post assignments/comment on other classmates’ work at their convenience. Shortly before the start date, participants will receive an invite from Wet Ink to create their login info and access the class. Please check your spam if you don’t see it.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Clearly define the premise of your novel
- Determine your main character(s) and the central conflicts (both external and internal)
- Define (and write) the inciting incident
- Determine the novel’s climax
- Begin to consider possible conclusions
# Time requirements
- 3-5 hours/week
# Materials
- *Hooked* by Les Edgerton
- *Plot & Structure* by James Scott Bell
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for anyone struggling with the plot and structure of their novel.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Fiction, Wet Ink, Workshop
---
### [The Role of Time in Your Story](https://writer.org/event/the-role-of-time-in-your-story/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Enrich your writing by revisiting the past through the protagonist's eyes in the present. Master the joy of interrupting narrative time with a triggered flashback. Learn how a character's "personal life" may be embedded in "public life." Practice using a timeline to visualize the significance of a milestone event--the stepping stones leading up to it and its consequences. Discover the difference between the zoomed-in time of a scene and the zoomed-out time of a summary.
**Content:**
# Discover why memoirists call the gap between Then and Now a fertile place for writing.
Learn to plot a milestone event on your timeline, the stepping stone events that led up to it as well as the consequences that grew out of it. Meet “the dual narrator,” that is your younger self and your current self within the same personal story.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Chronological Time and Flashbacks
- Perceptions of Then and Now
- Timelines as Tools for Visualizing a Story
- Time in a Scene versus Time in a Summary
- Habitual Time and Unique Time
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed to help writers of all levels enrich their writing through an increased awareness of the role time plays in stories.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Mixed Genre, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Opening Art Reception for You Don’t Know Me by Beatrice Hamblett](https://writer.org/event/beatrice-hamblett/)
**Published:** January 15, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center is pleased to present “You Don’t Know Me,” a solo exhibition of photographs and stories by DC photographer Beatrice Hamblett, on display in the Center’s Joram Piatigorsky Gallery March 6-April 18.
**FREE & open to the public. Light refreshments provided.**
---
“You Don’t Know Me” introduces viewers to a cross-section of people—fisherman, hunters, church-goers, people living in small towns and “hollers”—who reflect the spirit of Appalachia. With this five-year project, Hamblett hopes to bridge the gap between urban and rural people at a time when division runs deep throughout the US. “We share much in common as Americans,” says Hamblett. “Can we find common ground?”
Over the years, Hamblett has traveled repeatedly through remote areas of Greece, the Balkans and Appalachia digging deep to reveal the authenticity of her subjects most often people living within rural or traditional societies. She successfully funded a Kickstarter campaign to produce her book: Daily Bread: Stories from Rural Greece a collection of photographs and stories culled from 10 years of road trips through Greece. The Embassy of Greece in Washington, DC and the Greek Consulate in New York City have exhibited her photographs, as well as numerous galleries and exhibition spaces in both the US and Greece over the past 25 years. She is the recipient of three Artist Fellowship Grants from Washington DC Commission of the Arts and Humanities (CAH) 2023–2025, and her photographs have been acquired by the Art Bank Collection of CAH. She has studied extensively with John Sexton, protégé of Ansel Adams, and her fine art prints reflect the aesthetic and methodology of the school of the American West photographers. She holds a Master of Fine Arts degree in Non-fiction Writing from Columbia University, New York, NY. When not shooting film or writing stories, she likes to ride her motorbike on mountain roads in Skopelos, Greece where she lives during the summer months.
Visitors will have the opportunity to meet the artist during the opening reception and artist talk where she will discuss her creative process and inspirations.
[**Related Programming: Artist Talk on March 27, 6:30-8:30pm »**](https://writer.org/event/beatrice-hamblett-artist-talk)
---
# Artist Statement
Why I Photograph Photography suits the diverse sides of my nature. With my camera slung around my neck, I become an extrovert. I feel emboldened as I go places and worlds open to me. I enjoy connections with people I never dreamed of knowing. I am an analog photographer, processing my own film and making prints in my darkroom.
It is a quiet, unhurried process that encourages the more private side of me. In the dark, I ponder images as they appear in the developer, evaluate them while still wet. I am truly enamored with the range of grey scale that black-and-white photography offers. These are the “colors” of my palette and I am in love with the subtleties this offers my work.
Darkroom work involves manual labor and I like working with my hands— from shooting film to final print. I like to think that the method of my work reflects the people I choose to photograph: people living in rural societies and the traditions woven into their daily lives. People from Appalachia, the Balkans, the Roma (gypsies) in Greece.
A Hasselblad is my “go-to” camera these days, a mechanical beast with a shutter that makes a loud “clunk” when released and a film advancer that winds up like a fishing rod. As I photograph, I write stories. The two art forms are easy partners. My stories include portraits of people and candid journal accounts of my days in quest of a better understanding of my subjects and the worlds they live in.
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Beatrice Hamblett Artist Talk for You Don’t Know Me](https://writer.org/event/beatrice-hamblett-artist-talk/)
**Published:** January 15, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes photographer Beatrice Hamblett for an artist talk on “You Don’t Know Me,” a solo exhibition of photographs and stories, on display in the Center’s Joram Piatigorsky Gallery March 6-April 18.
**FREE & open to the public. Light refreshments provided.**
---
“You Don’t Know Me” introduces viewers to a cross-section of people—fisherman, hunters, church-goers, people living in small towns and “hollers”—who reflect the spirit of Appalachia. With this five-year project, Hamblett hopes to bridge the gap between urban and rural people at a time when division runs deep throughout the US. “We share much in common as Americans,” says Hamblett. “Can we find common ground?”
Over the years, Hamblett has traveled repeatedly through remote areas of Greece, the Balkans and Appalachia digging deep to reveal the authenticity of her subjects most often people living within rural or traditional societies. She successfully funded a Kickstarter campaign to produce her book: Daily Bread: Stories from Rural Greece a collection of photographs and stories culled from 10 years of road trips through Greece. The Embassy of Greece in Washington, DC and the Greek Consulate in New York City have exhibited her photographs, as well as numerous galleries and exhibition spaces in both the US and Greece over the past 25 years. She is the recipient of three Artist Fellowship Grants from Washington DC Commission of the Arts and Humanities (CAH) 2023–2025, and her photographs have been acquired by the Art Bank Collection of CAH. She has studied extensively with John Sexton, protégé of Ansel Adams, and her fine art prints reflect the aesthetic and methodology of the school of the American West photographers. She holds a Master of Fine Arts degree in Non-fiction Writing from Columbia University, New York, NY. When not shooting film or writing stories, she likes to ride her motorbike on mountain roads in Skopelos, Greece where she lives during the summer months.
Visitors will have the opportunity to meet the artist during the opening reception and artist talk where she will discuss her creative process and inspirations.
---
# Artist Statement
Why I Photograph Photography suits the diverse sides of my nature. With my camera slung around my neck, I become an extrovert. I feel emboldened as I go places and worlds open to me. I enjoy connections with people I never dreamed of knowing. I am an analog photographer, processing my own film and making prints in my darkroom.
It is a quiet, unhurried process that encourages the more private side of me. In the dark, I ponder images as they appear in the developer, evaluate them while still wet. I am truly enamored with the range of grey scale that black-and-white photography offers. These are the “colors” of my palette and I am in love with the subtleties this offers my work.
Darkroom work involves manual labor and I like working with my hands— from shooting film to final print. I like to think that the method of my work reflects the people I choose to photograph: people living in rural societies and the traditions woven into their daily lives. People from Appalachia, the Balkans, the Roma (gypsies) in Greece.
A Hasselblad is my “go-to” camera these days, a mechanical beast with a shutter that makes a loud “clunk” when released and a film advancer that winds up like a fishing rod. As I photograph, I write stories. The two art forms are easy partners. My stories include portraits of people and candid journal accounts of my days in quest of a better understanding of my subjects and the worlds they live in.
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Best of Delmarva Review Reading](https://writer.org/event/best-of-delmarva-review/)
**Published:** January 15, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
You’re invited to a reading celebrating the release of *The Best of Delmarva Review* anthology. Eight authors will read from their prose and poetry, featuring “the best of the best” from the review’s 550 published authors over 16 years. The readers include: Ethelbert Miller, Sue Ellen Thompson, Kim Roberts, Fran Abrams, Sepideh Zamani, Susan Bucci Mockler, Amanda Newell, and Gwen Florio. A brief reception with authors and editors will follow the program. Copies of the anthology will be available.
**FREE & open to the public.**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Poetry of the Erotic](https://writer.org/event/poetry-of-the-erotic-2/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** For many poets, writing poems about sex can feel intimidating and difficult. Yet for as long as there's been poetry, there have been poems that celebrate the joys, mysteries, and chaos of erotic connection. This workshop offers an opportunity for poets to write their own poems with Eros at the center, as well as read and study poems featuring a wide range of poets of color, and queer and trans poets. In this workshop we'll ask ourselves questions like: How can poems about sex gesture toward even larger considerations than sex itself? What might we learn from poetic traditions that blend erotic poetry and spiritual poetry? How does Eros locate the body both within itself, while transcending the self? By the end of this workshop, students can expect to leave with new poems and new insights into their own poetic process. Students should plan to come to the first workshop with a favorite poem by another poet, to share with the group.
**Content:**
# Let’s write about sex, baby!
For many poets, writing poems about sex can feel intimidating and difficult. Yet for as long as there’s been poetry, there have been poems that celebrate the joys, mysteries, and chaos of erotic connection. This workshop offers an opportunity for poets to write their own poems with Eros at the center, as well as read and study poems featuring a wide range of poets of color, and queer and trans poets. In this workshop we’ll ask ourselves questions like: How can poems about sex gesture toward even larger considerations than sex itself? What might we learn from poetic traditions that blend erotic poetry and spiritual poetry? How does Eros locate the body both within itself, while transcending the self? By the end of this workshop, students can expect to leave with new poems and new insights into their own poetic process. Students should plan to come to the first workshop with a favorite poem by another poet, to share with the group.
---
***Learn at your own pace:** This workshop will take place over **Wet Ink**, which is an asynchronous creative writing platform. The instructor will post a lesson and assignment at the beginning of each week, and participants can log in and read the lessons/post assignments/comment on other classmates’ work at their convenience. Shortly before the start date, participants will receive an invite from Wet Ink to create their login info and access the class. Please check your spam if you don’t see it.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Various poetic approaches to writing toward the erotic
- How tools of craft and form enrich our understanding of poems
- Methods for revising new drafts that focus on possibility rather than self-criticism
# Time requirements
- Students should expect to spend an hour a week on reading, and however much time they need to write their own poems (or revise old poems) for workshop.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers who are interested in studying—and writing—poems that engage with eros, sexuality, and the body in thoughtful and surprising ways. Students do not have to have taken a poetry workshop before, but some comfort level with writing and exchanging work is encouraged.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 6 Sessions, All Levels, Poetry, Wet Ink, Workshop
---
### [Turning Memories Into Transformational Stories](https://writer.org/event/turning-memories-into-transformational-stories-2/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** How have your ups and downs, wins and losses shaped your life? Whether you want to write privately or wish to publish, identifying the turning points and themes in your life is an important first step in memoir writing. In this workshop, participants will reflect on the transformational seasons in their lives and associate stories and themes to each one. We will explore the dynamics of character development and narrative arc, and learn techniques to capture universal meaning through personal experiences. You will come away with a timeline technique to uncover life themes and storylines, a bank of memories to serve as writing prompts, and tips for starting a memoir journaling practice.
**Content:**
# Discover personal themes and write about your life.
How have your ups and downs, wins and losses shaped your life? Whether you want to write privately or wish to publish, identifying the turning points and themes in your life is an important first step in memoir writing. In this workshop, participants will reflect on the transformational seasons in their lives and associate stories and themes to each one. We will explore the dynamics of character development and narrative arc, and learn techniques to capture universal meaning through personal experiences. You will come away with a timeline technique to uncover life themes and storylines, a bank of memories to serve as writing prompts, and tips for starting a memoir journaling practice.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Idea generation
- Journaling techniques
- Story development
- Building a writing practice
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for writers who want to identify compelling themes for personal storytelling.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [A Matter of Time: Verb Tenses in Poetry](https://writer.org/event/a-matter-of-time-verb-tenses-in-poetry/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Should all lyric poems take place in the present? If you’re writing a narrative poem about something that happened a while ago, do you have to use the past tense? Verb tenses are something that most of us learned in grade school but haven’t thought much about since. For a poet, being able to identify the various tenses isn’t the point; it’s knowing how to choose the right tense for a poem and knowing when to shift it. This workshop will examine some of the approaches that poets have used to control and manipulate the passage of time in their poems, with an emphasis on how verb tenses can be used to add immediacy, introduce tension, or bring a poem to life.
**Content:**
# When it comes to writing poetry, choosing the right tense can make a difference!
Should all lyric poems take place in the present? If you’re writing a narrative poem about something that happened a while ago, do you have to use the past tense? Verb tenses are something that most of us learned in grade school but haven’t thought much about since. For a poet, being able to identify the various tenses isn’t the point; it’s knowing how to choose the right tense for a poem and knowing when to shift it. This workshop will examine some of the approaches that poets have used to control and manipulate the passage of time in their poems, with an emphasis on how verb tenses can be used to add immediacy, introduce tension, or bring a poem to life.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- The relationship between lyrical poetry and the present tense
- When to shift tense or change it altogether
- The difference between “voice” and “mood”
- Verb tenses in narrative poems
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Poets at all levels will benefit from learning how to manipulate the passage of time in their poems.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [How to Write Poems and Flash Fiction](https://writer.org/event/how-to-write-poems-and-flash-fiction/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Explore two genres in one generative afternoon. After some fun warm-up exercises to get the creative juices flowing, we’ll use a no-fail process for writing poems—including a love poem for Valentine’s Day. You’ll be able to circumvent the analytic brain and give creativity a chance to thrive in flash fiction, too. There will be opportunities to read your writing to a supportive group. Expect to receive positive feedback that points the way toward your writing talents. When you leave, you’ll have at least three of your own poems or pieces of flash fiction, or a mixture, to take with you. Although this workshop focuses on two specific genres, any writer will find that it can help unleash their creative urges. Please bring your favorite writing implements to this Zoom workshop.
**Content:**
# Learn how the same creative urge can work in poems and fiction.
Explore two genres in one generative afternoon. After some fun warm-up exercises to get the creative juices flowing, we’ll use a no-fail process for writing poems—including a love poem for Valentine’s Day. You’ll be able to circumvent the analytic brain and give creativity a chance to thrive in flash fiction, too. There will be opportunities to read your writing to a supportive group. Expect to receive positive feedback that points the way toward your writing talents. When you leave, you’ll have at least three of your own poems or pieces of flash fiction, or a mixture, to take with you. Although this workshop focuses on two specific genres, any writer will find that it can help unleash their creative urges. Please bring your favorite writing implements to this Zoom workshop.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Imagery
- Sensory Details
- Structure
# Time requirements
- Please check your email the day before the workshop for any handouts to print out and bring to the workshop.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for people who may want some inspiration or to try their hand at two different genres in a supportive environment.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Fabulous First Pages](https://writer.org/event/fabulous-first-pages/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** These days, readers and agents often won't read past the first page of a book if it's not grabbing their attention. This means your first page is the most important page of your entire manuscript -- no pressure or anything!In this workshop, we will look at four things a first page should do to get and keep reader attention. We will study examples from recent bestselling and award-winning novels in various genres, breaking down how and why these first pages work so well. We will then give constructive feedback to student first pages. By the end of the workshop, students will have the tools to write fabulous first pages and feel confident that their manuscript grabs a reader’s attention from the very beginning. Students should have at least a first chapter (if not more) of a manuscript or work-in-progress and be prepared to share the first few pages for critique.
**Content:**
# Write a first page that grabs the attention of readers and agents!
These days, readers and agents often won’t read past the first page of a book if it’s not grabbing their attention. This means your first page is the most important page of your entire manuscript — no pressure or anything!
In this workshop, we will look at four things a first page should do to get and keep reader attention. We will study examples from recent bestselling and award-winning novels in various genres, breaking down how and why these first pages work so well. We will then give constructive feedback to student first pages. By the end of the workshop, students will have the tools to write fabulous first pages and feel confident that their manuscript grabs a reader’s attention from the very beginning. Students should have at least a first chapter (if not more) of a manuscript or work-in-progress and be prepared to share the first few pages for critique.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Learn why first pages are so important.
- Examine the four elements of a strong first page.
- Learn how to tell if your book is starting in the right place.
- Study examples and find additional resources to help you write fabulous first pages.
# Time requirements
- In preparation for Sessions 2 and 3, you will need to read student pages and prepare feedback for each submission. Approximately 1-2 hours/week.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for intermediate and advanced writers working on a novel/memoir they hope to one day publish, either traditionally or through self or hybrid publishing.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 3 Sessions, Intermediate/Advanced Level, Mixed Genre, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Book Marketing On A Budget](https://writer.org/event/book-marketing-on-a-budget-4/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** You’ve written – or are writing your book – now fight for it! In this workshop we’ll focus on dozens of book marketing tips, with a close eye on budgets. From book launches, social media, blogging and podcasting, to writing press releases, creating Amazon Author’s pages, and connecting with publicists, we’ll fill your head, and notebook with ideas; over 30 of them! If you think writing a book is exciting, wait until you feel the thrill of professionally promoting it!
**Content:**
# Your job isn’t over once you’ve published a book; it’s just beginning, and we’ll cover 30 ideas that are budget friendly!
You’ve written – or are writing your book – now fight for it! In this workshop we’ll focus on dozens of book marketing tips, with a close eye on budgets. From book launches, social media, blogging and podcasting, to writing press releases, creating Amazon Author’s pages, and connecting with publicists, we’ll fill your head, and notebook with ideas; over 30 of them! If you think writing a book is exciting, wait until you feel the thrill of professionally promoting it!
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Over 30 marketing ideas.
- Tips on negotiating larger book sales.
- The value of working with book distributors.
- Strategies designed to get those Amazon reviews.
- How to create a book launch that energizes those who support you!
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers who have published a book, about to publish a book, or have a book on the horizon that will be published. It’s never too early or late to fight for your book!
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 2 Sessions, All Levels, Publishing, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Villanelle Crash Course](https://writer.org/event/villanelle-crash-course-2/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Some of your favorite poems may be villanelles, whether you know the form or not. Guided by an internationally published author of villanelles, sonnets, and other metrical poems, you’ll first read time-honored villanelles to see how and why they work. Next the class will write a group villanelle, and then, with or without shortcuts, you’ll start one of your own. You'll leave with at least one new (draft) or improved villanelle, as well as insights about how writing poetry in form can unlock deeper meaning and enhance everything you write.
**Content:**
# You may already be in love with the Villanelle.
Some of your favorite poems may be villanelles, whether you know the form or not. Guided by an internationally published author of villanelles, sonnets, and other metrical poems, you’ll first read time-honored villanelles to see how and why they work. Next the class will write a group villanelle, and then, with or without shortcuts, you’ll start one of your own. You’ll leave with at least one new (draft) or improved villanelle, as well as insights about how writing poetry in form can unlock deeper meaning and enhance everything you write.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How a villanelle is like a romance
- How repetition can be both playful and evocative
- Learn from Dylan Thomas, Elizabeth Bishop, Theodore Roethke, and other masters.
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for anyone who would like to either improve their villanelle skills or try writing one for the first time.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Intermediate/Advanced Level, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [big things in small packages](https://writer.org/event/big-things-in-small-packages/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Short poems can reverberate in the mind and memory like a pebble dropped in a lake. Let’s look at some powerful short poems together to come up with strategies for writing our own little gems, and then write them! This workshop is appropriate for both experienced poets and for intrigued people who aren’t poets yet. There will be a 2 page handout provided for the first class.
**Content:**
# Write small to write big.
Short poems can reverberate in the mind and memory like a pebble dropped in a lake. Let’s look at some powerful short poems together to come up with strategies for writing our own little gems, and then write them! This workshop is appropriate for both experienced poets and for intrigued people who aren’t poets yet. There will be a 2 page handout provided for the first class.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Writing a one-sentence poem
- Image as shortcut, and what makes a good image
- What the writer can leave to the reader
- The American sentence form
- The haibun
# Time requirements
- 30-60 minutes/week
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is appropriate for both experienced poets and for intrigued people who aren’t poets yet.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 2 Sessions, All Levels, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [How to Write a Lot](https://writer.org/event/how-to-write-a-lot-4/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** You may think you don't have the time, energy, or inspiration to write because of your hectic lifestyle. Wrong! Learn what Kathryn Johnson's Extreme Novelists know about organizing their time, establishing a productive writing routine, and getting their stories written. We'll share methods EN Grads (and many professional writers) use to complete their books in months instead of years, their short stories in mere weeks. Become the dedicated author you've always dreamed of being. (Ideal for writers who don’t have 8 weeks to dedicate to the Extreme Novelist course.)
**Content:**
# Learn pro-writer tricks for creating a writing habit and getting more writing done every day, every month, every year!
You may think you don’t have the time, energy, or inspiration to write because of your hectic lifestyle. Wrong! Learn what Kathryn Johnson’s Extreme Novelists know about organizing their time, establishing a productive writing routine, and getting their stories written. We’ll share methods EN Grads (and many professional writers) use to complete their books in months instead of years, their short stories in mere weeks. Become the dedicated author you’ve always dreamed of being. (Ideal for writers who don’t have 8 weeks to dedicate to the Extreme Novelist course.)
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Time Management
- Fast Drafts
- Self-confidence
- Techniques & Tools
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Any writer struggling to find time to develop a satisfying writing life!
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Introduction to Art Journaling](https://writer.org/event/introduction-to-art-journaling/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** In this class, students will learn how to combine writing (poetry, quotes, personal reflections, etc., with art materials to create an artistic visual journal. Each week, students will work with various art media (paints, collage, stencils, stamps and more) to create different journal spreads. At the end of the sessions, participants will feel comfortable with art techniques to continue with their art journal practice. Students should bring to class a journal of their choice to work in-preferably at least 8 1/2x11 in size containing either watercolor or mixed media paper, (these can be found at most art and craft stores or ordering online). Instructor will provide all other supplies to try out and use in their journals. A $5 material fee can be brought to the first class.
**Content:**
# Explore your creative side, combining writing with art materials and techniques to make an eye-catching art journal.
In this class, students will learn how to combine writing (poetry, quotes, personal reflections, etc.) with art materials to create an artistic visual journal. Each week, students will work with various art media (paints, collage, stencils, stamps and more) to create different journal spreads. At the end of the sessions, participants will feel comfortable with art techniques to continue with their art journal practice. Students should bring to class a journal of their choice to work in-preferably at least 8 1/2×11 in size containing either watercolor or mixed media paper, (these can be found at most art and craft stores or ordering online). Instructor will provide all other supplies to try out and use in their journals. A $5 material fee can be brought to the first class.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Explore art journaling; combining words and art for personal enjoyment.
- Explore a variety of art materials used in art journaling.
- Incorporate color theory, composition, and various art techniques to create dynamic art journal spreads.
# Time requirements
- No set time required outside of class, but students are encouraged to work on their journals.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This class is for writers of all levels who are curious about exploring art journaling for personal enjoyment. No previous art experience necessary.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Mixed Genre, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Poetry for the End of the World (and other hard times)](https://writer.org/event/poetry-for-the-end-of-the-world-and-other-hard-times/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** In this workshop, writers will consider end-times poems both ancient and contemporary in order to find their own voice for lamenting hard times. Students will let this work inspire new approaches to their own work in order to generate 2-3 new poems and ideas for moving forward in this tradition.
**Content:**
# Join the long tradition of apocalyptic verse
In this workshop, writers will consider end-times poems both ancient and contemporary in order to find their own voice for lamenting hard times. Students will let this work inspire new approaches to their own work in order to generate 2-3 new poems and ideas for moving forward in this tradition.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Be exposed to apocalyptic poems both old and new
- Inderstand the role that such poetry plays during challenging times
- Developed your own voice in this tradition
- Move your work from the abstract to figurative gesture and concrete image
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers familiar with the foundational tools of poetry who want advance their craft and knowledge in this genre and tradition.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Show and Tell Intensive](https://writer.org/event/show-and-tell-intensive-3/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** A dynamic workshop on the single most important skill any writer can have. Skilled writers make readers feel and intuit precisely what they want them to by using the technique of showing writing. No other element of craft promises this immediacy and power to bring a work to life. This is how to make a flat passage sing, how to gain your readers’ trust and emotional participation. Through exploration of compelling published examples, exercises, lively discussion, and inspiring instruction, you will learn to elevate your stories to submission-quality prose.
**Content:**
# Learn to bring your writing to life by exchanging telling passages for vibrant writing that dramatizes the action and makes your reader feel what you want him to feel.
A dynamic workshop on the single most important skill any writer can have. Skilled writers make readers feel and intuit precisely what they want them to by using the technique of showing writing. No other element of craft promises this immediacy and power to bring a work to life. This is how to make a flat passage sing, how to gain your readers’ trust and emotional participation. Through exploration of compelling published examples, exercises, lively discussion, and inspiring instruction, you will learn to elevate your stories to submission-quality prose.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- The difference between telling writing and showing writing.
- How to write in a manner that dramatizes.
- When to alternate between showing and telling.
- How to use showing writing to bring flat passages to life.
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers of all levels and genres who want to learn how to write more memorable, impactful stories where readers experience both emotional resonance and the action for themselves.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Fiction Writing for the New Year](https://writer.org/event/fiction-writing-for-the-new-year/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** This multi-part generative fiction class will give your writing a jolt of inspiration. Participants will read a selection of stories by both well-known and emerging writers weekly. Each session will combine lively class discussion of the stories and dedicated writing time using prompts inspired by the readings. There will be a range of stories from realism to the uncanny to the weird, and we’ll look at a range of different story structures and styles. Whether you’re hoping to jumpstart your writing goals or want to embrace creative energy for the year, join this supportive and playful writing class. Please note: this is a generative workshop only; participants will not be reading/submitting work for feedback/critique.
**Content:**
# Start your new year with creativity!
This multi-part generative fiction class will give your writing a jolt of inspiration. Participants will read a selection of stories by both well-known and emerging writers weekly. Each session will combine lively class discussion of the stories and dedicated writing time using prompts inspired by the readings. There will be a range of stories from realism to the uncanny to the weird, and we’ll look at a range of different story structures and styles. Whether you’re hoping to jumpstart your writing goals or want to embrace creative energy for the year, join this supportive and playful writing class. Please note: this is a generative workshop only; participants will not be reading/submitting work for feedback/critique.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- New styles and techniques to try in your own writing
- How getting playful and experimenting can unlock new ideas for writing
- Varying approaches to plot, character, and setting
- Lots of in-class writing time and discussion of stories
# Time requirements
- Participants can expect to read up to 30 pages total outside of class each week.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers at any level looking to jumpstart their writing for the new year with creative prompts and a range of model texts.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 3 Sessions, All Levels, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [The Extreme Novelist](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-4/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** 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 just 8 weeks. Students receive the encouraging guidance of 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. Classes will include accountability and progress reports from each student, troubleshooting discussions, a brief lecture on some aspect of the fiction craft, and the opportunity to submit portions of the work-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.)
**Content:**
# Create a rough draft for your full novel in 8 weeks!
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 just 8 weeks. Students receive the encouraging guidance of 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. Classes will include accountability and progress reports from each student, troubleshooting discussions, a brief lecture on some aspect of the fiction craft, and the opportunity to submit portions of the work-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.)
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Structure & Plot
- Developing a Hook
- Working to Completion
- Time Management
- Professional Feedback
# Time requirements
- Participants will be expected to write daily, building to 90 minutes per day.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop will benefit authors who need structure, are struggling with completing their novel within a reasonable time or feel blocked.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 8 Sessions, Fiction, Intermediate/Advanced Level, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Starting a Memoir](https://writer.org/event/starting-a-memoir-2/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** This class is for writers in the early stages of writing their memoir. Learn what you need to get off to a great start with this class led by an experienced writing coach and editor. Class includes practical discussion, lots of helpful tips, and some in-class exercises designed to offer clarity, direction, and inspiration as you move forward with your memoir. We’ll cover issues of time management, staying organized and motivated, good resources, and managing those inner critics. You’ll leave class with realistic goals and a clear map forward.
**Content:**
# Explore the craft of writing memoirs
This class is for writers in the early stages of writing their memoir. Learn what you need to get off to a great start with this class led by an experienced writing coach and editor. Class includes practical discussion, lots of helpful tips, and some in-class exercises designed to offer clarity, direction, and inspiration as you move forward with your memoir. We’ll cover issues of time management, staying organized and motivated, good resources, and managing those inner critics. You’ll leave class with realistic goals and a clear map forward.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How to discover and refine what your memoir is really about
- Practical tips for reaching your goal and staying motivated
- How to rein in the scope of your idea so it packs a punch for the reader
- How to stay organized and in action
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This class is designed for writers who are in the early stages of writing a memoir (for those who are ready with an idea to those who’ve drafted no more than 100 pages).
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Beginner Level, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Structure Your Novel](https://writer.org/event/structure-your-novel/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Do you have a book-length work of fiction that you can’t find the time to finish? Are you stuck at a key point in a manuscript you’ve poured your whole heart into? Do you feel like your novel is missing something, but you can’t quite figure out what? Don’t struggle alone! In this Intermediate/Advanced-level class, you’ll learn how to structure your novel through generative exercises that will help you determine how to make the best decisions about point of view, tense, character development, world-building, and more.
**Content:**
# Structure your novel with this foundational class
Do you have a book-length work of fiction that you can’t find the time to finish? Are you stuck at a key point in a manuscript you’ve poured your whole heart into? Do you feel like your novel is missing something, but you can’t quite figure out what? Don’t struggle alone! In this Intermediate/Advanced-level class, you’ll learn how to structure your novel through generative exercises that will help you determine how to make the best decisions about point of view, tense, character development, world-building, and more.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Developing voice
- Building a World
- Character Development
- Structure & Plot
# Time requirements
- 2 hours/week suggested
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers who have made significant progress on a first novel.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 6 Sessions, Fiction, Intermediate/Advanced Level, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [10 Prompts to Kickstart Your Writing in the New Year](https://writer.org/event/10-prompts-to-kickstart-your-writing-in-the-new-year/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** This workshop is designed to inspire you to deepen your writing with emotional weight. By examining your response to a variety of visual and musical prompts, including painting, sculpture, photography, short films, and music videos, we’ll learn to notice underlying emotions. Since everything we create is a representation of something larger, we’ll practice translating your feelings to the page so that they can live in your characters and resonate with readers. Participants will leave with fresh ideas for their memoir and fiction and the confidence to move beyond surface-level writing.
**Content:**
# Kickstart Your Writing in the New Year
This workshop is designed to inspire you to deepen your writing with emotional weight. By examining your response to a variety of visual and musical prompts, including painting, sculpture, photography, short films, and music videos, we’ll learn to notice underlying emotions. Since everything we create is a representation of something larger, we’ll practice translating your feelings to the page so that they can live in your characters and resonate with readers. Participants will leave with fresh ideas for their memoir and fiction and the confidence to move beyond surface-level writing.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Creating underlying emotion
- Making the ordinary extraordinary
- Defining your story’s intention and purpose
- Finding meaningful connections
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is open to all writers, especially fiction and memoir writers, who are interested in deepening their ideas and creating emotional resonance on the page.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Intermediate Novel Writing: The 8 Cs](https://writer.org/event/intermediate-novel-writing-the-8-cs-2/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** 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.)
**Content:**
# Let’s finish that novel you started!
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.)
---
***Learn at your own pace:** This workshop will take place over **Wet Ink**, which is an asynchronous creative writing platform. The instructor will post a lesson and assignment at the beginning of each week, and participants can log in and read the lessons/post assignments/comment on other classmates’ work at their convenience. Shortly before the start date, participants will receive an invite from Wet Ink to create their login info and access the class. Please check your spam if you don’t see it.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Concept
- Character
- Circumstances
- Conflict
- Complications
- Crisis
- Climax
- Conclusion
# Time requirements
- 3-5 hours/week
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for writers looking to deepen their understanding of the major components of novel-writing.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 8 Sessions, Fiction, Intermediate Level, Wet Ink, Workshop
---
### [Creating Novel Characters](https://writer.org/event/creating-novel-characters-4/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** 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.
**Content:**
# Bring your characters to life on the page.
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.
---
***Learn at your own pace:** This workshop will take place over **Wet Ink**, which is an asynchronous creative writing platform. The instructor will post a lesson and assignment at the beginning of each week, and participants can log in and read the lessons/post assignments/comment on other classmates’ work at their convenience. Shortly before the start date, participants will receive an invite from Wet Ink to create their login info and access the class. Please check your spam if you don’t see it.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Your character’s past and future
- Your character’s motivations
- Hzow the plot will bring about your character’s arc
- How to reveal your character on the page
# Time requirements
- 3-5 hours/week
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers looking to add dimension to their fictional characters.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, All Levels, Fiction, Wet Ink, Workshop
---
### [Open Mic @ The Writer's Center](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-may2025a/)
**Published:** January 2, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Prose, poetry, and spoken word Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center! All writers are welcome to come and share 4-5 minutes of their latest work.
- **Sign-up starts at 6:45pm, and readings begin promptly at 7pm.**
- **Limited to 20 readers, so arrive early if you plan to read.**
Sponsored by [*Poet Lore*](poetlore.com), America’s oldest poetry magazine.
FREE and open to the public. Please note that we no longer offer advance sign-up.
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Open Mic @ The Writer's Center](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-apr2025a/)
**Published:** January 2, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Prose, poetry, and spoken word Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center! All writers are welcome to come and share 4-5 minutes of their latest work.
- **Sign-up starts at 6:45pm, and readings begin promptly at 7pm.**
- **Limited to 20 readers, so arrive early if you plan to read.**
Sponsored by [*Poet Lore*](poetlore.com), America’s oldest poetry magazine.
FREE and open to the public. Please note that we no longer offer advance sign-up.
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Open Mic @ The Writer's Center](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-mar2025b/)
**Published:** January 2, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Prose, poetry, and spoken word Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center! All writers are welcome to come and share 4-5 minutes of their latest work.
- **Sign-up starts at 6:45pm, and readings begin promptly at 7pm.**
- **Limited to 20 readers, so arrive early if you plan to read.**
Sponsored by [*Poet Lore*](poetlore.com), America’s oldest poetry magazine.
FREE and open to the public. Please note that we no longer offer advance sign-up.
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Open Mic @ The Writer's Center](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-mar2025a/)
**Published:** January 2, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Prose, poetry, and spoken word Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center! All writers are welcome to come and share 4-5 minutes of their latest work.
- **Sign-up starts at 6:45pm, and readings begin promptly at 7pm.**
- **Limited to 20 readers, so arrive early if you plan to read.**
Sponsored by [*Poet Lore*](poetlore.com), America’s oldest poetry magazine.
FREE and open to the public. Please note that we no longer offer advance sign-up.
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Open Mic @ The Writer's Center](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-feb2025b/)
**Published:** January 2, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Prose, poetry, and spoken word Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center! All writers are welcome to come and share 4-5 minutes of their latest work.
- **Sign-up starts at 6:45pm, and readings begin promptly at 7pm.**
- **Limited to 20 readers, so arrive early if you plan to read.**
Sponsored by [*Poet Lore*](poetlore.com), America’s oldest poetry magazine.
FREE and open to the public. Please note that we no longer offer advance sign-up.
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Open Mic @ The Writer's Center](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-jan2025b/)
**Published:** January 2, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Prose, poetry, and spoken word Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center! All writers are welcome to come and share 4-5 minutes of their latest work.
- **Sign-up starts at 6:45pm, and readings begin promptly at 7pm.**
- **Limited to 20 readers, so arrive early if you plan to read.**
Sponsored by [*Poet Lore*](poetlore.com), America’s oldest poetry magazine.
FREE and open to the public. Please note that we no longer offer advance sign-up.
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Writerly Happy Hour](https://writer.org/event/writerly-happy-hour-2/)
**Published:** January 2, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Join us for cocktails at No Kisses Bar to mingle with board, staff, and friends of The Inner Loop, The Writer’s Center, and PEN/Faulkner!
[**Reserve your spot »**](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/writerly-happy-hour-tickets-1106698859079?aff=oddtdtcreator)
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Open Mic @ The Writer's Center](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-jan2025a/)
**Published:** January 2, 2025
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Prose, poetry, and spoken word Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center! All writers are welcome to come and share 4-5 minutes of their latest work.
- **Sign-up starts at 6:45pm, and readings begin promptly at 7pm.**
- **Limited to 20 readers, so arrive early if you plan to read.**
Sponsored by [*Poet Lore*](poetlore.com), America’s oldest poetry magazine.
FREE and open to the public. Please note that we no longer offer advance sign-up.
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Creating Backstory & Flashbacks](https://writer.org/event/creating-backstory-flashbacks-2/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Every character has a hidden history from before your story starts. Learn how to masterfully weave in details and experiences that enrich your characters and create believable motivation. Novelists, short story authors, and creative nonfiction writers will all benefit from these twin skills. You’ll see your writing grow in sophistication and depth.
**Content:**
# Grow your writing skills in sophistication and depth by using the twin techniques of backstory and flashback.
Every character has a hidden history from before your story starts. Learn how to masterfully weave in details and experiences that enrich your characters and create believable motivation. Novelists, short story authors, and creative nonfiction writers will all benefit from these twin skills. You’ll see your writing grow in sophistication and depth.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Character Development
- Enriching Details
- Effective Use of Time Skips
- Steps to Creating Seamless Flashbacks
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed to help fiction writers at all levels master the use of multiple time frames and deep character building without awkward description lists.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Intro to the Novel](https://writer.org/event/intro-to-the-novel-4/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** 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. Online lessons with exercises, readings, and curated resources as well as the opportunity to submit and receive feedback from the instructor (and peers) on excerpts from your novel.
**Content:**
# Have you always wanted to write a novel but didn’t know where to start?
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. Online lessons with exercises, readings, and curated resources as well as the opportunity to submit and receive feedback from the instructor (and peers) on excerpts from your novel.
---
***Learn at your own pace:** This workshop will take place over **Wet Ink**, which is an asynchronous creative writing platform. The instructor will post a lesson and assignment at the beginning of each week, and participants can log in and read the lessons/post assignments/comment on other classmates’ work at their convenience. Shortly before the start date, participants will receive an invite from Wet Ink to create their login info and access the class. Please check your spam if you don’t see it.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn how to:
- Develop you Premise
- Establish Point of View/Narrative Voice
- Create authentic Characters
- Organize Plot and Structure
- Create good writing habits
- Determine your personal Process
# Time requirements
- 3-5 hours/week
# Materials
- *Hooked* by Les Edgerton
- *Plot & Structure* by James Scott Bell
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for those who have never written a novel before – or for those who are looking for a strong foundation in the basic components of novel-writing.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 8 Sessions, Beginner Level, Fiction, Wet Ink, Workshop
---
### [Writing Picture Books](https://writer.org/event/writing-picture-books-3/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Learn how to write a picture book from a successful author of thirty award-winning books for children. Each session will begin with a short discussion of an aspect of writing for children, including story openings and arcs, characterization, plot/pacing, rhythm/sound, and marketing. Suggested readings, prompts, and feedback on in-class writing will inspire and guide writers in the class. By the end of the workshop, participants should have written and/or revised part or all of a picture book and have a better sense of how to create one in the future. Feedback will be offered on in-class exercises only rather than workshopping writing done outside of class.
**Content:**
# Learn the basics—from story structure to marketing—of writing picture books for children.
Learn how to write a picture book from a successful author of thirty award-winning books for children. Each session will begin with a short discussion of an aspect of writing for children, including story openings and arcs, characterization, plot/pacing, rhythm/sound, and marketing. Suggested readings, prompts, and feedback on in-class writing will inspire and guide writers in the class. By the end of the workshop, participants should have written and/or revised part or all of a picture book and have a better sense of how to create one in the future. Feedback will be offered on in-class exercises only rather than workshopping writing done outside of class.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Craft a Strong Beginning
- Consider Characterization & Plot
- Revise for Rhythm & Sound
- Explore Marketing & Helpful Resources
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for those interested in the basics of writing picture books for children. We will not be covering the writing of chapter books and novels for older kids.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 3 Sessions, Adults Write for Children, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Advanced Nonfiction](https://writer.org/event/advanced-nonfiction/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Master the craft of writing nonfiction.
This advanced class will go beyond the basics of nonfiction writing to provide an extra focus on fleshing out characters, incorporating a narrative voice, and developing more sophisticated tools for narrative storytelling.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, Advanced Level, Nonfiction, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Writing Personal Essays](https://writer.org/event/writing-personal-essays/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Journeys, relationships, hardships, love, and loss—these are just a few of the subjects personal essays explore. In this workshop we’ll examine essays from magazines, literary journals, and newspapers to illuminate the ways imagery, dialogue, scene, and crafting an “I” narrator transform a personal experience into a compelling story. You’ll generate new material each week through in-class exercises, plus receive in-class feedback on your draft.
**Content:**
# Turn your experiences into compelling stories
Journeys, relationships, hardships, love, and loss—these are just a few of the subjects personal essays explore. In this workshop we’ll examine essays from magazines, literary journals, and newspapers to illuminate the ways imagery, dialogue, scene, and crafting an “I” narrator transform a personal experience into a compelling story. You’ll generate new material each week through in-class exercises, plus receive in-class feedback on your draft.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- The difference between the situation and the story
- How to employ tools from fiction such as scene, dialogue, and character development
- Structure
- First Paragraph Hooks
# Time requirements
- 15 minutes for weekly essay reading outside of class
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for beginning essay writers looking to learn the tools of form and intermediate writers looking to shape their essays in progress.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 5 Sessions, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [$40 Pop Up: Publish or Procrastinate? How to Know When Your Manuscript is Ready](https://writer.org/event/40-pop-up-publish-or-procrastinate-how-to-know-when-your-manuscript-is-ready/)
**Published:** November 21, 2024
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
How do you know when it’s time to send your manuscript to an agent or publisher? How do you decide if it is ready or if it needs more work? Many writers struggle with deciding if their book is truly ready for the world or if they’re just avoiding the next step. This workshop will help you evaluate your manuscript with a critical eye, recognize when revisions are necessary, and determine when it’s time to take the leap and submit. If you feel stuck in endless edits and unsure if your work is ready for feedback, this session will give you tools to move forward with clarity and confidence.
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Publishing, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Writing Characters: A Generative Workshop](https://writer.org/event/writing-characters-a-generative-workshop/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Each writer can expect to leave this course with new work and a new or enhanced awareness of essential craft elements of character development that they can use in their current and future works-in-progress.
**Content:**
# Explore and practice the art of writing memorable characters.
Each writer can expect to leave this course with new work and a new or enhanced awareness of essential craft elements of character development that they can use in their current and future works-in-progress.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Fine points of character development
- How to develop complex characters
- How to communicate your character’s characteristics, needs, and desires on to the page
# Time requirements
- ~1 hour of reading before the workshop.
# Materials
- Two short stories will be provided beforehand for discussion in the workshop.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for beginning fiction writers looking to learn the basics of character development and intermediate writers looking to solidify tis aspect of their craft.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [$40 Pop-Up! 7 New Ways to Visualize Plot](https://writer.org/event/40-pop-up-workshop-7-new-ways-to-visualize-plot/)
**Published:** November 21, 2024
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
The story arc is ubiquitous—and often useful—in analyses of plot, but it’s only one way we might look at forward progress and the growth/release of tension within a narrative. In fact, the ubiquity of the story arc can limit how we consider our large-scale narrative structures. In this workshop, we’ll consider several original variations on the story arc and several alternatives, as well. You’ll leave with new perspectives with which to consider your own plotting and a broader understanding of how narratives move and flow. And hopefully, you’ll find yourself thinking about plot in inspiring and generative ways.
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [How—and Where—to Pitch Your Personal Essays](https://writer.org/event/how-and-where-to-pitch-your-personal-essays/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Personal essays are perhaps the genre that has the largest array of publication possibilities—literary journals, newspapers, magazines, alumni publications, and more all publish this form. That’s the good news! The challenge: finding the right publications for your story, along with submission guidelines, pay rates, and style preferences. In this workshop, you’ll learn where to find writer’s guidelines for popular newspaper and magazine essay columns (many with tips from the editor), how to create a submission plan to increase your success, and the pros and cons of submitting essays to newspapers and magazines vs. literary journals. By the end, you’ll have a list of resources and actionable tips to move your submissions forward. Give that essay on your hard drive (or in your journal) a chance to be published.
**Content:**
# Learn how (and where) to effectively pitch your personal essays and increase your chance for publication.
Personal essays are perhaps the genre that has the largest array of publication possibilities—literary journals, newspapers, magazines, alumni publications, and more all publish this form. That’s the good news! The challenge: finding the right publications for your story, along with submission guidelines, pay rates, and style preferences. In this workshop, you’ll learn where to find writer’s guidelines for popular newspaper and magazine essay columns (many with tips from the editor), how to create a submission plan to increase your success, and the pros and cons of submitting essays to newspapers and magazines vs. literary journals. By the end, you’ll have a list of resources and actionable tips to move your submissions forward. Give that essay on your hard drive (or in your journal) a chance to be published.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Discover a wide variety of print and online publications that publish essays
- Learn how to discern which ones might be a good fit for your work
- Learn tips on crafting your pitch
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for beginner and experienced writers looking to submit their personal essays for publication.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Finish Your Novel!](https://writer.org/event/finish-your-novel/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** How great would it feel to finish your novel? Have you been working and reworking the beginning of your book but can’t seem to move past a certain point? In this one-day workshop, we’ll talk about the different road-blocks writers face and practical tips for overcoming them. After a discussion about what’s holding you back, you’ll create a loose outline, make a plan for finishing your novel, set deadlines, and learn ways to hold yourself accountable to your goals. You may even find another member of the workshop to be your accountability partner. If you’re ready to finally type "the end," this class is for you.
**Content:**
# Push through writer roadblocks so you can finally finish that novel!
How great would it feel to finish your novel? Have you been working and reworking the beginning of your book but can’t seem to move past a certain point? In this one-day workshop, we’ll talk about the different road-blocks writers face and practical tips for overcoming them. After a discussion about what’s holding you back, you’ll create a loose outline, make a plan for finishing your novel, set deadlines, and learn ways to hold yourself accountable to your goals. You may even find another member of the workshop to be your accountability partner. If you’re ready to finally type “the end,” this class is for you.
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Learn practical tips to help you finish your draft
- Create a loose outline for your novel
- Set deadlines to keep you on track
- Discuss ways to stay accountable to your goals
- Brainstorm solutions to common writing roadblocks
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for intermediate and advanced writers who are ready to finally finish their novel-in-progress.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Fiction, Intermediate/Advanced Level, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Lindsey Van Wagner Book Launch](https://writer.org/event/lindsey-van-wagner/)
**Published:** December 4, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE book launch event! We’re joined by Lindsey Van Wagner to discuss her new book *Spirit Vigilante: Telling My Truth to Help you Live Yours*. Lindsey will be in conversation with Amy Freeman, The Writer’s Center’s very own development director, followed by a Q&A session and book signing. You can purchase your hardback or paperback copy of her book at the event. Warm up with some delicious hot chocolate, served by the magical Christina Hong of Consciously Christina.
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
**Lindsey Van Wagner**, author, speaker, instructor, and wellness advocate from the Washington, DC area, known for empowering clients to live with intention and purpose. Drawing from a deep understanding of transformative change, psychological well-being, and her own journey through personal challenges and healing of the mind, body, and soul, she’s written a book that guides readers to break free from limiting patterns and embrace their truth.
---
# About the Book
Take a transformative journey of self-discovery with Lindsey Van Wagner’s *Spirit Vigilante: Telling My Truth to Help You Live Yours.* This compelling narrative, interwoven with personal anecdotes and grounded in health psychology and behavior change theory, provides a clear and concise framework for personal growth. Van Wagner’s compassionate and courageous voice guides you to break free from detrimental patterns, overcome internal obstacles, and embrace your most authentic self.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [$40 Pop Up: Plotting the Short Story Collection](https://writer.org/event/40-pop-up-plotting-the-short-story-collection/)
**Published:** November 21, 2024
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Participants will discuss the practicalities of developing the bones of a short story collection. The group will be invited to share details about their own projects and work together to plot next steps.
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Creative Spirit: Infusing Your Writing with Energy](https://writer.org/event/creative-spirit-infusing-your-writing-with-energy/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Are you struggling to find your voice as a writer? Do you have a story to tell but feel stuck in the creative process? Let’s face it. Writing can be a confusing and challenging process. Whether you are a beginner or have been writing for years, chances are you go through ups and downs—sometimes you have so much to write about that you can hardly get it on the page fast enough, and other days you blankly stare at your computer screen unsure of where to start. No matter your beliefs, spirituality and open-mindedness can play a critical role in the creative process if we allow it and nurture it.
In a safe and supportive space, reintroduce your childlike wonder around creativity so you can write freely, authentically reclaim your power, and uncover your true gifts. Unleash your brilliance and honor the impact of your stories, lessons, and innermost thoughts. Tap into a higher source of inspiration, whether viewed as the highest self, inner wisdom, or any other entity. You will walk away with efficient ways to set intentions for different writing projects, stay in the present, trust your process, set healthy boundaries, and follow signs and intuition. You will have the information necessary to create a sacred space and ritual for your writing practice, motivating you to enrich your content and deepen your message.
**Content:**
# Unleash your creativity and overcome creative blocks as you learn to stimulate artistic expression and promote personal growth in your writing!
Are you struggling to find your voice as a writer? Do you have a story to tell but feel stuck in the creative process? Let’s face it. Writing can be a confusing and challenging process. Whether you are a beginner or have been writing for years, chances are you go through ups and downs—sometimes you have so much to write about that you can hardly get it on the page fast enough, and other days you blankly stare at your computer screen unsure of where to start. No matter your beliefs, spirituality and open-mindedness can play a critical role in the creative process if we allow it and nurture it.
In a safe and supportive space, reintroduce your childlike wonder around creativity so you can write freely, authentically reclaim your power, and uncover your true gifts. Unleash your brilliance and honor the impact of your stories, lessons, and innermost thoughts. Tap into a higher source of inspiration, whether viewed as the highest self, inner wisdom, or any other entity. You will walk away with efficient ways to set intentions for different writing projects, stay in the present, trust your process, set healthy boundaries, and follow signs and intuition. You will have the information necessary to create a sacred space and ritual for your writing practice, motivating you to enrich your content and deepen your message.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Techniques to get ideas flowing
- How to connect with the purpose of your writing
- Creative ways to bring spiritual practices to your process
- The importance of community in your creative journey
- How to build writing rituals infused with both structure and spirit
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Write Like the News](https://writer.org/event/write-like-the-news-3/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Lead with the future — not background — for lead-ership, especially in a crisis. That’s the most important of eight journalism skills that will transform your writing. The others: write your readers’ language, be positive (to be both clear and upbeat), lay out logically, be consistent, be precise, be concise and choose strong verbs. (Plus a Speak Like the News skill: avoid “uptalk?”) Emulate the vivid news examples you’ll see in this workshop, and you’ll strengthen your writing voice with lively, engaging news style. At 7 sharp, we’ll critique TheWallStreetJournal.com, seeing how to communicate your main point in just a few words. To cover as much ground as possible, we’ll have just a few writing exercises and most of them will take less than a minute each.
**Content:**
# Become concise as news, precise as law.
Lead with the future — not background — for lead-ership, especially in a crisis. That’s the most important of eight journalism skills that will transform your writing. The others: write your readers’ language, be positive (to be both clear and upbeat), lay out logically, be consistent, be precise, be concise and choose strong verbs. (Plus a Speak Like the News skill: avoid “uptalk?”) Emulate the vivid news examples you’ll see in this workshop, and you’ll strengthen your writing voice with lively, engaging news style. At 7 sharp, we’ll critique TheWallStreetJournal.com, seeing how to communicate your main point in just a few words. To cover as much ground as possible, we’ll have just a few writing exercises and most of them will take less than a minute each.
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn to:
- “Lead with the future — not background” for lead-ership, especially in a crisis.
- Choose between raw numbers and a ratio.
- “Equal writes”: choose an egalitarian, engaging, non-clunky alternative to generic “he.”
- Break bad news the good way — and keep your readers reading.
- Plus a “Speak Like the News” skill: avoid “uptalk?”
# Time requirements
- 1 hour of reading before the workshop.
# Materials
- The Writer’s Center will email you a 9-page booklet a few days ahead of time.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Writers (business writers especially) who’d like to learn by emulating or improving excerpts from diverse sources — here news of course, but also the Supreme Court, Charles Dickens and the Ronettes.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Professional Writing, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Writing Linked Memoir-Micros](https://writer.org/event/writing-linked-memoir-micros/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Develop one or more linked micro memoirs (short, short stories of 250 words or less). Lean into the lyrical and use poetic techniques to enhance your writing. Write to guided exercises and prompts to connect your micro memoirs to your larger life themes. Ultimately, a generative workshop with time to write, reflect, and share your work.
**Content:**
# Write one or more linked, lyrical creative nonfiction stories in this generative workshop.
Develop one or more linked micro memoirs (short, short stories of 250 words or less). Lean into the lyrical and use poetic techniques to enhance your writing. Write to guided exercises and prompts to connect your micro memoirs to your larger life themes. Ultimately, a generative workshop with time to write, reflect, and share your work.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Develop micro creative nonfiction pieces
- Use poetic techniques to enhance your prose pieces
- Learn thematic development
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers who want to start writing short, lyrical creative nonfiction pieces.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Nonfiction, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [How to Write a Lot](https://writer.org/event/how-to-write-a-lot-3/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** You may think you don't have the time, energy, or inspiration to write because of your hectic lifestyle. Wrong! Learn what Kathryn Johnson's Extreme Novelists know about organizing their time, establishing a productive writing routine, and getting their stories written. We'll share methods EN Grads (and many professional writers) use to complete their books in months instead of years, their short stories in mere weeks. Become the dedicated author you've always dreamed of being. (Ideal for writers who don’t have 8 weeks to dedicate to the Extreme Novelist course.)
**Content:**
# Learn pro-writer tricks for creating a writing habit and getting more writing done every day!
You may think you don’t have the time, energy, or inspiration to write because of your hectic lifestyle. Wrong! Learn what Kathryn Johnson’s Extreme Novelists know about organizing their time, establishing a productive writing routine, and getting their stories written. We’ll share methods EN Grads (and many professional writers) use to complete their books in months instead of years, their short stories in mere weeks. Become the dedicated author you’ve always dreamed of being. (Ideal for writers who don’t have 8 weeks to dedicate to the Extreme Novelist course.)
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Time management
- Fast drafts
- Self-confidence
- Techniques and Tools
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for any writer interested in completing their projects with less stress and in less time.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [test test test](https://writer.org/event/test-test-test/)
**Published:** December 2, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Event Categories:** Workshop
---
### [BIPOC Writers Mixer](https://writer.org/event/bipoc-writers-mixer-dec2024/)
**Published:** November 22, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
**Calling all BIPOC writers in the DMV! Let’s hang out and talk writing!**
Come join us for an informal gathering at The Writer’s Center to meet new writers, make new friends, and share your love of the written word. Please bring a drink or an appetizer that serves six. You’re welcome to bring a friend, too.
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP required below.**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [How to Publish](https://writer.org/event/how-to-publish/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Do you want to get your writing published (in literary journals and as books), but don't know where to start? Are you already publishing but want to publish in more competitive markets? In this workshop we'll learn about the business of submitting to editors of literary journals and presses. We'll also discuss tips for finding appropriate markets for your writing.
**Content:**
# Find out what literary editors (from journals and presses) want!
Do you want to get your writing published (in literary journals and as books), but don’t know where to start? Are you already publishing but want to publish in more competitive markets? In this workshop we’ll learn about the business of submitting to editors of literary journals and presses. We’ll also discuss tips for finding appropriate markets for your writing.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Publishing
- Querying
- Marketing
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers at any level, writing in any genre, looking to publish or publish in more competitive markets.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Publishing, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Rhonda Zimlich Book Launch](https://writer.org/event/zimlich/)
**Published:** November 20, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes Rhonda Zimlich for a reading and discussion to celebrate the release of her novel, *Raising Panic*. Rhonda is in conversation with Melissa Scholes Young. Book signing to follow.
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
**Rhonda Zimlich** teaches writing at American University in Washington, DC. Her writing focuses on history, grief, and intergenerational trauma, with an occasional ghost story. She is the recipient of the 2020 Literary Award in Nonfiction from *Dogwood*, a Journal at Fairfield University, and the 2021 Fiction Award from *Please See Me*. She received an honorable mention in America’s Best Essays, 2021, and she was awarded a 2023 grant from Maryland State Arts Council. Works appear in *Brevity*, *American Story Review*, *Past-Ten*, and more. [rhondazimlich.com](http://www.rhondazimlich.com/)
---
**2023 Book Award Winner for Prose from Steel Toe Books**
Set in 1978, a time of Ditto jeans and rabbit’s foot keychains, *Raising Panic* captures the bond of sisters struggling to find security in an alcoholic home and their attempt to escape. PJ McCormack wants nothing more than to leave her rural valley and alcoholic mother, the way her father did years earlier. But she cannot leave behind her nine-year-old sister, Panic. Instead, she teaches Panic about survival, hoping to prepare her to someday leave. After Panic witnesses the historic PSA 182 jetliner crash (the first televised mass-casualty event in the U.S.), the family is thrown into crisis, solidifying the sisters’ plan to leave. As their situation spins out of control, they’ll learn the reason behind their father’s disappearance, the source of rabbit’s foot keychains, and the origin of Panic’s name.
---
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat on Fiction with Hayden Casey](https://writer.org/event/hayden-casey/)
**Published:** November 19, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of fiction! We’re joined by Hayden Casey to discuss his debut story collection, *Show Me Where the Hurt Is*. Hayden is in conversation with Zach Powers, author and Artistic Director at The Writer’s Center.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from the publisher »](https://www.splitlippress.com/show-me-where-the-hurt-is)
---
**Hayden Casey** is a writer and musician currently living in Phoenix, AZ. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Washington and an MFA in Fiction from Arizona State University. His short story collection, [*Show Me Where the Hurt Is*](https://www.splitlippress.com/show-me-where-the-hurt-is)*,* is forthcoming from Split/Lip Press in spring 2025. His work has appeared or is forthcoming in *Witness, West Branch, Bridge Eight, Bat City Review, Passengers Journal,* *Allium,* and *Yalobusha Review* and was longlisted for the Dzanc Books Prize for Fiction and the Palette Chapbook Prize for poetry. He teaches writing at Arizona State University, where he was the 2024 recipient of the College of Arts and Sciences Outstanding Instructor Award.
---
# About the Book
A collection of stories about love and grief, anchored in brokenness—broken people, broken relationships, broken systems—and the obsessions and insecurities that prevent us from revealing ourselves to one another. The characters in Hayden Casey’s debut collection *Show Me Where the Hurt Is* are on quests for betterment, for pleasure, for distraction—and ultimately, for transformation.
One woman takes up work as an “in-betweener,” hired to fill the lonely gap between relationships. A college student devotes himself to hot yoga in the wake of his mother’s unexpected death. When a buzzy new weight-loss pill hits the market, a woman signs up for a trial—and tries to hide it from her partner. An undergrad becomes entangled in her roommate’s feverish relationship with a grad student and watches in horror as the pair begins to sprout each other’s body parts.
Across thirteen stories that brush up against the strange and surreal, *Show Me Where the Hurt Is* tenderly exposes old wounds that have been carefully concealed so that we might understand the hurt in one another.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Poet Ori Z. Soltes Reading](https://writer.org/event/soltes/)
**Published:** November 14, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes Ori Z. Soltes for a reading from his new collection of poems, *My Life as a Dog: Poppy Poems*. Funded by the Montgomery County Arts and Humanities Council, the collection of 25 poems (accompanied by a smaller number of drawings) responds to, reflects on, resonates from, and reconsiders the poet’s small dog and their morning walks throughout the year, with its changing seasons and activities and diverse sources of human and canine rumination.
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
**Ori Z. Soltes** teaches at Georgetown University across a range of disciplines, from art history and theology to philosophy and political history. He is the former Director and Curator of the B’nai B’rith Klutznick National Jewish Museum, and has curated more than 90 exhibitions there and in other venues across the country and overseas. He is also the author or editor of 31 scholarly books and several hundred articles, exhibition catalogues, and essays on diverse topics. His poetry has appeared in a handful of journals, and in several collections. His most recent book of poems is *Then and Now: Love Lost and Sometimes Found* (Canal Street Books).
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Creative Journaling: Words + Art](https://writer.org/event/creative-journaling-words-art/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Have you ever wanted to create art along with your writing--but felt you lacked skills or direction? Participants begin with personal-writing prompts, which then become the basis for mixed-media art pieces. The co-leaders are an author and an artist who love the process of creative discovery and, through specific strategies, can help you to explore and shape your material. The work created may become part of an ongoing unique memoir, a creative journal, or individual pieces.
**Content:**
# Discover how to interlace your writing with your own simple sketches and collages, to create a unique fusion of words and art.
Have you ever wanted to create art along with your writing — but felt you lacked skills or direction? Participants begin with personal-writing prompts, which then become the basis for mixed-media art pieces. The co-leaders are an author and an artist who love the process of creative discovery and, through specific strategies, can help you to explore and shape your material. The work created may become part of an ongoing unique memoir, a creative journal, or individual pieces.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Open Your Creative Process
- Explore Art Basics (Form, Texture, Line, Color, Composition)
- Learn Strategies to Help You Interlace Your Words and Art
- Refresh Your Creative Spirit through Play
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers at all levels who want to expand their creative process and engage more fully with the visual arts in their writing.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat on Fiction with Marguerite Sheffer](https://writer.org/event/marguerite-sheffer/)
**Published:** November 13, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of fiction! We’re joined by Marguerite Sheffer to discuss her debut story collection, *The Man in the Banana Trees*. Marguerite is in conversation with Zach Powers, author and Artistic Director at The Writer’s Center.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from Bookshop.org »](https://bookshop.org/a/22600/9781609389956)
---
**Marguerite Sheffer** teaches courses in design thinking and speculative fiction at Tulane University, and is a founding member of Third Lantern Lit, a local writing collective, and the Nautilus and Wildcat Writing Groups. Sheffer lives in New Orleans, Louisiana.
---
# About the Book
The stories in *The Man in the Banana Trees* take place in the past, present, and future—from the American Gulf South to the orbit around Jupiter. We meet teachers and students, ghosts and aliens. An ice cream consultant in the year 2036 predicts a devastating flavor trend and a disgruntled New England waiter investigates a mysterious tanker crash. Although wildly varied in setting, length, and genre, a thread of the fantastic unites these stories, as characters struggle to understand that thing lurking at the edge of their perception: something sinister, or maybe—miraculous.
Sheffer dips into science fiction and fantasy to defamiliarize everyday horrors and confront them with heart and sly humor. Her stories explore complicity, whiteness, the lack of bodily autonomy that women face, and what we are willing to destroy—or not—to dream a better world for our children.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat on Nonfiction with Talia Lavin](https://writer.org/event/talia-lavin/)
**Published:** November 13, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of nonfiction! We’re joined by Talia Lavin to discuss her new book, *Wild Faith: How the Christian Right Is Taking Over America*. Talia is in conversation with Amy Freeman, author and Development Director at The Writer’s Center.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from Bookshop.org »](https://bookshop.org/a/22600/9780306829192)
---
**Talia Lavin** is the author of the critically acclaimed book *Culture Warlords.* She is a journalist who has had bylines in the *New Yorker*, the *New Republic*, the *New York Times Review of Books*, the *Washington Post*, and more. She writes a newsletter, *The Sword and the Sandwich,* which is featured in Best American Food and Travel Writing 2024.
---
# About the Book
**The acclaimed author of *Culture Warlords* investigates the rise of the Christian Right over the last half-century that lays out the grim vision evangelicals are enforcing on our democracy.**
All across America, a storm is gathering: from book bans in school libraries to anti-trans laws in state legislatures; firebombings of abortion clinics and protests against gay rights. The Christian Right, a cunning political force in America for more than half a century, has never been more powerful than it is right now—it propelled Donald Trump to power, and it won’t stop until it’s refashioned America in its own image.
In *Wild Faith,* critically acclaimed author Talia Lavin goes deep into what motivates the Christian Right, from its segregationist past to a future riddled with apocalyptic ideology.
Using primary sources and firsthand accounts, Lavin introduces you to “deliverance ministers” who carry out exorcisms by the hundreds; modern-day, self-proclaimed prophets and apostles; Christian militias, cults, zealots, and showmen; and the people in power who are aiding them to achieve their goals.
Along the way, she explores anti-abortion terrorists, the Christian Patriarchy movement, with its desire to place all women under absolute male control; the twisted theology that leads to rampant child abuse; and the ways conspiracy theorists and extremist Christians influence each other to mutual political benefit.
From school boards to the Supreme Court, Christian theocracy is ascendant in America—and only through exploring its motivations and impacts can we understand the crisis we face. In *Wild Faith,* Lavin fearlessly confronts whether our democracy can survive an organized, fervent theocratic movement, one that seeks to impose its religious beliefs on American citizens.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Julie Castillo Reading & Discussion](https://writer.org/event/julie-castillo/)
**Published:** November 12, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes Julie Castillo to celebrate the release of her novel, *Long Man’s Pillow*.
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
A lifelong story-lover and professor of anthropology, **Julie Castillo** has a passion for stories that explore social problems and global issues. She gravitates toward post-apocalyptic, dystopian, and survival stories that explore the human experience.
Julie Castillo is a professional writer, editor, and story coach with more than 25 years’ experience in the writing and publishing industry. She has ghost-written more than a dozen books, fiction and nonfiction, including two NY Times Bestsellers (*I Ain’t Got Time to Bleed* and *Do I Stand Alone?*) as well as for Ripley’s Believe It or Not.
Her professional work includes writing nonfiction books, novels, book proposals, press kits, back jacket copy, cover letters, synopses, and screenplay coverage. She has coached creative writers in developing their projects for the commercial marketplace and specializes in structuring both fiction and nonfiction.
Julie teaches creative writing and publishing in addition to topics such as anthropology, world religions, and futurism. She speaks, hosts workshops, and facilitates discussion forums at a variety of events and venues.
She is currently writing, coaching, and teaching as a digital nomad while traveling the world with her husband and two dogs.
---
# About the Book
Three years into a global drought, Vicki Truax, a lonely Baltimorean, inherits a rundown cabin outside a remote Appalachian town. In a parched and dying landscape, water has become the most precious of commodities. When a subterranean aquifer is discovered on her land, Vicki finds herself in the midst of an escalating war between violent “moonshiners” who have occupied an abandoned resort on the land adjacent to her own, desperate townsfolk who are inclined to take matters into their own hands, and a merciless businessman with an eye to maximizing profits. The water supply, however, is limited, and the thirsty populace grows by the day. In a new world, where the distribution of water decides who lives and who dies, Vicki must wrestle with the most difficult of choices—until the choice is no longer hers to make.
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Zahid Rafiq in Conversation with Emily Fridlund](https://writer.org/event/zahid-rafiq/)
**Published:** November 6, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual book launch! We’re joined by Zahid Rafiq to discuss his debut story collection, *The World With Its Mouth Open*. Zahid is in conversation with Emily Fridlund, Booker Prize finalist author of *History of Wolves*.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online »](https://tinhouse.com/book/the-world-with-its-mouth-open/)
---
**Zahid Rafiq** is a writer living in Srinagar, Kashmir. He was a journalist for several years before turning to writing fiction. *The World With Its Mouth Open* is his first book.
**Emily Fridlund**’s novel, *History of Wolves*, was a finalist for the Booker Prize, the Dublin Literary Award, and the PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize for Debut Fiction. It was awarded the American Academy of Arts and Letters Sue Kaufman Prize for First Fiction and the Great Lakes Colleges Association New Writers Award. Fridlund’s debut collection of stories, *Catapult*, won the Mary McCarthy Prize. Her short fiction has been published in a variety of publications, including *Boston Review*, *Southern Review*, *ZYZZYVA*, and *Southwest Review*. Fridlund lives with her family in the Finger Lakes region of New York, where she teaches writing at Cornell University.
---
# About the Book
In eleven stories, ***The World With Its Mouth Open*** follows the inner lives of people in Kashmir as they walk the uncertain terrain of their days, fractured from years of war. From a shopkeeper’s encounter with a mannequin, to an expectant mother walking on a precarious road, to a young boy wavering between dreams and reality, to two dogs wandering the city, these stories weave in larger, devastating themes of loss, grief, violence, longing, and injustice with the threads of smaller, everyday realities that confront the characters’ lives in profound ways. Although the stories circle the darker aspects of life, they are—at the same time—an attempt to run into life, into humor, into beauty, into another person who can offer refuge, if momentarily.
Zahid Rafiq’s *The World With Its Mouth Open* is an original and powerful debut collection announcing the arrival of a new voice that bears witness to the human condition with nuance, heart, humor, and incredible insight.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat on Nonfiction with Luke Sutherland](https://writer.org/event/luke-sutherland/)
**Published:** March 25, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of nonfiction! We’re joined by Luke Sutherland to discuss his award-winning nonfiction chapbook, *Distance Sequence*. Luke is in conversation with Emily Holland, author and Editor of *Poet Lore*.
*Distance Sequence* is The Inner Loop’s Author’s Corner spotlight. [The Inner Loop](https://www.theinnerlooplit.org/) cultivates and promotes the distinctive literary culture of Washington, DC. Author’s Corner supports local authors’ independently published books by spotlighting them in community programming and collaborations.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller. Online orders coming soon!
---
**Luke Sutherland** is a trans writer and librarian. His work has appeared in *smoke and mold*, *ANMLY*, *Bright Wall/Dark Room*, *MQR: Mixtape*, and more. His chapbook *Distance Sequence* (Neon Hemlock 2024) won the OutWrite 2023 Chapbook Contest in Nonfiction. He was a finalist for the *SmokeLong Quarterly* Award for Flash Fiction in 2022 and the Larry Neal Writers’ Award in 2023. Luke also helps run a DC-based trans writing group and micropress, Lilac Peril. You can find him online as @lukejsuth.
---
# About the Book
Remembering is a kind of bleeding. It can ooze or gush, agonize or thrill. A work of hybrid nonfiction, ***Distance Sequence*** asks what happens when we bleed on purpose? Presented within a matrix of photos, handwritten notes, and ephemera, it fractures the form of memoir into shards that cut with longing. Reflected in the pieces is all the pleasure and pain of trans4trans love across thousands of miles of separation. Winner of the OutWrite Chapbook Contest in 2023.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Speculative Nonfiction: A New Lens!](https://writer.org/event/speculative-nonfiction-a-new-lens-3/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** This generative class will help you explore the personal stories from the lens of "What if?" We’ll walk the line between nonfiction and fiction, using prompts and exercises to write new drafts of speculative literary nonfiction. Be ready to try prompts and exercises you’ve never tried before, to stretch in new ways, and to examine what it means for a story to be true. Each week, participants will read short works of speculative nonfiction, practice new craft techniques, and generate a new draft! We’ll explore the literary publications that accept and publish this genre of work, learn new editing tools, and finish the class with three or more completed drafts ready to edit and submit!
**Content:**
# Write three new nonfiction drafts from an entirely new perspective!
This generative class will help you explore personal stories from the lens of “What if?” We’ll walk the line between nonfiction and fiction, using prompts and exercises to write new drafts of speculative literary nonfiction. Be ready to try prompts and exercises you’ve never tried before, to stretch in new ways, and to examine what it means for a story to be true. Each week, participants will read short works of speculative nonfiction, practice new craft techniques, and generate a new draft! We’ll explore the literary publications that accept and publish this genre of work, learn new editing tools, and finish the class with three or more completed drafts ready to edit and submit!
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- the narrative structure of short works of memoir (in a variety of styles)
- different methods of exploring the subjective nature of memory
- brainstorming and craft exercises to encourage vulnerability on the page
- tangible tools for self-editing
- publication tips for sending your work out into the world”
# Time requirements
- 1-2 hours/week
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for essayists and memoirists who want to explore their lived experiences in exciting new ways!
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 3 Sessions, Intermediate/Advanced Level, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Novelist Paraic O’Donnell in Conversation with Editor Masie Cochran](https://writer.org/event/paraic-odonnell/)
**Published:** November 6, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual book launch! We’re joined by author Paraic O’Donnell to discuss his new novel, *The Naming of the Birds*. Paraic is in conversation with his editor at Tin House, Masie Cochran.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online »](https://tinhouse.com/book/the-naming-of-the-birds/)
---
**Paraic O’Donnell** is the author of *The House on Vesper Sands* and *The Maker of Swans*. He lives in Wicklow, Ireland, with his wife and two children, and can usually be found in the garden.
**Masie Cochran** (she/her) is the Publisher and Editorial Director at Tin House. Before coming to Tin House, she worked at InkWell Management Literary Agency in New York, NY.
---
# About the Book
**The next installment of the “thrilling gothic mystery” (*TIME)* series, following the acclaimed bestseller *The House on Vesper Sands*, arrives in full force as Inspector Cutter and Sergeant Bliss solve their strangest and most personal case yet.**
Something is troubling Inspector Henry Cutter. Sergeant Gideon Bliss is accustomed to his ill-tempered outbursts, but lately the inspector has grown silent and withdrawn.
Then, the murders begin. The first to die is the elderly Sir Aneurin Considine, a decorated but obscure civil servant who long ago retired to tend his orchids. If the motive for his killing is a mystery, the manner of his death is more bewildering still. The victims that follow suffer similar fates, their deaths gruesome but immaculately orchestrated. The murderer comes and goes like a ghost, leaving only carefully considered traces. As the hunt for this implacable adversary mounts, the inspector’s gloom deepens, and to Sergeant Bliss, his methods seem as mystifying as the crimes themselves.
Why is he digging through dusty archives while the murderer stalks further victims? And as hints of past wrongdoing emerge—and with them the faint promise of a motive*—*why does Cutter seem haunted by some long-ago failing of his own?
To find the answers, the meek and hapless sergeant must step out of the inspector’s shadow. Aided by Octavia Hillingdon, a steely and resourceful journalist, Bliss will uncover truths that test his deepest beliefs.
Hypnotic and twisty, Paraic O’Donnell’s *The Naming of the Birds* will ensnare you until the final pages and leave you questioning what matters most—solving a case or serving justice.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Poets Anjum Choudhary & Carlota Roby in Conversation with Sistah Joy](https://writer.org/event/choudhary-roby/)
**Published:** November 6, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Join us for an inspiring evening at The Writer’s Center as we celebrate two remarkable local authors, Anjum Choudhary and Carlota Roby, during their book presentation event.
Anjum Choudhary, a celebrated poet originally from Dubai, will present her second book, *The Silent Hummingbird*. Known for her raw and emotive writing, Anjum’s verses explore the depths of the human soul. Her first book, *Souled Out*, garnered global acclaim and remains a cult favorite.
Carlota Roby, a human rights attorney and passionate poet from Venezuela, will be showcasing her new collection, *Lilith*, published by Editorial Tintapujo. This transformative work delves into desire and feminine energy, encouraging readers to embark on a journey of personal revolution and redemption.
Don’t miss the chance to hear from these talented writers and experience their powerful poetry firsthand.
For more updates, follow Anjum at @THEANJUMCHOUDHARY and Carlota at @VocalesVerticales on Instagram. We look forward to seeing you there!
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Intermediate Novel Writing: The 8 Cs](https://writer.org/event/intermediate-novel-writing-the-8-cs/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** 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.)
**Content:**
# Let’s finish that novel you started!
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.)
---
***Learn at your own pace:** This workshop will take place over **Wet Ink**, which is an asynchronous creative writing platform. The instructor will post a lesson and assignment at the beginning of each week, and participants can log in and read the lessons/post assignments/comment on other classmates’ work at their convenience. Shortly before the start date, participants will receive an invite from Wet Ink to create their login info and access the class. Please check your spam if you don’t see it.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Concept
- Character
- Circumstances
- Conflict
- Complications
- Crisis
- Climax
- Conclusion
# Time requirements
- 3-5 hours/week
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for writers looking to deepen their understanding of the major components of novel-writing.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 8 Sessions, Fiction, Intermediate Level, Wet Ink, Workshop
---
### [Virtual Info Session for Memoir Intensive with Raquel Gutiérrez](https://writer.org/event/virtual-info-session-for-memoir-intensive-with-raquel-gutierrez/)
**Published:** October 28, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
**Meet Raquel Gutiérrez, instructor for our ten-month [Memoir Intensive](https://writer.org/event/memoir-intensive-2/) 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** to receive login information. Info session free and open to all interested writers.
---
# About the Program
**Application Deadline: November 12, 2024**
**Workshop Dates: December 3, 2024 – September 23, 2025**
**Cost: $5,400 \| Members $5,300**
Complete your memoir in one year! Work with award-winning author Raquel Gutiérrez to turn your draft into a finished manuscript. This intensive workshop is geared toward writers with either a draft of a memoir ready for revision, or a memoir substantially under way (approximately 75 pages already written). Each participant will have the opportunity to present up to 300 pages for critique throughout the duration of the intensive.
# [**Find the full details and apply here »**](https://writer.org/event/memoir-intensive-2/)
**Event Categories:** Workshop
---
### [Writing Picture Books II](https://writer.org/event/writing-picture-books-ii-2/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** You’ve drafted your picture book, what’s the next step? Learn to revise and polish your picture book manuscript before submitting to an agent or publisher. A widely published author and an acclaimed illustrator will lead discussions in pacing, page turns, storyboarding, and visually dramatic storytelling. During this hands-on workshop, writers will be editing their own manuscripts and enhancing their skills as picture book creators.Bring your questions and two double-spaced copies of a picture-book manuscript that you’ve revised. Workshop may most benefit those who have taken Writing Picture Books or another picture book class.
**Content:**
# Learn how to polish your picture book manuscript before submitting to an agent or editor.
You’ve drafted your picture book, what’s the next step? Learn to revise and polish your picture book manuscript before submitting to an agent or publisher. A widely published author and an acclaimed illustrator will lead discussions in pacing, page turns, storyboarding, and visually dramatic storytelling. During this hands-on workshop, writers will be editing their own manuscripts and enhancing their skills as picture book creators. Bring your questions and two double-spaced copies of a picture-book manuscript that you’ve revised. Workshop may most benefit those who have taken Writing Picture Books or another picture book class.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Learn the Traditional Structure of a Picture Book
- Explore Self-Editing, Pacing & Page Turns
- Explore Storyboarding & Visually Dramatic Storytelling
- Consider Next Steps & Marketing
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Designed for those interested in revising and polishing a picture book manuscript and learning how to pace a story and consider visual possibilities.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Intermediate/Advanced Level, Kid Lit, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Immigrant Writers Mixer](https://writer.org/event/immigrant-writers-mixer-dec-2024/)
**Published:** October 30, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Join us at The Writer’s Center for an informal gathering with other immigrant writers. It’s the perfect opportunity to network and share stories. Please bring a drink or an appetizer that serves six. You’re welcome to bring a friend, too.
A limited number of attendees will have the opportunity to read a 5-minute work they have written on the immigrant or second-generation experience. We will draw names from those who express interest in reading.
**FREE & open to second-generation immigrant writers from the DMV. RSVP required below.**
[TWC Membership is encouraged »](https://writer.org/become-a-member/)
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Playwright’s Collaborative Presents: An Evening of Short Play Readings](https://writer.org/event/playwrights-collaborative/)
**Published:** October 30, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Join us for an evening of short amusing plays by local playwrights and discussion over wine and cheese.
The Playwrights Collaborative is coming back with their first reading of the post-Covid era.
**Free admission, no registration required.**
---
# The Playwrights
MARILYN BENNETT is a playwright and actor in the Washington, DC area. Her play, *Man on the Street*, won the Baltimore Playwrights Festival award for best play in 2017, and received Honorable Mention in the Dominion Stage Playwriting Competition in 2020. Her one-act play, *Aunt Eleanor*, was featured in the Prince William Little Theare New Play Festival in 2021, and was a finalist in the Little Theatre of Alexandria One Act Competion in 2020. Her one-act play, *The Prophecy*, was the winning play in Thunderous Productions’ One-Act Festival in 2015. Her 10 minute play, *Rosalie*, was performed at the Capitol Fringe Festival in 2016. As an actor, Marilyn has been seen in numerous DC area theatres. She studied acting at the Studio Theatre Acting Conservatory and the Shakespeare Theatre.
CAROL ANNE DOUGLAS has had six novels published. Her most recent, *Choosing Yellowstone*, won the Florida Writers Association’s 2023 award for best LGBTQ novel. Eight of her 10-minute plays were read as part of Playwrights’ Collaborative’s presentations at the Kennedy Center’s Page to Stage. Her full-length play *Gertrude: Queen of Denmark* was read at a Playwrights’ Collaborative reading at the Writer’s Center. She is working on another long play and another novel. She lives in the District of Columbia and winters in Florida.
LENNY LEVY retired several years ago from working as a mild-mannered Federal employee. As he left work each night, he slipped into the closest telephone booth, when one was available, and morphed into a creative force writing plays, movie scripts (five full length and two shorts completed), song lyrics (several songs on the streaming services) and poetry. Several of Lenny’s plays have been performed and one won a contest. He has also edited several movie scripts, plays and books for other writers. To hone his skills, Lenny has acted on stage, appeared in independent films, and performed as a standup comic.
CATHERINE O’CONNOR has directed numerous new play readings and participated in the Kennedy Center Page-to-Stage Festival as playwright, director, and producer. Her work has been published in a Smith & Kraus collection and performed at the Actors’ Center, Theater Alliance Hothouse Series, the One-Minute Play Festival, The Sort-of-Jane-Austen Reading Series of the Washington Shakespeare Company, and the Tavern Stage (DC); Love Creek Productions (NY); the Subversive Theatre Collective (Buffalo, NY.)
DWANE STARLIN is a professional Actor-Performer-Musician as well as licensed tour guide. Member of Bugles Across America.
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Jim Beane Book Launch in Conversation with Dana Cann](https://writer.org/event/beane-cann/)
**Published:** October 29, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes Jim Beane to celebrate the release of his debut novel, *The Deadening*, published by Mandel Vilar Press/Dryad Press. Jim is in conversation novelist Dana Cann, author of *Ghosts of Bergen County*. Book signing and light reception to follow.
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
**Jim Beane** is a native Washingtonian, a Pushcart Prize nominee, a Virginia Center for the Creative Arts fellow and a mentor for the Veterans Writing Project. He has taken and led workshops at the Writers Center since 1996 and was the creative writing instructor for the Armed Services Arts Partnership. His short stories have appeared *The MacGuffin, The Baltimore Review, El Portal,* *Evening Street Review* and the anthologies *DC Noir* and *Workers Write:* *Tales From the Construction Site.* His short story collection, *By the Sea, by the Sea…* is available online. He lives west of Baltimore with his wife and family. His debut novel, *The Deadening*, will be published Nov. 4 by Mandel-Vilar Press/Dryad Press. [www.jimbeane.com](http://www.jimbeane.com).
**Dana Cann**was born in Santa Barbara, California, and grew up in Bethesda and Rockville. He worked in corporate finance and restructuring. He’s the author of the novel *Ghosts of Bergen County* (Tin House). His short fiction has been published in *The Sun, The Massachusetts Review, The Gettysburg Review,* and elsewhere. He’s received grants and fellowships from the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County, the Maryland State Arts Council, Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation, and the Sewanee Writers Conference. He teaches workshops at The Writer’s Center and reads flash fiction for *Fractured Lit.* [www.danacann.com](http://www.danacann.com)
---
# About The Deadening
Set in 1921*,* Harrell Hickman and Willem Redd have returned from no man’s land and the brutality of war in the trenches in France. Neither has been able to resume what they were or might have been after living through the senselessness of crushing deaths from machine gun fire, poisonous gas, and mortars day after day after day.
Back in the U.S., Hickman walks away from an overcrowded veteran’s hospital where he is being treated for what British field doctors called “shell shock,” a devastating mental disease that now goes under the benign abstraction of PTSD. Redd, who barely survived shattering wounds returns to his family and home in Wisdom, Nebraska.
Both Hickman and Redd happen to meet in Wisdom, where Hickman ends up after hopping multiple freight trains west. The chance encounter of these damaged young men leads to a number of dramatic clashes that in their unfolding bear the semblance of foreordained Greek tragedy.
---
# About Ghosts of Bergen County
Set in New York City and New Jersey on the cusp of the financial crisis, *Ghosts of Bergen County* is a literary mystery with supernatural elements. It is a tautly paced and intricately plotted story in which collective burdens manifest into hauntings.
Gil and Mary Beth Ferko moved to Bergen County thinking they would lead a typical suburban life: Gil commuting daily to Manhattan; Mary Beth a stay-at-home mom. But after a hit-and-run accident kills their infant daughter, Mary Beth becomes a shut-in. When Gil reconnects with a high school classmate, Jen, she introduces him to heroin. As his dependency on the drug grows, his downward spiral puts his life in danger and his career in jeopardy. Mary Beth has also found an escape—first in prescription drugs that numb her senses, then in the companionship of a mysterious girl who heightens them. And Jen is also haunted. Years ago she witnessed a man she had just met fall from a rooftop. She walked away from the accident and has been tormented since by the question of why she did so. As her quest to rectify that mistake collides with other mysteries and traumas, all the characters must face the fine line between fate and happenstance.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Writing and Publishing Across Multiple Genres with Afabwaje Kurian, Alonzo Vereen & Tricia Elam Walker](https://writer.org/event/writing-and-publishing-across-multiple-genres/)
**Published:** July 9, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes three celebrated authors — Afabwaje Kurian, Alonzo Vereen, and Tricia Elam Walker — for a panel discussion on writing and publishing across multiple genres. Moderated by Aaron Hwang.
**FREE & open to the public. Register below.**
---
**Afabwaje Kurian** received her MFA from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. Her short fiction has appeared in *McSweeney’s Quarterly Concern*, *Callaloo*, *Crazyhorse*, *The Bare Life Review*, and *Joyland Magazine*. She has taught creative writing at the University of Iowa, for the International Writing Program, and for The Writer’s Center. Born in Jos, Nigeria, and raised in Prince George’s County, Maryland, and in Ohio, Afabwaje now divides her time between Washington, DC, and the Midwest. [afabwaje.com](https://www.afabwaje.com/)
**Alonzo Vereen** is a graduate of Morehouse College and the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. He’s worked as an editorial assistant at Crown Publishing Group, where he served on the editorial teams for Barack Obama and Bruce Springsteen’s Renegades, Matthew McConaughey’s Greenlights, Seth Rogen’s Yearbook, and Jimmy Chin’s There and Back. He has contributed to *The Atlantic Monthly* and is the author of *Historically Black: American Icons Who Attended HBCUs*.
**Tricia Elam Walker** is an award-winning author, educator and recovered lawyer. Her novel, *Breathing Room*, was published by Simon&Schuster / PocketBooks. Her work has appeared in *The Washington Post*, *The Baltimore Sun*, *Essence* and other publications. She has provided commentary for NPR, CNN, the BBC and more. Tricia’s short stories are included in the *O.Henry Prize Stories*, *New Stories from the South* and other anthologies and her essays are published in *Father’s Songs*, *Dream Me Home Safely*, *It’s All About Love* and more. Several of her plays have been produced and her first children’s book, *Nana Akua Goes to School*, was published by Random House in June 2020. It won a 2021 Children’s Africana Book Award and the 2021 Ezra Jack Keats writer award. Her second picture book, *Dream Street* was published in November 2021, garnered five starred reviews and was a *New York Times* Best Children’s Book of 2021 selection. Tricia is an Associate Professor of Creative Writing at Howard University in Washington, DC.
**Aaron Hwang** is a third generation Chinese-American author. He holds an M.F.A. in Fiction from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, a B.A. in English from Yale University, and is the author of three books with Hachette Book Group. He lives in Rockville, MD.
---
# About *Before the Mango Ripens*
In Rabata, everyone has secrets—especially since the arrival of the white American missionaries.
Twenty-year-old Jummai is a beautiful and unassuming house girl whose dreams of escaping her home life are disrupted when an unexpected pregnancy forces her to hide her lover’s identity. Tebeya, an ambitious Dublin-educated doctor, has left prestigious opportunities abroad to return to the small town of her birth, and discovers a painful betrayal when she strives to take control of the mission clinic. Zanya is a young translator, enticed by promises of progress, who comes to Rabata to escape a bitter past and finds himself embroiled in a fight against the American reverend for the heart of the church and town.
United by their yearning for change, all three must make difficult decisions that threaten the fragile relationships of the Rabata they know. As tensions mount and hypocrisies are unveiled, the people of Rabata are faced with a question that will transform their town forever: Let the Americans stay, or make them go?
Set against the backdrop of 1970s Nigeria teetering between post-colonial dependency and self-rule, *Before the Mango Ripens* examines the enduring themes of faith, disillusionment, and the search for belonging. Both epic and intimate, Afabwaje Kurian’s debut announces a brilliant new talent for readers of Imbolo Mbue and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.
# About *Historically Black: American Icons Who Attended HBCUs*
A vibrant collection of biographies and illustrated portraits that capture the brilliance of more than thirty American icons, *Historically Black* is a celebration of Black excellence in fields ranging from politics to STEM, sports to pop culture, and more.
From the moment the first HBCU was founded in 1837, Black Americans from all walks of life have created collegiate experiences that enrich and transcend mainstream postsecondary education. Today, more than 100 colleges and universities are registered under the HBCU banner and over 200,000 students are enrolled. With a legacy of marching bands, drill teams, choral ensembles, homecoming, and more, attending an HBCU is an emblem of pride and a source of joy.
Historically Black documents not only HBCU cultural traditions but also the remarkable stories of former students. HBCU attendees in the book include: Booker T. Washington, James Weldon Johnson, Ida B. Wells-Barnett, W.E.B. Du Bois, Mary McLeod Bethune, Alice Dunbar Nelson, Zora Neale Hurston, Howard Thurman, Langston Hughes, Thurgood Marshall, Bayard Rustin, Dorothy Vaughan, Katherine Johnson, Mary Jackson, Leontyne Price, Martin Luther King, Jr., Toni Morrison, John Lewis, Bob Hayes, Oprah Winfrey, Kamala Harris, Hakeem M. Oluseyi, Taraji P. Henson, Erykah Badu, Stacey Abrams, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Chadwick Boseman, Hebru Brantley, Ibram X. Kendi, J.R. Smith, Megan Thee Stallion, and Mo’ne Davis.
# About *Dream Street*
Visit a truly special street bursting with joy, hope, and dreams. Inspired by the neighborhood where they grew up as cousins, this gorgeous picture book from an award-winning illustrator and critically acclaimed author is the perfect gift or keepsake for every generation.
Welcome to Dream Street–the best street in the world! Jump rope with Azaria–can you Double Dutch one leg at a time? Dream big with Ede and Tari, who wish to create a picture book together one day. Say hello with Mr. Sidney, a retired mail carrier who greets everyone with the words, “Don’t wait to have a great day. Create one!” On Dream Street, love between generations rules, everyone is special, and the warmth of the neighborhood shines.
A magical story from the critically acclaimed author of Nana Akua Goes to School and a Caldecott Honor and Coretta Scott King Award winning illustrator. Illuminating this vivid cast of characters are vibrant, joyful illustrations that make this neighborhood––based on the Roxbury neighborhood in Boston where the author and illustrator grew up together as cousins––truly sing. This book is a perfect way for parents to share with their children the importance of community.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Introduction to the Craft and Beauty of Poetry](https://writer.org/event/introduction-to-the-craft-and-beauty-of-poetry/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** This workshop is for writers looking to begin, or deepen, their exploration of poetry with a focus on craft. Each session is devoted to one aspect of craft—imagery, line, form, voice, etc.—and begins with a chance to share your work aloud (not workshop). Participants learn by discussing great poems, reading short, engaging chapters, and doing fun weekly assignments. One session will be devoted to revision, and one to workshop. Please bring a copy of The Poet’s Companion by Addonizio and Laux to the first class. Note: No meeting November 30.
**Content:**
# “I am amazed by the amount I learned!” is what participants say about this popular class.
This workshop is for writers looking to begin, or deepen, their exploration of poetry with a focus on craft. Each session is devoted to one aspect of craft — imagery, line, form, voice, etc. — and begins with a chance to share your work aloud (not workshop). Participants learn by discussing great poems, reading short, engaging chapters, and doing fun weekly assignments. One session will be devoted to revision, and one to workshop. *Note: No meeting November 30.*
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn to:
- Read and discuss poetry and see craft issues in action
- Learn and practice craft skills like imagery, line breaks, rhythm, form, sound, and more to strengthen your poems
- Approach revision from a place of discovery rather than “fixing”
- Appreciate poems and become a stronger reader of poetry
- With a writer-centered workshop structure, learn how to give helpful feedback and integrate feedback from others to improve your drafts
# Time requirements
- 20-30 minutes/week
# Materials
- *The Poet’s Companion* by Kim Addonizio and Dorinanne Laux
# Who should take this workshop?
- This class is designed for beginning poets looking to learn the basics and enhance their appreciation of poetry.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 6 Sessions, Beginner Level, Poetry, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Rock Creek Park: Your Wild Home](https://writer.org/event/rock-creek-park-your-wild-home/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Class will start with a ramble through the northern floodplains of Rock Creek Park to observe natural phenomena with naturalist, author, and poet Melanie Choukas-Bradley. After an intermezzo to travel to The Writer's Center, poet and popular poetry instructor Ann Quinn will lead the class in a poetry workshop in a room filled with art that evokes Rock Creek's forests. Note: the class will begin at Rock Creek Park. Specific directions will be emailed to registrants.
**Content:**
# Explore Rock Creek Park with Melanie Choukas-Bradley and turn that inspiration into poetry with the guidance of Ann Quinn.
Class will start with a ramble through the northern floodplains of Rock Creek Park to observe natural phenomena with naturalist, author, and poet Melanie Choukas-Bradley. After an intermezzo to travel to The Writer’s Center, poet and popular poetry instructor Ann Quinn will lead the class in a poetry workshop in a room filled with art that evokes Rock Creek’s forests. Note: the class will begin at Rock Creek Park. Specific directions will be emailed to registrants.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place in **Rock Creek Park** and at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Sink into the wonder of observation, using writing as a tool
- Discover how specific detail can take your poems to a new level
- Gain new insights on metaphor and persona in poetry
- Incorporate all your senses into your writing
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Suggested Texts
- *A Year in Rock Creek Park* by Melanie Choukas-Bradley
- *Wild Walking: A Guide to Forest Bathing Through the Seasons* by Melanie Choukas-Bradley
- Poems will be emailed by Ann Quinn prior to class
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for all who care about Rock Creek.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Poetry, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Travel Writing for Fun and Profit](https://writer.org/event/travel-writing-for-fun-and-profit/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Ever wonder if your taste for interesting travel and off-the-beaten-track destinations could lead to publication — and maybe even a new career? Peter Mandel, a nationally-known adventure travel journalist for The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, and National Geographic Kids, will deliver the inside scoop on how to shape your own travel experiences into easy-to-compose blogs, posts, and articles that you can publish yourself—or sell to newspapers, magazines and websites. The author of ten books, Mandel will weave in instruction with slides of his most extreme travel assignments: surviving a coup in Ecuador, visiting a 'city' of penguins at the South Pole, fishing for piranha on Brazil's Rio Negro, floating in the Goodyear Blimp, sailing on an Arctic icebreaker, camping in the African bush, and kayaking to the Statue of Liberty.
**Content:**
# The insider tips you’ll need to turn your own travel experiences into easy-to-compose blogs, posts, and articles that you can publish yourself—or sell to newspapers, magazines and websites.
Ever wonder if your taste for interesting travel and off-the-beaten-track destinations could lead to publication — and maybe even a new career? Peter Mandel, a nationally-known adventure travel journalist for The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, and National Geographic Kids, will deliver the inside scoop on how to shape your own travel experiences into easy-to-compose blogs, posts, and articles that you can publish yourself—or sell to newspapers, magazines and websites. The author of ten books, Mandel will weave in instruction with slides of his most extreme travel assignments: surviving a coup in Ecuador, visiting a ‘city’ of penguins at the South Pole, fishing for piranha on Brazil’s Rio Negro, floating in the Goodyear Blimp, sailing on an Arctic icebreaker, camping in the African bush, and kayaking to the Statue of Liberty.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How to turn your travel experiences into cutting-edge prose.
- How to market and promote a travel article or blog.
- How to self-publish your travel writing and photos.
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is suitable for all levels, including those who are simply curious.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [The Writer's Life: Living, Thriving, Succeeding](https://writer.org/event/the-writers-life-living-thriving-succeeding/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** In this workshop we'll tackle the tough rarely-discussed issues of creativity, competition, finding your unique voice, success, community and getting paid. Please bring something to take notes on.
**Content:**
# Being a successful writer is about more than getting published.
Writing is a fulfilling journey with pleasures and pitfalls. In this workshop you’ll write a Writers Mission Statement and outline your writing “Wildest Dream.” We’ll tackle the tough rarely-discussed issues of creativity, competition, finding your unique voice, success, community and getting paid. Please bring something to take notes on.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Outline and create a mission statement for your work
- Define and describe your “Wildest Dream” writing project that can take you to the next level in your work
- Leave with tools to rejuvenate and sustain your writing life
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Open Mic @ The Writer's Center](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-oct2024-2/)
**Published:** January 3, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Prose, poetry, and spoken word Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center! All writers are welcome to come and share 4-5 minutes of their latest work.
- **Sign-up starts at 6:45pm, and readings begin promptly at 7pm.**
- **Limited to 20 readers, so arrive early if you plan to read.**
Sponsored by [*Poet Lore*](poetlore.com), America’s oldest poetry magazine.
FREE and open to the public. Please note that we no longer offer advance sign-up.
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Book Launch & Conversation for People and Trees](https://writer.org/event/people-and-trees/)
**Published:** October 10, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes Plamen Press and the Alan Cheuse International Writers Center for the launch of Plamen’s latest publication, *People and Trees*, by Azerbaijani writer and playwright Akram Aylisli, translated by Katherine E. Young. The event will feature Young, as well as journalist and Caucasus regional expert Thomas de Waal. The panel will be moderated by journalist and novelist Joanne Leedom-Ackerman.
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
# About the Book
Set in the mountains of Azerbaijan just after World War II, ***People and Trees*** chronicles the wrenching transformation of traditional Azeri society under Soviet rule. Private land is collectivized; mosques are converted to silk factories or bulldozed to build “palaces of culture.” The young narrator, Sadyk, fantasizes about striding hand-in-hand with a beautiful girl into the bright, socialist future he’s seen on the movie screen. The village women, meanwhile, navigate religious, economic, and social upheaval, including famine and the loss of an entire generation of men to war. Drawing on the rich folkloric traditions of the Caucasus mountains, this timeless collection of tales is the work that put Azerbaijan’s greatest living author on the international literary map.
---
# Author
**Akram Aylisli** is an Azerbaijani novelist, playwright, and editor. His works have been translated into more than twenty languages. Among his publications in English is *Farewell Aylisli,* a trilogy of novellas including the controversial *Stone Dreams*, which explores themes of understanding and mutual accountability among Azerbaijanis and Armenians. The publication of *Stone Dreams* in 2012 led to public burnings of Aylisli’s books in Azerbaijan. Since 2016, he has been the target of a politically motivated criminal investigation by the Azerbaijani government that imposes significant restrictions on all his activities; he lives under de facto house arrest in Baku, Azerbaijan.
# Moderator
**Joanne Leedom-Ackerman** is an American novelist, short story writer, and journalist. Her notable works include T*he Far Side of the Desert*, *Burning Distance*, the regional bestseller *The Dark Path to the River*, the short story collection *No Marble Angels*, and PEN Journeys: *Memoir of Literature on the Line*. She is also the senior editor of T*he Journey of Liu Xiaobo: From Dark Horse to Nobel Laureate*. Leedom-Ackerman has been honored with several awards for her commitment to human rights and social justice, including the Human Rights Award from the United Nations Association of the National Capital Area and the Courage in Literary Publishing Award from PEN New England. Additionally, she serves as a Vice President of PEN International and has held the positions of International Secretary of PEN International and Chair of PEN International’s Writers in Prison Committee.
# Panelists
**Thomas de Waal** is a journalist who specializes in Eastern Europe and the Caucasus region. He has worked for the *Moscow Times*, the *Times of London*, and the *Economist*, focusing on Russian politics and the situation in Chechnya. De Waal is the author of *Great Catastrophe: Armenians and Turks in the Shadow of Genocide* and *Black Garden: Armenia and Azerbaijan Through Peace and War*, considered an authoritative book on the Nagorny Karabakh conflict. Additionally, he co-authored the book *Chechnya: Calamity in the Caucasus* with Carlotta Gall, and both authors were awarded the James Cameron Prize for Distinguished Reporting. De Waal is also a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
**Katherine E. Young** is the author of the poetry collections *Woman Drinking Absinthe* and *Day of the Border Guards* (2014 Miller Williams Arkansas Poetry Prize finalist) and the editor of *Written in Arlington*. She has translated work by Anna Starobinets (memoir), Akram Aylisli (fiction), and numerous Russian-language poets from Kazakhstan, Russia, and Ukraine. Awards include the Granum Foundation Translation Prize, the Pushkin House Translation Residency, an Arlington County (Virginia) Individual Artist Grant, a National Endowment for the Arts translation fellowship, and a Hawthornden fellowship (Scotland). From 2016-2018, she served as the inaugural Poet Laureate of Arlington, Virginia.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Author talk with Myriam J. A. Chancy](https://writer.org/event/author-talk-with-myriam-j-a-chancy/)
**Published:** October 2, 2024
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Join us for a live, in-person author talk with Myriam J. A. Chancy. She will discuss her novel, *What Storm, What Thunder,* followed by an audience Q&A and book signing. Open to the public, and free!
---
Myriam J. A. Chancy’s *What Storm, What Thunder* was named a best book of the year by NPR, *Kirkus*, *Library Journal*, the *Boston Globe*, and *The Globe and Mail* and was awarded the American Book Award from the Before Columbus Foundation. Her other novels include, Village Weavers (Tin House 2024), *The Loneliness of Angels, winner of the Guyana Prize Caribbean Fiction Award 2011,* *The Scorpion’s Claw*, and *Spirit of Haiti*. She is a Fellow of the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation and HBA Chair in the Humanities at Scripps College.
**Event Categories:** Event, The Writer's Center
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat with Essayist Hanif Abdurraqib](https://writer.org/event/hanif-abdurraqib/)
**Published:** July 31, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of the personal essay! We’re joined by National Book Award finalist Hanif Abdurraqib to discuss his new book, *There’s Always This Year*. Hanif is in conversation with Zach Powers, author and Artistic Director at The Writer’s Center.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from Bookshop.org »](https://bookshop.org/a/22600/9780593448793)
---
**Hanif Abdurraqib** is a poet, essayist, and cultural critic from Columbus, Ohio, and the recipient of a MacArthur Foundation “Genius” grant. His most recent book, *A Little Devil in America,* was the winner of the Carnegie Medal and the Gordon Burns Prize and a finalist for the National Book Award. His first collection of essays, *They Can’t Kill Us Until They Kill Us,* was named one of the books of the year by NPR, *Esquire, BuzzFeed, O: The Oprah Magazine, Pitchfork,* and *Chicago Tribune,* among others. *Go Ahead in the Rain: Notes to A Tribe Called Quest* was a *New York Times* bestseller and a National Book Critics Circle Award and Kirkus Prize finalist and was longlisted for the National Book Award. He is a graduate of Beechcroft High School.
---
# About the Book
\#1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A “powerful” (*The Guardian*) reflection on basketball, life, and home—from the author of the National Book Award finalist *A Little Devil in America*
Growing up in Columbus, Ohio, in the 1990s, Hanif Abdurraqib witnessed a golden era of basketball, one in which legends like LeBron James were forged and countless others weren’t. His lifelong love of the game leads Abdurraqib into a lyrical, historical, and emotionally rich exploration of what it means to make it, who we think deserves success, the tension between excellence and expectation, and the very notion of role models, all of which he expertly weaves together with intimate, personal storytelling. “Here is where I would like to tell you about the form on my father’s jump shot,” Abdurraqib writes. “The truth, though, is that I saw my father shoot a basketball only one time.”
*There’s Always This Year* is a triumph, brimming with joy, pain, solidarity, comfort, outrage, and hope. No matter the subject of his keen focus—whether it’s basketball, or music, or performance—Hanif Abdurraqib’s exquisite writing is always poetry, always profound, and always a clarion call to radically reimagine how we think about our culture, our country, and ourselves.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Advanced Fiction Workshop](https://writer.org/event/advanced-fiction-workshop-3/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Deep reading and insightful questions are the hallmarks of this course. If you have previous workshop experience and are far along on your fiction journey, this 6-week workshop might be for you. The ideal class consists of writers who craft their own stories, are open to feedback, and read the work of others with a nurturing, supportive, and analytical eye. Participants in Advanced Fiction Workshop come in with a basic understanding of point of view, character, and narrative tension. We explore such questions as: Does your story hook readers in? Do your characters live and breathe? If this kind of active feedback sounds appealing, please apply by submitting the first fifteen pages (double-spaced, 12 pt. font) of a piece of fiction you’ve written to laura.spencer@writer.org by September 30, 2024. NOTE: Please do not register for the course prior to being accepted.
**Content:**
# Refine your accomplished stories in a supportive atmosphere.
Deep reading and insightful questions are the hallmarks of this course. If you have previous workshop experience and are far along on your fiction journey, this 6-week workshop might be for you. The ideal class consists of writers who craft their own stories, are open to feedback, and read the work of others with a nurturing, supportive, and analytical eye. Participants in Advanced Fiction Workshop come in with a basic understanding of point of view, character, and narrative tension. We explore such questions as: Does your story hook readers in? Do your characters live and breathe?
If this kind of active feedback sounds appealing, **please apply by submitting the first fifteen pages (double-spaced, 12 pt. font) of a piece of fiction you’ve written to laura.spencer@writer.org by September 30, 2024.**
**NOTE: Please do not register for the course prior to being accepted.**
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Structure & Plot
- Character Development
- Sensory Images
# Time requirements
- You’ll need to read and critique three stories per week outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for experienced fiction writers looking for honest feedback and support.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 6 Sessions, Advanced Level, Fiction, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Writing About Mental Health Topics in Fiction](https://writer.org/event/writing-about-mental-health-topics-in-fiction/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Infuse mental health themes into your fiction with accuracy and intention! Examples from popular media will be reviewed so you can learn how to avoid cliches and dig deeper into what shapes people's various experiences with mental health. Participants will develop a character outline based on psychological concepts and re-write a passage created by the instructor using psychologically-informed content.
**Content:**
# Infuse mental health themes into your fiction with accuracy and intention!
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 develop a character outline based on psychological concepts and re-write a passage created by the instructor using psychologically-informed content.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How to spot and analyze problematic mental health tropes used in popular media.
- How to weave mental health themes into various fiction genres.
- How to develop mental health diagnosed characters with care.
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for fiction writers who want to explore aspects of mental health in their stories with accuracy and care.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Writing Picture Books](https://writer.org/event/writing-picture-books-2/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Learn how to write a picture book from a successful author of thirty award-winning books for children. Each session will begin with a short discussion of an aspect of writing for children, including story openings and arcs, characterization, plot/pacing, rhythm/sound, and marketing. Suggested readings, prompts, and feedback on in-class writing will inspire and guide writers in the class. By the end of the workshop, participants should have written and/or revised part or all of a picture book and have a better sense of how to create one in the future. Feedback will be offered on in-class exercises only rather than workshopping writing done outside of class.
**Content:**
# Learn the basics — from story structure to marketing — of writing picture books for children.
Learn how to write a picture book from a successful author of thirty award-winning books for children. Each session will begin with a short discussion of an aspect of writing for children, including story openings and arcs, characterization, plot/pacing, rhythm/sound, and marketing. Suggested readings, prompts, and feedback on in-class writing will inspire and guide writers in the class. By the end of the workshop, participants should have written and/or revised part or all of a picture book and have a better sense of how to create one in the future. Feedback will be offered on in-class exercises only rather than workshopping writing done outside of class.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Craft a Strong Beginning
- Consider Characterization & Plot
- Revise for Rhythm & Sound
- Explore Marketing & Helpful Resources
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for those interested in the basics of writing picture books for children. We will not be covering the writing of chapter books and novels for older kids.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 3 Sessions, Beginner Level, Kid Lit, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Turning Memories Into Transformational Stories](https://writer.org/event/turning-memories-into-transformational-stories/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** How have your ups and downs, wins and losses shaped your life? Whether you want to write privately or wish to publish, identifying the turning points and themes in your life is an important first step in memoir writing. In this workshop, participants will reflect on the transformational seasons in their lives and associate stories and themes to each one. We will explore the dynamics of character development and narrative arc, and learn techniques to capture universal meaning through personal experiences. You will come away with a timeline technique to uncover life themes and storylines, a bank of memories to serve as writing prompts, and tips for starting a memoir journaling practice.
**Content:**
# Discover personal themes and write about your life.
How have your ups and downs, wins and losses shaped your life? Whether you want to write privately or wish to publish, identifying the turning points and themes in your life is an important first step in memoir writing. In this workshop, participants will reflect on the transformational seasons in their lives and associate stories and themes to each one. We will explore the dynamics of character development and narrative arc, and learn techniques to capture universal meaning through personal experiences. You will come away with a timeline technique to uncover life themes and storylines, a bank of memories to serve as writing prompts, and tips for starting a memoir journaling practice.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Idea generation
- Journaling techniques
- Story development
- Building a writing practice
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for beginning and intermediate writers who want to identify compelling themes for personal storytelling.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Your First (or Next) Novel](https://writer.org/event/your-first-or-next-novel-2/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** 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.
**Content:**
# Learn the powerful basics that will help you create a memorable novel.
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.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Structure & Plot
- Building Self-confidence
- Knowing Your Characters
- Tools to Make Writing Easier
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Authors interested in moving from nonfiction, poetry, short stories or technical writing to book-length fiction. Also experienced novelists wishing to up their game.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [International Poetry Panel Discussion](https://writer.org/event/international-poetry/)
**Published:** September 24, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Cultural Office of the Embassy of Spain, The Writer’s Center, and *Poet Lore* present a panel discussion on international poetry and poetry in translation, featuring Spanish poet Javier Adrada de la Torre and poets/translators Nancy Naomi Carlson, Patricia Davis, and Heather Green.
**FREE and open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
**Javier Adrada de la Torre** (Madrid, 1996) holds a PhD on Translation and Intercultural Mediation from the University of Salamanca. He currently works as a teacher at the Rey Juan Carlos University, and his research interests revolve around poetry, translation, and transmedial artforms. He has also been a Visiting Scholar at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and El Colegio de México. He won the MRA Ediciones Novel Prize (*La aurora de los girasoles*, 2014), the 22nd International Poetry Prize “Martín García Ramos” (*Gasolineras*, 2024) and the 24th International Poetry Prize “Emilio Prados” (*título\_ensayo sobre una cebolla infinita*, 2024). He is also the author of *Luis Cernuda y Friedrich Hölderlin: traducción, poesía y representación* and *Espejismo de un dios*, and he has published his poetry in magazines such as *Zéjel*, *Casapaís*, *El* *coloquio de los perros* and other literary anthologies.
**Nancy Naomi Carlson** won the 2022 Oxford-Weidenfeld Translation Prize and was shortlisted for the Best Translated Book Award and the Sarah Maguire Translation Prize. Author of fifteen titles (ten translated), her second poetry collection, as well as a co-translation, were noted in the *New York Times*. A recipient of two translation grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, an Albertine Fund translation grant, and decorated by the French government with the Academic Palms, Carlson is the Translations Editor for *On the Seawall*. Her translation of Djiboutian Abdourahman Waberi’s *When We Only Have the Earth* is forthcoming in March from the African Poetry Book Series.
**Patricia Davis** is a poet, playwright, and human rights activist. Her translations of Cuban, Guatemalan, and Chilean poetry have appeared in the New Laurel Review, Puerto Del Sol, and other journals. Her poetry has been pubished in Image, Southern Humanities Review, Salt Hill, Smartish Pace, Hayden’s Ferry Review, and other journals. A graduate of the MFA program at American University, she is translations editor of Poet Lore and lives in the Washington, DC area, where she works in human rights advocacy.
**Heather Green** is the author of No Other Rome (Akron Poetry Series, 2021) and the translator of Tristan Tzara’s Noontimes Won (Octopus Books, 2018), Guide to the Heart Rail (Goodmorning Menagerie, 2017), and Speaking Alone (forthcoming 2025). Her translations have received a Hemingway grant, a French Voices award, and the inaugural Albertine Translation Prize in Fiction. Green is currently the Visual Editor for Asymptote, a journal of international literature, an Assistant Professor in the School of Art at George Mason University, and a member of the poetry faculty of the Chesapeake Writers’ Conference and Cedar Crest College’s Pan-European MFA program.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
Add to calendar
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Writing Creative Nonfiction](https://writer.org/event/writing-creative-nonfiction-2/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Over the course, we will be reading and writing in several sub-genres of creative nonfiction, including memoir, essay, literary journalism, and the epistolary form. The class focuses on generating new material, offering feedback to peers, revising pieces, and finally researching markets for the placement of work.
**Content:**
# Explore the personal and literary world of creative nonfiction.
Over the course, we will be reading and writing in several sub-genres of creative nonfiction, including memoir, essay, literary journalism, and the epistolary form. The class focuses on generating new material, offering feedback to peers, revising pieces, and finally researching markets for the placement of work.
---
***Learn at your own pace:** This workshop will take place over **Wet Ink**, which is an asynchronous creative writing platform. The instructor will post a lesson and assignment at the beginning of each week, and participants can log in and read the lessons/post assignments/comment on other classmates’ work at their convenience. Shortly before the start date, participants will receive an invite from Wet Ink to create their login info and access the class. Please check your spam if you don’t see it.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- The different genres of creative nonfiction
- Creating a literary persona
- Writing narrative and lyrical
- Understanding the nonfiction marketplace
# Time requirements
- 2-3 hours/week
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers of all levels to learn about and write the different subgenres of creative nonfiction.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 8 Sessions, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Nonfiction, Wet Ink, Workshop
---
### [Mapping Strategies for Story Structure](https://writer.org/event/mapping-strategies-for-story-structure-2/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** There is no one-size-fits-all strategy for story structure. Let’s discuss a plan that is right for you. We’ll brainstorm the strengths and weaknesses of your specific story’s destination and the journey along the way. Is there a rich narrative and character arc, a strong point of entry, appropriate placement of flashbacks, a transformative and resonant ending, and will a reader care? We will play with maps, sketches, diagrams, and understand the importance of revising your initial plan as your story takes on a life of its own. Bring your specific idea for a short story, memoir, or novel.
**Content:**
# Consider exploratory questions, mapping exercises, tools, and techniques to discover where your story is going and how you will get there.
There is no one-size-fits-all strategy for story structure. Let’s discuss a plan that is right for you. We’ll brainstorm the strengths and weaknesses of your specific story’s destination and the journey along the way. Is there a rich narrative and character arc, a strong point of entry, appropriate placement of flashbacks, a transformative and resonant ending, and will a reader care? We will play with maps, sketches, diagrams, and understand the importance of revising your initial plan as your story takes on a life of its own. Bring your specific idea for a short story, memoir, or novel.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Flexible outlines that work for your plot
- Clarify the true purpose of your story
- Beginning and ending techniques
- Character arcs, yearning, internal and external conflict, and transformation
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for beginning and intermediate fiction and memoir writers who hope to gain the confidence to start, finish, and revise their manuscript’s plot and structure.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [How to Write Micro Memoir](https://writer.org/event/how-to-write-micro-memoir-2/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Write your life story as you lived it, one moment at a time. This interactive workshop teaches writers to distill a moment of change, conflict, contradiction, or mystery to its essence, so that the impact on the writer resonates profoundly with the reader. We will examine inspiring published examples to learn exactly how the writer moved and entertained us. Using the same tools with which we craft fiction, this workshop is an excellent learning environment for both genres. We'll conclude with a review of where to publish.
**Content:**
# Learn to write your life story one moment at a time!
Write your life story as you lived it, one moment at a time. This interactive workshop teaches writers to distill a moment of change, conflict, contradiction, or mystery to its essence, so that the impact on the writer resonates profoundly with the reader. We will examine inspiring published examples to learn exactly how the writer moved and entertained us. Using the same tools with which we craft fiction, this workshop is an excellent learning environment for both genres. We’ll conclude with a review of where to publish.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Learn what makes a story moving
- Learn to create tension
- Learn how to show transformation
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for anyone interested in the personal essay and memoir, who wants to learn how to get the greatest impact from the smallest anecdotes.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Novelist Wayne Karlin Reading & Discussion with Marc Steiner](https://writer.org/event/wayne-karlin/)
**Published:** March 26, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes novelist Wayne Karlin for a reading and discussion of his latest novel, *The Genizah*. Wayne is in conversation with Marc Steiner, radio host and multimedia producer.
**FREE and open to the public, RSVP below.**
---
**Wayne Karlin** has published eight novels, a collection of short fiction, and three non-fiction books. He has received two Fellowships in Fiction from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Paterson Prize in Fiction, the Juniper Prize in Fiction and the Excellence in the Arts Award from the Vietnam Veterans of America. [wayne-karlin.squarespace.com](https://wayne-karlin.squarespace.com/)
**Marc Steiner** is one of the most recognized voices in Maryland and has gained national acclaim for his insightful style of interviewing. Always open to featuring voices from all sides of the issues, his motto is “The Truth lives in every corner.” He attributes his interviewing expertise to one word: Listening. [steinershow.org](https://www.steinershow.org/)
---
# About the Book
In the novel ***The Genizah**,* Wayne Karlin enters its pages as a character in his own novel, reimagining his family’s lives—and fate—if they had not come to America but stayed in his mother’s village in Poland where the rest of her extended family were murdered by the Nazis in 1941.
Karlin commemorates and mourns that unutterable loss by making it present, in the spirit of the words from the Passover Seder, which asks those at the table to recount the story of oppression as if they had lived it.
It is a phrase that calls upon the people at the table to *feel,* not just to *know,* what happened, as good fiction calls us to do. How can anyone who had not been through the Holocaust share even a little part of such experiences? How can anyone who has not felt some of that horror reverberate in their own bones try to understand the terrible massacres of our own days, sparked by hatred of the Other, in Syria, in Myanmar, in Israel, in Gaza, in Charleston, and in Pittsburgh—in so many other places, they overwhelm our ability to empathize.
Karlin’s answer to that question is to personalize the impersonal, to imagine what could have happened if his grandparents, and mother, and her brothers and sisters and his father and his family, had not torn themselves away from a place they and their ancestors had lived for hundreds of years, in a town and on a continent where they had always been unwelcome guests.
“Heartbreaking, powerful, poetic, and innovative, this novel deserves its place on every bookshelf.” —Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai, international bestselling author of *The Mountains Sing* and *Dust Child*
“Gorgeously written and one of the most powerful, poetic books I have read, I am in awe of this novel.” —Jennifer Rosner, author of *Once We Were Home* and *The Yellow Bird Sings*.
“Brave, beautiful, heartbreaking. Necessary in this strange, awful historical moment.” —Richard Bausch, author of *Playhouse*, editor of *The Norton Anthology of Short Fiction*
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Novelist Tara Campbell Reading & Workshop](https://writer.org/event/tara-campbell-2024/)
**Published:** August 28, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes Tara Campbell for a reading from her brand new novel, *City of Dancing Gargoyles*. Following the reading, she’ll lead a mini workshop to invite participants into her creative process. Come ready to write and invent new cities of your own!
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
**Tara Campbell** is an award-winning writer, teacher, Kimbilio Fellow, fiction co-editor at Barrelhouse, and graduate of American University’s MFA in Creative Writing. Her flash and speculative fiction stories have appeared in Masters Review, Wigleaf, Electric Literature, CRAFT Literary, Uncharted Magazine, Daily Science Fiction, Strange Horizons, and Escape Pod/Artemis Rising, among others. She’s the author of the eco sci-fi novel TreeVolution, two hybrid collections of poetry and prose, and two short story collections from feminist sci-fi publisher Aqueduct Press.
---
# About the Book
In the parched, post-apocalyptic Western U.S. of the 22nd Century, wolves float, bonfires sing, and devils gather to pray. Water and safety are elusive in this chaotic world of alchemical transformations, where history books bleed, dragons kiss, and gun-toting trees keep their own kind of peace.
Among this menagerie of strange beasts, two sentient stone gargoyles, known only as “E” and “M,” flee the rubble of their Southwestern church in search of water. Along the way, they meet climate refugees Dolores Baker and her mother Rose, who’ve escaped the ravaged West Coast in search of a safer home. This quartet forms an uneasy alliance when they hear of a new hope: a mysterious city of dancing gargoyles. Or is it something more sinister? In this strange, terrible new world, their arrival at this fabled city could spark the destruction of everything they know.
Tara Campbell summons fantastical magic in this kaleidoscopic new speculative climate fiction.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Book Launch & Discussion with Sharon Darrow & Marianne Murphy](https://writer.org/event/darrow-murphy/)
**Published:** September 18, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes author Sharon Darrow and illustrator Marianne Murphy for a book launch celebration of their new book, *Rainbow a Poem*.
---
**Sharon Darrow** ([sharondarrow.com](https://www.sharondarrow.com/)) was a member of the faculty of the MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults, Vermont College of Fine Arts, from 1997 to 2019. She is the award-winning author of Picture Books (Old Thunder and Miss Raney, art by Kathryn Brown; Yafi’s Family, co-author Linda Pettit, art by Jan Spivey Gilchrist; Through the Tempests Dark and Wild: A Story of Mary Shelley, Creator of Frankenstein, art by Angela Barrett) and Young Adult novels (The Painters of Lexieville and TRASH). Her poetry for young people has been included in Home to Me: Poems Across America, edited by Lee Bennett Hopkins and her poems, short stories, interviews, and personal essays for adults have appeared in literary journals Rhino, Folio, Whetstone, ACM (Another Chicago Magazine), Columbia Poetry Review, Great River Review, Other Voices, The Writer’s Chronicle, and in the anthology, In the Middle of the Middle West. Her most recent books are Worlds within Words: Writing and the Writing Life, and now in a far sky: Vermont poems. The Darrow Lecture Series, named in her honor, is held annually, with lectures delivered by distinguished authors who are graduates of the MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults program.
**Marianne Murphy** is an illustrator, animator, and writer. She holds an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from VCFA, and a BFA in Animation at the University of the Arts. Her work has been printed in publications such as Ladybug, Spider, Cricket, Highlights for Children, and The Quiet Ones, and she currently works developing courses, animations, and experiences for educational software. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and their many pets. You can see more of her work at www.flamingoboots.com.
---
# About the Book
***Rainbow a Poem*** is a rhyming Picture Book for ages 3-8 about creating poems and having fun with words. Lively colorful and engaging illustrations enhance the poetry and lead readers to an understanding of what a poem can be, as well as encouraging even very young children to create poetry. No matter what your age, you can be a poet!
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Researching and Writing your Family History](https://writer.org/event/researching-and-writing-your-family-history/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Historian/biographer Ken Ackerman shows the nuts and bolts of investigating our family trees, going back generations. He will describe how to use archives, interviews, internet sources, family records, and memories and piece together a multigenerational story. The class is perfect for memoirists, biographers, or people interested to learn where they came from, or how to organize their family knowledge for children or grandchildren.
**Content:**
# This class is perfect for memoirists, biographers, or people just interested to learn where they came from or how to organize their family knowledge for children or grandchildren.
Historian/biographer Ken Ackerman shows the nuts and bolts of investigating our family trees, going back generations. He will describe how to use archives, interviews, internet sources, family records, and memories and piece together a multigenerational story. The class is perfect for memoirists, biographers, or people interested to learn where they came from, or how to organize their family knowledge for children or grandchildren.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How to use research materials, both online and archival.
- How to organize a complex family story into an entertaining source of knowledge for children and grandchildren or general readers.
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Latine Heritage Through a Literary Lens](https://writer.org/event/latine-heritage-2024/)
**Published:** July 23, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents an informative and inspiring symposium addressing the subject of Latine heritage in literature and popular culture, offering **free creative writing workshops followed by a panel discussion**. Featured writers include Erick Acuña, María Fernanda, and Maritza Rivera, moderated by Ofelia Montelongo. The symposium concludes with a reception for all attendees.
**All events are FREE and open to the public. Limited space, registration required. The workshops are simultaneous, so please only sign up for ONE. Scroll down to register!**
---
## **The Workshops \| 1:30-3:00pm**
***Please register for ONE workshop** using the form below. Workshop registration includes admission to the panel discussion and reception.*
- **Años Que Responden: Writing the Pecha Kucha
Poetry
Workshop Leader: María Fernanda**
This workshop title comes from Zora Neale Hurston’s *Their Eyes Were Watching God*, translated by Spanish novelist Andres Ibáñez. Hurston writes, “There are years that ask questions, and years that answer.” and Ibáñez translates “Hay años que preguntan y años que responden.” In this workshop, participants will learn the pecha kucha as the Japanese business presentation style as it was originally established and the poetic form, interpreted by poet Terrance Hayes. Poet and educator Michael Frazier contextualizes that the presentational form “consists of only \[20\] pictures and allows for 20 seconds of speaking per photo.” (Frazier). Hayes uses this format as a framework to form work containing 20 images with a 20-second stanza written in quatrains in his book *Lighthead.* Instruction will focus on writing about pivotal years, real or fiction, however participants are not limited to do so. Optional pre-read includes *Pecha Kucha, Low Coup, Hyperbolic Time Chamber Experimentation with Japanese forms* by Michael Frazier. This workshop is an open-lingual space. English and Spanish speakers are welcomed.
- **Writing from Your Roots**
**Mixed Genre**
**Workshop Leader: Maritza Rivera**
What lies beneath the surface of who we are? What is the purpose of our roots? Without roots could we still flourish and grow as people, poets and writers? This workshop will explore how roots influence and connect us to our origins and ancestors. We will delve into the complexity of our identity, culture and heritage to experience how they inspire our thoughts, ideas and creativity. In this workshop we will use the universal topics of food, work, love and loss to enhance what and how we write “from our roots”.
- **Bring Your Own Self into Scripted Comedy
Comedy Writing Workshop Leader: Erick Acuña**
This workshop will focus on working how you can bring your own background, expertise, hobbies, and everything you love/hate in real life, into scripted comedy (solo characters, and stage/video sketches). Students should bring at least one comedic premise/idea to share (even one sentence is fine) with the group.
***Please register for ONE workshop** using the form below. Workshop registration includes admission to the panel discussion and reception.*
---
## **The Panel \| 3:15-4:15pm**
*To attend the panel and reception, please register for one of the workshops listed above.*
- Our workshop leaders are joined by moderator Ofelia Montelongo for a discussion on the current situation and future of the Latine Literary Community. Reception to follow.
---
## **The Participants**
**Erick Acuña** a Peruvian comedian and writer based in Washington DC. He is a two time winner of ‘Best Comedy Show’ at Capital Fringe. His one-person comedy show ‘Acuña Acuna’ has had sold out runs in festivals around the US, Canada, and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival (UK), and it was a finalist at the Yes, And… Laughter Lab in partnership with Comedy Central. He is also a founding member and writer of ‘The Cherry Swamp’, top Washington DC based satire site.
**María Fernanda** (she/hers) is an award-winning poet whose work “invokes sea crossings with \[…\] the breaking and making of family,” (OkayAfrica). Awarded the The Norma Elia Cantú Award in Creative Writing, she continues to perform her poetry in service of locally-rooted initiatives and conversations across the country, including Philadelphia’s Healing Verse Poetry Line, Texas’ Denton Black Film Festival, New York’s The Bronx is Reading: The Bronx Book Festival, and DC’s Youth Leadership Foundation. DC origin, María Fernanda is a Program Partner of the District of Columbia Public Library. Pratt, NYU, University of Pennsylvania, University of Houston, and more have invited her to speak, read her work, and lead poetry workshops. María Fernanda’s literary works appear in Cheryl Clarke’s born in a bed of good lessons inspired by works by Lucille Clifton, Cynthia Manick’s Soul Sister Revue, Cave Canem’s Dogbytes, The Library of Congress’ Presidential Campaign Posters and elsewhere. For more, visit [mariafernandapoet.com](http://mariafernandapoet.com/).
**Maritza Rivera** (also known as Mariposa) is a Puerto Rican poet and US Army veteran who moved from San Juan, Puerto Rico, to Rockville, MD, in 1994. In 1999, she created and hosted the weekly Mariposa Poetry Series in College Park, MD, which ran for “twelve poet years” until 2002. She also created and hosted the annual Mariposa Poetry Retreat at the Capital Retrea Center in Waynesboro, PA, in 2011, and hosted the annual Mariposa Reunion Readings at The Writer’s Center in Bethesda, MD. Her endeavors have contributed to building community among poets based on their shared experiences. The most recent Mariposa Poetry Retreat, Writing in the Rainforest, was held in Puerto Rico in 2022.
**Ofelia Montelongo** is a bilingual writer from Mexico. She has an MBA in Strategic Leadership & an MA in Latin American Literature. Her work has been published in The Rumpus, Latino Book Review, Los Acentos Review, and elsewhere. She currently teaches at the University of Maryland and she is a PEN/Faulkner writer in residence, a Macondista & a PEN America Emerging Voices Fellow. ofeliamontelongo.com
---
### If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.
---
## ***Please register for ONE workshop** using the form below. Workshop registration includes admission to the panel discussion and reception.*
***If a workshop is full, you can join the waitlist by sending an email to amy.freeman@writer.org specifying the workshop you’re interested in attending.***
**Event Categories:** Event, Mixed Genre, Poetry, The Writer's Center
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat with Poet Ruben Quesada](https://writer.org/event/ruben-quesada/)
**Published:** August 14, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
*Poet Lore* and The Writer’s Center present a FREE virtual chat about the craft of poetry! We’re joined by former *Poet Lore* Guest Editor Ruben Quesada to discuss his new collection, *Brutal Companion*. Ruben is in conversation with Emily Holland, poet and editor of *Poet Lore*, America’s oldest poetry journal.
**RSVP below to receive login information** (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern.
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from the publisher »](https://barrowstreet.org/press/product/brutal-companion-ruben-quesada/)
---
**Ruben Quesada** is the editor of the award-winning anthology *Latinx Poetics: Essays on the Art of Poetry*. His poetry and criticism appear in *The New York Times Magazine*, *Best American Poetry*, *Lambda Literary Review*, *Harvard Review* and elsewhere. His forthcoming collection of poetry, *Brutal Companion*, is the winner of the Barrow Street Editors Prize.
---
# About the Book
***Brutal Companion*** is a haunting and visceral collection of poems that explores themes of identity, sexuality, loss, and personal transformation. Drawing from his own experiences as a gay man, the poet delves unflinchingly into memories of desire, trauma, and self-discovery against the backdrop of an often unforgiving world. From intimate encounters and dreamlike visions to searing societal critiques, the poems paint a complex portrait of navigating life at the margins. Deeply sensory and evocative, Brutal Companion is a fierce meditation on survival and a testament to poetry’s ability to wrest meaning and resilience from even the darkest places.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat with Poet Brent Ameneyro](https://writer.org/event/brent-ameneyro/)
**Published:** June 29, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
*Poet Lore* and The Writer’s Center present a FREE virtual chat about the craft of poetry! We’re joined by Brent Ameneyro to discuss his debut collection, *A Face Out of Clay*. Brent is in conversation with Emily Holland, poet and editor of *Poet Lore*, America’s oldest poetry journal.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from the publisher »](https://upcolorado.com/university-press-of-colorado/item/6614-a-face-out-of-clay)
---
**Brent Ameneyro** is the author of the chapbook *Puebla* (Ghost City Press, 2023). His poetry has been published in *Alaska Quarterly Review*, *the Iowa Review*, *Ninth Letter*, *The Journal*, and elsewhere. He earned his MFA at San Diego State University, where he was awarded the 2021 SRS Research Award for Diversity, Inclusion and Social Justice. He was the 2022–23 Letras Latinas Poetry Coalition Fellow at the University of Notre Dame’s Institute for Latino Studies. He currently serves as the poetry editor at the *Los Angeles Review*.
---
# About the Book
“In Brent Ameneyro’s debut poetry collection, *A Face Out of Clay*, breath becomes an act of the sacred, an act of survival. Balancing inheritance—‘I see my face, / two countries’—the voice struggles through polyvocalic identities with desire of belonging: ‘It doesn’t matter that your dad dreams in Spanish—this isn’t yours.’ With sonic incantations, surrealist urges, and his own form of ‘Tectonics,’ Ameneyro’s poems move like fissuring geological plates that leave phantom melodies and memories lingering in the air. Here a caterpillar may dig ‘a hole into Mexico’s breast’ and emerge winged and humaned. In a time of climate crisis, Ameneyro reminds us we are made of the earth, and ‘earth eats everything,’ where metamorphosis and flight—‘take this world / and tuck it in your gentle wings, take this’—weave in and out as song, praise, and warning.” **—FELICIA ZAMORA**
“‘\[T\]heir voices / fell through a hole / in the sky,’ sings the poet in this poemario—which unfolds with a ‘passion that can only be understood / from under the hood of a car.’ In other words, what we have here is a verbal canvas of startling adjacencies where one must ‘determine the length / of tongues’ in order to measure‘the fabric of space,’ not only to paint indelible human portraits but also to map a familia ‘crammed into a minivan’—a childhood journey of migration that marks the self irrevocably. You’ll be utterly convinced that ‘a heartbeat is a war drum’ but also experience a delicate, moving elegy for a loved one who ‘blew the napkins off the table / when she opened her wings.’ In short, lives richly lived: ‘Fútbol, carne asada, / waiting for the water to be delivered.’” **—FRANCISCO ARAGÓN**
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Is Traditional Publishing Right for You?](https://writer.org/event/is-traditional-publishing-right-for-you/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Explore all the traditional publishing options available to you to determine if this publishing path is right for you. We begin by discussing our goals for publishing a book, then evaluate our assets. We then look at the traditional publishing paths (Big 5, medium, small press, academic) and discuss what you need to succeed on this path. We also look at resources for finding agents and publishers, which will be essential to landing a traditional book deal. By the end of the class, attendees will know what to expect if they pursue a traditional book publisher.
**Content:**
# Explore all the traditional publishing options, from Big 5 to small press!
Explore all the traditional publishing options available to you to determine if this publishing path is right for you. We begin by discussing our goals for publishing a book, then evaluate our assets. We then look at the traditional publishing paths (Big 5, medium, small press, academic) and discuss what you need to succeed on this path. We also look at resources for finding agents and publishers, which will be essential to landing a traditional book deal. By the end of the class, attendees will know what to expect if they pursue a traditional book publisher.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Traditional Publishing Options
- Finding Agents
- Finding Publishers
- The Querying Process
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers who have a book idea (nonfiction) or completed manuscript (fiction, memoir) and are ready to explore their publishing options.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Publishing, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Building Suspense in Short Fiction](https://writer.org/event/building-suspense-in-short-fiction/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Creating suspense involves more than leaving questions unanswered; a lot of it has to do with dramatic irony. But hanging questions are a great entryway into building tension, as are using irony, temporality or the movement of time, and narrative delay. In this workshop, students will learn how to build and sustain tension, writing beyond a surprises similar to literary clickbait. Also, we'll explore how the audience is as much a part of creating suspense as the writer.
**Content:**
# Keep your reader engaged through tension and promises.
Creating suspense involves more than leaving questions unanswered; a lot of it has to do with dramatic irony. But hanging questions are a great entryway into building tension, as are using irony, temporality or the movement of time, and narrative delay. In this workshop, students will learn how to build and sustain tension, writing beyond a surprises similar to literary clickbait. Also, we’ll explore how the audience is as much a part of creating suspense as the writer.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Analyze examples of dramatic irony and create examples of our own
- Determine the difference between surprise and suspense, and how to use them both
- Unpack details in dialog and narrative in ways to keep the audience engaged
- Manage time in short fiction
- Write short fiction that employs suspense
# Time requirements
- 1 hour/week
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for beginning and emerging writers of fiction, but seasoned writers who want to hone their craft will feel comfortable in the class.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 3 Sessions, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [How to Plot Like a Pro](https://writer.org/event/how-to-plot-like-a-pro/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** You have a great idea for a story. Do you dive in and just begin writing, or start by drafting an outline? Are you a born planner or a writer who loves to discover stories organically (i.e., a pantser)? Understanding how to structure a well-conceived story around a main character and central conflict, while paying attention to pacing, can make the difference between a finished, publishable manuscript and an abandoned work-in-progress. Plotting provides a safety net that never robs the author of the joy of writing, and always reduces revision time. Think you can’t plot? Join us for this course, and we’ll show you how!
**Content:**
# Avoid the dreaded writer’s block or giving up on a good story by learning the wonderful tools of plotting.
You have a great idea for a story. Do you dive in and just begin writing, or start by drafting an outline? Are you a born planner or a writer who loves to discover stories organically (i.e., a pantser)? Understanding how to structure a well-conceived story around a main character and central conflict, while paying attention to pacing, can make the difference between a finished, publishable manuscript and an abandoned work-in-progress. Plotting provides a safety net that never robs the author of the joy of writing, and always reduces revision time. Think you can’t plot? Join us for this course, and we’ll show you how!
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Creating Conflict
- Intensifying Emotion
- Preparing Effective Scenes
- Realistic Progression
- Importance of Genre
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Authors of both long- and short-form fiction, creative nonfiction, and memoire-based material.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Is Self-Publishing Right for You?](https://writer.org/event/is-self-publishing-right-for-you/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** You have many options for publishing your work. Which one is best for you and your book? In this class we will explore self-publishing, hybrid, and alternative routes to publication: collaborating with a nonprofit and work-for-hire. We will set goals and evaluate the assets we bring to the publishing process to see how those affect available options for publishing. Attendees will walk away knowing what it takes to succeed in these varied and exciting routes to publication.
**Content:**
# Explore alternative routes to publishing, from self-publishing to hybrid to work-for-hire!
You have many options for publishing your work. Which one is best for you and your book? In this class we will explore self-publishing, hybrid, and alternative routes to publication: collaborating with a nonprofit and work-for-hire. We will set goals and evaluate the assets we bring to the publishing process to see how those affect available options for publishing. Attendees will walk away knowing what it takes to succeed in these varied and exciting routes to publication.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Self-publishing Options
- Finding professionals to help you
- Hybrid publishers
- Nontraditional routes to publication
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers with a book idea (nonfiction) or manuscript (fiction, memoir) who are ready to explore their publishing options.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Publishing, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Show and Tell Intensive](https://writer.org/event/show-and-tell-intensive-2/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** A dynamic workshop on the single most important skill any writer can have. Skilled writers make readers feel and intuit precisely what they want them to by using the technique of showing writing. No other element of craft promises this immediacy and power to bring a work to life. This is how to make a flat passage sing, how to gain your readers’ trust and emotional participation. Through exploration of compelling published examples, exercises, lively discussion, and inspiring instruction, you will learn to elevate your stories to submission-quality prose.
**Content:**
# Acquire the most important skill a writer can possess, the ability to make the reader feel exactly what you want him to feel.
A dynamic workshop on the single most important skill any writer can have. Skilled writers make readers feel and intuit precisely what they want them to by using the technique of showing writing. No other element of craft promises this immediacy and power to bring a work to life. This is how to make a flat passage sing, how to gain your readers’ trust and emotional participation. Through exploration of compelling published examples, exercises, lively discussion, and inspiring instruction, you will learn to elevate your stories to submission-quality prose.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Learn to show character without describing
- Learn to make flat passages of writing come to life
- Learn to make your readers understand intuitively your message and meaning
- Learn to make writing compelling without telling
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for new and seasoned writers alike who want to acquire or improve their ability to powerfully dramatize their work.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Writing From Memory](https://writer.org/event/writing-from-memory-2/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Memory is rarely objective truth, but it tells an important story that affects our identities and the legacy we pass down through generations. Work with an award-winning memoirist to understand different types of memory and how life stories are built from them. Examine examples of memoir to learn ways to translate memory fragments into a narrative on the page. Then participate in exercises to unlock distant memories and describe them using all five senses. Participants will come away with the beginning of a new piece and the tools to continue to write from memory.
**Content:**
# Unlock distant memories and describe them using all five senses.
Memory is rarely objective truth, but it tells an important story that affects our identities and the legacy we pass down through generations. Work with an award-winning memoirist to understand different types of memory and how life stories are built from them. Examine examples of memoir to learn ways to translate memory fragments into a narrative on the page. Then participate in exercises to unlock distant memories and describe them using all five senses. Participants will come away with the beginning of a new piece and the tools to continue to write from memory.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Mechanics of memory
- Tools to access distant memories
- Creating narrative from memory fragments
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Anyone interested in writing from memory.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Storytelling Workshop: Unleash Your Narrative Power](https://writer.org/event/storytelling-workshop-unleash-your-narrative-power/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** In this workshop, you'll gain the tools and techniques to craft engaging and powerful stories. Through interactive activities and collaborative exercises, you'll learn the essentials of story structure, develop compelling characters, and create immersive settings. Our workshop will guide you in plotting your story, writing dynamic scenes, and refining your narrative skills. Whether you're a novice or an experienced writer, this workshop will provide valuable insights and practical strategies to help you bring your stories to life.
**Content:**
# A workshop to help all writers with the tools and techniques to craft engaging and powerful stories.
In this workshop, you’ll gain the tools and techniques to craft engaging and powerful stories. Through interactive activities and collaborative exercises, you’ll learn the essentials of story structure, develop compelling characters, and create immersive settings. Our workshop will guide you in plotting your story, writing dynamic scenes, and refining your narrative skills. Whether you’re a novice or an experienced writer, this workshop will provide valuable insights and practical strategies to help you bring your stories to life.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Structure & Plot
- Character Development
- Storytelling skills
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Life Stories Intensive](https://writer.org/event/life-stories-intensive-2/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Whether you want to write a memoir, blog, letter to your granddaughter, or use your own life as the basis for fiction, life story writing requires that we tell where we come from and who we are. Consider other people’s feelings without allowing this to censor your experience or keep you from writing. Learn to identify your story's essence, the truth it reveals, and to engage the reader through fictional techniques. Participants will leave inspired to begin or improve a work-in-progress.
**Content:**
# Learn how your real-life story can depict what it means to be human.
Whether you want to write a memoir, blog, letter to your granddaughter, or use your own life as the basis for fiction, life story writing requires that we tell where we come from and who we are. Consider other people’s feelings without allowing this to censor your experience or keep you from writing. Learn to identify your story’s essence, the truth it reveals, and to engage the reader through fictional techniques. Participants will leave inspired to begin or improve a work-in-progress.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- What is the truth in memoir?
- Anecdote vs. Story
- How to let your experience illustrate universal truths
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This overview is for beginning and intermediate writers who want to understand the components of life story writing and learn what pitfalls to avoid.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Public Speaking Fundamentals](https://writer.org/event/public-speaking-fundamentals/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** As creators and creatives, we long to share our work, yet are often thwarted by fear and uncertainty. Join performance coach and therapist Jennifer Hamady to learn how to alleviate your apprehension and generate fantastic public deliveries. In this interactive workshop, you’ll learn the practical tools to modulate and project your voice, expand your confidence, presence, and impact, and connect authentically with your audience. You may also have the opportunity to practice what you’ve learned; please bring a poem, article, or piece of writing– yours or someone else’s– to work on with the group if time permits.
**Content:**
# Learn the skills to share yourself and your story.
As creators and creatives, we long to share our work, yet are often thwarted by fear and uncertainty. Join performance coach and therapist Jennifer Hamady to learn how to alleviate your apprehension and generate fantastic public deliveries. In this interactive workshop, you’ll learn the practical tools to modulate and project your voice, expand your confidence, presence, and impact, and connect authentically with your audience. You may also have the opportunity to practice what you’ve learned; please bring a poem, article, or piece of writing– yours or someone else’s– to work on with the group if time permits.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Public speaking skills
- Performance anxiety mitigation
- Performance conviction and authenticity
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers and others who want to practice and hone the skills of public performance and delivery.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Stage and Screen, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [The Haunting of Grief](https://writer.org/event/the-haunting-of-grief/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** In our six weeks together, we will also explore what remains lingering before, during, and after death: How does society view death, how does a community grieve, and how do we, as a collective, approach such a vulnerable topic? Throughout our time together, we will read poems from Victoria Chang, Eduardo C. Corral, Marcelo Hernandez Castillo, Ocean Vuong, Susan Nguyen, jj peña, and Yanyi, among others. We will discuss form, white space, imagery, the speaker’s voice, and ultimately, what is at risk in each poem.
**Content:**
# Explore grief through poetry: What shapes do our bodies take, how do we process grief, what does grief look like for each of us, and how do we mend what we can’t see?
In our six weeks together, we will explore what remains lingering before, during, and after death: How does society view death, how does a community grieve, and how do we, as a collective, approach such a vulnerable topic? Throughout our time together, we will read poems from Victoria Chang, Eduardo C. Corral, Marcelo Hernandez Castillo, Ocean Vuong, Susan Nguyen, jj peña, and Yanyi, among others. We will discuss form, white space, imagery, the speaker’s voice, and ultimately, what is at risk in each poem.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How to read a poem
- How to read white space
- How to write at the intersection of grief & poetry
- How to write being vulnerable
- How to understand what makes a grief poem
# Time requirements
- 2 hours/week
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Poets who want to challenge themselves through vulnerability & risk.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 6 Sessions, All Levels, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Beads on a String: Organizing a Poetry Manuscript](https://writer.org/event/beads-on-a-string-organizing-a-poetry-manuscript/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Poets who are putting together their first chapbook or full-length book often agonize over what they can do to make their manuscript grab the attention of an editor or contest judge. But there is no one approach to arranging a sequence of poems that is inherently superior. Instead, it has more to do with gaining some perspective on your own work and identifying the themes, images, and impulses that certain poems share. In this workshop, we will gather advice from a number of successful poets and then take a close look at how a Pulitzer Prize-winning volume was put together.
**Content:**
# Is there a secret to putting together a book of poetry?
Poets who are putting together their first chapbook or full-length book often agonize over what they can do to make their manuscript grab the attention of an editor or contest judge. But there is no one approach to arranging a sequence of poems that is inherently superior. Instead, it has more to do with gaining some perspective on your own work and identifying the themes, images, and impulses that certain poems share. In this workshop, we will gather advice from a number of successful poets and then take a close look at how a Pulitzer Prize-winning volume was put together.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How to tell if a group of poems constitutes a book or chapbook
- Do you need section dividers?
- Coming up with a title
- Organizational strategies
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for any poet who has produced a significant number of poems, or who feels “ready” to put together a manuscript.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Intermediate Level, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Writing the Killer Query](https://writer.org/event/writing-the-killer-query/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** If you want your novel to be traditionally published, sooner or later you will need to write a query letter and plot synopsis of your story. Learn how to develop an effective pitch for literary agents, the most effective ways to encapsulate your plot to create an effective showcase for your story, and where to find legitimate agents to represent you and your book. This instructor has submitted and sold dozens of novels to major publishers using these same techniques.
**Content:**
# Learn how to create a compelling query letter that will entice a literary agent or publisher to beg to see your novel.
If you want your novel to be traditionally published, sooner or later you will need to write a query letter and plot synopsis of your story. Learn how to develop an effective pitch for literary agents, the most effective ways to encapsulate your plot to create an effective showcase for your story, and where to find legitimate agents to represent you and your book. This instructor has submitted and sold dozens of novels to major publishers using these same techniques.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- The hook
- The musts to include
- What to leave out
- Power Words
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Writers desiring publication of their fiction, creative nonfiction, or memoire-based work will find this fast-paced workshop invaluable.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Publishing, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [How to Create Backstory and Flashbacks](https://writer.org/event/how-to-create-backstory-and-flashbacks/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Every character has a hidden history from before their story starts. Learn how to masterfully weave in details and experiences that enrich your characters and create believable motivation. Novelists, short story authors, and creative nonfiction writers will all benefit from these twin skills. You’ll see your writing grow in sophistication and depth.
**Content:**
# Grow your writing skills in sophistication and depth by using the twin techniques of backstory and flashbacks.
Every character has a hidden history from before their story starts. Learn how to masterfully weave in details and experiences that enrich your characters and create believable motivation. Novelists, short story authors, and creative nonfiction writers will all benefit from these twin skills. You’ll see your writing grow in sophistication and depth.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Character Development
- Enriching Details
- Effective Use of Time Skips
- Steps to Creating Seamless Flashbacks
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Both beginning and experienced authors will discover new techniques involving multiple timeframes.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Writing Remarkable Characters in Short Fiction](https://writer.org/event/writing-remarkable-characters-in-short-fiction/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** This two-hour workshop will focus on creating remarkable point-of-view characters in your short fiction. It will include instructor insights, prompts, and time for the participants to write and share their work in a nurturing, generative workshop.
**Content:**
# Create remarkable point-of-view characters.
This two-hour workshop will focus on creating remarkable point-of-view characters in your short fiction. It will include instructor insights, prompts, and time for the participants to write and share their work in a nurturing, generative workshop.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Begin a new work of short fiction
- Create a memorable point of view character
- Understand the stakes and key plot points for your character
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for beginner to intermediate writers.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Vulnerability in Personal Storytelling](https://writer.org/event/vulnerability-in-personal-storytelling-2/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Each of us has the power to look at our lived experiences to find meaning and wisdom that we can transform however we want: into art, into lifestyle, into legacy. In this workshop, you will learn how to view creative vulnerability as generosity, and how to offer up your humanity through story as a gift to yourself and others. We will address questions such as: How do I write about sensitive topics without doing harm to myself? How do I do my story justice? What techniques can I use? How do I turn a raw journal entry into a piece for publication? You will come away from this workshop with perspective on your unique storyteller type and how grasping it can build courage, as well as best practices for taking care of yourself as you do this. introspective work. On the first day, writers will receive instruction and start a rough draft of a personal story. On the second day, they will share their work and receive feedback.
**Content:**
# Find the courage to write about sensitive subjects.
Each of us has the power to look at our lived experiences to find meaning and wisdom that we can transform however we want: into art, into lifestyle, into legacy. In this workshop, you will learn how to view creative vulnerability as generosity, and how to offer up your humanity through story as a gift to yourself and others. We will address questions such as: How do I write about sensitive topics without doing harm to myself? How do I do my story justice? What techniques can I use? How do I turn a raw journal entry into a piece for publication? You will come away from this workshop with perspective on your unique storyteller type and how grasping it can build courage, as well as best practices for taking care of yourself as you do this. introspective work. On the first day, writers will receive instruction and start a rough draft of a personal story. On the second day, they will share their work and receive feedback.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Idea generation
- Creative process
- Unraveling creative blocks
- Writing rough drafts
- Story development
- Ethical dilemmas
# Time requirements
- 1-3 hours/week
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for beginning and intermediate nonfiction writers looking to build courage in their voices and process.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 2 Sessions, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Novel 101: How to Craft the Story](https://writer.org/event/novel-101-how-to-craft-the-story/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Fans of fiction delight! If you've always wanted to create your own exciting novel then this is the class for you. The class offers the key concepts of plotting and pacing while delving into different genres. Beginners have the opportunity to share their works with the class while also building confidence in their craft. Short homework assignments will encourage practice outside of assigned class hours. Students will leave with an evolved sense of fiction and the tools necessary to continue writing their own story.
**Content:**
# Craft new worlds while learning the key building blocks necessary to create a fictional story.
Fans of fiction delight! If you’ve always wanted to create your own exciting novel then this is the class for you. The class offers the key concepts of plotting and pacing while delving into different genres. Beginners have the opportunity to share their works with the class while also building confidence in their craft. Short homework assignments will encourage practice outside of assigned class hours. Students will leave with an evolved sense of fiction and the tools necessary to continue writing their own story.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Pacing and Plotting
- Exposure to Multiple Genres
- Character Development
- Setting Evolution
# Time requirements
- 1-2 hours/week
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is ideal for beginners and individuals eager to learn more about writing.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, Beginner Level, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Boot Camp for Writers](https://writer.org/event/boot-camp-for-writers-2/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Classes begin with a short warm up exercise followed by a prompt for a longer piece. Participants will then focus on specifics like effective beginnings, creative prose, and strong conclusions. Participants will also learn how to avoid common grammatical and usage errors that can distract from their message. This workshop will focus on both craft and technique and is designed for participants of all backgrounds who are looking to take their writing endurance and skills to the next level. Participants will have the start of several narrative pieces by the end of the class.
**Content:**
# Tone up your writing muscles so you can go the distance.
Classes begin with a short warm up exercise followed by a prompt for a longer piece. Participants will then focus on specifics like effective beginnings, creative prose, and strong conclusions. Participants will also learn how to avoid common grammatical and usage errors that can distract from their message. Participants will have the start of several narrative pieces by the end of the class. Note: No meeting November 12 and 26.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# Time requirements
- No specific time requirements, but writing outside of class in encouraged.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for participants of all backgrounds who are looking to take their writing endurance and skills to the next level.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 7 Sessions, All Levels, Fiction, Mixed Genre, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Structure Your Book!](https://writer.org/event/structure-your-book/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** In just three sessions we explore different ways to structure a novel, memoir, or non-fiction book, through exercises and examples. Starting with your idea, you’ll learn about expectations, different and divergent ways to both generate and organize all those ideas! You’ll leave with a plan and a scaffold for your book!
**Content:**
# You’ve got an idea for a book, but now should you tell it?
In just three sessions we explore different ways to structure a novel, memoir, or non-fiction book, through exercises and examples. Starting with your idea, you’ll learn about expectations, different and divergent ways to both generate and organize all those ideas! You’ll leave with a plan and a scaffold for your book!
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- how different types of books are organized
- how to do multiple POVs or braided narratives
- how to generate and organize your ideas
- how to build a scaffold that works for YOU and YOUR BRAIN
# Time requirements
- ~1 hour/week
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Anyone considering writing a fiction or nonfiction book. It maybe particularly helpful for folks who are stuck, at the beginning of the process or who are considering doing National Novel Writing Month in November.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 3 Sessions, All Levels, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Flash Fiction Workshop](https://writer.org/event/flash-fiction-workshop/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** What is flash fiction? How can you write it? Let’s use these five weeks to explore some new styles, write at least FIVE new stories, workshop them, and figure out where they go to be published! You’ll leave the workshop with five new stories and some ideas of where to send them! Textbook: Flash Fiction America 2023 (foreward by Danielle Evans).
**Content:**
# Flash Fiction is a lightning bolt of a story, are you ready?
What is flash fiction? How can you write it? Let’s use these five weeks to explore some new styles, write at least FIVE new stories, workshop them, and figure out where they go to be published! You’ll leave the workshop with five new stories and some ideas of where to send them! Textbook: Flash Fiction America 2023 (foreward by Danielle Evans).
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Read Flash Fiction
- Write new work
- Discover new styles
- Understand how to edit those down
- Who is publishing flash
# Time requirements
- 1-2 hours/week
# Materials
- *Flash Fiction American 2023* (ed. Danielle Evans)
# Who should take this workshop?
- Open to anyone who is writing or curious about writing and publishing flash fiction.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 5 Sessions, Fiction, Intermediate/Advanced Level, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Wisdom, Joy, Gratitude—giving and receiving through Poetry](https://writer.org/event/wisdom-joy-gratitude-giving-and-receiving-through-poetry/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Reading and writing poetry is soul-work. Each class will include discussion of inspiring poems, guided free-writes, and sharing. Between classes you will have life-enhancing reading and journal assignments. Our last class will be a formal and friendly workshop to celebrate the gifts we have shared throughout the course. Note: No meeting November 28.
**Content:**
# Tap your own deep wisdom through poetry.
Reading and writing poetry is soul-work. Each class will include discussion of inspiring poems, guided free-writes, and sharing. Between classes you will have life-enhancing reading and journal assignments. Our last class will be a formal and friendly workshop to celebrate the gifts we have shared throughout the course. Note: No meeting November 28.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How to read to enhance your own writing.
- Finding and creating intention through form.
- How to use suggestions in revision while keeping your poem in your own voice.
# Time requirements
- 30-60 minutes/week
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- All levels of poets will learn and be inspired in this class.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, All Levels, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Publishing Your Op-ed](https://writer.org/event/publishing-your-op-ed/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** This workshop will help you sharpen and develop your viewpoint, learn how to structure an op-ed and and close the deal by making an effective pitch to editors.
**Content:**
# Learn how to Think, Plan, and Write your way to publishing an op-ed.
This workshop will help you sharpen and develop your viewpoint, learn how to structure an op-ed and and close the deal by making an effective pitch to editors.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How to Develop, Shape and Mold Your Opinion
- How to Plan and Write the Piece
- Shopping Around and Submitting the Piece
# Time requirements
- 1 hour/week
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for beginner and intermediate writers who want to learn how to translate their writing skills into writing publishable op-eds.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 3 Sessions, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [CANCELED - Open Mic @ The Writer's Center](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-sep2024-1/)
**Published:** January 3, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
## **CANCELED: tonight’s Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center has been canceled due to unforeseen circumstances.**
We’ll be back for the next regularly scheduled Open Mic on September 25. We’re sorry for any inconvenience. See you soon!
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat with Novelist & Memoirist Sofia Samatar](https://writer.org/event/sofia-samatar/)
**Published:** July 29, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of writing! We’re joined by Sofia Samatar to discuss her new book, *Opacities: On Writing and the Writing Life*. Sofia is in conversation with Zach Powers, novelist and Artistic Director at The Writer’s Center.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from Bookshop.org »](https://bookshop.org/a/22600/9781593767662)
---
**Sofia Samatar** is a writer of fiction and nonfiction, including the memoir *The White Mosque*, a PEN/Jean Stein Award Finalist. Her works range from the World Fantasy Award-winning novel *A Stranger in Olondria* to *Tone*, a study of literary tone with Kate Zambreno. Samatar lives in Virginia and teaches African literature, Arabic literature, and speculative fiction at James Madison University.
---
# About the Book
***Opacities* is a book about writing, publishing, and friendship. Rooted in an epistolary relationship between Sofia Samatar and a friend and fellow writer, this collection of meditations traces Samatar’s attempt to rediscover the intimacy of writing**
In a series of compressed, dynamic prose pieces, Samatar blends letters from her friend with notes on literature, turning to Édouard Glissant to study the necessary opacity of identity, to Theresa Hak Kyung Cha for a model of literary kinship, and to a variety of others, including Clarice Lispector, Maurice Blanchot, and Rainer Maria Rilke, for insights on the experience and practice of writing.
In so doing, Samatar addresses a number of questions about the writing life: Why does publishing feel like the opposite of writing? How can a black woman navigate interviews and writing conferences without being reduced to a symbol? Are writers located in their biographies or in their texts? And above all, how can the next book be written?
Blurring the line between author and character and between correspondence and literary criticism, *Opacities* delivers a personal, contemplative exploration of writing where it lives, among impassioned conversations and the work of beloved writers.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [The Extreme Novelist](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-3/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** 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 just 8 weeks. Students receive the encouraging guidance of 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. Classes will include accountability and progress reports from each student, troubleshooting discussions, a brief lecture on some aspect of the fiction craft, and the opportunity to submit portions of the work-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.)
**Content:**
# Create a rough draft for your novel in 8 weeks!
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 just 8 weeks. Students receive the encouraging guidance of 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. Classes will include accountability and progress reports from each student, troubleshooting discussions, a brief lecture on some aspect of the fiction craft, and the opportunity to submit portions of the work-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.)
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Structure & Plot
- Developing a Hook
- Working to completion
- Time Management
- Professional Feedback
# Time requirements
- Daily writing, approximately 90 minutes.
# Materials
- No required texts, but optional resources will be suggested.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for the intermediate to advanced writer who wants to be held accountable for their writing time and desires support from a structured class.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 8 Sessions, Fiction, Intermediate/Advanced Level, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Writing Song Lyrics](https://writer.org/event/writing-song-lyrics/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** This course starts the participant on the practice of putting words together with music. Writing a song lyric requires matching syllables in words with melody notes to be sung in time over a rhythm. We all practice the results of the lyricist's trade whenever we sing a song we know, but in this course we'll look into how those choices are made, and get some practice at generating our own lyrics. There will be 30-45 minutes homework exercises between course meetings, and we will go over everyone's results before moving on in the text (which is provided). By the end participants will have generated a lyric for a familiar existing song, and at least one lyric which can be set by a composer to produce a complete work.
**Content:**
# Put words to music to make memorable songs.
This course starts the participant on the practice of putting words together with music. Writing a song lyric requires matching syllables in words with melody notes to be sung in time over a rhythm. We all practice the results of the lyricist’s trade whenever we sing a song we know, but in this course we’ll look into how those choices are made, and get some practice at generating our own lyrics. There will be 30-45 minutes homework exercises between course meetings, and we will go over everyone’s results before moving on in the text (which is provided). By the end participants will have generated a lyric for a familiar existing song, and at least one lyric which can be set by a composer to produce a complete work.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Setting of a familiar melody
- Testing the “singability” of a lyric
- Studying of extended song forms
- Writing a lyric before a matching melody has been written
- Working with implied rhythm and rhyme patterns, diction, and linearity and “density” of sentence structure
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Although this workshop was originally designed for poets who have written in meter and/or with rhyme, such experience is helpful; but anyone with a good sense of rhythm and familiarity with the language can manage the current version. Ability to compose music, including melody, is not required, though a sense of what composers do is useful, and we do discuss approaches to collaboration.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 8 Sessions, Beginner Level, Stage and Screen, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Crafting Fiction: Element by Element](https://writer.org/event/crafting-fiction-element-by-element-2/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** By working through basic craft elements of fiction, participants will build a strong foundation for their writing--be it short stories or novels. This 7-week workshop will explore the elements of fiction one at a time and ask participants to practice these elements through in-class writing exercises. We will also read published fiction--a story per week--to see how experienced writers regularly employ these elements. You'll leave the workshop prepared to write a wonderful work of fiction.
**Content:**
# Let’s demystify the craft of fiction writing!
By working through basic craft elements of fiction, participants will build a strong foundation for their writing–be it short stories or novels. This 7-week workshop will explore the elements of fiction one at a time and ask participants to practice these elements through in-class writing exercises. We will also read published fiction–a story per week–to see how experienced writers regularly employ these elements. You’ll leave the workshop prepared to write a wonderful work of fiction.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Developing Characters
- Moving from Character to Plot
- Setting/Tone/Time
- Point of View/Narration
- Scene & Dialogue
# Time requirements
- 30-60 minutes/week
# Materials
- *The Best American Short Stories 2023*, Min Jin Lee, Ed.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for beginning fiction writers looking to learn the basics and intermediate writers looking to solidify their writing craft.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 7 Sessions, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Immigrant Writers Mixer](https://writer.org/event/immigrant-writers-mixer-sep2024/)
**Published:** August 8, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Join us at The Writer’s Center for an informal gathering with other immigrant writers. It’s the perfect opportunity to network and share stories. Please bring a drink or an appetizer that serves six. You’re welcome to bring a friend, too.
A limited number of attendees will have the opportunity to read a 5-minute work they have written on the immigrant or second-generation experience. We will draw names from those who express interest in reading.
**FREE & open to second-generation immigrant writers from the DMV. RSVP required below.**
[TWC Membership is encouraged »](https://writer.org/become-a-member/)
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Dr. Laura H. Kahn Book Launch](https://writer.org/event/laura-kahn/)
**Published:** September 4, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes Dr. Laura H. Kahn to celebrate the release of her book, *[One Health and the Politics of COVID-19](https://www.press.jhu.edu/books/title/12713/one-health-and-politics-covid-19)*, published by Johns Hopkins University press. Dr. Kahn will be in conversation with investigative reporter Emily Kopp.
---
For almost 15 years, **Laura Kahn**, a physician, was a research scholar with the Program on Science and Global Security at the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University. She is a co-founder of the [One Health Initiative](https://onehealthinitiative.com/), a global movement that promotes the health of all species. She is the author of, [*Who’s in Charge? Leadership during epidemics, bioterror attacks, and other public health crises*](https://www.amazon.com/Leadership-Epidemics-Bioterror-Security-International/dp/144087817X/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=), originally published in 2009 by Praeger Security International. In 2020, a second edition was issued with a new preface discussing leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her second book, [*One Health and the Politics of Antimicrobial Resistance*](https://www.press.jhu.edu/books/title/10803/one-health-and-politics-antimicrobial-resistance), was published in June 2016 by Johns Hopkins University Press. In 2014, the [American Association of Public Health Physicians](https://www.aaphp.org/OneHealth) awarded her with a Presidential Award for Meritorious Service, and in 2016, the [American Veterinary One Health Society](https://avohsociety.org/awards/gold-headed-cane.html) awarded her with their highest honor, the K.F. Meyer-James H. Steele Gold Head Cane Award, for her work in One Health.
[**Emily Kopp**](https://usrtk.org/people/emily/), an investigative reporter, uses the Freedom of Information Act to uncover stories about one of the most consequential events of our lifetimes. She has written about issues affecting American health care for a decade and has published in news outlets around the world, including CQ Roll Call and Kaiser Health News.
---
# About the Book
***One Health and the Politics of COVID-19*** unpacks the mysteries of COVID-19’s origins to impart important lessons for future outbreaks. The One Health concept recognizes the interconnected links among the health of humans, animals, plants, and the environment. By comparing the history, science, and clinical presentations of three different coronaviruses—SARS-CoV-1, MERS, and SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19)—Kahn uncovers insights with important repercussions for how to prepare and avoid future pandemics. The One Health approach provides a useful framework for examining the COVID-19 pandemic. Understanding the origins of this zoonotic disease requires investigating the environmental and molecular biological factors that allowed the virus to spread to humans. The book explores the many ways in which the wild animal trade, wet markets, and the camel industry contributed to the spread of the earlier SARS-CoV-1 and MERS coronaviruses. For SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19), Kahn examines the biosafety, biosecurity, and bioethics implications of gain-of-function research on pandemic potential pathogens. This book is a must read to understand the geopolitics of the COVID-19 pandemic.
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Washington Writers’ Publishing House Award Winner Reading & Reception](https://writer.org/event/wwph-2024/)
**Published:** September 4, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Washington Writers’ Publishing House celebrates the 2024 winners of its annual fiction, poetry, and nonfiction contests! Varun Gauri will read from the Carol Trawick 50th Anniversary Fiction award-winning novel *For the Blessings of Jupiter and Venus*. Chanlee Luu will read from the Jean Feldman Poetry award-winning *The Machine Autocorrects Code to I*. Megan Doney will read from the Washington Writers’ Publishing House Nonfiction award-winning *UNARMED: An American Educator’s Memoir.* Reception to follow.
**FREE and open to the public. RSVP required below.**
---
**Varun Gauri**’s short fiction was nominated for a Pushcart Prize and recognized in Best American Nonrequired Reading. His novel, *For the Blessings of Jupiter and Venus*, is a love story and comedy of manners about a young couple who, despite having dated, choose arranged marriage. He teaches courses on behavioral economics and global poverty at Princeton University and lives with his family in Bethesda, Maryland.
**Chanlee Luu** is a Vietnamese-Chinese American writer from Virginia. She received her MFA in creative writing from Hollins University, and BS in chemical engineering from UVA, where she competed in poetry slams. She writes about identity, pop culture, science, politics, and everything else. She can be found on Twitter @ChanleeLuu, and her work in *Snowflake Magazine*, the *gamut mag*, *Cutbow Quarterly*, *Tint Journal*, *Honey Lit*, *The Offing*, and *diaCRITICS*, among others, all at chanleeluu.weebly.com.
**Megan Doney** is a writer and English professor in Virginia. Her work has been published in *Ilanot Review*, *New Limestone Review*, *Rappahannock Review*, Creative Nonfiction, *Earth &; Altar*, and I*nside Higher Ed*, as well as in the anthologies *Allegheny* and I*f I Don’t Make It, I Love You: Survivors in the Aftermath of School Shootings*. Her essay “The Wolf and the Dog” was nominated for a Pushcart Prize. She was a Fulbright scholar in South Africa in 2007, and returned there in 2015 to study reconciliation and violence. Doney earned an MFA from Lesley University.
---
**Washington Writers’ Publishing House** is a non-profit, cooperative literary organization that has published over 100 volumes of poetry since 1975 as well as fiction and nonfiction. The press sponsors three annual competitions for writers living in DC, Maryland, and Virginia, and the winners of each category (one each in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction) comprise our annual slate. In 2021, WWPH launched an online literary journal, WWPH WRITES, to expand our mission to further the creative work of writers in our region. In 2024, WWPH launched our biennial works in translation series. More about our literary cooperative nonprofit press, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary at [washingtonwriters.org](http://www.washingtonwriters.org).
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [The Survival Power of the Lyric Poem](https://writer.org/event/the-survival-power-of-the-lyric-poem/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Throughout the centuries, the lyric has had revelatory power evoked through both beauty and pain. When you’re in the middle of writing a poem that is fully inspired, it isn’t a poem at all, but a light in blindness, a splintered house in a whirlwind, with a gaping door, but you find your way through it. It is only afterwards that it becomes anything like a poem, when you’re telling it to yourself and to someone else. This workshop is open to all levels of poetry writers, all topics, with only one requirement: write from the heart, and nearly everything works, if only from the head, almost nothing works: it takes both.
**Content:**
# This workshop is open to all levels of poetry writers, all topics, with only one requirement: write from the heart, and nearly everything works, if only from the head, almost nothing works: it takes both.
Throughout the centuries, the lyric has had revelatory power evoked through both beauty and pain. When you’re in the middle of writing a poem that is fully inspired, it isn’t a poem at all, but a light in blindness, a splintered house in a whirlwind, with a gaping door, but you find your way through it. It is only afterwards that it becomes anything like a poem, when you’re telling it to yourself and to someone else. This workshop is open to all levels of poetry writers, all topics, with only one requirement: write from the heart, and nearly everything works, if only from the head, almost nothing works: it takes both.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# Time requirements
- 3 hours/week
# Materials
- Required: any anthology of British or American poetry
- Optional: *Poetry as Survival* by Gregory Orr
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 7 Sessions, All Levels, Poetry, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [LGBTQ+ Writers Mixer](https://writer.org/event/lgbtq-writers-mixer-sep2024/)
**Published:** February 6, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Are you a writer who identifies as LGBTQ+? Let’s hang out and talk writing! Come join us for an informal gathering at The Writer’s Center. Please bring a drink or an appetizer that serves six. You’re welcome to bring a friend, too.
**FREE & open to all DMV writers who identify as LGBTQ+. RSVP required below.**
Facilitated by [Steve Majors](https://steve-majors.com/about/), memoirist and TWC Board Member.
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Doing the Work: Panel Discussion w/ Nick Rees Gardner, Ian S. Maloney, Tobias Carroll & Andrew Bertaina on Jobs in Fiction](https://writer.org/event/doing-the-work/)
**Published:** August 14, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
In his essay, “Get a Job,” Benjamin Percy states that “Your way of seeing the world bends around your work.” Percy goes on to give an example of a farmer whose sense of time depends on the height of corn, whose sense of place is created by the fields that surround him. Join authors Nick Rees Gardner, Ian S. Maloney, and Tobias Carroll for a panel discussion and Q&A on how writing about work, jobs, and careers can shape your fictional characters just as it can shape your life. Moderated by Andrew Bertaina.
**FREE and open to the public. RSVP required below.**
---
**Nick Gardner** is a writer, critic, writing teacher, and beer and wine buyer. His books include, *So Marvelously Far*, (Crisis Chronicles Press, 2019), an accounting of addiction and recovery in the Rustbelt; *Hurricane Trinity* (Unsolicited Press, 2023), a climate change novella; and the linked story collection, *Delinquents and Other Escape Attempts*. He’s received support from the Elizabeth George Foundation, Vermont Studio Center, the De Groot Foundation, and DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities. He lives in Ohio and Washington, DC.
**Ian S. Maloney** grew up in Marine Park, Brooklyn, where he worked as a NYS Pest Control Technician. He works as Director of the Jack Hazard Fellowships for the New Literary Project and as Contribitor at Vol. 1 Brooklyn. Ian also serves on the Literary Council for the Brooklyn Book Festival and on the Board for the Whitman Initiative. South Brooklyn Exterminating (Spuyten Duyvil Publishing) is his debut work of fiction.
**Tobias Carroll** is the author of five books, most recently the novel *In the Sight*. His 2020 book *Political Sign* was released as part of the Object Lessons series. He writes a monthly column about translated books for Words Without Borders and is the managing editor of Vol. 1 Brooklyn.
**Andrew Bertaina** is the author of the essay collection, *The Body Is A Temporary Gathering Place*, and the short story collection, *One Person Away From You*. His work has appeared in *The ThreePenny Review*, *Witness Magazine*, *Post Road*, and elsewhere. His work has been anthologized in *The Best American Poetry*, *The Best Microfiction*, and listed as notable in three editions of *The Best American Essays*. He has an MFA from American University.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Advanced Personal Essay](https://writer.org/event/advanced-personal-essay/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** This workshop is for writers who have a good understanding of what a personal essay is, are open to exploring further the many forms a personal essay can take, and are already working seriously in the genre. The focus will be participants’ writing, supplemented with assigned readings. Participants will workshop two essays (or drafts of the same essay, if they prefer). The class is designed for self-contained essays, not book-length memoirs. To be considered for admission, please submit an essay or excerpt of no more than five double-spaced pages to laura.spencer@writer.org by September 9. Note: No meeting on November 2.
**Content:**
# Take your essay writing to the next level.
This workshop is for writers who have a good understanding of what a personal essay is, are open to exploring further the many forms a personal essay can take, and are already working seriously in the genre. The focus will be participants’ writing, supplemented with assigned readings. Participants will workshop two essays (or drafts of the same essay, if they prefer). The class is designed for self-contained essays, not book-length memoirs.
**To be considered for admission, please submit an essay or excerpt of no more than five double-spaced pages to <laura.spencer@writer.org> by September 9.**
*Note: No class meeting on November 2.*
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How to find the essay that wants to be written
- How to tighten your work
- How to offer constructive feedback to others that also helps your own
# Time requirements
- 2 hours/week
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 8 Sessions, Advanced Level, Nonfiction, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [$40 Pop Up! Getting Ready for Submission Season!](https://writer.org/event/40-pop-up-getting-ready-for-submission-season/)
**Published:** July 18, 2024
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
Many literary journals are about to open back up for submissions after their summer breaks, so now is the perfect time for a submission tune-up! For writers who are new to the submission process or more experienced writers who want to learn how to improve their odds of acceptance — this class will teach you all the basics of submitting your fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry to literary journals. You’ll learn all the submission vocabulary, how to find the right journals for your work, who is opening up for submissions soon, how to use both Submittable and Duotrope, how to write a cover letter, how far to cast your submission net, and how to connect with other writers (and editors!) in the literary community to help you learn and grow as a writer. We’ll also discuss upcoming contests and chapbook deadlines, as well as open up the floor for any questions you might have about submitting your work! This class will focus on literary journals, but I am available to answer questions related to freelance publishing and agents during the Q&A.
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Fiction, Mixed Genre, Nonfiction, Poetry, Publishing, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat with Poet Kenzie Allen](https://writer.org/event/kenzie-allen/)
**Published:** July 17, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
*Poet Lore* and The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of poetry! We’re joined by Kenzie Allen to discuss her debut collection, *Cloud Missives*. Kenzie is in conversation with Emily Holland, poet and editor of *Poet Lore*, America’s oldest poetry journal.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from Bookshop.org »](https://bookshop.org/a/22600/9781959030607)
---
**Kenzie Allen** is a Haudenosaunee poet and multimodal artist. A finalist for the National Poetry Series, her work has appeared in *Poetry* magazine, *Boston Review*, *Narrative*, *The Paris Review*’s The Daily, *Best New Poets*, Poets.org, and other venues. Born in West Texas, she now shares time between Toronto, Ontario; Stavanger, Norway; and the Oneida reservation in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
---
# About the Book
**“A masterwork.” —Diane Seuss**
Each poem examines a mystery. Each poem has its own Indigeneity. Each poem is its own cloud missive.
Intimate, dissecting, and liberating, ***Cloud Missives*** is a poetry collection of excavation and renewal. Like an anthropologist, Kenzie Allen reveals a life from what endures after tragedies and acts of survival. Across four sections, poems explore pop culture—the stereotypes in Peter Pan, Indiana Jones, and beyond—fairy tales, myths, protests, and forgotten histories, before arriving at a dazzling series of love poems that deepen our understanding of romantic, platonic, and communal love.
Cloud Missives is an investigation, a manifestation, and a celebration: of the body, of what we make and remake, of the self, and of the heart. With care and deep attention, it asks what one can reimagine of Indigenous personhood in the wake of colonialism, what healing might look like when loving the world around you—and introduces readers to a profound new voice in poetry.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [A Reading & Conversation with Novelists David Ebenbach & Clifford Garstang](https://writer.org/event/ebenbach-garstang/)
**Published:** August 14, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes authors David Ebenbach and Clifford Garstang for a reading and discussion of their new novels. Book signing to follow.
**FREE and open to the public. RSVP below.**
---
DC writer **David Ebenbach** is the author of ten books of fiction, poetry, and non-fiction, including his new novel *Possible Happiness*. He lives with his family in Glover Park, and he trains faculty and graduate students in pedagogy and teaches creative writing and literature at Georgetown University. You can find out more at [davidebenbach.com](http://davidebenbach.com/).
**Clifford Garstang** is the author of three novels, *Oliver’s Travels,* *The Shaman of Turtle Valley*, as well as his latest, *The Last Bird of Paradise.* He is also the author of three story collections, *In an Uncharted Country*, *House of the Ancients and Other Stories*, and *What the Zhang Boys Know*, which won the Library of Virginia Literary Award for Fiction. A former international lawyer, he lives in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.
---
# About *The Last Bird of Paradise*
Two women, nearly a century apart, seek to rebuild their lives when they reluctantly leave their homelands. Arriving in Singapore, they find romance in a tropical paradise, but also find they haven’t left behind the dangers that caused them to flee. In a lyrical blend of historical and contemporary drama, ***The Last Bird of Paradise*** explores the consequences of power imbalances—both domestic and geopolitical—against a lush, tropical backdrop.
---
# About *Possible Happiness*
Eleventh-grader Jacob Wasserman is just trying to get by. Under the radar, he spends his weekends at home by himself, leaning on TV and video games to distract himself from the weight—these days we would call it depression—inside him. But he’s secretly got a quirky sense of humor, and, when he starts letting it show, he finally gets noticed. In fact, before he knows it, Jacob’s ability to keep people entertained has drawn him into a full-time social life, complete with a circle of friends, parties, and even a girlfriend. But is this newfound acceptance enough to unlock meaningful well-being? Is this entertainer even the real Jacob? Possible Happiness is a funny and tender coming of age story about developing the courage to face and understand yourself. In a starred review, Booklist called the novel “a beautiful coming-of-age novel with a highly empathic, multidimensional character who comes alive on the page.”
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Write Like the News](https://writer.org/event/write-like-the-news-2/)
**Published:** April 8, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Lead with the future — not background — for lead-ership, especially in a crisis. That’s the most important of eight journalism skills that will transform your writing. The others: write your readers’ language, be positive (to be both clear and upbeat), lay out logically, be consistent, be precise, be concise and choose strong verbs. (Plus a Speak Like the News skill: avoid “uptalk?”) Emulate the vivid news examples you’ll see in this workshop, and you’ll strengthen your writing voice with lively, engaging news style. At 7 sharp, we’ll critique TheWallStreetJournal.com, seeing how to communicate your main point in just a few words. To cover as much ground as possible, we’ll have just a few writing exercises and most of them will take less than a minute each.
**Content:**
# Become concise as news, precise as law.
Lead with the future — not background — for lead-ership, especially in a crisis. That’s the most important of eight journalism skills that will transform your writing. The others: write your readers’ language, be positive (to be both clear and upbeat), lay out logically, be consistent, be precise, be concise and choose strong verbs. (Plus a Speak Like the News skill: avoid “uptalk?”) Emulate the vivid news examples you’ll see in this workshop, and you’ll strengthen your writing voice with lively, engaging news style. At 7 sharp, we’ll critique TheWallStreetJournal.com, seeing how to communicate your main point in just a few words. To cover as much ground as possible, we’ll have just a few writing exercises and most of them will take less than a minute each.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
## In this workshop you’ll learn:
- “Lead with the future — not background” for lead-ership, especially in a crisis.
- Choose between raw numbers and a ratio.
- “Equal writes”: choose an egalitarian, engaging, non-clunky alternative to generic “he.”
- Break bad news the good way — and keep your readers reading.
- Plus a “Speak Like the News” skill: avoid “uptalk?”
## Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
## Materials
- The Writer’s Center will email you a 9-page booklet a few days ahead of time.
## Who should take this workshop?
- Writers (business writers especially) who’d like to learn by emulating or improving excerpts from diverse sources — here news of course, but also the Supreme Court, Charles Dickens and the Ronettes.
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Professional Writing, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [An Evening of Tributes to Jesmyn Ward](https://writer.org/event/jesmyn-ward/)
**Published:** June 12, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
# A Free Fitzgerald Literary Festival Event Co-sponsored with The Writer’s Center
The [F. Scott Fitzgerald Literary Conference, Inc.](https://fscottfestival.org/) and The Writer’s Center present a reading in tribute to two-time National Book Award-winning novelist Jesmyn Ward, addressing the Festival’s theme of “Writing the Hard Stories.” Featuring American Book Award-winning author Susan Muaddi Darraj, MacArthur Fellowship awardee Kiese Laymon, and prize-winning poet and essayist Chet’la Sebree, plus concluding remarks by Ward.
**FREE and open to the public. RSVP required below.**
---
**Susan Muaddi Darraj** is an award-winning writer of books for adults and children. She won an American Book Award, two Arab American Book Awards, and a Maryland State Arts Council Independent Artists Award. In 2018, she was named a USA Artists Ford Fellow. Her books include her linked short story collection, *A Curious Land*, as well as the Farah Rocks children’s book series. She lives in Baltimore, where she teaches creative writing at Harford Community College and the Johns Hopkins University. Her new novel, *Behind You Is the Sea*, was published in January 2024 by HarperVia. It received praise from *The New York Times*, *The San Francisco Chronicle*, and *Ms Magazine*, and it was named a Best Book of 2024 by *The New Yorker* and Apple Books.
=
**Kiese Laymon** is a Black southern writer from Jackson, Mississippi. Laymon is the Libbie Shearn Moody Professor of English and Creative Writing at Rice University. Laymon is the author of *Long Division,* which won the 2022 NAACP Image Award for fiction, and the essay collection, *How to Slowly Kill Yourself and Others in America,* named a notable book of 2021 by the New York Times critics. Laymon’s bestselling memoir, *Heavy: An American* *Memoir*, won the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction, the Christopher Isherwood Prize for Autobiographical Prose, the Barnes and Noble Discovery Award, the Austen Riggs Erikson Prize for Excellence in Mental Health Media, and was named one of the 50 Best Memoirs of the Past 50 Years by *The New York Times*. The audiobook, read by the author, was named the Audible 2018 Audiobook of the Year. Laymon is the recipient of 2020-2021 Radcliffe Fellowship at Harvard. Laymon is at work on the books, *Good God*, and *City Summer, Country Summer,* and a number of other film and television projects*.* He is the founder of “The Catherine Coleman Literary Arts and Justice Initiative,” a program based out of the Margaret Walker Center at Jackson State University, aimed at aiding young people in Jackson get more comfortable reading, writing, revising and sharing on their on their own terms, in their own communities. Kiese Laymon was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship in 2022.
**Chet’la Sebree** is the author of [*Field Study*](https://us.macmillan.com/books/9780374539023) (FSG Originals, June 2021), winner of the 2020 James Laughlin Award from the Academy of American Poets. She is also the author of [*Mistress*](https://www.chetlasebree.com/s/2018-New-Issues-Poetry-Prize-Announcement.pdf), selected by Cathy Park Hong as the winner of the 2018 New Issues Poetry Prize and nominated for an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work-Poetry (2020). She is currently working on her debut essay collection about her relationship to home, heritage, and belonging through domestic and international travel; it’s forthcoming from The Dial Press in 2025. She is an assistant professor of English at George Washington University.
**Jesmyn Ward** received her MFA from the University of Michigan and has received the MacArthur Genius Grant, a Stegner Fellowship, a John and Renee Grisham Writers Residency, the Strauss Living Prize, and the 2022 Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction. She is the historic winner—first woman and first Black American—of two National Book Awards for Fiction for *Sing, Unburied, Sing* (2017) and *Salvage the Bones* (2011). She is also the author of the novel *Where the Line Bleeds* and the memoir *Men We Reaped*, which was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award and won the Chicago Tribune Heartland Prize and the Media for a Just Society Award. She is currently a professor of creative writing at Tulane University and lives in Mississippi.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat with Paul Jaskunas in Conversation with Leeya Mehta](https://writer.org/event/paul-jaskunas/)
**Published:** March 20, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Inner Loop and The Writer’s Center present a FREE virtual chat about the craft of fiction! We’re joined by Paul Jaskunas to discuss his new novel, *The Atlas of Remedies*. Paul is in conversation with author Leeya Mehta.
*The Atlas of Remedies* is The Inner Loop’s Author’s Corner spotlight. [The Inner Loop](https://www.theinnerlooplit.org/) cultivates and promotes the distinctive literary culture of Washington DC. Author’s Corner supports local authors’ independently published books by spotlighting them in community programming and collaborations.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from Bookshop.org »](https://bookshop.org/a/101989/9781945233241)
---
**Paul Jaskunas** is the author of two novels: *The Atlas of Remedies* (Stillhouse Press) and *Hidden* (Free Press), which won the Friends of American Writers Award. A chapbook of his poems, *Mother Ship*, will be released by Finishing Line Press in Fall 2024. His writing has appeared in the *New York Times*, *America*, *Tab*, *Little Patuxent Review*, and the *Vilnius Review*, among many other publications. Since 2008, he has taught literature and writing at the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore, where he edits *Full Bleed*, an annual journal devoted to the intersection of the visual and literary arts. [jaskunas.com](http://www.jaskunas.com/).
**Leeya Mehta** is a prize-winning poet and fiction writer. Until recently, Leeya wrote a column on the literary life, The Company We Keep. She is the author of a chapbook *The Towers of Silence* and the collection *A Story of the World Before the Fence*. Her work has appeared in *The Atlanta Review*, *The Beloit Poetry Journal*, *Beltway Poetry Quarterly*, *District Lit*, *Gargoyle*, *Poetry London*, *Vinyl Poetry*, and *Why Nicht?* amongst others. Her work has been widely anthologized, including in the *Penguin Book of Modern Indian Poets*. Leeya grew up in Bombay and was a Radhakrishnan Scholar at Oxford University. She began her career as a tech entrepreneur – founding India’s first full legal services start-up. Leeya has called Washington DC her home since graduate school at Georgetown, from where she has a Masters in Public Policy. After over a decade working in international development at the World Bank, she is currently the Director of the Alan Cheuse International Writers Center. Find out more about her here: [cheusecenter.gmu.edu/about/our-staff/overview](https://cheusecenter.gmu.edu/about/our-staff/overview)
---
# About the Book
Frightened that the grippe will steal away the life of her beloved cousin Marija, the only family she has in New York, Karolina steps out into the cold and unforgiving city streets to buy chamomile flowers, a tried-and-true remedy from her old life in Lithuania. Meanwhile, her children struggle to navigate through Russian-occupied Europe to reach the port of Hamburg and sail to America for a desperately sought reunion.
Set in 1901, Paul Jaskunas’s multi-generational immigrant saga in-miniature nimbly blends historical realism with a dreamlike aesthetic to create a unique and arresting portrait of one family fervently hoping that America will make good on its promise.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [DIY Novel Revision](https://writer.org/event/diy-novel-revision-3/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** 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.
**Content:**
# Edit your novel without an editor.
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.
---
***Learn at your own pace:** This workshop will take place over **Wet Ink**, which is an asynchronous creative writing platform. The instructor will post a lesson and assignment at the beginning of each week, and participants can log in and read the lessons/post assignments/comment on other classmates’ work at their convenience. Shortly before the start date, participants will receive an invite from Wet Ink to create their login info and access the class. Please check your spam if you don’t see it.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Learn to identify issues and strategize your revision plan.
- Learn how to prioritize editorial concerns including characterization and plot.
- Learn how to tighten your prose.
# Time requirements
- 3-5 hours/week
# Materials
- Required: *Story Fix* by Larry Brooks
- Recommended: *Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, Second Edition* and *How to Edit Yourself Into Print* by Renni Browne and Dave King
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for anyone seeking to be their own first editor.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, Advanced Level, Fiction, Wet Ink, Workshop
---
### [Setting Intensive](https://writer.org/event/setting-intensive/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** In this workshop we will learn to use setting as a map, as a structure for storytelling. Setting can be a situation, a tone, a time, an atmosphere, a relationship, and more. It can be as broad as a country, as small as a porch swing. At its best, setting becomes a character in and of itself. In short, setting is the most versatile and under-utilized of all the elements of craft. This interactive and dynamic workshop will give you the means to improve both your fiction and nonfiction stories.
**Content:**
# Learn why setting is the most versatile tool in a writer’s craft kit: it’s a time, a place, a situation, an atmosphere and a structure.
In this workshop we will learn to use setting as a map, as a structure for storytelling. Setting can be a situation, a tone, a time, an atmosphere, a relationship, and more. It can be as broad as a country, as small as a porch swing. At its best, setting becomes a character in and of itself. In short, setting is the most versatile and under-utilized of all the elements of craft. This interactive and dynamic workshop will give you the means to improve both your fiction and nonfiction stories.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn to:
- identify what setting is
- use concrete detail
- impact the reader indirectly
- reflect and generate emotion
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Writers of every level who have never concentrated their attention on the versatility of setting.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Finding Your Authentic Voice](https://writer.org/event/finding-your-authentic-voice-2/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Look beyond your inner critic and tap into the flow of your limitless creativity, as you discover the powerful impact of your authentic voice. Learn how to identify limiting beliefs, deconstruct doubt, and write compelling pieces to foster a special connection with your readers. In a safe and supportive space, reintroduce your childlike wonder around creativity so you can write freely, reclaim your power, and uncover your true gifts. Unleash your brilliance and honor the impact of your stories, lessons, and innermost thoughts. Walk away feeling empowered with fresh awareness, confidence in your writing, and practical tips to stay inspired and let your art flow freely. Note: No meeting November 30.
**Content:**
# Get out of your own way and let your inner voice, emotions, and instincts guide you as you freely express your unique truth and enhance your message.
Look beyond your inner critic and tap into the flow of your limitless creativity, as you discover the powerful impact of your authentic voice. Learn how to identify limiting beliefs, deconstruct doubt, and write compelling pieces to foster a special connection with your readers. In a safe and supportive space, reintroduce your childlike wonder around creativity so you can write freely, reclaim your power, and uncover your true gifts. Unleash your brilliance and honor the impact of your stories, lessons, and innermost thoughts. Walk away feeling empowered with fresh awareness, confidence in your writing, and practical tips to stay inspired and let your art flow freely. Note: No meeting November 30.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Taming your inner critic and its negativity
- Recovering a sense of identity and reclaim your power
- The power of vulnerability and connection
- Facing your fears around sharing your work
- Tools for integration and continued practice
- Discovering and spreading your truth
# Time requirements
- 1-2 hours/week
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers of all levels and genre who want to explore ways to strengthen their connection to the creative process, so they may share their authentic voices and powerful stories with the world.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, All Levels, Mixed Genre, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [The Art of the Rewrite](https://writer.org/event/the-art-of-the-rewrite/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** The best writing is REwriting. In this session, you'll learn practical ways to put your manuscript on a flab-burning diet so that your copy is tight, trim, and hot -- and all without even having to step onto a treadmill.
**Content:**
# Transform your messy first draft into something coherent.
The best writing is REwriting. In this session, you’ll learn practical ways to put your manuscript on a flab-burning diet so that your copy is tight, trim, and hot — and all without even having to step onto a treadmill.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How to structure your story
- A systematic way to approach your rewrite
- The importance of beta readers and professional editors
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for beginning and intermediate writers who need guidance on how to identify and shore up the weak spots of their manuscript.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Fiction, Intermediate Level, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Natural Meter Crash Course](https://writer.org/event/natural-meter-crash-course-3/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Have you ever wondered how scanning the lines of your first draft can make for a better poem? Here’s an opportunity to improve your ear for meter—a major element of poetic prosody—and to fine-tune your understanding of how it works. Guided by an internationally published author of sonnets, villanelles, and other metrical poems, this one-day workshop includes scansion of well-known poems, writing exercises, and, if you like, close examination of a poem you’ve drafted prior to class. You’ll leave with new insights about improving the auditory qualities of all your poems and prose.
**Content:**
# Strengthen your poetry by better understanding how meter interacts with the natural rhythms of speech.
Have you ever wondered how scanning the lines of your first draft can make for a better poem? Here’s an opportunity to improve your ear for meter—a major element of poetic prosody—and to fine-tune your understanding of how it works. Guided by an internationally published author of sonnets, villanelles, and other metrical poems, this one-day workshop includes scansion of well-known poems, writing exercises, and, if you like, close examination of a poem you’ve drafted prior to class. You’ll leave with new insights about improving the auditory qualities of all your poems and prose.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Scansion
- Prosody
- Ear training
- Metrical exercises
- Feedback on participant poems
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for all poets who would like to improve their understanding and use of meter.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Intermediate/Advanced Level, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Point of View and Narrative Voice](https://writer.org/event/point-of-view-and-narrative-voice-3/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** 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.
**Content:**
# Find Your Narrator’s Voice.
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.
---
***Learn at your own pace:** This workshop will take place over **Wet Ink**, which is an asynchronous creative writing platform. The instructor will post a lesson and assignment at the beginning of each week, and participants can log in and read the lessons/post assignments/comment on other classmates’ work at their convenience. Shortly before the start date, participants will receive an invite from Wet Ink to create their login info and access the class. Please check your spam if you don’t see it.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Learn the various point of view options.
- Examine their associated benefits and limitations.
- Experiment with these options in your own work.
- Learn the “rules” of point of view.
# Time requirements
- 3-5 hours/week
# Materials
- *Point of View: How to use the different POV types, avoid head-hopping, and choose the best point of view for your book (Writers’ Guide Series)* by Sandra Gerth
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is aimed at those seeking the demystification of the concept of point of view in fiction writing.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, All Levels, Fiction, Wet Ink, Workshop
---
### [Persona Poems](https://writer.org/event/persona-poems/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Persona poems allow the poet to step into someone else's shoes, or the shoes of an object, an animal, a force of nature. This workshop will play with persona poems by reading examples in class and then following the prompts provided! Participants can expect to write 3-4 drafts of poems.
**Content:**
# Play with persona poems and give that inanimate object — or animal, or famous person — a voice!
Persona poems allow the poet to step into someone else’s shoes, or the shoes of an object, an animal, a force of nature. This workshop will play with persona poems by reading examples in class and then following the prompts provided! Participants can expect to write 3-4 drafts of poems.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- A new form of poetry
- Playful language
- How persona poems can tap the imagination in unexpected ways
- How to bestow ideas onto objects
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- All levels welcome!
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Poetry, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Book Marketing on a Budget!](https://writer.org/event/book-marketing-on-a-budget-3/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** You’ve written – or are writing your book – now fight for it! In this workshop we’ll focus on dozens of book marketing tips, with a close eye on budgets. From book launches, social media, blogging and podcasting, to writing press releases, creating Amazon Author’s pages, and connecting with publicists, we’ll fill your head, and notebook with ideas; over 30 of them! If you think writing a book is exciting, wait until you feel the thrill of professionally promoting it!
**Content:**
# Your job isn’t over once you’ve published a book; it’s just beginning and we’ll go cover over 30 ideas that are budget friendly!
You’ve written – or are writing your book – now fight for it! In this workshop we’ll focus on dozens of book marketing tips, with a close eye on budgets. From book launches, social media, blogging and podcasting, to writing press releases, creating Amazon Author’s pages, and connecting with publicists, we’ll fill your head, and notebook with ideas; over 30 of them! If you think writing a book is exciting, wait until you feel the thrill of professionally promoting it!
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Over 30 marketing ideas.
- Tips on negotiating larger book sales.
- The value of working with book distributors.
- Strategies designed to get those Amazon reviews.
- How to create a book launch that energizes those who support you!
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers who have published a book, about to publish a book, or have a book on the horizon that will be published. It’s never too early or late to fight for your book!
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 2 Sessions, All Levels, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [High-Octane Grammar](https://writer.org/event/high-octane-grammar/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** In this one-session workshop, Ken Ackerman shares his own secrets to get the most out of wordsmithing, using simple rules of grammar to energize your writing like a fine-tuned engine. This workshop includes a refresher on grammar essentials, strong verbs, and sharp sentences to make your writing sing.
**Content:**
# Make grammar your friend, not your enemy!
In this one-session workshop, Ken Ackerman shares his own secrets to get the most out of wordsmithing, using simple rules of grammar to energize your writing like a fine-tuned engine. This workshop includes a refresher on grammar essentials, strong verbs, and sharp sentences to make your writing sing.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Learn how to polish your verbs, paragraphs, sentences like fine silver.
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Anyone who uses words as a tool to express themselves.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [UnClogging Your Brain](https://writer.org/event/unclogging-your-brain-3/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Prompts will spark memories, characters, and places, turning them into poems, scenes, dialogues, and stories. During 'UnClogging' you will likely come up with an 'idea' that you feel compelled to expand on, or perhaps be re-inspired to continue an unfinished work later. Find new perspective and confidence!
**Content:**
# Improvisation fearlessly puts you directly into the action and heart of the moment allowing your creative genius to ‘script’ on the spot in a judgement free zone.
Prompts will spark memories, characters, and places, turning them into poems, scenes, dialogues, and stories. During ‘UnClogging’ you will likely come up with an ‘idea’ that you feel compelled to expand on, or perhaps be re-inspired to continue an unfinished work later. Find new perspective and confidence!
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Creating Conflict & Tension](https://writer.org/event/creating-conflict-tension-3/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** 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.
**Content:**
# It’s often said that without conflict there is no story — make sure yours is strong enough.
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.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Plotting
- Emotion
- Pacing
- Character Development
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- Authors particularly interested in publication, or simply making their readers care about their characters, will benefit from this fast-paced, entertaining workshop.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [My Life, One Story at a Time](https://writer.org/event/my-life-one-story-at-a-time/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** The goal in this ‘Guided Autobiography’ workshop is to capture your life experiences in six short pieces of autobiographical writing (true stories) for those who will survive you—or for yourself later in life. Knowing that you are writing not for publication but to set the record straight (in your own mind, if nothing else) may liberate you, allowing you to frankly explore your life choices and experiences. Write a two-page (500-word max) story to bring to the first session, to read aloud, to introduce yourself to others in the group—about a turning point in your life, or a time when you made a choice that changed your life. The emphasis here is on storytelling— making yourself and important friends and family characters in your stories. There is no “literary critiquing”—so you can relax enough to tell your story frankly, and find your natural voice.
**Content:**
# Write one true story each week drawn from your life and personal experiences.
The goal in this ‘Guided Autobiography’ workshop is to capture your life experiences in six short pieces of autobiographical writing (true stories) for those who will survive you—or for yourself later in life. Knowing that you are writing not for publication but to set the record straight (in your own mind, if nothing else) may liberate you, allowing you to frankly explore your life choices and experiences. Write a two-page (500-word max) story to bring to the first session, to read aloud, to introduce yourself to others in the group—about a turning point in your life, or a time when you made a choice that changed your life. The emphasis here is on storytelling— making yourself and important friends and family characters in your stories. There is no “literary critiquing”—so you can relax enough to tell your story frankly, and find your natural voice.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- Write a new true story each week, with “characters” from your life (including you) brought to life with “telling details” and best of all (if you can do it) good dialogue.
# Time requirements
- 2-3 hours/week
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for those who want to write about their life and need a guide, an audience, and a deadline to “lay down track.”
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 6 Sessions, All Levels, Nonfiction, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Writing Vignettes](https://writer.org/event/writing-vignettes/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** We will write short vignettes in narrative form, lyric form, and persona. A vignette is an episodic piece of writing describing a person or a moment in time. Generative writing exercises will be shaped by Bhanu Kapil’s The Vertical Interrogation of Strangers, as well as poems by artists Dionne Brand, Sarah Ghazal Ali, and Nikky Finney. Participants will leave with twenty vignettes about pivotal moments or years in history or the writer's life.
**Content:**
# Learn to write vignettes by delving into poetry, non/fiction, and screenwriting.
We will write short vignettes in narrative form, lyric form, and persona. A vignette is an episodic piece of writing describing a person or a moment in time. Generative writing exercises will be shaped by Bhanu Kapil’s The Vertical Interrogation of Strangers, as well as poems by artists Dionne Brand, Sarah Ghazal Ali, and Nikky Finney. Participants will leave with twenty vignettes about pivotal moments or years in history or the writer’s life.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Atmosphere & Lyric
- Point of View & Time
- Tone
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is available to writers at all stages.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, All Levels, Poetry, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Plotting Your Novel](https://writer.org/event/plotting-your-novel-2/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** 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.
**Content:**
# Are you a pantser or a planner?
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.
---
***Learn at your own pace:** This workshop will take place over **Wet Ink**, which is an asynchronous creative writing platform. The instructor will post a lesson and assignment at the beginning of each week, and participants can log in and read the lessons/post assignments/comment on other classmates’ work at their convenience. Shortly before the start date, participants will receive an invite from Wet Ink to create their login info and access the class. Please check your spam if you don’t see it.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll:
- clearly define the premise of your novel
- determine your main character(s) and the central conflicts (both external and internal)
- define (and write) the inciting incident
- determine the novel’s climax
- begin to consider possible conclusions
# Time requirements
- 3-5 hours/week
# Materials
- *Hooked* by Les Edgerton
- *Plot & Structure* by James Scott Bell
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for anyone struggling with the plot and structure of their novel.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, All Levels, Fiction, Wet Ink, Workshop
---
### [From Idea to Script: A Beginner's Guide to Screenwriting](https://writer.org/event/from-idea-to-script-a-beginners-guide-to-screenwriting-2/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Discover how to translate your passion for screenwriting into actionable skills. Every week students will build on the foundations of story, structure, character arcs, the do's and don'ts, industry standards, and the technical side of writing a script until they have a completed short screenplay that will be workshopped during the last weeks of class. We'll start with one page scripts, build to a three-page script, and finally five to ten page scripts for the final workshop. Please come to class with a few ideas you'd like to use to create a final script.
Recommended, but not required reading:
- Crafting Short Screenplays that Connect by Claudia Hunter Johnson
- How to Write a Movie in 21 Days by Viki King
- Story by Robert McKee
- On Writing by Stephen King
In Preparation:
Watch your favorite films and take notes, make a list of questions, and notice anything that stands out or doesn't make sense to you. We'll discuss in class.
**Content:**
# Learn how to turn your big idea into a solid screenplay.
Discover how to translate your passion for screenwriting into actionable skills. Every week students will build on the foundations of story, structure, character arcs, the do’s and don’ts, industry standards, and the technical side of writing a script until they have a completed short screenplay that will be workshopped during the last weeks of class. We’ll start with one page scripts, build to a three-page script, and finally five to ten page scripts for the final workshop. Please come to class with a few ideas you’d like to use to create a final script.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Story (does this story work as a script?)
- Structure
- Character Arcs/Development
- Scripts vs. Novels: how subtext works in a screenplay
- Technical Screenwriting
- Film Direction in a script
# In Preparation
- Watch your favorite films and take notes, make a list of questions, and notice anything that stands out or doesn’t make sense to you. We’ll discuss in class.
# Time requirements
- Students will have deadlines for a one-page script, a three-page script, and the final script will be workshopped during the last sessions. Exact time requirements depends on how quickly you’re able to work through these drafts.
# Recommended Reading
- *Crafting Short Screenplays that Connect* by Claudia Hunter Johnson
- *How to Write a Movie in 21 Days* by Viki King
- *Story* by Robert McKee
- *On Writing* by Stephen King
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for beginning screenwriters and novelists who are interested in adapting their work. You’ll learn the basics of screenwriting to get you started on your long-form journey.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 6 Sessions, Beginner Level, Stage and Screen, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Reading Your Work Out Loud](https://writer.org/event/reading-your-work-out-loud-2/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Spend some time 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 turn fuel a more authentic writing process and outcome. You’ll leave the workshop with an experience of camaraderie, community, and a more deeply rooted sense of your creative and expressive self. Please have on hand a number of pieces you’d be comfortable sharing during the meeting. There will be a break; please also bring a snack and water.
**Content:**
# Practice sharing yourself and your story.
Spend some time 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 turn fuel a more authentic writing process and outcome. You’ll leave the workshop with an experience of camaraderie, community, and a more deeply rooted sense of your creative and expressive self. Please have on hand a number of pieces you’d be comfortable sharing during the meeting. There will be a break; please also bring a snack and water.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Public speaking skills
- Performance anxiety mitigation
- Performance conviction and authenticity
# Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Stage and Screen, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Intro to the Novel](https://writer.org/event/intro-to-the-novel-3/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** 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.
**Content:**
# Have you always wanted to write a novel but didn’t know where to start?
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.
---
***Learn at your own pace:** This workshop will take place over **Wet Ink**, which is an asynchronous creative writing platform. The instructor will post a lesson and assignment at the beginning of each week, and participants can log in and read the lessons/post assignments/comment on other classmates’ work at their convenience. Shortly before the start date, participants will receive an invite from Wet Ink to create their login info and access the class. Please check your spam if you don’t see it.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn how to:
- Develop you Premise
- Establish Point of View/Narrative Voice
- Create authentic Characters
- Organize Plot and Structure
- Create good writing habits
- Determine your personal Process
# Time requirements
- 3-5 hours/week
# Materials
- *Hooked* by Les Edgerton
- *Plot & Structure* by James Scott Bell
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for those who have never written a novel before — or for those who are looking for a strong foundation in the basic components of novel-writing.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 8 Sessions, Beginner Level, Fiction, Wet Ink, Workshop
---
### [Crafting Your Life into Story](https://writer.org/event/crafting-your-life-into-story/)
**Published:** April 8, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Following a tried-and-true formula (“Once upon a time . . . . Then, one day . . .”), you will learn how to identify, begin, and structure an autobiographical story, whether fiction or non-fiction. Participants will finish the workshop with the plots of at least three new autobiographical works, a two-page beginning of a new essay, story, novel, or memoir, or a revised beginning of their work-in-progress. Participants should bring either paper and pen or a writing device.Part 1: Learn how to begin and structure your new work.
Part 2 (two weeks later): Workshop the drafts (5 pages max.) of your new work.
**Content:**
# Learn how to identify several pivotal events of your life and shape one of them into a work of fiction or non-fiction.
Following a tried-and-true formula (“Once upon a time . . . . Then, one day . . .”), you will learn how to identify, begin, and structure an autobiographical story, whether fiction or non-fiction. Participants will finish the workshop with the plots of at least three new autobiographical works, a two-page beginning of a new essay, story, novel, or memoir, or a revised beginning of their work-in-progress. Participants should bring either paper and pen or a writing device.
- Session 1: Learn how to begin and structure your new work.
- Session 2: Workshop the drafts (5 pages max.) of your new work.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 2 Sessions, All Levels, Mixed Genre, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Creating Novel Characters](https://writer.org/event/creating-novel-characters-3/)
**Published:** August 7, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** 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.
**Content:**
# Bring your characters to life on the page.
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.
---
***Learn at your own pace:** This workshop will take place over **Wet Ink**, which is an asynchronous creative writing platform. The instructor will post a lesson and assignment at the beginning of each week, and participants can log in and read the lessons/post assignments/comment on other classmates’ work at their convenience. Shortly before the start date, participants will receive an invite from Wet Ink to create their login info and access the class. Please check your spam if you don’t see it.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Your character’s past and future
- Your character’s motivations
- How the plot will bring about your character’s arc
- How to reveal your character on the page
# Time requirements
- 3-5 hours/week
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers looking to add dimension to their fictional characters.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, All Levels, Fiction, Wet Ink, Workshop
---
### [Creating Novel Characters](https://writer.org/event/creating-novel-characters-2/)
**Published:** April 8, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** 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.
**Content:**
# Bring your characters to life on the page.
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.
---
***Learn at your own pace:** This workshop will take place over **Wet Ink**, which is an asynchronous creative writing platform. The instructor will post a lesson and assignment at the beginning of each week, and participants can log in and read the lessons/post assignments/comment on other classmates’ work at their convenience. Shortly before the start date, participants will receive an invite from Wet Ink to create their login info and access the class. Please check your spam if you don’t see it.*
---
# In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Your character’s past and future
- Your character’s motivations
- How the plot will bring about your character’s arc
- How to reveal your character on the page
# Time requirements
- 3-5 hours/week
# Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
# Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers looking to add dimension to their fictional characters.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, All Levels, Fiction, Wet Ink, Workshop
---
### [Journaling Techniques for Writing Memories](https://writer.org/event/journaling-techniques-for-writing-memories-2/)
**Published:** April 8, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** This workshop is about the pursuit of insight through writing personal memories. Whether you currently keep a journal or want to start journaling to nurture a consistent writing practice, in this two-day workshop you will learn journaling techniques that help you recall significant memories and explore the meaning behind those experiences. We will explore how a memoir writer’s journal differs from a regular journal, how to get your memoir journal started, and how to work with your captured memories to create a single storyline.
**Content:**
# Use your journaling practice to mine your memories for writing projects.
This workshop is about the pursuit of insight through writing personal memories. Whether you currently keep a journal or want to start journaling to nurture a consistent writing practice, in this two-day workshop you will learn journaling techniques that help you recall significant memories and explore the meaning behind those experiences. We will explore how a memoir writer’s journal differs from a regular journal, how to get your memoir journal started, and how to work with your captured memories to create a single storyline.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
## In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Idea generation
- Journaling techniques
- Story development
- Building a writing practice
## Time requirements
- Participants may spend 2-4 hours outside of the workshop working on a rough draft to share with the group.
## Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
## Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for writers who want to identify compelling themes for personal storytelling.
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 2 Sessions, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Novelist K.E. Semmel Book Launch Celebration with Art Taylor](https://writer.org/event/semmel-taylor/)
**Published:** July 31, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes back K.E. Semmel (who was TWC’s Publications and Communications Manager about a decade ago!) for a reading and discussion of his debut novel, *The Book of Losman*, plus special guest Art Taylor, author of *The Adventure of the Castle Thief and Other Expeditions and Indiscretions*.
**FREE & open to the public. Register below.**
---
**K.E. Semmel** is a writer and translator. His fiction and nonfiction have appeared in *Ontario Review*, *Lithub*, *The Writer’s Chronicle*, *The Southern Review*, *Washington Post*, and elsewhere. His debut novel, *The Book of Losman*, will be published in October 2024 (SFWP). His translations include novels by, among others, Naja Marie Aidt, Karin Fossum, Simon Fruelund, and Jussi Adler Olsen. He is a former Literary Translation Fellow from the National Endowment for the Arts. He lives in Scottsville, NY with his wife and son, and is the Communications Manager of the Western New York Land Conservancy.
**Art Taylor** is the Edgar Award-winning author of two short story collections—*The Adventure of the Castle Thief and Other Expeditions and Indiscretions* and *The Boy Detective & The Summer of ’74 and Other Tales of Suspense—*and of the novel in stories *On the Road with Del & Louise,* winner of the Agatha Award for Best First Novel*.* He won the 2019 Edgar Award for Best Short Story for “English 398: Fiction Workshop,” originally published in *Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine*, and he has won three additional Agatha Awards, an Anthony Award, four Macavity Awards, and four Derringer Awards for his short fiction. His work has also appeared in *Best American Mystery Stories*, and he edited *Murder Under the Oaks: Bouchercon Anthology 2015*, winner of the Anthony Award for Best Anthology or Collection, and *California Schemin’: Bouchercon Anthology 2020*. He is an associate professor of English at George Mason University, and he has contributed frequently to the *Washington Post*, the *Washington Independent Review of Books*, and *Mystery Scene Magazine*.
---
# About The Book of Losman
Meet Daniel Losman—an American in Copenhagen, translating books and living a solitary existence. His longtime girlfriend has left him, and the only highlights in his life are encounters with an offbeat artist he thinks he’s in love with and weekends with his three-year-old son, whom he worries has inherited his Tourette Syndrome.
When Losman learns of a new drug designed to locate the root of his Tourette through childhood memories, he’s lured by promises of a cure and visits the mysterious lab that developed the drug. Initially, what he discovers buried deep within his brain rejuvenates him. But the more Losman takes the drug, the more he needs it. Losman steals some of the pills and locks himself away in his apartment, only to quickly find himself trapped inside his own mind. There’s a way out of his head, but it will come at a price…
With intelligence and humor reminiscent of Matt Haig’s *The Midnight Library*, ***The Book of Losman*** explores the depths one man will go to make himself whole.
---
# About The Adventure of the Castle Thief
A man hears a melody in the night and begins a dangerous quest to locate its source. Ghosts of the past haunt the present in hotels, at an office party, and on a date that takes a dark turn. And an elderly woman named Marple sets out to prove she’s every bit as capable as Christie’s own famous sleuth. This second short story collection from Edgar Award winner Art Taylor spans the spectrum of crime fiction-from light-hearted traditional mystery to noir-tinged tales and even toward speculative fiction-and features two previously unpublished stories and an introduction by Martin Edwards.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Latine Open Mic @ The Writer's Center](https://writer.org/event/latine-open-mic-oct2024/)
**Published:** July 31, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Bilingual Open Mic for Latine writers! All Latine writers are welcome to come and share 4-5 minutes of their latest work in English, Spanish, or spanglish. Limited space (sign up below to ensure a spot). Readings begin promptly at 6.
**FREE and open to the public. Advance registration required to be a reader.**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Short Fiction Intensive with R. O. Kwon](https://writer.org/event/short-fiction-intensive/)
**Published:** June 10, 2024
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
# Work with acclaimed author R. O. Kwon to revise your stories, generate new work, and prepare for publication.
In this 10-month intensive class, we’ll workshop our short fiction, whether they’re stories or excerpts. Together, we’ll delve into fiction-writing possibilities, hopes, investigations, and leaps of faith. We’ll have time and space for everyone to workshop several pieces of fiction, including revisions. In addition, when possible, we’ll also explore in-class writing exercises.
We’ll ask, among other questions: what does it mean to revise, and how can you figure out what works best for you? I tend to avoid generalizations, but it’s pretty safe to say that every writer revises, and often heavily: Kerouac bragged that he’d written *On the Road* in one go, but after he died, they learned about his drafts.
Finally, we’ll discuss and—if this is a goal of yours—work toward publication. Please come ready for both rigor and play.
**APPLICATION DEADLINE: July 23, 2024**
---
## Workshop Schedule
This class meets via Zoom every other Wednesday, August 7, 2024 – May 28, 2025 for a total of 21 sessions, with breaks for holidays and dedicated writing periods. Between Zoom meetings, participants can expect readings and assignments, as well as individual feedback from the instructor.
---
## Praise for R. O. Kwon
“*Exhibit* is extraordinary: brisk, jolting, brilliant, beautiful, true. A ghost story, a tale of passion, a captivating portrait of how art is made, it turns myths upside down, assumptions inside out, all in the most exquisite prose in the bookstore. **Kwon is one of the finest American writers**, and her latest is a must for all readers.” —Andrew Sean Greer, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of *Less is Lost*
“A rare jewel of a book, at once forceful and unrepentant, delicate and shimmering. **R. O. Kwon carves language into a wondrous, jagged thing, revealing facets of desire usually hidden.** To read *Exhibit* is to feel time slow down.” —C Pam Zhang, TWC instructor and bestselling author of *How Much of These Hills Is Gold* and *Land of Milk and Honey*
---
## Applications
**Acceptance into the workshop is required before registering. Only 1 seat available!**
To be considered for the program, potential candidates should submit:
- A 1-3 paragraph cover letter detailing their interest in the program
- A writing sample of one short story
**Send your submission to <laura.spencer@writer.org> by July 23, 2024.**
*Rolling admission, so applications will close as soon as an applicant is accepted into the program.*
**Event Categories:** Fiction, Master Level, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [DIY Novel Revision](https://writer.org/event/diy-novel-revision-2/)
**Published:** April 8, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** 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.
**Content:**
# Edit your novel without an editor.
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.
---
***Learn at your own pace:** This workshop will take place over **Wet Ink**, which is an asynchronous creative writing platform. The instructor will post a lesson and assignment at the beginning of each week, and participants can log in and read the lessons/post assignments/comment on other classmates’ work at their convenience. Shortly before the start date, participants will receive an invite from Wet Ink to create their login info and access the class. Please check your spam if you don’t see it.*
---
## In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Learn to identify issues and strategize your revision plan.
- Learn how to prioritize editorial concerns including characterization and plot.
- Learn how to tighten your prose.
## Time requirements
- 3-5 hours/week
## Materials
- Required: *Story Fix* by Larry Brooks
- Recommended: *Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, Second Edition: How to Edit Yourself Into Print* by Renni Browne and Dave King
## Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for anyone seeking to be their own first editor.
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, All Levels, Fiction, Wet Ink, Workshop
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat with Essayist Lilly Dancyger](https://writer.org/event/lilly-dancyger-2024/)
**Published:** June 17, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of creative nonfiction! We’re joined by Lilly Dancyger to discuss her new essay collection, *First Love: Essays on Friendship*. Lilly is in conversation with Amy Freeman, essayist and Development Director at The Writer’s Center.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from Bookshop.org »](https://bookshop.org/a/22600/9780593447574)
---
**Lilly Dancyger** is the author of [*First Love: Essays on Friendship*](https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/714347/first-love-by-lilly-dancyger/) (The Dial Press, 2024), and [*Negative Space*](https://www.sfwp.com/books/negative-space) (SFWP, 2021). She lives in New York City, and is a 2023 NYSCA/NYFA Artist Fellow in nonfiction from The New York Foundation for the Arts. She teaches creative nonfiction in MFA programs at Columbia University and Randolph College. Find her on Instagram at [@lillydancyger](https://www.instagram.com/lillydancyger/) and Substack at The Word Cave.
---
# About the Book
**A “vivid, thoughtful and nuanced collection of essays” (Associated Press) that treats women’s friendships as the love stories they truly are, from the critically acclaimed author of *Negative Space***
**“A tender, unswerving homage to her found family, but also an insightful study of friendship as identity-crafting.”—*Elle***
Lilly Dancyger always thought of her closest friendships as great loves, complex and profound as any romance. When her beloved cousin was murdered just as both girls were entering adulthood, Dancyger’s devotion to the women in her life took on a new urgency—a desire to hold her friends close while she still could. In *First Love*, this urgency runs through a striking exploration of the bonds between women, from the intensity of adolescent best friendship and fluid sexuality to mothering and chosen family.
Each essay in this incisive collection is grounded in a close female friendship in Dancyger’s life, reaching outward to dissect cultural assumptions about identity and desire, and the many ways women create space for each other in a world that wants us small. Seamlessly weaving personal experience with literature and pop culture—ranging from fairy tales to true crime, from Anaïs Nin and Sylvia Plath to *Heavenly Creatures* and the “sad girls” of Tumblr—Dancyger’s essays form a kaleidoscopic story of a life told through friendships, and an expansive interrogation of what it means to love each other.
Though friendship will never be enough to keep us safe from the dangers of the world, Dancyger reminds us that love is always worth the risk, and that when tragedy strikes, it’s our friends who will help us survive. In *First Love,* these essential bonds get their due.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat with Poet Carolyn Hembree](https://writer.org/event/carolyn-hembree/)
**Published:** July 17, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of poetry! We’re joined by Carolyn Hembree to discuss her collection, *For Today*. Carolyn is in conversation with Emily Holland, poet and editor of *Poet Lore*, America’s oldest poetry journal.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from the publisher »](https://lsupress.org/9780807182178/for-today/)
---
**Carolyn Hembree** is the author of *Skinny* and *Rigging a Chevy into a Time Machine and Other Ways to Escape a Plague.* She is associate professor at the University of New Orleans and serves as poetry editor of *Bayou Magazine.*
---
# About the Book
A revelatory collection of poems set in the Gulf South, Carolyn Hembree’s *For Today* chronicles the experience of a woman who becomes a mother shortly after her father’s death and struggles to raise her child amid private and public turmoil. Written in closed and nonce forms that give way to the field composition of the maximalist title poem, the work explores grief, rage, and love in a community vulnerable to Anthropocene climate disasters. Through relationships with her daughter, neighbors, friends, ancestors, other poets (living and dead), and the earth, the speaker is freed to accept and celebrate her own perishability.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat with Novelist Mike Fu](https://writer.org/event/mike-fu/)
**Published:** July 17, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of fiction! We’re joined by Mike Fu to discuss his debut novel, *Masquerade*. Mike is in conversation with Zach Powers, novelist and Artistic Director at The Writer’s Center.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from Bookshop.org »](https://bookshop.org/a/22600/9781959030843)
---
**Mike Fu** is a writer, translator, and editor based in Japan. He has studied in Los Angeles, New York, Paris, Suzhou, and Tokyo. His Chinese-English translation of *Stories of the Sahara* by the late Taiwanese cultural icon Sanmao was named a Favorite Book of the Year by *The Paris Review* and shortlisted for the National Translation Award in Prose. He is a cofounder and former translation editor of *The Shanghai Literary Review*, and currently a PhD candidate at Waseda University.
---
# About the Book
**Set between New York and Shanghai, *Masquerade* is a queer coming-of-age mystery about a lovelorn bartender and his complex friendship with a volatile artist.**
Newly single Meadow Liu is house-sitting for his friend, artist Selma Shimizu, when he stumbles upon *The Masquerade*, a translated novel about a masked ball in 1930s Shanghai. The author’s name is the same as Meadow’s own in Chinese, Liu Tian—a coincidence that proves to be the first of many strange happenings. Over the course of a single summer, Meadow must contend with a possibly haunted apartment, a mirror that plays tricks, a stranger speaking in riddles at the bar where he works, as well as a startling revelation about a former lover. And when Selma vanishes from her artist residency, Meadow is forced to question everything he knows as the boundaries between real and imagined begin to blur.
Exploring social, cultural, and sexual identities in New York, Shanghai, and beyond, Mike Fu’s *Masquerade* is a skillfully layered, brilliantly interwoven debut novel of friendship, queer longing, and worlds on the brink, asking how we can find ourselves among ghosts of all kinds, and who we can trust when nothing—and no one—is as it seems.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Creative Spirit: Infusing Your Writing with Energy and Inspiration](https://writer.org/event/creative-spirit-infusing-your-writing-with-energy-and-inspiration/)
**Published:** April 8, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Are you struggling to find your voice as a writer? Do you have a story to tell but feel stuck in the creative process? No matter your beliefs, spirituality and open-mindedness can play a critical role in the creative process if we allow it and nurture it. In a safe and supportive space, reintroduce your childlike wonder around creativity so you can write freely, authentically reclaim your power, and uncover your true gifts. In this workshop you will learn to facilitate a concentrated focus and tap into a higher source of inspiration, whether viewed as the highest self, inner wisdom, or any other entity. You will walk away with efficient ways to set intentions for different writing projects, stay in the present, trust your process, set healthy boundaries, and follow signs and intuition. You will have the information necessary to create a sacred space and ritual for your writing practice, motivating you to enrich your content and deepen your message.
**Content:**
# Unleash your creativity and overcome creative blocks as you learn to stimulate artistic expression and promote personal growth in your writing!
Are you struggling to find your voice as a writer? Do you have a story to tell but feel stuck in the creative process? No matter your beliefs, spirituality and open-mindedness can play a critical role in the creative process if we allow it and nurture it. In a safe and supportive space, reintroduce your childlike wonder around creativity so you can write freely, authentically reclaim your power, and uncover your true gifts. In this workshop you will learn to facilitate a concentrated focus and tap into a higher source of inspiration, whether viewed as the highest self, inner wisdom, or any other entity. You will walk away with efficient ways to set intentions for different writing projects, stay in the present, trust your process, set healthy boundaries, and follow signs and intuition. You will have the information necessary to create a sacred space and ritual for your writing practice, motivating you to enrich your content and deepen your message.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
## In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Techniques to get ideas flowing
- How to connect with the purpose of your writing
- Creative ways to bring spiritual practices to your process
- The importance of community in your creative journey
- How to build writing rituals infused with both structure and spirit
## Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
## Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
## Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers of all levels and all genres who want to explore ways to deconstruct doubt, strengthen intuition, and reclaim confidence so they may share their authentic voices and powerful stories with the world.
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Exercises to Improve Your Writing](https://writer.org/event/exercises-to-improve-your-writing/)
**Published:** April 8, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Not only will you learn from expert feedback in this workshop, you can continue to learn from this workshop even after it’s over. Exercises offered in this workshop are designed for repeated use in your practice at home—including some tailored to jump-start your inspiration.
**Content:**
# Learn writing exercises to incorporate into your everyday practice.
Not only will you learn from expert feedback in this workshop, you can continue to learn from this workshop even after it’s over. Exercises offered in this workshop are designed for repeated use in your practice at home—including some tailored to jump-start your inspiration.
Note: No meeting on August 31.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
## In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Writing exercises
- Writing prompts
- Story & Plot
- Mechanics
## Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
## Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
## Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is intended for writers at all levels and will particularly benefit those who are interested in a rigorous and rewarding experience.
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
This class has 5 sessions. There will be no session on August 31st
**Event Categories:** 5 Sessions, All Levels, Mixed Genre, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Rock Creek Park, Your Wild Home - Panel Discussion](https://writer.org/event/rock-creek-park-your-wild-home-panel-discussion/)
**Published:** July 10, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Rock Creek is central to our community’s quality of life. Join this panel discussion, moderated by Representative Jamie Raskin, to learn more about the connections between green space and our well-being. We will celebrate the 10th anniversary of the publication of Melanie Choukas-Bradley’s “A Year in Rock Creek,” which vividly illustrates the power of a nearby wild home.
This program will take place amidst the artwork of Sophia McCrocklin, celebrating the fragile forests of Rock Creek Park, on display at The Writers Center’s Joram Piatigorsky Gallery in Bethesda from September 12 – December 6.
[**REGISTER HERE »**](https://secure.everyaction.com/gcp5UQgZMEOqCADI1mjYww2)
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [If the Forest Could Talk, What Would It Say? Symposium](https://writer.org/event/if-the-forest-could-talk-what-would-it-say-symposium/)
**Published:** July 10, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Rock Creek Conservancy presents a symposium, “If The Forest Could Talk, What Would It Say?,” in conjunction with DC-based artist Sophia McCrocklin’s exhibit in The Writer’s Center’s Joram Piatigorsky Gallery. Speakers include Sophia McCrocklin, Rock Creek Conservancy; Jeanne Braha, Executive Director of Rock Creek Conservancy; and more. Join us as we celebrate the beautiful yet fragile forests of Rock Creek Park.
[**REGISTER HERE »**](https://www.rockcreekconservancy.org/calendar#event=77639231;instance=20241003190000?popup=1)
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Faces of the Forest Opening Reception](https://writer.org/event/faces-of-the-forest-opening-reception/)
**Published:** July 10, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Rock Creek Conservancy presents the opening reception of “Faces of the Forest” by DC-based artist Sophia McCrocklin, on display in The Writer’s Center’s Joram Piatigorsky Gallery, September 12 – December 6, 2024. Join us as we celebrate the beautiful yet fragile forests of Rock Creek Park. Registration is not required, but we will send reminders to those who do register.
[**REGISTER HERE »**](https://www.rockcreekconservancy.org/calendar#event=77639222;instance=20240912183000?popup=1)
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [POSTPONED - Disabled Writers Mixer](https://writer.org/event/disabled-writers-mixer-jul2024/)
**Published:** February 6, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
# **THIS EVENT HAS BEEN POSTPONED. We will announce a new date soon.**
Are you a writer who identifies as disabled? Join us for an informal gathering at The Writer’s Center to hang out and talk writing! Please bring a drink or an appetizer that serves six. You’re welcome to bring a friend, too.
**FREE & open to all DMV writers who identify as disabled. RSVP required below.**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Open Mic @ The Writer's Center](https://writer.org/event/open-mic-jul2024-1/)
**Published:** January 3, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Prose, poetry, and spoken word Open Mic @ The Writer’s Center! All writers are welcome to come and share 4-5 minutes of their latest work.
- **Sign-up starts at 6:45pm, and readings begin promptly at 7pm.**
- **Limited to 20 readers, so arrive early if you plan to read.**
Sponsored by [*Poet Lore*](poetlore.com), America’s oldest poetry magazine.
FREE and open to the public. Please note that we no longer offer advance sign-up.
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Find the Right Agent for You: Submission Package Workshop](https://writer.org/event/find-the-right-agent-for-you-submission-package-workshop-class/)
**Published:** April 8, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** To get a book published by a traditional publisher, you need an agent. In this class you will learn how to research agents to find the right one for you. After studying sample query letters, you’ll write your own query to be critiqued by your classmates. We will also workshop everyone's opening pages and discuss topics such as conference pitch sessions, common query mistakes, and agent red-flags. By the end of the workshop, you will be ready to send query submissions to the agents of your choice. (Although you do not need to bring it to class, you should have a completed manuscript you are hoping to publish through traditional publishing.)
**Content:**
# Research literary agents, write a stand-out query, and polish your first pages to find the RIGHT representation for your work!
To get a book published by a traditional publisher, you need an agent. In this class you will learn how to research agents to find the right one for you. After studying sample query letters, you’ll write your own query to be critiqued by your classmates. We will also workshop everyone’s opening pages and discuss topics such as conference pitch sessions, common query mistakes, and agent red-flags. By the end of the workshop, you will be ready to send query submissions to the agents of your choice. (Although you do not need to bring it to class, you should have a completed manuscript you are hoping to publish through traditional publishing.)
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
## In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Why you need a literary agent and the various ways to find representation.
- How to research agents to find the right one for you.
- How to write a stand-out query letter and avoid common query mistakes.
- Best practices when querying agents.
- How to snag an agent’s attention with your opening pages.
## Time requirements
- You will be asked to write your own query letter and prepare your opening pages. You will also be asked to provide some feedback on classmate’s queries and pages. Approximate out-of-class time per week: 1 to 1.5 hours.
## Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
## Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for writers of all genres who have a completed manuscript and are interested in getting traditionally published.
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 3 Sessions, Intermediate/Advanced Level, Publishing, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Troubleshooting Your Fiction](https://writer.org/event/troubleshooting-your-fiction-2/)
**Published:** April 8, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Revision is a dirty word to some writers. But you needn’t fear the challenges of polishing a manuscript before submission and publication. This fast-paced, half-day class focuses on the ten most common mistakes and concerns, often overlooked by authors before they send their story out into the world. Everything you do to your manuscript after the first draft is what makes the difference between a ho-hum story and a powerful tale that lingers in readers’ minds. Join us for a painless look at the major revision issues for fiction.
**Content:**
# Learn how to avoid or correct the most common mistakes in fiction that result in rejection.
Revision is a dirty word to some writers. But you needn’t fear the challenges of polishing a manuscript before submission and publication. This fast-paced, half-day class focuses on the ten most common mistakes and concerns, often overlooked by authors before they send their story out into the world. Everything you do to your manuscript after the first draft is what makes the difference between a ho-hum story and a powerful tale that lingers in readers’ minds. Join us for a painless look at the major revision issues for fiction.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
## In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Plot
- Structure
- Tension
- Pacing
- Characterization
## Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
## Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
## Who should take this workshop?
- Any author of fiction or creative nonfiction interested in increasing their chances of traditional publication or improving their self-published work.
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [How to Write a Lot](https://writer.org/event/how-to-write-a-lot-2/)
**Published:** April 8, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** You may think you don't have the time, energy, or inspiration to write because of your hectic lifestyle. Wrong! Learn what Kathryn Johnson's Extreme Novelists know about organizing their time, establishing a productive writing routine, and getting their stories written. We'll share methods EN Grads (and many professional writers) use to complete their books in months instead of years, their short stories in mere weeks. Become the dedicated author you've always dreamed of being.
**Content:**
# In our busy lives, how do we fit in a satisfying writing life?
You may think you don’t have the time, energy, or inspiration to write because of your hectic lifestyle. Wrong! Learn what Kathryn Johnson’s Extreme Novelists know about organizing their time, establishing a productive writing routine, and getting their stories written. We’ll share methods EN Grads (and many professional writers) use to complete their books in months instead of years, their short stories in mere weeks. Become the dedicated author you’ve always dreamed of being.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
## In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Protecting writing time
- Creating writing caves
- Developing a consistent writing habit
- Maximizing daily page counts
- Buying time
## Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
## Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
## Who should take this workshop?
- Authors of fiction, nonfiction, memoir or other creative writing projects who want to increase their productivity.
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [How to Start a Compelling Story](https://writer.org/event/how-to-start-a-compelling-story/)
**Published:** April 8, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** This workshop will teach writers how to capture readers' and agents' attention from the very first sentence and keep them turning pages. We will examine the way successful authors of both fiction and nonfiction draw us in, make us care, and create stakes in which we are immediately invested. By the end of this workshop participants will have created their own compelling story start upon which to build.
**Content:**
# Learn how to start a story readers can’t put down.
This workshop will teach writers how to capture readers’ and agents’ attention from the very first sentence and keep them turning pages. We will examine the way successful authors of both fiction and nonfiction draw us in, make us care, and create stakes in which we are immediately invested. By the end of this workshop participants will have created their own compelling story start upon which to build.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
## In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How to write an irresistible first line, first paragraph, first chapter
- How to keep readers interested as the story unfolds
- Identify all elements of craft that make readers keep reading
- Learn the psychology behind a great story start
## Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
## Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
## Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for those who suspect they could do a better job at grabbing readers’ attention from the outset. Seasoned writers, capable of lovely description and language may never get their work read if their opening lines are not well-crafted. This workshop teaches writers where to begin for maximum impact. This is for writers who need help getting their stories aloft.
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Writing Disability Intimacy](https://writer.org/event/writing-disability-intimacy/)
**Published:** May 3, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual panel on the making of the new anthology *Disability Intimacy: Essays on Love, Care, and Desire*. We’re joined by contributors to the anthology Ashna Ali, Gracen Brilmeyer, and Travis Chi Wing Lau. They are in conversation with fellow contributor Claude Olson, Office Manager at The Writer’s Center.
**RSVP below to receive login information** (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern.
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or online from [Bookshop.org](https://bookshop.org/p/books/disability-intimacy-essays-on-love-care-and-desire-alice-wong/20063808).
---
**Ashna Ali** (she/they) is a queer, disabled, and diasporic Bangladeshi poet and writer raised in Italy and based in Brooklyn. Their debut collection, *The Relativity of Living Well* is forthcoming from Bone Bouquet in 2024. A Best-of-the-Net nominee, they are a 2024 Periplus Fellow and a 2023-2024 Fellow for In Surreal Life. They publish a weekly substack on queer feminist cultural criticism and disability justice called Pain Baby, and their poetry has appeared or is forthcoming in Split This Rock’s Poem-of-the-Week, Brooklyn Poets Poet-of-the-Week, Asian American Writers Workshop’s *The Margins*, *Nat Brut*, *Zoeglossia*, and beyond.
**Gracen Brilmyer** (they/them) is a Disabled researcher whose work investigates the ways that disabled people use, experience, and understand themselves through archives as well as how to tell histories of disability when there is little or no archival evidence. They are the director of the Disability Archives Lab, collaborative space for disabled people to think about the ways that archives and the materials they hold document, shape, and impact disabled people, and an assistant professor at McGill University. For more: disabilityarchiveslab.com
**Travis Chi Wing Lau** (he/him/his) is Assistant Professor of English at Kenyon College. His research and teaching focus on eighteenth- and nineteenth-century British literature and culture, health humanities, and disability studies. Alongside his scholarship, Lau frequently writes for venues of public scholarship like *Synapsis: A Journal of Health Humanities*, *Public Books, Lapham’s Quarterly,* and *The Los Angeles Review of Books*. His poetry has appeared in *Wordgathering*, *Glass*, *South Carolina Review, Foglifter,* and *Hypertext*, as well as in three chapbooks, *The Bone Setter* (Damaged Goods Press, 2019), *Paring* (Finishing Line Press, 2020), and *Vagaries* (Fork Tine Press, 2022). \[[travisclau.com](http://travisclau.com/)\]
**Claude Olson** (she/they) is a graduate of Smith College and a writer whose work has appeared in two anthologies, *Awakenings: Stories of Bodies and Consciousness* and *Disability Intimacy: Essays on Love, Care, and Desire*, as well as in *The Massachusetts Review*. She currently works as the Office Manager for The Writer’s Center.
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [More than Saints: Diana Rojas in conversation with Ofelia Montelongo](https://writer.org/event/diana-rojas/)
**Published:** June 24, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes Diana Rojas for a discussion of debut collection of novellas, *Litany of Saints: A Triptych*. Diana will be in conversation with Ofelia Montelongo, author and Writer’s Center board member.
**FREE & open to the public. Register below.**
---
****
**Diana Rojas**‘ debut fiction *Litany of Saints: A Triptych* was published by Arte Público Press in April 2024. A graduate of NYU, she has written in everything from large daily newspapers to niche newsletters. Diana grew up in Connecticut and New Jersey, has lived in five different countries. She currently lives, taxed and unrepresented, in Washington, DC.
**Ofelia Montelongo** is a bilingual writer from Mexico. She has an MBA in Strategic Leadership & an MA in Latin American Literature. Her work has been published in *The Rumpus*, *Latino Book Review, Los Acentos Review,* and elsewhere. She is the editor of the Latine Monsters issue at *Barrelhouse.* She currently teaches at the University of Maryland and she is a PEN/Faulkner writer in residence, a Macondista & a PEN America Emerging Voices Fellow. [ofeliamontelongo.com](http://ofeliamontelongo.com/)
---
# About the Book
In the opening piece, “The Lives of Saints,” an immigrant family from Costa Rica regularly prays to a litany of saints to help deal with all that life throws their way—including alcoholism, marital discord, illness and death—all while adjusting to their new circumstances as “Americans.” The narrator, a woman trapped in a subservient role supporting her husband, suffers in silence as the men completely disregard her in life-changing decisions. Recounting her family’s attempts to balance a traditional, more conservative culture with the new and exciting one in their adopted homeland, she is forced to reconsider gender roles, assimilation and religion.
Ticos, or Costa Ricans, living in the United States return to their native country in two of the three novellas in this thought-provoking collection. They discover it’s not the “Switzerland of Central America,” the perfect country with good healthcare, education and no standing army. In “Las Tres Marías,” three sisters raised in the comparative freedom of Massachusetts who return to live in their parents’ home country are barely teenagers when they’re labeled gringas and “doomed to become sluts.” In “La Familia,” Juan Manuel has made a life for himself in Chicago, but when his mother calls him home because his brother has been arrested as a terrorist, he faces an uncomfortable reckoning with his country’s involvement in regional violence as the Cold War spreads to Latin America.
Revealing the cultural dissonance experienced by immigrants, Diana Rojas’ characters grapple with their self-perception as they consider what they’re supposed to be and who they want to be. Issues of individualism versus community, loyalty to a distant homeland and a divided sense of identity pepper this intriguing debut.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Ekphrasis & Inspiration Writing Workshop](https://writer.org/event/ekphrasis-workshop/)
**Published:** April 10, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
# **ek•phra•sis (noun) ˈɛkfrəsəs. A literary description of or commentary on a visual work of art**
**A free two-day, generative, in-person workshop**
2 Sessions
Saturdays, June 22 & 29
10:00am – 11:30am ET
With so many resources for visual art in the DMV, including galleries, libraries, museums, and monuments, ekphrastic writing can awaken a recalcitrant muse. What is it, and how does it work? This free, two-day, generative, in-person workshop examines ekphrasis and inspiration, and how to harness the process to deepen your creative writing.
---
**Saturday, June 22:** Fiction and nonfiction writers and poets—novice, emerging, and experienced—will gather to view Jeffrey Berg’s artwork in his show, “Ekphrasis,” on exhibition at Joram Piatigorsky Gallery (May 23 – August 2, 2024). Students will choose and photograph one image that engages them in some way and will gather in a classroom at The Writer’s Center. Following a brief discussion on the origins and idea of ekphrastic writing, students will follow prompts to examine what drew them to their chosen image. Abbreviated instruction on elements of writing craft—including narrative position, imagery, character, and setting—will render their inspiration into creative writing.
On **June 26**, students will submit their work along with their chosen image to the workshop instructor, who will forward it to all participants. It could be a flash piece or poem, the beginning of a longer piece or a poem, or any manner of creative writing, and should be no more than 1,200 words. In reading these works, students should consider the artwork and form questions about its relationship to the submitted writing.
**Saturday, June 29:** Meeting again at The Writer’s Center, each student’s creative writing will be discussed to examine individual experiences of the ekphrastic process, its challenges, and what makes it work. Attendees will gain inspiration and glean the benefits of ekphrastic writing.
---
Instructor: Eugenia Kim in collaboration with artist Jeffrey Berg
**Eugenia Kim**’s debut novel, *The Calligrapher’s Daughter*, won the Borders Original Voices Award, was shortlisted for the 2010 Dayton Literary Peace Prize, and was a *Washington Post* Best Historical Novel and Critic’s Pick. Her second novel, *The Kinship of Secrets*, was a Library Reads Best Book of November and on the 2018 Hall of Fame, and an Amazon Best Book of the Month/Literature and Fiction. She is a three-time Washington DC Council on the Arts and Humanities Fellowship recipient and was a fellow at Yaddo, Hedgebrook, MacDowell, and elsewhere. Ms. Kim teaches fiction and nonfiction at Fairfield University’s MFA Creative Writing Program.
**Event Categories:** 2 Sessions, All Levels, Event
---
### [Novelist John Vercher in Conversation with Chet'la Sebree](https://writer.org/event/john-vercher/)
**Published:** June 12, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes John Vercher for a discussion of his acclaimed new novel, *Devil Is Fine*, in conversation with poet, essayist, and TWC board member Chet’la Sebree.
**FREE & open to the public. Register below.**
---
**John Vercher** lives in the Philadelphia region with his wife and two sons. He has a Bachelor’s in English from the University of Pittsburgh and an MFA in Creative Writing from the Mountainview Master of Fine Arts program. John serves as an Assistant Teaching Professor in the Department of English & Philosophy at Drexel University and was the inaugural Wilma Dykeman writer-in-residence at the University of North Carolina, Asheville. His debut novel, *Three-Fifths*, was named one of the best books of the year by the Chicago Tribune and Booklist. It was nominated for the Edgar and Strand Magazine Critics’ Awards for Best First Novel. His second novel, *After the Lights* Go Out, called “shrewd and explosive” by The New York Times, was named a Best Book of Summer 2022 by BookRiot and Publishers Weekly, and named a Booklist Editor’s Choice Best Book of 2022.
**Chet’la Sebree** is the author of [*Field Study*](https://us.macmillan.com/books/9780374539023) (FSG Originals, June 2021), winner of the 2020 James Laughlin Award from the Academy of American Poets. She is also the author of [*Mistress*](https://www.chetlasebree.com/s/2018-New-Issues-Poetry-Prize-Announcement.pdf), selected by Cathy Park Hong as the winner of the 2018 New Issues Poetry Prize and nominated for an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work-Poetry (2020). She is currently working on her debut essay collection about her relationship to home, heritage, and belonging through domestic and international travel; it’s forthcoming from The Dial Press in 2025. She is an assistant professor of English at George Washington University.
---
# About the Book
**From acclaimed novelist John Vercher, a profoundly moving novel of what it means to be a father, a son, a writer, and a biracial American fighting to reconcile the past**
Reeling from the sudden death of his teenage son, our narrator receives a letter from an attorney: he has just inherited a plot of land from his estranged grandfather. He travels to a beach town several hours south of his home with the intention of immediately selling the land. But upon inspection, what lies beneath the dirt is much more than he can process in the throes of grief. As a biracial Black man struggling with the many facets of his identity, he’s now the owner of a former plantation passed down by the men on his white mother’s side of the family.
Vercher deftly blurs the lines between real and imagined, past and present, tragedy and humor, and fathers and sons in this story of discovery―and a fight for reclamation―of a painful past. With the wit of Paul Beatty’s *The Sellout* and the nuance of Zadie Smith’s *On Beauty*, *Devil Is Fine* is a darkly funny and brilliantly crafted dissection of the legacies we leave behind and those we inherit.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Virtual Info Session for Generative Poetry Intensive w/ Jose Hernandez Diaz](https://writer.org/event/virtual-info-session-for-generative-poetry-intensive-w-jose-hernandez-diaz/)
**Published:** June 10, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Meet Jose Hernandez Diaz, instructor for our Generative Poetry Intensive 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 to receive login information. Info session free and open to all interested writers.**
---
# About the Generative Poetry Intensive
**APPLICATION DEADLINE: July 3, 2024
Workshop Dates: July 25 – September 12**
**Cost: $2,150 \| Members $2,050**
Work with acclaimed poet and teacher Jose Hernandez Diaz to complete new work and get it ready for publication.
Looking to finish up a poetry or prose poetry manuscript? Need a few more poems to finish a project? Looking to explore creative writing via generative prompts? This intensive two-month poetry workshop will consist of close readings and discussion in odes and prose poetry. Also, we will respond to generative prompts crafted by the instructor with in-class writing time.
[**Read the full details and apply here »**](https://writer.org/event/generative-poetry-intensive/)
**Event Categories:** Event, Poetry, Workshop
---
### [Virtual Info Session for Short Fiction Intensive with R. O. Kwon](https://writer.org/event/virtual-info-session-for-short-fiction-intensive-with-r-o-kwon/)
**Published:** June 11, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Meet R. O. Kwon, instructor for our Short Fiction Intensive 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 to receive login information. Info session free and open to all interested writers.**
---
# About the Short Fiction Intensive
**APPLICATION DEADLINE: July 22, 2024
Workshop Dates: August 7, 2024 – May 28, 2025**
**Cost: $5,400 \| Members $5,250**
Work with acclaimed author R. O. Kwon to revise your stories, generate new work, and prepare for publication.
In this 10-month intensive class, we’ll workshop our short fiction, whether they’re stories or excerpts. Together, we’ll delve into fiction-writing possibilities, hopes, investigations, and leaps of faith. We’ll have time and space for everyone to workshop several pieces of fiction, including revisions. In addition, when possible, we’ll also explore in-class writing exercises.
[**Read the full details and apply here »**](https://writer.org/event/short-fiction-intensive/)
**Event Categories:** Fiction, Workshop
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat with Essayist Heather Bartel](https://writer.org/event/heather-bartel/)
**Published:** February 16, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of the essay! We’re joined by Heather Bartel to discuss her new essay collection, *Exit the Body*. Heather is in conversation with Zach Powers, author and Artistic Director at The Writer’s Center.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from the publisher »](https://www.splitlippress.com/exit-the-body)
---
**Heather Bartel** is founder and editor of the literary journal and community, *The Champagne Room*. She is a graduate of Webster University and Goddard College. Her writing appears in *MAYDAY*, *Grimoire*, *Fence*, *Miracle Monocle*, *Birdcoat Quarterly*, *Leavings*, *Heavy Feather Review*, and elsewhere. She lives in Columbia, MO.
---
# About the Book
In ***Exit the Body***, Heather Bartel makes an offering-as-essay-collection, if a collection of essays can include a tarot reading, a one-act starring dead and dreamed women, conversations with Sylvia Plath through a mirror, and letters to a living ghost.
Like journeying through the hallways of a haunted house, Bartel moves through a narrative landscape that shape-shifts, engaging in conversation with the women who haunt her to ask the question at the core of *Exit the Body*: what to do with an obsession with the mirror when the person in the mirror is either the only person you can trust or the one who is trying to kill you.
A dance with illusion and choice, *Exit the Body* is a meditation on the mind and its place within the body: what escapes, what ruptures, what is created, what echoes, and where we find ourselves on the other side.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat with Poet S. Fey](https://writer.org/event/s-fey/)
**Published:** January 16, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
*Poet Lore* and The Writer’s Center present a FREE virtual chat about the craft of poetry! We’re joined by S. Fey to discuss their debut collection, *decompose*. S. Fey is in conversation with Emily Holland, poet and editor of Poet Lore.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from the publisher »](https://notacult.media/books/p/decompose)
---
**S. Fey** (they/he) is a Trans writer living in LA. Currently, they are the poetry editor at *Hooligan Magazine*, and co creative director at Rock Pocket Productions. Their debut poetry collection, *decompose*, is out with Not a Cult Media. His work has appeared in *American Poetry Review*, *Poet Lore*, *The Sonora Review*, and others. They love to beat their friends at Mario Party. Find them online @sfeycreates.
---
# About the Book
*decompose* explores pruning our past to make room for future growth; the expanse we are offered through the crush of heartbreak, discovering family beyond our original home, finding new meaning in our own name – S. Fey picks these timeless themes like roses from a flourishing garden to compose a thorny and succulent bouquet of living, loss, and rebirth throughout the rejuvenating pages of their debut poetry collection.
### If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Beth Konkoski Reading & Open Mic](https://writer.org/event/beth-konkoski/)
**Published:** May 29, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes Beth Konkoski for a reading from her award-winning short fiction collection, *A Drawn & Papered Heart*. **Beth will host an open mic following her reading**, celebrating the fact that the first time she ever read her work in public, it was at an open mic at The Writer’s Center.
**FREE & open to the public. Register below.**
---
**Beth Konkoski** is a writer and high school English teacher living in Northern Virginia with her husband and two mostly grown kids. She has been publishing her fiction, poetry, and non-fiction for more than twenty years, in journals such as: *Story, The Greensboro Review, The Baltimore Review,* and *Smokelong Quarterly.* Her collection of short fiction, *A Drawn & Papered Heart,* won the 2023 Acacia Prize for Short Fiction and will be published by Kallisto Gaia Press in June 2024. She is currently at work on a novel.
---
# About the Book
Characters practiced in the arts of grief and disappointment live in the stories of Beth Konkoski’s collection, *A Drawn and Papered Heart.* From a young boy facing death at the hands of a troubled relative to a woman who must bail her friend out of jail in the middle of the night, these lyrical stories evoke for readers bittersweet reminders of the many ways to journey toward resilience.
“In *A Drawn and Papered Heart* Beth Konkoski masterfully guides readers through a compelling collection of stories that delve into the complex tapestry of human existence. From the quiet introspection of life drawing classes to the poignant memories of a farm in autumn snow and the mystical realm of goddesses, Konkoski’s narratives resonate with emotional depth and authenticity. These unforgettable tales explore the intricate threads that bind us to love, loss, and the enigmatic forces shaping our destinies. With each story, this collection invites us to contemplate our shared humanity, leaving a lasting mark on our hearts and minds. Konkoski’s writing shines with intelligence and compassion. Highly recommended.” –Kathy Fish, author of *Wild Life: Collected Works*
“There is stunning emotional craft in the stories of *A Drawn and Papered Heart/Gather at the Risk*. Beth Konkoski is the rare writer who can achieve depth with breadth. Reminiscent of the honest, dark edges of the stories of Alice Munro and Leslie Pietrzyk, *A Drawn and Papered Heart* slices through the everyday with intimacy and empathy.” –Melissa Scholes Young, author of *Flood* and *The Hive.*
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat with Poet Lauren Camp](https://writer.org/event/lauren-camp-2024/)
**Published:** March 25, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of poetry! We’re joined by Lauren Camp to discuss her new collection, *In Old Sky*. Lauren is in conversation with Emily Holland, poet and Editor of *Poet Lore*, America’s oldest poetry journal.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from the publisher »](https://www.grandcanyon.org/products/grand-canyon-conservancy-in-old-sky-gc-poetry-book-10247)
---
[](https://poetry.nmculture.org/)New Mexico Poet Laureate **Lauren Camp** is the author of eight poetry collections, most recently *In Old Sky* (Grand Canyon Conservancy, 2024).
She was awarded a [2023 Academy of American Poets Laureate Fellowship](https://poets.org/academy-american-poets-announces-2023-poets-laureate-fellows "Academy of American Poets Laureate Fellow"). Other honors include a Dorset Prize and finalist citations for the Arab American Book Award, the Housatonic Book Award and the Adrienne Rich Award for Poetry. In 2022, she was Astronomer in Residence at Grand Canyon National Park. Lauren is the recipient of fellowships from Denver Botanic Gardens, The Taft-Nicholson Center for Environmental Humanities and Black Earth Institute. She was a visiting writer at the Mayo Clinic, and artist in residence at Lowell Observatory and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
Her poems have appeared in many journals and anthologies, including *Kenyon Review*, *Prairie Schooner*, *Mid-American Review*, *Missouri Review*, and The Academy of American Poets’ *Poem-a-Day*.
Her work has been translated into Turkish, Mandarin, Serbian, Arabic, French and Spanish. She teaches for Poetry Out Loud-New Mexico and leads her own community workshops.
She has pivoted from a successful career as a visual artist (1996-2008). Her portrait series, “[The Fabric of Jazz](https://www.laurencamp.com/art/jazz.shtml "Lauren Camp’s The Fabric of Jazz"),” traveled to museums in ten cities. More artwork can be found in cultural centers, hospitals, museums, U.S. embassies and other organizations around the world. For 15 years, she was a producer and host for Santa Fe Public Radio.
---
# About the Book
*In Old Sky* is a captivating poetry collection born out of Lauren Camp’s residency as the fourth Astronomer in Residence at Grand Canyon National Park, promising readers an extraordinary journey through the depths of Grand Canyon and its iconic dark skies. *In Old Sky* marks a historic milestone as the first poetry book published by Grand Canyon Conservancy. Currently serving as the Poet Laureate of New Mexico, Camp spent an immersive month exploring the pristine natural darkness of Grand Canyon, delving into the night phenomena, and reflecting on the vast power emanating from the canyon. The collection includes vivid color photos capturing breathtaking landscapes from within the canyon to the cosmic wonders beyond. One of the highlights is an epic poem crafted from hundreds of responses by visitors during Camp’s residency, creating a unique narrative of collective experience.
The book features an insightful foreword by Grand Canyon National Park’s Dark Sky Ranger, Rader Lane, who expresses admiration for Camp’s intuitive understanding of darkness as an entity to be explored and lived in. Camp, an accomplished author of seven other books, brings her poetic prowess to illuminate the natural wonders of Grand Canyon. The book is a testament to the intersection of art and nature, inviting readers to embark on a literary and visual odyssey through the heart of one of the world’s most awe-inspiring landscapes.
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Susan Coll & Paul Goldberg Book Launch](https://writer.org/event/coll-goldberg/)
**Published:** March 25, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes novelists—and spouses—Susan Coll and Paul Goldberg for a book release celebrating their new books, featuring a reading and discussion on their shared writing life.
**FREE & open to the public. Register below.**
---
*Real Life and Other Fictions* is **Susan Coll**’s seventh novel. Her previous books include *Bookish People*; *The Stager*, a *New York Times* and *Chicago Tribune* Editor’s Choice; and *Acceptance*, which was made into a television movie starring Joan Cusack. Her work has appeared in publications including the *New York Times Book Review*, the *Washington Post*, *Washingtonian Magazine*, *Moment Magazine*, NPR.org, and Atlantic.com. She is the events advisor at Politics and Prose Bookstore in Washington, DC, and was the president of the PEN/Faulkner Foundation for five years. She has taught workshops at The Writer’s Center for more than twenty years.
**Paul Goldberg**’s novel, *[The Dissident](https://www.paulgoldberg.com/books/the-dissident)*, was published in 2023 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux, and is available in paperback in June. *The Dissident* is shortlisted for the 2024 Wingate Literary Prize. He is the author of the novels *[The Yid](https://www.paulgoldberg.com/books/the-yid)*, which was a finalist for the Sami Rohr Prize for Jewish Literature and the National Jewish Book Award’s Goldberg Prize for Debut Fiction, and *[The Château](https://www.paulgoldberg.com/books/the-ch%C3%A2teau).* As a reporter, Goldberg has written two books about the Soviet human rights movement, and co-authored (with Otis Brawley) the book *[How We Do Harm](https://www.paulgoldberg.com/books/how-we-do-harm%3A-a-doctor-breaks-ranks-about-being-sick-in-america)*, an expose of the U.S. healthcare system. His writing has appeared in *The Washington Post*, *Slate*, *The New York Times*, *Moment Magazine*, and elsewhere. He is also the editor and publisher of The Cancer Letter, a publication focused on the business and politics of cancer. He lives in Washington, D.C.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat with Poet Amanda Shaw in Conversation with Majda Gama](https://writer.org/event/amanda-shaw-vcc/)
**Published:** March 12, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Inner Loop and The Writer’s Center present a FREE virtual chat about the craft of poetry! We’re joined by Amanda Shaw to discuss her debut collection, *It Will Have Been So Beautiful*. Amanda is in conversation with award-winning poet Majda Gama.
*It Will Have Been So Beautiful* is The Inner Loop’s Author’s Corner spotlight. [The Inner Loop](https://www.theinnerlooplit.org/) cultivates and promotes the distinctive literary culture of Washington DC. Author’s Corner supports local authors’ independently published books by spotlighting them in community programming and collaborations.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from Bookshop.org »](https://bookshop.org/a/101989/9781957755359)
---
**Amanda Shaw** set out into the world with a vague idea of what was ahead. At each juncture, the desire to write returned. After two decades of teaching, she got her Master’s degree in Poetry from the MFA Program for Writers at Warren Wilson. Amanda is the book review editor for *Lily Poetry Review*, a member of The Writer’s Center in Bethesda, and a frequent contributor to Warren Wilson’s DC alumni community. Her debut poetry collection, *It Will Have Been So Beautiful*, will be published in March by Lily Poetry Review Books.
**Majda Gama** is the author of the chapbook *The Call of Paradise*, selected by Diane Seuss as winner of the 2022 Two Sylvias chapbook prize. Her full-length poetry manuscript won the Wandering Aengus Book Award and will be published in 2025. Her poems have recently appeared in *The Adroit* *Journal*, *Four Way Review, The Offing, Ploughshares, POETRY,* and are forthcoming from *Prairie Schooner* and *Shenandoah* where she is the current recipient of the Graybeal-Gowen award for Virginia poets. She can be reached at [majdagama.com](http://www.majdagama.com/)
---
## About the Book
With urgency and compassion, humor and wonder, Amanda Shaw’s debut poetry collection, ***It Will Have Been So Beautiful*** examines the many dimensions of what it means to call anything “home,” including the earth as we know it. In a manner reminiscent of Eugène Atget, who wrote “will disappear” on his photographs of turn-of-the-century Paris, Shaw captures the unique melancholy of living in a time of unknowable change. At times playful and ironic, the poems celebrate language’s sonic capacities, probing art’s potential to move us from mourning to joy.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [How to Write a Novel](https://writer.org/event/how-to-write-a-novel/)
**Published:** April 8, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** A practical plan that takes you from the mere germ of an idea all the way through the creative process, with an eye on getting a finished book into the hands of potential fans. We'll discuss how to transform the nub of an idea into a book-length project, populated with interesting characters, a twisty-turny plot, snappy dialogue, and an interesting setting. We'll also look at strategies for finding an agent and marketing the finished product. You’ll come away from the class with the encouragement to begin and perfect your writing project.
**Content:**
# A bird’s eye view of all the moving parts involved in writing — and marketing — a novel.
A practical plan that takes you from the mere germ of an idea all the way through the creative process, with an eye on getting a finished book into the hands of potential fans. We’ll discuss how to transform the nub of an idea into a book-length project, populated with interesting characters, a twisty-turny plot, snappy dialogue, and an interesting setting. We’ll also look at strategies for finding an agent and marketing the finished product. You’ll come away from the class with the encouragement to begin and perfect your writing project.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
## In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How to tap into your creative subconscious
- Character Creation
- Story Structure
- How to Stay Organized
## Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
## Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
## Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for people who want to write a novel, but don’t know how to do it, or for people who have started the process, but have gotten overwhelmed and discouraged.
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Beginner Level, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [The Extreme Novelist](https://writer.org/event/the-extreme-novelist-2/)
**Published:** April 8, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** 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 just 8 weeks. Students receive the encouraging guidance of 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. Classes will include accountability and progress reports from each student, troubleshooting discussions, a brief lecture on some aspect of the fiction craft, and the opportunity to submit portions of the work-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.)
**Content:**
# Get a full draft of your novel or memoir written in eight weeks!
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 just 8 weeks. Students receive the encouraging guidance of 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. Classes will include accountability and progress reports from each student, troubleshooting discussions, a brief lecture on some aspect of the fiction craft, and the opportunity to submit portions of the work-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.)
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
## In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Prioritizing your writing
- Structure & Plot
- Character Development
## Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
## Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
## Who should take this workshop?
- Authors interested in growing their fiction skills.
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 8 Sessions, Fiction, Intermediate/Advanced Level, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Creating Backstory & Flashbacks](https://writer.org/event/creating-backstory-flashbacks/)
**Published:** April 8, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Every character has a hidden history from before your story starts. Learn how to masterfully weave in details and experiences that enrich your characters and create believable motivation. Novelists, short story authors, and creative nonfiction writers will all benefit from these twin skills. You’ll see your writing grow in sophistication and depth.
**Content:**
# Discover ways to seamlessly weave your protagonist’s history into any fiction.
Every character has a hidden history from before your story starts. Learn how to masterfully weave in details and experiences that enrich your characters and create believable motivation. Novelists, short story authors, and creative nonfiction writers will all benefit from these twin skills. You’ll see your writing grow in sophistication and depth.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
## In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How to enter, present, and leave a backflash
- Weaving in past details
- Managing time jumps
## Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
## Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
## Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for anyone struggling with the plot and structure of their novel.
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Fiction, Intermediate/Advanced Level, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Evoking Reader Empathy](https://writer.org/event/evoking-reader-empathy/)
**Published:** April 8, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Even when a story is skillfully written, it may not be enough to make the reader care. The key lies in the emotional impact your story has on readers — inviting them to not only invest in your characters, but to embark on an emotional journey of their own. We’ll discuss how to avoid cliché and heavy-handed moralizing; determine the most effective balance of internal thought, scene, and underlying tension; and discover how to let an object or image (your father’s watch, a specific place, work of art, etc.) carry the emotional weight of your story. Reading examples and short exercises will give participants the opportunity to experiment with creating empathy on the page.
**Content:**
# Learn how to layer your story with emotional resonance.
Even when a story is skillfully written, it may not be enough to make the reader care. The key lies in the emotional impact your story has on readers — inviting them to not only invest in your characters, but to embark on an emotional journey of their own. We’ll discuss how to avoid cliché and heavy-handed moralizing; determine the most effective balance of internal thought, scene, and underlying tension; and discover how to let an object or image (your father’s watch, a specific place, work of art, etc.) carry the emotional weight of your story. Reading examples and short exercises will give participants the opportunity to experiment with creating empathy on the page.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
## In this workshop you’ll learn:
- The importance of Underlying Emotion
- Avoiding Cliché Emotion
- Using the Objective Correlative Technique
- Resonant Endings
## Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
## Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
## Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop will be helpful to both memoir and fiction writers wishing to strengthen reader engagement.
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Care and Feeding of a Writing Group](https://writer.org/event/care-and-feeding-of-a-writing-group/)
**Published:** May 28, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Six local authors discuss how a Writer’s Center workshop spun off into 25 years of monthly critique meetings, leading to numerous literary journal and anthology publications, awards, fellowships, and at least ten books. Former TWC board member Jim Mathews moderates.
---
**Jim Beane** is a native Washingtonian, a Pushcart Prize nominee, a Virginia Center for the Creative Arts fellow and a mentor for the Veterans Writing Project. He has taken and led workshops at the Writers Center since 1996 and was the creative writing instructor for the Armed Services Arts Partnership. His short stories have appeared *The MacGuffin, The Baltimore Review, El Portal,* *Evening Street Review* and the anthologies *DC Noir* and *Workers Write:* *Tales From the Construction Site.* His short story collection, *By the Sea, by the Sea…* is available online. He lives west of Baltimore with his wife and family. His debut novel, *The Deadening*, will be published Nov. 4 by Mandel-Vilar Press/ Dryad Press. www.jimbeane.com.
**Carmelinda Blagg** is originally from Texas and has lived in the Washington, D.C. area for over thirty years. She previously worked for IFC, (an affiliate of the World Bank). Her debut short story collection, *Geographies,* was published in 2023 by Atmosphere Press. Her fiction has appeared in a number of journals and the anthologies *Best of the Web* (Dzanc Books), and Paycock Press’ *Grace and Gravity* series. She holds a MA in Writing from Johns Hopkins University and has been a Maryland State Arts Council grantee. She has served as a contributing and associate editor for *O Dark Thirty,* the literary journal of the Veterans Writing Project and is a longtime member of the Writer’s Center. www.carmelindablagg.com.
**Dana Cann** was born in Santa Barbara, California, and grew up in Bethesda and Rockville. He worked in corporate finance and restructuring. He’s the author of the novel *Ghosts of Bergen County* (Tin House). His short fiction has been published in *The Sun, The Massachusetts Review, The Gettysburg Review,* and elsewhere. He’s received grants and fellowships from the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County, the Maryland State Arts Council, Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation, and the Sewanee Writers Conference. He teaches workshops at The Writer’s Center and reads flash fiction for *Fractured Lit.* www.danacann.com
**Christina Kovac** is a novelist, editor, and former television journalist. Her debut novel, *The Cutaway,* was published in 2017 (Atria Books). She is currently at work on her second novel, *Watch Us Fall* (Simon & Schuster). Before turning her hand at fiction writing, she worked in television newsrooms in Washington, D.C., her final stint was at the NBC’s Washington Bureau as a producer, writer, and desk editor. She grew up in New Castle, Delaware, and lives in Olney with her family and orange cat. www.christinakovac.com
**James Mathews** is a retired Air Force Chief Master Sergeant and holds a MA in Writing from the Johns Hopkins University. In addition to serving on the Board of Directors for nine years, he has taken and taught fiction at The Writer’s Center since 1995. His fiction has appeared in numerous journals, including the *Painted Bride Quarterly, Northwest Review, Carolina Quarterly, The Wisconsin Review,* *The Florida Review,* as well as anthologies including *Best American Mystery Stories*. His collection, *Last Known Position*, was awarded the Katherine Anne Porter Prize for Short Fiction and was published by the University of North Texas Press in 2008. [www.jamesmathewsonline.com](http://www.jamesmathewsonline.com/)
**Kathleen Wheaton** grew up in California, studied at Stanford and received an MFA from Boston University. She was a librarian at *The New Yorker* and then worked for 25 years as a journalist in Spain, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, and Bethesda, Maryland. Her fiction has appeared in many journals and three anthologies, and her collection, *Aliens and Other Stories,* was awarded the 2013 Washington Writers Publishing House Fiction Prize. From 2014 to 2022, she served as president of WWPH, a D.C.-based cooperative press. Her second collection is forthcoming from Betty Books. This summer she will return to Palo Alto as a 2024-2026 Stegner Fellow. [www.kathleenwheaton.com](http://www.kathleenwheaton.com)
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [BIPOC Writers Mixer](https://writer.org/event/bipoc-writers-mixer-aug2024/)
**Published:** May 22, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
**Calling all BIPOC writers in the DMV! Let’s hang out and talk writing!**
Come join us for an informal gathering at The Writer’s Center to meet new writers, make new friends, and share your love of the written word. Please bring a drink or an appetizer that serves six. You’re welcome to bring a friend, too.
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP required below.**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [BIPOC Writers Mixer](https://writer.org/event/bipoc-writers-mixer-jun2024/)
**Published:** May 22, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
**Calling all BIPOC writers in the DMV! Let’s hang out and talk writing!**
Come join us for an informal gathering at The Writer’s Center to meet new writers, make new friends, and share your love of the written word. Please bring a drink or an appetizer that serves six. You’re welcome to bring a friend, too.
**FREE & open to the public. RSVP required below.**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [The Poetics of Memoir with Jessica E. Johnson, Tyler Mills & Sarah Rose Nordgren](https://writer.org/event/poetics-of-memoir/)
**Published:** May 13, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes memoirists Jessica E. Johnson, Tyler Mills, and Sarah Rose Nordgren for a roundtable discussion on the poetics of memoir.
**FREE & open to the public. Register below.**
---
**Jessica E. Johnson** (she/they) is the author of the book-length poem *Metabolics* (Acre Poetry Series), the chapbook *In Absolutes We Seek Each Other* (New Michigan Press), and the memoir *Mettlework: A Mining Daughter on Making Home* (Acre Books). She is a contributor to *Cascadia Field Guide: Art, Ecology, Poetry,* and her poems, essays, and reviews have appeared in *The Paris Review*, *Tin House*, *The New Republic*, *Poetry Northwest*, *River Teeth*, *DIAGRAM*, *Annulet Poetics,* and *Sixth Finch*, among others. Her honors include an Oregon Literary Fellowship, many Pushcart nominations, a Best of the Net nomination, and a *Best American Essays* notable. *In Absolutes We Seek Each Other* and *Metabolics* were both finalists for an Oregon Book Award. She lives in Portland, Oregon and co-hosts the Constellation Reading Series.
Born in Chicago, **Tyler Mills** (she/her) is the author of *City Scattered* (Snowbound Chapbook Award, Tupelo Press 2022), *Hawk Parable* (Akron Poetry Prize, University of Akron Press 2019), *Tongue Lyre* (Crab Orchard Series in Poetry First Book Award, Southern Illinois University Press 2013), and co-author with Kendra DeColo of *Low Budget Movie* (Diode Editions Chapbook Prize, Diode Editions 2021). Her memoir, *The Bomb Cloud*, received a Literature Grant from the Café Royal Foundation NYC. A poet and essayist, her poems have appeared in *The New Yorker*, *The Guardian*, *The New Republic*, *The Believer*, and *Poetry*, and her essays in *AGNI*, *Brevity*, *Copper Nickel*, *River Teeth*, and *The Rumpus*. She lived and taught in New Mexico four years, most recently serving as the Burke Scholar for the Doel Reed Center for the Arts in Taos, NM, and now teaches for Sarah Lawrence College’s Writing Institute and the Provincetown Fine Arts Work Center. She lives in Brooklyn, NY.
**Sarah Rose Nordgren** is an American poet, writer, teacher, and cultural organizer. She is the author of four books of poetry and prose, including, most recently, *Feathers:* *A Bird Hat Wearer’s Journal* (Essay Press, 2024), which earned the Essay Press Book Prize, as well as the poetry collections *Darwin’s Mother* (University of Pittsburgh, 2017) and *Best Bones* (University of Pittsburgh, 2014), winner of the Agnes Lynch Starrett Poetry Prize; and the chapbook *The Creation Museum* (Harbor Editions, 2022). Her poems and essays have appeared in *American Poetry Review, Kenyon Review, Ploughshares*, and *Narrative*, and have been featured by *PBS Newshour*, *The Slowdown* podcast, *Poetry Daily,* and elsewhere. Nordgren holds a BA from Sarah Lawrence College, an MFA in poetry from University of North Carolina Greensboro, and a PhD in English and Creative Writing from University of Cincinnati where she also earned a Graduate Certificate in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. Nordgren lives in her hometown of Durham, North Carolina where she teaches poetry, serves as Emerging Poet Feature editor for *32 Poems*, and is the Founding Director of The School for Living Futures, an experimental, interdisciplinary organization dedicated to creating new knowledge and possibility for our climate-changed future.
---
## About the Books
A shimmering memoir defined equally by its lyrical prose and profound historical implications, ***The Bomb Cloud*** untangles the intersecting strands of information running through a family mystery shaped by national secrets. From craggy cliffs in New Mexico to the haunting White Sands Missile Range, poet Tyler Mills meditates on the journeys that curiosity and research demand. Mills wonders about the nature of memory and writing itself, which surface as subjects – and asks what it means to discover, create, and re-create narratives in a search for illusive clarity. How can one navigate through gaps in the fence around forbidden knowledge and confront what seems to be the truth? Extending from the poems in Mills’ *Hawk Parable* collection, this memoir wrestles with her grandfather’s likely involvement in a top-secret bomb wing that trained in the New Mexico desert, taking the reader to the very edge of the unknowable. *The Bomb Cloud* offers a story through essays about ecological crisis, family intrigue, personal and collective trauma, borders and the American Southwest, and mothering and legacy. It also splits open what it means to grapple with a history, a past, a place, and a self through language. *The Bomb Cloud* includes 10 pieces of original, multi-media art by the author exploring the questions posed by the book.
Designed as a turn of the century women’s magazine that combines memoir, history, theory, poetry, and image, ***Feathers: A Bird-Hat Wearer’s Journal*** explores women’s complex relationship with birds through the history of feather fashion. Originating in the bird-hat controversy of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, which coincided with both the women’s suffrage and budding American conservation movements, this polyvocal book moves in multiple directions as it examines cases of women and birds from across cultures and time periods, from the Virgin Mary, to Leda, *Swan Lake*, and Alexander McQueen. As its connective thread, *Feathers* also follows one woman’s enculturation into the world of bird-women and its inherent violence. What might we learn about gender from the birds?
A memoir of Johnson’s unusual upbringing during the 1970s and ’80s, interwoven with the story of her transition to parenthood in post-recession Portland, Oregon. In the weeks after her first child is born, Jessica E. Johnson receives an email from her mother that contains artifacts of the author’s early childhood: scans of Polaroids and letters her mother wrote in mountain west mining camps and ghost towns—places without running water, companions, or help. Awash in love and restlessness, Johnson begins to see how the bedrock images of her isolated upbringing have stayed with her, even when she believed she was removing herself from their logic. As she copes with the swirling pressures of parenting, teaching at an urban community college, and a partnership shaped by chronic illness, Johnson starts digging through her mother’s keepsakes and the histories of the places her family passed through, uncovering the linked misogyny and disconnection that characterized her childhood world—a world with uncomfortable echoes in the present and even in the act of writing itself. The resulting journey encompasses Johnson’s early memories, the story of the earth told in the language of geology, bits of vivid correspondence, a mothering manual from the early twentieth century, and the daily challenges of personal and collective care in a lonesome-crowded Pacific wonderland. ***Mettlework*** traces intergenerational failures of homemaking, traveling toward presence and relationship amid the remains of extractive industry and unsustainable notions of family.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [American Identity Through a Literary Lens](https://writer.org/event/american-identity-through-a-literary-lens/)
**Published:** May 8, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents an informative and inspiring symposium addressing the subject of American identity in literature and popular culture, offering **free creative writing workshops followed by a panel discussion**. Featured writers include Patricia Coral, Steve Majors, Eman Quotah, and Melissa Scholes Young. The symposium concludes with a reception for all attendees.
**All events are FREE and open to the public. Limited space, registration required. The workshops are simultaneous, so please only sign up for ONE. Scroll down to register!**
# **The Workshops \| 1:30-3:00pm**
***Please register for ONE workshop** using the form below. Workshop registration includes admission to the panel discussion and reception.*
- **The Spaces We Inhabit: A Poetic Exploration \| Workshop Leader: Patricia Coral** Whether physical or metaphorical, external or internal, our surroundings and circumstances influence not only our lived experience but also our writing. In this workshop we’ll explore how the spaces we inhabit shape our identity, memory, and creative work. The facilitator will lead you through a variety of experimental and generative exercises to engage with poetry in different ways. All poets and writers are welcome. Please, bring a notebook and writing instrument that are easy to carry with you, and 1-2 pictures (or a small keepsake) that spark memories connected to your identity. Sharing your work is always optional. Facilitation will be in English, but you should feel free to write in the language of your preference.
- **American Identity & Memoir \| Workshop Leader: Steve Majors**
In a country where race, class, geography, and even political ideology have increasingly become points of division, how do we reconcile our multifaceted identities as Americans in our writing? In this session, we’ll use thought exercises, short writing prompts, and discussion to explore how personal narrative can help us reflect on those things that divide and unite us and foster understanding and connection.
- **Mapping Stories for Structure & Revision (Fiction) \| Workshop Leader: Melissa Scholes Young** In this workshop, we’ll consider craft approaches to structure in stories and the role of revision. From beat sheets to heroine journey models to world building, we’ll discuss creating our own maps for the stories we most want to tell.
- **American(s) Abroad & Other(s) in America (Mixed Genre) \| Workshop Leader: Eman Quotah**
What happens when we and/or our characters/personas/narrators take our American identities abroad? What happens when we bring our “foreign” identities to “American soil”? Through stimulating discussion and writing exercises, we’ll muddle the difference between narratives/poetics of travel and narratives/poetics of (im)migration. (It’s all movement.) We’ll explore how to write ethically, thoughtfully, and truthfully about strangeness and acceptance in strange and familiar places. Participants will leave with inspiration for a poem, story, or essay that takes readers on a journey.
***Please register for ONE workshop** using the form below. Workshop registration includes admission to the panel discussion and reception.*
# **The Panel \| 3:15-4:15pm**
*To attend the panel and reception, please register for one of the workshops, or you can choose the panel-only option below.*
- Our workshop leaders are joined by moderator Joanne Hyppolite for a discussion on how the literary community addresses family, how we get it right, and where we might do better. Reception to follow.
# **The Participants**
**Patricia Coral** is a bilingual Puerto Rican writer. She holds an MFA in creative writing from American University, where she received the Myra Sklarew Award and where she was Editor-in Chief of FOLIO. She writes creative nonfiction and poetry, but frequently her words find their home in between. The former events director for Politics and Prose, she has contributed to numerous literary magazines and is the author of the forthcoming memoir *Women Surrounded by Water*.
**Steve Majors** is the author of *High Yella: A Modern Family Memoir* and the forthcoming graphic novel, *Light Bright*. Steve’s writing explores issues of race, class, culture and identity and his personal essays have been published in national outlets including the *New York Times*, *Washington Post*, *Boston Globe*, CNN.com and NBC Think. Steve’s writing skills were honed as a journalist. For many decades he worked as a TV producer, first in major TV markets across the country, and then in New York where he held successive leadership positions at CNBC, MSNBC and NBC’s Weekend TODAY show. Most recently, he’s led marketing and communications for national nonprofits. He is currently chief of external affairs at Teach For America. He’s a vocal advocate on behalf of youth issues and in that capacity has been interviewed by the *Washington Post* and appeared on NPR, MSNBC and NBC/Current.
**Eman Quotah**‘s debut novel, *Bride of the Sea* (Tin House), won the 2022 Arab American Book Award for fiction. Her essays, short stories, and book reviews have appeared in *Literary Hub*, *The Rumpus*, *The Markaz Review*, and other publications.
**Melissa Scholes Young** is the author of the award-winning novels *Flood* and *The Hive*. She received the Shelf Unbound Best Book Award in 2021 and the Next Generation Indie Book Award in 2023. She’s published two chapbooks, *Scrap Metal Baby* and *Guinea Pig*. She serves as Editor of *Grace in Darkness*, *Furious Gravity*, and *Grace in Love*, anthologies by women writers and directs the From the Attic online series. Her nonfiction has appeared in the *Atlantic*, *Ms.*, *Washington Post*, *Poets & Writers*, *Literary Hub*, and *Believer Magazine*. She has been the recipient of fellowships from the Bread Loaf Bakeless Camargo Foundation, the Center for Mark Twain Studies, and the Virginia Center for Creative Arts and grants from the Maryland State Arts Council and the Humanities Truck. Born and raised in Hannibal, Missouri and a first-generation student, she is Professor in the Literature Department of American University where she directs the undergraduate creative writing program.
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
---
# *Please register for ONE workshop using the form below. Workshop registration includes admission to the panel discussion and reception.*
***If a workshop is full, you can join the waitlist by sending an email to amy.freeman@writer.org specifying the workshop you’re interested in attending.***
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [On Words and Worlds: Three Poets on the Worlds That Shape Us](https://writer.org/event/on-words-and-worlds/)
**Published:** May 6, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Come celebrate the launch of Eileen Ivey Sirota’s newly released book, *Watching from the Bleachers*. She is joined by Ellen Cole (*Notes from the Dry Country*, *Prognosis*) and Claire McGoff (*From These Outskirts*).
**FREE and open to the public. Register below.**
---
**Eileen Ivey Sirota** is a psychotherapist, poet, and potter. Her poems have appeared in *Calyx*, *District Lines, Beltway Poetry Quarterly, Voices: Journal of the American Academy of Psychotherapists, NewVerseNews, Ekphrastic Review, Lighten Up Online* and elsewhere. Her first chapbook, *Out of Order*, was published by Finishing Line Press in 2020. Having been raised in a family of political junkies and activists in the Washington DC area, political and cultural issues infuse her poetry. She lives in Bethesda, Maryland where she alternates between sputtering outrage and gob smacked wonder. Her latest book *Watching from the Bleachers* (Finishing Line Press, 2024) unites these two tendencies.
**Ellen Aronofsky Cole** is a poet, actress, puppeteer, and teaching artist. Her books include her full length collection, *Notes from the Dry Country*, (Mayapple Press, 2019) and *Prognosis,* (Finishing Line Press, 2011.) Her poems have appeared in *Bellevue Literary Review*, *Little Patuxent Review, Potomac Review*, *Innisfree Poetry Journ*al, *Beltway Poetry Quarterly,* Fledgling Rag, New Verse News, The Ekphrastic Review, Gargoyle, and elsewhere. Her article *“*My Life as a (Fake) Patient,” was published in *The New England Journal of Medicine*. She has been nominated for The Best of the Net and the National Book Award. She lives in Silver Spring, Maryland with her husband Brian, and a small, feisty parrot named Haiku.
**Claire McGoff** is a poet, wife, mother, and grandmother. Her work has appeared in *Image Magazine*, *Innisfree Poetry Journal,* *Beyond Words Literary Magazine*, and has been included in *Snowdrops,* a collection of winter poems by *Wingless Dreamer*. Her poem “Fawn” was awarded honorable mention Bethesda’s Urban Partnership Poetry contest in 2023. Claire enjoys participating in several writing circles and is a 2018 graduate of the Warren Wilson MFA Program for Writers. Claire grew up in Colorado and in the Texas panhandle and after college, moved to New York state where she completed an internship in Dietetics, married and started a family. After several years there, she and her husband settled in Maryland where they expanded their family, raising six children and many pets. During these years, Claire served in various volunteer positions in her children’s school including the school lunch program and head of hospitality. In addition to poetry, Claire relishes her family, friends, traveling, live music and being in nature. *From These Outskirts,* published in 2022, is Claire’s debut collection.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat with Novelist Lisa Ko](https://writer.org/event/lisa-ko/)
**Published:** January 31, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of fiction! We’re joined by National Book Award finalist Lisa Ko to discuss her new novel, *Memory Piece*. Lisa is in conversation with Zach Powers, novelist and Artistic Director at The Writer’s Center.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from Bookshop.org »](https://bookshop.org/a/22600/9780593542101)
---
**Lisa Ko** is the author of the nationally bestselling novel *The Leavers*, which was a finalist for the National Book Award for Fiction and the PEN/Hemingway Award, and winner of the 2016 PEN/Bellwether Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction. Ko’s short fiction has appeared in *The Best American Short Stories* and her essays and nonfiction have been published in *The New York Times* and *The Believer*.
---
# About the Novel
NAMED A VOGUE BEST BOOK OF 2024
NAMED A MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK OF THE YEAR BY BOOKRIOT, THE MILLIONS, LITHUB AND MORE!
“A moving, strikingly evocative exploration of New York’s art, tech, and activism scenes across the decades.”–Vogue
The award-winning author of *The Leavers* offers a visionary novel of friendship, art, and ambition that asks: What is the value of a meaningful life?
In the early 1980s, Giselle Chin, Jackie Ong, and Ellen Ng are three teenagers drawn together by their shared sense of alienation and desire for something different. “Allied in the weirdest parts of themselves,” they envision each other as artistic collaborators and embark on a future defined by freedom and creativity.
By the time they are adults, their dreams are murkier. As a performance artist, Giselle must navigate an elite social world she never conceived of. As a coder thrilled by the internet’s early egalitarian promise, Jackie must contend with its more sinister shift toward monetization and surveillance. And as a community activist, Ellen confronts the increasing gentrification and policing overwhelming her New York City neighborhood. Over time their friendship matures and changes, their definitions of success become complicated, and their sense of what matters evolves.
Moving from the predigital 1980s to the art and tech subcultures of the 1990s to a strikingly imagined portrait of the 2040s, ***Memory Piece*** is an innovative and audacious story of three lifelong friends as they strive to build satisfying lives in a world that turns out to be radically different from the one they were promised.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [How to Create a Compelling Voice](https://writer.org/event/how-create-a-compelling-voice/)
**Published:** April 8, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Agents say it all the time. What sells a manuscript? A standout voice. Acquire the tools you need for developing a compelling voice of your own through the study of entertaining published examples, a clear explanation and writing exercises designed to ignite your unique way of expressing yourself. You will enjoy a sense of excitement in this inspiring and instructive workshop as you successfully translate the voice in your head to the page.
**Content:**
# An appealing, unique voice gets manuscripts read so it is imperative that you develop your own.
Agents say it all the time. What sells a manuscript? A standout voice. Acquire the tools you need for developing a compelling voice of your own through the study of entertaining published examples, a clear explanation and writing exercises designed to ignite your unique way of expressing yourself. You will enjoy a sense of excitement in this inspiring and instructive workshop as you successfully translate the voice in your head to the page.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
## In this workshop you’ll:
- Learn what editors mean by Voice
- Learn elements of a compelling Voice
- Use Voice to create tension
- Discover your unique Voice
## Time requirements
- No additional time required outside of class.
## Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
## Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers who have not identified a successful personal voice yet, or who find the subject confusing and need concrete examples, an explanation and a safe place to experiment.
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [How to Write a Key Scene](https://writer.org/event/how-to-write-a-key-scene/)
**Published:** April 8, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** A key scene is an essential building block in any work of fiction. In this session, you'll learn tips and strategies for making the scene you see in your head come alive on the page so that your reader is compelled to keep turning the pages, rather than turn out the light. Writing exercises will give class members a hands-on feel for how to add texture, dynamism, and drama to a story. The session also provides practical, hands-on guidance about the rewriting process. An added benefit: giving and receiving critical feedback. You’ll come away from the class with the creative muscle memory to write and revise with confidence.
**Content:**
# A deep dive into the essential building block of any story.
A key scene is an essential building block in any work of fiction. In this session, you’ll learn tips and strategies for making the scene you see in your head come alive on the page so that your reader is compelled to keep turning the pages, rather than turn out the light. Writing exercises will give class members a hands-on feel for how to add texture, dynamism, and drama to a story. The session also provides practical, hands-on guidance about the rewriting process. An added benefit: giving and receiving critical feedback. You’ll come away from the class with the creative muscle memory to write and revise with confidence.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
## In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How to get characters talking to each other
- How to avoid getting writer’s block
- How to tell the difference between showing and telling
- How to revise your work
- How to give and receive constructive criticism
## Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
## Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
## Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for intermediate and experienced writers who are ready to make their writing publication-ready.
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [The Power of Structure: Fixing your Table of Contents](https://writer.org/event/the-power-of-structure-fixing-your-table-of-contents/)
**Published:** April 8, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Join us for an immersive workshop where we'll guide you through the art of creating a compelling table of contents. In this hands-on session, you'll learn how to organize your ideas effectively, create a roadmap for your readers, and ensure your manuscript flows seamlessly from start to finish. Whether you're working on a novel, a thesis, or any other project, mastering the table of contents is key to captivating your audience. Don't miss this opportunity to refine your craft and take your writing to new heights.
**Content:**
# Navigate the table of contents by crafting a roadmap for your writing journey.
Join us for an immersive workshop where we’ll guide you through the art of creating a compelling table of contents. In this hands-on session, you’ll learn how to organize your ideas effectively, create a roadmap for your readers, and ensure your manuscript flows seamlessly from start to finish. Whether you’re working on a novel, a thesis, or any other project, mastering the table of contents is key to captivating your audience. Don’t miss this opportunity to refine your craft and take your writing to new heights.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
## Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
## Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [How to Write a Stand-Up Comedy Act](https://writer.org/event/how-to-write-a-stand-up-comedy-act-2/)
**Published:** April 8, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** How do comedians come up with ideas? It all starts with finding the funny in your life and turning it into material. Learn how to recognize a premise, extract the humor and hone it into a stand-up act or funny story. We study comedians and styles and work on your unique voice in a fun and supportive class. This is for people who want to go out and try performing or just want to learn how to polish up their writing with wit and humor. No preparation or experience necessary.
**Content:**
# Learn how to write with wit and humor!
How do comedians come up with ideas? It all starts with finding the funny in your life and turning it into material. Learn how to recognize a premise, extract the humor and hone it into a stand-up act or funny story. We study comedians and styles and work on your unique voice in a fun and supportive class. This is for people who want to go out and try performing or just want to learn how to polish up their writing with wit and humor. No preparation or experience necessary.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
## In this workshop you’ll learn:
- What is a comedy premise
- How to get to the point
- Why is something funny
## Time requirements
- 30 minutes/week
## Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
## Who should take this workshop?
- This class can help poets, playwrights or screenwriters, public speakers, or anyone who wants learn the art of good editing and conversational language.
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 5 Sessions, All Levels, Stage and Screen, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Your First (or Next) Novel](https://writer.org/event/your-first-or-next-novel/)
**Published:** April 8, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** 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. Participants 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.
**Content:**
# Learn how to turn your imagined stories into a novel!
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. Participants 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.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
## In this workshop you’ll learn:
- The three critical elements of every good story
- Prioritizing writing time
- Plotting Hacks
## Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
## Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
## Who should take this workshop?
- This class is for everyone at all writing levels, especially if you’re vexed by the concept of show don’t tell.
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [The Muddle in the Middle](https://writer.org/event/the-muddle-in-the-middle/)
**Published:** April 8, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** This quick-take session focuses on ways to get yourself unstuck when a story’s middle gets thorny, or you lose your way. A relaxed, informative 90 minutes chockful of information from a multi-published author who often has to fight her way out of the middle of a manuscript…and onward to a completed novel. Loads of tips and tricks for you to take away!
**Content:**
# Discover all the stuff you didn’t realize could speed you through the middle of your story!
This quick-take session focuses on ways to get yourself unstuck when a story’s middle gets thorny, or you lose your way. A relaxed, informative 90 minutes chockful of information from a multi-published author who often has to fight her way out of the middle of a manuscript…and onward to a completed novel. Loads of tips and tricks for you to take away!
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
## In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Plot Enhancers
- Pacing
- Character Development
- Bumping up Tension
- Resolution prep
## Time requirements
- None
## Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
## Who should take this workshop?
- Authors of fiction, creative nonfiction, and memoir who need support working to completion their projects.
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Crafting Fiction: Element by Element](https://writer.org/event/crafting-fiction-element-by-element/)
**Published:** April 8, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** By working through basic craft elements of fiction, participants will build a strong foundation for their writing--be it stories or novels. This 7-week workshop will explore craft elements one at a time and ask participants to practice them through in-class exercises. Reading published fiction will also help us understand how writers regularly employ these elements. You'll also begin to put the elements together as you start a story. You'll leave the workshop with the tools you need to write wonderful, authentic fiction.
**Content:**
# Let’s demystify the craft of fiction writing!
By working through basic craft elements of fiction, participants will build a strong foundation for their writing–be it stories or novels. This 7-week workshop will explore craft elements one at a time and ask participants to practice them through in-class exercises. Reading published fiction will also help us understand how writers regularly employ these elements. You’ll also begin to put the elements together as you start a story. You’ll leave the workshop with the tools you need to write wonderful, authentic fiction.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
## In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Developing Characters
- Moving from Character to Plot and Story
- Setting/Tone/Time
- Point of View / Narration
- Scene & Dialogue, and Revision
## Time requirements
- 30-60 minutes/week.
## Materials
- *The Best American Short Stories 2022*, Andrew Sean Greer, Ed.
## Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for anyone wishing to grow their knowledge of the craft of fiction. It works for any level, and certainly beginners will find a start here, and experienced writers can find new insights.
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 7 Sessions, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Tips for Revision from the Pros!](https://writer.org/event/tips-for-revision-from-the-pros/)
**Published:** April 8, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** In this hands-on, active learning workshop, you will learn some of the various ways writers reshape, rethink, and "re-vision" their pieces. We’ll learn about and try out deep cutting, shifting style or point of view, switching up or mixing genres, and more! By the end of class, you’ll have a variety of revision techniques to try out so that you can choose the approach (or approaches) that will inspire you to take your writing forward.
**Content:**
# Build your toolkit of revision strategies so you can polish your writing BEFORE showing it to an editor or agent!
In this hands-on, active learning workshop, you will learn some of the various ways writers reshape, rethink, and “re-vision” their pieces. We’ll learn about and try out deep cutting, shifting style or point of view, switching up or mixing genres, and more! By the end of class, you’ll have a variety of revision techniques to try out so that you can choose the approach (or approaches) that will inspire you to take your writing forward.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
## In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Revision strategies that published writers use
- Reverse outlining of your work
- Close reading for line-editing and copy-editing
- Deep cutting
- Re-imagining your work to flesh it out
## Time requirements
- None
## Materials
- Please bring an original text (any prose genre of fiction or creative nonfiction) to work with.
## Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for any writer of prose (fiction or creative nonfiction) who wants to expand their knowledge of editing strategies to become their own best self-editor.
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Intermediate/Advanced Level, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Writing About Mental Illness](https://writer.org/event/writing-about-mental-illness/)
**Published:** April 8, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Whether you have experienced mental illness personally or have a loved one with mental illness, writing about it can help you process the challenges and inner conflicts while creating powerful narratives that reduce stigma and stereotypes. In the spirit of healing through storytelling, participants will write about how mental illness has directly or indirectly affected their lives. You will learn creative ways to practice self-discovery through writing and turn personal experience into art, and you will come away with two rough drafts in whatever genre you choose. For inspiration, we will read pieces by Elyn Saks, Bassey Ikpi, Mariah Hornbacher, and more. Please note, this is not a replacement for therapy. It’s an opportunity to explore a difficult topic through a creative lens.
**Content:**
# Write about your experience with mental illness in a safe space.
Whether you have experienced mental illness personally or have a loved one with mental illness, writing about it can help you process the challenges and inner conflicts while creating powerful narratives that reduce stigma and stereotypes. In the spirit of healing through storytelling, participants will write about how mental illness has directly or indirectly affected their lives. You will learn creative ways to practice self-discovery through writing and turn personal experience into art, and you will come away with two rough drafts in whatever genre you choose. For inspiration, we will read pieces by Elyn Saks, Bassey Ikpi, Mariah Hornbacher, and more. Please note, this is not a replacement for therapy. It’s an opportunity to explore a difficult topic through a creative lens.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
## In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Idea generation techniques
- Pre-writing techniques
- Writing to heal
- Story development
- Managing ethical dilemmas
## Time requirements
- 2-3 hours outside of class
## Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
## Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for beginning and intermediate nonfiction writers who want to write about this topic while taking care of themselves and others.
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 2 Sessions, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Facing Your Writing Fears](https://writer.org/event/facing-your-writing-fears/)
**Published:** April 8, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Not only is writing a lonely process, it can be downright scary. And, when it comes to mustering the courage to share our work with others, fear can turn to terror. In this session we'll look at understanding what frightens us -- and how to get beyond those fears.
**Content:**
# Find the courage to share your work with others.
Not only is writing a lonely process, it can be downright scary. And, when it comes to mustering the courage to share our work with others, fear can turn to terror. In this session we’ll look at understanding what frightens us — and how to get beyond those fears.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
## In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How to identify what you’re afraid of—and why
- The dynamics of how fear undermines our confidence
- Strategies for facing fear
## Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
## Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
## Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop will be especially helpful for introverts at all writing levels.
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat with Poet Sydney Lea](https://writer.org/event/sydney-lea/)
**Published:** April 24, 2023
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
*Poet Lore* and The Writer’s Center present a FREE virtual chat about the craft of poetry! We’re joined by Sydney Lea to discuss his latest collection, *What Shines*. Sydney is in conversation with Emily Holland, poet and editor of *Poet Lore.*
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller. Link for online purchases coming soon.
---
A former Pulitzer finalist, **Sydney Lea** served as founding editor of *New England Review* and was Vermont’s Poet Laureate from 2011 to 2015. In 2021, he was presented with his home state’s Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts. He is the author of twenty-four books: a novel, five volumes of personal and three of critical essays, and sixteen poetry collections, most recently *What Shines* (Four Way Books, NYC, 2023). His sixth book of personal essays, *Such Dancing as We Can* (The Humble Essayist Press) is due in late 2023.
## About the Book
***What Shines*** looks back on 80 years of life through poems containing an undertone of anxiety about how climate change and exploitation of resources will increasingly affect human life. The collection also considers blemishes on American society – disproportionate poverty, military violence, substance abuse – and yet its arc bends toward hope and the redemptive power of love.
### If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at [access@{{{{homeurl\_non\_www}}}}](mailto:access@{{{{homeurl_non_www}}}}). We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Second-Generation Immigrant Writers Mixer](https://writer.org/event/second-generation-mixer-may2024/)
**Published:** April 18, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Join us at The Writer’s Center for an informal gathering with other second-generation immigrant writers. It’s the perfect opportunity to network and share stories. Please bring a drink or an appetizer that serves six. You’re welcome to bring a friend, too.
A limited number of attendees will have the opportunity to read a 5-minute work they have written on the immigrant or second-generation experience. We will draw names from those who express interest in reading.
**FREE & open to second-generation immigrant writers from the DMV. RSVP required below.**
[TWC Membership is encouraged »](https://writer.org/become-a-member/)
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Novelist Brooke Shaffner in Conversation with Héctor Vaca Cruz](https://writer.org/event/shaffner/)
**Published:** December 14, 2023
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes novelist Brooke Shaffner for a reading and discussion of her award-winning novel, *Country of Under*. Brooke is in conversation with Héctor Vaca Cruz, documentary photographer and community organizer.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern.
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from the publisher »](https://masonjarpress.com/chapbooks-1/tz39v9wfk5lii9eiuxtd8qvz0hk6nf)
---
**Brooke Shaffner**’s novel *Country of Under* was published on April 9th. It won the 1729 Book Prize, was the PEN/Bellwether Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction runner-up, and was shortlisted for Dzanc Books’ Prize for Fiction and Black Lawrence Press’s Big Moose Prize. Brooke’s work has appeared in *Scoundrel Time*, *The Rumpus*, *The Hudson Review*, *Marie Claire*, *BOMB*, *Litmosphere*, *Big Indie Books*, *Lost and Found: Stories from New York*, *The Lit Pub*, and on *Charlotte Readers Podcast*. Brooke has received grants from the Arts & Science Council, United States Artists, and the Saltonstall Foundation and residencies from MacDowell, Ucross, Saltonstall, the Edward Albee Foundation, Jentel, I-Park, and VCCA. Brooke is bisexual and grew up part Garza, part Shaffner in Texas’s Rio Grande Valley. Her Garza grandfather was an undocumented immigrant from Mexico; her Shaffner grandfather was raised Mennonite. She founded Freedom Tunnel Press with her partner Niteesh Elias to publish artivist books that straddle borders. An excerpt of her memoir-in-progress won the Lit/South Award. Find more at [brookeshaffner.com](http://brookeshaffner.com/).
**Héctor Vaca Cruz** is a Latino documentary photographer who has lived in Charlotte since 2008. Born in New York and raised in South Carolina, he is of Ecuadorian and Puerto Rican heritage. As the son of immigrants living in the south, Héctor grew up always feeling different, like he did not fit in. He felt less valued than his white friends, many of whom came from upper middle-class and rich families. Because of this, he felt like he did not have a voice. Through photography, Héctor explores the themes of privilege, immigration, racism, nationalism, colorism, classism, and identity. He makes his images, to spark dialogue, in order to better understand these issues and find solutions. More importantly, his photos give a voice to those who have been stifled by society, based on privilege, prejudice, and oppression. Growing up in the skateboarding and punk rock culture, both of which influenced the direction of his career and art, Héctor found his voice. In college, he published his own zine to make his and others’ voices heard. For his day job, Héctor is a community organizer who empowers oppressed communities to lead the movement toward equity and systemic change. Héctor is also a member of the Charlotte-based Latinx artist-led OBRA Collective and was instrumental in the founding of the Visual and Performing Arts Center (VAPA).
---
## About the Novel
***Country of Under*** tells the becoming stories of two unforgettable characters: Pilar Salomé Reinfeld, raised by her undocumented father, a descendent of Bolivian Mennonites, in a Mexican-American community; and Carlos/Carla/Río Gomez, a gender fluid DREAMer raised by their grandmother in the same Texican bordertown—two intelligent, misfit teenagers carving out their place in the world.
Pilar, who is passionate and empathetic but painfully shy and withdrawn, and Río, who is bold and charming, meet in high school in 2001 and become each other’s family of choice. An act of violence propels them to get scholarships to colleges in New York and LA. On opposite coasts, they move through failed romances, revelations, and transformations; nunneries and drag cabarets; asylum trials and alternative medicine; subterranean explorations and Trans Latinx marches; and various assaults on, losses of, and re-creations of self. Even as their lives diverge, parallels emerge in their search for family, identity, freedom, artistic expression, and meaning. They become different people and remain true to each other.
A tragedy calls them back to the Rio Grande Valley, back to each other—their lives changed but still bound. Still mourning, Pilar returns to New York City with Río. She struggles to find a way forward and they drift apart. When Pilar’s decision to engage in a dangerous artivist act finally threatens to tear them apart, they struggle to do what they have done in their best moments: see the beauty in each other, even when the world does not. *Country of Under* is about the unending work of transcending borders to bear witness to the wild possibility within all of us.
Runner-up for the PEN/Bellwether Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction, *Country of Under* encompasses politicized subjects including the experiences of undocuqueer people, DREAMers, and asylees. But it is foremost a beautiful, compelling, and intimate portrait of the transformative power of friendship. Vivid, immersive depictions of Pilar and Río’s journeys blur the line between life and art, challenging readers to reject false dichotomies—between male and female, contemplation and engagement, existentialism and religion, and art, healing, and activism—and inhabit the spaces between them.
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Poet Miguel Avero & Translator Jona Colson Reading & Reception for Aguas/Waters](https://writer.org/event/aguas-waters/)
**Published:** April 17, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes poet Miguel Avero and translator Jona Colson for a reading and reception for *Aguas/Waters*, published by the Washington Writers’ Publishing House.
**FREE & open to the public. Register below.**
---
**Miguel Avero**, born in Montevideo, Uruguay in 1984l, is a poet, narrator, essayist, teacher, and researcher. Co-founder of Orientacion Poesia and On the Path of Dogs. He directs the writing workshop “Puerta Quimera.” Avero Participates in various national and international anthologies. He has published the collection of poems, including *Arca de aserrin* (Ediciones en blanco; 2011; republished in 2021 by Ediciones del Demiurgo), the nouvelle *Michaela Moon* (Travesia Ediciones, 2014; republished in 2015.) In 2016, Avero published the books *Let Nobody Ask About You* (Bestial Barracuda Babilonica, poetic prose) and *La Pieza* (Walkie Talkie Ediciones, poetry). He won the first Espacio Mixtura poetry prize with the book *Libreta insomne* (Editorial Primero de Mayo, 2019). In 2020, he published *Haiku mate* (Ediciones del Demiurgo, poetry) co-authored with the Minuan Poet Leonardo de Leon. In 2022, *Prosperidad*, a hybrid text of poetry, essays, and memoirs, was released by Ginko Ediroia. Recently, by the same publishing house, the book of short stories *Michaela Moon y otros tentativas (2023)* was published. Part of Avero’s work has been translated into English and French.
**Jona Colson** is an educator and poet. He graduated from Goucher College with a double Bachelor’s degree in English and Spanish and earned his MFA from American University and a Master’s in Literature/Linguistics from George Mason University. His poems have appeared in *The Southern Review, Ploughshares, The Massachusetts Review,* and elsewhere. In addition to writing his own poetry, he also translates the Spanish language poetry of Miguel Avero from Montevideo, Uruguay. His translations can be found in *Prairie Schooner, Tupelo Quarterly,* and *Palabras Errantes.* He is currently a professor at Montgomery College in Maryland where he teaches English as a Second Language. He lives in the Dupont Circle area of Washington, DC.
---
## About the Book
*Aguas/Waters* introduces the rich and vibrant imagery of Uruguayan poet Miguel Avero to the English-speaking world. Selected works from two of his early collections highlight the legacy of magical realism and rioplatense rhythms in this prolific poet’s fierce style. This first bilingual edition matches each original Spanish poem with an inspired translation by Washington DC poet Jona Colson. *Aguas/Waters* is the premier selection in the Biennial WWPH Translation Series.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Writing Irony/Satire](https://writer.org/event/writing-irony-satire/)
**Published:** December 7, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Learn to write irony effectively.
Irony and satire are the art of saying something without saying something. To understand irony and satire, we must understand why and how readers intuit particular meanings from our words. In this lecture, you will learn the specific history that gave rise to our modern understanding of satire and irony, how history informs the mechanics of satire and irony, and how these mechanics when implemented can produce incisive writing.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
## In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Critical analysis
- Close reading
- Irony
- Satire
## Time requirements
- Approximately 2 hours of preparatory reading is recommended but not required.
## Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
## Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers of all levels who seek to apply irony in their writing. The workshop would also benefit anyone looking to become more practiced in critical analysis as a tool for reading and writing.
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [How to Tell Your Story](https://writer.org/event/how-to-tell-your-story-2/)
**Published:** December 7, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Join us for an hour as we discuss and learn different effective methods towards building and developing your story.
This workshop is intended to help with all creative projects and how to navigate through ideas. This workshop will include a couple prompts to get the creative juices flowing, and some light lesson methodologies on ways to ease into projects, followed with a QA session.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
## In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Structure and plot
- Different storytelling methods
- Writing processes
## Time requirements
- 10 minutes outside of class.
## Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
## Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for anyone stuck on bringing their story to life.
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Opening Art Reception for Ekphrasis by Jeffrey Berg](https://writer.org/event/ekphrasis/)
**Published:** April 10, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes artist Jeffrey Berg for an opening reception for *Ekphrasis*, a collection of color pencil drawings and mixed media on paper. The exhibition will be on view in the Joram Piatigorsky Gallery May 23 – August 2, 2024.
**FREE & open to the public! Register below!** Light refreshments provided.
---
# Artist Statement
My vision as an artist is to engage the viewer in an internal journey, connecting individual character with the context of the world in which we live. The exploration of character and personal narratives is of endless interest to me. By investigating person-centered narratives and internal themes — such as how we carry our past with us always as the lens through which we view life — and the need for human connection, dreams, and memory, my drawings ask how who we are connects us with community. In other words, how do we define ourselves as individuals within our social context?
Drawing is everything to me. I work with a moment in a narrative, each drawing is part of a story. I like stories that have intimate yet common implications. I am often inspired by literature, poetry mostly, and I sometimes turn to stories that I grew up with, as well as stories that are revealed to me through life in DC and my former work as a counselor in a community mental health clinic.
The result, I hope, is thoughtful, intriguing, accessible, and human.
---
# 
# Related Programming
**Ekphrasis & Inspiration Writing Workshop**
2 Sessions
Saturdays, June 22 & 29
10:00am – 11:30am ET
With so many resources for visual art in the DMV, including galleries, libraries, museums, and monuments, ekphrastic writing can awaken a recalcitrant muse. What is it, and how does it work? This free, two-day, generative, in-person workshop examines ekphrasis and inspiration, and how to harness the process to deepen your creative writing.
[**Learn more & register »**](https://writer.org/event/ekphrasis-workshop/)
---
HEADER IMAGE: *Unutterable Occurrence*, 2022,Two panels, 20” x 22” each / color pencil on paper
PAGE IMAGE: *The Reckoning 1*, 2023, 29” x 29”, color pencil on paper
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [From Idea to Script: A Beginner's Guide to Screenwriting](https://writer.org/event/from-idea-to-script-a-beginners-guide-to-screenwriting/)
**Published:** April 8, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Discover how to translate your passion for screenwriting into actionable skills. Every week students will build on the foundations of story, structure, character arcs, the do's and don'ts, industry standards, and the technical side of writing a script until they have a completed short screenplay that will be workshopped during the last weeks of class. We'll start with one page scripts, build to a three-page script, and finally five to ten page scripts for the final workshop. Please come to class with a few ideas you'd like to use to create a final script.
**Content:**
# Learn how to turn your big idea into a solid screenplay.
Discover how to translate your passion for screenwriting into actionable skills. Every week students will build on the foundations of story, structure, character arcs, the do’s and don’ts, industry standards, and the technical side of writing a script until they have a completed short screenplay that will be workshopped during the last weeks of class. We’ll start with one page scripts, build to a three-page script, and finally five to ten page scripts for the final workshop. Please come to class with a few ideas you’d like to use to create a final script.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
## In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Story (does this story work as a script?)
- Structure
- Character Arcs/Development
- Scripts v. Novels – how subtext works in a screenplay
- Technical Screenwriting
- Film Direction in a script”
## Time requirements
- Students will have deadlines for a one-page script, three-page script, and the final script will be workshopped during the last sessions. Their level of preparation depends on how quickly they’re able to work through these drafts.
## Materials
Recommended, but not required reading:
- Crafting Short Screenplays that Connect by Claudia Hunter Johnson
- How to Write a Movie in 21 Days by Viki King
- Story by Robert McKee
- On Writing by Stephen King
In Preparation:
- Watch your favorite films and take notes, make a list of questions, and notice anything that stands out or doesn’t make sense to you. We’ll discuss in class.
Short reading materials provided.
## Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for beginning screenwriters and novelists who are interested in adapting their work. You’ll learn the basics of screenwriting to get you started on your long-form journey.
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 8 Sessions, Beginner Level, Stage and Screen, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Intermediate Novel: The 8 Cs of Novel Writing](https://writer.org/event/intermediate-novel-the-8-cs-of-novel-writing/)
**Published:** April 8, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** 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.)
**Content:**
# Let’s finish that novel you started!
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.)
---
***Learn at your own pace:** This workshop will take place over **Wet Ink**, which is an asynchronous creative writing platform. The instructor will post a lesson and assignment at the beginning of each week, and participants can log in and read the lessons/post assignments/comment on other classmates’ work at their convenience. Shortly before the start date, participants will receive an invite from Wet Ink to create their login info and access the class. Please check your spam if you don’t see it.*
---
## In this workshop you will explore the 8 C’s of Novel-Writing:
1. Concept
2. Character
3. Circumstances
4. Conflict
5. Complications
6. Crisis
7. Climax
8. Conclusion
## Time requirements
- 3-5 hours/week
## Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
## Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for writers looking to deepen their understanding of the major components of novel-writing.
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 8 Sessions, Fiction, Intermediate Level, Wet Ink, Workshop
---
### [Ready, Set, Write! A Generative Fiction Workshop](https://writer.org/event/ready-set-write-a-generative-fiction-workshop/)
**Published:** April 8, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Join this two-hour generative writing session that will help you shake off your inner editor and put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard). If you’ve been uninspired in your creativity lately, feel like your work could use a jolt, or just want to give yourself dedicated writing time, this session is structured to encourage creativity and playfulness. A range of prompts, short reading selections, and class discussion—along with in-class writing time—will introduce different craft techniques, styles, and approaches that will pump up your inspiration and get the words flowing. By the end of the session, you’ll have the start for 4-5 new story drafts.
**Content:**
# Jumpstart your writing in this fast-paced generative workshop.
Join this two-hour generative writing session that will help you shake off your inner editor and put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard). If you’ve been uninspired in your creativity lately, feel like your work could use a jolt, or just want to give yourself dedicated writing time, this session is structured to encourage creativity and playfulness. A range of prompts, short reading selections, and class discussion—along with in-class writing time—will introduce different craft techniques, styles, and approaches that will pump up your inspiration and get the words flowing. By the end of the session, you’ll have the start for 4-5 new story drafts.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
## In this workshop you’ll learn:
- New styles and techniques to try in your own writing
- How to silence your inner editor and self-critic to write without constraint and produce the beginnings of new work
## Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
## Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
## Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers at any level looking to jumpstart their writing with new ideas and inspirations, as well as for writers who want to create several drafts to continue working on after the class ends.
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Poetry Vs. Trauma](https://writer.org/event/poetry-vs-trauma/)
**Published:** April 8, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** Trauma can shut us down; writing poems can help free us to open up again. This workshop will present some of the many ways poetry has helped writers both heal trauma and prevent post-traumatic stress syndrome. Guided by an internationally published poet, you will explore the science behind this and learn a range of techniques, immediately putting several of them to use in drafting new work. The workshop includes reading and discussion of time-honored poems, close attention to emotional and sensory aspects of poetry, several class writing exercises, and feedback on poems for those who wish to share them. (Note: All sharing is optional. This workshop is not a substitute for therapy.)
**Content:**
# Learn, and try out, some of the many ways poetry can help to free the writer.
Trauma can shut us down; writing poems can help free us to open up again. This workshop will present some of the many ways poetry has helped writers both heal trauma and prevent post-traumatic stress syndrome. Guided by an internationally published poet, you will explore the science behind this and learn a range of techniques, immediately putting several of them to use in drafting new work. The workshop includes reading and discussion of time-honored poems, close attention to emotional and sensory aspects of poetry, several class writing exercises, and feedback on poems for those who wish to share them. (Note: All sharing is optional. This workshop is not a substitute for therapy.)
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
## In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Individual and societal healing through poetry
- Writing to help prevent PTSD
- Emotional and sensory aspects of poetry
- Feedback on participant poems (optional)
## Time requirements
- Up to 1 hour/week
## Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
## Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for participants who would like to learn new ways of using poetry to help free themselves or others from trauma.
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 3 Sessions, Intermediate/Advanced Level, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Point of View and Narrative Voice](https://writer.org/event/point-of-view-and-narrative-voice-2/)
**Published:** April 8, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** 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.
**Content:**
# Find your narrator’s voice.
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.
---
***Learn at your own pace:** This workshop will take place over **Wet Ink**, which is an asynchronous creative writing platform. The instructor will post a lesson and assignment at the beginning of each week, and participants can log in and read the lessons/post assignments/comment on other classmates’ work at their convenience. Shortly before the start date, participants will receive an invite from Wet Ink to create their login info and access the class. Please check your spam if you don’t see it.*
---
## In this workshop you’ll:
- Learn the various point of view options.
- Examine their associated benefits and limitations.
- Experiment with these options in your own work.
- Learn the “rules” of point of view.
## Time requirements
- 3-5 hours/week
## Materials
- *Point of View: How to use the different POV types, avoid head-hopping, and choose the best point of view for your book (Writers’ Guide Series)* by Sandra Gerth
## Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is aimed at those seeking the demystification of the concept of point of view in fiction writing.
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, All Levels, Fiction, Wet Ink, Workshop
---
### [Poetry of the Erotic](https://writer.org/event/poetry-of-the-erotic/)
**Published:** April 8, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** For many poets, writing poems about sex can feel intimidating and difficult. Yet for as long as there's been poetry, there have been poems that celebrate the joys, mysteries, and chaos of erotic connection. This workshop offers an opportunity for poets to write their own poems with Eros at the center, as well as read and study poems featuring a wide range of poets of color, and queer and trans poets. In this workshop we'll ask ourselves questions like: How can poems about sex gesture toward even larger considerations than sex itself? What might we learn from poetic traditions that blend erotic poetry and spiritual poetry? How does Eros locate the body both within itself, while transcending the self? By the end of this workshop, students can expect to leave with new poems and new insights into their own poetic process. Students should plan to come to the first workshop with a favorite poem by another poet, to share with the group.
**Content:**
# Let’s write about sex, baby!
For many poets, writing poems about sex can feel intimidating and difficult. Yet for as long as there’s been poetry, there have been poems that celebrate the joys, mysteries, and chaos of erotic connection. This workshop offers an opportunity for poets to write their own poems with Eros at the center, as well as read and study poems featuring a wide range of poets of color, and queer and trans poets. In this workshop we’ll ask ourselves questions like: How can poems about sex gesture toward even larger considerations than sex itself? What might we learn from poetic traditions that blend erotic poetry and spiritual poetry? How does Eros locate the body both within itself, while transcending the self? By the end of this workshop, students can expect to leave with new poems and new insights into their own poetic process. Students should plan to come to the first workshop with a favorite poem by another poet, to share with the group.
---
***Learn at your own pace:** This workshop will take place over **Wet Ink**, which is an asynchronous creative writing platform. The instructor will post a lesson and assignment at the beginning of each week, and participants can log in and read the lessons/post assignments/comment on other classmates’ work at their convenience. Shortly before the start date, participants will receive an invite from Wet Ink to create their login info and access the class. Please check your spam if you don’t see it.*
---
## In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Various poetic approaches to writing toward the erotic
- How tools of craft and form enrich our understanding of poems
- Methods for revising new drafts that focus on possibility rather than self-criticism
## Time requirements
- Students should expect to spend an hour a week on reading, and however much time they need to write their own poems (or revise old poems) for workshop.
## Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
## Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers who are interested in studying—and writing—poems that engage with eros, sexuality, and the body in thoughtful and surprising ways. Students do not have to have taken a poetry workshop before, but some comfort level with writing and exchanging work is encouraged.
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 6 Sessions, All Levels, Poetry, Wet Ink, Workshop
---
### [Plotting Your Novel](https://writer.org/event/plotting-your-novel/)
**Published:** April 8, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** 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.
**Content:**
# Are you a pantser or a planner?
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.
---
***Learn at your own pace:** This workshop will take place over **Wet Ink**, which is an asynchronous creative writing platform. The instructor will post a lesson and assignment at the beginning of each week, and participants can log in and read the lessons/post assignments/comment on other classmates’ work at their convenience. Shortly before the start date, participants will receive an invite from Wet Ink to create their login info and access the class. Please check your spam if you don’t see it.*
---
## In this workshop you’ll:
- Clearly define the premise of your novel
- Determine your main character(s) and the central conflicts (both external and internal)
- Define (and write) the inciting incident
- Determine the novel’s climax
- Begin to consider possible conclusions
## Time requirements
- 3-5 hours/week
## Materials
- *Hooked* by Les Edgerton and *Plot & Structure* by James Scott Bell
## Who should take this workshop?
- Those looking to take their writing to the next level.
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, All Levels, Fiction, Wet Ink, Workshop
---
### [Crafting Short Stories](https://writer.org/event/crafting-short-stories-2/)
**Published:** April 8, 2024
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Excerpt:** In this workshop, participants will examine the qualities of good writing and good storytelling. After a recap on the constituent elements of short fiction, we will take a fresh look at contemporary and classic stories alike. Each week, writers will craft a new piece and offer feedback to fellow participants. By the course's end, writers will have workshopped several stories each and revised them with an eye toward publication.
**Content:**
# A craft-based dive into making your stories stronger.
In this workshop, participants will examine the qualities of good writing and good storytelling. After a recap on the constituent elements of short fiction, we will take a fresh look at contemporary and classic stories alike. Each week, writers will craft a new piece and offer feedback to fellow participants. By the course’s end, writers will have workshopped several stories each and revised them with an eye toward publication.
---
***Learn at your own pace:** This workshop will take place over **Wet Ink**, which is an asynchronous creative writing platform. The instructor will post a lesson and assignment at the beginning of each week, and participants can log in and read the lessons/post assignments/comment on other classmates’ work at their convenience. Shortly before the start date, participants will receive an invite from Wet Ink to create their login info and access the class. Please check your spam if you don’t see it.*
---
## In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Story structure and plot
- Literary dialogue
- Character development
- Understanding sub-genres of literary fiction
## Time requirements
- 2-3 hours/week
## Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 8 Sessions, Fiction, Intermediate Level, Wet Ink, Workshop
---
### [Novel Year with Diane Zinna](https://writer.org/event/novel-year-april/)
**Published:** December 30, 2023
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
# Complete your novel and prepare for publication!
Novel Year is an intensive, advanced workshop geared toward writers with either a draft of a novel ready for revision or a novel substantially underway, with at least 75 pages already written.
Working with novelist Diane Zinna, ten participants will experience the rigor and structure of an MFA-level course while receiving close support for an entire novel-in-progress. We will become a community for one another, working toward consistent writing deadlines and providing thoughtful feedback.
This class is special in that each participant will have the opportunity to present up to 300 pages for critique, in segments of 75 pages each time—continuous pages or revisions. Most classes will feature 2 workshops, and each writer will be assigned 4 workshop dates over the course of the year. There will also be regular opportunities to meet one to one with Diane for additional help. Although the class is primarily a workshop format, there will be exercises and discussions of craft to help participants think deeply about how they can create captivating beginnings, energetic middles, strong change moments, and meaningful endings. We will cover character, dialogue, point of view, plot, energy, and setting, to name a few. And as we near the end of the course, our focus will turn toward publishing, with lessons on how to begin and manage an agent search, and how to write a strong query letter and synopsis.
---
## Applications
**Application Deadline: March 25, 2024**
To be admitted into the program, please submit:
- A one-page cover letter detailing their interest in the program.
- A twenty-page writing sample from their novel in progress. (Submissions must be double spaced and use a standard font.)
Admissions will be on a rolling basis, and the number of participants will be limited to ten, so please submit early. Send your submission to <laura.spencer@writer.org>.
**Note: Acceptance to the course is required before registration**
**Event Categories:** Advanced Level, Advanced/Master Level, Fiction, Master Level, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [The Writer’s Center LIVE! A Variety Show for Literature Lovers](https://writer.org/event/live/)
**Published:** February 26, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
# **Readings! Live music! Antics! Beer!**
The Writer’s Center LIVE! is a celebration of literature that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Attendees are treated to 5 exceptional readings, plus a generous serving of tomfoolery. Featuring acclaimed writers Brandon Blue, Jillian Danback-McGhan, Chet’la Sebree, Michael B. Tager, and Malik Thompson. Hosted by Amy Freeman and Emily Holland, with music by Zach Powers. Book sales provided by [People’s Book](https://peoplesbooktakoma.com/).
**FREE and open to the public (RSVP below). Open bar for the 21+ crowd. Donations appreciated.**
---
**Brandon Blue** is a black, queer poet, educator and MFA candidate at Arizona State University from the D(M)V. He is an assistant editor for Storm Cellar Magazine and his work has or will appear in Barzakh, the Saints and Sinners Literary Festival Poetry Anthology, \[PANK\], and more. His work is also featured in the Capital Pride Poem-a-Day event. His work has received the support of the Virginia G. Piper Center for Creative Writing. His chapbook, *Snap.Shot*, is forthcoming from Finishing Line Pres
**Jillian Danback-McGhan** is an author and Navy veteran. Her work appears or is forthcoming in *Military Experience & the Arts*, *storySouth*, *Line of Advance*, *The Wrath-Bearing Tree*, the anthology *Our Best War Stories* (Middle West Press, 2022), and elsewhere. Jillian is the recipient of the 2020 Col. Darron L. Wright Memorial Writing Award and is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, George Mason University, and Georgetown University. She lives in Annapolis, MD with her family. Her debut story collection, *Midwatch*, was published in February.
**Chet’la Sebree** is the author of [*Field Study*](https://us.macmillan.com/books/9780374539023) (FSG Originals, June 2021), winner of the 2020 James Laughlin Award from the Academy of American Poets. She is also the author of [*Mistress*](https://www.chetlasebree.com/s/2018-New-Issues-Poetry-Prize-Announcement.pdf), selected by Cathy Park Hong as the winner of the 2018 New Issues Poetry Prize and nominated for an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work-Poetry (2020). She is currently working on her debut essay collection about her relationship to home, heritage, and belonging through domestic and international travel; it’s forthcoming from The Dial Press in 2025. She is an assistant professor of English at George Washington University.
**Michael B. Tager** is the Managing Editor of Mason Jar Press and an occasional writer of poetry and prose. He’s the author of *Pop Culture Poetry: The Definitive Edition* (Akinoga Press, ’24). He prefers not to end his sentences on an infinitive, but only because it’s a challenge, not because he thinks it’s a good rule (it isn’t).
**Malik Thompson** is a Black queer man from Washington DC. His work is featured, or forthcoming, in *The Cincinnati Review*, *Denver Quarterly Review*, *Sundog Lit*, *Diode*, *MQR Mixtape*, *Oroboro*, *Poet Lore*, and other places. He has received support from Lambda Literary, Obsidian Foundation, Brooklyn Poets, Cave Canem, and other organizations. He can be found on Instagram via the handle @latesummer.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Using the Tools of Fiction in Nonfiction](https://writer.org/event/using-the-tools-of-fiction-in-nonfiction/)
**Published:** December 7, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Enrich your nonfiction with the powerful tools of fiction.
Whether you are crafting an essay or writing a memoir, the tools of fiction can bring depth and suspense to your work. This class will cover four tools of fiction. Together we will examine contemporary examples of each tool used in nonfiction, and then we will practice them with generative exercises. There will be space to share your work and to discuss the successes or challenges of each tool. Participants will leave with the confidence to bring characterization, dialogue, metaphor, and counter-factuality to their nonfiction.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
## In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Rich Characterization
- Dynamic Dialogue
- Extended Metaphor
- Counter-factuality
## Time requirements
- No additional time required outside of class.
## Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
## Who should take this workshop?
- Writers in the midst of or hoping to start a work of nonfiction.
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Psychoanalysis & Poetic Process: An evening of poetry and discussion with Judith Harris](https://writer.org/event/judith-harris-ppp/)
**Published:** February 3, 2020
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Washington DC native Judith Harris ([judithharrispoet.com](https://www.judithharrispoet.com/)) is a nationally acclaimed poet and scholar, having taught at several DC universities and published poems in *The Nation*, *The Atlantic*, *The New Republic*, *Slate*, *The New York Times* blog, and many other widely read venues. Her research, like her poetry, explores “…a \[certain\] willingness in the poet to atomize the ego…within the language of trauma…so that it gets lost in this curious strangeness that is consoling.” –*Canadian Journal of Psychoanalysis*
**FREE and open to the public.**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat with Novelist Tobias Carroll](https://writer.org/event/tobias-carroll/)
**Published:** January 17, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of fiction! We’re joined by Tobias Carroll to discuss his new novel, *In the Sight*. Tobias is in conversation with Zach Powers, author and Artistic Director at The Writer’s Center.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from the publisher »](https://whiskeytit.com/product/in-the-sight/)
---
**Tobias Carroll** is the author of the short story collection *Transitory (*[Civil Coping Mechanisms](http://www.copingmechanisms.net/)) and the novel *Reel* ([Rare Bird](http://www.rarebirdbooks.com/)). He is the managing editor of [Vol.1 Brooklyn](http://www.vol1brooklyn.com/), and writes Words Without Borders’ [Watchlist](https://www.wordswithoutborders.org/dispatches/archives-by-category/category/watchlist) column. His writing has been published by Tin House, Rolling Stone, Hazlitt, The Scofield, Bookforum, and more. He has taught writing courses for [LitReactor](http://www.litreactor.com/) and [Catapult](http://www.catapult.co/).
---
# About the Book
Farrier had been raised in the East…
Furtive spaces on the outskirts of cities, truck stops in the middle of nowhere, and obscure research outposts — those are the places where Farrier did his work. What’s the nature of that work, you ask? DIY brain modification, for starters — highly experimental and in no way legal. When his past catches up with him, Farrier sets out on a road trip without end, frenetically crossing the country in search of redemption, revisiting old haunts along the way.
This tale of open roads, weird science, and endless reinvention draws inspiration from Destroyer’s 2002 album *This Night*. It also features aviaries gone wrong, obscure retail outlets, and coffee. So much coffee. Don’t try this at home, readers.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [DIY Novel Revision](https://writer.org/event/diy-novel-revision/)
**Published:** December 7, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Edit your novel without an editor.
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.
---
***Learn at your own pace:** This workshop will take place over **Wet Ink**, which is an asynchronous creative writing platform. The instructor will post a lesson and assignment at the beginning of each week, and participants can log in and read the lessons/post assignments/comment on other classmates’ work at their convenience. Shortly before the start date, participants will receive an invite from Wet Ink to create their login info and access the class. Please check your spam if you don’t see it.*
---
## In this workshop you’ll:
- Learn to identify issues and strategize your revision plan.
- Learn how to prioritize editorial concerns including characterization and plot.
- Learn how to tighten your prose.
## Time requirements
- 3-5 hours/week
## Materials
- Required: *Story Fix* by Larry Brooks
- *Recommended (but not required) Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, Second Edition: How to Edit Yourself Into Print* by Renni Browne and Dave King
## Who should take this workshop?
- Any writer who struggles with finding time for their writing or reaching the finish line.
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, Fiction, Intermediate/Advanced Level, Wet Ink, Workshop
---
### [Ronald Collins in Conversation with Carolyn Finney](https://writer.org/event/ronald-collins/)
**Published:** March 25, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Ronald Collins’s mind-opening book, *Tragedy on Trial: The Infamous Story of the Emmett Till Murder Trial*, is a long-overdue and indispensable account of the 1955 murder trial. This amazing book throws yet more logs on the raging fire of the judicial injustice that still permeates America’s legal system. Like so many others, I thought I knew pretty much all there was to know about the Till murder trial and the hasty not-guilty verdict by an all-white male jury. Then I read *Tragedy on Trial* and learned of so many other evils lurking in the transcript. To think that this shocking story might have been lost to time reveals how the story of prejudice must be retold to new generations in truthful and unapologetic ways. Tenacity in the cause of truth is no sin. —**Congressman Bobby L. Rush** (from the Foreword)
*Tragedy on Trial* tells the story of the 1955 murder of Emmett Till from the perspective of the long-lost trial transcript. In a crowded field of films, documentaries, and academic tomes, *Tragedy on Trial* stands out for its informed perspective on the murder that launched a movement. With Collins’s careful research, the transcript becomes a living document, bearing witness to the legal contortions of the trial. By attending not simply to the words of the transcript but also its cultural legacy, Collins makes the transcript a source of insight into the long silences that have undermined attempts to remember Emmett Till. —**Dave Tell**, author of *Remembering Emmett Till* (2019)
Collins will be in conversation with Carolyn Finney.
**FREE & open to the public. Register below.**
---
**Ronald Collins** is a retired law professor and author of 13 books on topics such as civil rights, free speech, artificial intelligence, popular culture, and noted literary figures. He is the co-founder of the History Book Festival. Some years back he was selected as a Norman Mailer Fellow in fiction writing with residence in Provincetown and before that served as a Supreme Court fellow under Chief Justice Warren Burger, among other things.
**Carolyn Finney** is a writer, nonfiction developmental editor, and conflict mediator. She leads the Strategic Storytelling workshop program at the Center for Strategic & International Studies, is a winner of the Moth DC stage and Moth Grand Slam finalist, and a longtime card-carrying member of The Writer’s Center.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Danny Lawless & Amanda Newell Book Launch](https://writer.org/event/lawless-newell/)
**Published:** March 25, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
*Plume*, *Poet Lore*, and The Writer’s Center welcome poets/editors Danny Lawless and Amanda Newell for a book launch celebration of their brand new collections, plus guest poets Leeya Mehta, Gloria Mindock, and Nancy Mitchell. Book signing and refreshments to follow.
FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.
---
**Daniel Lawless** is the author of *The Gun My Sister Killed Herself With; his current book, I Tell You This Now was released in March,* 2024*.* Recent poems appear in *FIELD, Barrow Street, Prairie Schooner, Ploughshares, Poetry International, Los Angeles Review, upsteet, SOLSTICE, Manhattan Review, Massachusetts Review, JAMA, and Dreaming Awake: New Prose Poetry from the U.S., Australia, and the U.K.,* among others. *A* recipient of a continuing Shifting Foundation grant, he is the founder and editor of *Plume: A Journal of Contemporary Poetry, Plume Editions,* and the annual *Plume Poetry* anthologies.
****
Born and raised in southern Maryland in the heart of the Chesapeake Bay region, **Amanda Newell** graduated magna cum laude with a B.A. in English from Washington College in Chestertown, Maryland and earned her MFA from Warren Wilson College. Her chapbook, *I* *Will Pass Even to Acheron,* was selected as a 2021 winner of the [Rattle Chapbook Prize](https://www.rattle.com/chapbooks/c2021/) and was inspired by her former student, a Marine who nearly died in Afghanistan after the M-ATV he was driving was struck by a command-controlled improvised explosive device. Her first full-length collection, *Postmortem Say*, is forthcoming in 2024 from [Červená Barva Press](http://www.cervenabarvapress.com/). Newell is currently an associate editor for the contemporary poetry journal [*Plume*](https://plumepoetry.com/). [amandanewellpoet.com](http://amandanewellpoet.com)
**Leeya Mehta** is a prize-winning poet, fiction writer and essayist. Leeya’s new collection of poems is ‘[A Story of the World Before the Fence](https://www.finishinglinepress.com/product/a-story-of-the-world-before-the-fence-by-leeya-mehta/)’ (2020). In 2022 her work appeared in three new anthologies: [Future Library](https://redhen.org/book/future-library-contemporary-indian-writing/) (Red Hen Press), [the Penguin Book of Indian Poets](https://penguin.co.in/book/the-penguin-book-of-indian-poets/), and [Converse](https://www.amazon.com/Converse-Contemporary-English-Poetry-Indians/dp/1913738310). She is the Director of the [Alan Cheuse International Writers Center](https://cheusecenter.gmu.edu/), a literary arts center that is currently celebrating the centennial of the writer James Baldwin through a 13-month community project – the Baldwin100. She serves on the board of [The Inner Loop Lit](https://www.theinnerlooplit.org/), and teaches at George Mason University.
**Gloria Mindock** is editor of Červená Barva Press. She is an award-winning author of six poetry collections and three chapbooks. Her poems have been published and translated into eleven languages. Her recent book, *Grief Touched the Sky at Night* (Glass Lyre Press, 2023), won the International Impact Award and the Speak-up Talk Radio International Firebird Award. Gloria’s book *ASH* (Glass Lyre Press, 2021) won several book awards and was translated into Serbian by Milutin Durickovic and published by Alma Press in Belgrade in 2022. Gloria has had numerous publications including *Gargoyle*, *The James Dickey Review*, *Growth*: *Journal of Literature*, *Culture*, & *Art* (Macedonia), *KGB Lit*, to name just a few. Gloria was the Poet Laureate in Somerville, MA in 2017 & 2018. For more information about Gloria Mindock, visit her website at: [gloriamindock.com](http://gloriamindock.com)
**Nancy Mitchell**, a visual artist and writer is the author of *The Near Surround*, *Grief Hut*, and *The Out-of-Body Shop*. A Puscart Prize recipeint, her poems have or will appear in such journals as *Agni*, *Green Mountains Review*, *Ploughshares*, *Plume* and *Washington Square Review*. While a professor at Salisbury University, Maryland, she taught Creative Writing and ECO-Installation Art for the Environmental Studies Department, and founded the annual literary arts festival Wordstock. She hosts the Poets on the Plaza Reading Series at Poets’ Corner, Headquarters in Salisbury, Maryland, where she serves as Poet Laureate, and is an Associate Editor for *Plume Poetry Journal*.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Latine Open Mic @ The Writer's Center](https://writer.org/event/latine-open-mic-may2024/)
**Published:** March 20, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Bilingual Open Mic for Latine writers! All Latine writers are welcome to come and share 4-5 minutes of their latest work in English, Spanish, or spanglish. Limited space (sign up below to ensure a spot). Readings begin promptly at 7.
**FREE and open to the public. Advance registration required to be a reader.**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Creative Courage and Self-Care for Writers](https://writer.org/event/creative-courage-and-self-care-for-writers/)
**Published:** December 7, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Learn how to navigate all phases of the creative process without burning out.
As writers, it’s vital that we nurture our creativity through self-care so we can work with our natural rhythms and not against them. This workshop addresses the overlooked work of cultivating the discernment, mindset and habits necessary to sustain us through the emotional challenges of the creative life. In this class, you will work through writing exercises that identify limiting beliefs, clarify your needs and motivations, and rejuvenate your creative process. You will work on the exercises individually and be encouraged to share your discoveries, challenges, questions and insights with fellow writers. This workshop is ideal for writers struggling with critical self-talk, burnout, creative blocks, perfectionism and procrastination. Participants will come away with techniques and strategies that support them in bringing their most authentic selves to the page.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
## In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Unraveling creative blocks
- Understanding the creative process
- Managing multiple projects
- Identifying themes
## Time requirements
- No additional time required outside of class.
## Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
## Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers of all levels and genres who want to rejuvenate their creative process.
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Write Like the News](https://writer.org/event/write-like-the-news/)
**Published:** December 7, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Become concise as news, precise as law.
Lead with the future — not background — for lead-ership, especially in a crisis. That’s the most important of eight journalism skills that will transform your writing. The others: write your readers’ language, be positive (to be both clear and upbeat), lay out logically, be consistent, be precise, be concise and choose strong verbs. (Plus a Speak Like the News skill: avoid “uptalk?”) Emulate the vivid news examples you’ll see in this workshop, and you’ll strengthen your writing voice with lively, engaging news style. At 7 sharp, we’ll critique TheWallStreetJournal.com, seeing how to communicate your main point in just a few words. To cover as much ground as possible, we’ll have just a few writing exercises and most of them will take less than a minute each.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
## Time requirements
- No additional time required outside of class.
## Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Professional Writing, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Getting Your Poetry Published](https://writer.org/event/getting-your-poetry-published/)
**Published:** December 7, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Expand the audience for your poetry!
This intensive one-day workshop will offer all poets—whether they have yet to submit their first poem to a literary journal or are ready to present a publisher with a book-length manuscript—hands-on advice on how to achieve their publishing goals. Participants will learn how to place poems in print and online journals, why anthologies are such an appealing platform, how to publish chapbooks and books, the pros and cons of contests, the etiquette of poetry submission, ways to develop a poetry network, and how to keep morale high while facing rejection in a highly competitive field.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
## In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How to pinpoint journals and publishers that’ll be receptive to your work
- Common mistakes to avoid when submitting your poetry
- Which poetry publications are essential sources for publishing leads
## Time requirements
- No additional time required outside of class.
## Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
## Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for poets at any level who would like to improve their odds of getting published.
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [How Poems Begin](https://writer.org/event/how-poems-begin/)
**Published:** December 7, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# “Let us go then, you and I, where the evening is spread out against the sky like a patient etherized upon a table…”
Poets and poems are often remembered for their opening lines, but is there a “right” or at least a “better” way to begin a poem? In this workshop, we will explore some of the ways in which poets have traditionally chosen to open their poems and what these strategies achieve. Then we will look at poems that break with tradition and still manage to draw the reader in.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
## Time requirements
- No additional time required outside of class.
## Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Sonnet Crash Course](https://writer.org/event/sonnet-crash-course/)
**Published:** December 7, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# What is special about the sonnet?
Guided by an award-winning and internationally published author of sonnets, villanelles, and other metrical poems, you’ll first read time-honored sonnets to see how and why they work. Next the class will write a group sonnet, and then — with or without shortcuts — you’ll start one of your own. You’ll leave with at least one new (draft) or improved sonnet, as well as insights about how writing poems in form can unlock deeper meaning and enhance everything you write.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
## Time requirements
- No additional time required outside of class.
## Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Intermediate/Advanced Level, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Poetics of a Queer Body](https://writer.org/event/poetics-of-a-queer-body/)
**Published:** December 7, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Learn about the Poetics of a Queer Body that are within you.
Poetry allows us to express our most authentic voice. Whether it be imagining other lives we could be living or what it means to live as a queer individual. With all the headlines around our nation happening it is clear that our queer bodies are on the verge of danger. Ocean Vuong writes, “Often we see queerness as a deprivation, but when I look at my life, I saw that queerness demanded an alternative innovation from me, I had to make alternative routes. It made me curious, it made me ask this is not enough for me because there’s nothing here for me.” It is through our own voice & identity of queerness in which we continue to survive– to push what we already know & find new ways to keep living. Throughout this course we will read & study poems by Rigoberto González, Jericho Brown, K. Iver, Eduardo C. Corral, Hieu Minh Nguyen, Mónica Teresa Ortiz, Chen Chen, Luther Hughes, Ocean Vuong, Kay Ulanday Barrett, among others. After our weekly readings, you will have time in-class to work on our weekly prompt to generate new poems. Towards the end of course you will have a chance to select poems you want to workshop, revise, and include in a portfolio, which the instructor will give final feedback on.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
## In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Poetry images
- Creating tension in poetry
- How to say the unsaid without saying it
- How to write with risk
- How to be vulnerable when writing
## Time requirements
- For this multi-session students should read, write, and comment on each others work, so we are looking at about 3 hours outside of class (of course writing can be more hours).
## Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
## Who should take this workshop?
- Anyone who falls into the umbrella of LGBTQIA+
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, All Levels, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [How to Write a Lot!](https://writer.org/event/how-to-write-a-lot/)
**Published:** December 7, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Build an invincible writing routine!
You may think you don’t have the time, energy, or inspiration to write because of your hectic lifestyle. Wrong! Learn what Kathryn Johnson’s Extreme Novelists know about organizing their time, establishing a productive writing routine, and getting their stories written. We’ll share methods EN Grads (and many professional writers) use to complete their books in months instead of years, their short stories in mere weeks. Become the dedicated author you’ve always dreamed of being. (Ideal for writers who don’t have 8 weeks to dedicate to the Extreme Novelist course.)
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
## In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Time management
- Accountability
- Dealing with writer’s stress
- Working to completion
## Time requirements
- No additional time required outside of class.
## Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
## Who should take this workshop?
- Any writer who struggles with finding time for their writing or reaching the finish line.
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Show and Tell Intensive](https://writer.org/event/show-and-tell-intensive/)
**Published:** December 7, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Learning to dramatize, to write in a way that shows what happened rather than tells what happened, is one of the most critical skills a successful writer can possess.
A tutorial workshop on the single most important skill any writer can have. Skilled writers make readers feel and intuit exactly what they want them to by using the technique of showing writing. No other element of craft promises this immediacy and power to bring a work to life. This is how to make a flat passage sing, how to gain your readers’ trust and emotional participation. Through exercises, lively discussion, and inspiring instruction, you will learn to elevate your stories to submission-quality prose.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
## In this workshop you’ll\\:
- Learn to dramatize, to show and not tell
- Learn to create an emotional response in the reader
- Learn how to make flat passages sing
- Learn how to create compelling characters
## Time requirements
- No additional time required outside of class.
## Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
## Who should take this workshop?
- Writers of any genre or skill level who want to make their work intensely entertaining and emotionally compelling.
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [big poems in small packages](https://writer.org/event/big-poems-in-small-packages/)
**Published:** December 7, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Write short, memorable poems!
Short poems can reverberate in the mind and memory like a pebble dropped in a lake. Let’s look at some powerful short poems together to come up with strategies for writing our own little gems, and then write them! A handout will be provided before the 1st class. No formal workshop, but sharing is encouraged throughout the class.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
## In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How condensing writing can make it more powerful.
- Short forms from different cultures.
- How to create your own short form.
- The power of prepositions.
## Time requirements
- 30-45 minutes for the 2nd session.
## Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
## Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is appropriate for both experienced poets and for intrigued people who aren’t poets yet. Anyone willing to take on the possibilities of condensed writing will benefit.
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 2 Sessions, All Levels, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [From Novice to Novelist](https://writer.org/event/from-novice-to-novelist/)
**Published:** December 7, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# A bird’s eye view of the novel-writing process
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.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
## In this workshop you’ll:
- Get a birds-eye view of all the moving parts involved in the novel-writing process.
- Learn how to tap into your creative subconscious to access the “”write-what-you-know”” details of your life that will inform your fiction.
- Gain practical skills for igniting your curiosity, enabling you to get out of your comfort zones and into the lives of people of other genders, cultures, and ages.
- Gain practical rewriting, proof-reading, and copy editing skills that will add depth, texture, detail, and professionalism to your manuscript.
- Come away with the confidence and encouragement to start — and/or complete — your novel.
## Time Requirements
- There will be writing assignments/writing prompts to work on during the week, but outside writing is not a requirement.
## Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
## Who should take this workshop?
- Any writer looking for new means of inspiration. There will be no particular genre of focus.
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 6 Sessions, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Disabled Writers Mixer](https://writer.org/event/disabled-writers-mixer-apr2024/)
**Published:** February 6, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Are you a writer who identifies as disabled? Join us for an informal gathering at The Writer’s Center to hang out and talk writing! Please bring a drink or an appetizer that serves six. You’re welcome to bring a friend, too.
**FREE & open to all DMV writers who identify as disabled. RSVP required below.**
Membership is encouraged! [Join here](https://writer.org/become-a-member/).
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [LGBTQ+ Writers Mixer](https://writer.org/event/lgbtq-writers-mixer-mar2024/)
**Published:** February 6, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Are you a writer who identifies as LGBTQ+? Let’s hang out and talk writing! Come join us for an informal gathering at The Writer’s Center. Please bring a drink or an appetizer that serves six. You’re welcome to bring a friend, too.
**FREE & open to all DMV writers who identify as LGBTQ+. RSVP required below.**
Membership encouraged! Join [here](https://writer.org/become-a-member/).
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Broadie Art Exhibit Opening Reception & Mural Ribbon Cutting](https://writer.org/event/broadie/)
**Published:** August 23, 2023
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Join us at The Writer’s Center to celebrate our new exhibition of art by Broadie, plus the official ribbon cutting for his fabulous mural “Reading Time” on the rear and side of our building, created along with artists Tre Wilkes and Deborah Ann Browder. The mural has been generously funded by the Maryland State Arts Council.
Light refreshments provided. Brief remarks by the Artist and the Maryland State Arts Council around 6:30.
**FREE & open to the public! Register below!**
---
Prince George’s County, MD Graphic Artist **Broadie** fell in love with art when he was a child in elementary school. The moment his teacher gave him a pair of scissors to start cutting shapes, he knew he wanted to create. He still remembers using cotton balls, popsicle sticks, paint, and glitter to create a snowman. He dreamed of having his designs on billboards for people to stop and stare. He was first introduced to digital art in 2005 attending Bowie State University, a Historical Black College (HBCU), majoring in Fine Arts. Through his coursework, Broadie’s skills in digital art using photoshop were shaped. While at Bowie State University he took classes in photography, sculpture, and drawing but something about digital art felt natural to him. Broadie shows his love for digital art by blending his skills in graphic design and love of mixed media, bringing about a perfect marriage of his two passions. Broadie’s inspiration has been birthed from the richness of Black History, the past, present and possibilities of the future. Being a Black Gay male artist from Prince George’s County I hope to inspire the future generations of creators by encouraging them to believe in themselves, while going after their dreams. Fully embracing and loving who they are, and to be proud of it. Art has the power to heal, to inspire, and to remind us of the beauty and hope that reside within each of us.
# **Artist Statement**
Art opens my mind to be limitlessly creative, allowing me to visually present my innermost beliefs and feelings. I embody “art as self-expression” to the fullest, expressing and sharing all that is me: my inspirations, fears, sexual desires and joys; my culture, and loves. I challenge the boundaries of traditional mixed media art using square color schemes, along with various techniques that incorporate collage, digital painting, vector, 3D, and photo-manipulations. I want my art to make people “FEEL”, I want the bright colors, seen textures, and compositions to move people. Bringing about emotions they never knew they had while evoking thought. The theme of my collection is titled “Melanated Expressions” showcasing the beauty of human art while telling the history of the African American community. All the pieces I’ve created are my favorite, simply because they all have their own meaning and purpose of expression. If I had to choose one piece that best describes me it would have to be “Mind Growth”. As a child I struggled with reading and this piece represents my mental growth. The more I pushed myself to read the more it felt like food for my brain and I wanted more. This piece depicts how reading allowed me to transform knowledge into creative prospectives which drives my visions.
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Writing the Truth: Lessons in Nonfiction Writing](https://writer.org/event/writing-the-truth-lessons-in-nonfiction-writing/)
**Published:** December 7, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Learn essential tools for powerful non-fiction writing in different formats.
The workshop is designed for beginning writers looking to gain a footing in non-fiction writing of different length and format, from first-person essays to long-form magazine writing and book-length projects.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
## In this workshop you’ll learn to:
- Write with power and clarity
- Develop an eye for detail and color
- Identify characters to drive the story
- Connect with the reader
## Time requirements
- 30 minutes/week or less
## Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
## Who should take this workshop?
- Designed for beginning writers.
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 5 Sessions, Beginner Level, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Book Promotion Through Podcasting](https://writer.org/event/book-promotion-through-podcasting/)
**Published:** December 7, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Podcasting is one of the easiest ways to get your book and your voice out there!
Work with any publicist and they’ll tell you, “Want to get your book and your voice out there? Pay attention to podcasts!” In this workshop we’ll focus on how to prepare your pitch materials, how to get booked on podcasts, how to be a great guest, and even how to create your own podcast.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
## In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Ways to get booked on podcast both on your own and with agencies
- How to create podcast prep and pitch sheets for podcast bookings
- How to create your own podcast including choosing a name, cover art, and music
- What equipment is needed and exactly where to find it
## Time requirements
- No additional time required outside of class.
## Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
## Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for anyone who is looking for a new challenge, and who wants to get their book, and voice out to the general public.
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 2 Sessions, All Levels, Publishing, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Submitting Your Children's Book for Publication](https://writer.org/event/submitting-your-childrens-book-for-publication/)
**Published:** December 7, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Get your butterfly ready to fly!
What do *Harry Potter, The Very Hungry Caterpillar*, and your children’s book all have in common? They all began as unpublished manuscripts searching for the right home. While you may have written the next great children’s book, you may also find the submission process daunting and confusing. In this workshop you will learn where to look for the most appropriate agents or editors as well as how to craft effective query letters that will make them want to read your work. The market may be competitive, but with the tools from these sessions you’ll gain confidence that your caterpillar can become a beautiful butterfly. Note: this workshop is open to anyone interested in the process but will most benefit those with projects underway, from picture books to middle grade or YA novels.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
## In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Knowing when your work is ready to submit.
- Where to find appropriate agents and editors.
- How to craft effective query letters.
- Where to network and find community.
## Time requirements
- No additional time required outside of class.
## Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
## Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for anyone interested in how to get their children’s books published. It will most benefit those with projects already underway, from picture books to middle grade or YA novels, but is appropriate for those just starting the journey too.
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Kid Lit, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
### [Poets and Musicians](https://writer.org/event/poets-and-musicians/)
**Published:** March 5, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
An afternoon of words and music, featuring poets V.P. Loggins and Stewart Moss and the glorious music of Ensemble Galilei members Ginger Hildebrand and Carolyn Surrick.
**FREE & open to the public.**
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Book Launch & Conversation about Heaven Has No Ground](https://writer.org/event/heaven-has-no-ground/)
**Published:** March 5, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Join us for a Cheuse Salon at The Writer’s Center to celebrate the launching of Czech author Hana Andronikova’s final novel, *Heaven Has No Ground*. Managing Editor at Plamen Press, Rachel Miranda, and the novel’s translator, Roman Kostovski, will discuss making *Heaven Has No Ground*’s English-language edition. Rachel Miranda has done extensive research on Hana Andronikova, including traveling to Prague and interviewing close the author’s friends and relatives. Kostovski will discuss the trials and challenges of translating and preserving Andronikova’s unique writing style. The evening will be moderated by Amy Freeman, Development Director at The Writer’s Center.
---
***Heaven Has No Ground*** is the fierce, intimate story of Ama, a young woman who is reckoning with the death of her father when she receives her own cancer diagnosis and, contrary to the wishes of family and friends, decides to seek alternative treatments rather than conventional chemotherapy and radiation. While this book was published as a work of fiction to great acclaim in the Czech Republic, it follows very closely the life story of its author, Hana Andronikova, who wrote the book during a period of optimism in her own battle with breast cancer. Much like Hana, Ama travels the world to find guidance and healing—going to Peru to consult a shaman and receive the Amazon’s wisdom; to communities of Christian believers and Native Americans in the Nevada desert; and to the holy sites of Israel. Using striking metaphors and intensely emotional language in journal entries, emails, and narrative fragments, Andronikova takes us with her on a remarkable journey as she comes to grips with her human limitations and celebrates her place in the circle of life.
---
Born in Zlín, Czech Republic, in 1967, **Hana Andronikova** studied English and Czech literature at Charles University in Prague. After a detour into the corporate world, she turned to fiction writing and won instant acclaim for her first novel, *The Sound of the Sundial*, receiving the Magnesia Litera Award for Best New Discovery in 2002. Her book of short stories, *Heart on a Hook*, cemented her national literary reputation; she was particularly noted for her use of time as a structural element. In 2007, she was sponsored by the U.S. State Department to attend the International Writing Program at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. She was diagnosed with breast cancer shortly after her return home, and *Heaven Has No Ground*, though presented as a work of fiction, is a personal chronicle of her fight with the illness. For this work, she won the Magnesia Litera again in 2011, but lost the battle for her life at the end of that year. She was 44 years old.
**Rachel Miranda** was born in Zurich, Switzerland and immigrated to the US at the age of eight. She holds an MFA in Writing and Literature at the Bennington Writing Seminars, and a BA in European Cultural Studies from Brandeis University. In addition to her work for Plamen Press, she is a freelance editor of literary, cultural, and scholarly works ranging from historical retrospectives and memoirs to poetry, novels, and plays, specializing in non-native English and developmental editing. Her own published works include short stories, essays, poems, and *The World at Our Table: A Euro-American Cookbook of Family Favorites*. She is currently working on a novel about the immigrant experience.
**Roman Kostovski** was born in Prague, in 1968. He has a B.A. from the College of William and Mary and an M.A. from the University of Maryland. He studied Czech language and literature at Charles University in Prague as a post-graduate. He has taught Czech at George Washington University and worked as a Central and Southeastern European research analyst at Georgetown University. He translates poetry and prose from Bosnian, Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Macedonian, Russian, Serbian, and Slovak into English. His writings and translations have appeared in numerous journals, including *Absinthe-New European Writings* and Watchword Press and the *Poet Lore*. His book translations include Arnost Lustig’s *Fire on Water* (Northwestern University Press, 2006), Viktor Dyk’s *The Ratcatcher* (Plamen Press, 2014), Vitězslav Nezval’s *Farewell and a Handkerchief-Poems from the Road* (Plamen Press, 2020). He received an NEA Translation Fellowship Award in 2017. He founded Plamen Press in 2014, a print-on-demand publishing house for the promotion of literature from Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe. He works and resides in the Washington, D.C. area.
With years of experience raising funds for nonprofits large and small, **Amy Freeman** brings her trademark zest to growing The Writer’s Center’s vibrant literary community. When not at TWC, Amy’s a freelance writer, with bylines in *The Washington Post*, Parents.com, Santa Fe Writing Project, HuffPost, *Furious Gravity* anthology, etc.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Revisiting Rhyme](https://writer.org/event/revisiting-rhyme/)
**Published:** December 7, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Why do so many poets shy away from rhyme?
Maybe it’s because they’re afraid it will make their poems sound trite or old-fashioned. In fact, knowing how to rhyme subtly and skillfully can achieve quite the opposite. In this workshop, we will examine the many different rhyming strategies available to poets writing today. Discussing what distinguishes a “good” rhyme from a weak one will help us understand what rhyme can add to a poem and how it can be used to make your poems both more memorable and more musical.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
## Time requirements
- No additional time required outside of class.
## Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [How To Write Micro Memoir](https://writer.org/event/how-to-write-micro-memoir/)
**Published:** December 7, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Learn to tell your life story as you lived it, one moment at at time.
Write your life story as you lived it, one moment at a time. This interactive workshop teaches writers to distill a moment of change, conflict, contradiction, or mystery to its essence, so that the impact on the writer resonates profoundly with the reader. We will examine inspiring published examples to learn exactly how the writer moved and entertained us. Using the same tools with which we craft fiction, this workshop is an excellent learning environment for both genres. We’ll conclude with a review of where to publish.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
## In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How to create an intense emotional takeaway for the reader
- How to identify ground worth reporting on
- How to turn anecdotes into compelling mini-memoir pieces
- How to write short
- How to use detail to show and not tell
## Time requirements
- No additional time required outside of class.
## Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
## Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers who are perhaps overwhelmed by long-form prose but longing to tell their life story in digestible bites.
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Plot Like a Pro!](https://writer.org/event/plot-like-a-pro/)
**Published:** December 7, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Build a strong plot for any story with these fail-proof steps!
You have a great idea for a story. Do you dive in and just begin writing, or start by drafting an outline? Are you a born planner or a writer who loves to discover stories organically (i.e., a pantser)? Understanding how to structure a well-conceived story around a main character and central conflict, while paying attention to pacing, can make the difference between a finished, publishable manuscript and an abandoned work-in-progress. Plotting provides a safety net that never robs the author of the joy of writing, and always reduces revision time. Think you can’t plot? Join us for this course, and we’ll show you how!
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
## In this workshop you’ll learn how to:
- Create a Hook
- Develop Conflict
- Build Active, Vivid Scenes
- Layer in Emotion
## Time requirements
- No additional time required outside of class.
## Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
## Who should take this workshop?
- Taking this workshop will provide any level of writer with the tools to create a compelling plot.
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat with Novelist Karen Outen](https://writer.org/event/karen-outen/)
**Published:** September 27, 2023
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center presents a FREE virtual chat about the craft of fiction! We’re joined by Karen Outen to discuss her “beautiful and haunting” debut novel, *Dixon, Descending*. Karen is in conversation with Amy Freeman, author and Development Director at The Writer’s Center.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
---
**Karen Outen**’s fiction has appeared in *Glimmer Train*, *The North American Review*, *Essence*, and elsewhere. She is a 2018 recipient of the Rona Jaffe Foundation Writers Award and has been a fellow at both the Institute for the Humanities at the University of Michigan and the Pew Fellowships in the Arts. She received an MFA from the University of Michigan. She lives in Bowie, Maryland.
---
## About the Book
Dixon was once an Olympic-level runner, so when his charming older brother, Nate, suggests that they attempt to be the first Black American men to summit Mount Everest, Dixon can’t refuse. Dixon interrupts his orderly life as a school psychologist, leaving behind disapproving friends, family, and one particularly fragile student. Once on the mountain, however, Dixon’s world is upended. He returns home, where things have shifted: for him, and for the students he left. Ultimately, Dixon must confront the ways we’re reshaped by our decisions—and what it takes to angle ourselves, once again, toward hope.
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Amanda Shaw Book Launch with Sebastian Merrill and a Tribute to Sandra Beasley](https://writer.org/event/amanda-shaw/)
**Published:** February 28, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes poet Amanda Shaw for a book launch celebration of her debut collection, *It Will Have Been So Beautiful* (Lily Poetry Review Books), with Sebastian Merrill, followed by a tribute to Sandra Beasley, featuring poets Rekha Mehra, Sunu P. Chandy, and Susan Okie.
**Free and open to the public, register below.**
---
**Amanda Shaw** is a poet, editor, and teacher who currently serves as book review editor at *Lily Poetry Review*. She has taught language and literature for over 25 years, including at the World Bank and other DC-area institutions. Although she’s lived in many different cities, states, and countries, DC has been her home for 12 years. Shaw’s poems probe language’s capacities in the hope that art might move us to a deeper commitment to life in all its forms. Her debut collection, [*It Will Have Been So Beautiful*](https://amandashawpoet.com/it-will-have-been-so-beautiful-poetry-collection/), implores us to consider what “home” means, particularly in the midst of an ever-worsening climate emergency. [amandashawpoet.com](https://amandashawpoet.com/about-poet-amanda-shaw/)
**Sebastian Merrill’s** debut collection *GHOST :: SEEDS* was selected by Kimiko Hahn as the winner of the 2022 X. J. Kennedy Poetry Prize from Texas Review Press and was selected by Ellen Doré Watson as the winner of the 2022 Levis Prize in Poetry from Friends of Writers. His work has appeared in *The Common*, *Four Way Review*, *Diode Poetry Journal*, *wildness,* and elsewhere. He has received support from the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, Tin House Workshop, and the Juniper Summer Writing Institute. He holds an MFA in Poetry from Warren Wilson College. [sebastianmerrill.com](https://www.sebastianmerrill.com/)
**Rekha Mehra** is a poet and economist. Her economic work focused on the advancement of low-income women in developing countries. As a poet, she writes mainly about nature and the environment, growing up in India, and living in Washington, DC. Much of her formal training in creative writing occurred through classes at The Writer’s Center. She’s been published in *Oberon* and the *HillRag*. Her poem “Heirloom” was selected as a finalist in the Bellingham Review’s 49th Parallel Award for Poetry (2023) and long-listed for Fish Publishing’s Poetry Prize (2023). She is currently working on a collection of poems about loss of home and environment.
**Sunu P. Chandy** (she/her) is a social justice activist including through her work as a poet and a civil rights attorney. She is a queer woman of color, the daughter of immigrants from Kerala, India, and lives in Washington, DC with her family. Sunu’s award-winning collection of poems, [My Dear Comrades](https://regal-house-publishing.mybigcommerce.com/my-dear-comrades/), was published by Regal House in 2023. Sunu completed her MFA in poetry at Queens College, City University of New York, in 2013. Sunu is also currently [a Senior Advisor with Democracy Forward](https://democracyforward.org/updates/democracy-forward-welcomes-sunu-chandy-and-carrie-flaxman-as-senior-advisors/?fbclid=IwAR2biDsS2IAXyB1PPRAFn32dFcY1__qy8h-VUqHEyAoMhyglH2nZxIh6k1Q), supporting work across teams including fighting the many attacks on racial equity, diversity, and inclusion. Sunu also serves on the board of the [Transgender Law Center](https://transgenderlawcenter.org/). Sunu is delighted to celebrate the publication of [My Dear Comrades](https://regal-house-publishing.mybigcommerce.com/my-dear-comrades/) with all of you and with the book’s fabulous [cover artist, Ragni Agarwal](http://www.ragniagarwal.com/).
**Susan Okie** is a doctor, a poet, and a former Washington *Post* medical reporter and science editor. She received an MFA in Poetry from the Program for Writers at Warren Wilson College in January, 2014. Her work has appeared in *Prairie Schooner*, *The Gettysburg Review*, *The Bellevue Literary Review, Passager*, the *Journal of the American Medical Association, Cider Press Review, Beltway Poetry Quarterly, Gargoyle,* and other magazines*.* Her chapbook manuscript, *Let You Fly*, was a finalist in Finishing Line Press’s 2017 New Women’s Voices competition, and was published in 2018. Her full-length manuscript, *Woman at the Crossing*, was chosen by poet Garrett Hongo as the winner of the 2023 Off the Grid Poetry Prize. Okie is a former clinical assistant professor of family medicine at Georgetown University Medical School, where she taught teach patient-interviewing and clinical ethics to medical students. For 17 years, she volunteered weekly at a local safety-net clinic, caring for uninsured adults in Montgomery County, M. She is married to Walter Weiss, a former medical school classmate. They live in Bethesda, Md., and have two grown sons.
**Sandra Beasley** is the author of four poetry collections—Made to Explode, which won the Housatonic Book Award in poetry; Count the Waves; I Was the Jukebox, which won the Barnard Women Poets Prize; and Theories of Falling, which won the New Issues Poetry Prize—as well as Don’t Kill the Birthday Girl: Tales from an Allergic Life, a disability memoir and cultural history of food allergies. Honors for her work include the 2019 Munster Literature Centre’s John Montague International Poetry Fellowship, a 2015 NEA fellowship, and six DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities fellowships. She lives in Washington, D.C.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Poetry Revision and Sequencing](https://writer.org/event/sequencing-poems/)
**Published:** February 5, 2024
**Author:** Laura Spencer
**Content:**
If you have a grouping of poems that you would like feedback on while identifying how particular innate qualities contribute to your own style, this workshop is for you! We will consider aspects of sequencing poems if they have the potential for a series, and discuss the importance of weaving, arcing, leaping, and linking together aspects of each poem or set of poems. We will learn how to identify thematic currents and pay attention to coherence when that is your goal. All levels of experience are invited and we learn from everyone.
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, All Levels, Poetry, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Writing Picture Books](https://writer.org/event/writing-picture-books/)
**Published:** December 7, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Learn the basics—from story structure to marketing—of writing picture books for children.
Learn how to write a picture book from a successful author of thirty award-winning books for children. Each session will begin with a short discussion of an aspect of writing for children, including story openings and arcs, characterization, plot/pacing, rhythm/sound, and marketing. Suggested readings, prompts, and feedback on in-class writing will inspire and guide writers in the class. By the end of the workshop, participants should have written and/or revised part or all of a picture book and have a better sense of how to create one in the future. Feedback will be offered on in-class exercises only rather than workshopping writing done outside of class.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
## In this workshop you’ll learn to:
- Craft a Strong Beginning
- Consider Characterization & Plot
- Revise for Rhythm & Sound
- Explore Marketing & Helpful Resources
## Time requirements
- 20-30 minutes/week
## Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
## Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for those interested in the basics of writing picture books for children. We will not be covering the writing of chapter books and novels for older kids.
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 3 Sessions, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Kid Lit, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Virtual Conversation with Memoirists Annie Liontas & Chloé Cooper Jones](https://writer.org/event/annie-liontas-chloe-cooper-jones/)
**Published:** December 14, 2023
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes memoirists Annie Liontas (*Sex with a Brain Injury*) and Chloé Cooper Jones (*Easy Beauty*) for a virtual discussion of their latest books, disability, and writing.
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern.
Get the books from your local independent bookseller or online from Bookshop.org:
[Order Annie’s book »](https://bookshop.org/a/22600/9781668015544)
[Order Chloé’s book »](https://bookshop.org/a/22600/9781982152000)
---
**Chloé Cooper Jones** is a philosophy professor, journalist, and the author of the memoir *Easy Beauty,* which was named a Best Book of 2022 by *The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, Time*, and others. She is a contributing writer for *The New York Times Magazine,* a Whiting Creative Nonfiction Grant recipient and, in 2020, was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Feature Writing. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.
**Annie Liontas** is the genderqueer author of the memoir *Sex with a Brain Injury: On Concussion and Recovery,* which was featured on NPR’s *Fresh Air* with Terry Gross and selected as *SELF* Magazine’s Book of the Month. Their debut novel, *Let Me Explain You*, was selected as *New York Times* Editors Choice. They co-edited the anthology *A Manner of Being: Writers on their Mentors*, and their work has appeared in *The New York Times Book Review*, *Electric Literature*, *BOMB*, *Oprah Daily*, and elsewhere. Annie has served as a mentor for Pen City’s incarcerated writers and helped secure a Mellon Foundation grant on Disability Justice to bring storytelling to communities in the criminal justice system. A graduate of Syracuse University’s MFA program, they are a professor of writing at George Washington University. Annie co-hosts the literary podcast [LitFriends](https://linktr.ee/litfriendspodcast) and live in Philadelphia with their wife, dog, and Email the rabbit.
---
## About *Sex with a Brain Injury*
**For readers of Meghan O’Rourke’s *The Invisible Kingdom*, Esme Weijun Wang’s *The Collected Schizophrenias*, and Melissa Febos’s *Girlhood*, a powerful and deeply personal memoir in essays that sheds light on the silent epidemic of head trauma.**
Annie Liontas suffered multiple concussions in her thirties. In *Sex with a Brain Injury*, she writes about what it means to be one of the “walking wounded,” facing her fear, her rage, her physical suffering, and the effects of head trauma on her marriage and other relationships. Forced to reckon with her own queer mother’s battle with addiction, Liontas finds echoes in their pain. Liontas weaves history, philosophy, and personal accounts to interrogate and expand representations of mental health, ability, and disability—particularly in relation to women and the LGBT community. She uncovers the surprising legacy of brain injury, examining its role in culture, the criminal justice system, and through historical figures like Henry VIII and Harriet Tubman. Encountering Liontas’s sharp, affecting prose, the reader can imagine this kind of pain, and having to claw one’s way back to a new normal. The hidden gift of injury, Liontas writes, is the ability to connect with others.
For the millions of people who have suffered from concussions and for those who have endeavored to support loved ones through the painful and often baffling experience of head trauma, this astonishing and compassionate narrative offers insight and hope in equal measure.
---
## About *Easy Beauty*
**Finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Memoir or Autobiography**
**A *New York Times* Notable Book of 2022 \* *Vulture*’s #1 Memoir of 2022 \* A *Washington Post*, *Los Angeles Times*, *USA TODAY*, *Time*, *BuzzFeed*, *Publishers Weekly*, *Booklist*, and New York Public Library Best Book of the Year**
**From Chloé Cooper Jones—Pulitzer Prize finalist, philosophy professor, Whiting Creative Nonfiction Grant recipient—an “exquisite” (*Oprah Daily*) and groundbreaking memoir about disability, motherhood, and the search for a new way of seeing and being seen.**
*“I am in a bar in Brooklyn, listening to two men, my friends, discuss whether my life is worth living.”*
So begins Chloé Cooper Jones’s bold, revealing account of moving through the world in a body that looks different than most. Jones learned early on to factor “pain calculations” into every plan, every situation. Born with a rare congenital condition called sacral agenesis which affects both her stature and gait, her pain is physical. But there is also the pain of being judged and pitied for her appearance, of being dismissed as “less than.” The way she has been seen—or not seen—has informed her lens on the world her entire life. She resisted this reality by excelling academically and retreating to “the neutral room in her mind” until it passed. But after unexpectedly becoming a mother (in violation of unspoken social taboos about the disabled body), something in her shifts, and Jones sets off on a journey across the globe, reclaiming the spaces she’d been denied, and denied herself.
From the bars and domestic spaces of her life in Brooklyn to sculpture gardens in Rome; from film festivals in Utah to a Beyoncé concert in Milan; from a tennis tournament in California to the Killing Fields of Phnom Penh, Jones weaves memory, observation, experience, and aesthetic philosophy to probe the myths underlying our standards of beauty and desirability and interrogates her own complicity in upholding those myths.
“Bold, honest, and superbly well-written” (Andre Aciman, author of *Call Me By Your Name*) *Easy Beauty* is the rare memoir that has the power to make you see the world, and your place in it, with new eyes.
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat with Poet Olatunde Osinaike](https://writer.org/event/olatunde-osinaike/)
**Published:** August 15, 2023
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
*Poet Lore* and The Writer’s Center present a FREE virtual chat about the craft of poetry! We’re joined by Olatunde Osinaike to discuss his debut collection, *Tender Headed*. Olatunde is in conversation with Emily Holland, poet and editor of *Poet Lore.*
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online »](https://www.akashicbooks.com/catalog/tender-headed/)
---
Originally from the West Side of Chicago, **Olatunde Osinaike** is a Nigerian-American poet, essayist, and software developer. He is the author of *Tender Headed* (Akashic Books, 2023), selected by Camille Rankine as winner of the 2022 National Poetry Series, in addition to the limited edition chapbooks *Speech Therapy*, which won the *Atlas Review*’s chapbook contest, and *The New Knew* (Thirty West). His collection was also runner-up for the Cave Canem Poetry Prize and finalist for the Alice James Award and CAAPP Book Prize. Other honors include winner of the Lucille Clifton Poetry Prize and a Frontier Industry Prize, semifinalist for the 92Y Discovery Poetry Prize, and honorable mention for the Ploughshares Emerging Writer’s Award in Poetry. His work has received fellowships and support from Poets & Writers, Hurston/Wright Foundation, Kenyon Review Writers Workshop, and the Institute for the Study of Global Racial Justice at Rutgers University. He received his BS in Engineering from Vanderbilt University and his MS in Information Systems from Johns Hopkins University. He lives in Atlanta and would like to thank you.
## About the Book
*Selected by Camille Rankine as winner of the 2022 National Poetry Series, **Tender Headed** is a musical and formally playful meditation on Black identity and masculinity*
The irony of transformation often is that we mistake it to have occurred long before it does. Examining the themes of Black identity, accountability, and narration, readers will encounter a series of revealing snapshots into the role language plays in chiseling possibility and its rigid command of depiction in *Tender Headed*. Olatunde Osinaike’s startling debut sorts through the many-minded masks behind Black masculinity. At its center lies an inquiry about the puzzling nature of relationship, how ceaseless wonder can be in its challenge of a truth. In the name of music and self-identity, the speaker weaves their way through fault and how it amends Black life in America.
### If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at [access@{{{{homeurl\_non\_www}}}}](mailto:access@{{{{homeurl_non_www}}}}). We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Jean K. Dudek Book Launch](https://writer.org/event/jean-dudek/)
**Published:** February 21, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes Jean K. Dudek for a book launch celebrating her debut novel, *The Scent of Bright Light*.
**Free and open to the public, register below.**
---
**Jean K. Dudek** is a Teaching Assistant at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, DC. She received her Master of Theological Studies degree, with honors, with a concentration in biblical studies from Wesley and her Juris Doctor degree from New York University School of Law. She is a graduate of Smith College. *The Scent of Bright Light* is her first novel.
---
# About the Book
Biblical matriarch Sarah experiences a strange sensation of light when a mysterious, unknown God speaks to her and Abraham, promising them a large family. But the promise remains unfulfilled for decades. Sarah tells the story of her life with Abraham, her time in Pharaoh’s harem, her struggle with infertility, her expertise as a midwife, and what she and Abraham thought would happen if he sacrificed their son. Sarah tells her story through the lens of her relationship with Ta-Sherit, the Egyptian girl she loves and raises like a daughter, while others call the girl “Hagar” and shrug her off as a servant. ***The Scent of Bright Light*** is historical fiction providing an ingenious reading of the biblical text. The ancient tale becomes a new story when it comes from Sarah in her own voice.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Women Writers Mixer](https://writer.org/event/women-writers-mixer-feb2024/)
**Published:** February 6, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
Women writers of DC! Join us for an informal gathering at The Writer’s Center! It’ll be a chance to talk shop, network, and hang out with other writers. Please bring a drink or an appetizer that serves six, and bring a friend, too. See you there!
**FREE & open to all women writers from the DMV. RSVP required below.**
**Event Categories:** Event
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### [Novelist Fazle Chowdhury Reading and Discussion](https://writer.org/event/fazle-chowdhury/)
**Published:** February 16, 2024
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
The Writer’s Center welcomes Fazle Chowdhury for a reading and discussion of his new novel, *The Secrets We Live In*.
**Free and open to the public, register below.**
---
**Fazle Chowdhury** has written several op-eds connected to Europe and the Middle East. He is the author of 9 books. His book *Why Ukraine Matters* was shortlisted for the Kirkus Prize and his critically acclaimed novel, *Never Among Equals*, came second in the 2021 Reader’s Favorite Choice Award for historical fiction.
---
An action-packed story full of conspiracy, drama, and romance.
The Ambassador to France is notorious for his elaborate parties and dashing personality. Beyond his extravagance comes a conspiracy revolving around a nuclear deal with the French government, a foreign policy game changer and the other ambassadors are either trying to support, liaise or stop the deal. A murder occurs at the Ambassador’s mansion, fueling speculation of the Ambassador himself being a key target. In the background, Europe is in a refugee crisis. If that is not enough, the Ambassador is unhealed by the sudden appearance of a woman, someone he can’t help himself in believing from her similarities of a lost love.
***The Secrets We Live In*** is a timely tale of the elusiveness of power dynamics fueled by a self-belief to do the right thing by a tragic character.
---
*If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat with Poet Sarah Ghazal Ali](https://writer.org/event/sarah-ghazal-ali/)
**Published:** September 12, 2023
**Author:** Zach Powers
**Content:**
*Poet Lore* and The Writer’s Center present a FREE virtual chat about the craft of poetry! We’re joined by Sarah Ghazal Ali to discuss her celebrated collection, *Theophanies*. Sarah is in conversation with Emily Holland, poet and editor of *Poet Lore.*
**RSVP below** to receive login information (our virtual events are held via Zoom). **FREE and open to the public**, all times Eastern
We encourage you to order a copy of the book from your local, independent bookseller or [online from the Bookshop.org »](https://bookshop.org/a/22600/9781949944587)
---
**Sarah Ghazal Ali** is the author of *Theophanies* (Alice James Books, 2024), selected as the Editors’ Choice for the 2022 Alice James Award. A Djanikian Scholar, Stadler Fellow, and winner of the 2022 *Sewanee Review* Poetry Prize, her poems and essays appear in *POETRY*, *American Poetry Review*, *The Yale Review*, and elsewhere. She is the poetry editor for *West Branch* and lives in the Bay Area, California. Learn more at [sarahgali.com](http://sarahgali.com).
## About the Book
Moving between the scriptures of the Qur’an and the Bible, the poems in Sarah Ghazal Ali’s debut, ***Theophanies***, explore the complexities and spectacles of gender, faith, and family by unraveling the age-old idea that seeing is believing. Navigating both scripture and culture, the poems in *Theophanies* work to spin miracles from the mundanities of desire and violence. Stitched through these poems is longing—for mothers, angels, and signs from the divine—and question if seeing is really believing, and is believing belonging? *Theophanies* arises from the speaker’s tenuous grip on her own faith while navigating the colonial legacy of Partition and inherited patriarchal expectations of womanhood.
“Ali’s is one of the most sure-footed debuts I’ve had the pleasure to encounter in many years. Wrought with precision, control, and an astute humility before the wondrous, the profound and profane, these poems feel crafted from the sum total of history, then realized at the crest of the poet’s matrix of experiences. A truly fearless and tender gem of a collection.” —Ocean Vuong
“That god’s words would be splintered into many forms and tongues is inevitable and appropriate. This book utilizes many forms, ancient and new, to contend with the long legacy of a multitude of spiritual traditions: the expulsion from the divine, living in gendered bodies, the fate of humans to live as mortal. There’s music aplenty here to accompany difficult truths, and that is really all one can ask of god or garden or Ghazal.” —Kazim Ali
“Sarah Ghazal Ali’s debut collection, *Theophanies*, pulses with life—angels, cranes, and a woman’s own fierce potential, the miraculous and terrifying possibilities she holds within her heart, womb, and mind. Through sinuous lyric and religious persona, Ali delves unblinkingly into the depths of faith, family, and womanhood. These poems are bold, insistent reckonings that reach across time and geography, a chorus of female voices demanding to be heard.” —Leila Chatti
### If you need an accommodation for this event, please contact us at <access@writer.org>. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.
**Event Categories:** Event
---
### [Travel Writing](https://writer.org/event/travel-writing/)
**Published:** December 7, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# The insider tips you’ll need to turn your own travel experiences into easy-to-compose blogs, posts, and articles that you can publish yourself—or sell to newspapers, magazines and websites.
Ever wonder if your taste for interesting travel and off-the-beaten-track destinations could lead to publication—and maybe even a new career? Peter Mandel, a nationally-known adventure travel journalist for *The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times,* and *National Geographic Kids*, will deliver the inside scoop on how to shape your own travel experiences into easy-to-compose blogs, posts, and articles that you can publish yourself, or sell to newspapers, magazines and websites. The author of ten books, Mandel will weave in instruction with slides of his most extreme travel experiences: surviving a coup in Ecuador, visiting a ‘city’ of penguins at the South Pole, fishing for piranha on Brazil’s Rio Negro, floating in the Goodyear Blimp, sailing on an Arctic icebreaker, camping in the African bush, and kayaking to the Statue of Liberty.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
## In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How to turn your travel experiences into cutting-edge prose
- How to market and promote a travel article or blog
- How to self-publish your travel writing and photos.
## Time requirements
- No additional time required outside of class.
## Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
## Who should take this workshop?
- Suitable for all levels.
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Troubleshooting Your Fiction](https://writer.org/event/troubleshooting-your-fiction/)
**Published:** December 7, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# How do you know your manuscript is ready to submit to literary agents or publishers? Find the flaws before they do!
Revision is a dirty word to some writers. But you needn’t fear the challenges of polishing a manuscript before submission and publication. This fast-paced, half-day class focuses on the ten most common mistakes and concerns, often overlooked by authors before they send their story out into the world. Everything you do to your manuscript after the first draft is what makes the difference between a ho-hum story and a powerful tale that lingers in readers’ minds. Join us for a painless look at the major revision issues for fiction.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
## In this workshop you’ll:
- Target Big-Picture Flaws
- Correct Subtle Weaknesses
- Fix Inconsistencies
- Maximize Potential
- Learn Marketing Tips
## Time requirements
- No additional time required outside of class.
## Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
## Who should take this workshop?
- Authors of fiction, memoir, and creative nonfiction will discover the hidden weaknesses in their work-in-progress and learn ways to correct them.
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [How to Write a Killer Query & Synopsis](https://writer.org/event/how-to-write-a-killer-query-synopsis/)
**Published:** December 7, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Avoid queries and pitches that doom your book to instant rejection!
If you wish to be published, sooner or later you will need to write a query letter and plot synopsis of your story. Queries are an essential tool for marketing your story—whether it’s short fiction (short story/novella) or book-length (novel). Learn how to encapsulate your plot for your own use and as a showcase for your story when you submit to a literary agent or publisher. The instructor has sold dozens of novels to major publishers armed with only these two tools and writing samples.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
## In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Do’s and Don’ts of an Effective Query
- Strong Hooks
- Essential Elements of a Synopsis
- Avoiding Submission Traps
## Time requirements
- No additional time required outside of class.
## Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
## Who should take this workshop?
- Any author of fiction desiring publication.
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Publishing, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Mapping Strategies for Story Structure](https://writer.org/event/mapping-strategies-for-story-structure/)
**Published:** December 7, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Consider exploratory questions, mapping exercises, tools, and techniques to discover where your story is going and how you will get there.
There is no one-size-fits-all strategy for story structure. Let’s discuss a plan that is right for you. We’ll brainstorm the strengths and weaknesses of your specific story’s destination and the journey along the way. Is there a rich narrative and character arc, a strong point of entry, appropriate placement of flashbacks, a transformative and resonant ending, and will a reader care? We will play with maps, sketches, diagrams, and understand the importance of revising your initial plan as your story takes on a life of its own. Bring your specific idea for a short story, memoir, or novel.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
## In this workshop you’ll:
- Create a flexible outline that works for your plot
- Clarify the true purpose of your story
- Techniques for beginnings and endings
- Character arcs, yearning, internal and external conflict, and transformation
- Components of a successful scene
## Time requirements
- No additional time required outside of class.
## Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
## Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for beginning and intermediate fiction and memoir writers who hope to gain the confidence to start, finish, and revise their manuscript’s plot and structure.
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Writing Rough Drafts](https://writer.org/event/writing-rough-drafts/)
**Published:** December 7, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Master techniques to stop overthinking and get words on the page!
Do you ever think to yourself: “I have many creative ideas and stories to tell, but why is it so hard to get my ideas out of my head and onto the page?” This workshop helps you understand your creative process on a deeper level so you can work with it and not against it. In this workshop, you will learn the difference between the mindset needed for idea and draft generation and the mindset needed for organizing and editing your work. We will experiment with variations of expressive and intuitive writing, and other techniques that break down barriers to writing. Writers will come away with a rough draft and a new appreciation for the early stages of story development.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
## In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Creative process
- Idea generation
- Prompt writing
- Pre-writing techniques
- Drafting and revising
- Building a writing practice
## Time requirements
- Participants may spend 2 – 4 hours outside of the workshop working on a rough draft to share with the group.
## Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
## Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for beginning and intermediate nonfiction writers looking to build courage in their voices and process.
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 3 Sessions, Beginner/Intermediate Level, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Creating Novel Characters](https://writer.org/event/creating-novel-characters/)
**Published:** December 7, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Bring your characters to life on the page.
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.
---
***Learn at your own pace:** This workshop will take place over **Wet Ink**, which is an asynchronous creative writing platform. The instructor will post a lesson and assignment at the beginning of each week, and participants can log in and read the lessons/post assignments/comment on other classmates’ work at their convenience. Shortly before the start date, participants will receive an invite from Wet Ink to create their login info and access the class. Please check your spam if you don’t see it.*
---
## In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Your character’s past and future
- Your character’s motivations
- How the plot will bring about your character’s arc
- How to reveal your character on the page
## Time requirements
- 3-5 hours/week
## Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
## Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers looking to add dimension to their fictional characters.
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 4 Sessions, All Levels, Fiction, Wet Ink, Workshop
---
### [Use Poetic Technique to Improve Your Prose](https://writer.org/event/use-poetic-technique-to-improve-your-prose/)
**Published:** December 7, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Learn from analyzing poetry. Add poetry to your prose.
Learn how to break down the structure of poems, how to embed these structures into prose, and how doing so can add vibrancy to your story and its tone. The session will feature an interactive lecture. By the conclusion of the session, participants will have composed a paragraph of original prose using elements from a poem of their choice. Participants also will receive a worksheet of exercises for future practice, as well as instructions for how to generate their own exercises. Individualized feedback will be available.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
## In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Structure & Plot
- Character Development
- Concrete Detail
## Time requirements
- Approximately 1 hour of reading is required in advance.
## Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
## Who should take this workshop?
- This class is designed for prose writers looking to further stylize their writing, or poets interested in learning prose.
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, Intermediate/Advanced Level, Mixed Genre, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Short Story I](https://writer.org/event/short-story-i/)
**Published:** December 7, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Learn how to use form, structure, time, and more!
Learn the finer crafts of the short story, with a focus on knowing your character and using form. This course will focus on the craft of the short story while reading short stories written over the centuries and looking at the form’s development. From Poe to Chekhov and Munro!
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
## In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How to use form/structure in the short story
- How to write ‘time’ in the short story
- How to write character
- Conciseness
## Time requirements
- 4 hours/week
## Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
## Who should take this workshop?
- This is an ideal class for beginners wanting to start on the short story as well as advanced writers wanting to hone the finer crafts of ‘form’, ‘voice,’ and focus on writing at a sentence level.
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 8 Sessions, Beginner Level, Fiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Narrative Nonfiction: History, Memoir, and Biography](https://writer.org/event/narrative-nonfiction-history-memoir-and-biography/)
**Published:** December 7, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Build a solid, workable plan to reach the finish line on your book idea, from concept to execution to publication.
Do you have an idea for a great nonfiction book? This workshop takes a strategic approach to nailing down the concept and producing a publishing-quality manuscript best positioned for success. Participants will examine each book idea or manuscript, its narrative structure, writing and research challenges, and plan for getting the job done. Participants are encouraged to share up to 20 pages and a book summary for review.
---
***Live video conference:** This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, **Zoom**. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).*
---
## In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Narrative structure
- Writing technique
- Planning and finishing a book-length writing project
## Time requirements
- Each participant will be encouraged to share up to twenty pages of their work for feedback, and to read up to three submissions by other participants each week.
## Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
## Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers considering or working on book-length narrative nonfiction, whether just starting or well along the way.
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 7 Sessions, All Levels, Nonfiction, Workshop, Zoom
---
### [Reading Your Work Out Loud](https://writer.org/event/reading-your-work-out-loud/)
**Published:** December 7, 2023
**Author:** Elevation Web
**Content:**
# Practice sharing yourself and your story.
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 turn fuel a more authentic writing process and outcome. You’ll leave the workshop with an experience of camaraderie, community, and a more deeply rooted sense of your creative and expressive self. Please have on hand a number of pieces you’d be comfortable sharing during the meeting. There will be a break; please also bring a snack and water.
---
***In-person class**: This workshop will take place at **The Writer’s Center**, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.*
---
## In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Public speaking skills
- Performance anxiety mitigation
- Performance conviction and authenticity
## Time requirements
- No additional time required outside of class.
## Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
## Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for writers and others who want to practice and hone the skills of public performance and delivery.
*If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.*
**Event Categories:** 1 Session, All Levels, Mixed Genre, The Writer's Center, Workshop
---
## Categories
### [Uncategorized](https://writer.org/c/uncategorized/)
---
### [Blog](https://writer.org/c/blog/)
---
### [TWC Magazine](https://writer.org/c/blog/twc-magazine/)
---
## Tags
### [Virtual Craft Chats](https://writer.org/t/virtual-craft-chat/)
---
### [Past Event](https://writer.org/t/past-event/)
---
## Past Events Categories
### [Past Event](https://writer.org/past-event-category/past-event/)
---
### [Virtual Craft Chat](https://writer.org/past-event-category/virtual-craft-chat-past-event/)
---
### [TWC Live](https://writer.org/past-event-category/twc-live/)
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### [Through a Literary Lens](https://writer.org/past-event-category/through-a-literary-lens/)
---
## Product categories
### [Ticket](https://writer.org/product-category/ticket/)
---
### [Genre](https://writer.org/product-category/genre/)
---
### [Fiction](https://writer.org/product-category/genre/fiction/)
---
### [Level](https://writer.org/product-category/level/)
---
### [Master Level](https://writer.org/product-category/level/master/)
---
### [Nonfiction](https://writer.org/product-category/genre/nonfiction/)
---
### [Poetry](https://writer.org/product-category/genre/poetry/)
---
### [Event](https://writer.org/product-category/event/)
---
### [Workshop](https://writer.org/product-category/workshop/)
---
### [Advanced Level](https://writer.org/product-category/level/advanced/)
---
### [All Levels](https://writer.org/product-category/level/all-levels/)
---
### [Beginner Level](https://writer.org/product-category/level/beginner/)
---
### [Beginner/Intermediate Level](https://writer.org/product-category/level/beginner-intermediate/)
---
### [Intermediate Level](https://writer.org/product-category/level/intermediate/)
---
### [Intermediate/Advanced Level](https://writer.org/product-category/level/intermediate-advanced/)
---
### [Adults Write for Children](https://writer.org/product-category/genre/adults-write-for-children/)
---
### [Mixed Genre](https://writer.org/product-category/genre/mixed-genre/)
---
### [Professional Writing and Publishing](https://writer.org/product-category/genre/professional-writing-and-publishing/)
---
### [Stage and Screen](https://writer.org/product-category/genre/stage-and-screen/)
---
### [Advanced/Master](https://writer.org/product-category/level/advanced-master/)
---
### [Publishing](https://writer.org/product-category/genre/publishing/)
---
### [Professional Writing](https://writer.org/product-category/genre/professional-writing/)
---
### [Locations](https://writer.org/product-category/locations/)
---
### [The Writer's Center](https://writer.org/product-category/locations/the-writers-center/)
---
### [Hill Center](https://writer.org/product-category/locations/hill-center/)
---
### [Glen Echo Park](https://writer.org/product-category/locations/glen-echo-park/)
---
### [Online](https://writer.org/product-category/locations/online/)
---
### [Product ONLY](https://writer.org/product-category/product-only/)
---
### [Arlington](https://writer.org/product-category/locations/arlington/)
---
### [Donations](https://writer.org/product-category/donations/)
---
### [Primary Donation](https://writer.org/product-category/donations/primary-donation/)
---
### [Session Count](https://writer.org/product-category/session-count/)
---
### [1](https://writer.org/product-category/session-count/1/)
---
### [2](https://writer.org/product-category/session-count/2/)
---
### [3](https://writer.org/product-category/session-count/3/)
---
### [4](https://writer.org/product-category/session-count/4/)
---
### [5](https://writer.org/product-category/session-count/5/)
---
### [6](https://writer.org/product-category/session-count/6/)
---
### [7](https://writer.org/product-category/session-count/7/)
---
### [8](https://writer.org/product-category/session-count/8/)
---
### [10](https://writer.org/product-category/session-count/10/)
---
### [12](https://writer.org/product-category/session-count/12/)
---
### [Gift Card](https://writer.org/product-category/wps_wgm_giftcard/)
---
## Event Categories
### [Fiction](https://writer.org/events/category/genre/fiction/)
---
### [Master Level](https://writer.org/events/category/level/master/)
---
### [Genre](https://writer.org/events/category/genre/)
---
### [Level](https://writer.org/events/category/level/)
---
### [Nonfiction](https://writer.org/events/category/genre/nonfiction/)
---
### [Poetry](https://writer.org/events/category/genre/poetry/)
---
### [Event](https://writer.org/events/category/event/)
---
### [Workshop](https://writer.org/events/category/workshop/)
---
### [Advanced Level](https://writer.org/events/category/level/advanced/)
---
### [All Levels](https://writer.org/events/category/level/all-levels/)
---
### [Beginner Level](https://writer.org/events/category/level/beginner/)
---
### [Beginner/Intermediate Level](https://writer.org/events/category/level/beginner-intermediate/)
---
### [Intermediate Level](https://writer.org/events/category/level/intermediate/)
---
### [Intermediate/Advanced Level](https://writer.org/events/category/level/intermediate-advanced/)
---
### [Kid Lit](https://writer.org/events/category/genre/kidlit/)
---
### [Mixed Genre](https://writer.org/events/category/genre/mixed-genre/)
---
### [Stage and Screen](https://writer.org/events/category/genre/stage-and-screen/)
---
### [Advanced/Master Level](https://writer.org/events/category/level/advanced-master/)
---
### [Publishing](https://writer.org/events/category/genre/publishing/)
---
### [Professional Writing](https://writer.org/events/category/genre/professional-writing/)
---
### [Locations](https://writer.org/events/category/locations/)
---
### [The Writer's Center](https://writer.org/events/category/locations/the-writers-center/)
---
### [Zoom](https://writer.org/events/category/locations/zoom/)
---
### [Session Count](https://writer.org/events/category/session-counts/)
---
### [1 Session](https://writer.org/events/category/session-counts/1/)
---
### [2 Sessions](https://writer.org/events/category/session-counts/2/)
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### [3 Sessions](https://writer.org/events/category/session-counts/3/)
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### [4 Sessions](https://writer.org/events/category/session-counts/4/)
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### [5 Sessions](https://writer.org/events/category/session-counts/5/)
---
### [6 Sessions](https://writer.org/events/category/session-counts/6/)
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### [7 Sessions](https://writer.org/events/category/session-counts/7/)
---
### [8 Sessions](https://writer.org/events/category/session-counts/8/)
---
### [10 Sessions](https://writer.org/events/category/session-counts/10/)
---
### [12 Sessions](https://writer.org/events/category/session-counts/12/)
---
### [Wet Ink](https://writer.org/events/category/locations/wet-ink/)
---
### [Adults Write for Children](https://writer.org/events/category/adults-write-for-children/)
---
### [21 Sessions](https://writer.org/events/category/session-counts/21-sessions/)
---
### [Translation](https://writer.org/events/category/translation/)
---