“We are all apprentices in a craft where no one ever becomes a master.”
– Ernest Hemingway
Whether you’re a beginner, pro, or somewhere in between, we have the class for you.
Got Questions?
- Your Singular Life“Writing memoir is like being a miner, shining a light into the nooks and crannies of our lives,” says instructor Katharine Harer. “We think we know what we’ll find, but we’re often surprised by the depth and complexity we uncover...more
Instructor: Katharine Harer
August 16 - August 303 Tuesdays, (PST)6:30pm - 9:00pm
Online - From Loss to Healing: Writing Your Own TransformationAbsence of any kind can often overwhelm us, rendering us silent. But as writers, we have tools at our disposal with which we can approach these empty spaces—and the empty page...more
Instructor: Kerry Muir
August 17 - September 145 Wednesdays, (PST)6:30pm - 9:00pm
Online - Fiction Workshop: The Craft of Artful Storytelling“What makes a story compelling?” asks instructor Andy Touhy. “More importantly, what are the ways to make it compelling? In this online workshop, we’ll begin to really think about how fictional narrative (short story or novel) is constructed, and made better...more
Instructor: Andy Touhy
August 18 - September 155 Thursdays, (PST)6:30pm - 9:00pm
Online - How to Finish Your Novel (The Right Way)In this five-part series, we’ll discuss how to get to your first-draft finish line if you’re stuck, how to become a better self-editor using troubleshooting and problem-solving techniques, and how to know when your work is ready for other people to read...more
Instructor: Kilby Blades
August 18 - September 155 Thursdays, (PST)6:30pm - 9:00pm
Online - Poetry Mentorship with Erin RodoniIn this 9-week mentorship experience, Erin Rodoni will engage with you as a unique poet. In addition to providing detailed critical feedback on your creative work, she will also take into account the arc and scope of your poems, examining the ways in which they are speaking to and building on each other...more
Instructor: Erin Rodoni
August 22 - October 249 WeeksAll Day
Online - The Writing GymTo tone and strengthen your writing, you need the occasional workout for your writing muscles. Enter our Writing Gym for a fun and energetic exercise-themed series of writing prompts designed to get your creative juices flowing...more
Instructor: David Jacobson
August 241 Wednesday, (PST)2:00pm - 3:00pm
Online - Raw WritingIn this 3-week version of The Writing Salon’s Raw Writing series, David will lead you through prompts and exercises that indulge your senses, tickle your intellect, and mine your memory. You’ll engage in writing exercises using your favorite pieces of literature, music, and other art forms...more
Instructor: David Jacobson
August 25 - September 083 Thursdays, (PST)7:00pm - 9:30pm
San Francisco, CA - Happily Ever Afters in Fiction: How to Write Romantic Sub-Plots“In this online class, we will explore how romantic sub-plots can be used in stories outside of the romance genre to hook more readers and deepen their emotional investment in your fiction,” says instructor Kilby Blades...more
Instructor: Kilby Blades
August 271 Saturday, (PST)10:00am - 1:00pm
Online - The Art of the Prose Sentence: Challenging Your Sentences to Do MoreIn this six-hour class, we will examine style and voice via their building blocks: word choice, punctuation, and syntax. Participants will leave with a clearer understanding of how to write sentences that don’t just cater to content but that create rhythm and emotion, tension and beauty...more
Instructor: Anne Raeff, Lori Ostlund
August 28 - September 112 Sundays, (PST)10:00am - 1:00pm
Online - Creative Writing Boot Camp“In a quick but powerful workshop, we’ll focus on the most essential elements of creative writing such as voice, character, dialogue and description,” says instructor Kathy Garlick...more
Instructor: Kathy Garlick
September 171 Saturday, (PST)10:00am - 4:00pm
San Francisco, CA - The Poem Kit: Playing with Process“In this class, rather than learning how one makes a poem,” says instructor Erin Rodoni, “we will approach craft by asking ‘How do I make this poem?’ Over the course of three weeks, we will follow the process of poem-making from first spark to fully formed vision...more
Instructor: Erin Rodoni
September 17 - October 013 Saturdays, (PST)10:30am - 1:00pm
Online - The Business of Writing“Writing doesn’t have to be a labor of love,” says instructor Kilby Blades. “It can be deeply rewarding on many levels. It’s time for us to reject the starving artist narrative and embrace that there is money to be made...more
Instructor: Kilby Blades
September 17 - October 013 Saturdays, (PST)2:00pm - 4:30pm
Online - Daily Write Round RobinJane Underwood had a unique vision when she developed the Round Robin class. By combining several elements—partnering, repetition, practice, feedback, and dedication—she created not just a writing course, but an actual community, one that has continued and grown for over a decade...more
Instructor: Allison Landa, Kathy Garlick
September 18 - November 138 WeeksAll Day
Online - She Said WHAT?: Character Voices and DialogueInstructor Jessica Litwak says, “I started out my working life as an actor, so I write and teach writing from the inside, embodying story and character with passion, specificity and joy. I work to inspire and guide my students towards strong and clear written expression, particularly through character and dialogue...more
Instructor: Jessica Litwak
September 18 - October 165 Sundays, (PST)10:30am - 1:00pm
Online - Advanced Nonfiction WorkshopThis class provides a “literary laboratory” for experienced nonfiction writers to workshop their writing, advance their craft, delve deeply into their themes, take risks, and tackle the all-important revision process...more
Instructor: Kerry Muir
September 18 - November 139 Sundays, (PST)2:00pm - 4:30pm
Online - Earning Dramatic EmotionIn this 5-week process class we will dissect the intricate concepts of how emotions are developed in fiction and creative nonfiction, and master how to recognize and apply narrative craft that develop dramatic emotions in ways that can move our readers...more
Instructor: Junse Kim
September 19 - October 175 Mondays, (PST)6:30pm - 9:00pm
Online - Written on Our Bodies: The Stories in Our Scars, Tattoos, and Other Body Markings“Whether hidden or visible, we all have scars,” says instructor Rob Williams. “Some of us have tattoos, birthmarks, stretch marks or other various body markings—accidental or intentional. In this class, we’ll explore the stories told by our scars, our tattoos, and body modifications...more
Instructor: Rob Williams
September 19 - October 033 Mondays, (PST)6:30pm - 9:00pm
San Francisco, CA - Facing Down Writer’s BlockWriter’s block is the curse of even the most experienced writer and stops beginners before they get a word on the page. This class will provide the guidance and inspiration you need to face down writer’s block and succeed...more
Instructor: Elaine Beale
September 20 - October 043 Tuesdays, (PST)6:30pm - 9:00pm
Online - Short Story 1-2-3: Writing Fiction That Packs a Punch“Ever since I began writing, I’ve been fascinated by the short story form,” Jennifer Lewis says. “You can read a short story from beginning to end in one sitting. I love the immediacy and resolve, the feeling of completion with an economy of words...more
Instructor: Jennifer Lewis
September 20 - November 159 Tuesdays, (PST)6:30pm - 9:00pm
Online - Write That Novel!Writing a novel can be a lonely business! If you want to start a novel or you’ve got a novel in progress, this class provides guidance, inspiration, and support...more
Instructor: Elaine Beale
September 21 - October 195 Wednesdays, (PST)6:30pm - 9:00pm
Online - Intro to the Lyric Essay: Unwrapping the FormIn this 5-week class, we’ll immerse ourselves in this exciting form of creative nonfiction. We’ll read a variety of pieces that fall into this category, looking at how the authors take risks that surprise and move us...more
Instructor: Rob Williams
September 22 - October 205 Thursdays, (PST)6:30pm - 9:00pm
Online - Writing Genre Fiction: The Same, But Different“Genre fiction includes many types of books: sci-fi, mystery, horror, romance,” says instructor Kilby Blades. “All of these books carry one commonality: readers know how they will end. In fact, readers choose genre fiction in order to be taken on exciting, predictable journeys...more
Instructor: Kilby Blades
September 22 - October 063 Thursdays, (PST)6:30pm - 9:00pm
Online - Seasonal Intentions: Autumn Equinox Writing“Honoring the seasonal shifts in the solstices and equinoxes is powerful,” says instructor Jessica Litwak. “We can set new intentions for our writing lives and write freely about the essence of what the season can mean for us...more
Instructor: Jessica Litwak
September 241 Saturday, (PST)10:00am - 1:00pm
Online - Your Story, Your Life: Memoir & Personal Essays“By writing memoir and personal essays, we give form to our histories and make something of meaning and beauty that is uniquely ours,” says instructor Katharine Harer. “I love this genre because you can be yourself, complete with your idiosyncrasies, strong opinions, flashes of wisdom and crazy moments...more
Instructor: Katharine Harer
September 27 - October 255 Tuesdays, (PST)7:00pm - 9:30pm
San Francisco, CA - Creative Writing 101“Have you wanted to test the waters of creative writing but don’t know where to begin, or how?” asks instructor Kathy Garlick. “Have you waded into those waters before, but it’s been a while?” In this 5-week class, you will be guided surely and safely into the writing experience...more
Instructor: Kathy Garlick
October 02 - October 305 Sundays, (PST)2:00pm - 4:30pm
San Francisco, CA - Fiction Workshop: Enrich Your Drafts“If you’re craving some constructive, insightful feedback from a supportive group of fellow writers, it’s time to dip your toe into the workshop,” says instructor Steve Mitchel...more
Instructor: Steve Mitchel
October 05 - November 096 Wednesdays, (PST)7:00pm - 9:30pm
Online - Turning Points: Writing about Personal TransformationThis class will focus on how to write through times of transition, including coming out or gender transition, giving birth and becoming a parent, losing a loved one, career change, and more...more
Instructor: Addie Tsai
October 08 - November 055 Saturdays, (PST)10:30am - 1:00pm
Online - Tiny Kingdoms: Writing the VERY Short StoryHow short can a story be? Consider Ernest Hemingway’s six-word classic: “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.” A tale told quickly can offer untold riches, which swell inside a reader long after the telling...more
Instructor: Andy Touhy
October 081 Saturday, (PST)2:00pm - 5:00pm
Online - Poetry Mentorship with Brian TierneyThis remote poetry “class” offers a unique opportunity for personal and intimate poetry instruction. Students will work with Brian Tierney one-on-one, via written correspondence over two months, during which students will compile and send three “packets”...more
Instructor: Brian Tierney
October 10 - December 129 WeeksAll Day
Online - Short and Sweet: Prose Poems, Flash Fiction and Mini-MemoirsIn this online class we’ll look at examples of short pieces from practitioners such as Lydia Davis and Russell Edson, and we’ll explore how to incorporate techniques like free association and juxtaposition into our work. Then we’ll write, share, and write some more...more
Instructor: Alison Luterman
October 12 - October 263 Wednesdays, (PST)2:00pm - 4:30pm
Online - Write from Real Life: Personal Essays and MemoirsIn this remote class you will plunge into the personal themes that make your real life stories uniquely yours. In the first half of this class, instructor Alison Luterman will give you writing exercises carefully designed to elicit the undertones and overtones that elevate events and anecdotes into the realm of art...more
Instructor: Alison Luterman
October 13 - December 159 Thursdays, (PST)6:30pm - 9:00pm
Online - Poetry Generation IntensiveIn this class, students will explore multiple techniques for generating new poems, and for drawing possibilities for new work from our own and others’ existing poems...more
Instructor: Lisa Gluskin Stonestreet
October 18 - November 155 Tuesdays, (PST)6:30pm - 9:00pm
Online - Comedy Writing 101“Comedy is fragile,” says instructor Kate Montgomery. “One extra word can ruin a laugh. But the truth is, just about anyone can be funny, once they know how it’s done...more
Instructor: Kate Montgomery
October 221 Saturday, (PST)10:00am - 1:00pm
Online - Intro to Creative Nonfiction: Let Your Story Unfold“Have you always wanted to write but are stumped by the way to tell your own story?” asks instructor Jennifer Lewis. “In this remote class, by exploring different types of creative nonfiction, you will find the unique way to bring your story to life”...more
Instructor: Jennifer Lewis
October 23 - November 205 Sundays, (PST)10:30am - 1:00pm
Online - Mining for Gold: Looking to the Everyday for Creative InspirationIn this 5-week virtual class, we will use material from our everyday lives as starting points to generate our own creative prose, poetry, or hybrid works. We will look anew at the world and seek inspiration in unexpected places, mining the everyday for artistic leads...more
Instructor: Shelby Hinte
October 24 - November 215 Mondays, (PST)6:30pm - 9:00pm
Online - Intro to Screenwriting: Lights, Camera, Action!“Are you sitting on a fantastic story idea for the screen?” asks instructor Kerry Muir. “In Intro to Screenwriting, you’ll acquire a veritable toolbox of strategies and exercises, as well as creative inspiration to help set your idea into motion...more
Instructor: Kerry Muir
October 26 - November 305 Wednesdays, (PST)6:30pm - 9:00pm
Online - Fearless Poetry WorkshopNow celebrating over 15 years at The Writing Salon, this workshop draws people who want to jumpstart their poetry practice and to keep the engine oiled. You’ll do plenty of writing and reading, and we’ll have lively discussions about both the craft and the process(es) of poetry...more
Instructor: Julie Bruck
October 27 - December 015 Thursdays, (PST)6:30pm - 9:00pm
Online - Go Hybrid with Your Story: A Short Class on Mixing Genres“What’s the best way to craft a story that’s both satisfying and original?” asks instructor Kate Montgomery. “‘Go hybrid!’ Combine elements from more than one genre to bring a new take to those well-worn themes...more
Instructor: Kate Montgomery
October 29 - November 123 Saturdays, (PST)10:30am - 1:00pm
Online - Advanced Fiction Workshop: From Seed to FlowerHave a finished story draft but don’t know where to take it next? Or maybe you have an idea for a story but don’t know how to get it on the page. In Advanced Fiction Workshop, students will generate new material and refine already drafted stories...more
Instructor: Shelby Hinte
October 30 - December 116 Sundays, (PST)2:00pm - 4:30pm
Online - The Five S’s: An Intro to Writing Poetry“What makes a poem powerful? What makes a poem effective?” asks instructor Thea Matthews. “In this introductory course we will focus on Five S’s to enhance our approach to writing poetry...more
Instructor: Thea Matthews
November 05 - December 105 Saturdays, (PST)2:00pm - 4:30pm
Online - Daily Write Holiday Round RobinJane Underwood had a unique vision when she developed the Round Robin class. By combining several elements—partnering, repetition, practice, feedback, and dedication—she created not just a writing course, but an actual community, one that has continued and grown for over a decade...more
Instructor: Allison Landa, Kathy Garlick
November 27 - December 183 WeeksAll Day
Online - Sparks of Light: Flash Fiction, Flash Memoir & Prose Poems“Shorter forms grab us and hold us in their spell, catapulting us into a moment. Every sensory detail is there for a reason, every word matters,” says instructor Katharine Harer...more
Instructor: Katharine Harer
November 29 - December 133 Tuesdays, (PST)6:30pm - 9:00pm
Online - Making Unsympathetic Characters Compelling“Everybody loves heroic characters, those avatars of virtue who can do no wrong as they smile through perfect teeth and find solutions to every problem via indomitable spirit and/or iron will,” says instructor Jeff Chon. “But what is it that makes Sherlock Holmes, often seen as insufferably arrogant, compelling...more
Instructor: Jeff Chon
November 30 - December 143 Wednesdays, (PST)6:30pm - 9:00pm
Online - Color & Shape: Writing Poetry in Response to Visual Art“Have you ever wanted to write a poem in response to a photograph or a painting? What about a film?” asks instructor Thea Matthews. “This class is designed to stretch your creativity and bring out the joy in your creative process...more
Instructor: Thea Matthews
December 04 - December 112 Sundays, (PST)10:00am - 1:00pm
Online - Raw WritingIn this 3-week version of The Writing Salon’s Raw Writing series, David will lead you through prompts and exercises that indulge your senses, tickle your intellect, and mine your memory. You’ll engage in writing exercises using your favorite pieces of literature, music, and other art forms...more
Instructor: David Jacobson
December 04 - December 183 Sundays, (PST)10:30am - 1:00pm
San Francisco, CA