How 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

“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

One of the first decisions we must make as we begin a new story is about what point of view (POV) we will narrate from. Do we want the intimacy (and restrictions) of 1st person? The perceived credibility (and distance) of 3rd person? Or the flexibility (and navigation issues) of 3rd person-close

Heather says, "Each week in this five-week class, we will cover one area of craft, such as imagery or tension, focusing on practical strategies—we might even call them tricks—to bring our stories, reflections, and worlds to life

You’ve spent hours alone wrestling with your fiction and now you’re craving some constructive, insightful feedback from a supportive group of fellow writers. It’s time to dip your toe into the workshop

Now celebrating its 15th year 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

“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

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

“Often we have to make nonsense before we make sense,” says instructor Heather June Gibbons. “When we allow ourselves to not know, to play and romp and even run amok, to release instead of control, to write fast and get messy, not only do we have fun and surprise ourselves, we find our true material

“Anne Lamott may have coined the phrase ‘Bird by Bird,’ but I like to think of writing stories as similar to building a house,” says instructor Rob Williams. “You don’t build it in a day, you build it Brick by Brick

The goal of this intimate 8-session class is for each person to finish a handful of new poems for potential publication. We’ll be drafting or revising a poem in between each class meeting; plan to complete 4-8 new works by the end of the class in October. Along the way we’ll share constructive feedback

“Writers write, simple as that," says instructor Kevin Dublin. "In this one-day workshop, my goal is for you to tap into the writing mind, to fill it up with your stories, your words

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

This class is intended for both new and experienced writers who value writing as self-exploration and fine art and who want to begin or deepen their own writing practice. Within a supportive setting, class participants will be encouraged to take risks with their work and to share the gifts of self-discovery and transformation with a larger community

You had the impulse, you wrote the first draft in a rush of raw creativity, and maybe you even worked on a second (or third) draft, but you know it’s not finished. What next

Big things can come in small packages—their own perfect beauty tied to their size. The short short story is literary proof that great fiction can come in a small package

“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

“We all have our favorite writing rules—rules that have come about sometimes as simple pet peeves but more often for valid reasons," says instructor Lori Ostlund. In this class, we will practice breaking those rules

“What makes a story compelling?” asks instructor Andy Touhy. “More importantly, what are the ways to make it compelling? In this workshop, we’ll begin to really think about how to tell a good tale (short story or novel)

“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