CREATIVE WRITING WORKSHOPS
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- Registration closes 24 hours before start time or when workshop fills. No walk-ins, please.
- Tickets must be purchased online.
- Please read our workshop policies before registering.
- Can't attend without a scholarship? Apply here.
January Workshops
Mags to Riches II with JODY T MORSE
Attendees will cultivate three lead (or “nutgraf,” to use publishing slang) seedlings that can be turned into pitches or fleshed out into full-length articles.
Attendees will cultivate three lead (or “nutgraf,” to use publishing slang) seedlings that can be turned into pitches or fleshed out into full-length articles.
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TIME: Saturday, January 25th, 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM
PRICE: Early-Bird until Monday, January 20th: $45 for members, $60 for non-members. After Monday, January 20th: $55 for members, $70 for non-members. Become a member here. Scholarships available here. LOCATION: Writespace at Silver Street Studios, 2000 Edwards #208, Houston, TX 77007 LEVEL: All Levels CAP: Limited to 15 Writers |
In this follow-up course to 'Mags to Riches: Writing for Magazines 101', instructor Jody T. Morse will lead participants through a brief recap of the basic how-tos of launching a career in magazine writing and then dive into the actual skill and craft of penning brilliant nonfiction articles. In this generative session, attendees will cultivate three lead (or “nutgraf,” to use publishing slang) seedlings that can be turned into pitches or fleshed out into full-length articles. As well, students will learn the art of crafting catchy titles and examine some of the instructor’s favorite articles of all time, gleaning their best attributes. The atmosphere will be a balance of fun and professionalism, friendliness and productivity.
February Workshops
Writing about Place with ICESS FERNANDEZ ROJAS
A place is another character in a story.
A place is another character in a story.
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TIME: Saturday, February 1st, 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM
PRICE: Early-Bird until Monday, January 27th: $45 for members, $60 for non-members. After Monday, January 27th: $55 for members, $70 for non-members. Become a member here. Scholarships available here. LOCATION: Writespace at Silver Street Studios, 2000 Edwards #208, Houston, TX 77007 LEVEL: All Levels CAP: Limited to 15 Writers |
“The house ached. It creaked when the wind hit it. The winter cold rattled its beams and windows. The warmth that was there beforehand leaked through the cracks and was replaced with enough emptiness to invite mourning in. This was the house that started it all; this was the house that ended it all. The alpha and omega of tragedy and I was in the middle of it all, letting it all soak in.”
A place is another character in a story. Writers have heard this so much it’s almost cliche. However, cliches are not always wrong. Learning to treat a place like a character is easier said than done. Who cares about the house, or the lobby, or the room where a story takes place? Your reader does, and setting can do some of the heavy lifting of storytelling. When you factor in not only location but the time period and the rules of a place, the boundaries of setting can enhance stories to their full potential. In this workshop, we’ll read some examples, do our own writing, and look at place as a person.
A place is another character in a story. Writers have heard this so much it’s almost cliche. However, cliches are not always wrong. Learning to treat a place like a character is easier said than done. Who cares about the house, or the lobby, or the room where a story takes place? Your reader does, and setting can do some of the heavy lifting of storytelling. When you factor in not only location but the time period and the rules of a place, the boundaries of setting can enhance stories to their full potential. In this workshop, we’ll read some examples, do our own writing, and look at place as a person.
Writing Memoir with Emotional Honesty with JOYCE BOATRIGHT
Refine the art of “showing, not telling."
Refine the art of “showing, not telling."
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TIME: Saturday, February 1st, 1-4 PM
PRICE: Early-Bird until Monday, January 27th: $45 for members, $60 for non-members. After Monday, January 27th: $55 for members, $70 for non-members. Become a member here. Scholarships available here. LOCATION: Writespace at Silver Street Studios, 2000 Edwards #208, Houston, TX 77007 LEVEL: All Levels CAP: Limited to 15 Writers |
Refine the art of “showing, not telling” and replace dreary, flat writing with expressive, descriptive prose. Write honestly by sharpening your skill in describing the emotional landscape of your memoir without over-writing or coming across as melodramatic. Improve your craft through clear description, imagery, and metaphor. If you are struggling with painful memories of addiction, abuse, or shame, this workshop will help you have the courage to write with clarity, self-awareness, and strength.
Indie Publishing for Speculative Fiction Authors with D.L. YOUNG
Come and learn the tips, strategies, and secret tricks of today’s most successful self-published authors.
Come and learn the tips, strategies, and secret tricks of today’s most successful self-published authors.
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TIME: Three Sundays, February 2nd, February 9th, February 16th,
3-6 PM PRICE: Early-Bird until Tuesday, January 28th: $120 for members, $140 for non-members. After Tuesday, January 28th: $150 for members, $170 for non-members. Become a member here. Scholarships available here. LOCATION: Writespace at Silver Street Studios, 2000 Edwards #208, Houston, TX 77007 LEVEL: All Levels CAP: Limited to 15 Writers |
Want to self-publish your SF or Fantasy novel, but have no idea where to begin? Or have you self-published a novel already and found limited success?
The self-publishing market is constantly evolving. What worked a year ago may not work today. In this 3-session, comprehensive workshop, we’ll cover every must-know area for SF&F self-publishers. Come and learn the tips, strategies, and secret tricks of today’s most successful self-published authors.
Content Management: Learn how the industry’s best-selling self-publishers manage their content and how you can apply these formulas and principles to your own work.
Business Management and Marketing Basics: Do you need an ISBN number? Do you form an LLC or use a sole proprietorship for your writing? What about copyrights? We’ll cover all the major aspects of managing your writing business, including marketing fundamentals.
Advanced Marketing: What’s a Facebook pixel? What are redirect links? In the last session, we’ll cover the advanced marketing techniques (and a few secret ninja tricks!) today’s top-selling self-published authors are using to supercharge their sales.
The self-publishing market is constantly evolving. What worked a year ago may not work today. In this 3-session, comprehensive workshop, we’ll cover every must-know area for SF&F self-publishers. Come and learn the tips, strategies, and secret tricks of today’s most successful self-published authors.
Content Management: Learn how the industry’s best-selling self-publishers manage their content and how you can apply these formulas and principles to your own work.
Business Management and Marketing Basics: Do you need an ISBN number? Do you form an LLC or use a sole proprietorship for your writing? What about copyrights? We’ll cover all the major aspects of managing your writing business, including marketing fundamentals.
Advanced Marketing: What’s a Facebook pixel? What are redirect links? In the last session, we’ll cover the advanced marketing techniques (and a few secret ninja tricks!) today’s top-selling self-published authors are using to supercharge their sales.
Introduction to Poetry with JUSTIN JANNISE
Poetry can connect people across thousands of years and miles.
Poetry can connect people across thousands of years and miles.
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TIME: Four Mondays, February 3rd, February 10th, February 17th, February 24th, 6-9 PM
PRICE: Early-Bird until Wednesday, January 29th: $150 for members, $180 for non-members. After Wednesday, January 29th: $180 for members, $210 for non-members. Become a member here. Scholarships available here. LOCATION: Writespace at Silver Street Studios, 2000 Edwards #208, Houston, TX 77007 LEVEL: All Levels CAP: Limited to 15 Writers |
A poem can elevate and capture a specific experience--an image, memory, or sensation--so profoundly, that its power can seem mysterious. It can connect people across thousands of years and miles, kindling an intimacy even deeper than the intimacy they share with people they see each day. So how do we create that magic for ourselves?
This course is designed to nurture you along a poetic journey through close readings of poems, generative writing assignments, and lively discussion. We’ll talk image and idea, line and sentence, sense and nonsense. We will conclude by discussing revision strategies and opportunities for publication. No prior experience with poetry writing is required, but advanced poets are also welcome.
This course is designed to nurture you along a poetic journey through close readings of poems, generative writing assignments, and lively discussion. We’ll talk image and idea, line and sentence, sense and nonsense. We will conclude by discussing revision strategies and opportunities for publication. No prior experience with poetry writing is required, but advanced poets are also welcome.
Handling Time: A Hands-On How To with MARK HABER
One of the most difficult challenges in fiction is handling time.
One of the most difficult challenges in fiction is handling time.
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TIME: Two Saturdays, February 8th and February 15th, 1-4 PM
PRICE: Early-Bird until Monday, February 3rd: $85 for members, $100 for non-members. After Monday, February 3rd: $100 for members, $115 for non-members. Become a member here. Scholarships available here. LOCATION: Writespace at Silver Street Studios, 2000 Edwards #208, Houston, TX 77007 LEVEL: All Levels CAP: Limited to 15 Writers |
Time is tricky enough in real life--spring forward? Fall back? How are we saving time with all this nonsense?
But in fiction, it can be even trickier. In fact, one of the most difficult challenges in fiction is handling time. As the writer, we have to decide how we want time to move in our story--or if we even want it to move at all. Whether time is propelling forward, looking backwards, or stuck in one significant moment can have huge effects on the story and readers’ experience.
This workshop will focus on strategies for handling time in narrative in both creative and seamless ways to ensure the time in your story flows exactly how you want it.
But in fiction, it can be even trickier. In fact, one of the most difficult challenges in fiction is handling time. As the writer, we have to decide how we want time to move in our story--or if we even want it to move at all. Whether time is propelling forward, looking backwards, or stuck in one significant moment can have huge effects on the story and readers’ experience.
This workshop will focus on strategies for handling time in narrative in both creative and seamless ways to ensure the time in your story flows exactly how you want it.
Writing the Immigrant and International Experience with ONYINYE IHEZUKWU
How do we approach storytelling as writers with uniquely lived experiences of otherness?
How do we approach storytelling as writers with uniquely lived experiences of otherness?
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TIME: Saturday, February 15th, 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM
PRICE: Early-Bird until Monday, February 10th: $45 for members, $60 for non-members. After Monday, February 10th: $55 for members, $70 for non-members. Become a member here. Scholarships available here. LOCATION: Writespace at Silver Street Studios, 2000 Edwards #208, Houston, TX 77007 LEVEL: All Levels CAP: Limited to 15 Writers |
In this workshop we will explore how to create narratives that capture the complexities of what it means to be an incomer to a culture different from that of one’s place of origin. How do we approach storytelling as writers with uniquely lived experiences of otherness? What does it mean to be “other”? How do we refine our prose towards dismantling prejudices as well as provoke invigorating insight into the various representations of a humanity shared by all, regardless of cultural association? As a writer from a non-American background, your instructor shares an interest in questioning our different affiliations and seeking ways to chart or retell the stories of loved ones who beat the odds as they sailed across shores in a search of survival. Our goal will be to help you find your voice and help you develop a keen eye for sentences that will transport your reader. This workshop is open to writers of all experience levels, including those with very little writing experience.
Writespace has set aside several generous scholarships for this workshop. To find out more and apply, click here.
Writespace has set aside several generous scholarships for this workshop. To find out more and apply, click here.
Writing the Self-Implicating Essay with JUSTIN JANNISE
The self-implicating essayist, as we’ll call her in this two-week course, renounces the privilege of making herself look good.
The self-implicating essayist, as we’ll call her in this two-week course, renounces the privilege of making herself look good.
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TIME: Two Thursdays, February 20th and February 27th 6-9 PM
PRICE: Early-Bird until Saturday, February 15th: $85 for members, $100 for non-members. After Saturday, February 15th: $100 for members, $115 for non-members. Become a member here. Scholarships available here. LOCATION: Writespace at Silver Street Studios, 2000 Edwards #208, Houston, TX 77007 LEVEL: All Levels CAP: Limited to 15 Writers |
When we sit down to write about ourselves, we often often get caught up in defining just who that self is. Often writers get around this question by making use of a persona, simplifying or exaggerating certain qualities in order to sidestep themselves completely so they can move on to the fun stuff.
But there’s another tactic, and it involves embracing the very risks of the narrator’s subjectivity. The self-implicating essayist, as we’ll call her in this two-week course, renounces the privilege of making herself look good. She confesses her crimes. She owns up to being clumsy or foolhardy. Inevitably, she tells us that the work we’re reading — the fruits of her endless labor — may be part of the problem she’s trying to solve.
Together, we’ll look at examples of this very modern type of essay with the dual aims of learning how to write one and using its techniques to become better storytellers no matter whose story we’re telling.
But there’s another tactic, and it involves embracing the very risks of the narrator’s subjectivity. The self-implicating essayist, as we’ll call her in this two-week course, renounces the privilege of making herself look good. She confesses her crimes. She owns up to being clumsy or foolhardy. Inevitably, she tells us that the work we’re reading — the fruits of her endless labor — may be part of the problem she’s trying to solve.
Together, we’ll look at examples of this very modern type of essay with the dual aims of learning how to write one and using its techniques to become better storytellers no matter whose story we’re telling.
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TIME: Saturday, February 22nd, 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM
PRICE: Early-Bird until Monday, February 17th: $45 for members, $60 for non-members. After Monday, February 17th: $55 for members, $70 for non-members. Become a member here. Scholarships available here. LOCATION: Writespace at Silver Street Studios, 2000 Edwards #208, Houston, TX 77007 LEVEL: All Levels CAP: Limited to 15 Writers |
Writespace lives in an ecosystem of Art--literally! Our home in Silver Street Studios means that every day we breathe the very air of line, color, motion, texture, and technique. In this three-hour workshop, we will make use of our proximity to so many thriving examples of visual art to practice another art of our own — the critical art essay. We’ll start by defining what this exciting genre of writing can mean, though we’ll quickly sense the many liberties we may take. Next, we’ll draft a piece about a particular work on display in the studios. Finally, we’ll conclude by discussing revision strategies and opportunities for publication. (Hint: there are many!)
Get Woke: Understanding and Using Your Dreams to Enrich Your Writing with CATHERINE VANCE
We’ll explore a variety of topics at the intersection of dreaming and writing.
We’ll explore a variety of topics at the intersection of dreaming and writing.
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TIME: Two Saturdays, February 22nd and February 29th, 1-4 PM
PRICE: Early-Bird until Monday, February 17th: $85 for members, $100 for non-members. After Monday, February 17th: $100 for members, $115 for non-members. Become a member here. Scholarships available here. LOCATION: Writespace at Silver Street Studios, 2000 Edwards #208, Houston, TX 77007 LEVEL: All Levels CAP: Limited to 15 Writers |
Writers, dreams are literally gifts from your mind. They provide characters, plots, and images that you can translate into your fiction and poetry. The ability to capture and understand these strange little narratives from our psyches can help you develop your creativity and provide insight into your writing subjects and approaches.
In this course, you’ll learn about dream elements and emotions, themes and feelings, archetypes and shadows. In addition, we’ll explore a variety of topics at the intersection of dreaming and writing, from dream analysis to dream drama, and we’ll do several brief writing exercises. Please come prepared with at least two dreams written down and ready to share and use creatively.
In this course, you’ll learn about dream elements and emotions, themes and feelings, archetypes and shadows. In addition, we’ll explore a variety of topics at the intersection of dreaming and writing, from dream analysis to dream drama, and we’ll do several brief writing exercises. Please come prepared with at least two dreams written down and ready to share and use creatively.
Reading and Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy with CASSANDRA ROSE CLARKE
Rice University, Suzanne M. Glasscock School of Continuing Studies course
Speculative fiction—an umbrella term encompassing science fiction, fantasy and other works with fantastical elements—is one of humanity’s oldest and most expansive forms of storytelling.
Rice University, Suzanne M. Glasscock School of Continuing Studies course
Speculative fiction—an umbrella term encompassing science fiction, fantasy and other works with fantastical elements—is one of humanity’s oldest and most expansive forms of storytelling.
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TIME: Six Wednesdays, Feb. 26th March 4th, March 11th, March 18th, March 25th, April 1st, 7-9 p.m.M
PRICE: $300 LOCATION: Anderson-Clarke Center, Rice University |
Speculative fiction—an umbrella term encompassing science fiction, fantasy and other works with fantastical elements—is one of humanity’s oldest and most expansive forms of storytelling. From Homer to Heinlein, Shakespeare to Shelley, people love stories that push the boundaries of our imagination. Join established speculative fiction novelist Cassandra Rose Clarke in an exploration of the elements crucial to the genre, such as worldbuilding, nonhuman characters and common speculative tropes. After reading important works of classic and contemporary speculative fiction, we will craft and share our own works of science fiction and fantasy. Writers of all levels are welcome in this workshop, as are readers who want to try their hand at writing stories of their own.
Advanced Memoir and Personal Essay with CAMERON DEZEN HAMMON
At the heart of our lives are our stories: times we were lost and found, broken and whole, asleep and awake.
At the heart of our lives are our stories: times we were lost and found, broken and whole, asleep and awake.
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TIME: Six Saturdays, February 29th, SKIP March 7th, March 14th, March 21st, March 28th, April 4th, April 11th, 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM
PRICE: Early-Bird until Monday, February 24th: $210 members, $240 non-members. After Monday, February 24th: $240 members, $270 non-members. Become a member here. Apply for a scholarship here. LOCATION: Writespace at Silver Street Studios, 2000 Edwards #208, Houston, TX 77007 LEVEL: All Levels CAP: Limited to 12 Writers |
At the heart of our lives are our stories: times we were lost and found, broken and whole, asleep and awake. The most haunting personal stories steal liberally from the sensory world of poetry and the narrative world of fiction, even as they plumb the depths of real life.
For the next six weeks, workshop participants will delve deeper into the craft and process of writing about their unique life experiences. Through a series of writing prompts designed to turn rich, messy fragments into powerful narratives, as well as the study of mentor texts and our own writing. Workshop participants will learn techniques for building a strong narrative arc, writing vivid scenes, and prioritizing the rich details that make the personal universal.
For the next six weeks, workshop participants will delve deeper into the craft and process of writing about their unique life experiences. Through a series of writing prompts designed to turn rich, messy fragments into powerful narratives, as well as the study of mentor texts and our own writing. Workshop participants will learn techniques for building a strong narrative arc, writing vivid scenes, and prioritizing the rich details that make the personal universal.
March Workshops
Cinematic Writing (ONLINE) with ZACH FEHST
We’ll be looking at how to use the “language” of film to make our writing more electric.
We’ll be looking at how to use the “language” of film to make our writing more electric.
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TIME: Starts Monday, March 2nd and ends Friday, March 27th; specific workshop times to be determined solely by participants’ specific schedules and availability.
PRICE: Early-Bird until Wednesday, February 26th: $150 for members, $180 for non-members. After Wednesday, February 26th: $180 for members, $210 for non-members. Become a member here. Scholarships available here. LOCATION: Writespace at Silver Street Studios, 2000 Edwards #208, Houston, TX 77007 LEVEL: All Levels CAP: Limited to 12 Writers |
Alfred Hitchcock said that drama is “life with the dull bits cut out.” Writing should be that way, too. In this workshop we’ll be looking at how to use the “language” of film to make our writing more electric. This is not a screenwriting course; rather, it’s about learning to write the way a movie feels. Learning to think in terms of camera moves and visual editing can help hone your pacing, adding immediacy and clarity to scenes that might otherwise drag or become confusing.
In each session we’ll discuss different cinematic conventions, then watch examples of these in action, using short movie clips and/or selections from stories or novels to guide our thinking and writing exercises. We’ll then discuss how to apply these lessons to your own written scenes. Is your scene a series of quick-cut close-ups, or long panning shots? What’s the quality of the lighting? What’s in sharp focus and what isn’t? Have you thought about crosscutting between two different events to build tension?
University of Southern California film school graduate, former TV and movie actor, and published author Zach Fehst will help guide you into a new way of approaching your writing. Your story is already splashed across the big, silver screen of your mind; this class will help you get it on the page.
Note about Writespace’s online workshops: Participants should plan to commit three hours per week to reading, posting, and responding to assignments in the online classroom and one to two hours per week to writing outside the classroom. Online workshops offer built-in flexibility and are ideal for writers with busy schedules, as the times participants visit the classroom are determined solely by their own availability, whether they are available at 3 PM or at 3 AM or at any other times on any other days of the week. Participants will be invited to enter the online classroom and will receive instructions the day the workshop begins.
In each session we’ll discuss different cinematic conventions, then watch examples of these in action, using short movie clips and/or selections from stories or novels to guide our thinking and writing exercises. We’ll then discuss how to apply these lessons to your own written scenes. Is your scene a series of quick-cut close-ups, or long panning shots? What’s the quality of the lighting? What’s in sharp focus and what isn’t? Have you thought about crosscutting between two different events to build tension?
University of Southern California film school graduate, former TV and movie actor, and published author Zach Fehst will help guide you into a new way of approaching your writing. Your story is already splashed across the big, silver screen of your mind; this class will help you get it on the page.
Note about Writespace’s online workshops: Participants should plan to commit three hours per week to reading, posting, and responding to assignments in the online classroom and one to two hours per week to writing outside the classroom. Online workshops offer built-in flexibility and are ideal for writers with busy schedules, as the times participants visit the classroom are determined solely by their own availability, whether they are available at 3 PM or at 3 AM or at any other times on any other days of the week. Participants will be invited to enter the online classroom and will receive instructions the day the workshop begins.
Self-Editing Your Novel with JOY PREBLE
Learn tips and tricks to help make the revision process as painless as possible!
Learn tips and tricks to help make the revision process as painless as possible!
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TIME: Two Tuesdays, March 3rd and March 10th, 6-9 PM
PRICE: Early-Bird until Thursday, February 27th: $85 for members, $100 for non-members. After Thursday, February 27th: $100 for members, $115 for non-members. Become a member here. Scholarships available here. LOCATION: Writespace at Silver Street Studios, 2000 Edwards #208, Houston, TX 77007 LEVEL: All Levels CAP: Limited to 15 Writers |
Ready to take your manuscript to the next level? Perhaps you just won Nanowrimo back in November and are now ready to revise and polish. Perhaps you’re ready to query an agent. Or maybe you just want to know what editors and agents and reviewers look for when they are assessing a book.
In this workshop, we’ll focus on how to edit your novel for the basics: Pacing, transitions, voice, plot, structure, dialogue, point of view, character development, flow of narrative, and more. Learn tips and tricks to help make the revision process as painless as possible! This workshop is designed for writers with a novel either in progress or completed. Come with a copy of your manuscript on your laptop or printed out and be ready to dig in.
Recommended Texts:
In this workshop, we’ll focus on how to edit your novel for the basics: Pacing, transitions, voice, plot, structure, dialogue, point of view, character development, flow of narrative, and more. Learn tips and tricks to help make the revision process as painless as possible! This workshop is designed for writers with a novel either in progress or completed. Come with a copy of your manuscript on your laptop or printed out and be ready to dig in.
Recommended Texts:
- The Magic Words by Cheryl B. Klein
- The First Five Pages by Noah Lukeman
- Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King
Everyone Has Everything in Them: Creating Complex Characters with MATTHEW HEFTI
We’ll take a deep dive into characterization and writing full, complex characters.
We’ll take a deep dive into characterization and writing full, complex characters.
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TIME: Saturday, March 7th, 1-4 PM
PRICE: Early-Bird until Monday, March 2nd: $45 for members, $60 for non-members. After Monday, March 2nd: $55 for members, $70 for non-members. Become a member here. Scholarships available here. LOCATION: Writespace at Silver Street Studios, 2000 Edwards #208, Houston, TX 77007 LEVEL: All Levels CAP: Limited to 15 Writers |
It’s said that the best characters are those with a flaw, but what does this mean in practice? It’s rare that we can give a character a single, likeable flaw, like clumsiness or a proclivity for profanity, and call it a day. Rather, the best characters are those who, like real-life humans, contain multitudes.
In this workshop, we’ll take a deep dive into characterization and writing full, complex characters. What distinguishes a sinner from a saint? A hero from a villain? And in good fiction, how clear-cut are those labels anyway? We’ll step away from writing solely from our own experiences and examine the thoughts, actions, and histories of characters whose lives and ethics may seem completely alien to our own.
In this workshop, we’ll take a deep dive into characterization and writing full, complex characters. What distinguishes a sinner from a saint? A hero from a villain? And in good fiction, how clear-cut are those labels anyway? We’ll step away from writing solely from our own experiences and examine the thoughts, actions, and histories of characters whose lives and ethics may seem completely alien to our own.
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TIME: Six Thursdays, March 12th, March 19th, March 26th, April 2nd, April 9th, April 16th, 6-9 PM
PRICE: Early-Bird until Saturday, March 7th: $210 members, $240 non-members. AfterSaturday, March 7th: $240 members, $270 non-members. Become a member here. Apply for a scholarship here. LOCATION: Writespace at Silver Street Studios, 2000 Edwards #208, Houston, TX 77007 LEVEL: All Levels CAP: Limited to 12 Writers |
Performance poetry is a huge part of the Houston literary scene: our previous Poet Laureate, Deborah D.E.E.P. Mouton, is a performance poet, and poetry slam events happen regularly around the city. But what exactly is performance poetry? How does it differ--in form, structure, content--from traditional written poetry?
Join us for an all around spoken word workshop with accomplished performance poet Amal Kassir as well as invited guests from the local scene. We’ll learn to not only write poems, but to perform them--both individually and as a group. And at the end of the workshop, students will have the chance to participate in slam poetry competition with the greater Houston poetry community.
Join us for an all around spoken word workshop with accomplished performance poet Amal Kassir as well as invited guests from the local scene. We’ll learn to not only write poems, but to perform them--both individually and as a group. And at the end of the workshop, students will have the chance to participate in slam poetry competition with the greater Houston poetry community.
Scrivener 101 with CASSANDRA ROSE CLARKE
The powerful, designed-for-authors writing software Scrivener has a solution.
The powerful, designed-for-authors writing software Scrivener has a solution.
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TIME: Saturday, March 14th, 1-4 PM
PRICE: Early-Bird until Monday, March 9th: $45 for members, $60 for non-members. After Monday, March 9th: $55 for members, $70 for non-members. Become a member here. Scholarships available here. LOCATION: Writespace at Silver Street Studios, 2000 Edwards #208, Houston, TX 77007 LEVEL: All Levels CAP: Limited to 15 Writers |
How many of us have wasted time scrolling through a three hundred page Microsoft Word document looking for one specific scene? The powerful, designed-for-authors writing software Scrivener has a solution. How many of us have deleted pages of material only to realize later that we want it back? Once again, Scrivener to the rescue. Or maybe you just want to organize your story notes in one place? Or write on a simple blank screen as clean as a sheet of paper? Scrivener can do all these things and more.
In this workshop we’ll learn the fundamentals of using Scrivener software for writers to discover how it can streamline your drafting and editing process. As powerful as Scrivener is, it can be overwhelming to new users, so we’ll start simple and learn through hands-on experience. By the end of the workshop, students will walk away with an understanding of Scrivener’s basic functionality, and perhaps a whole new approach to writing. Please bring a laptop with Scrivener installed. A free trial is available on Scrivener’s website.
In this workshop we’ll learn the fundamentals of using Scrivener software for writers to discover how it can streamline your drafting and editing process. As powerful as Scrivener is, it can be overwhelming to new users, so we’ll start simple and learn through hands-on experience. By the end of the workshop, students will walk away with an understanding of Scrivener’s basic functionality, and perhaps a whole new approach to writing. Please bring a laptop with Scrivener installed. A free trial is available on Scrivener’s website.
A Workshop of Unusual Texts: Generating Ideas from Strange Sources with ICESS FERNANDEZ ROJAS
Sometimes a piece of paper or a strange book can jump start a new story, poem or essay.
Sometimes a piece of paper or a strange book can jump start a new story, poem or essay.
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TIME: Sunday, March 15th, 3-6 PM
PRICE: Early-Bird until Tuesday, March 10th: $45 for members, $60 for non-members. After Tuesday, March 10th: $55 for members, $70 for non-members. Become a member here. Scholarships available here. LOCATION: Writespace at Silver Street Studios, 2000 Edwards #208, Houston, TX 77007 LEVEL: All Levels CAP: Limited to 15 Writers |
Have you ever created a story from a phone book? Or used a dictionary to write an essay? How about a poem from a grocery receipt? Every day, we encounter several kinds of texts that easily lend themselves to creating new and interesting work. Sometimes a piece of paper or a strange book can jump start a new story, poem or essay. But how do you harness that idea into something great?
During this generative workshop we will look at several texts (the stranger the better) to create new work. We’ll also read some examples from other writers who have done the same! Participants will get out of their comfort zone to see where the Muse takes them. By the end, you’ll leave with a fist full of possibilities and a new eye for inspiration search. After all, who says that a menu can’t inspire new writing?
During this generative workshop we will look at several texts (the stranger the better) to create new work. We’ll also read some examples from other writers who have done the same! Participants will get out of their comfort zone to see where the Muse takes them. By the end, you’ll leave with a fist full of possibilities and a new eye for inspiration search. After all, who says that a menu can’t inspire new writing?
Writing Realistic Young Protagonists with JULIE HERMAN
You’ll walk away with a greater understanding of the world through the eyes of children.
You’ll walk away with a greater understanding of the world through the eyes of children.
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TIME: Sunday, March 22nd, 3-6 PM
PRICE: Early-Bird until Tuesday, March 17th: $45 for members, $60 for non-members. After Tuesday, March 17th: $55 for members, $70 for non-members. Become a member here. Scholarships available here. LOCATION: Writespace at Silver Street Studios, 2000 Edwards #208, Houston, TX 77007 LEVEL: All Levels CAP: Limited to 15 Writers |
Young people are more than just short adults speaking in unfathomable slang. Their psychology, physiology, and way of seeing the world is different. And as an adult writer telling their stories, you need to make sure you can portray them fairly and realistically.
This three hour workshop will help you chart your way to an intricate youthful main character. Together, we’ll discuss examples and work through writing exercises. By the end of our session, you’ll walk away with a greater understanding of the world through the eyes of children.
This three hour workshop will help you chart your way to an intricate youthful main character. Together, we’ll discuss examples and work through writing exercises. By the end of our session, you’ll walk away with a greater understanding of the world through the eyes of children.
The Focused Eye with VIPArts with DEBORAH D.E.E.P. MOUTON and MARCELL MURPHY
Color, shape, space, and form help us to better understand the world around us.
Color, shape, space, and form help us to better understand the world around us.
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TIME: Four Fridays, March 27th, April 3rd, April 10th, and April 17th, 6-9 PM
PRICE: Early-Bird until Sunday, March 22nd: $160 for members, $190 for non-members. After Sunday, March 22nd: $190 for members, $220 for non-members. Become a member here. Scholarships available here. LOCATION: Writespace at Silver Street Studios, 2000 Edwards #208, Houston, TX 77007 LEVEL: All Levels CAP: Limited to 12 Writers |
Back by popular demand!
For most humans, sight is our dominant sense. Color, shape, space, and form help us to better understand the world around us. And while writing may be not be a visual medium in the same way painting or sculpture is, image is still deeply important in crafting compelling work.
This workshop takes a deeper dive into the use of image as a catalyst for memory and experience. From crafting ekphrastic work to reliving childhood memories, this workshop will help you build your unique voice as an observer and responder to the world around you. Work with seasoned writer Marcell Murphy and Houston's Third Poet Laureate Deborah D.E.E.P. Mouton, and in four weeks watch your truest voice emerge.
This workshop is being presented in conjunction with VIP Arts Houston.
For most humans, sight is our dominant sense. Color, shape, space, and form help us to better understand the world around us. And while writing may be not be a visual medium in the same way painting or sculpture is, image is still deeply important in crafting compelling work.
This workshop takes a deeper dive into the use of image as a catalyst for memory and experience. From crafting ekphrastic work to reliving childhood memories, this workshop will help you build your unique voice as an observer and responder to the world around you. Work with seasoned writer Marcell Murphy and Houston's Third Poet Laureate Deborah D.E.E.P. Mouton, and in four weeks watch your truest voice emerge.
This workshop is being presented in conjunction with VIP Arts Houston.
Introduction to Personal Essay and Memoir: Turning the Pen on Ourselves with MARK DOSTERT
Memoir and personal essay should be a gift to readers.
Memoir and personal essay should be a gift to readers.
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TIME: Sunday March 29, 3-6 PM
PRICE: Early-Bird until Tuesday, March 24th: $45 for members, $60 for non-members. After Tuesday, March 24th: $55 for members, $70 for non-members. Become a member here. Scholarships available here. LOCATION: Writespace at Silver Street Studios, 2000 Edwards #208, Houston, TX 77007 LEVEL: All Levels CAP: Limited to 15 Writers |
Why might a stranger care about my experiences, thoughts, feelings, joys, sorrows, musings, and confusions? Memoir and personal essay should be a gift to readers, a text that enables them to see something consciously that they had only previous known subconsciously. Our controlling idea will be that effective personal essay and memoir writing does not center itself primarily in confession but rather in self-examination. The essayist/memoirist must interrogate his/her own stories to find something particular in which to offer something universal, and then determine how best to present their theme and meaning through engaging narrative arcs.
We will use mentor texts (both memoir and essay) to consider how what engages a reader most is when something is at stake. Once something is at stake, Point-of-View, Imagery, Diction, Details, and Syntax can then infuse the narrative with aesthetic pleasure, regardless of the essay’s subject matter. We will also consider how Tone, Figurative Language, and Allusions impact and enrich such nonfiction writing.
Participants are encouraged to bring the opening one-five pages of a personal essay or opening of a book-length memoir manuscript for feedback according to the writing craft concepts introduced and discussed.
We will use mentor texts (both memoir and essay) to consider how what engages a reader most is when something is at stake. Once something is at stake, Point-of-View, Imagery, Diction, Details, and Syntax can then infuse the narrative with aesthetic pleasure, regardless of the essay’s subject matter. We will also consider how Tone, Figurative Language, and Allusions impact and enrich such nonfiction writing.
Participants are encouraged to bring the opening one-five pages of a personal essay or opening of a book-length memoir manuscript for feedback according to the writing craft concepts introduced and discussed.
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- Registration closes 24 hours before start time or when workshop fills. No walk-ins, please.
- Please read our workshop policies before registering.
- Can't attend without a scholarship? Apply here.
Writing Workshops for Non-Writers
Writespace also offers workshops for business professionals upon request.
Writespace also offers workshops for business professionals upon request.