For 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
"Writing begins in curiosity, an impulse toward discovery, a feeling that something wants to be expressed," instructor Jennifer Lewis says. "This class will give you the inspiration and encouragement you need to follow that impulse and to discover the stories that are already within you
In this class, we will explore poetry together, none of us traveling to precisely the same place, but all of us keeping one another company on the journey. By the end of five weeks, you’ll be able to uncover the emotional truths that most compel you to write
“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
In both literature and film, there are moments that resonate across generations. The most powerful are transformative, immersive, emotional, and filled with memorable imagery and subtext. They give the writer a chance to “show vs. tell” and allow the reader to experience a story firsthand
The Writing Salon’s Prose Studio classes offer a space for writers to refine existing work, read and critically analyze published pieces, and generate new writing. Workshops form the heart of the experience, where participants’ fiction and creative nonfiction works are read and discussed with depth and care through the lens of each Studio’s topic
In the Writing Salon’s Feedback Circle classes, students will gain a vision and vocabulary to make craft decisions in creative pieces, for both early drafts and developed work, and to guide classmates through their own process. While there will be some generative writing activities in class, the bulk of time will be spent sharing creative pieces and giving and receiving feedback
Jane 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
This 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"
“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