Nonfiction

“What drives many of us to write is the simple human need to express ourselves,” says instructor David Jacobson. “There may be no better way to meet that need than by presenting a point of view ... more

This 3-week class will lead students through the process of creating a killer pitch, from generating and developing story ideas to choosing the right publications to approach... more

This workshop is for nonfiction writers who wish to shape, sculpt, structure, deepen and develop work already in progress... more

The focus of the workshop is to encourage and guide experienced writers in creating, revising, and potentially publishing short, stand-alone works of memoir... more

In this class we’ll focus on finding and shaping evocative stories from our own lives, stories that build from our specific and unique life events and move toward resonant, universal themes... more

"In this 5-week class, we'll immerse ourselves in the lyric essay," says instructor Rob Williams. "We’ll learn essential tools to gain confidence with this form, such as how to construct images with sensory details, how to use poetic language like alliteration and assonance... more

“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

“Personal essay takes the messy unfiltered stuff of life and molds it into something of beauty, meaning, wisdom, and hopefully, a great story,” says instructor Gila Lyons... more

Do you feel you have a story inside you, but you’re a little leery of getting thrown in the deep end? In this class, you’ll gently wade into the vast sea of memories and experiences you’ve been carrying around for your whole life... more

To 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