FALL 2020 WRITING WORKSHOPS
READ ME:
- As of June 2020, all Writespace workshops are only available online. See individual workshop listings for details.
- Registration closes 24 hours before start time or when workshop fills.
- Please read our workshop policies before registering.
- Can't attend without a scholarship? Apply here.
October Workshops
Where Are We Headed?: Constructing a Road Trip Narrative with PATRICK STOCKWELL
Leaving home--even in our imaginations--brings unlimited possibilities for adventure and the unexpected to happen.
Leaving home--even in our imaginations--brings unlimited possibilities for adventure and the unexpected to happen.
At a time when we are safest indoors, what better way to escape quarantine than to take your own virtual journey across the page? Leaving home--even in our imaginations--brings unlimited possibilities for adventure and the unexpected to happen. Whether it’s adapting a trip that was taken in the past or imagining one that might take place in the future, the road trip narrative can provide writers with the inherent structure and inevitable plot tensions that make for great storytelling. In this generative workshop, we’ll look at examples of road trip writing as we work together to figure out where we’re going and who we’re taking with us while creating space for unplanned destinations and characters we’ll inevitably encounter along the way.
Introduction to Found Poetry with HOLLY LYN WALRATH
Found poetry is an umbrella term encompassing any poem that uses an outside source text to create a new original poem.
Found poetry is an umbrella term encompassing any poem that uses an outside source text to create a new original poem.
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TIME: Starts Sunday, October 4th and ends Sunday, November 1st
PRICE: Early-Bird until Tuesday, Sept. 29th: $150 for members, $180 for non-members. After Tuesday, Sept. 29th: $180 for members, $210 for members. Become a member here. Scholarships available here. LOCATION: Online via Wet Ink CAP: 8 writers |
Found poetry is an umbrella term encompassing any poem that uses an outside source text to create a new original poem. Possibilities for found texts are endless and might include newspapers, books, periodicals, graffiti, other poems, street signs, advertisements, propaganda, online media, Twitter posts--really, anything with words that can be rearranged, erased, cut-out, or reformulated to create a new and wholly original piece of poetry. In this workshop, we'll learn the history of erasure and create our own found poems using methods of erasure or blackout, headline poetry, collage, remixing, cutting, cento poems, acrostic or golden shovel poems, and/or found title poems.
This is a four-week on-demand workshop that takes place completely online via Wet Ink. Participants will get the chance to write one poem a week and will be required to critique at least 2 other students’ work each week. You may want to have a camera or phone with a camera (a scanner works great too) to upload photos of your poems, but this is not a requirement.
This is a four-week on-demand workshop that takes place completely online via Wet Ink. Participants will get the chance to write one poem a week and will be required to critique at least 2 other students’ work each week. You may want to have a camera or phone with a camera (a scanner works great too) to upload photos of your poems, but this is not a requirement.
Making the City a Character: How to Create a Sense of Place in Your Writing with ALEX WUKMAN
The setting for your story is fully-formed in your head: lush, vivid, exciting. But how do you translate that lushness to the page?
The setting for your story is fully-formed in your head: lush, vivid, exciting. But how do you translate that lushness to the page?
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TIME: Four Mondays, October 5th, 12th, 19th, and 26th, 7:00 - 9:00 PM CDT
PRICE: Early-Bird until Wednesday, Sept. 30th: $120 for members, $140 for non-members. After Wednesday, Sept. 30th: $140 for members, $210 for members. Become a member here. Apply for a scholarship here. LOCATION: Online via Zoom CAP: 15 |
The setting for your story is fully-formed in your head: lush, vivid, exciting. But how do you translate that lushness to the page? Creating a sense of place without putting readers to sleep can be a tricky move. Too much description can be a slog--not to mention it grinds your story’s plot to a screeching halt. So what’s a writer to do?
This four-week class walks participants through the mechanics of creating believable and fascinating story environments. We’ll look at how to introduce the environment through character actions and when and how to use description. Throughout the workshop, participants will read excerpts of some of the most well-known examples of setting-focused writing, including 1984, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil and Under the Volcano. Prompts and writing exercises will help students understand the importance of a setting that feels real.
This four-week class walks participants through the mechanics of creating believable and fascinating story environments. We’ll look at how to introduce the environment through character actions and when and how to use description. Throughout the workshop, participants will read excerpts of some of the most well-known examples of setting-focused writing, including 1984, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil and Under the Volcano. Prompts and writing exercises will help students understand the importance of a setting that feels real.
Performance Poetry with AMAL KASSIR
Join us for an all around spoken word workshop with accomplished performance poet Amal Kassir!
Join us for an all around spoken word workshop with accomplished performance poet Amal Kassir!
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TIME: Six Thursdays, October 8th, 15th, 22nd, SKIP Oct. 29th due to Writespace Open Mic, November 5th, 12th, 19th, 6:00 - 9:00 PM CDT
PRICE: Early-Bird until Saturday, Oct. 3rd: $210 members, $240 non-members. After Saturday, Oct. 3rd: $240 members, $270 non-members. Become a member here. Scholarships available here LOCATION: Online via Zoom 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.
What I Want You to Know: Writing Legacy Letters in a Time of Pandemic with Catherine Vance
Each class member will walk away with a 2- 3 page draft for an heirloom worthy of safekeeping and sharing as a future testament.
Each class member will walk away with a 2- 3 page draft for an heirloom worthy of safekeeping and sharing as a future testament.
Most people have a legal will: a document that allots material goods and wealth according to a person’s wishes in case of death. But a legacy letter, often called an ethical will, is a more personal document that allows individuals to take stock of their lives and pass information along as a legacy. It provides an opportunity to give instructions, messages, acknowledgements, and insights in a mindful, meaningful way to the people who matter most to the writer.
This class will help participants think about and outline their own legacy letters. Class members will look at examples of ethical wills and guiding principles and templates as they develop the unique questions and structure of their own document. They will reflect, and then begin their own legacy letter, which can be refined for content, effect, and clarity. Each class member will walk away with a 2- 3 page draft for an heirloom worthy of safekeeping and sharing as a future testament.
This class will help participants think about and outline their own legacy letters. Class members will look at examples of ethical wills and guiding principles and templates as they develop the unique questions and structure of their own document. They will reflect, and then begin their own legacy letter, which can be refined for content, effect, and clarity. Each class member will walk away with a 2- 3 page draft for an heirloom worthy of safekeeping and sharing as a future testament.
Poetry Critique Workshop with Holly Lyn Walrath
In this workshop, we'll focus on four fundamentals that editors look for in poetry.
In this workshop, we'll focus on four fundamentals that editors look for in poetry.
It's one thing to write poems, it's another to start sending out your work to publishers. How do you know if the poem "works"? How can you revise a poem so it stands out in a slush pile? What makes a poem, often such a persona piece of writing, “publishable”?
In this workshop, we'll focus on four fundamentals that editors look for in poetry. We'll focus on reading poetry like an editor, with an eye towards structure, word choice, content, and first and last lines. This is a critique workshop, so participants will be asked to submit up to two poems (max 4 pages) by Friday, October 9th. Attendees will receive submission instructions upon registration.
In this workshop, we'll focus on four fundamentals that editors look for in poetry. We'll focus on reading poetry like an editor, with an eye towards structure, word choice, content, and first and last lines. This is a critique workshop, so participants will be asked to submit up to two poems (max 4 pages) by Friday, October 9th. Attendees will receive submission instructions upon registration.
Write Your Nanowrimo Novel! with ICESS FERNANDEZ ROJAS
From word wars to plotting, the lead-up to Nov. 1 is essential for preparing for the month.
From word wars to plotting, the lead-up to Nov. 1 is essential for preparing for the month.
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TIME: Starts Saturday, October 17th and runs until Saturday, October 31st, with scheduled video chat sessions on two Saturdays, October 17th and October 24th, 1:00 - 3:30 PM CDT
PRICE: Early-Bird until Monday, Oct. 12th: $85 for members, $100 for non-members. After Monday, Oct. 12th: $100 for members, $115 for non-members. Become a member here. Scholarships available here. LOCATION: Online via Zoom and Google Classroom CAP: Limited to 15 writers |
Every year, writers, from the most experienced to the complete novice, have eyed November as their Mount Everest. Thirty days of delicious and delirious writing and committing to 50,000 words during the run-up to the holiday season may seem undoable, even overwhelming.
But it can happen! However, not without doing some essential planning first. In this session, we’ll learn some basic tips and tricks as we plan to “win” NaNoWriMo. From word wars to plotting, the lead-up to Nov. 1 is essential for preparing for the month. Some things participants will learn include figuring out what they are going to write, how to flesh out the story, outlining techniques, the joy of dialogue, word-count strategies, and self-care during the month.
The class will meet twice via Zoom on Oct. 17 and Oct. 24 while working and watching lessons through the online classroom space.
But it can happen! However, not without doing some essential planning first. In this session, we’ll learn some basic tips and tricks as we plan to “win” NaNoWriMo. From word wars to plotting, the lead-up to Nov. 1 is essential for preparing for the month. Some things participants will learn include figuring out what they are going to write, how to flesh out the story, outlining techniques, the joy of dialogue, word-count strategies, and self-care during the month.
The class will meet twice via Zoom on Oct. 17 and Oct. 24 while working and watching lessons through the online classroom space.
Writing the Uncanny: A Generative Workshop with Charlotte Wyatt
Using examples from both fiction and the real world, we will spend a morning delving into the unfamiliar lurking just below the mundane.
Using examples from both fiction and the real world, we will spend a morning delving into the unfamiliar lurking just below the mundane.
Have you ever done a double-take? Seen something that didn’t, somehow, seem right, and gone back to make sure? Do you ever feel as if someone (or something) is standing just over your shoulder? As if a presence lurks in the silence of your safest spaces, watching from just beyond your peripheral vision? Watching you, as you read these words, while you go on believing you are alone in the room, at your desk or on the couch?
What about right now? Can you feel it there, behind you?
(Don’t look.)
Today, in the midst of unprecedented uncertainty about our collective and individual futures, many prefer to remove as much anxiety from their lives as possible. But some of us want to process these strange, invisible threats by going deeper into the feelings they provoke. This generative workshop will provide tools and techniques for bringing the creepiness described above – in a word, the uncanny – to your fiction. The uncanny can be applied to any element of craft (and any type of fiction) to provide tension, illuminate theme, and bolster characterization. Using examples from both fiction and real-world "unsolved mysteries," we will spend a morning delving into the unfamiliar lurking just below the mundane.
What about right now? Can you feel it there, behind you?
(Don’t look.)
Today, in the midst of unprecedented uncertainty about our collective and individual futures, many prefer to remove as much anxiety from their lives as possible. But some of us want to process these strange, invisible threats by going deeper into the feelings they provoke. This generative workshop will provide tools and techniques for bringing the creepiness described above – in a word, the uncanny – to your fiction. The uncanny can be applied to any element of craft (and any type of fiction) to provide tension, illuminate theme, and bolster characterization. Using examples from both fiction and real-world "unsolved mysteries," we will spend a morning delving into the unfamiliar lurking just below the mundane.
November Workshops
Building Blocks for a Strong Memoir with JOYCE BOATRIGHT
This workshop is designed to explore essential building blocks for composing a compelling story around real life.
This workshop is designed to explore essential building blocks for composing a compelling story around real life.
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TIME: Four Sundays, November 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd, 3:00 - 6:00 PM CST
PRICE: Early-Bird until Tuesday, Oct. 27th: $150 for members, $180 for non-members. After Tuesday, Nov. 27th: $180 for members, $210 for non-members. Become a member here. Scholarships available here. LOCATION: Online via Zoom CAP: Limited to 15 Writers |
Everyone’s life journey yields strong stories worth sharing, but some writers feel held back because they lack the knowledge and skill to follow through in writing about their lives. This workshop is designed to explore essential building blocks for composing a compelling story around real life. We will examine and play with rules about structure, truth, and style, as well as look at unique ways to break those rules. Participants will have the opportunity to practice their craft with instructor-generated writing prompts. This is an excellent workshop for beginners as well as for memoirists who feel stuck
The Fool’s Journey: A Generative Writing Workshop Using the Tarot with CASSANDRA ROSE CLARKE
Dust off those decks you bought for the artwork and put them to good use as writing prompts!
Dust off those decks you bought for the artwork and put them to good use as writing prompts!
The Tarot--the iconic deck of beautifully-illustrated playing cards--has seen a bit of a resurgence in recent years. While the Tarot has historically been used to both play games and divine the future, the cards’ intricate designs and deep-rooted archetypes also make them the perfect prompts for stuck writers. In this generative workshop, we’ll dust off those decks we bought for the artwork and put them to good use in helping us create new ideas, explore unique story structures, and dive deeper into our characters’ psyches. Don’t have a deck? No problem. Several online decks are available for free!
Navigating Self-Publishing with MIKE KOWIS
Join us for a quick-and-dirty overview of publishing your writing yourself!
Join us for a quick-and-dirty overview of publishing your writing yourself!
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TIME: Saturday, November 7th, 1:00 - 4:00 PM CST
LOCATION: Online via Zoom CAP: None INDIVIDUAL PRICE: Early-Bird until Monday, Nov. 2nd: $45 for members, $60 for non-members. After Monday, Nov. 2nd: $55 for members, $70 for non-members. BUNDLE PRICE (with Navigating Traditional Publishing): Early-Bird until Monday, Nov. 2nd: $80 for members, $100 for non-members. After Monday, Nov. 2nd: $100 for members, $115 for non-members. Become a member here. Apply for a scholarship here. |
Self-publishing has exploded in recent years, becoming a viable option for writers looking to get their work out in the world and build a career. However, the amount of information can be overwhelming. Join us for a quick-and-dirty overview of publishing your writing yourself!
This workshop will explore the basic steps to self-publish any fiction or nonfiction book in eBook, paperback, hardcover, and audiobook formats and make it available for sale on popular websites like Amazon.com and BarnesAndNoble.com. In addition, we’ll cover book marketing strategies, typical self-publishing and marketing costs, and common rookie mistakes to avoid.
Can’t decide between self-publishing or traditional publishing? You can take both Navigating Self-Publishing and Navigating Traditional Publishing (Sunday, December 6th) for a special bundle price! Select the “Bundle” ticket option on Eventbrite and sign up for both workshops for a discount!
This workshop will explore the basic steps to self-publish any fiction or nonfiction book in eBook, paperback, hardcover, and audiobook formats and make it available for sale on popular websites like Amazon.com and BarnesAndNoble.com. In addition, we’ll cover book marketing strategies, typical self-publishing and marketing costs, and common rookie mistakes to avoid.
Can’t decide between self-publishing or traditional publishing? You can take both Navigating Self-Publishing and Navigating Traditional Publishing (Sunday, December 6th) for a special bundle price! Select the “Bundle” ticket option on Eventbrite and sign up for both workshops for a discount!
Journaling Your Way to a Better Writing Life with HOLLY LYN WALRATH
Writers are observers, and one way to keep track of your observations and ideas is through a writing journal.
Writers are observers, and one way to keep track of your observations and ideas is through a writing journal.
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TIME: Starts Sunday, November 8th and ends Sunday, December 6th
PRICE: Early-Bird until Tuesday, Nov. 3rd: $150 for members, $180 for non-members. After Tuesday, Nov. 3rd: $180 for members, $210 for members. Become a member here. Scholarships available here LOCATION: Online via Wet Ink CAP: Limited to 8 Writers |
Writers are observers. One way to keep track of your observations and ideas is through a writing journal. In this workshop, we'll cover the basics of journaling for writers: not just as a method of processing and keeping track of your thoughts, but as a method of improving your writing life and working towards a career as a writer. We'll cover tracking your writing, how to manage large ideas or projects, tracking submissions, creating goals, revising in a journal, and more, all while exploring popular methods of journaling to find the one that works for you. If you feel out of sorts or disorganized in your writing life, this workshop is for you!
This is a four-week workshop that takes place completely online. You may want to purchase a simple notebook to try out the techniques on your own. You'll be asked to share one journaling exercise a week and give feedback on each other's work.
This is a four-week workshop that takes place completely online. You may want to purchase a simple notebook to try out the techniques on your own. You'll be asked to share one journaling exercise a week and give feedback on each other's work.
Rhyme, Rhythm and Meter: Spicing Up your Writing with Poetic Techniques with ALEX WUKMAN
This four-week class provides an overview of poetic techniques and shows how they can be used to make all manner of prose writing pop.
This four-week class provides an overview of poetic techniques and shows how they can be used to make all manner of prose writing pop.
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TIME: Four Tuesdays, November 10th, 17th, SKIP November 24th, December 1st, December 8th, 7:00 - 9:00 PM CST
PRICE: Early-Bird until Friday, Nov. 5th: $120 for members, $140 for non-members. After Friday, Nov. 6th: $140 for members, $160 for members. Become a member here. Apply for a scholarship here. LOCATION: Online via Zoom CAP: Limited to 15 Writers |
You probably learned these words in a high school English class: anaphor, consonance, enjambment, iambic pentameter. But what are they, exactly, and why do they matter?
While poets revel in the rhyme and rhythm of language, prose writers often find themselves befuddled by it. However, diving deep into some of the more obscure poetic devices can bring a musical quality to your writing that benefits both fiction and nonfiction writers!
This four-week class provides an overview of poetic techniques and shows how they can be used to make all manner of prose writing pop. Throughout the workshop, participants will read excerpts of poetry-influenced prose, get under their hood, and see what goes into making the underline sentences and memorable passages. Participants will then have the opportunity to apply what they learned in fun poetry-inspired writing exercises.
While poets revel in the rhyme and rhythm of language, prose writers often find themselves befuddled by it. However, diving deep into some of the more obscure poetic devices can bring a musical quality to your writing that benefits both fiction and nonfiction writers!
This four-week class provides an overview of poetic techniques and shows how they can be used to make all manner of prose writing pop. Throughout the workshop, participants will read excerpts of poetry-influenced prose, get under their hood, and see what goes into making the underline sentences and memorable passages. Participants will then have the opportunity to apply what they learned in fun poetry-inspired writing exercises.
Social Justice Writing with AMAL KASSIR
This course is intended for those who wish to write effectively about the most pressing topics in social justice.
This course is intended for those who wish to write effectively about the most pressing topics in social justice.
This course is intended for those who wish to inform, stay informed,read critically and write effectively about the most pressing topics in the world today tied to human rights and justice. We will speak of writing social justice into different genres, the audiences we must consider when crafting our pieces, and the most basic information we need to come close to a whole picture without robbing people of their voice. This workshop will challenge us to assess our own biases, to consider the voices we disagree with and to define our values and expectations for the world around us.
The Ins and Outs of Great Sex Scenes with MARIAN SZCZEPANSKI
Sex builds character—and, in the process, makes for compelling fiction.
Sex builds character—and, in the process, makes for compelling fiction.
Sex builds character—and, in the process, makes for compelling fiction. Forget all those shades of grey. Writing good fictional sex means knowing and using the building blocks of fiction to create sex scenes that deepen character and increase tension. After all, when are characters more vulnerable and riper for scrutiny and development than during intimate interactions?
This class will examine well-crafted sex scenes in both conventional and speculative fiction. We’ll discuss how such scenes function to power a narrative—from hormonal teenage fumbling to subtle body language and verbal seduction. Our discussion will explore such craft considerations as characterization, setting, dialogue and point-of-view, as well as the impact of family/personal baggage, illness/physical challenges and societal norms/taboos on love-making. The class will focus on novel excerpts by established writers ranging from the contemporary (Lorrie Moore, Ian McEwan, Charles Baxter, Wally Lamb) to the classic (Flaubert and, yes, even Tolstoy).
Participants will receive a handout with excerpts, writing exercises and bibliography.
This class will examine well-crafted sex scenes in both conventional and speculative fiction. We’ll discuss how such scenes function to power a narrative—from hormonal teenage fumbling to subtle body language and verbal seduction. Our discussion will explore such craft considerations as characterization, setting, dialogue and point-of-view, as well as the impact of family/personal baggage, illness/physical challenges and societal norms/taboos on love-making. The class will focus on novel excerpts by established writers ranging from the contemporary (Lorrie Moore, Ian McEwan, Charles Baxter, Wally Lamb) to the classic (Flaubert and, yes, even Tolstoy).
Participants will receive a handout with excerpts, writing exercises and bibliography.
December Workshops
Lyric Essay with JUSTIN JANNISE
A blend of objective information and subjective perceptions, the lyric essay is a shape-shifter for sure.
A blend of objective information and subjective perceptions, the lyric essay is a shape-shifter for sure.
The lyric essay is one of the most exciting and playful of all writing forms, but it can be hard to pin down. A blend of objective information and subjective perceptions, it’s a shape-shifter for sure. Thoughts and narratives are braided or collaged together using a variety of structures or time frames. Much of the effect—and the joy of creating it—comes from the poetical use of language. The lyric essay is not traditional exposition, but when done right, it’s truer than truth.
This three-hour workshop will be your introduction. We’ll spend some time just getting acquainted with and analyzing some beautiful examples of this unique literary animal. Then, get ready to give it a try! You’ll be amazed to find a whole new dimension, a whole new depth, in your writing. There’s no turning back once you set out to find the elusive lyric essay
This three-hour workshop will be your introduction. We’ll spend some time just getting acquainted with and analyzing some beautiful examples of this unique literary animal. Then, get ready to give it a try! You’ll be amazed to find a whole new dimension, a whole new depth, in your writing. There’s no turning back once you set out to find the elusive lyric essay
Navigating Traditional Publishing with JOY PREBLE
This three-hour virtual workshop will break down the often daunting and highly competitive process of seeking literary representation.
This three-hour virtual workshop will break down the often daunting and highly competitive process of seeking literary representation.
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TIME: Sunday, December 6th, 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM CST
LOCATION: Online via Zoom CAP: 15 writers INDIVIDUAL PRICE: Early-Bird until Tuesday, Dec. 1st: $45 for members, $60 for non-members. After Tuesday, Dec. 1st: $55 for members, $70 for non-members. BUNDLE PRICE (with Navigating Self Publishing): Early-Bird until Monday, Nov. 2nd: $80 for members, $100 for non-members. After Monday, Nov. 2nd: $100 for members, $115 for non-members. Become a member here. Scholarships available here. |
For those serious about publishing a novel with a traditional press, the next step after writing a polished manuscript is to find a literary agent to represent you and your work. This three-hour virtual workshop will break down the often daunting and highly competitive process of seeking literary representation-- from networking to research to query letters--and what happens after that--from signing with an agent to revisions to subbing to publishers and beyond. In this workshop, we will examine what an agent does and doesn’t do when she agrees to represent your work, what your role is, and the ongoing process of building your publishing career.
Can’t decide between self-publishing or traditional publishing? You can take both Navigating Self-Publishing (Saturday, November 7th) and Navigating Traditional Publishing for a special bundle price! Select the “Bundle” ticket option on Eventbrite and sign up for both workshops for a discount!
Can’t decide between self-publishing or traditional publishing? You can take both Navigating Self-Publishing (Saturday, November 7th) and Navigating Traditional Publishing for a special bundle price! Select the “Bundle” ticket option on Eventbrite and sign up for both workshops for a discount!
READ ME:
- As of June 2020, all Writespace workshops are only available online. See individual workshop listings for details.
- Registration closes 24 hours before start time or when workshop fills.
- Please read our workshop policies before registering.
- Can't attend without a scholarship? Apply here.