Saturday, Feb. 21st, 10 am-4 pm; San Francisco $95 members/$110 non-members
NOTE: THIS CLASS IS NOW FULL
“There’s a deep DNA structure for a good movie idea,” says screenwriter Terrel Seltzer. “Someone we care about wants something badly (Act One), and is having a terrible time getting it (Act Two).” So what about Act Three? “It’s the answer to the question: Will they get it… or not?” says Terrel, “and it’s crucial. A story’s ending needs to stick in the mind. It pretty much determines whether the audience likes the movie or not.” On script level, it’s also decisive. An otherwise great script will likely be passed on if it doesn’t end well. Luckily — and regardless of the type of story you’re telling — there are common elements in a successful third act.
“A screenwriter needs to know the ending of the story before they start writing,” says Terrel. “Every word in your script is building to the climatic battle scene.” In this seminar, we’ll analyze the structure of a compelling third act by using writing exercises that help clarify the question/answer nature of good, dramatic screenwriting, and by discussing and watching movie endings that worked, and some that didn’t. Students can prepare by watching films from this list: Good Will Hunting, Gladiator, Saving Private Ryan, Thelma and Louise, Fatal Attraction, Million Dollar Baby, Lost in Translation, Diner, Rain Man, Road to Perdition.
Read the rest of this entry »
Five Saturdays, Aug.7, 21, 28, Sept. 11 & 25, 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Berkeley $185 members/$215 non-members
Attention: This class is now full. Sorry. But we do offer it every session, usually as a 9-week class.
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The basic premise behind almost every successful feature film can be stated in one simple sentence: Someone we care about wants something badly and is having a terrible time getting it. “Pretty simple, right?” says instructor Terrel Seltzer. “But how do you make a character sympathetic? How do you establish a compelling desire? How do you structure rising tension so that the Hollywood Reader keeps turning the page? That’s the art and the craft of screenwriting.”
In this class, every aspect of writing your screenplay will be explored in the following five stages:
Saturday, July 11th, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. San Francisco $55 members/ $65 non-members REGISTER
If you’re writing a book and hope to have it published, you’ll be that much more successful if you understand how the publishing industry works and what editors and agents want. Join instructor Dianne Jacob at this primer that looks at how to get happily published. In today’s rapidly changing world, what exactly does the book industry want?
5 Tuesdays, 7/14-8/18 (skip 7/21), 7-9:30 p.m. REGISTER $185 members/$215 non-members San Francisco
ATTENTION: CLASS CANCELLED. We might be able to reschedule it later in the session. If you are interested, please send an email to jane@writingsalons.com, letting her know this.
“I’ve done stories on everything from home computers — back when only three companies were making them — to a portrait of the Sherman House (a landmark hotel that survived the 1906 earthquake) to a profile of the Emmy Award-winning sound engineer who worked on Basic Instinct,” says Cary Pepper. “But my favorite piece is probably the one I did about a new reading program for kindergartners; the kids pulled me right into the class and I learned more that one day than I ever learned in kindergarten. That’s one of the things I love most about magazine writing — it’s a constant learning process. It gives you a license to probe into how the world — and the people in it — work. It’s also the most accessible way to break into professional writing. Even when you have no publishing credits, if you come up with the right idea, and pitch it to the right editor at the right time, you can get the assignment.”
Friday, Nov. 20th, 7-10 p.m. San Francisco $35 members/$45 non-members
You’ve taken the magazine writing class (or maybe you haven’t), and you’re out there, trying to make it all work: seeking ideas for articles, finding markets for your pitches, putting together query letters, and dealing with editors — before, during and after assignments. Have questions? Want a little advice? Curious about how other people are doing it? Feel like exchanging ideas about what’s working and what’s not? Read the rest of this entry »
Nine Weeks, 7-9:30 p.m. San Francisco $335 members/$365 others (this class is not currently scheduled)
Have you ever noticed that your most neurotic traits make for funny stories? Have you found yourself laughing over past personal disasters? In this class you’ll explore ways to craft these tales into prose. “Director Mike Nichols once said, ‘The great thing about being an artist is that for most people a shitty day is just a shitty day, but for us it’s all material,’” notes instructor Pamela Bass. Class members will explore the writings of funny writers such as Anne Lamott, David Sedaris and Jazmin Darznik. You’ll also do in-class and take-home writing exercises, to be shared and discussed in a supportive way.
Saturday, Oct. 17th, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. San Francisco $95 members/$110 non-members
ATTENTION: This class is no longer open. Please don’t register for it.
Writer’s block. It’s the curse of even the most experienced writer and stops beginners before they’ve even put a word on the page. We may believe that we want to write, but instead we find ourselves rearranging the spice rack, repainting the kitchen, sorting our sock drawer. Or perhaps we do actually get down a few sentences, but we don’t like what we’ve written or even if we do, we don’t think anyone else will be interested in what we have to say. Or we just feel uninspired, in need of an infusion of energy.
Sunday, March 7th, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. San Francisco $95 members/$110 non-members
“Writing a rough first draft often feels more like play than work,” says Jane Underwood. “The words flow or even burst out, and you can be swept up in the thrill of simply getting something, anything down onto paper.
“Revision, on the other hand, tends to come in fits and starts, and to many beginners (or even pros!) feels more like work than play. But if you want to be a serious writer, you’ve got to rise to the revision challenge. You must go back and add more. Or, conversely, go back and subtract. You also have to think about things like order and structure and, god forbid, what you’re really trying to say. The list goes on. Your revision options are so numerous they can be downright daunting. But guess what: it doesn’t have to be that way. Revision can be pleasurable, exciting, and even fun. Yep, fun.
Five Wednesdays, March 3-31, 7-9:30 pm Berkeley $185 members/ $215 non-members
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“As a food writer, I never get bored,” says instructor Dianne Jacob. “I’ve interviewed nationally-known cookbook authors, ghost-written a chapter about urban farming, written an essay about a food bank, detailed a French bed-and-breakfast run by an accomplished chef, and reviewed restaurants in San Francisco and on Bali. I’ve also written practical pieces about what to do with tuna besides make a sandwich. As a co-author, I collaborated with a chef on a book on grilled pizza. Once I discovered how much fun food writing was AND that I could get paid to eat and cook, I never looked back.”
One Saturday, 10 a.m-4 p.m. San Francisco $95 members/$110 others (this class is not currently scheduled)
“No iron can pierce the heart with such force as a period put just at the right place.” —Isaac Babel
Flash fiction is an exciting and nuanced genre full of opportunities and surprises. The stories, though diminutive in length, must still contain all the elements of narrative construction. How does a writer compress plot and characterization into a few hundred words? Is it possible to elicit an emotional response in a reader in merely two or three pages?
“Every writer should be concerned about economy, should deliberate over word choice,” says instructor Josh Mohr. “Whether a short story writer or novelist, we should be scrutinizing every clause, making sure each syllable earns its space. In a sense, flash is the perfect genre to hone revision techniques.
Friday, Feb. 26th, 7-10 p.m. Berkeley $35 members/$45 non-members
“Are you working on a screenplay? I know from experience what a lonely, confusing endeavor that can be,” says Terrel Seltzer. “So come have a good time talking it over with others who have chosen the same boat, rowing up that turbulent stream. Bring a synopsis of your script, an outline, a treatment, a scene, a premise, an idea you want to try out. Plus all your questions: Read the rest of this entry »
One Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. San Francisco $95 members/$110 non-members (this class is not currently scheduled)
“Once you’ve written your book, who will deliver it to the readers?” says instructor Lisa Alpine. “Do you trust a publishing house to invest money in these financially strapped times to promote your book? Or do you jump on the self-publishing bandwagon and get it out there yourself – NOW? But if you opt for the latter, who then will design, market and distribute your book?”
Lisa will guide you over the tough terrain of getting your book birthed and onto the bookstore shelves. She will lay out the map of your many options, covering these points and more:
One Saturday, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. San Francisco $55 members/$65 non-members (this class is not currently scheduled)
“When U.S. Poet Laureate Kay Ryan decided to take up poetry,” says instructor Julie Bruck, “she began by picking tarot cards at random, writing a poem to each until she’d exhausted the deck. This, she said, was a way for her to discover her themes. By her own account, her process hasn’t changed much, but there’s a thrill that goes into unwrapping her short, highly-compressed poems that is a direct transmission of the play that goes into their making.
This class is not being offered next session.
Five Saturdays, NO DATE AT THIS TIME, San Francisco $185 members/$215 others
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How many times have we heard the aged expression, “We’ll see what she says about that!” There’s anticipation in hearing someone express themselves, and the same is true of fiction and creative nonfiction writing: our characters need to speak, voice their opinions, woes, aspirations, biases, phobias, regrets. “We can write lovely exposition,” says instructor Joshua Mohr, “but readers need to hear what our characters sound like, what their preoccupations are. That way they can sculpt their own conclusions about them.” Read the rest of this entry »
Five Weeks, 7-9:30 p.m Berkeley $185 members/$215 non-members (this class is not currently scheduled)
Have you started working on a nonfiction book or memoir (or already completed one?). Have you written your book proposal yet? If not, you’re going to need one. Typically, a proposal is written before the book, but if you’ve already written the book, you’ll still need one. The proposal is the document you send to literary agents and/or editors. It’s essentially a sales pitch, making a case for why the book needs to be written, why now, and why you’re the best person for the job.
This Class is Not Being Offered Next Session
Saturday, NO DATE AT THIS TIME, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. $95 members/$110 others
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Writing truthfully and artfully about our early childhood—before age 12—calls for a fine balance of skill and compassion, memory and imagination. This mini-workshop, designed for both beginning and experienced writers, will provide practice and guidance to illuminate and enrich creative projects exploring the events, people, places, and inner worlds of childhood.
“My goal is to help memoirists, fiction writers, and poets write faithfully and evocatively about the girls and boys that they — or their fictional characters — once were,” says instructor Kathleen McClung. Read the rest of this entry »
Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. San Francisco $95 members/$110 others (this class is not currently scheduled)
How many times have we heard the aged expression, “We’ll see what she says about that!”There’s anticipation in hearing someone express themselves, and the same is true of fiction and creative nonfiction (personal essays, memoirs): our characters need to speak, voice their opinions, woes, aspirations, biases, phobias, regrets.“We can write lovely exposition,” says instructor Joshua Mohr, “but readers need to hear what our characters sound like, what their preoccupations are.That way they can sculpt their own conclusions about them.”
5 Weeks, 7-9:30 p.m. (this class is not currently scheduled, but the 1-day version IS) $185 members/$215 non-members San Francisco
“I plan to write more books whenever I can find the appropriate writing attire and color-coordinated pen.” ~ Miss Piggy
You want to write but…you’re afraid. Or too tired. Or uninspired. Or don’t have the time. Or ________________ (fill in the blank with your own favorite “but”).
Here’s what I suggest: Just get your buts to class! That’s it! Once you’re here, I’ll help you achieve the following goals: 1) start (or get back to) your writing, 2) experiment with new ways to approach and vary that writing, 3) write with more ease, and 4) write with a better ear for hearing and appreciating your innate writer’s voice (yes, you do have one; it already exists).
5 Weeks, 7-9:30 p.m. $185 members/$215 non-members Berkeley
Special Package Deal: Take this class together with the “Intro to Creative Writing” class, and receive both classes (5 weeks plus 5 weeks, back to back) for the price of one 9-week class. This discount applies only if you choose the “Intro to Creative Writing/Raw Writing ‘Combo’ option” when you register. If you register for Intro to Creative Writing separately and then decide to take Raw Writing, the discount doesn’t apply.
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“Not long ago I was feeling distant and unconnected from my writing,” says instructor Jamey Genna, “trying too hard to create a finished product even before I had more than a rough beginning. I was also encountering a lot of writing friends who were stalled in their work: novelists who had written the first 50 pages and then stopped themselves by doing constant revision; short story writers who had ideas for stories but no inspiring atmosphere or time to sit down and put pen to paper. I decided it might be time for me to: 1) put a hold on studying craft, 2) stop revising so much, and 3) get back to generating more new material.
Saturday, April 24th, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. San Francisco $95 members/$110 non-members
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Waiting to be struck by an inspirational bolt of lightning can be seductive, but it gets lonely out there under the tree. “Too much waiting can dampen the spirit,” says instructor Julie Bruck. “There are other ways to get in touch with your creative muse, ways that we’ll explore in today’s workshop.” Read the rest of this entry »
Five Saturdays, Time TBA (this class is not currently scheduled) $185 members/$215 non-members San Francisco
“I’ve done stories on everything from antique restoration to computers (back when only three companies were making them), and from filmmakers to food stylists,” says Cary Pepper. “But my favorite piece is probably the one I did about a new reading program for kindergartners; the kids pulled me right into the class and I learned more that one day than I ever learned in kindergarten. That’s one of the things I love most about magazine writing — it’s a constant learning process. It gives you a license to probe into how the world — and the people in it — work. It’s also the most accessible way to break into professional writing. Even when you have no publishing credits, if you come up with the right idea, and pitch it to the right editor at the right time, you can get the assignment.”
One Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. (this class is not currently scheduled) $95 members/$110 non-members Berkeley
Had a difficult time making time to write even though you know you want to? Perhaps you feel uninspired or don’t quite know what it is you want to write about. Or maybe you need a boost to your creativity that will help your words flow.
“We live such busy lives,” says instructor Elaine Beale. “Demands come at us from all directions. It can be very challenging to make the time to write. Besides, writing creatively requires a level of inner stillness and disconnection from the busyness that surrounds us. Sometimes we simply need to take a day to reconnect with our creative selves. Read the rest of this entry »
One Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Berkeley and SF $95 members/$110 non-members
Whether you’re intrigued by Norse settlements, your own grandmother’s journey to America, or an imaginary character from a far-away time, historical fiction can be an enchanting new outlet for your writing. This introductory workshop will help you discover the unique requirements of writing historical fiction, and set you up for a successful journey into a popular new genre.
Says instructor Jess Wells, “We’ll look into how to research and when to stop researching, how to create credible characters without arcane dialogue and, most importantly, how to choose a historical era that excites your imagination. I’ve chosen to focus on the Middle Ages because I’m fascinated by inventions that change the way people live, and this era was filled with watershed moments. Of course, the gorgeous fabrics and remarkable settings don’t hurt, either.”
Saturday, 10 am – 4 pm San Francisco $95 members/$110 non-members (this class is not currently scheduled)
“I’ve done stories on everything from home computers to a profile of the Emmy Award-winning sound engineer who worked on Basic Instinct,” says Cary Pepper. “But my favorite was the one I did about a new reading program for kindergartners; the kids pulled me right into the class, and I learned more that one day than I ever learned in kindergarten. That’s one of the things I love most about magazine writing — it’s a constant learning process. It gives you a license to probe into the world. It’s also the most accessible way to break into professional writing. Even when you have no publishing credits, if you come up with the right idea, and pitch it to the right editor at the right time, you can get the assignment.” Read the rest of this entry »
Saturday, Oct. 16th, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. San Francisco $95 members/$110 non-members
Attention: This class is no longer available. Sorry.
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In just about any writing class, you will hear these words: “Show don’t tell!” But how do you do that? “Ground your readers in their senses,” says Jane Underwood. “Run from abstractions, straight into the arms of all that is concrete — peaches, hurricanes, airplane roars, empty drawers, itching wounds.
During this day of sensory exploration, we’ll explore ways to come up with juicy images and details — descriptions that dance and breathe, scenes that taste and smell, characters that sing and shout, stories that are soft as the nape of a baby’s neck…or hard as a tack.
One Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Berkeley $95 members/$110 non-members (this class is not currently scheduled)
Characters are the flesh and bones of fiction. A writer might have a vivid setting, an intriguing plot, and beautifully crafted sentences. But without fully developed characters a story never comes alive.
The best fiction is inhabited by distinctive and complex characters. “Think of Holden Caufield in Catcher in the Rye, Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice, Sethe in Beloved, or Lisbeth Salander in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” says Elaine Beale. “These characters captivate us. We see them, hear them speak, and feel compelled to keep reading. Good fiction also requires characters that develop and change over the course of a short story or a novel. But their changes must be convincing, otherwise the story just doesn’t work.”
Nine Weeknights, 7-9:30 p.m. Berkeley $335 members/$365 non-members (this class is not currently scheduled)
When we write fiction we discover deeper truth about ourselves, other people, and the world. By wandering the world of the imagination, we surprise ourselves with the stories we discover. And, when we tell those stories, we change our readers by allowing them to enter experiences that are often very different than their own.
In this workshop, participants will deepen their knowledge about how to find and tell fictional stories. They’ll learn more about the art and the craft of fiction—through doing in-class exercises and optional homework assignments, getting feedback on their work, and reading excerpts from published writers. Read the rest of this entry »
Saturday, July 17th, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. San Francisco $95 members/$110 non-members
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Note: We also offer a 9-week version of this class, which many people take on a regular basis. It’s an excellent class for beginners or anyone else who wants to keep generating new material while exploring their voice as a writer.
We all have unique “writing voices,” but often we can’t really “hear” those voices ourselves, even when others can. This half-day workshop will aim to help you hear the sound of your authentic writing voice, because once you feel secure with the individuality of your voice, you’ll grow immeasurably as a writer.
9 Wednesdays, Oct. 13-Dec. 15 (9 weeks, skip 11/24), 7-9:30 p.m. $335 members/$365 others San Francisco
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We all have “writing voices,” but often we can’t really “hear” those voices ourselves, even when others can. In this class, you’ll learn to hear what’s unique about your writing voice, jumpstart your writing, and produce new work.
“What I want you to get out of this workshop,” says instructor Chris DeLorenzo, “is a sense of how your voice comes across as one-of-a-kind, and how writing can be fun and experimental. Only then can you learn to let go of self-conscious writing—writing that sounds the way you think it’s supposed to sound.”
The exercises in this class focus on producing writing with concrete details, description and dialogue, along with a healthy dose of playfulness to balance the serious stuff.
5 Tuesdays, Oct. 12th-Nov. 9th, 7-9:30 p.m. Berkeley $185 members/$215 others
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Writing about physical illness, emotional pain, childhood trauma, addiction, and other difficult circumstances can present writers with some unique challenges, and also some unique opportunities. How can we ensure that deeply personal writing will be compelling and even luminous for our readers? How can we avoid getting mired in emotional or linguistic ruts? That’s where both the craft and the courage come in!
“When we dive consciously and skillfully into personally difficult material, whatever the genre, we can deepen our ability to see and hold complexity, name truth, and, ultimately, connect with our readers – as well as with ourselves – more powerfully,” says instructor Ruth L. Schwartz.
5 Weeks, 7-9:30 p.m Berkeley $185 members/$215 non-members
“The greatest stories we read as children still live large in our memories,” says Lindsey Alexander. “From Charlotte’s Web to Harry Potter to Where the Wild Things Are, the books we discover as children shape us, inspire us to read on, and maybe even turn us into writers.”
If you’re eager to share a story with the next generation of readers, this workshop will help acquaint you with the basics of writing for children, stoke your creative fire, and hone your writing craft. Whether you’re interested in picture books, chapter books, or young adult novels, this class will help you to begin new projects or further develop projects that you’ve already begun. Class time will be divided between craft discussions, writing exercises, and some peer critique. You’ll learn the ins and outs of the children’s book genre — the various formats, audiences, and markets for your work. We’ll also have the opportunity for a conversation and studio tour with published author and illustrator Thacher Hurd.
This class is not being offered next session, but check out Chris’s other 1-day workshop: Writing from the Fingertips. $95 members/$110 non-members San Francisco
This class is not being offered next session. $95 members/$110 non-members Berkeley
Friday, March 12th, 7-10 p.m. San Francisco $35 members/$45 others
You’re embarked on writing a book-length memoir. You’re acquainted with the fundamentals of memoir, but perhaps you’re finding some doubts creeping in as you work on your book: Is my story really that compelling? How do I clear away the clutter and get to the heart of my story? And how exactly am I going to end the book?
Click HERE for more info.
“This workshop met my expectations 100%. My two favorite exercises really showed me that being more descriptive doesn’t have to be difficult, it can be fun. I really enjoyed Jane’s teaching style: relaxed, supportive, friendly. She created a safe space for everyone and their writing; the class flowed. I was feeling blocked for quite sometime, and these exercises helped me feel creative again. Overall, I got a good kick in the pants to get writing again.” — Kim Scherer
“The exercises and your comments were extremely useful. I am back at my writing table and I still visualize and hear Miss Dennis. 1000 thanks for this wonderful day and also for the 37 Fun Exercises. I certainly intend to use them all! — Jocelyne Guilbault
One Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Berkeley and SF $95 members/$110 others
Characters use all sorts of tactics to get what they want: seduction, insult, flattery, cleverness and more. But the tactic that takes the cake is deception. Sometimes they fool lovers, sometimes friends. More often than not, they also fool themselves. In this class, you’ll explore the ways characters lie and deceive.
“When people lie,” says instructor Aaron Henne,”we get a profound glimpse into who they really are. Their fears, concerns and, most of all, their desires are revealed by what they choose to obscure. By excavating their descents into treachery and fraud, we get closer to their truths. By revealing their foibles, we also reveal their needs.”
One Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (this class is not currently scheduled) $95 members/$110 others San Francisco
Avoiding boring writing isn’t enough. “My sentences almost always come out perfectly adequate,” Matt Stewart admits, “but that’s not enough to stand out from the flood of middling writing out there. Also, I don’t know about you, but I didn’t get into writing to write ‘okay’ sentences. Life is too short to write—or read—average work.”
Matt’s workshop will give you a jolt of language-centric adrenaline to help you craft electrifying prose and cut below-par copy, while avoiding the perils of overwriting. You’ll deconstruct work from prose masters and identify literary wordplay techniques to capture reader attention, all in service of driving your story and character development.
9 Weeks, 7-9:30 p.m. (this class is not on the current schedule of classes) $335 members/$365 others San Francisco
If you’re generating new ideas for a project that’s been in your head for awhile, this class is the perfect place for you. “Getting feedback on a printed manuscript is a helpful process,” says instructor Chris DeLorenzo, “but writers also need a place to explore ideas and generate first draft writing. This class is the perfect place to do that.”
Based on the Amherst Writers and Artists method, this class provides a safe, fun environment, utilizing spontaneous writing exercises that help unlock ideas for poems, stories, and dialogue. You’ll have a chance to focus on the building blocks of effective writing: description, sensory details, and narration, and you’ll find yourself actually enjoying the process!
Each class offers students several writing sessions. After writing, students volunteer to read their work out loud and receive feedback. “What’s unique about this method,” says DeLorenzo, “is that students only offer positive feedback on what’s read out loud: no criticism. This really helps writers to grow their new projects.”
The writing exercises in this class with help you to stretch as a writer, to expand on your ideas, or return to past ideas and help you to develop them. Feedback from the instructor, as well as the other students, allows each writer to really hear what’s working in these first drafts for the first time. “That’s something writers can’t do on their own,” DeLorenzo reminds us. “We need other ears; we need other writers.”
Chris DeLorenzo has an MA in creative writing and is a certified Amherst Writers and Artists method (AWA) facilitator. He teaches writing at the University of San Francisco and has published poetry, prose and personal essays in numerous publications. He has also written two novels, Certain Sacred Places and All That Remains.
“. . . what a gift Chris DeLorenzo has been. . .”
Five Weeks, variable days/times $185 members/$215 non-members Berkeley
Setting in fiction plays an important role in theme, plot, and even characterization. Whether your write sci-fi, romance, historicals, erotica, thrillers, mysteries, or literary fiction, the setting can make or break your story. “Setting is not a simple backdrop, like a green screen on which a film is shot,” says instructor Jess Wells. “It’s no accident that your intrepid hero has to ride through a narrow mountain pass: it’s the way you force friend and foe into a meeting. It’s helpful that your main character is the village doctor, hosting family after family during their crisis in a little room in the front of the house. Even the relentless dark and biting wind of a distant planet illustrates both the physical challenges facing the colony of scientists, as well as their brooding cruelty to one another.”
How do you create well-drawn, complex settings that will do justice to your fictional world? What elements go into the creation of effective, efficient settings that work hard for your story? How can a setting be drawn in a way that adds to the challenges of the protagonist’s quest? How can a setting allow the you, the author, to control the movement of your characters and to introduce a diversity of characters and events?
“We’ll look at the opening pages and/or the maps of a slew of well-known books from different genres,” says Jess, “including The Lathe of Heaven, Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Red Dwarf, Perfume: Story of a Murderer, The Hobbit, and The World Beneath.
“And then for fun, we’ll take a free-form map and create a world ‘setting’ of our own. Once we’ve gained a greater appreciation of the artfulness that the creation of a great setting requires, we’ll tip our hats to the amazing power of all the wonderful fictional settings that transport us, transfix us, and even let us smell the flowers of a foreign land.
Jess Wells has published more than sixty short stories and three novels, including The Mandrake Broom, a historical that dramatizes the fight to save medical knowledge during the witch-burning times in Europe 1465-1540. Her first novel, AfterShocks, is a modern psychological drama set immediately following an 8.0 earthquake in San Francisco. And The Price of Passion, her second novel, is literary erotica following a woman’s journey around the world. In each volume, setting is an important component of the story. Jess is a recipient of a San Francisco Arts Commission Grant for Literature and a four-time finalist for the Lambda Literary Awards.
One Friday, 7 to 10 p.m. (this class is not currently scheduled) $35 members/$45 non-members Berkeley & SF
“‘But what do editors want!’ is something I hear all the time, and the answer is always ‘It depends,’ says Nick Mamatas. “I’ve edited an award-winning science fiction magazine, published a ghost anthology with a major publisher, and now work full-time running a science fiction imprint. I’ve also sold several books of my own, in various genres, to publishers of all shapes and sizes.
“What people think they already know about publishing commercial fiction – such as creating platforms and following trends – often hurts them as much as what they really don’t know. Writing last year’s movie isn’t going to cut it .”
Bring plenty of questions about agents, editors, submissions (or self-publishing), and commercial-versus-literary fiction to this free-form, wine & cheese get-together — and get answers from a working pro.
Note: The focus of this roundtable will be on commercial fiction (ie. science fiction, fantasy, horror, mysteries, and romance). Nick also teaches our 5-week Commercial Fiction class.
Nick Mamatas is the author of three novels: Under My Roof (Counterpoint), Move Under Ground (Prime Books), and the forthcoming Sensation (PM Press). He’s also published over sixty short stories in genre magazines, literary journals, and anthologies, some of which were recently collected in You Might Sleep… (Prime Books). His fiction has been nominated for both the Bram Stoker and International Horror Guild awards, and as editor of the online magazine Clarkesworld Nick has been nominated for the World Fantasy award and science fiction’s Hugo award. He currently teaches online at Western Connecticut State University, edits science fiction and fantasy for VIZ Media, and is awaiting the release of his next anthology, Haunted Legends (Tor Books), co-edited with Ellen Datlow.
Read Testimonials for Nick here
Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Berkeley $95 members/$110 others (this class is not currently scheduled)
What does it take to create vivid, powerful poetry or prose that offers a transformative experience to our readers? How can we engage so deeply with our own material that we, too, are changed in the writing of it? Poet Mary Oliver famously said, “I don’t ask for the sights in front of me to change, only the depth of my seeing.” In this workshop with award-winning poet and memoirist Ruth L. Schwartz, you’ll spend the day exploring how to “see” more clearly and more deeply, both in your outer and our inner worlds. You’ll examine the ways in which this kind of seeing can both complicate and enrich your relationship to “truth” in your writing.
“We’ll work to expand our curiosity on every level, including our curiosity about language and form, as well as about our subject matter,” says Ruth. “Finally, we will explore notions of beauty, and how the ability to see beauty in unlikely places can both deepen our relationship to our material – and more fully engage our readers. In the process, we’ll expand the range of (e)motion available to us, as writers and as human beings.”
Note: CEUs are available for licensed MFTs or LCSWs.
Ruth L. Schwartz is the author of four award-winning books of poems, including Edgewater, a 2001 National Poetry Series winner selected by Jane Hirshfield. Her memoir, Death in Reverse, documents the year following her donation of a kidney to her former partner. Her poems and essays have appeared frequently in The Sun (sometimes under a pseudonym, at the editors’ request), and she has received numerous literary fellowships, honors and prizes. Ruth is currently a Distinguished Visiting Writer in the low-residency M.F.A. program at Ashland University and also teaches privately. In addition, she is a practicing hypnotherapist and shaman who honors and wrestles with pain, beauty and truth in all their disguises.
6 Fridays, once a month, 7-9:30 p.m. $335 members/$365 others (plus $5 for Pamela’s hefty handout, payable at first class) San Francisco (this class is not currently scheduled)
Pamela Bass is a teacher who challenges her students to combine depth with irony, meaning with wit. As Anne Lammott suggests, “Risk placing real emotion at the center of your work…Tell the truth as you understand it…it is a revolutionary act.”
For students who have already taken Pamela’s “Humor Writing: Transforming Life’s Disasters into Laughter” (or the equivalent) this class will build on your knowledge of how to write the humor essay. For fiction or memoir writers who don’t usually write essays but want to spice up their prose with humor, this class will give you much needed tools. Above all, it will help you set deadlines and meet goals.
Maybe you want to finish some incomplete writing exercises from a past class. Maybe you want to put together an essay collection or infuse a memoir chapter with hilarity. Maybe you need motivation to build a regular writing practice that doesn’t end when your class ends.
“For the artistically unemployed and for writers who need a kick in the you-know-what, to continue their humor writing (or to get that witty memoir written) this class will offer not just concrete deadlines but the tools to enrich your writing, and a community to support you in achieving your goals.”
You will be exposed to new humor essayists from whom you will draw inspiration and learn new techniques. Readings will include: Mark Twain, Margaret Cho and David Sedaris among others. You will read 1-2 essays each month as well as the work of your peers. At each monthly gathering student writing will be workshopped and discussed in a supportive and constructive environment. You’ll do some in-class exercises, and a great deal more at home. Each student will complete at least one essay and one revision. Each student will set their own goals and the class will support you in meeting them. Some students might work on refining one essay, while others may work on building a portfolio of rough drafts.
In between classes you will have email dates with writing partners and regular check-ins with Pamela. You will receive written feedback from Pamela and your peers. Class lectures and discussions will introduce or deepen your understanding of craft concepts.
“Not only will we review the use of exaggeration and metaphor along with other humor tools, we’ll examine what it takes to craft an impactful piece from start to finish! As always, we’ll conclude with a public reading of your witty tales, for a supportive audience of invited friends at a local café or bookstore.”
*If you have not taken Pamela’s Humor Writing I class but want to explore your funny side, please email jane@writingsalons.com before registering for the class. She’ll help you decide if this class is appropriate for you.
Pamela Alma Bass, who earned her MFA in creative writing at USF, has maintained her sanity by transforming her life’s disasters into comedy. Her humorous essay, hailed by the SF Chronicle as “hilariously clear-eyed,” can be found in the anthology I Should Have Gone Home. Excerpts from her novel-in-progress can be found in the anthologies Best Women’s Travel Writing 2009 and Hot Flashes: sexy little stories & poems I & II. Her writing has won awards from Glimmer Train and Traveler’s Tales. She blogs for The Huffington Post about the absurdity of parenting twins. www.pamelaalmabass.com
Do you want to clarify your blog’s purpose? Commit (or re-commit) to a more regular blogging practice? Has “write on my blog” been languishing on your to-do list for far too long?
If your blog is in need of rejuvenation or resuscitation, this workshop will give you fresh inspiration, help you explore new directions, and also dispense some brass tacks information.
“Three obstacles people encounter when they start to blog,” says Britt Bravp, “are time, traffic and topics. I can give you tools to help you overcome these obstacles, jumpstart your blog, and very possibly fall in love with it all over again!”
“We’ll talk about how to find more time to blog, how to create an editorial calendar, how to increase traffic and readership, and how to format your posts to better draw readers in.
“But more importantly, we’ll also discuss ways to rev up your enthusiasm by learning how to generate more fun topics, how to develop your own unique blogging “voice,” and how to write different types of posts (e.g. personal story, how-to, and guest posts).”
Please bring to class:
* Print-outs of 2-3 blog posts that make you say, “I wanna blog like that!” * A photo of an experience, or event you’d like to write about on their blog * 2-3 magazines you don’t mind cutting up
Britt Bravo is a blogger, podcaster, creative career coach, and social media consultant for artists, creative entrepreneurs and nonprofits. She began blogging in 2005 with the launch of her personal blog, Have Fun * Do Good. Since then, she has written for the Huffington Post, WEtv’s WE Volunteer blog, BlogHer, NetSquared, the Stanford Social Innovation Review Opinion Blog, WorldChanging, The Extraordinaries, and the Global Center for Cultural Entrepreneurship blog. She also produces the Big Vision Podcast, and the Arts and Healing Podcast. In 2007, the East Bay Express named her the Best Podcaster/Blogger Most Dedicated to Social Change. Britt is a frequent speaker about blogging and social media, and has presented at events such as the Bioneers, BlogHer Conference, Ladies Who Launch, Stanford Women’s Leadership Conference, Writing for Change Conference, and San Francisco Writer’s Conference. For more information about her work, go to www.brittbravo.com.
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this class is on sale from Aug 2 to Aug 4 (testing sales).this class is on sale from Aug 2 to Aug 4 (testing sales).this class is on sale from Aug 2 to Aug 4 (testing sales).this class is on sale from Aug 2 to Aug 4 (testing sales).this class is on sale from Aug 2 to Aug 4 (testing sales).this class is on sale from Aug 2 to Aug 4 (testing sales).this class is on sale from Aug 2 to Aug 4 (testing sales).this class is on sale from Aug 2 to Aug 4 (testing sales).
this class is on sale from Aug 2 to Aug 4 (testing sales).this class is on sale from Aug 2 to Aug 4 (testing sales).this class is on sale from Aug 2 to Aug 4 (testing sales).this class is on sale from Aug 2 to Aug 4 (testing sales). this class is on sale from Aug 2 to Aug 4 (testing sales).
Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (this class is not currently scheduled) $95 members/$110 others Berkeley Testimonials for Chris
“…our meaning together/is hardy as an onion/and layered. Goes into the blood like garlic./Sour as rose hips./Gritty as whole grain./Fragrant as thyme honey. — Marge Piercy
Here’s the good news (and no bad news!): You already have the tools you need to improve your writing: your five senses. “Sensory imagery is what brings writing alive. It’s what helps your readers to connect to your story on an emotional level,” says instructor Chris DeLorenzo. “This is a hands-on workshop in the most literal sense. We’ll do lots of fun writing exercises that will help you utilize the five senses — looking at the world with new eyes, and exploring new ways to include your sensory perceptions in your writing.
Six Online Group Chats (Saturdays, 10 to 11:30 a.m., plus online interaction and guidance between chats) Note: This class is not currently scheduled $435 members/$465 others
“Writing a novel for kids or teens is unique in that a writer must imagine the world from a young reader’s perspective,” says Lindsey Alexander. “But like any worthwhile writing project, getting it done takes discipline, focus, and an ability to stick with it.” Read the rest of this entry »
5 Wednesdays, April 18-May 16, 7-9:30 p.m. $185 members/$215 others Berkeley Student Testimonials
Special Package Deal: Take this class together with Aurora’s 5-week “Raw Writing“ class, and get both classes (10 weeks total) for the price of one 9-week class. This discount applies only if you choose the “Combo Class“ option when you register.
“I believe that anyone can learn to write well and really enjoy the process,” says Aurora Brackett. “Writing isn’t a gift bestowed by magic. It’s a practice. And in the busy lives we lead it is hard to make time to practice. This class will give you that time.”
Wednesdays, April 18-June 13, 7-9:30 pm (10 weeks for the same price as a 9-week class) $335 members/$365 others Berkeley
Take both of these 5-week classes (back to back, Intro to CW first) for the same price as one 9-week class. Just be sure to select the “Combo Class” option (via the “Add to Cart” button below). If you don’t select the “Combo” option (ie. if you register separately for Raw Writing and Intro to Creative Writing) the discount does not apply.
