Nonfiction

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

“You know that feeling when a story you’re writing finally clicks into place,” says instructor Karen Bjorneby. “For many of us, that moment arrives once we discover how character, plot, and meaning interlock... more

“Food is powerful storytelling material, rich with memories, emotions, rituals and passions. It shines both in fiction and nonfiction; when carefully constructed, a restaurant review can read like a thriller, a memorable meal recap — like a romantic tale... 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 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

Whether you’ve just returned from Paris or Sacramento or you’re dreaming of a trip, this class will help you transform your observations into vivid and lasting images. Katharine will provide tips on how to carefully observe and record your impressions of new places and cultures... more

In this 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

Have you always wanted to write about your crazy family? What about an accident that changed the course of your life? A discovery that changed your perception of the past? If you know you want to, but you don’t know where to start, this is your class.... more