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.
Bethesda, MD 20815 United States
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 […]
Agents say it all the time. What sells a manuscript? A standout voice. Acquire the tools you need fo…
This class is for writers who are exploring the idea of writing a memoir. Maybe you have an idea, or…
Transform your draft into a polished, publishable work and learn how to confidently navigate the pat…
Trauma can shut us down; writing poems can help free us to open up again. This workshop will present…
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 […]
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 […]
Bethesda, MD 20815 United States
When Mary Oliver tells us to let the soft animal of love what love, we know exac…
Now’s your chance to find out! In this fun, hands-on workshop, you’ll learn the basics and comedy ti…
Strengthening the conflict in any type of fiction will bump up the tension and turn limp, ordinary f…
How do we turn the fragments of memory into writing that resonates? In this workshop guided by award…
In this generative fiction writing workshop, we’ll confront the blank page head-on. Our emphasis wil…
Bethesda, MD 20815 United States
Prompts will spark memories, characters, and places, turning them into poems, scenes, dialogues, and…
Revising can be very intimidating territory for all of us, but in this workshop we will take a diffe…
Scenes are the building blocks of fiction. They convey the vision of the story in the author’s head …
Think now of poetry as a school for emotions, and the lyric has had a revelatory power evoked throug…
Write about mental health with intention. Along with general guidelines, examples from popular media…
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 […]
If you’re not a poet, or even a writer, no worries. This workshop jump-starts your creativity with f…
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 […]
This workshop will help you transform your brilliant opinions into “ink on the pages” of some of the…
Each session of Boot Camp for Writers will begin with a prompt followed by writing time. Participant…
Learn how to write a picture book from a successful author of thirty award-winning books for childre…
Whether you are an organized planner or a writer who flies by the seat of their pants, a novel still…
Bethesda, MD 20815 United States
Have you been working and reworking the beginning of your manuscript but can’t seem to push past a c…
Guided by an award-winning and internationally published author of sonnets, villanelles, and other m…
Food carries the stories of who we are and where we come from. In this workshop, we’ll explore how t…
The autobiographical impulse has always been a strong one in American poetry, but it wasn’t until th…
Writing can be both a creative act and a path toward healing. In this workshop, we’ll explore the pr…
In this one-session workshop we’ll dive into the creative writing workshop buzzword “interiority” so…
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 […]
By studying basic craft elements of fiction, participants will build a strong foundation for their w…
Learn how to differentiate the unique mystery tropes while gaining a better understanding of the exp…
Bethesda, MD 20815 United States
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 […]
What makes a scene stay in your mind, is it rhythmic language, a character’s gesture, or that line o…
“Make it New” is a writer’s taunt and requirement as they return to the page, and oftentimes the har…
If you struggle to get your novel written, you aren’t alone. Most novelists never complete the story…
Write your first (or newest) play, break that writers’ block, and unlock your theatrical voice! Duri…
You’ve written, or are writing your book; now it’s time to fight for it! In this workshop you’ll dis…
You may think you don’t have the time, energy, or inspiration to write because of your hectic lifest…
Here’s an opportunity to shed any misconception that poetic forms are only constricting. Inspired by…
Bethesda, MD 20815 United States
Do you feel called to write a book? Is there something important that you have always wanted to say …
Bethesda, MD 20815 United States
Description is an important element in fiction to orient the reader to setting and characters. But h…
Literary agents play a crucial role in the publishing world, yet authors are often in the dark about…
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 […]
This class aims to teach students how to write poems that surprise with imagery and ingenuity. Sever…
Fictional characters are the entry point for readers to engage with the worlds that writers create. …
You’ll not only learn how to write your own television pilot, but the ins and outs of the entire tel…
Bethesda, MD 20815 United States
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 […]
With ten crucial tips and in-class writing prompts, learn how to capture your life on the page scene…
There is no one-size-fits-all strategy for story structure. Let’s discuss a plan that works for you….
What makes a good title? How can a title expand a poem’s meaning and impact? How can a weak one hold…
“Whole-Brain Poetry” is an opportunity to explore some of the many ways poetry interacts with the br…
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 […]
Bethesda, MD 20815 United States
You’ve drafted your picture book, what’s the next step? Learn to revise and polish your picture boo…
Are you serious about writing a novel but struggling? This intermediate course will examine the eigh…
Drawing from the textures of newspaper headlines and the tenderness of novel pages, we’ll explore ho…
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 […]
Bethesda, MD 20815 United States
Using quotes, poems and/or personal reflections, students will combine words with easy to follow art…
Learn how to pack a powerful punch when writing persuasively! This four-week workshop covers the pro…
This workshop deconstructs and demystifies the novel-writing process for struggling and/or aspiring …
Bethesda, MD 20815 United States
Using various writing prompts will invite ourselves into new stories, and explore new ways to tell f…
Although we associate the term “volta” with the traditional sonnet form, it has been used with great…
Romance is a booming market. Although maligned as “fluff,” writing a compelling romance requires ser…
Bethesda, MD 20815 United States
Music in poetry can be difficult; insist on it too much and the music can overtake meaning, too litt…
Once your book is out in the world, how do you ensure it works for you? This session demystifies pub…
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 […]
Bethesda, MD 20815 United States
As the world tilts toward renewal, this workshop invites writers to align with the energy of the Spr…
We will explore the complexities of writing about sensitive topics with vulnerability and creative c…
Show, Don’t Tell is a hands-on writing workshop designed to help participants transform plain prose …
Bethesda, MD 20815 United States
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 […]
Writing a novel takes commitment, but it doesn’t need to be daunting. Learn how to generate a handfu…
Do you have a finished draft of a novel but don’t know what to do next? This workshop will take you …
In the Persona Poem, or Dramatic Monologue, the poet writes in the voice of another real or imagined…
If you’ve always wanted to create your own exciting novel then this is the class for you. The class …
You have a story inside you, but how do you even start to bring it out? With so many crazy things go…
Travel isn’t about mileage. It’s about the personal experiences and stories that bring a journey ali…
Writers today have more options than ever, but the choices can be overwhelming. Should you try to fi…
Write your life story as you lived it, one moment at a time. This interactive workshop teaches write…
Every character in your story has a past. The events that occurred in a character’s life before they…
Whether you’re in the midst of your manuscript or just starting out, in this workshop you will devel…
Robert Frost said, “It’s tone I’m in love with; that’s what poetry is, tone.” The ability to control…
Having a children’s book published in today’s tough market may seem like an impossible dream. But, i…
Bethesda, MD 20815 United States
This class is designed for writers of all levels of experience to help them find the story tapping t…
Have you ever wondered how scanning the lines of your first draft can make for a better poem? Here’s…
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 […]
This workshop is about the pursuit of insight through writing personal memories. Whether you current…
Setting is the foundation for any story. Whether you’re thinking about character, motivation, obstac…
Whether you want to write a memoir, blog, letter to your granddaughter, or use your life as the foun…
In this workshop, writers will consider end-times poems both ancient and contemporary in order to fi…
Lead with the future — not background — for lead-ership, especially in a crisis. That’s the most imp…