Novel Writing
Build a workable first draft of a novel by the final session of this year-long class. We’ll focus on technique and craft as well as plot structure as we work our way through your novel from start to finish.
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What Makes Movies Great: From “On the Waterfront” to “The Shape of Water”
A movie needs to be more than a display of technical virtuosity; it should also tell a compelling story. Explore a variety of film genres and filmmakers, from Chaplin to Coppola to the Coen Bros, always with an eye to the story. You’ll gain a greater appreciation for cinema, as well as getting a chance […]
read moreWriting the Memoir
Thomas Larson writes that “memoir is most successful when it is not the ‘story of a life,’ but a focused part of that life—a dozen summers spent working on a grandfather’s farm, a long relationship with a dying relative, the first year of law school.” You’ll work on writing prompts and timed writing exercises, and […]
read moreFairy Tales Revisited
Why do folktales and fairy tales have such a remarkable staying power? Author and mythographer Marina Warner suggests that it’s “because the meanings they generate are themselves magical shape-shifters, dancing to the needs of their audience.” In this class, we’ll read and discuss fairy tales, both traditional and revisionist. We will then reimagine them, as […]
read moreWriting the Shadow
Explore the dark self, what Carl Jung called the “shadow” part of our psyche. Sometimes we see it in our dreams, sometimes it appears in dark imaginings. We’ll learn what the shadow can add to our creative writing by experimenting with timed writing, dream journals, guided imagery and Active Imagination.
read moreShort Story Fiction Writing
Explore short story fiction writing by studying narrative craft elements like story, plot, character, scene, structure, archetypal patterns and dialogue. We’ll examine professionally published pieces and your own work. By the end of the course, you’ll be ready to begin a story based on a word or an idea. You’ll also understand how to evaluate […]
read moreThe Prose Poem – NEW!
Explore the possibilities of the prose poem. Each week, we’ll read and discuss examples of prose poems (historic and contemporary), then use these conversations to inspire us as we write prose poems of our own.
read moreThe Writing Life
Start the new year off on the right foot by developing a structured writing routine. We’ll use regular prompts in these weekly workshops, designed to get your pen moving and your creativity flowing.
read moreCourage and Clarity: Using Meditation to Enhance Your Writing – NEW!
Great writing is risky and born of keen observations of the world. In this class, we’ll combine periods of meditation and writing prompts to unlock our most authentic voices by attuning the senses and cultivating bravery on the page. Leave the class with meditation techniques and writing exercises to use in your own writing practice. […]
read moreWriting Techniques for Keeping a Journal – NEW!
This half-day workshop will provide a look at techniques for keeping a journal. You may have kept a journal when you were a teenager. You may have written snippets about special life events. You may be struggling now trying to understand these difficult times. Journal writing is healing and satisfying. But many don’t know how […]
read morePens Up, Fears Down: Write Now!
Unravel the tales traveling through your head. We’ll explore memory and character with writing exercises that inspire you to put your fears down and get the writing onto the page.
read moreThe Nuts + Bolts of Freelance Writing Workshop
Learn the ins and outs of freelance writing from a local journalist, who can teach you the art of brainstorming and pitching stories, the etiquette behind communicating with editors, negotiating and selling your writing and the rewarding editing and publishing process.
read moreA Little Bread – a Crust – a Crumb: Celebrating Emily Dickinson – NEW!
Celebrate the poet Emily Dickinson by reading some of her poems, eating her famous cake and writing poems of your own. We’ll also look at some of Dickinson’s manuscripts and letters, and we’ll consider how her writing process and life experiences shaped her poetry.
read moreOvercoming Overwhelm: Recharge your Poetic Imagination – NEW!
Spend an evening immersed in language. We’ll use group reading and meditative exercises to refresh and reset. As writers and creatives, our work is often fueled by a personal urgency. How we respond to questions of power, identity, tragedy even, infiltrates and often gives life to our work. With so much coming at us, how […]
read moreThe Sparkling Moments: A Poetry Writing Workshop
How do you take advantage of the creative opportunities that are present in your writing, and recognize the sparkling moments? Plows turn over top layers of earth so that fresh nutrients can surface. Workshopping your poems in this class will help you uncover rich worlds, too.
read moreWriting the Memoir
Thomas Larson writes that “memoir is most successful when it is not the ‘story of a life,’ but a focused part of that life—a dozen summers spent working on a grandfather’s farm, a long relationship with a dying relative, the first year of law school.” You’ll work on writing prompts and timed writing exercises, and […]
read moreWriting the Shadow
Explore the dark self, what Carl Jung called the “shadow” part of our psyche. Sometimes we see it in our dreams, sometimes it appears in dark imaginings. We’ll learn what the shadow can add to our creative writing by experimenting with timed writing, dream journals, guided imagery and Active Imagination.
read moreShort Story Fiction Writing
Explore short story fiction writing by studying narrative craft elements like story, plot, character, scene, structure, archetypal patterns and dialogue. We’ll examine professionally published pieces and your own work. By the end of the course, you’ll be ready to begin a story based on a word or an idea. You’ll also understand how to evaluate […]
read morePens Up, Fears Down: Write Now!
Unravel the tales traveling through your head. We’ll explore memory and character with writing exercises that inspire you to put your fears down and get the writing onto the page.
read moreThe Nuts + Bolts of Freelance Writing Workshop
Learn the ins and outs of freelance writing from a local journalist, who can teach you the art of brainstorming and pitching stories, the etiquette behind communicating with editors, negotiating and selling your writing and the rewarding editing and publishing process.
read moreBreak the Rules of Your Medium – NEW!
Stuck in a rut? Trying to find a new groove? Through a series of discussion and class-guided creative assignments, we’ll take a critical look at the framework of rules that we as artists create and follow in our work. This class is open to artists working in any medium. Expect to complete creative exercises outside […]
read moreWriting Worlds: Worldbuilding in Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Other Genres – NEW!
Having a richly developed world is the seed of good speculative fiction. We’ll study examples of worldbuilding techniques and learn to create richly-developed settings for your personal writing projects. This course will include elements of writing, research, some drawing and exploration of images, as well as workshopping to help participants create their own imaginary worlds.
read moreFamily Studio Program
Come and make art side by side as a family. Each week, families will explore a new medium and create a beautiful project together. This program is best suited for families with children aged 3 to 8, however, all family members are welcome. Drop in for one session or buy a discounted package that includes […]
read moreFamily Studio Program
Come and make art side by side as a family. Each week, families will explore a new medium and create a beautiful project together. This program is best suited for families with children aged 3 to 8, however, all family members are welcome. Drop in for one session or buy a discounted package that includes […]
read moreFamily Studio Program
Come and make art side by side as a family. Each week, families will explore a new medium and create a beautiful project together. This program is best suited for families with children aged 3 to 8, however, all family members are welcome. Drop in for one session or buy a discounted package that includes […]
read more