Creative Writing Classes in Washington, DC

Putting our ideas out in the world is one of the most powerful things we can do for ourselves and the planet, and sometimes, we just need a little nudge to know how to get started. This workshop is for makers of all stripes – from side hustlers to product folks to artists – who want to take their creativity to the next level. The workshop will...

Looking for a one-stop shop to get your work closely read before submitting? This one-day workshop will be dedicated to generating a couple new poems, critiquing a few older poems, and creating a list of literary journals and contest to submit work. Please submit three poems to [email protected] for the workshop leader to review prior to the...

Here's an opportunity either to improve your villanelle skills or to write your first one. With the help of a widely published author of villanelles and sonnets, participants will read several classic and contemporary examples to see why they work, and write one or more of their own.  Then, writers will see how a new poem can be improved by revision. (Feel...

Getting a first draft down on paper is just the first step. The revision process is where most of the work, magic, and satisfaction of writing poetry happens. In this class, participants will learn how to open up their early drafts to discover what the poem really wants to talk about. A variety of in-class exercises will help writers find the heart...

You’re sick of sitting alone in your room. You’ve reached a certain level of mastery with your fiction writing, but you want some feedback you can trust, and moreover, you want to see what other good writers are doing with their fiction.  This workshop will gather together people of like minds, working hard and willing to be supportive. Do...

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, participants will take a close look at how sentences are put together and how changing the structure can send a poem off in a new direction. Writers...

In this six week intensive workshop, participants will write a poetry chapbook of up to 15 pages, and then make a physical book!  In the first four meetings participants will explore how groups of poems work together to create a focused, whole experience. The sessions will include reading model chapbooks and considering various strategies of...

Works of fiction are often identified as either literary or genre, but this class will consider them both/and. Writers will identify what makes fiction "genre" or "literary," and look at contemporary short stories that combine aspects of science fiction with a literary aim. Participants will focus on an example and an aspect of craft each week. By...

Flash fiction (stories told in 1,000 words or less) is an exciting genre attracting increasing interest in the publishing world. This two-hour course will provide an introduction to the genre, including model examples of flash, techniques of flash, and tips for writing your own. Participants will discuss where to read excellent flash, write multiple...