COVID 19 Update to January and February Workshops
Due to the surge of COVID-19 cases and fact that the Omicron variant is extremely contagious, all workshops have been moved back to virtual format. Writespace workshops will be offered via Zoom until it is safe to have in-person workshops again. The Submission Room has also been moved online via Zoom.
Zoom links have been sent to those who have already registered for any workshops or events. If you have not received an email with the Zoom link and you are registered for a workshop or event, please email jamie@writespacehouston.org to request your link.
Our Art in the AM event on January 15 at Eastern Glades and our January 29 Open Mic featuring Outspoken Bean will still be held as they are outdoor events. Masks will be required for attendance at both events.
Zoom links have been sent to those who have already registered for any workshops or events. If you have not received an email with the Zoom link and you are registered for a workshop or event, please email jamie@writespacehouston.org to request your link.
Our Art in the AM event on January 15 at Eastern Glades and our January 29 Open Mic featuring Outspoken Bean will still be held as they are outdoor events. Masks will be required for attendance at both events.
Give the Gift of Writespace
We have two perfect gifts for the writer in your life:
- Help them start the next chapter off right with a Writespace Gift Certificate
- Give the gift that lasts all year with a Writespace Gift Membership (or upgrade an existing membership)
Gift Certificates
Gift Memberships
Our classic membership option! Fountain Pen memberships cost $60 per year and include the following benefits:
- Discounted pricing of between 25% and 35% on over 80 Writespace workshops.
- Discounted pricing of 15% on Writespace's flagship annual literary festival, Writefest.
- Exclusive admission to Members Only First Page Feedback Sessions.
- Exclusive notification of new workshop postings three days before the general public and the chance to sign up before workshops sell out.
- Take five workshops during your membership year and receive one free three-hour workshop (to access this benefit, please email us the list of workshops you've taken).
- Celebration of your writing successes on our Member Success Stories page.
- Back for 2021: Free admission to our exclusive Member Socials.
- New for 2021: Free admission to our Quiet Write-Ins.
We are proud to offer the Quill Pen membership, a tier that gives you the chance support not only your own writing, but that of a writer in need. Quill Pen memberships cost $150 per year and include the following benefits:
- All Fountain Pen membership benefits
- An invitation to our exclusive Quill Pen members' reception
- The opportunity to sponsor one three-hour workshop scholarship for a writer in need
Thank you for supporting Writespace and Houston-area writers!
Our Next Workshops
Time Management for Writers
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INSTRUCTOR: Ynes Freeman
TIME: Saturday, January 22, 9:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. CST PRICE: Early bird until Monday, January 17: $45 for members, $60 for nonmembers. After Monday, January 17: $55 for members, $70 for nonmembers. Become a member here. Apply for a scholarship here. LOCATION: Online via Zoom LEVEL: All Levels CAP: 15 They say the best way to get writing done is BIC: Butt in Chair. But many of us have so many obligations in our lives, we often feel too exhausted, drained, and devoid of creativity at the end of the day to even attempt to put a pen to paper. As such, we dream of the day that we can sit down and do nothing but write. But that’s not to say those who leave their jobs or retire have easier writing lives. In fact, the opposite is often true! They struggle with structuring their practice and put pressure on themselves to meet their word count goals, then lose motivation when they don’t reach them. The reason for this is that it’s not the amount of time we have for writing, it’s the way we manage that time. In this course, we’ll explore time management techniques for writers from all walks of life. Beginning the workshop with a self-inventory of where our time goes, we’ll discover how to lean into our strengths and implement strategies and tactics to hone our time management skills. RECOMMENDED READING Writer with a Day Job, Áine Greaney The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less, Alex Soojung-Kim Pang Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, Carol Dweck |
Photo by Kevin Ku on Unspalsh
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Being Your Own Business
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INSTRUCTOR: Cassandra Rose Clarke
TIME: Saturday, January 22, 1–4 p.m. CST PRICE: Early bird until Monday, January 17: $45 for members, $60 for nonmembers. After Monday, January 17: $55 for members, $70 for nonmembers. Become a member here. Apply for a scholarship here. LOCATION: Online via Zoom LEVEL: All Levels CAP: 15 Publishing your first book might be the end of your aspiring writer journey, but it’s the start of an entirely new phase in your life: that of a published author! And with that comes the realization that you’re no longer “just” a writer—you’re now a business, too. But what the heck does that actually mean? In this workshop, we’ll answer that question by looking at tips and tricks for managing the administrative work that is necessary for a successful writing career. We’ll talk business plans, best bookkeeping practices, maintaining a professional schedule, finding a good accountant, and much more. This class is appropriate for writers at all stages of their careers: from newbies curious about what business practices they should adopt to established writers looking to get organized. |
Photo by Scott Graham on Unspalsh
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View all our upcoming workshops.
Our Next Event
Open Mic
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FEATURING: Outspoken Bean, Houston’s Poet Laureate
TIME: Saturday, January 29, 7–9 p.m. CST LOCATION: Writespace, 1717 Michigan Street, Houston, TX, 77006 (map) COST: Free (Suggested donation of $2 to help us cover costs) REGISTRATION: To become a reader sign up here. Sign-ups are open to all. $2 sign-up fee for nonmembers. Accessibility: Parking is street parking only. Please bring your own lawn chairs or blankets. This is an outdoor event on a lawn so footing is uneven and seating is bring your own. |
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Workshop Testimonial
"I hadn’t written poetry in more than 6 months. Not because I didn’t have anything to say—but rather, the opposite: I have too much to say, and not enough time to say it. That’s the beauty of short-form poetry—and I can think of no one better than Dr. Kendra Leonard to be your guide into this world.
If you’re like me—an unpracticed, imperfect poet who doesn’t know anything about the mechanics of sonnets or limericks—it can feel super intimidating to step into a poetry workshop. But Dr. Leonard made me feel anything but intimidated. She is kind, encouraging, and takes a gentle, question-led (rather than feedback-led) approach to workshopping poetry.
What’s truly amazing is that she’s helped me turn short-form poetry into a habit. I’ve written a poem every day since taking her workshop. Often, I don’t have a big block of time to sit down and journal out all my thoughts and feelings. Dr. Leonard’s workshop showed me that I can be just as expressive through short-form poetry, and in a fraction of the time.
I’m really excited to take her workshop on ekphrastic writing."
—Ynes Freeman, on Kendra Preston Leonard's Writing Short: Poetry in the Palm of Your Hand
If you’re like me—an unpracticed, imperfect poet who doesn’t know anything about the mechanics of sonnets or limericks—it can feel super intimidating to step into a poetry workshop. But Dr. Leonard made me feel anything but intimidated. She is kind, encouraging, and takes a gentle, question-led (rather than feedback-led) approach to workshopping poetry.
What’s truly amazing is that she’s helped me turn short-form poetry into a habit. I’ve written a poem every day since taking her workshop. Often, I don’t have a big block of time to sit down and journal out all my thoughts and feelings. Dr. Leonard’s workshop showed me that I can be just as expressive through short-form poetry, and in a fraction of the time.
I’m really excited to take her workshop on ekphrastic writing."
—Ynes Freeman, on Kendra Preston Leonard's Writing Short: Poetry in the Palm of Your Hand
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Writespace is a Houston grassroots literary arts nonprofit whose mission is to embrace and celebrate our city’s diversity by providing the type of high-quality training available through Master of Fine Arts creative writing programs at a fraction of the cost to writers of all genres, with a focus on providing programming for underserved communities and scholarships for low-income writers. All donations made to Writespace are entirely tax-deductible. |