Poetry
&
Prose

Braid It! Writing as 

As E.M. Forester says, we write to, “only connect.” Braided works make seamless connections seemingly magically, matching exterior with interior, past with present, the political with the personal, the everyday with the complexity of what it is to be human. Through reading, discussion, and guided practice, explore the mechanics behind the magic—what makes braids work, what they enable us to say, & how to weave them in our own voice. Leave with starts you’ll be jonesing to keep braiding.

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Tuesday, Jan 6, 3–6 pm PT / 6–9 pm ET

AND/OR Sunday, Jan 11, 9 am–12 pm PT / 3–6 pm ET / 6–9 pm CET

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Art of the Chapbook

This six week course is designed to have a chapbook sized manuscript in your hands, ready for market or the printers by course’ end.  The first three weeks focus on the generative process, while the final three weeks focus on facilitated group feedback. More fun, productive and therapeutic than a barrel of monkeys.​

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Sundays, Jan 18, 25, Feb 1, 8, 15, 22

10 am-12:30 pm PT / 1 pm-3:30 pm ET

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Big Feels: How to Write (Well) about Tough Stuff

Some of our best stories aren’t about the hard times in our lives - but some of the important ones are. Writing about tough stuff can take a personal toll on the writer, and difficult subject matter sometimes keeps us from being as clear-eyed about literary quality and craft as we want to be. In this weekend bootcamp, we’ll work on striking the careful balance—both personal and creative—that writing about painful subjects requires.​

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Fri Jan 23 3-5pm PT/6-8pm ET

Sa-Su Jan 24-25 11am-1pm PT/2-4pm ET

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Braiding Truth to Power

As writers, especially during troubled times, we’re compelled to use our voices to speak to the issues closest to our hearts, to compose work that will help others feel less alone. Writing straight at issues without sounding preachy or simplistic can be tricky though. Here’s the thing: We may not, we won’t, all agree on the “points.” But we all know what it is to be human. Because writing that weaves mirrors life’s complexities, the braided form is one of the best vehicles for writing on topics like social justice, climate, immigration policy or whatever it is that matters to us. Through readings, discussions, and guided exercise, practice braiding truth to power in your own voice.   

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Thursdays, March 5, 12, 19, 26, 3–5 pm PT/ 6–7pm ET

The Personal Is Political: Putting Personal Narratives to Work in the World

In a world that’s increasingly confusing and confused, we might wonder why personal stories matter at all. But personal narratives are even more crucial in chaotic times, providing readers with a means of connecting with and understanding what’s going on in the larger world. This course will dive deeper into the social relevance and potential power of writing from and about real life, giving participants a chance to deepen their sense of where their stories fit in a broader context, how they can illuminate and help make sense of the social and political issues of our time, the responsibility they carry, and the impact they can have.​

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Thursdays April 9, 16, 23, 30 & May 7 

3-5pm PT/6-8pm ET

From the Road: On Travel Writing

Join veteran travel writers Marya & Holly to hone your skills, sharpen your focus, and amplify your voice. “The road,” as we define it, is wide: Think your own travel or that of others. Think past or present. Think inner journeys and outer quests. We can't wait to explore your roads!

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Friday, Jan 9 (4–6 pm PT / 7–9 pm ET)

Saturday & Sunday, Jan 10 & 11 (11 am–1 pm PT / 2–4 pm ET)

Annnnnnd...Scene: Writing Scenes That Bring Your Work to Life 

There are three types of narrative prose: exposition (telling), reflection (interpreting), and scene (showing). Most of us learned expository prose in school; but scenes are what bring stories to life - and where most of our stories could use a little work. This four-session course will break down the fundamentals of what scenes (and microscenes) are, why scenework plays such a crucial role in both fiction and nonfiction narrative, how scenes are built and work together, and more.

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Mondays Feb 2, 9, 16, 23

3-5pm PT/6-8pm ET

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The Past Is Never Past: The Ethics of Memory in Creative Nonfiction

This weekend we’re going to dig into one of the most frequently asked questions we get: how do writers—nonfictionists especially, but other genres too—write ethically about other people and about the past? Hindsight is anything but 20/20—we know that memory is fallible, and all of us have a perspective that’s solely our own. In this bootcamp, we’ll address some of the ethical issues that come up in writing about the past and talk about concrete ways to handle those, including responsible representation, the need for interviews and research, the role of reconstructed dialogue, and the importance of acknowledging the limitations of both the author and the form. ​

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Fri Feb 27 3-5pm PT/6-8pm ET

Sa Feb 28 & Su Mar 1 11am-1pm PT/2-4pm ET

Comedy = Tragedy + Time: How to Write Funny & True 

This weekend intensive tackles the fine art of writing funny when the world is anything but. Finding the joke, making the smart-alec crack, the cackle, and the smirk in the stories we tell doesn’t mean we don’t take the facts seriously - and it’s not about pratfalls and slapstick, either. This three-hour intensive will take the maxim that comedy = tragedy + time to heart, and guide participants through writing exercises and prompts designed to steer us to the sweet spot where we can pinpoint the truth in what’s funny, and find the humor - and joy - in what’s true.​

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Fri March 27 3-5pm PT/5-7pm ET

Sa-Su March 28-29 11am-1pm PT/2-4pm ET

Get Weird: Write Your Way Out of a Rut & Into Your Best Work with Hermit Crabs and Beyond

As writers, we can get stuck in a rut. And sometimes, the blank page stares, and all we can do is stare back. This weekend is about experimentation--new possibilities, new shells. Yes, we're talking hermit crabs. Here too, we practice genre-bending and mixing it up with form, structure, voice, and tense to open us up, get the work flowing, and create work we didn’t even know we had in us. ​

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Fri, Dec 12, 4–6 pm PT / 7–9 pm ET

Sat & Sun, Dec 13 & 14, 11 am–1 pm PT / 2–4 pm ET