It’s a new year, and writers are ready to do their thing … WRITE!
If you’d like some company or guidance on your writing journey, here are a few writing workshops/classes offered in January and February. All classes are online (Zoom) unless otherwise indicated.
If you are an instructor and have a writing class you think would benefit the Writer-ish community, you can submit it here for consideration. To be notified of upcoming classes and discounts, join the Writer-ish newsletter.
1/7 Intersectionality: Manuscript Workshop
with Dr. Stephanie Han. January 7 – March 11, 2025, Tuesdays from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm PST. Zoom workshop. $1,199. Sign up here.
The goal of this multi-genre workshop is to work towards the completion of a manuscript with the support of women who believe in your journey as a writer. This workshop honors your voice and is a place to receive feedback for the narrative that only you can write, the story(ies) that you are meant to tell. Your project may be a book of essays, short stories, or a longer work-in-progress. With helpful comments and the polishing of craft skills, you will write to the best of your ability. Your story is significant, and you and your peers agree to help each other write emotional truths on the page—fiction or non-fiction.
1/8 The Magic of Micro Prose
with Darien Hsu Gee (Craft Talks). January 8, 2025, Wednesday at 11:00 am -12:15 pm PST. Zoom workshop. $15 early bird; $25. Registration opens at the end of November; sign up here.
Micro prose — stories told in 300 words or less — provides an opportunity for more, not less. Learn how this short but versatile form can amplify your creative nonfiction work (memoir, personal essay), even poetry and fiction.
We’ll look at examples of micro in the world, how you can begin writing micro right away, and submission opportunities as you ready your work for the world. Darien will share her methods for drafting, crafting, and revising micro prose. If you’ve ever been curious about micro, now’s a great time to add this powerful form to your writer’s toolbox.
1/8 Writing the Family Narrative
with Darien Hsu Gee (UCLA Extension). January 8 – March 18th, 2025. Asynchronous* online workshop. $720. Sign up here.
As writers, our ancestral history breathes through our bodies and appears on the written page, whether we realize it or not. The stories of those who came before us—and the legacies they bear, for better or worse—are what we carry. We’ll use family history, gossip, and lore, as well as photographs, ephemera, and other available documentation to discover the factual and emotional truths of ourselves and our families. We’ll explore different ways to tell these stories, even when little information is known. Each week we’ll build a small body of hybrid creative nonfiction work and look at what these narratives say about us and the people in our lives.
*This online course is conducted through Canvas, a secure website that allows students to log in to access lectures, discussions, and other course materials on demand. There are no required live class meetings. Each course is structured with weekly assignments and deadlines. Lectures and coursework are accessible throughout the week. Workshops are conducted in writing via discussion boards with your instructor and classmates.
1/11 Women’s Creative Writing Workshop
with Dr. Stephanie Han. January 11, 2025 – February 1, 2025, Saturdays from 9:00 am to 11:00 am PST. Zoom workshop. $399. Sign up here.
The Women’s Creative Writing Workshop is a mixed level two-hour generative writing workshop. Published authors, journalists, and creative writers attend this class. This is designed for women to express their emotional truth (writing fact or fiction) and to further their voices. This class addresses craft skills and creative process of narrative across fiction, memoir, and creative non-fiction. You will leave class with improved writing skills and a clear understanding of your writing strengths, process, and literary interests.
1/14 Alphabetical: A Memoir Essay Chapbook
with Darien Hsu Gee (Hugo House). January 14 – February 18th, 2025, Tuesdays from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm PST. Zoom workshop. $608. Registration links live in November; sign up here.
Unlock the power of personal narratives through the unique lens of the alphabet. In this 10-week workshop, you'll craft 26 short memoir essays (50-500 words each), inspired by the abecedarian format. Perfect for writers of all levels, this class offers a fresh approach to your memoir and personal essay, revealing unexpected insights in your life experiences and everyday observations.
Taking inspiration from Amy Krouse Rosenthal's Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life, Bloomsbury's Object Lesson series, Naomi Cohn’s Braille Encyclopedia, and Miranda Keeling's The Year I Stopped to Notice, we'll delve into the objects, people, and places of your life, creating short essays (50-500 words each) that capture a slice of your lived experience.
2/1 Using Micro Memoirs to Tell your Story
with Darien Hsu Gee (UCLA Extension). February 1, 2025, Saturday from 10:00 am to 11:30 am PST. Zoom workshop. Sign up for the free session here.
Discover the power of brevity with micro memoirs, a thriving literary form that packs a punch in 300 words or less. We'll explore how these concise narratives can illuminate your life experiences in profound and impactful ways. You'll gain practical tips on how to start crafting your own micro memoirs and learn strategies for integrating these compact stories into larger memoir or creative nonfiction projects, drawing inspiration from bestselling authors who have mastered this potent storytelling technique.
One-on-One Literary Consults and Coaching Sessions
with Darien Hsu Gee (writer-ish.com). Helping writers get unstuck is one of my superpowers, as is amplifying your writing and strategizing a literary career. Let me help you get to where you want to go!
- Not sure if one-on-one coaching is for you? Schedule a 30-minute complimentary session to see if working together might be a fit. Sign up here.
- Know what you need and you’re all in? Buy a bundle of 4 hours for $500 and save $100.
- Already paid and need to schedule a session? Go to my calendar here.
A literary consult and/or coaching session is an opportunity for you to discuss and receive guidance on your writing, your writing process, and/or your literary career. These sessions are helpful if you need to troubleshoot a troubled manuscript, want insight into the publishing process, or are ready for someone to cheer you on as you strive to meet your goals. How you use this time is up to you, or let me guide our time based on a few thoughtful questions at the start of our session. If you’d like me to review any work with you, we would do this live during our time together; you’ll receive submission/share instructions prior to our meeting.
Looking for more resources? Micro Memoir workshops are available here. If you’re looking for inspiration, you can find a new writing prompt every Monday here.