“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.
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- Plot and Structure: The Big PicturePlot and structure are the “big picture” ingredients of fiction. A good plot can turn a novel into a page-turner. The right structure will make a story more resonant and compelling and amplify its themes...more
Instructor: Elaine Beale
May 27 - June 103 Tuesdays, (Pacific Time)7:00pm - 9:30pm
Berkeley, CA - Daily Write June 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: Kathy Garlick
June 01 - June 223 WeeksAll Day
Online - The Three D’s of Fiction: Description, Dialogue & Drama“Whether you’re working on a novel or shorter fiction, the Three D’s are essential,” says instructor Lisa Moore Ramée. “This class will give you tips on how to create descriptions of a world and the characters in it, dialogue that rings true, and dramatic scenes with gripping conflict...more
Instructor: Lisa Moore Ramée
June 03 - June 173 Tuesdays, (Pacific Time)6:30pm - 9:00pm
Online - Write Now!: Salon SaturdaysFor 25 years, The Writing Salon has used the power of writing prompts to coax out writers’ work in its raw form—work that would later become novels, personal essays, poems. Write Now! will showcase a Writing Salon teacher’s favorite paths to the source of inspiration...more
Instructor: Kathy Garlick
June 071 Saturday, (Pacific Time)10:30am - 12:00pm
San Francisco, CA - Submit, Repeat, Publish: Landing Your Work in Literary Journals and Small PressesFor beginning through more experienced writers, this class aims to demystify the sometimes confusing process of getting published while offering real-world insights and inspiration for success...more
Instructor: Jennifer Lewis
June 081 Sunday, (Pacific Time)10:00am - 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
June 141 Saturday, (Pacific Time)2:00pm - 5:00pm
San Francisco, CA - Fiction Workshop: Building Our StoriesThis class is a hybrid take on the traditional workshop model, and while the workshop will be a major component of every class, writers will also have space to generate new material in class...more
Instructor: Shelby Hinte
July 07 - August 116 Mondays, (Pacific Time)6:30pm - 9:00pm
Online - Intro to Creative Writing: Getting Our Stories onto the Page“Each of us has a story to tell, but finding the words and voice for that story is an art and craft specific to each individual,” says instructor Kathy Garlick. “This class is designed for writers who may be uncovering and sharing that story for the first time...more
Instructor: Kathy Garlick
July 07 - August 045 Mondays, (Pacific Time)6:30pm - 9:00pm
San Francisco, CA - Poetry Workshop: Rekindling WonderThis 5-week workshop will offer a congenial space where you can listen to and learn from a range of helpful voices and try out new approaches to writing and revision. Over the length of the class you’ll receive oral feedback from your classmates and Katharine on at least 2-3 of your poems...more
Instructor: Katharine Harer
July 08 - August 055 Tuesdays, (Pacific Time)6:30pm - 9:00pm
San Francisco, CA - Writing from the Heart: Uncover Your Most Powerful ThemesTo write our best, we must write from the heart. But finding which subjects mean the most to us can be difficult. Each week Jay Ridler will lead you through a series of fun, engaging, and effective exercises to help you discover and explore the deep and most compelling themes in your life...more
Instructor: Jay Ridler
July 08 - August 055 Tuesdays, (Pacific Time)6:30pm - 9:00pm
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
July 09 - September 039 Wednesdays, (Pacific Time)6:30pm - 9:00pm
Online - Screenwriting 101: Writing a Short Film“Have you dreamt of writing an acclaimed short film? One that dazzles at festivals or serves as your feature film calling card?” asks instructor Kuang Lee. “This class will guide you through the essentials of writing a short film, offering an exciting introduction to the world of screenwriting...more
Instructor: Kuang Lee
July 10 - July 243 Thursdays, (Pacific Time)6:30pm - 9:00pm
Berkeley, CA - Write Now!: Salon SaturdaysFor 25 years, The Writing Salon has used the power of writing prompts to coax out writers’ work in its raw form—work that would later become novels, personal essays, poems. Write Now! will showcase a Writing Salon teacher’s favorite paths to the source of inspiration...more
Instructor: Cate Lycurgus
July 121 Saturday, (Pacific Time)10:30am - 12:00pm
San Francisco, CA - Berkeley MeetupOccurring on a seasonal basis, Writing Salon meetups are designed to provide an intentional and facilitated space to help you keep a finger on your own creative pulse. At the same time, you’ll have the opportunity to engage with a community of other like-minded writers...more
Instructor: Andy Touhy
July 121 Saturday, (Pacific Time)2:00pm - 3:30pm
Berkeley, CA - Daily Write Summer 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: Kathy Garlick
July 13 - August 246 WeeksAll Day
Online - Poetry Workshop: Turn Your Drafts into Finished PoemsThis 6-week workshop will provide a dynamic virtual space where you can get personalized feedback on poems in progress, from brand-new drafts in need of development to later drafts in need of polish...more
Instructor: Erin Rodoni
July 13 - August 246 WeeksAll Day
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
July 13 - August 176 Sundays, (Pacific Time)10:30am - 1:00pm
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
July 14 - September 159 WeeksAll Day
Online - Screenwriting and Storytelling Mentorship with Kate Montgomery“You can read all the how-to books and ask your friends and family for feedback. But if you’re serious about getting produced or published, you will ultimately need professional guidance,” says instructor Kate Montgomery...more
Instructor: Kate Montgomery
July 14 - September 159 WeeksAll Day
Online - Creative Nonfiction Workshop: Shaping Our Personal StoriesIn Creative Nonfiction Workshop, students will share drafts of their own personal stories and workshop them through an inquiry-based approach that emphasizes exploration and discovery...more
Instructor: Shelby Hinte
July 17 - August 216 Thursdays, (Pacific Time)6:30pm - 9:00pm
San Francisco, CA - Writing Through the Canvas: Sparking Creativity with Visual ArtIn this half-day class, we’ll play with three different approaches to writing—narrative, lyric, and dramatic—to connect with visual art in fresh and interesting ways...more
Instructor: Katharine Harer
July 191 Saturday, (Pacific Time)10:00am - 1:00pm
San Francisco, CA - Summer Round Robin Writing GroupRunning concurrently with the Daily Write Round Robin, the Round Robin Writing Group will respond to your specific writing needs and interests, connect you with like-minded writers, and provide insights into process and craft...more
Instructor: Kathy Garlick
July 20 - August 246 Sundays, (Pacific Time)1:00pm - 2:00pm
Online - Feral Poetry: Risk-Taking on the PageIn this 3-week class, we’ll look at poems by risk-taking poets like Diane Seuss, Danez Smith, and Chen Chen, among others. We’ll use these poems as jumping-off points for our work, doing prompt-driven writing inspired by what we find there...more
Instructor: Alison Luterman
July 22 - August 053 Tuesdays, (Pacific Time)2:00pm - 4:30pm
Online - Creative Writing Workshop: The Process Is EverythingThis online creative writing workshop will enable class members to deepen reflection on their own work, receive focused feedback from classmates and instructor, and inspire development toward class members’ finest hopes for their writing projects...more
Instructor: Kathy Garlick
July 27 - September 076 WeeksAll Day
Online - The Five Whys: Uncovering What Drives Your WritingWhether you’re struggling with a story idea, debating a craft pursuit, or stuck in a project, this class will invite you to dig deep into the motivations, questions, and memories at the heart of your creative work...more
Instructor: Ray Hsu
July 29 - August 265 Tuesdays, (Pacific Time)6:30pm - 9:00pm
Online - Write Now!: Salon SaturdaysFor 25 years, The Writing Salon has used the power of writing prompts to coax out writers’ work in its raw form—work that would later become novels, personal essays, poems. Write Now! will showcase a Writing Salon teacher’s favorite paths to the source of inspiration...more
Instructor: Ann Guy
August 021 Saturday, (Pacific Time)10:30am - 12:00pm
Berkeley, CA - 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
August 06 - August 203 Wednesdays, (Pacific Time)2:00pm - 4:30pm
Online - Creative Nonfiction 101: Shape Stories from Your Own LifeIn this class, through weekly, prompt-driven writing exercises, we’ll sift through our memories, everyday experiences, and preoccupations with a sense of adventure and curiosity. To make our stories vivid and captivating, we’ll learn about essential craft elements and practice applying them to our own lives...more
Instructor: Ann Guy
August 13 - September 105 Wednesdays, (Pacific Time)6:30pm - 9:00pm
Berkeley, CA - Intro to Fiction: Laying the FoundationIn this remote class, you’ll develop concrete skills and narrative techniques through fun writing exercises designed to help you master your craft. At the end of five weeks, you’ll have a better grip on how to use these techniques (for developing character, setting, and plot) as tools for building your story...more
Instructor: Junse Kim
August 13 - September 105 Wednesdays, (Pacific Time)6:30pm - 9:00pm
San Francisco, CA - 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
August 14 - September 115 Thursdays, (Pacific Time)6:30pm - 9:00pm
Online - Modes of Discovery: Where Poetic Traditions Meet Creative Play“Poetic modes, such as letter and persona poems, allow us to participate in specific traditions, with focused themes, subjects, and techniques, while allowing our singular imaginations room to play,” says instructor Brian Tierney...more
Instructor: Brian Tierney
August 14 - September 115 Thursdays, (Pacific Time)6:30pm - 9:00pm
Berkeley, CA - Write Now!: Salon SaturdaysFor 25 years, The Writing Salon has used the power of writing prompts to coax out writers’ work in its raw form—work that would later become novels, personal essays, poems. Write Now! will showcase a Writing Salon teacher’s favorite paths to the source of inspiration...more
Instructor: David Jacobson
August 161 Saturday, (Pacific Time)10:30am - 12:00pm
San Francisco, CA - 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
August 19 - September 165 Tuesdays, (Pacific Time)7:00pm - 9:30pm
Berkeley, CA - Daily Write September 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: Kathy Garlick
August 31 - September 213 WeeksAll Day
Online - Story MappingGot an idea for a novel, a movie or a TV series? “That’s great!” says instructor Kate Montgomery. “Now it’s time to roll up your sleeves and organize it into a layered, well-structured story that’s engaging from start to finish...more
Instructor: Kate Montgomery
September 03 - September 102 Wednesdays, (Pacific Time)2:00pm - 4:30pm
Online - Submit, Repeat, Publish: Landing Your Work in Literary Journals and Small PressesFor beginning through more experienced writers, this class aims to demystify the sometimes confusing process of getting published while offering real-world insights and inspiration for success...more
Instructor: Jennifer Lewis
September 071 Sunday, (Pacific Time)10:00am - 1:00pm
Online - Write Now!: Salon SaturdaysFor 25 years, The Writing Salon has used the power of writing prompts to coax out writers’ work in its raw form—work that would later become novels, personal essays, poems. Write Now! will showcase a Writing Salon teacher’s favorite paths to the source of inspiration...more
Instructor: Shelby Hinte
September 131 Saturday, (Pacific Time)10:30am - 12:00pm
San Francisco, CA