SUMMER 2021 WRITING WORKSHOPS
READ ME:
- 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.
August Workshops & Events
Writing Short: Mini Memoir
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INSTRUCTOR: Joyce Boatright
TIME: Sunday, August 1, 3:00–6:00 p.m. CST PRICE: Early bird until Tuesday, July 27: $45 for members, $60 for nonmembers. After Tuesday, July 27: $55 for members, $70 for nonmembers. Become a member here. Apply for a scholarship here. LOCATION: Online via Zoom LEVEL: All Levels CAP: 15 Curious about memoir but not ready to tackle a book-length manuscript? Or maybe you’re looking for smaller writing projects to cleanse the palate between longer works. If this sounds like you, you may want to explore mini-memoir (also known as flash memoir). The mini-memoir can range from 6 to 2,000 words, but it usually hits its stride at the 500 to 1,000 word mark. In this workshop, you’ll learn how to chisel away the rock in order to reveal a perfect jewel of memoir. We’ll discuss writing tight, focusing on the details that matter, and identifying the universal themes in your life. As an added benefit, you’ll get market information on mini-memoir writing if your goal is to get published. The most effective pieces of writing aren’t always the longest, and you need not write a book-length manuscript in order to tell your story. |
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Writing Creative Nonfiction
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INSTRUCTOR: Pat Baldwin
TIME: Tuesdays, August 3, August 10, August 17, August 24, 6:00–9:00 p.m. CST PRICE: Early bird until Thursday, July 29: $150 for members, $180 for nonmembers. After Thursday, July 29: $180 for members, $210 for nonmembers. Become a member here. Scholarships available here. LOCATION: Online via Zoom LEVEL: All Levels CAP: 15 Writing nonfiction that immerses the reader does not mean pages of explaining, of analysis, of telling. Readable writing requires making readers “see” with the use of functional literary structures and emotional, savory descriptions that don’t sacrifice the truth. The goals: get it right, and get it read, watched, heard. Whether you want to write for print, broadcast, or digital media — or memoir stories for your family and friends — this workshop will get you started or enhance your nonfiction writing skills for your audience. This workshop will help writers of all levels to go beyond stating their stories to revealing their stories. Writing for the reader involves writing artfully with sensory sentences and emotional impact. It means describing images as well as taste, smell, sound, and touch. Writers will learn to replace abstract words and phrases with descriptive details that draw readers into narrative prose. Whether writing for mass media, long-form nonfiction, or blogging for family and friends, workshop participants will understand that details aren’t randomly chosen. They are consciously selected. The workshop will use examples and exercises to help participants understand how to combine the artistry of literary writing with marketplace requirements. Many have heard the saying that “a picture is worth a thousand words.” This workshop will demonstrate that precise words can paint a thousand pictures. |
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Memoir 2
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INSTRUCTOR: Lorenzo Martinez
TIME: Saturdays, August 7, August 14, August 21, August 28, 9:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. CST PRICE: Early bird until Monday, August 2: $150 for members, $180 for nonmembers. After Monday, August 2: $180 for members, $210 for nonmembers. Become a member here. Scholarships available here. LOCATION: Online via Zoom LEVEL: All Levels CAP: 15 If you have completed a rough draft of a memoir or several scenes that you are unsure how to weave into a cohesive whole, this class is for you. This workshop will provide individual feedback and specific writing prompts to eliminate the evil of procrastination and help find a structure for your narrative. It will also deconstruct what makes a memoir dazzle: a clear theme; strong story arc; unique voice, and clear transitions. When we understand and properly use these elements, we will once again relish the art of memoir writing and feel encouraged to complete our manuscripts. During the class, we will often refer to three books and use examples from each to illustrate certain points. They are: Linda Joy Myers’s Journey to Memoir Writing (Ms. Myers is the President of the National Association of Memoir Writers); Mary Karr’s The Art of Memoir Writing, and her own memoir, The Liars’ Club, a New York Times best seller, which has been credited for launching a resurgence in the popularity of the memoir genre. If you have not read these books, please become at least familiar with them before joining the class. |
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How to Get Published in Literary Journals
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INSTRUCTOR: Justin Jannise
TIME: Sunday, August 8, 3:00–6:00 p.m. CST PRICE: Early bird until Tuesday, August 3: $45 for members, $60 for nonmembers. After Tuesday, August 3: $55 for members, $70 for nonmembers. Become a member here. Apply for a scholarship here. LOCATION: Online via Zoom LEVEL: All Levels CAP: 15 The world of literary publishing can seem overwhelming at best, downright treacherous at worst. From selecting which pieces to submit (and where) to navigating the tricky waters of editorial suggestions, the challenges of getting published can seem to rival — if not exceed — the challenges of writing itself. This interactive course is designed for writers who want to gain and share wisdom about the publishing process from start to finish. Topics will include where to submit, how to write an appropriate cover letter, what to do (and what not to do) when your piece is accepted, and others. Led by former Gulf Coast Editor-in-Chief and prize-winning author Justin Jannise, this course is a fun and helpful way to unlock the mysteries of literary publishing, no matter how many submissions you have in your Submittable queue. |
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Digging the Well: Building Emotional Content in Our Work
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INSTRUCTOR: Matthew Hefti
TIME: Saturday, August 14, 1:00–4:00 p.m. CST PRICE: Early bird until Monday, August 9: $45 for members, $60 for nonmembers. After Monday, August 9: $55 for members, $70 for nonmembers. Become a member here. Apply for a scholarship here. LOCATION: Online via Zoom LEVEL: All Levels CAP: 15 Why is it that our story ideas sing in our imaginations, but then sound flat when we move to the page? Sometimes we can chalk that discrepancy up to the ups and downs of the writing process; it’s just what happens when we move from the kernel of a story to drafting and revision, and eventually it works itself out. At other times, the gap is due to a lack of emotional content. We’ve generated characters and a setting. They’re talking to each other and even have some problems, but we find that while we’re accruing details, we’re not accruing depth. Building emotional content isn’t about getting all of our characters on a therapist’s couch. It’s about looking at what we’ve written and finding the traces of deep desire, power play, values, and fruitful contradiction within those pages. From there, we find ways to subtly turn those traces into a source of power and purpose in our story. In the class, we’ll do this through exercises, discussion, and by lending a keen eye to our own work. Note: Please come with one to two double-spaced pages of prose that have been giving you fits. |
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Small Press, Big Dreams: What an Indie Press Wants Writers to Know
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INSTRUCTOR: Ynes Freeman
TIME: Sunday, August 15, 3:00–6:00 p.m. CST PRICE: Early bird until Tuesday, August 10: $45 for members, $60 for nonmembers. After Tuesday, August 10: $55 for members, $70 for nonmembers. Become a member here. Apply for a scholarship here. LOCATION: Online via Zoom LEVEL: All Levels CAP: 15 When it comes to publishing, many writers are familiar with two popular paths: large-scale, agented publishing, and self-publishing. But there are numerous other options in the publishing world, including the innovative, imaginative, and often scrappy world of small independent press. Small press publishing is an option writers often don’t consider (or even know about)! Small, pliable, and full of heart: this publishing path can help writers accomplish many things they may struggle to do on their own, as small independent presses tend to have the flexibility and agility to “think outside the box” and give authors a more personalized publishing experience. So, what IS small press publishing? How is it different from self-publishing, imprints, or other kinds of publishing? What would a writer want to know to get a feel for whether small press may be right for them? Join Ynes Freeman, CEO/Publisher of Balance of Seven—a small independent press with multiple award-wining and #1 Amazon bestselling books—as she speaks with warmth, pragmatism, and enthusiasm about the world of small press publishing. ABOUT YNES FREEMAN Ynes Freeman (she/her/hers), CEO/Publisher of Balance of Seven, has more than ten years of experience in publishing and has guided more than a thousand authors with kindness and encouragement in that time. Her background is in audience marketing in traditional publishing, where she enjoyed designing unique strategies to grow readership and engagement. She now pursues her long-time passion of working with creative writers through Balance of Seven, helping promote diversity, inclusion, and equity by providing a platform for emerging writers and artists to find magic in their creative work. Ynes is a Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM) who has held numerous leadership roles in Toastmasters International and she is an active volunteer and instructor at Writespace Houston. Using the pen name Ynes Malakova, she is a three-time award-winning short story author. Her debut novel, “A Viper in the Court,” is coming in the Fall of 2022. ABOUT BALANCE OF SEVEN Established in 2017, Balance of Seven, LLC is a small independent Texas-based press dedicated to keeping the magic in publishing. Our readers crave magic, and we aim to bring it to them by providing a platform for new voices and perspectives. Owned and operated by a cis woman and a trans man: diversity and allyship are at the very core of our makeup. We bravely venture beyond genre; when publishing emerging voices, we find they often do not fit “inside the box.” Many of our books are award winning or #1 Amazon bestsellers, sometimes both. Come say hello to us and discover the book you didn’t know you loved at balanceofseven.com. |
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Rock Your Romance Novel
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INSTRUCTOR: Debbie Burns
TIME: Saturday, August 21, 1:00–4:00 p.m. CST PRICE: Early bird until Monday, August 16: $45 for members, $60 for nonmembers. After Monday, August 16: $55 for members, $70 for nonmembers. Become a member here. Apply for a scholarship here. LOCATION: Online via Zoom LEVEL: All Levels CAP: 15 Rock Your Romance Novel is a three-hour, hands-on workshop to help emerging romance writers understand the key elements and structure needed to craft a compelling HEA (happily ever after) novel. Learn how to take your readers from the “squee!”of the first meet-cute to the “hell yes!”of a great ending while protecting your own sanity through the process. In Rock Your Romance Novel, we’ll explore:
So if you’re ready to reignite your passion and rock your readers’ socks off, don’t wait! Join Deb for this three-hour, live workshop. Believe me, your story will thank you. |
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Magical AF
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INSTRUCTOR: Debbie Burns
TIME: Sunday, August 22, 3:00–6:00 p.m. CST PRICE: Early bird until Tuesday, August 17: $45 for members, $60 for nonmembers. After Tuesday, August 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 Magical AF is a three-hour, transformative workshop to help you break free of the unhealthy beliefs impacting your confidence and creativity so you can choose you, trust you, believe in you, and finally achieve the writing career of your dreams. While the rest of the writing world chases after mechanics and tactics, we’ll go on a journey that leads right to the center of your creative soul so you can see the next level of you, embrace the magic that resides there, and feel the freedom that comes from living by your own set of rules. In this workshop, you’ll find everything you need to:
Let Deb show you how to own your magic and shake down the house with the ultimate expression of who you are and what you have to say. |
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Fiction in the Time of COVID: Ten Easy Steps to Timely Writing
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INSTRUCTOR: Marian Szczepanski
TIME: Sunday, August 28, 3:00–6:00 p.m. CST PRICE: Early bird until Monday, August 23: $45 for members, $60 for nonmembers. After Monday, August 23: $55 for members, $70 for nonmembers. Become a member here. Apply for a scholarship here. LOCATION: Online via Zoom LEVEL: All Levels CAP: 15 COVID has dominated our lives—and the headlines—for well over a year. It’s a topic well worth writing about, but where to start? Hasn’t it all been covered already? What can possibly be written about it that’s fresh? Any newsworthy topic is a gold mine for fiction, whether it’s a major international event like a nationwide lockdown splashed across the front page of The New York Times or a disagreement between board members chronicled in your homeowners association newsletter. Even the weather report can jump-start a rich narrative. All you need is a bit of practice at reading between the (head)lines and the imagination to think, hmmm, what if… In this workshop, you’ll learn ten easy steps to develop a cast of characters, problems to complicate their lives, and the settings in which they operate. The same steps can be used successfully for all kinds of fiction, from literary to romance to speculative. Please print, download, or copy a clipping that interests you, and bring it to class. The topic can be an aspect of the pandemic or any other issue or event that intrigues you. Possible sources: your local newspaper, an online publication like The Daily Beast or Politico, a news or lifestyle magazine, a professional or alumni newsletter. Even a piece of mail—a campaign flyer, perhaps, or a glossy travel brochure—can be an effective starting point. You’ll receive a handout in advance. Please have it and your preferred writing materials handy when you log in to the class. The session will contain a series of generative exercises. |
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READ ME:
- Registration closes 24 hours before start time or when workshop fills. No walk-ins, please.
- Please read our workshop policies before registering.
- Workshop tickets must be purchased online.
- Can't attend without a scholarship? Apply here.