Why do folktales and fairy tales have such a remarkable staying power? Author and mythographer Marina Warner suggests that it’s “because the meanings they generate are themselves magical shape-shifters, dancing to the needs of their audience.” In this class, we’ll read and discuss fairy tales, both traditional and revisionist. We will then reimagine them, as […]
read moreIn this workshop, we’ll write about where we’re from, where we’ve been, and where we hope to go in the future. We’ll generate essays about one’s hometown or region, travel or exploration, and the changed geography of our lives during the pandemic. Part workshop, part craft discussion, part generative space. You will write four short […]
read moreThomas Larson writes that “memoir is most successful when it is not the ‘story of a life,’ but a focused part of that life—a dozen summers spent working on a grandfather’s farm, a long relationship with a dying relative, the first year of law school.” You’ll work with writing prompts and timed writing exercises, and […]
read moreExplore short story fiction writing by studying narrative craft elements like story, plot, character, scene, structure, archetypal patterns and dialogue. We’ll examine professionally published pieces and your own work. By the end of the course, you’ll be ready to begin a story based on a word or an idea. You’ll also understand how to evaluate […]
read moreThis workshop is for students who have some experience writing poetry and are looking to dig deeper into their writing practice. In this poetry workshop, we'll read published poems (written by contemporary and historical poets), and we'll use this work to inspire our own creative writing work. We'll write poems, and we'll spend time discussing […]
read moreLearn about different facets of Buddhism including Zen and Pure Land Buddhism and explore poets from ancient to modern times that wrote poetry heavily influenced by the questions Buddhism asks. We'll spend class time writing from prompts that ask you to examine the world around you from the philosophies discussed in class. We'll also spend […]
read moreDo you have story ideas but don’t know where to start? Are you wondering what to do with those completed story drafts that need revision? Or, maybe you’re a first-time writer looking for a way into the work? In this two-day intensive, we break down specific craft elements (POV, time management, characterization, etc), and then […]
read moreAre you curious about translating real-life events onto the page? Do you have personal stories that seem like they could work together holistically? Are you a consummate journaler who wants to experiment with craft? In this two-day intensive, we break down specific craft elements (structure, characterization, time management, etc), and then use what we’ve learned […]
read moreThis class is for the conversations that still need to happen. We’ll talk about the barriers that keep us from writing what we need to write. We’ll also examine works by Chanel Miller, Jeannette Walls, and Layli Long Soldier to take lessons from the ways in which they make difficult topics easier to access. Students […]
read moreClaudia Emerson's poems have been praised for their craftsmanship, intelligence, lyricism, story telling, and resonance, but such descriptions only scratch the surface. Come experience the poems of Claudia Emerson for yourself. We'll read selections of Emerson's poems from across her career, and we'll write some poems of our own that are inspired by her work. […]
read moreDive deep into the realm of images to discover new possibilities for your poetry and prose. In this workshop, we'll tap into memory, imagination, description, observation, and discovery, through a number of playful, strange, and thought-provoking writing activities. These exercises will inspire new work and offer fresh ways of looking at your works in progress, […]
read moreEveryone has a story to tell. Combine character drawings, environments and dialogue to create your very own picture books. This course gets everyone drawing their own characters on the first day, and then dives into techniques for visual storytelling. We'll look at picture books at the beginning of each class for inspiration and create several […]
read moreCreative storytelling is at the heart of this class. We will work together as a class to build a story ready for performance. We'll brainstorm ideas, create characters, and build the storyline with dialogue. The second part of the class incorporates theater games and movement activities to develop storytelling skills. Emphasis will be on stage […]
read moreLook at what it takes to build rich and interesting worlds that are worth getting lost in. You'll use creative writing tools to develop characters with complete backstories and interesting goals. This is a great class for those who like to imagine far-away places, whether fantasy, science fiction or based on reality.
read moreDo you love all things creepy & kooky? Is Halloween your favorite holiday? Do you have a favorite cryptid? Then this is the perfect class for you! In this class, we will learn what makes for good horror tropes and explore creative storytelling in art. Students will learn to write, illustrate and bind their own […]
read moreThis class is all about writing! Tap into the power of your imagination and memories to draw inspiration for creative writing. We'll transform an ordinary composition book into a writer's notebook and use it to write about personal experiences, interesting characters, memorable places, and more. Each class will include a combination of fun short activities […]
read moreThis class is all about writing! Tap into the power of your imagination and memories to draw inspiration for creative writing. We'll transform an ordinary composition book into a writer's notebook and use it to write about personal experiences, interesting characters, memorable places, and more. Each class will include a combination of fun short activities […]
read moreWe will make our own superhero adventures by making and using action figures, costumes, masks, storybooks, and more! Plan, create, investigate and refine your art-making processes. We'll start with tinkering and exploring ideas and materials and encourage experimentation.
read moreLook at what it takes to build rich and interesting worlds that are worth getting lost in. You'll use creative writing tools to develop characters with complete backstories and interesting goals. This is a great class for those who like to imagine far-away places, whether fantasy, science fiction or based on reality.
read moreOne of the core principles of Japanese poetry throughout the ages has been the preciseness of its image-making. Study how Japanese poets of the Heian, Genroku, Inter-War periods created timeless images that are still very much accessible today. Students will also be introduced to some contemporary poets currently making waves, and engage in creating their […]
read moreWhether you are interested in getting started telling your story in memoir, fiction, or some twisted combination of the two, this generative workshop will serve as a gentle and fun way to push yourself creatively. Through prompts, mini lectures, readings, supportive discussion, and maybe even prestidigitation, group members will work towards realizing their prose visions.
read moreWhether you are interested in getting started telling your story in memoir, fiction, or some twisted combination of the two, this generative workshop will serve as a gentle and fun way to push yourself creatively. Through prompts, mini-lectures, readings, supportive discussion, and maybe even prestidigitation, students will work towards realizing their prose visions.
read moreExplore the dark self, what Carl Jung called the “shadow” part of our psyche. Sometimes we see it in our dreams, sometimes it appears in dark imaginings. We’ll learn what the shadow can add to our creative writing by experimenting with timed writing, dream journals, guided imagery and Active Imagination.
read moreStart from scratch to write poems, read poems, learn about forms of poetry and discuss your work. We’ll use packets of poems, exercises, and essays supplied by the instructor. We’ll also use the 2019 Dodge Poetry Packet and another textbook to explore poetry.
read moreExplore the possibilities of the prose poem. Each week, we'll read and discuss examples of prose poems (historic and contemporary), then use these conversations to inspire us as we write prose poems of our own.
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