The Writer's Guide Fall 2017 by The Writer's Center

Fall 2017

THE WRITERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S GUIDE

First Novel Prize Winner Nadine Darling on

She Came from Beyond! pg

Online Workshops

Write with us from anywhere pg

Course Schedule pg

Events pg

writer.org

Join the growing trend of writers everywhere who have decided to take control of publishing their own work and Publish Now. This well-researched compendium and analysis: •DEMONSTRATES how to publish efficiently at minimal cost. •DEMONSTRATES how to properly prepare your manuscript for publication. •REVIEWS over 25 Print on Demand (POD) publishers that specialize in self-published books. •REVIEWS the services offered by these POD publishers. •COMPARES the costs and benefits of those services. •ALERTS you about the services to avoid. •SUGGESTS appropriate publishers for your book. •SH •SHOWS how to utilize social media and the Internet to market your book beyond your personal universe.

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A necessary book for:

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Get your copy today! $11.99 at nealpgillenbooks.com, www.createspace.com/5609309 or www.amazon.com

The Writer’s Center The Writer’s Guide Fall 2017

writer.org

DEPARTMENTS

Editor

A NOTE FROM JOHN HILL 5

INSTRUCTOR BIOS 26

WORKSHOPS:

EVENTS 10

Schedule 13 Online 16 Descriptions 17

Vanessa Mallory Kotz

vanessa.mallorykotz@writer.org

Contributors

Fran Abrams Sunil Freeman Martha Horne Michael Kirkland Meenakshi Mohan Ann Quinn Henry Shuldiner

ON THE SCENE 34 REGISTRATION 39

FEATURES 6 First Novel Prize Winner Nadine Darling’s She Came from Beyond! is our first comic novel to win the McLaughlin-Esstman-Stearns First Novel Prize. Read about her unsual protagonist, Easy Hardwick, a cable space babe, who’s life is anything but easy.

Graphic Design

Virtually Detailed, Inc. Copyeditor

9 National Novel Writing Month

Laura Spencer

November is NaNoWriMo, a collective challenge to write a 50,000 word novel in one month. We’ve got all the tips to help you through it.

Interns

Henry Shuldiner Alec Woodard

30 Writing Forward

Cover Image

In collaboration with Bethesda Cares, The Writer’s Center launched a new outreach program in May that offers creative writing workshops to people transitioning out of homelessness.

Illustration from cover of the paperback edition of She Came from Beyond! Courtesy of Overlook Press www.overlookpress.com

32 From the Workshops In this issue, poems rule with thougths about nature, time, and Tinker Bell.

Ganesh, by workshop participant Meenakshi Mohan. “O’elephant headed and large bodied Lord, radiant as a thousand Suns, I ask for your grace, so I may accomplish my goals without any hindrances!”

The Writer’s Center

cultivates the creation, publication, presentation, and dissemination of literary work. We are an independent literary organization with a global reach, rooted in a dynamic community of writers. As one of the premier centers of its kind in the country, we believe the craft of writing is open to people of all backgrounds and ages. Writing is interdisciplinary and unique among the arts for its ability to touch on all aspects of the human experience. It enriches our lives and opens doors to knowledge and understanding. The Writer’s Center is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization. Donations are tax deductible. A copy of our current financial statement is available upon request. Contact The Writer’s Center at 4508 Walsh Street, Bethesda, MD 20815. Documents and information submitted to the State of Maryland under the Maryland Charitable Solicitations Act are available from the Office of the Secretary of State for the cost of copying and postage.

for the most up-to-date news and information, visit www.writer.org

A NOTE FROM THE BOARD CHAIR

Photo by Judson Battaglia

Dear Writer’s Center Community, The book covers on these pages are just a small sample of volumes published by workshop participants, instructors, and Writer’s Center leadership. From commanding poet and instructor Sandra Beasley’s Count the Waves to former receptionist Katherine Hill’s The Violet Hour; from workshop participant Christina Kovac’s The Cutaway to former Board Chair Sally Mott Freeman’s The Jersey Brothers—recently endorsed by both Hilary Clinton and Karl Rove— the quality of these books is remarkable. Their work has been recognized by critics, readers, and awards. This is why we do what we do at The Writer’s Center—help writers improve their craft and encourage them to publish. Former Board Chair Jim Mathews, for example, started here as a workshop participant. After publishing his award-winning book inspired by his military experiences, Last Known Position, he became an instructor who eventually helped Sally Mott Freeman workshop early chapters of her book. Our writers have a long history of success, and we look forward to more in the future. We have a great set of programs coming up this fall. On October 26, Honorary Board Member and celebrated author

Alice McDermott visits to talk about her new book, The Ninth Hour. She will also discuss the art of writing with Washington Post Columnist Bob Levey (see pg. 11) In November, we will be your resource for participation in National Novel Writing Month with a range of programs (pg. 9). On December 17, we celebrate the season with our annual Holiday Book Fair, where you can meet editors of small presses and literary journals while having a cup of cheer (pg. 11). And, I’m especially pleased to announce our newest community outreach program, Writing Forward. The program, in collaboration with Bethesda Cares, offers creative writing workshops for people who’ve experienced homelessness (pg. 30). There have been recent leadership changes at The Writer’s Center. In April, Ed Spitzberg stepped down as Executive Director. In immediate response, the Board of Directors began a thoughtful process to hire a new director, initially with invaluable assistance from the head of the nonprofit division of Raffa, a prominent executive search firm. In the meantime, Elizabeth D. Cummings has taken on the role of Interim Executive Director. She has 30 years of experience in member relations and financial services and is active in the Kensington literary community. “As a long-time local resident and a voracious reader, I am happy to come out of retirement and help TWC during the interim,” she said. Cummings has already made strides beyond keeping the Center running. Her efforts to clear out clutter and make our spaces more warm and welcoming are apparent as soon as you walk

for the most up-to-date news and information, visit www.writer.org

in the door, and she has been working hard on making policies and workplace procedures more efficient. This includes detailed meetings with the Board’s Renovation Committee and our architect, Mark McInturff. Our renovation plans for the first level are now firmly scheduled for March 2018. We are all grateful for and impressed with her energy and insight during this transitional period. On a personal note, I have been part of The Writer’s Center since our early days in Glen Echo, and I have full confidence in the Center’s resilience. Although we have experienced a little stormy weather, I have no doubt that clear skies are ahead.

Regards to all,

John M. Hill, Board Chair

2016 First Novel Prize Winner Nadine Darling’s She Came from Beyond! By Henry Shuldiner

n She Came from Beyond! (Overlook Press, 2015), author Nadine Darling beautifully juxtaposes the preposterous and sometimes depressing circumstances of her protagonist (and minor sci-fi celebrity), Easy Hardwick, with comical, confident, and sensible narration. The most recent winner of The Writer’s Center’s McLaughlin-Esstman-Stearns First Novel Prize, this romp through popular culture and the difficulties of daily life is the first comic novel to win the award. “The pain of the world is better and more concisely interpreted with some humor and some kind of familiarity,” Darling said. In the book, Easy makes her living by acting in a sci-fi parody TV show while living in Troubadour, a small Oregon town. She spends much of her free time commenting/posting in online forums, mainly a message board about movies named “Cool News.” During the hours she spends online, she meets another user, Harrison, and the two begin to casually flirt. They meet up at a comic con-style convention, and before she knows it, Easy is pregnant with their twins. To complicate matters, Harrison admits that he is married and already has two children of his own. Full of quips that often make the reader laugh out loud, the novel manages to impart comical insight about serious topics like divorce and eating disorders. Born and raised in San Francisco, near the Castro District, Darling moved to

Oregon when she was 23 to live with her sister. There, she felt an alien yet familiar sense of belonging. “I would stop in the middle of the day and be like, ‘oh, hey, I’m in Oregon,’” said Darling. “I felt a freedom there I have never felt anywhere else.” She lived in Oregon until age 29 when she headed east to Boston. Darling found inspiration for the book from her time spent in Oregon. “I specifically wrote things I had some understanding of, places I knew, settings,” she said. “And movies—the sad, weird alignment between suffering and the things we do/watch/read to distract us from suffering.” Darling admits certain nostalgia when writing about Oregon, but it wasn’t only because of place. “[The nostalgia] I feel is very closely linked with being a young adult,” said Darling. “Moving to Massachusetts cemented that I wasn’t a kid; it closed the door on that.” Choosing to use first person point-ofview allowed Darling to write with a certain stream-of-consciousness and from experience. “You write ‘I’ and your brain thinks, ‘Oh, yes, me,’” she said. Much of the story, however, is an intricate combination of imagination and fantasy. Darling admits to living vicariously through Easy, “The idea of being a horror host, [sic] I’d long felt was a dream job.” But even with the comic nature of the novel, Darling found herself pondering where some of the darker situations in the story originated. “[Easy’s] life is spent shuttling between supermodels and dank, depressing

places,” Darling explained. “I’ll look back at passages and think, ‘Wow where did that come from?’” Along with Darling’s own experiences, popular culture references play a heavy role in the plot. Darling cites growing up in Generation X as a motive. “We bond over pop culture, and back then we had so many fewer choices, so there’s a lot of shared experience,” Darling reflected. “Easy is, of course, just saturated in pop culture, she works in pop culture, so it’s almost a business prerequisite.” Easy’s self-deprecating moments and vivid descriptions—particularly of “nerd culture”—make the sometimes-selfish narrator more relatable. “I’m that kind of person that really gets excited about things in pop culture like

Workshop & Event Guide Fall 2017

. . . ultimately, I just had to accept that she is flawed and keeps trying despite these flaws. She’s still lovable in a real bastard sort of way. movie trailers and new books, and I love having an obsession, said Darling. “The more pretentious part of my personality would probably like to be less easily swayed by trends and so forth, but that inner kid always wins out in the end.” Creating a nuanced character is no simple feat as most writers can attest, and it was no different for Darling when crafting Easy. Inventing a protagonist who’s not very likeable was one of the most difficult tasks. “She’s a selfish ass. . . . She’s made selfish choices that have affected the lives of other people, including children; she’s basically a user of people,” said Darling. “But ultimately, I just had to accept that she is flawed and keeps trying despite these flaws. She’s still lovable in a real bastard sort of way.” The name “Easy” came to her because, first, Darling wanted a name that she “wouldn’t be sick of after 300 pages,” and second, because “it really reflected her commitment to things, or rather, her non-commitment.” Harrison, the father of Easy’s twins, was named by the author’s stepson. “It stuck very well with the pop culture narrative because who is a more charismatic leading man than Harrison Ford?” Other names are from the video game Silent Hill, a Japanese survival horror video game. “[Silent Hill] has had a massive influence on me in terms of writing and atmosphere,” Darling said. “I’ve always felt that the town of Troubadour is like if Medford and Silent Hill had a baby.” This is an excellent example of Darling’s ability to mesh popular culture with history and geography into a cohesive whole.

About the First Novel Prize

very year, The Writer’s Center awards $500 to the author of an exceptional first novel published in the previous calendar year. Conceived and funded by former Board Member Neal P. Gillen, the McLaughlin-Esstman-Stearns First Novel Prize honors three dedicated writers and members of The Writer’s Center faculty—Ann McLaughlin, Barbara Esstman, and Lynn Stearns—each of whom have unselfishly nourished and inspired students and fellow writers.

Photo courtesy of Overlook Press

In addition to the difficulty inherent in writing a novel, Darling is quite open about the daunting task of seeking a publisher. “It’s very overwhelming to write a book and then just step out into the void. No agent, no publisher,” Darling admited. “There’s that feeling of ‘what if this was all for naught? What if I pour everything into this and people hate it and, by extension, me?’ But you have to go through it if it’s what you want, and you may have to start over and go through it again. But at the end of it, it was worth every second, every inconvenience—all the lost sleep.”

Darling comes to The Writer’s Center for a reading and book signing on Saturday, September 30 at 2 p.m. Follow her on Twitter @darling_nadine

for the most up-to-date news and information, visit www.writer.org

Books are judged on a number of criteria, including but not limited to quality and originality of character, setting, plot, and language. Ten judges participated in the evaluation process and concluded She Came From Beyond! was the best of the bunch. Lawrence Paulson, one judge, said, “What made She Came from Beyond! stand out was the distinctive nature of the author’s voice. It was quirky, wry, and absolutely self-assured.” Paulson has participated as a judge in the contest for three years. “You look for the consistency and authenticity of the voice, the ability of the author to create convincing characters, the quality of the prose, and the overall impact of the narrative,” added Paulson. “She Came from Beyond! was a standout on all fronts.”

IN MEMORIAM

The Writer’s Center

In Memoriam Ann McLaughlin O

n Saturday, March 25, 2017, The Writer’s Center paid tribute to one of our founders, novelist and beloved workshop leader Ann McLaughlin. The room was packed with people and flowing with hydrangeas in her favorite colors—blue and white. The speeches were touching, funny, and literary, and love for her filled the evening. Ann McLaughlin, Ph.D., led workshops in novel, short story, and journal writing at The Writer’s Center for 25 years and was on the Board of Directors. She published eight novels, most recently Amy & George. Earlier novels include Lightning in July, The Balancing Pole, Sunset at Rosalie, Maiden Voyage, The House on Q Street, and Leaving Bayberry House. She was awarded eleven fellowships at Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, one at Yaddo, and one at Laverny, Switzerland. “She was a lovely and devoted member of the Center and of the Board,” said Board Chair John Hill. “A gifted novelist, she gave of her time and grace to bring workshop instructors together and to celebrate the Center’s literary activities.” The prolific author and animal lover donated the fireplace in the Jane Fox Reading Room in honor of her husband, Charlie—offering warmth to anyone who visits. In her honor, The Writer’s Center has named her favorite classroom on the lower level the Ann McLaughlin Room. Her name will grace the entrance and posters of her book covers will decorate the walls. We will miss you, Ann.

From top, clockwise: Ann McLaughlin hosts her famous workshop leader potluck—an annual tradition through 2014; Ann paints the kitchen in the Walsh Street building. The Writer’s Center hosted a memorial event filled with flowers, beautiful tributes, and lots of love for the author: Longtime friend and workshop leader Solveig Eggers kicks off the evening’s program; Assistant Director Sunil Freeman swaps tales with author Mary Kay Zuravleff; Former Executive Director Gregory Robison, Former Board Member Neal Gillen, Former Board Chair Sally Mott Freeman, and Former Vice Chair Mier Wolf; Ellen McLaughlin (daughter) and her husband, Rinde Eckert; Rinde plays and sings for the packed crowd, bringing out both laughs and tears. Photos by Vanessa Mallory Kotz, except Ann in the kitchen.

Workshop & Event Guide Fall 2017

November is National Novel Writing Month N

ational Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) challenges writers from all over the world to write a 50,000-word novel in just 30 days. Participants must write an average of approximately 1,667 words each day in November to reach the goal. To register as an official participant, create a profile on the NaNoWriMo website at www.nanowrimo.org. Then tap into the additional resources they have available. Track your word count and daily average and earn badges for milestones. The site and other participants keep you motivated and hold you accountable. Also read advice from authors who have completed this challenge in the past. They have valuable insight to keep writers inspired and concentrated. Here are five of their best tips: • Ignore word count at first, then go back and flesh out or cut down as needed. • Use [brackets] and go back later to fill things in. Keep writing; don’t get hung up on details!

Novel Worksho ps T

his Fall

Intro to the N ovel T. Greenwood - 8/25-10/13 Novel Year P rogram Susan Coll - 9/ 12/17–7/31/1 8 Your First No vel Kathryn Johnso n - 9/16 The Extreme Novelist II Kathryn Johnso n - 9/27-11/15 Plotting Your Novel (Onlin e) Tammy Green wood - 10/2011/10 How to Write a Novel (Hill Center) John Dedakis 11/1 From Novice to Novelist (H ill Center) John Dedakis 11/4

• If you have a paragraph that reads exactly how you want your novel to sound, print it out and post it somewhere you can see it. • Keep rituals: drink a cup of coffee before writing, listen to a whole song, or anything that will ease you into your flow. • If someone asks you to do something during your writing time, say no.

NaNoWriMo Studio Special

Save 50% A workshop to get you prepped for success! NaNoWriMo 101 (Bethesda) Claire Handscombe - 10/19

Our bright, beautiful space is just the spot for emerging and seasoned writers to pound out those 1,667 words a day. During the month of November, reserve a spot for only $50! Lockers available for a modest fee. Call the front office at 301-654-8664 to subscribe.

Yes, it’s crazy, and yet, books like Water for Elephants and The Night Circus were born during National Novel Writing Month. Is it for you? How does it work? What are the strategies for surviving and thriving during the month? What can you expect to get out of it? Come and find out the logistics, and how best to prepare for the fun adventure that is NaNoWriMo.

for the most up-to-date news and information, visit www.writer.org

EVENTS

The Writer’s Center

open door readings EVENTS

Join us most SATURDAYS at 2 p.m. for readings with emerging and established writers. Hear from major voices and come out to support rising talent!

Sept 9

Joseph Ross and Robert Earl Price Ross reads from his third collection of poems, Ache, exploring John Coltrane songs, Trayvon Martin’s murder and the trial of George Zimmerman, poems in the voice of Nelson Mandela, and more. Robert Earl Price, playwright and author of four poetry collections, also joins us from The Maryland Poetry Circuit, a program bringing Maryland poets to audiences throughout the state.

Nov 4

Washington Writers’ Publishing House Contest Winners We continue a longstanding tradition with a reading by winners of the Washington Writers’ Publishing House fiction and poetry competitions. Jacob Weber reads from Dogs and Days Don’t Want to be Called. He is joined by poet Nicole Tong, author of How to Prove a Theory.

Joseph Ross

Sept 23

Melissa Castillo-Garsow and E. Ethelbert Miller Join editor Melissa Castillo-Garsow and E. Ethelbert Miller as they read from and discuss Manteca!: An Anthology of Afro-Latin@ Poets, published by Arte Publico. The collection, comprised of work from more than 40 poets, is the first poetry anthology to highlight writings by Latinos of African descent.

Nov 11

J.M. Tyree and Gary Fincke Tyree, nonfiction editor of New England Review, reads from Vanishing Streets: Journeys in London. Poet and fiction writer Gary Fincke reads from Bringing Back the Bones. Fincke’s awards include the Flannery O’Connor Award for Short Fiction, a PEN Syndicated Fiction Prize, and two Pushcart Prizes.

Oct 7

Nov 18

Oct 14

Dec 9

Fleda Brown and Shirley Brewer Poet, essayist, and former Delaware Poet Laureate Fleda Brown reads from her latest collection, The Woods Are on Fire. She will be joined by Shirley Brewer, a poet active in the Baltimore and Annapolis literary communities, who reads from Bistro in Another Realm. 3 p.m. Melissa Scholes Young, Miranda Pennington, and Iggy McGovern Scholes Young reads from Flood, her debut novel set in Mark Twain’s hometown of Hannibal, Missouri. She is joined by Pennington, whose nonfiction book is a celebration of the power of literature, A Girl Walks Into a Book. Rounding out the reading is visiting Irish poet and physicist Iggy McGovern, author of The Eyes of Isaac Newton.

Iggy McGovern

Oct 21

Lola Haskins, Nancy Naomi Carlson, and Katherine Young Haskins reads from her most recent collection, How Small, Confronting Morning, along with Carlson, who introduces us to translations of poems by René Char. They are joined by Young, author of Day of the Border Guards, a University of Arkansas Miller Williams Prize Finalist and recipient of a 2017 NEA Translation fellowship.

Gary Fincke

Delmarva Review Reading Celebrate the 10th Anniversary Issue of Delmarva Review. Editors of and contributors to the special issue will read, including: Philip Barbara, David Bergman, Lisa Lynn Biggar, Ginny Fite, Jeremy Griffin, Ivy Grimes, Desiree Magney, Susan Mockler, Leslie Pietrzyk, and Jessamine Price.

Knocking on the Door of the White House: Latin and Latino Poets in Washington, D.C. Join editor José Ballesteros and poets published in the bilingual anthology Knocking on the Door of the White House, the first Spanish/English anthology of Latinx poetry from the Washington metropolitan Area.

Dec 16

Emerging Writer Reading: Lindsey Royce and Jim Mattson Our program features authors with first books. Lindsey Royce reads from Bare Hands, a collection of poems praised by Molly Peacock as a “virtuoso debut.” Novelist James Mattson reads from The Lost Prayers of Ricky Graves. Both writers explore trauma and the struggle for redemption.

Lindsey Royce

POETRY & PROSE OPEN MIC - December 2 Don’t be shy! Share your latest poem, flash fiction, or short excerpt from a larger work. Sign-up begins at 1:30 p.m., and the reading starts at 2 p.m.

Workshop & Event Guide Fall 2017

Lunch Time Lit Sep 22 & Nov10 at Noon Lunch Time Lit is a short, free program for professionals that offers advice and expertise to writers. This season, mentor Patty Alper will discuss the publishing process and that big question once you get published, “Now what?” This program is free, but pre-registration is required. Please email laura.spencer@writer.org to reserve your seat. *Participants are invited to bring their own bagged lunch. Refreshments will be provided.

First Novel Prize Winner: Nadine Darling

Sally Mott Freeman on The Jersey Brothers and Its Skyrocketing Fame Nov. 16, 7 p.m.; Members-only reception at 6:30 p.m. Endorsed by both Hilary Clinton and Karl Rove, The Jersey Brothers: A Missing Naval Officer in the Pacific and His Family’s Quest to Bring Him Home, is a first effort from former Writer’s Center Board Chair Sally Mott Freeman. She is riding a wave a success for what The New York Times calls a “Highly dramatic history. [Mott’s] book is liable to break the hearts of Unbroken fans, and it’s all true.”

Alice McDermott in Conversation with Washington Post Columnist Bob Levey

Sept. 30th at 2 p.m. Nadine Darling, winner of the 2016 McLaughlin-Esstman-Stearns First Novel Prize, will read from She Came from Beyond!, a novel that chronicles the adventures of Easy Hardwick, a celebrity in the small town of Troubadour, Oregon, where she’s an actor on a cable access Sci-Fi parody show. Darling’s voice is quick-witted and finds comedic moments even in tragedy. Read her interview on p. 6.

October 26th at 7 p.m.; Members-only reception at 6:30 p.m.

Alice McDermott

Holiday Book Fair

F. Scott Fitzgerald Literary Festival Award Annie Proulx

McDermott and Levey will discuss elements of craft developed in the award-winning author’s latest book, The Ninth Hour. This event is free, but pre-registration is required. Email vanessa.mallorykotz@writer.org to ensure a seat.

December 17 12 to 3 p.m.

Friday, October 20th at 7 p.m.

To cap off this year’s F. Scott Fitzgerald Literary Festival, The Writer’s Center is proud to host the ceremony and reading for the festival’s 2017 award recipient, Annie Proulx. Her work has earned numerous awards, among them the National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize, some of which have been adapted into Academy Award winning films. Proulx will be joined by Marita Golden, Francisco Goldman, and David Goodrich for the reading. A book signing and reception follows. This event is free.

Small press publishers, editors of local literary journals, workshop leaders, and staff from The Writer’s Center will be on hand to offer advice and help you select gifts for all the readers in your life, including books, literary journals, and gift certificates for workshops. At 1:30 p.m., we host our second annual Members-Only Editor Speed Dating. Bring a poem or up to five pages of prose for an editor to read and give you feedback, as well as ideas on where to submit for publication.

for the most up-to-date news and information, visit www.writer.org

EVENTS

WORKSHOP GUIDELINES WORKSHOP GUIDELINES Learning to write is an ongoing process that requires time and practice. Our writing workshops are for everyone, from novices to seasoned writers looking to improve their skills, to published authors seeking refinement and feedback, to professionals with an eye on competition. Group settings encourage the writing process by teaching writers to prioritize and to help each other using many skills at once. From our workshops, participants can expect: • Guidance and encouragement from a published, working writer; • Instruction on technical aspects such as structure, diction and form; • Kind, honest, constructive feedback directed at individual work; • Peer readers/editors who act as “spotters” for sections of writing that need attention, and who become your community of working colleagues even after the workshop is completed; • Tips on how to keep writing and integrate this “habit of being” into your life; • Tactics for getting published; • Time to share work with other writers and read peers’ work, and • Help with addressing trouble areas and incorporating multiple, sometimes conflicting, ideas into a revision.

• Learning the elements of poetry, playwriting, fiction, memoir, etc.; • Identifying your writing strengths and areas of opportunity and • Gaining beginning mastery of the basic tools of all writing, such as concise, accurate language, and learning how to tailor them to fit your style.

We strongly suggest that newcomers start with a beginner-level workshop. They are structured to help you discover the fundamentals of creative writing, such as: • Getting your ideas on the page; • Choosing a genre and the shape your material should take;

the pool of applicants; selection is competitive.

REGISTRATION Workshop registration is available online at www.writer.org, in person at The Writer’s Center, via mail, online or by phone at (301) 654-8664.

INTERMEDIATE LEVEL

refund policy

These workshops will build on skills you developed in the beginner level, and are designed for writers who have: • Critiqued some published works; • Taken a beginner-level workshop; • Achieved some grace in using the tools of language and form and • Have projects in progress they want to develop further.

To receive a credit, you must notify TWC by e-mail ( judson.battaglia@writer.org) within the drop period. • Full refunds are given only when TWC cancels a workshop. • Workshop participants who have enrolled in and paid for a workshop and choose to withdraw from it within the drop period (see below) will receive a full credit to their account that can be used within one year to pay for another workshop and/or a membership.

ADVANCED LEVEL Participants should have manuscripts that have been critiqued in workshops at the intermediate level and have been revised substantially. This level offers:

Find Your Niche

• Focus on the final revision and completion of a specific work; • Fast-paced setting with higher expectations of participation and • Deep insight and feedback.

MASTER LEVEL

BEGINNER LEVEL

The Writer’s Center

Master classes are designed for writers who have taken several advanced workshops and have reworked a manuscript into what they believe is its final form. Master classes are unique opportunities to work in smaller groups with distinguished writers on a specific project or manuscript. Workshop leaders select participants from

The Writer’s Center recognizes that all writers and styles are unique! Our staff can help you find the right course(s) for your level of experience, preferred genre and overall goals. Call us at (301) 654-8664.

Drop Period for Credit 5 or more sessions: 48 hours notice required before the second meeting 4 or fewer sessions: 48 hours notice required before the first meeting 12

Workshop & Event Guide Fall 2017

ADULTS WRITE FOR CHILDREN (PAGE 17 ) LEADER

DATES

DAY

TIME

LEVEL

Writing Picture Books

Mary Quattlebaum

10/5–10/19

7–9:30 p.m.

ALL

Writing a Middle Grade/Young Adult Novel

Eva Langston

10/16–11/20

7:15–9 p.m.

B/I

Creating Memorable Characters for Young Readers

Jacqueline Jules

11/7–11/14

10:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. ALL

FICTION (PAGES 17–20)

LEADER

DATES

DAY

TIME

LEVEL

4 Stories, 4 Weeks

Caroline Bock

9/12–10/3

10:30 a.m.–1 p.m.

ALL

Fiction I: Story Writing*

Con Lehane

9/12–10/17

6:30–9 p.m.

Whodunnit? Writing the Mystery

Alan Orloff

9/16

10 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

B/I

Write, Revise, Submit

Marija Stajic

9/16–11/4

10:30 a.m.–1 p.m.

I/A

Speculative Writing Workshop

Tara Campbell

9/23

10 a.m.–12 p.m.

The Extreme Novelist II

Kathryn Johnson

9/27–11/15

7–9:30 p.m.

I/A

Plein Air Creative Writing

Lisa Leibow

9/27–11/1

10:30 a.m.–1 p.m.

ALL

Scene Building

Kathryn Johnson

9/30

10 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

ALL

Writing the Horror Story

Alex Smith

10/4–11/1

7–9:30 p.m.

I/A

Short Story Skeletons

Julie Wakeman-Linn

10/4

7–9 p.m.

ALL

Advanced Science Fiction

Gina Hagler

10/5–11/9

7:30–9:30 p.m.

Strong Beginnings

Lynn Schwartz

10/14

9:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

ALL

NaNoWriMo 101

Claire Handscombe

10/19

7–9 p.m.

ALL

Elements of Fiction: Dialogue

Alan Orloff

10/21

10 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

Write Tight!

Alan Orloff

10/21

2–4:30 p.m.

Characters We Love...or Love to Hate

Kathryn Johnson

10/21

10 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

ALL

The No-Homework Fiction Workshop

Alicia Oltuski

10/25–11/15

6:30–8:30 p.m.

ALL

Beginning Fantasy & Science Fiction

Brenda W. Clough

10/26–11/2

7:30–9:30 p.m.

How to Write a Novel*

John DeDakis

11/1

10 a.m.–12 p.m.

B/I

From Novice to Novelist*

John DeDakis

11/4

10 a.m.–4 p.m.

Creating Unforgettable Characters

Michael Burns

11/4–11/11

10 a.m.–2 p.m.

ALL

Conflict, Tension, and Pacing

Kathryn Johnson

11/4

10 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

ALL

Great Beginnings

Kathryn Johnson

11/18

10 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

ALL

Beginning Fantasy & Science Fiction

Brenda W. Clough

11/28–12/5

7:30–9:30 p.m.

B—beginner

I—intermediate

A—advanced

M—master

ALL—all levels

—online class

* Indicates workshops held at one of our satellite locations. Please see descriptions for more information. for the most up-to-date news and information, visit www.writer.org

SCHEDULE

FALL WORKSHOP SCHEDULE

The Writer’s Center

SCHEDULE

FICTION continued (PAGES 17–20)

LEADER

DATES

DAY

TIME

LEVEL

Intro to Flash Fiction

Tara Campbell

12/2

10 a.m.–12 p.m.

How to Write a Novel

John DeDakis

12/6

10 a.m.–12 p.m.

B/I

From Novice to Novelist

John DeDakis

12/9

10 a.m.–4 p.m.

MIXED GENRE (PAGES 20–21)

LEADER

DATES

DAY

TIME

LEVEL

Writing as a Path to Healing

Laura Probert

9/12–10/17

7–9 p.m.

ALL

Fall into Writing

Elizabeth Hazen and Jessica Anya Blau

9/16

11 a.m.–1 p.m.

ALL

Getting Started: Creative Writing*

Patricia Gray

9/16–10/7

1–4 p.m.

B/I

Your First Novel

Kathryn Johnson

9/16

10 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

ALL

Mix It Up: Writing + Art

Mary Quattlebaum and Joan Waites

9/21–9/28

7–9:30 p.m.

ALL

Developing A Satisfying Plot

Lynn Schwartz

9/23

9:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

ALL

When Everything Changed

Hildie Block

10/3–11/21

10:30 a.m.–1 p.m.

ALL

How to Write a Lot

Kathryn Johnson

10/7

10 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

ALL

Following the Narrative Arc

Marilyn W. Smith

10/12–11/16

1–3 p.m.

ALL

Befriending Your Inner Critic

Melanie Figg

10/14

1–4 p.m.

ALL

Getting Started: Creative Writing

Elizabeth Rees

10/23–12/11

7–9:30 p.m.

B/I

Applying For the M.F.A.

Claire Handscombe

10/26

7–9 p.m.

ALL

Applying Standup Comedy Techniques to Your Writing

Basil White

10/28–10/29

Sa/ Su

1–5 p.m.

ALL

Precision In Language

Virginia Hartman

10/28

1–4 p.m.

ALL

The Mindful Writing Workshop

Aaron Hamburger

11/7–11/14

7–9 p.m.

ALL

Expanding Your Social Media Presence

Claire Handscombe

11/9

7–9:30 p.m.

Write-In

Claire Handscombe

11/16

7–9 p.m.

ALL

Hooking Your Reader: Writing A Killer First Line

Meg Eden

12/16

10:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. ALL

NONFICTION (PAGES 21–22)

LEADER

DATES

DAY

TIME

LEVEL

Writing a Nonfiction Book Proposal

John Lingan

9/5–9/12

7–9 p.m.

Narrative Nonfiction I: Stories from Facts

Gina Hagler

9/12–10/17

7:30–9:30 p.m.

B/I

Finding Your Memoir Voice

Desirée Magney and Emily Rich

9/13–11/1

10:30 a.m.–1 p.m.

B/I

Perfect Pitch to Major Byline

Ellen Ryan

9/18–9/25

7–9 p.m.

I/A

Life Sentences: Your Journal and the Creative Life

Gregory Robison

9/18–10/23

7–9:30 p.m.

ALL

Travel Writing for Fun and Profit

Ellen Ryan

9/20–10/25

7–9:30 p.m.

B/I

Writing from Life

Ellen Herbert

10/11–12/6

10:30 a.m.–1 p.m.

ALL

The Art of Nonfiction

Mei Fong

10/14–10/28

10 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

Workshop & Event Guide Fall 2017

NONFICTION continued (PAGES 21—22)

LEADER

DATES

DAY

TIME

LEVEL

Narrative Nonfiction II: Stories from Facts

Gina Hagler

10/24–11/28

7:30–9:30 p.m.

I/A

Boot Camp for Writers

Beth Kanter

11/1–12/13

10:30 a.m.–1 p.m.

ALL

Readings in Narrative Nonfiction

Gina Hagler

11/30–12/21

7:30–9:30 p.m.

ALL

Life Stories Intensive

Lynn Schwartz

12/2

9:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

B/I

POETRY (PAGES 22–23 )

LEADER

DATES

DAY

TIME

LEVEL

The Poem Comes Alive*

Sandra Beasley

9/11–10/2

7–9 p.m.

I/A

Sonnet Crash Course

Claudia Gray

9/16

11 a.m.–1:30 p.m.

B/I

Rise/Write to the Challenge!

Melanie Figg

9/19–11/7

7–9 p.m.

I/A

Villanelle Crash Course

Claudia Gray

9/23

11 a.m.–1:30 p.m.

B/I

Turning Points: The Role of the Volta in Poetry Sue Ellen Thompson

9/24

1–4 p.m.

ALL

All About Tone

Sue Ellen Thompson

10/22

1–4 p.m.

ALL

A Crash Course in Prosody

Sue Ellen Thompson

12/10

12–4 p.m.

ALL

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND PUBLISHING (PAGES 23–24)

LEADER

DATES

DAY

TIME

LEVEL

Writing Your Business Book

Rob Jolles

9/11–10/2

7–9 p.m.

ALL

Crafting a More Marketable Manuscript

Katherine Pickett

9/14–9/15

Th/F

10–11:30 a.m.

ALL

Writing Persuasively for Publication

James Alexander

9/14–10/19

7–9:30 p.m.

Writing the Dreaded Query Letter

Alan Orloff

9/16

2–4:30 p.m.

ALL

Audiobooks 101

Patricia Gavin Sandberg

9/16

10 a.m.–4 p.m.

ALL

Self-Publishing Roundtable*

Cherrie Woods

9/23

1–3 p.m.

ALL

Keys to Publication Success

Julie Wakeman-Linn, Emily Rich, and Desiree Magney

9/27

7–9 p.m.

ALL

Choose Your Best Book-Publishing Path

Katherine Pickett

10/3–10/24

6:30–9 p.m.

I/A

Building Your Speaking Business

Rob Jolles

10/9–10/30

7–9 p.m.

ALL

Audiobooks 101*

Patricia Gavin Sandberg

10/21

10 a.m.–4 p.m.

ALL

Publishing in Literary Magazine

Meg Eden

12/2

10:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m.

ALL

Write Like the News

Hank Wallace

12/6

7–9 p.m.

ALL

STAGE AND SCREEN (PAGES 24–25)

LEADER

DATES

DAY

TIME

LEVEL

Elements of Playwriting: Exposition

Richard Washer

9/9

10 a.m.–1 p.m.

ALL

Elements of Playwriting: Character

Richard Washer

9/16

10 a.m.–1 p.m.

ALL

Introduction to Playwriting

Richard Washer

9/21–11/9

7:30–10 p.m.

Writing for TV & Films*

Khris Baxter

11/1

10 a.m.–4 p.m.

ALL

B—beginner

I—intermediate

A—advanced

M—master

ALL—all levels

—online class

* Indicates workshops held at one of our satellite locations. Please see descriptions for more information. for the most up-to-date news and information, visit www.writer.org

SCHEDULE

FALL WORKSHOP SCHEDULE

The Writer’s Center

SCHEDULE

ONLINE

LEADER

DATES

LEVEL

Intro to the Novel

T. Greenwood

8/25–10/13

Introduction to the Short Story

Christopher Linforth

9/11–10/30

ALL

Magic Realism

Rae Bryant

9/11–10/30

ALL

Creative Nonfiction I

Shannon Robinson

9/11–10/30

Poetry Chapbook Workshop

Meg Eden

9/11–10/2

I/A

Writing as Ritual: Building a Daily Poetry Practice

Mathias Svalina

9/18–10/23

ALL

Character and Voice

Selena Anderson

9/25–11/13

ALL

Getting Started: Creative Writing

Mathangi Subramanian

10/2–10/23

B/I

Poetry for Non-Poets

Mathangi Subramanian

10/2–10/23

Tell Your Stories: 4 Memoirs/Essays in 8 Weeks

Dave Singleton

10/3–11/21

I/A

Writing as Healing

Jenny J. Chen

10/7–11/11

ALL

Navigating the Publishing World

Kathryn Brown Ramsperger

10/11–10/25

ALL

Speculative Fiction

Selena Anderson

10/16–12/4

ALL

Plotting Your Novel

T. Greenwood

10/20–11/10

ALL

Poetry II: Refining Your Poetic Tools

Mathias Svalina

10/23–12/11

I/A

Flashbacks: Crafting Very Short Memoir

Tyrese L. Coleman

11/6–12/11

ALL

Foundations of Poetry

Meg Eden

11/6–11/27

Creating Novel Characters

T. Greenwood

11/10–12/1

ALL

Poetic Forms

Meg Eden

11/13–12/18

ALL

November 15 - December 17, 2017

A Coffin in Egypt by Horton Foote

St Nicholas by Conor McPherson

For performance dates and times, call 301-816-1023 or visit QuotidianTheatre.org

Workshop & Event Guide Fall 2017

FALL WORKSHOP SCHEDULE For THE MOST UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION & class descriptions, please visit WWW.writer.org Note: TWC will be closed Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day. etc.) but the emphasis will be on discovering the writing process that works best for each writer.

Writing Picture Books

8 Weeks N/A Online Beginner

Mary Quattlebaum Learn from the successful author of more than 25 awardwinning books for children. Each session will begin with a short discussion of an aspect of writing for children, including story openings, characterization, plot/pacing, rhythm/ sound, and marketing. Suggested readings, prompts, and feedback will inspire and guide writers. By the end of the workshop, participants should have written and/or revised part or all of a picture book and better understand how to create one in the future. Feel free to bring work to the first class (typed and double-spaced and with 16 copies). 3 Thursdays Bethesda

7–9:30 p.m. All Levels

10/5–10/19 $135

Writing a Middle Grade/Young Adult Novel Eva Langston Stop spinning your wheels and start writing your first draft! In this class, participants will generate ideas, write beginning scenes, and flesh out the plot for their novel. Learn about craft with a special focus on writing for young people. Each week participants will read examples from published books and complete writing exercises, as well as share and discuss their writing. By the end of the workshop, participants will have the beginning chapter(s) of a novel completed and a good idea of where to go next. 6 Mondays Bethesda

7:15–9 p.m. 10/16–11/20 Beginner/Intermediate $215

Creating Memorable Characters for Young Readers Jacqueline Jules How do you create a fictional character who will engage young readers from the first page? How can you make dialogue reveal your character’s personality? Explore the elements of crafting fictional characters, both realistic and imaginary, with the award-winning author of two characterbased series, “Zapato Power” and the “Sofia Martinez” series. The first session will involve writing exercises and discussion. The second meeting will explore the business of children’s publishing and provide an opportunity for participants to share their work. 2 Tuesdays Bethesda

10:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. All levels

11/7–11/14 $80

 Introduction

Participants will read classic and contemporary short stories, and then develop their own theories and opinions on the constituent elements of the genre. That is: what makes a short story, and more importantly, what makes a good short story. Through a set of writing exercises, participants will explore the craft of short fiction and establish a sound grasp of the essential building blocks: character, point of view, dialogue, setting, plot, structure, and theme. By the end of the course, participants will have written, workshopped, and revised a complete story and have plenty of material for more. 8 Weeks N/A Online Beginner

 Magic

Realism

Magic Realism is the sweet spot between realism and the fantastic—the form that will push your craft into new creative directions. Participants will read short works and excerpts from foundational authors Virginia Woolf, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Diane Williams, Kurt Vonnegut, and others. Participants will then learn to strengthen writing techniques based on feedback from the instructor and classmates. Goals are to generate new drafts of work, to further knowledge of form, and to provide an environment where participants may develop their individual voices. 8 Weeks Online

N/A All Levels

Share your business, book, or service with nearly 20,000 readers! For rates, visit writer.org/adrates rs Yea

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This workshop will clarify the process of writing a novel. It will focus on everything from generating ideas to developing characters to establishing point of view. Participants will discuss many elements of fiction (dialogue, scene,

9/11–10/30 $360

Advertise with Us

POET E& AG

Novel

9/11–10/30 $360

Rae Bryant

 Intro to the T. Greenwood

to the Short Story

Christopher Linforth

Fiction

8/25–10/13 $360

EVENTS

WORKSHOPS

BOOK TALK

ANT? AGENTS W WHAT DO PG

EVENTS PG

WORKSHOPS PG

BOOK TALK PG

Your

www.write

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Writin

Fall 2016

for the most up-to-date news and information, visit www.writer.org

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writer.o

Starts

Novel Year Program Susan Coll Fall: Every other Tuesday, from September 12 - December 12 Winter/Spring: Every other Tuesday from January 16 - June 26 Summer: Individual check-ins with instructor in July This bi-weekly, year-long program is intended to support serious novelists looking to complete and/or revise their novels. Novel Year participants will experience the rigor and structure of an M.F.A. program, but with less of an expense and time commitment. Working with a published novelist, ten participants will workshop approximately 300 pages of their novel-in-progress. Other benefits include: • Consistent writing deadlines, studying aspects of craft, and being part of a supportive community • Panels and Q&As with experts in the industry, including literary agents and visiting writers • Free access to the Studio at The Writer’s Center during the full year (valued at $1,000) • Free admission to literary events at the Center • Being a featured reader (reading worksin-progress) at the 2018 Bethesda Literary Festival Participants must have completed at least 100 pages of a novel before enrolling. To be admitted into the program, potential candidates will need to submit: • A one-page cover letter detailing their interest in the program. • A 25-page writing sample from their novel in progress. (Submissions must be double spaced and use a standard font.) Admissions will be on a rolling basis, and the number of participants will be limited to ten, so participants are encouraged to submit early. Send your submission to laura.spencer@writer.org.

Here

Tuesdays Bethesda

7–9:30 p.m. 9/12–7/31 Master $5,000/$4,500 M

SCHEDULE

Adults Write for Children

FALL WORKSHOP SCHEDULE 4 Stories, 4 Weeks Caroline Bock Start out short with flash and move to longer pieces over four weeks. Participants will produce at least four new pieces of fiction generated by in-class prompts, exercises, and revision. Readings, in and out of class, writing assignments, and a discussion of craft and the publishing process will get participants set for a season of writing. 4 Tuesdays Bethesda

10:30 a.m.–1 p.m. All Levels

9/12–10/3 $195

SCHEDULE

Fiction I: Story Writing Con Lehane Stories come from the memories, associations, and concerns within you. This workshop for beginning fiction writers uncovers the “germs of an idea for a story.” Participants will be asked to write stories, exercises, and more. Participants should have written at least one draft of a story by the last class and become familiar with the basics of story writing. Participants will learn to look and listen with a more careful eye and ear, noticing what people say, how they say it, recognizing what distinguishes people, places, and happenings. (Come to the first class with paper, pen, laptop) 6 Tuesdays Capitol Hill

6:30–9 p.m. Beginner

9/12–10/17 $340

Whodunnit? Writing the Mystery Alan Orloff Have you always wanted to write a mystery novel but didn’t know where to start? In this workshop, we’ll discuss writing fundamentals as they apply to the mystery. We’ll examine characteristics of the many subgenres (thrillers, too!) and learn about mystery-specific conventions and pitfalls such as TSTL syndrome, McGuffins, red herrings, killer twists, wacky sidekicks, and smooth clue-dropping, among others. Fun, educational, and… mysterious! 1 Saturday Bethesda

1 Saturday 10 a.m.–12 p.m. Bethesda Beginner

 Character

9/23 $50

and Voice

Selena Anderson In this course, writers will focus on two major elements of fiction that keep readers coming back for more: character and voice. Participants will study authors of contrasting styles who have expertly crafted their own unique voices and who present us with solid, unforgettable characters. Along with review and discussion of published stories participants will do writing exercises, give presentations, and spend most of the course providing thoughtful feedback on each other’s original work. Participants will also be asked to co-lead workshop discussions and report on a story of their own choosing. 8 Weeks Online

N/A All Levels

9/25–11/13 $360

The Extreme Novelist II Kathryn Johnson This course is intended for writers who have completed one or more short stories, a novella, or at least half of a novel or memoir. Participants must be serious about their publication goals and in need of gentle but experienced guidance. Exposition, dialogue, characterization, focus, and pacing will be analyzed and corrected when necessary. Options for individual plotting issues will be discussed and applied to manuscripts. Due to the intense nature of this course, space is limited: Please register early to guarantee a seat. 8 Wednesdays Bethesda

7–9:30 p.m. 9/27–11/15 Intermediate/Advanced $360

Plein Air Creative Writing

10 a.m.–12:30 p.m. 9/16 Beginner/Intermediate $50

Lisa Leibow

Write, Revise, Submit Marija Stajic This workshop is for writers who have already started working on a novel, a story, or a collection and need help to finish, revise, or submit. We will workshop each other’s manuscripts, apply feedback, and workshop them again, and we will discuss how to know when the work is ready and different levels and venues for submitting and publishing. We will also write from prompts and read and analyze published excerpts. Please bring up to 15 pages to submit for feedback and notepad and pen or a laptop. 8 Saturdays Bethesda

families and our communities. Developments in science and technology affect people of all genders, races, and nationalities, so we should all have a voice in exploring the changes we’ll face. Join us to start imagining—and writing—the world of the future!

10:30 a.m.–1 p.m. 9/16–11/4 Intermediate/Advanced $360

Leave behind the desk and office to paint with words outside. In this six-week course, participants will meet three times at various locations in the D.C. area and three times at The Writer’s Center. This is a hands-on writing lab, where participants will complete writing exercises assignments inspired by their surroundings during field trips. Inclass meetings provide an opportunity to share work and discuss elements of fiction and creative nonfiction, such as dialogue, setting, physical description, and sensory details. Participants will leave this course with new scenes, chapters, or stories. 6 Wednesdays Bethesda

10:30 a.m.–1 p.m. All Levels

9/27–11/1 $270

Scene Building

Speculative Writing Workshop

Kathryn Johnson

Tara Campbell What lies in the future? How will climate change, genetic manipulation, or artificial intelligence affect us in the decades to come? Many people think science fiction is all about the science, but it’s not—it’s also about us, our

Scenes are the building blocks that enable you, the writer, to create any length or type of story you can imagine. Each scene is a little gem—with a beginning, middle, and end—that moves your plot forward toward resolution. This is “showing not telling” at its best. Even timid writers will

The Writer’s Center discover that there’s no limit to their ability to “write long” once they master these skills. 1 Saturday Bethesda

10 a.m.–12:30 p.m. All Levels

9/30 $50

Writing the Horror Story Alex Smith The goal of this workshop is to generate fear and tension, daring readers to plunge forth into the darkness of the story. In the first meeting, three selected stories will be discussed, considering what scares us, what leaves us cold, and what inspires us to write. We touch on the elements of horror—attending to suspense, character, violence, and fear. In the following meetings, participants will workshop newly written or in-progress scary stories, building on the understanding of the genre as we go. 5 Wednesdays Bethesda

7–9:30 p.m. 10/4–11/1 Intermediate/Advanced $225

Short Story Skeletons Julie Wakeman-Linn The vast majority of successful stories have a bone structure of conflict, character, and complexity embedded in them. Uncover the pattern in three published stories and learn to identify the pattern or its absence in your own stories. Stories to be discussed will be emailed in advance. If you like, bring a story of your own to practice identifying these principles. All participants carry away a plan for strengthening their stories’ anatomy. 1 Wednesday Bethesda

7–9 p.m. All Levels

10/4 $50

Advanced Science Fiction Gina Hagler In science fiction, it’s not enough to tell a great story with amazing gadgets. Both must be part of a world that captures and holds the attention of your reader. We’ll look at works by Issac Asimov, Frank Herbert, and Ray Bradbury to see how these masters make that happen, and then try it ourselves. 6 Thursdays 7:30–9:30 p.m. Bethesda Advanced

10/5–11/9 $215

Strong Beginnings Lynn Schwartz Where should your story open? Perhaps with a bit of dialogue or a character in action. Maybe your beginning pages introduce conflict and establish point of view, setting, or expectation. We’ll explore the components of a strong start, one that is not gimmicky but an integral part of the narrative and captures the reader from the first page. 1 Saturday Bethesda

9:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. All Levels

 Speculative

10/14 $50

Fiction

Selena Anderson This course will focus on the uncanny in contemporary literary fiction. The uncanny, or speculative fiction, is often set in a landscape adjacent to the real world. Expanding on the elements of fiction—characterization, voice, conflict, POV, setting—this course focuses on stories rooted in alternative realities, and on genre traditions that part ways

Workshop & Event Guide Fall 2017

WORKSHOPS believable that readers will bond with your paper people! This morning workshop will teach you the skills to apply practical and effective ways of looking at characterization suitable to all genres. Spend a morning enjoying coffee and pastries with professional writing coach and author Kathryn Johnson.

8 Weeks Online

1 Saturday Bethesda

N/A All Levels

10/16–12/4 $360

10 a.m.–12:30 p.m. All Levels

10/21 $50

NaNoWriMo 101

The No-Homework Fiction Workshop

Claire Handscombe

Alicia Oltuski

Every November, writers around the world challenge themselves to write 50,000 words (the first draft of a novel) in just 30 days. Yes, it’s crazy, and yet books like Water for Elephants and The Night Circus were born during National Novel Writing Month. Is it for you? How does it work? What are the strategies for surviving and thriving during the month? What can you expect to get out of it? Learn the logistics, and how best to prepare for the fun adventure that is NaNoWriMo.

Every component of this workshop takes place in class: craft discussion, writing, editorial feedback, revision (with the option to begin second or third pieces), and advice on where to go with what you’ve produced. Writing exercises target character work, persuasive scene building, and plot. An intensive drill in directed spontaneity, this course is a way to get as much as possible out of a class without the obligation to commit to preparatory work.

1 Thursday Bethesda

 Plotting

7–9 p.m. All Levels

10/19 $50

Your Novel

Whether participants are planners or writers who fly by the seats of their pants, a novel still needs structure. In this workshop, participants will study the architecture of a novel and devise plans for plotting their books. N/A All Levels

10/20–11/10 $195

Elements of Fiction: Dialogue Alan Orloff Having trouble getting your dialogue to sparkle? Writing realistic-sounding dialogue has little to do with how people actually speak. Participants will learn how to use dialogue to advance the plot and reveal character, and we’ll cover the effective use of tags, oblique dialogue, and subtext. In addition, we’ll discuss how to incorporate actions within conversations to make written scenes spring to life. Don’t let one of the most important building blocks of fiction fall flat! 1 Saturday 10 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Bethesda Beginner

10/21 $50

Write Tight! Alan Orloff In this workshop for beginning fiction writers, participants will learn how to excise excess prose to streamline their work. Improve clarity, pacing, and readability using fewer words. We’ll cover concepts like show don’t tell; in late, out early; in media res; redundancy; pesky adverbs; purple prose; and much, much more. Say goodbye to bloated manuscripts! 1 Saturday 2–4:30 p.m. Bethesda Beginner

6:30–8:30 p.m. All Levels

10/25–11/15 $135

Beginning Fantasy & Science Fiction Brenda W. Clough

T. Greenwood

4 Weeks Online

4 Wednesdays Bethesda

10/21 $50

Characters We Love...or Love to Hate Kathryn Johnson Learn how to breathe life into fictional characters—protagonists, antagonists, and supporting cast. Make them so

Vampires, zombies, and halflings with swords! Participants will build a world and write in it. The first session of this workshop will be devoted to the basics of fiction and story construction. In the second session, participants will do a start-up exercise to help get them started on a possibly longer work. 2 Thursdays 7:30–9:30 p.m. Bethesda Beginner

10/26–11/2 $80

2 Tuesdays 7:30–9:30 p.m. Bethesda Beginner

11/28–12/5 $80

How to Write a Novel John DeDakis This practical 16-point plan takes participants from the germ of an idea all the way through the creative process, with an eye toward getting a finished book into the hands of potential fans. We’ll discuss how to transform ideas into a book-length projects populated with memorable characters, a twisty-turny plot, snappy dialogue, and an interesting setting. We’ll also look at strategies for finding an agent and marketing the finished product. 1 Wednesday Capitol Hill

10 a.m.–12 p.m. Beginner/Intermediate

11/1 $65

1 Wednesday Bethesda

10 a.m.–12 p.m. 12/6 Beginner/Intermediate $50

From Novice to Novelist John DeDakis This day-long workshop deconstructs and demystifies the novel-writing process for struggling and/or aspiring writers. We’ll dicuss how to go from the nub of an idea to publication. Along the way, participants will learn how to stay organized, write in the voice of the opposite sex, enjoy the art of rewriting, and how to overcome writing and marketing fears. By the end of our time together participants will be prepared to begin work on a novel and be equipped with the skills to perfect it. The session will include time for writing. 1 Saturday Capitol Hill

10 a.m.–4 p.m. Beginner

1 Saturday 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Bethesda Beginner

11/4 $145 12/9 $115

Conflict, Tension, and Pacing Kathryn Johnson It’s often said that without conflict there’s no story. It also holds true that strengthening the conflict in any type of fiction will bump up the tension and turn a limp, ordinary tale into an extraordinary adventure. Whether you choose to write literary fiction, mysteries, family sagas, thrillers, historical fiction, sci-fi or fantasy, learn techniques for drawing in readers. Joins us for coffee, pastries, and a lively discussion. Leave with a handout chock-full of ideas to apply to your stories. 1 Saturday Bethesda

 Creating

10 a.m.–12:30 p.m. All Levels

11/4 $50

Novel Characters

T. Greenwood Writers must know their primary characters inside and out. They need to understand their desires, motivations, and frustrations, as well as their histories and futures. This workshop will focus on the development of authentic characters. Participants will examine character as both autonomous and residing within the context of other novelistic elements. Then they will take on the challenge of creating and integrating these elements into a cohesive whole. Participants will explore the main character(s) in their novels-in-progress. 4 Weeks Online

N/A All Levels

11/10–12/1 $195

Great Beginnings Kathryn Johnson

Learn how to design characters that are unforgettable. Participants will become familiar with factors that go into creating mentality, behavior pattern, and believability for human and non-human characters alike. Along with exercises, we’ll play games that will stretch your imagination to create amazing heroes and villains. This workshop will crystallize strategies and lessons that can be used over and over again.

Because literary agents and acquiring editors for publishing houses are so overwhelmed with submissions, they often judge a short story, novella, or novel by a quick read of the work’s opening pages. How does a writer ensure the person judging their work will read past page two? Participants in this course will learn effective options for providing a strong hook and riveting entry into their story. Meet for coffee and pastries with the instructor, and create a powerful opening for your workin-progress.

2 Saturdays Bethesda

1 Saturday Bethesda

Creating Unforgettable Characters Michael Burns

10 a.m.–2 p.m. All Levels

for the most up-to-date news and information, visit www.writer.org

11/4–11/11 $135

10 a.m.–12:30 p.m. All Levels

11/18 $50

workshops

with literary realism. Participants will examine techniques used by writers of the uncanny, such as world building, suspension of disbelief, parallel realities, and internal logic. Through close readings, discussions, and writing exercises, participants will learn to identify problematic areas in their own work and improve their craft.

WORKSHOPS Intro to Flash Fiction Tara Campbell Flash fiction (stories told in 1,000 words or less) is an exciting genre attracting increased interest in the publishing world. This two-hour course will provide an introduction to the genre, including model examples of flash, techniques of flash, and tips for writing your own. We’ll discuss where to read excellent flash, write multiple flashes from prompts, and discuss revision techniques to polish those drafts into gems of your own. 1 Saturday 10 a.m.–12 p.m. Bethesda Beginner

12/2 $50

Writing as a Path to Healing Laura Probert

workshops

Participants of this course will learn powerful tools that allow them to use writing as a path to healing and happiness. We’ll explore the topics of body awareness, the inner critic, using fear as a compass, and mindset magic. Breath work and therapeutic writing exercises will help participants connect with their soul; the place where the muse resides. By the end of this course, participants will enjoy an enhanced level of awareness that will inspire their creative endeavors, make their writing come alive, and create a path toward healing and happiness they didn’t know was possible. 7–9 p.m. All Levels

9/12–10/17 $215

Fall into Writing Elizabeth Hazen and Jessica Anya Blau Join poet Elizabeth Hazen and novelist Jessica Anya Blau for a discussion of the writing process. Participants will do excercises and write from prompts that have worked for the instructors. Bring a pen and pad or computer and be prepared to write! 1 Saturday Bethesda

11 a.m.–1 p.m. All Levels

9/16 $50

Getting Started: Creative Writing Patricia Gray Bring your dormant creative talents to life! Using prompts to get started, participants will explore fiction and poetry in the first two sessions, memoir and other prose formats in the third. In the fourth meeting, participants will have opportunity to present a more polished piece of writing to wild applause and the feedback of a supportive audience. We will help identify the most memorable and effective aspects of each individual’s work with tips on how to continue to grow as a writer. 4 Saturdays Capitol Hill

1–4 p.m. Beginner/Intermediate

1 Saturday Bethesda

10 a.m.–12:30 p.m. All Levels

9/16 $50

Mix It Up: Writing + Art

9/16–10/7 $270

Your First Novel Kathryn Johnson Writing a novel takes commitment but it doesn’t need to be daunting. Learn how to generate a handful of plots from which to choose, methods for effectively planning your story, and simple hacks for fine tuning your basic

Have you ever wanted to create art along with your writing—but felt you lacked skills or direction? Participants will begin each session of this course with a personal writing prompt, which then becomes the basis for a mixedmedia art piece. An author and an artist who both love the process of creative discovery lead this workshop and, through specific strategies, help participants explore and shape their material. The work created may become part of an ongoing unique memoir or artistic journal or several individual pieces. Please bring scissors. 2 Thursdays Bethesda

7–9:30 p.m. All Levels

9/21–9/28 $100

Developing A Satisfying Plot Lynn Schwartz Plot is the organizing force that makes our stories progress and insists that something happen, but plot cannot stand alone. In good fiction and memoir, it’s essential to support plot with other elements of craft such as characterization, theme, suspense, and conflict. Let’s explore how to create satisfying stories, to avoid formulaic plots, and to understand how characters drive an organic narrative from beginning to end. 1 Saturday Bethesda

 Getting

9:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. All Levels

9/23 $50

Started: Creative Writing

Mathangi Subramanian Do you have a memoir, novel, or chapbook trapped inside of you? Set it free with this course introducing the basic elements of creative writing through a series of fun and interactive activities. Every week, participants will read examples of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, as well as essays about the writing process from published authors. Participants will leave the workshop with a familiarity with multiple genres; drafts of their own writing; and a set of exercises they can do to maintain creative momentum. 4 Weeks Online

N/A 10/2–10/23 Beginner/Intermediate $195

When Everything Changed Hildie Block A great story is focused on that moment when everything changes—or some subtle shift with major consequences. In this workshop, we will ook at how to craft fiction or memoir to capture that moment. Please bring a copy of Best American Short Stories 2016 edited by Junot Dias. 8 Tuesdays Bethesda

10:30 a.m.–1 p.m. All Levels

How to Write a Lot Kathryn Johnson You may think you don’t have the time, energy, or inspiration to write. Wrong! Join us for coffee and pastries, and learn about organizing time, establishing a productive writing routine, and getting stories written. This workshop will offer methods that many professional writers use to complete their books in months instead of years and short stories in mere weeks. Become the dedicated author you’ve always dreamed of being. 1 Saturday Bethesda

Mary Quattlebaum and Joan Waites

Mixed Genre

6 Tuesdays Bethesda

fiction skills. Participants may use this single-session course to select a concept for their first or next novel, then take it home as the foundation for a flexible writing plan that will keep their writing flowing. This is a great course for the beginning long-form fiction writer or for the more experienced author in need of a quick strategy brush-up.

The Writer’s Center

10/3–11/21 $360

 Writing

10 a.m.–12:30 p.m. All Levels

10/7 $50

as Healing

Jenny J. Chen This is a prompt-based workshop that will focus on how writers can use their craft to re-connect with and explore painful experiences with an eye toward healing. Participants can work in fiction, non-fiction, poetry, or hybrid genre. Each week will begin with several prompts that explore both elements of craft and accessing painful memories/experiences. Participants will be expected to workshop each other’s work respectfully and thoughtfully. By the end of the workshop, participants should have a group of work that can stand alone or serve as jumping off points for longer pieces. Writers of marginalized communities are particularly welcome. 6 Weeks Online

N/A All Levels

10/7–11/11 $270

Following the Narrative Arc Marilyn W. Smith Participants will draft a short memoir or story following the path of the narrative arc. Through interactive and supportive activities, participants will learn the elements of story and share feedback with their classmates. Classes are designed for learning, fun, congeniality, and productivity. You’ll never be bored! 6 Thursdays Bethesda

1–3 p.m. All Levels

10/12–11/16 $215

Befriending Your Inner Critic Melanie Figg Ever notice how trying to ignore your inner critic doesn’t really work—it just keeps you from working? In this class, participants will get to know their inner critic and learn ways to quiet those disempowering voices and be productive. For inspiration, think of Buddha—instead of ignoring or resisting Trouble, the Buddha invited Trouble to tea. Bring a notebook for in-class exercises. 1 Saturday Bethesda

1–4 p.m. All Levels

10/14 $50

Getting Started: Creative Writing Elizabeth Rees Beginning and intermediate writers will explore three different genres: memoir writing, short fiction, and poetry. Each week, participants will be given a writing assignment and several readings, to be followed by a critique of students’ assignments. During our eight weeks, participants will learn about voice, point of view, dialogue, description,

Workshop & Event Guide Fall 2017

WORKSHOPS

8 Mondays Bethesda

7–9:30 p.m. 10/23–12/11 Beginner/Intermediate $360

Applying For the M.F.A. Claire Handscombe What are the different options for the serious study of writing, and which is right for you? What about low-residency programs, genre-focused writing programs, or M.A.s? Learn to choose a path forward and prepare to make the experience a success. 1 Thursday Bethesda

7–9 p.m. All Levels

10/26 $50

Applying Standup Comedy Techniques to Your Writing Basil White If you can read this and you can laugh, you can write humor! Learn the basic psychology of how your brain gets a joke to discover what’s “gettable” about your subject matter, real or fictional, for humor writing or other ironic purposes. This course is a fun introduction to the fundamentals of workshopping for those new to the expectations of creative workshops. Class meets over one weekend on Saturday and Sunday. Before class, print the handout at basilwhite.com/comedyworkshop and bring questions. Must be at least 18 years of age. 1 Saturday/Sunday 1–5 p.m. Bethesda All Levels

10/28–10/29 $80

Precision In Language Virginia Hartman Learn the skills to identify precisely the right word to express your meaning, feeling, or subtext. We’ll look at examples in fiction, poetry, and nonfiction, and discuss what makes an expression fresh rather than expected, where and how to find the mot juste (the exact, appropriate word), and why precision can succeed in getting your work noticed. Mine your bookshelves and come to class with one or two brief passages in which the author uses language with an evocative precision. 1 Saturday Bethesda

1–4 p.m. All Levels

10/28 $50

The Mindful Writing Workshop Aaron Hamburger Tortured artists of the world, throw off your chains! In this two-session class, we’ll focus on exercises that participants can use to heighten writing skills as well as enrich lives. We’ll begin by talking about the phenomenon of mindfulness and its intersection with heightening creativity, considering how a mindful approach to creative writing enlivens the experience of both writer and reader. Then we’ll try out a few different mindful creative writing exercises to generate vivid new work on the spot. Bring a pen and paper—we’re getting started immediately! 2 Tuesdays Bethesda

7–9 p.m. All Levels

11/7–11/14 $80

Expanding Your Social Media Presence Claire Handscombe Looking to build your social media presence beyond Facebook and Twitter? This session gives an overview of Goodreads, Litsy, and Li.st, and looks into what they might offer readers and writers. We will set up profiles and go over their features and begin to use them. If time permits and there is interest, we may also look at other apps, such as Pinterest and Instagram. Please bring a smartphone or a tablet. 1 Thursday 7–9:30 p.m. Bethesda Intermediate

11/9 $50

Write-In Claire Handscombe Always wanted to try your hand at writing? Or maybe your writing brain is a little rusty? In this class, we’ll spend 15 to 20 minutes writing in response to prompts, with the option to share your work. Then we’ll play again with a different prompt. Rather than rigorous critique, the focus will be on jump-starting creativity, nurturing nascent writing talent, and encouraging one another. 1 Thursday Bethesda

7–9 p.m. All Levels

11/16 $50

Hooking Your Reader: Writing A Killer First Line Meg Eden Most editors of both magazines and presses will say that they read the first, last, and middle page of a story before deciding if they want to read more. Potential readers are even less forgiving. So how do we snag our readers and make them want to read more? In this workshop, we’ll look at examples of powerful first lines and discuss strategies for writing our own. Feel free to bring the first line of your story or novel for a mini first-line “workshop.” 1 Saturday Bethesda

10:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. All Levels

12/16 $50

8 Weeks N/A Online Beginner

9/11–10/30 $360

Narrative Nonfiction I: Stories from Facts Gina Hagler The facts rule in narrative nonfiction, but how they are used will result in a straight piece of reporting or a piece of narrative nonfiction. In this class, participants will discuss the elements of strong narrative nonfiction and study examples. By the end of the class participants will have a thorough understanding of the genre, the effective use of narrative elements and structure, how to go about reporting a piece, and learn the process to uncover the story hidden within the research. 6 Tuesdays Bethesda

7:30–9:30 p.m. 9/12–10/17 Beginner/Intermediate $215

Finding Your Memoir Voice Desirée Magney and Emily Rich In this class, explore what takes a piece of personal writing “from draft to craft,” looking at elements such as character development, dialogue, incorporating sensory detail writing in scenes, and musing. Focus on the importance of taking a story that’s true and connecting it, as Cheryl Strayed says, “to the greater, grander truth.” In addition to workshopping each participant’s writing, we will share essays on craft and sample works of successful memoirists. Participants will come away with an appreciation of what makes a memoir stand out and appeal to an audience beyond themselves. 8 Wednesdays Bethesda

10:30 a.m.–1 p.m. 9/13–11/1 Beginner/Intermediate $360

Perfect Pitch to Major Byline

Nonfiction

Ellen Ryan

Writing a Nonfiction Book Proposal John Lingan Whether you have a great idea, a few sample pages, or a finished manuscript, this workshop will help you bring it all together in a proposal that conveys your work and vision. We’ll go over the necessary components of a nonfiction book proposal and the best practices for pitching agents. 2 Tuesdays 7–9 p.m. Bethesda Intermediate

will be given a choice of writing prompts upon which to base a new piece; assignments will receive feedback from both fellow participants and the workshop leader. Emerge from this course with several new completed works and a renewed sense of confidence in writing.

9/5–9/12 $80

How do you research and hone an idea well enough to get it through the static and into a national publication? Successful writers share queries and the negotiations that led to publication in Bloomberg Businessweek, AARP, Pacific Standard, New York Times Sunday Business, and more. Participants will look at both the pitches and the resulting articles; how each approached its market; and the writer’s experience with the editor. 2 Mondays Bethesda

7–9 p.m. 9/18–9/25 Intermediate/Advanced $80

Shannon Robinson

Life Sentences: Your Journal and the Creative Life

Interested in capturing personal experiences, family history, or just those uncanny images that lodge themselves in memory? In this course, participants will explore stories on the page and shape them into engaging narratives. Through online lectures and assigned readings, we’ll cover different aspects of writer’s craft, including structure, focus, authenticity, and voice. Each week, participants

“Without a diary, almost everything we do or say or think or feel slips very quickly into oblivion,” warned Roland Blythe. The great swirl of experience, observation, sensation, and imagination from which all our creative work emerges is itself fleeting. In this workshop, examine the almost limitless ways in which writers, artists, and other

 Creative

Nonfiction I

for the most up-to-date news and information, visit www.writer.org

Gregory Robison

workshops

imagery, and sound. By the end of this workshop, participants will have written one personal memoir, one shortshort story, and three original poems, and have developed a greater understanding of their own writing interests.

WORKSHOPS creatives have used private writing to understand their own lives and to leverage their experiences into work. Want to breathe new life into an established journal practice or hope to start a habit of private writing? This workshop will give you both tools and inspiration. 6 Mondays Bethesda

7–9:30 p.m. All Levels

9/18–10/23 $270

Travel Writing for Fun and Profit Ellen Ryan Get your travel articles published for pay! In this six-week workshop, participants will learn how to generate ideas, research well, and structure a story. A former editor for Washingtonian magazine, this experienced instructor will guide participants to pitch ideas to editors, package work professionally, handle contracts and negotiations, organize files and records, and what to keep in mind for tax time. 6 Wednesdays Bethesda

7–9:30 p.m. 9/20–10/25 Beginner/Intermediate $270

workshops

 Tell

Your Stories: 4 Memoirs/Essays in 8 Weeks

Dave Singleton Participants write about their lives in this hands-on, practical course in which they write four pieces in eight weeks. This workshop is a safe space to explore stories while participants get practical tools and supportive feedback from both teacher and classmates. Whether it is recording family stories for posterity or capturing different moments of life, participants learn new strategies every week to write effectively about their lives. Exercises will help develop disparate memories and thoughts into a meaningful and organized form. Give yourself eight weeks of deadlines and see what you can create. 8 Weeks Online

N/A 10/3–11/21 Intermediate/Advanced $360

Writing from Life Ellen Herbert How do you cull the stories you need to tell from the complicated tangle of memory? This workshop will explore “true writing” in the form of the personal narrative, employing literary techniques such as dialogue, tension, and conflict. Please bring a copy of The Best American Essays 2016 edited by Jonathan Franzen. 8 Wednesdays Bethesda

10:30 a.m.–1 p.m. All Levels

10/11–12/6 $360

Gina Hagler In this class, participants will have the chance to try their hand at writing narrative nonfiction. Readings and exercises will get participants started. We’ll also use our time to share participant work each week, discuss the basics of a strong pitch to editors, and provide feedback on any pitches in the works. The goal is for each participant to produce a work of narrative nonfiction based on their own reporting or from practice sets the instructor will provide. 6 Tuesdays Bethesda

7:30–9:30 p.m. 10/24–11/28 Intermediate/Advanced $215

Boot Camp for Writers Beth Kanter This course is for individuals who want to tone up their writing muscles so they can go the distance. Each class will begin with a short warm-up exercise followed by a prompt for a longer piece. We will focus on specifics like effective beginnings and strong conclusions. Participants will learn how to avoid common grammatical and usage errors that can distract from their message. This workshop focuses on both craft and technique and is designed for participants of all backgrounds who are looking to take their writing endurance and skills to the next level. 6 Wednesdays Bethesda

10:30 a.m.–1 p.m. All Levels

 Flashbacks:

11/1–12/13 $270

Crafting Very Short

Memoir Tyrese L. Coleman Writing flash, whether memoir or fiction, depends on concrete imagery, voice, and narrative. This course is designed to help participants tap into their strongest memories and emotions in order to recreate those distinguishing moments into pieces of memoir or essays short enough to read in a few minutes. Participants will offer positive and encouraging feedback on the drafts written for class each week and will learn about and read short pieces of notable creative nonfiction. Generate new pieces of writing, provide positive, encouraging, and useful feedback on those pieces, and learn more about flash, flash memoir, and memoir in general. 6 Weeks Online

N/A All Levels

11/6–12/11 $270

Readings in Narrative Nonfiction

The Art of Nonfiction

Gina Hagler

Mei Fong How do you write compelling stories while dealing with that inconvenient thing called ‘facts’? How do you develop and research your topic, turn boring reference material into a compelling narrative, and get great subject interviews? This course will guide you on all of the above, help you structure your story, and get beyond “he-said/she-said.” By the end of this workshop, participants will have concrete methods to tackle long-form nonfiction projects and know how to apply techniques from fiction to create compelling and true stories. 3 Saturdays 10 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Bethesda Beginner

Narrative Nonfiction II: Stories from Facts

10/14–10/28 $135

What makes a piece of narrative nonfiction great? In this course, we’ll read the work of McPhee, Orleans, Skloot, Kidder, Grann, and others to identify the ways in which these masters of the genre use the elements of narrative to tell their tales. 4 Thursdays Bethesda

7:30–9:30 p.m. All Levels

11/30–12/21 $135

Life Stories Intensive Lynn Schwartz Whether you want to write a memoir, blog, college essay, letter to your granddaughter, or use your own life as the

The Writer’s Center basis for fiction, life story writing requires that we tell where we come from and who we are. Learn to identify your story’s essence and to engage the reader through fictional techniques. Participants will leave inspired to begin or improve a work-in-progress. 1 Saturday Bethesda

9:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. 12/2 Beginner/Intermediate $50

Poetry The Poem Comes Alive Sandra Beasley Write poems that come alive: bright, specific, and taking risks on the page. Each workshop will lead with a guided close reading of a contemporary poem and discussion about the poet’s strategies. From there we’ll segue to discussing your work. Participants should bring in drafts of one to two pages for up to three out of the four sessions. All work will receive written feedback from the instructor. 4 Mondays Capitol Hill

 Poetry

7–9 p.m. Intermediate/Advanced

9/11–10/2 $170

Chapbook Workshop

Meg Eden This workshop provides participants with the tools for forming and submitting poetry chapbooks. Lessons will focus on identifying what makes a chapbook, exploring your voice in the chapbook medium, choosing and ordering poems within the chapbook, and researching publishers. By the end of the four-week course, participants will have a chapbook manuscript that can be sent out to publishers. 4 Weeks Online

N/A 9/11–10/2 Intermediate/Advanced $195

Sonnet Crash Course Claudia Gray With the help of a widely published author of sonnets, villanelles, and other poems, read several classic and contemporary examples and then—with or without shortcuts— write one or more of your own. Next, you’ll see how your new poem can be improved by revision. (Feel free also to bring one you’ve been working on.) You’ll leave with at least one new or improved sonnet, as well as insights about how writing poetry in form can unlock deeper meaning and enhance everything you write. 1 Saturday Bethesda

11 a.m.–1:30 p.m. 9/16 Beginner/Intermediate $50

 Writing

as Ritual: Building a Daily Poetry Practice

Mathias Svalina Participants will devise their own daily writing practices that are meditative, fun, and productive. This practice could be writing in response to physical activities, to works of art, to a focused idea; any work that merges writing and daily ritual. In the first week, participants will learn about daily writing practices and will be asked to propose one themselves. Each following week we will post and discuss each other’s poems and explore work by

Workshop & Event Guide Fall 2017

WORKSHOPS

6 Weeks Online

N/A All Levels

9/18–10/23 $270

Discover some new poets and join other committed writers for deep discussion and workshop. Join us as we tackle some challenging poems (perhaps by Jorie Graham, Emily Dickinson, Claudia Rankine, etc.) to find inspiration to generate or revise your own work. Participants learn how to appreciate more difficult poems and have a chance to practice building longer poems, braiding multiple stories or voices, and using white space, irony, and current events. Participants can choose to have a poem workshopped by the class. 7–9 p.m. 9/19–11/7 Intermediate/Advanced $270

Claudia Gray Here’s an opportunity either to improve your villanelle skills or to write your first one. With the help of a widely published author of villanelles, sonnets, and other poems, you’ll read several classic and contemporary examples and then — with or without shortcuts — write one or more of your own. Next, you’ll see how your new poem can be improved by revision. (Feel free also to bring one you’ve been working on.) You’ll leave with at least one new or improved villanelle, as well as insights about how writing poetry in form can unlock deeper meaning and enhance everything you write. 11 a.m.–1:30 p.m. 9/23 Beginner/Intermediate $50

Turning Points: The Role of the Volta in Poetry Sue Ellen Thompson The “Volta”—also known as “the turn”—is something we associate with the traditional sonnet form. But it has been used with great success by many contemporary poets writing both formal and free verse poems. Marking a shift in the poem’s tone, subject or logic, the Volta has been compared to a change of key in music. In this workshop, we will explore how turning your attention in a new direction can open up a poem, allowing it to leap to another level of significance or meaning.

 Poetry

1–4 p.m. All Levels

Robert Frost said, “It’s tone I’m in love with; that’s what poetry is, tone.” The ability to control tone in a poem is what makes the poet credible and his or her intention clear. But tone has not always been easy to define, let alone control. In this workshop participants will attempt to distinguish tone from voice, style, and mood. Participants will explore what contributes to a poem’s tone and how these elements can be used to convey attitude and emotion. 1 Sunday Bethesda

 Poetry

1–4 p.m. All Levels

10/22 $50

II: Refining Your Poetic Tools

Mathias Svalina

Villanelle Crash Course

1 Sunday Bethesda

10/2–10/23 $195

Sue Ellen Thompson

Melanie Figg

1 Saturday Bethesda

4 Weeks N/A Online Beginner

All About Tone

Rise/Write to the Challenge!

8 Tuesdays Bethesda

importantly, the class will be a safe space for writers to experiment with a new genre.

9/24 $50

for Non-Poets

Mathangi Subramanian Are you a journalist, novelist, essayist, or fictionista looking for inspiration? Why not try poetry? In this course, participants will complete a series of poetry exercises designed to inject their prose with lyricism, passion, humor, and emotional depth. Participants will leave with ideas for their own work, as well as a series of exercises they can do to strengthen their writing and to generate fresh ideas. Most

This workshop’s goal is to support creative and personal poetic expressions by helping participants refine their unique set of poetic tools: line, image, figurative speech, tone, structure, etc. Each week, participants will read and discuss examples of a single poetic tool and participate in directed writing excercises that explore and develop these tools. This workshop will introduce participants to a diverse group of poets, help them produce new and stimulating work each week, and provide feedback from peers and the workshop leader. 8 Weeks Online

N/A 10/23–12/11 Intermediate/Advanced $360

 Foundations

of Poetry

A Crash Course in Prosody Sue Ellen Thompson Why do so many poems being written today sound like prose broken up into lines? A familiarity with prosody—the study of the patterns of rhythm and sound in poetry—is essential if you want to make your poems sound more musical. In this class, we will review the basics of meter and scansion and learn how to discover and develop rhythmic patterns that can then be used to underscore meaning and emotion, even in free verse poems. 1 Sunday Bethesda

12–4 p.m. All Levels

12/10 $80

Professional Development and Publishing Writing Your Business Book Rob Jolles Have you toyed with the idea of writing a business book and sharing what you’ve learned with others around you? The fact is anyone can write a book. The problem is most people are stopped before they even start, by the size of the project, and more importantly, fear of the unknown. With the right information, the right process, and the right teacher, you can and will write your book. In this workshop we will focus on all aspects of writing business books including outlining the manuscript, creating a writing routine, marketing options, proposal writing, publishing options, and more. 4 Mondays Bethesda

7–9 p.m. All Levels

9/11–10/2 $135

Crafting a More Marketable Manuscript

Meg Eden

Katherine Pickett

Over the course of four weeks, we’ll discuss four key elements of poems: image, sound, form, and realization. Participants will produce a variety of poems and learn tips for maintaining the practice of writing. Participants will have the opportunity to workshop and revise four poems and will receive personalized feedback on their work.

In this two-day workshop, editor Katherine Pickett offers the inside scoop on how to craft a manuscript that catches the eye of readers and publishers. Participants learn why they should prepare a book proposal before they write and how to avoid the most common mistakes new authors make. Get practical advice on how to research competition, define the target audience, and solidify a marketing hook. Day two features a guided discussion that will help participants formulate and organize their marketing plan. Find out what it really takes to achieve publishing success.

4 Weeks N/A Online Beginner

 Poetic

11/6–11/27 $195

Forms

1 Thursday/Friday 10–11:30 a.m. Bethesda All Levels

Meg Eden In this workshop, we’ll explore why form is relevant for contemporary poets, and how we can take advantage of form to strengthen both traditional and free-verse poems. Poetic form isn’t just meter and rhyme—it encompasses a diverse range of vessels that poems can inhabit. Form can help focus our poems, and reinforce a tone beyond our written words. When we have writer’s block, form can give us direction on how to keep writing. Over the six weeks of this workshop, participants write in several forms and explore what content works well with different types of forms. 6 Weeks Online

N/A All Levels

for the most up-to-date news and information, visit www.writer.org

11/13–12/18 $270

9/14–9/15 $50

Writing Persuasively for Publication James Alexander In this six-session course, participants will learn the concepts and techniques for conceiving and developing message-driven persuasive writing products for publication. The focus will be on the process of crafting newspaper op-eds and prepared speeches, but participants will also learn how to apply that knowledge to other persuasive writing models. Learn the key steps involved in persuasive writing including audience analysis, message development, targeted research, effective use of social media, and organization. Participants will have the opportunity to develop either a speech or an op-ed. Workshop includes

workshops

poets or artists who use a repetitive practice. Participants will produce a large body of rough drafts by the end of the workshop.

WORKSHOPS active discussions, recommended reading, and a blog for ongoing discussions and questions. 6 Thursdays 7–9:30 p.m. Bethesda Intermediate

9/14–10/19 $270

Writing the Dreaded Query Letter

4 Tuesdays Bethesda

Alan Orloff You’ve spent months (or years) writing a dynamite novel. Don’t spend five minutes slapping together a weak query letter; write a great one that will break through the slush-clutter at top literary agencies. In this workshop, participants learn how to entice their dream agent into reading a masterpiece by writing a tight query that really sings (while avoiding those pitfalls that will land your query in the trash). I’ll outline my “A-B-C” submission strategy while highlighting some valuable targeting resources. Bring four copies of a draft query and a red pen with lots of ink! Primarily intended for novel writers. 1 Saturday Bethesda

2–4:30 p.m. All Levels

each one. Throughout the class, participants will perform critical research and assess their goals, strengths, and weaknesses to determine which path will lead to their greatest success. By the end of this class, attendees will be primed to start their publishing journey. Please bring a laptop to the first class.

9/16 $50

Building Your Speaking Business Rob Jolles Want to increase book sales and generate additional revenue by building a speaking business? Learn to identify speaking opportunities, and drive even more engagements your way. In this workshop, we will focus on all aspects of professional speaking, including the creation of keynote presentations and workshops, marketing, proposal writing, program pricing, and basic delivery skills. If writing a book was exciting, wait until you step in front of a room and speak on behalf of that book! 4 Mondays Bethesda

workshops

Audiobooks 101

6:30–9 p.m. 10/3–10/24 Intermediate/Advanced $195

7–9 p.m. All Levels

 Navigating

Patricia Gavin Sandberg Have you ever wondered how to publish your book on Amazon and Audible? This workshop is designed to answer your questions and help take your manuscript from page to the internet. Hear from audiobook authors about their journeys in this one-day roundtable workshop. Devices will be provided. 1 Saturday Bethesda

10 a.m.–4 p.m. All Levels

9/16 $115

1 Saturday Capitol Hill

10 a.m.–4 p.m. All Levels

10/21 $145

Self-Publishing Roundtable

10/9–10/30 $135

the Publishing World

Kathryn Brown Ramsperger Find the ideal publisher for your book today! Get a behindthe-scenes peek at the way one writer navigated the complex map of the publishing industry; the advantages and disadvantages of self-publishing versus those at a small press; the way to get an editor’s attention at a major publishing house; and advice on where your book may find the right “fit.” Participants will acquire a basic understanding of today’s publishing process and receive feedback on their query. 3 Weeks Online

N/A All Levels

10/11–10/25 $135

Cherrie Woods

Publishing in Literary Magazines

Bring you questions about the pros and cons of self-publishing to this roundtable discussion led by PR Consultant Cherrie Woods and her guests, author Dee Lawrence and publisher/editor Austin S. Camacho.

Meg Eden

1 Saturday Capitol Hill

1–3 p.m. All Levels

9/23 $65

Keys to Publication Success Julie Wakeman-Linn, Emily Rich, and Desiree Magney Join three literary magazine editors for a hands-on session to ensure success for your short stories and essay submissions. Bring opening and closing paragraphs from a story or essay to share. Editors will present best practices, strategies, and editorial insight. Get instant feedback. Learn submission best practices, including cover letters, record-keeping, and literary good citizenship. Writers will take away three editorial opinions, a useful checklist, and suggestions for polishing for publication. 1 Wednesday Bethesda

7–9 p.m. All Levels

9/27 $50

Choose Your Best Book-Publishing Path Katherine Pickett With so many viable options to have your book published, how do you know which one is right for you and your book? In this four-week class, participants will explore 8 publishing options and evaluate the pros, cons, and keys to success for

Want to submit your work to magazines but don’t know how? In this workshop, we’ll talk about what literary magazines are, what editors are looking for in submissions, have a “translation” exercise, and tips on how to get the most out of a lit mag, and the secrets to writing a great cover letter to get an editor’s attention. The skills participants learn in this session can easily apply to other publication realms, including writing to agents and editors of small book presses. All participants will receive a complimentary magazine of their choice. 1 Saturday Bethesda

10:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. All Levels

12/2 $50

The Writer’s Center

Stage and Screen Elements of Playwriting: Exposition Richard Washer What does your audience need to know and when do they need to know it? You only have a couple of hours (often less) to tell a story onstage, so there isn’t much time for providing back stories. In this workshop participants will consider various strategies for managing exposition and look at examples in historical contexts to better understand how to handle this in their own writing. 1 Saturday Bethesda

10 a.m.–1 p.m. All Levels

9/9 $50

Elements of Playwriting: Character Richard Washer Characters set in motion a series of events and actions that become the engine of your play. In this workshop, we will look at strategies for exploring and developing characters in the early stages of writing your play and discuss ways to assess the potential of the characters to drive action in your story. In addition, in order to better understand the instrument we are writing for, we will also look at character through the eyes of actors and directors seeking to interpret and portray a character to see how this informs our process of building a play. 1 Saturday Bethesda

10 a.m.–1 p.m. All Levels

9/16 $50

Introduction to Playwriting Richard Washer This workshop will introduce basic elements of writing for the stage through exercises, in-class writing prompts, and examples taken from popular and classic plays. Designed for new writers the emphasis will be on getting started, generating new material and developing the vocabulary and strategies for constructive feedback. The goal is to develop a basic understanding of playwriting skills through exploration and experimentation in a safe and playful environment. By the end of this eight-week workshop participants can expect to have completed a draft of a ten-minute play, a one-act play, or a collection of scenes. 8 Thursdays 7:30–10 p.m. Bethesda Beginner

9/21–11/9 $360

Writing for TV & Films

Write Like the News Hank Wallace

Khris Baxter

Lead with the future—not background. That’s the most important of eight journalism skills that will transform your writing. Learn the others in this workshop! Highlights: communicate in a crisis, correct errors the correct way, choose between raw numbers and a ratio, and write around generic “he.” At 7 sharp, we’ll critique the WallStreetJournal.com homepage, seeing how to communicate the main point in a few words. We’ll talk our way through the workshop booklet, emphasizing reasons, not just rules, for writing choices. Participants complete a few writing exercises and most of them will take less than a minute each.

These are exciting times to be a screenwriter. With more shows and television channels than ever, the opportunities for inventive ways of storytelling increase daily. This hands-on workshop will guide beginning and intermediate screenwriters through the process of crafting a professional-grade screenplay and/or TV pilot. Participants will examine proven methods for adapting fiction and narrative nonfiction to the big screen, discuss strategies for promoting and marketing their screenplays or pilots, and work on advancing their careers as screenwriters. This workshop is open to all levels and genres.

1 Wednesday Bethesda

1 Saturday Glen Echo

7–9 p.m. All Levels

12/6 $50

Workshop & Event Guide Fall 2017

10 a.m.–4 p.m. All levels

11/1 $115

WORKSHOPS

Submissions are open!

workshops

Little Patuxent Review (LPR) is seeking submissions of nonfiction, fiction, poetry, and visual art for its unthemed Winter 2018 issue. Submissions will be accepted from August 1st through October 24th. LPR publishes diverse voices and aesthetics and encourages both emerging and established authors to submit. Review our guidelines at littlepatuxentreview.org.

The Survior Tree Inspired by a True Story Cheryl Somers Aubin ISBN: 978-0983833406

The Survivor Tree takes the reader on a journey of hope and healing by imaginatively describing the experiences, memories, and feelings of the 9/11 Survivor Tree. All profits go to charity. www.thesurviortree.com

for the most up-to-date news and information, visit www.writer.org

WORKSHOP LEADERS James Alexander earned a B.A. in journalism at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and then worked as a reporter at The Charlotte Observer and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He later worked on Capitol Hill as a U.S. Congressional Fellow and as a press secretary, writing speeches and op-eds. As a ghostwriter, he penned op-eds for political figures with essays published in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, USA Today, among others. Selena Anderson’s stories have appeared in Glimmer Train, Kenyon Review, Joyland, among others. She has been awarded the Transatlantic/ Henfield Prize and the Inprint Joan and Stanford Alexander Prize in Fiction for her work. She is currently working on a novel. Khris Baxter is a screenwriter, producer, and co-founder of Boundary Stone Films (“BSF”). BSF develops, finances, and produces a wide range of projects for Film and TV. Baxter has been a screenwriter for two decades and has taught screenwriting since 2004, most recently at The MFA in Creative Writing at Queens University, and American University. He’s been a judge for the annual Virginia Screenwriting Competition since 2004.

LEADERS

Sandra Beasley is the author of Count the Waves; I Was the Jukebox, winner of the Barnard Women Poets Prize; Theories of Falling. She currently teaches with the University of Tampa lowresidency M.F.A. program. Jessica Anya Blau taught writing at Johns Hopkins University and Goucher College for many years. Her novels have been featured on The Today Show, CNN, and NPR, and in various national publications and her short stories and essays have been widely published. Hildie Block has been a writing instructor for 20 years at American University, George Washington University, and of course, The Writer’s Center. She has published 50 short stories, and many essays and articles. Her book Not What I Expected debuted back in 2007. Caroline Bock is a graduate of Syracuse University where she studied creative writing with Tobias Wolff and Raymond Carver. She is the author of the critically acclaimed young adult novels, LIE and BEFORE MY EYES. Her short fiction has been published in many literary journals and anthologies, and in 2016 her short story won the Writer Magazine short story contest judged by Colum McCann. More about her at www.carolinebock.com Rae Bryant holds an M.A. in Writing from Johns Hopkins and is finishing an M.F.A. at American University. She is the author of The Indefinite State of Imaginary Morals. Her work has appeared in at

Paris Review, Missouri Review, and more. She is the founding editor of Eckleburg. Michael Burns earned a B.A. from Georgetown University, an M.S. from UMass Amherst, and holds a Ph.D. in documentary film history from the University of Birmingham in the UK. He is a professor, filmmaker, editor, and storyteller and has directed five films for international television. He is also the founder, director, and curator of Tall Tales, India’s longest-running, true storytelling event series. Nancy Naomi Carlson’s work has appeared in publications such as APR, The Georgia Review, Poetry, and more. She is an associate editor for Tupelo Press, was a finalist for the Best Translated Book Award, and has authored seven titles. She is a recipient of grants from the NEA and the Maryland State Arts Council. Jenny Chen is an award-winning writer, journalist, and poet. Her work has appeared in The Atlantic, The Washington Post, and much more. She has poems forthcoming in The Collapsar and Plume. Brenda W. Clough has been teaching science fiction & fantasy workshops at The Writer’s Center for over 10 years. She is a novelist, short story, and nonfiction writer, and her novels include How Like a God, The Doors of Death and Life, and Revise the World. She was a finalist for both the Hugo and the Nebula awards. Tyrese L. Coleman is a graduate of the Writing Program at Johns Hopkins University. She is an associate editor at SmokeLong Quarterly, an online flash fiction journal. Her work has appeared in numerous publications such as PANK, Washingtonian Magazine, and is listed in Wigleaf’s Top 50 (very) short fictions. She is a 2016 Kimbilio Fiction Fellow and Virginia Quarterly Review Nonfiction Scholar. Susan Coll has run many fiction workshops at The Writer’s Center and also worked at Politics & Prose bookstore overseeing events and programs for five years. She is the author of five novels, most recently The Stager—a New York Times and Chicago Tribune Editor’s Choice. Her other books include Acceptance, Beach Week, and others. Her work has appeared in publications including The Washington Post, atlantic.com, and others. John DeDakis is a novelist, writing coach, and former editor on CNN’s “The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer.” DeDakis is the author of four mystery-suspense novels. His fourth novel, Bullet in the Chamber, deals in part with the death of his son in 2011 due to an accidental heroin overdose. More about him at www.johndedakis.com. Meg Eden teaches at the University of Maryland. Her work has been published in various magazines,

The Writer’s Center including Rattle, Poet Lore, and others. She is the author of four poetry chapbooks and a novel PostHigh School Reality Quest. More about her at www. megedenbooks.com and on Twitter @ConfusedNarwhal. Melanie Figg has over 25 years of experience in teaching creative writing and mentoring writers of all levels. She is a 2017 NEA Poetry Fellow and recently completed a rigorous two-year training program to become a Certified Professional CoActive Coach. More about her at: www.melaniefigg.net. Mei Fong is a Pulitzer-prize winning journalist and author of One Child, a book on the history and consequences of China’s one-child. One Child was the winner of non-fiction award at by the American Society of Journalists & Authors, also one of 2016’s top 10 non-fiction books by Zocalo. More about her at: www.meifong.org. Claudia Gary is author of Humor Me (David Robert Books, 2006) and several chapbooks including “Bikini Buyer’s Remorse.” Internationally published, she has a villanelle in the anthology “Villanelles” (Everyman’s Library, 2012). She chaired the “Sonnet in 2016” panel at the West Chester University (Pa.) Poetry Conference. Patricia Gray holds an M.F.A. in creative writing from the University of Virginia, where she studied with John Casey, Ann Beattie, Gregory Orr and others. A published short fiction writer and poet, Gray’s career began as a journalist. She is the author of Rupture and former head of the Library of Congress’s Poetry and Literature Center. Her poems recently appeared in Tiger’s Eye Journal with an accompanying interview. T. Greenwood teaches for The Writer’s Center and San Diego Writers, Ink. She is the author of eleven critically acclaimed novels including Two River and Bodies of Water. Her tenth novel, Where I Lost Her, was an international bestseller. Gina Hagler is an award-winning nonfiction writer. She covers science and technology for a lay audience. She has written books about topics like fluid dynamics and her next book will be about bridge engineering. She has also written about science and technology for children and young adults for several publishers. Aaron Hamburger was awarded the Rome Prize by the American Academy of Arts and Letters for his story collection The View from Stalin’s Head. His novel Faith for Beginners was nominated for a Lambda Literary Award. His writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and more.

Workshop & Event Guide Fall 2017

WORKSHOP LEADERS

Virginia Hartman is part of the creative writing faculty at George Washington University, teaches poetry at Miriam’s Kitchen, DC, and has taught at American University and the Smithsonian. She has published work in The Hudson Revie and Alaska Quarterly Review, among others. Her work has been anthologized in Gravity Dancers: Even More Fiction by Washington Area Women. Elizabeth Hazen teaches English at Calvert School in Baltimore. Her work has appeared in Best American Poetry, Southwest Review, and other journals. Her first book, Chaos Theories, was published in 2016. Ellen Herbert’s novel, The Last Government Girl, won the Maryland Writers’ Association 2014 Best Novel Award. Short stories in her collection, Falling Women and Other Stories, have won more than ten awards including a PEN Fiction and a Virginia Fiction Fellowship.

Meet the Instructor: Bob Levey This summer, Columnist Bob Levey joined The Writer’s Center to lead a workshop for the first time, Informed Opinion Writing. In his 36-year, prize-winning career at The Washington Post, Levey covered presidential politics, Congress, local news, and sports. For his first foray as an instructor at TWC, he was pleased with the experience. “I was very impressed by the diversity and preparation of my students,” he said. “They take the craft of writing seriously and truly want to write more accurately and more knowledgeably.” Keep an eye out for more workshops with the journalist in future seasons, and in the meantime, join us on October 26, when he discusses The Ninth Hour with its author, National Book Award Winner Alice McDermott. Image: The University of Chicago Institute of Politics

Kathryn Johnson’s 40+ popular novels include Affairs of State and The Gentleman Poet. Her most recent book, The Extreme Novelist, is based on the courses she has taught at The Smithsonian and The Writers Center. Kathryn is the founder of a writer’s mentoring and editorial service: www. WriteByYou.com. Rob Jolles is a three-time Bestselling author with books translated in over a dozen languages. He coaches and mentors business authors from around the country and his designed approach and manuscript development process have been successful in the production of numerous conventionally published business books. Jacqueline Jules is the award-winning author of forty books for young readers including the Zapato Power series, the Sofia Martinez series, Feathers for Peacock, and Duck for Turkey Day. Her work has also appeared in magazines and anthologies such as Cricket, Ladybug, and Highlights for Children. Beth Kanter earned an M.S.J. from Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism. She is the author of Washington, DC Chef’sTable, a collection of stories, photographs, and recipes from Washington’s most popular restaurants. Beth also is the author of Food Lovers’ Guide to Washington DC Beth’s essays and articles have appeared in national newspapers, magazines, and online publications including The Chicago Tribune and The Kitchn, among others. Eva Langston received her M.F.A. from the University of New Orleans. Her fiction has been published in many journals and anthologies. She is the Features Editor for Compose Journal and a part-time middle school tutor. She writes novels for young people. Con Lehane wrote Murder at the 42nd Street Library and Murder in the Manuscript Room. Recent stories appear in Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine and Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine. Lisa Leibow earned an M.A. from Johns Hopkins University. She has taught writing at Northern Virginia Community College, University of Maryland University College, and John Hopkins University. Her work has appeared in journals, including CommuterLit, DiverseVoicesQuarterly, Eleven-Eleven, among others. She’s a Vermont Studio Center Grant winner, Pitchapalooza D.C. winner and John Gardner Award for Best Character Description honorable mention. Christopher Linforth earned an M.F.A. from Virginia Tech. He has published fiction and nonfiction in dozens of literary magazines, including Gargoyle, Southern Humanities Review, and many others. His debut short-story collection, When You Find Us We Will Be Gone, was released in 2014.

for the most up-to-date news and information, visit www.writer.org

John Lingan has written for The Oxford American, BuzzFeed, The Virginia Quarterly Review, and many other magazines and websites. His first book, a narrative nonfiction account of the last honkytonk in the Virginias, will be published in summer 2018. Desirée Magney, a memoirist, and poet publishes the literary journal, Little Patuxent Review and contributes to its blog. She has been published in the Delmarva Review, The Washington Post Magazine, and much more. Alicia Oltuski holds an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Columbia University, where she received a David Berg Foundation Fellowship, and a B.A. and M.A. from the University of Pennsylvania. She is the author of Precious Objects, a Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers selection. Her work has appeared in Tin House, W magazine, and other publications. Alan Orloff’s first novel, Diamonds for the Dead, was an Agatha Award Finalist. He also wrote Killer Routine and Deadly Campaign. Writing as Zak Allen, he’s published two other novels. His latest work is Running from the Past. More about him at: www.alanorloff.com. Katherine Pickett is the owner of POP Editorial Services, LLC, and the author of Perfect Bound: How to Navigate the Book Publishing Process Like a Pro. Through POP she offers copyediting, proofreading, and developmental editing services. She penned Freelancing as a Business: 7 Steps to Take Before Launch Day and the essay “Dented,” which was anthologized by Lowestoft Chronicle. Her articles have appeared on Writer Beware, Publishing Perspectives, and elsewhere. More about her at: www.thePOPnewsletter.com. Laura Probert, MPT is a holistic physical therapist, published author, teacher, poet, and a black belt in Tae Kwon Do. She’s serious about integrating mind, body, and soul as a journey to passion and power and it’s her mission to show you how. Her writing has been featured on The Huffington Post, MindBodyGreen, Best Self Magazine, and elsewhere. More about her at: www.BraveHealer.com. Mary Quattlebaum teaches in the graduate program in writing for children at the Vermont College of Fine Arts. She is the author of 24 awardwinning picture books, novels, and books of poetry for children, including Pirate vs. Pirate and Jo MacDonald Hiked in the Woods. She reviews for The Washington Post and Washington Parent. Marija Stajic has a B.A. in literature and an M.A. in international journalism. She studied fiction at the George Washington University under Tim Johnston (The Descent) and worked for the

LEADERS

Claire Handscombe earned an M.F.A. in 2015. Her essays, poetry, and journalism have appeared in a wide variety of publications, including Bustle, The Washington Post, and The Washingtonian.

WORKSHOP LEADERS New Yorker magazine. She was The Writer’s Center’s 2014 Undiscovered Voices Fellow, a winner of a Neoverse short story award, and a WWPH novel competition finalist. Her fiction has been published in dozens of literary journals and two anthologies. Marilyn Smith holds a Ph.D. in Education Policy/Higher Education and an M.A. in Reading Education. She has taken numerous writing classes from The Writer’s Center and has taught a wide variety of courses/workshops/seminars since 1969. She retired a few years ago and has recently published two books—her memoir and an anthology of medical memoirs. Kathryn Brown Ramsperger’s awardwinning fiction and nonfiction has appeared in National Geographic and Kiplinger publications, many online publications, and literary journals. Her first novel, which was a semi-finalist in the FaulknerWisdom Literary Competition, was published in 2017.

LEADERS

Elizabeth Rees has taught at Harvard University, Boston College, the U.S. Naval Academy, Howard University, Johns Hopkins University’s graduate program, and at The Writer’s Center since 1990. She is the author of Every Root a Branch and four award-winning chapbooks. Her poems have appeared in Partisan Reveiw, Kenyon Review, and other publications. Additionally, she works as a “poet-in-the-schools” for the Maryland State Arts Council. Emily Rich is the Executive Editor of Delmarva Review and Deputy Editor of Little Patuxent Review. Her work has been published in a number of small presses including r.kv.ry and others. Her essays have been listed as Notables in Best American Essays 2014 and 2015. Her story Black Market Pall Malls won the Biostories 2015 War and Peace essay contest.

Ellen Ryan has been published in USNews.com, Washingtonian, ForbesLife Executive Woman, and many other regional/national publications and published a book based in part on years of specialized articles. Patricia Gavin Sandberg earned a B.A. in Broadcast Communications (Radio & TV) and Aerospace Science from San Francisco State University and an M.B.A. in eCommerce from Keller Graduate School of Management. She is currently studying Indigenous Peoples Law at Oklahoma University College of Law while producing audiobooks with Narrator / Actor Charles Baker of Annapolis. Lynn Schwartz teaches fiction at St. John’s College. She is a story development editor and ghostwriter. Her plays have been performed in NYC, including Lincoln Center. She founded the Temple Bar Literary Reading Series in NYC, has received two Individual Artist Awards in Fiction from the Maryland State Arts Council. Dave Singleton holds degrees from the University of Virginia and New York University. He is the author of The Mandates and Behind Every Great Woman His work has appeared in the The Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, and much more. He is a Contributing Editor for the literary journal Scoundrel Time. More about him at www.davesingleton. com and on Twitter @DCDaveSingleton. Alex Smith holds an M.F.A. from The New School. He is the author of Hive, The Berserk, other works. His stories and poems appear in Theaker’s Quarterly Fiction among others. He has a story forthcoming in the Terror in 16-bits Anthology and is working on a novel and novella.

The Writer’s Center Julie Wakeman-Linn has taught fiction writing for fifteen years. She edited the Potomac Review for twelve years. Her short stories have appeared in many literary magazines. Her novel, Chasing the Leopard Finding the Lion, a finalist for the Bellwether Prize, was published in 2012. Her story collection was a finalist for the WWPH 2014 fiction prize. Richard Washer holds a B.A. from University of Virginia and an M.F.A. from American University. He is playwright and director, was a founding member of Charter Theater. He currently works with First Draft as a playwright and director. His full-length plays include Missa, Of a Sunday Morning, and Monkeyboy (co-written with Keith Bridges and Chris Stezin) Hank Wallace, a Columbia Law School graduate, was a government reporter for New Jersey’s Middletown Courier and Red Bank Daily Register, and the assistant director of law-school publishing for Matthew Bender. He wrote the FCC’s plainlanguage newsletter and news writing tips for the Radio Television Digital News Association. More about him at www.wsln.com. Basil White is a speechwriter, a published joke writer (Judy Brown’s Squeaky Clean Comedy: 1,512 Dirt-Free Jokes from the Best Comedians, Comedy Thesaurus, and Larry Getlen’s The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Jokes), public speaker, and business humor consultant. Basil helps people add humor to presentations, advertising, movie scripts, and user manuals. He also writes articles and online courses on creative technology writing, usability, and information design. More about him at: www.basilwhite. com.

Shannon Robinson has taught at Johns Hopkins, Stanford Continuing Studies, and Interlochen Center for the Arts, where she was Writer-in-Residence. Her work has recently appeared in The Iowa Review, Gettysburg Review, and Joyland. She has received fellowships from Hedgebrook, the Canada Council for the Arts, and the Elizabeth George Foundation.

Mathangi Subramanian, Ed.D., is an awardwinning writer and educator who believes stories have the power to change the world. In 2016, her novel, Dear Mrs. Naidu, won the South Asia Book Award and was shortlisted for the Hindu-Goodbooks Prize.

Cherrie Woods is a 16-year public relations (PR) veteran and author who has been featured in several media outlets for her work with authors. She is the author of Where Do I Start? 10 PR Questions and Answers to Guide Self-Published Authors.

Mathias Svalina teaches writing at the University of Colorado and is an editor for Octopus Books. He is the author of five books, including Destruction Myth. He runs the Dream Delivery Service, which has been profiled on BBC World News and NPR’s Morning Edition.

Teach for Us

Gregory Robison holds a B.A. from Yale University, where he was a Scholar of the House, and an M.B.A. from INSEAD (Fontainebleau, France). In addition to leading Life Sentences as a workshop at The Writer’s Center, where he was Executive Director for four years, Robison has offered versions of it to students at Georgetown University, corporate clients, and others.

Sue Ellen Thompson has been an instructor at The Writer’s Center since 2007 and has previously taught at Middlebury College, Binghamton University, the University of Delaware, and Central Connecticut State University. Her fifth book of poems, They, was published in 2014. She received the 2010 Maryland Author Award from the Maryland Library Association.

The Writer’s Center is always looking for instructors to add to our talented pool of workshop leaders. If you are a published writer with teaching experience, please send a cover letter and resume to the attention of Program Manager Laura Spencer at laura.spencer@writer.org

Workshop & Event Guide Fall 2017

Your Words Like You’ve Never Heard Them Before

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The Last Battle Tamar Anolic ISBN-13: 978-1544610597

Colonel Zahara “Zac” Madison is a veteran of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. After being forced into a disability retirement, she is at a dead end in life: permanently injured, separated from the military, and too close to her abusive, dysfunctional family. Soon, Zac finds that her PTSD and anxiety is as bad as her physical wounds. As her woes mount, Zac struggles to decide whether to plan her future- or whether to end her suffering once and for all. Amazon.com for the most up-to-date news and information, visit www.writer.org

Write Forward Fostering Creativity in People Transitioning out of Homelessness By Henry Shuldiner

ences.” Seven individuals participated with me were a clear reminder of how ast spring, The Writer’s Center in the workshop at The Writer’s Center, many people are affected by homelesslaunched a program in collaboration with Bethesda Cares, an outreach organi- ness in different ways. It was just another all with varying levels of experience in creative writing. zation that provides services and support big reason why this program was so necessary.” for people who have experienced home“[There were] people who are musilessness. The idea for Writing Forward, cians/songwriters and a few who had Professor José R. Ballesteros of St. as it’s called, was spearheaded by Bethesno experiences with creative writing Mary’s College of Maryland got the job. da Cares staffer Mark Babiak, former Bilingual, Ballesteros was able to connect of any kind,” Babiak said. At Bethesda Development Manager Kristen Zory King, Cares, Babiak assists adult individuwith Spanish and English speakers alike and Program Manager Laura Spencer. als transitioning from Writing Forward brought to permaclients from Bethesda Not only were so many interest- homelessness nent, supportive housing. Cares to The Writer’s ed, but the personal stories these “My job is to connect Center for creative writinstructors shared with me were a clear re- the clients with coming sessions during the munity resources, advomonth of May, meeting minder of how many people are affected by cate for them, and work every Wednesday for two homelessness in different ways. It was just with their case manager hours. to ensure a successful another big reason why this program was so housing placement,” he “It was a way for people necessary. said. After a while, he to express themselves and realized that once clients get out what was inside got settled into their new . . . and to challenge the homes, they often struggled with a feelduring class time. “The most rewarding client if they wanted to be challenged— ing of isolation. “A lot of the clients are for the clients to grow in a way they may aspect [for me] was to be surrounded on permanent stability through social by human beings whose hardships had not have been able to before,” Babiak security, or may be elderly and don’t made them wise—much wiser than myexplained. have a lot of social activities,” he said. self—to the sometimes harsh, sometimes The program is an exciting direction beautiful realities of this world,” BallesIn response, the organization launched for The Writer’s Center, and it’s received teros said. an activity therapy program designed a warm welcome. “When I reached out to decrease isolation and increase social “We ate lunch together before each to our core list of instructors in search skills, coping mechanisms, and particiworkshop,” he continued. “This breakof a leader for the sessions, the response pants’ ability to form interpersonal relaing bread together did so much for us to was overwhelming,” Spencer said. “Not tionships. Writing Forward was the first establish the trust and care necessary in only were so many interested, but the activity for the group. order to learn how to share our experipersonal stories these instructors shared

Workshop & Event Guide Fall 2017

His writing was filled with an intensity and truthfulness that really made an impact on me.

“People experiencing homelessness are very creative but lack an outlet for that creativity,” Babiak said. “Once they become more established, they are often able to flush out the creativity.” As introduction to creative writing, program participants read works by Jimmy Santiago Baca, Lucille Clifton, David Sedaris, and others, and then discussed each author’s approach, subject matter, and writing style. Most of the attendees had never encountered these authors, and the readings sparked passionate “conversations about the human experience and writing’s ability to get the heart of the human condition,” Ballesteros said. The sessions left him humbled by the participants’ street knowledge, “a poetic space that is so dear to me and so present in my poetry.” Participants wrote in a variety of genres, including song lyrics, poetry, and

with an intensity and truthfulness that really made an impact on me.”

Professor José R. Ballesteros

short stories. The authors then read their work aloud and the class discussed it. One participant was able to write down his feelings and thoughts after decades of considering himself incapable because his education ended after the 8th grade. “This particular attendee, throughout the workshop, had some of the most insightful comments about the work we read,” said Ballesteros. “His writing was filled

for the most up-to-date news and information, visit www.writer.org

Ballesteros, Babiak, and the staff of The Writer’s Center look forward to hosting an expanded Writing Forward program again this fall. Tyler West, community relations assistant for the Center, said, “Going forward, we want to reach more people through the program and incorporate a more dynamic curriculum.” If the positive feedback from these seven students is any indication, the first Writing Forward workshop proved how much sharing written stories can help make connections, inspire empathy and selfconfidence, and remind us that we all have much to learn from one another.

FROM THE WORKSHOPS

The Writer’s Center

Many talented writers have passed through The Writer’s Center’s halls, taking multiple workshops and honing their craft. We present here a small sampling of the remarkable work they produce.

Still Life with Alarm By Ann Quinn Perhaps we set off an alarm if we’re about to die and perhaps the alarm saves us a jumble of white linens and fruit and pottery on a table the lemon holding down a fold (I stare at a postcard of the painting, trying to touch it with my eyes and touch words into being but keep having to re-type in my haste, autocorrect insensitive to language) Thinking of alarms, remembering the story of Rena a child in Kiev the German soldier came back to the shelter and removed the bomb from above her bed the bomb that looked like a clock and what he said about the death of a child—I suppose her father heard he spoke five languages

Snakeskin By Michael Kirkland

the table the lower right corner has a range of orange rubbed on Hebrews 11:1 Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things unseen there is an unspoken diagonal running through the table below it a finger painting of colors

In the calm still life, the background—yellow, gold, green, grey, the table green, brown, grey, black, whtie, weill, auto correct perplexed white is what I mean but of course it’s not white at all What can a lemon skin—how does it resemble an older person’s face?

Winding through the garden thick with summer growth your trace is sure. Skin curved and full, speckled and patterned, belies your absence. Tail and head shrouded, a mystery. Yet fragile and transparent, a thin replica of your old self remains as you move forward to a new life, another skin.

Quinn has worked on her poems with instructors Sandra Beasley, Carolyn Clark, Nan Fry, and Marie Pavlicek-Wehrli.

Kirkland has taken several workshops with Elizabeth Rees.

the bed was very comfortable the alarm insensitive to my thumb interrupting dreams of the sea this morning

Workshop & Event Guide Fall 2017

FROM THE WORKSHOPS When apples last on that tree ripened

Tinker Bell

By Martha Horne

By Fran Abrams

and the days shortened in a weaker sun like now you were. Neither of us counted out your days which now I know we could have done. The structure of your life gave me structure. As the season deepened, I watched the apples redden as I do now. You are still here in so many ways as I have to deal with law and finances. Are you peering over my shoulder making sure I’m not wasting time with others, with softer subjects, with pleasures you did not pursue. We did not cry; we tried to solve. Your silences scarred many conversations perhaps we could have had. I tried, maybe I was expecting too much. Or, maybe we needed more time. Maybe we needed more time. Gradually, I march toward my own pursuits. I find other faces, voices on my own. I may learn to treasure them like yours. Memories flash throughout the day: You held our newborn son’s pinkie finger saying “We have to stick together, Owen.” You gave me a gift, touching me to the core: a gold bracelet “Damn I’m Good” it said. You took me to Cleveland to my childhood friend’s memorial service and just before you died, you drove me to my flute recital patient, tolerant hearing tedious dissonances, mistakes, start-overs. I get through the darker times with all these thoughts. Your keen humor buoys me still. These I savor as I ripen to my life alone. This poem was written in Anne Becker and Linda Rollins’s workshop, Making a Poetry Chapbook. for the most up-to-date news and information, visit www.writer.org

Like I told Peter, forget that Wendy Bird. I’m the one with Pixie dust. I’m the fairy who makes magic. I am proof that small is better. And I have wings and I can fly. And you out there in TV land, I hope you’ve seen my spin-off movies. I’ve got my own franchise, you know. Tinker Bell and pirates, Tinker Bell and lost treasures, Tinker Bell and beasts! Oh my. You don’t see any movies about Wendy, do you? And who do you think has her own line of little girls’ costumes? Well, that wouldn’t be Wendy. Of course not. How about birthday party paper plates and napkins? Would that be Wendy’s picture on them? No. That would be adorable me. My market is multitudes of children who all believe in me. The children always repeat the fairy dust mantra that keeps me alive. “I do believe, I do believe.” But you know what frosts my fairy dust, my friends? When Peter Pan’s played live on stage, a flash light and bells fill my role. The children are screaming their belief in a flash light! What a sneaky way to avoid union scale. This piece is the result of a workshop assignment from Elizabeth Rees to write a persona poem of a cartoon character.

ON THE SCENE

EVENTS Poet Lore celebrated its 128 birthday at Baby Wale in downtown D.C. last February. Photos from top, clockwise: Kim Addonizio wows the crowd with her powerful reading; Elayne Bond Hyman and Valerie Jean; Sandra Beasley’s feeling for poetry mirrors the experience; (from left to right) Carl Phillips, Natasha Trethewey, Barbara Goldberg, Rose Solari, Pablo Medina, D. Nurske, and Jim Daniels; Readers and PL editors, including E. Ethelbert Miller, Jody Bolz, and Ellie Tipton, join in to blow out the candles on the birthday cake. Photos by Mignonette Dooley.

Opposite page: This semester’s Write Who You Are reading at the Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School was as impressive and emotional as always, photos by Erica Sanchez. The Deaf Poet’s Society made their debut reading at The Writer’s Center along with an art exhibition of works from the journal. Editor Sarah Katz introduced the readers. Camisha Jones performs her poetry with the assistance of a sign interpreter, photos by Vanessa Mallory Kotz. On June 10, we celebrated women writers with a panel discussion from a group who met at the Center and continue to support one another in their writing and lives 15 years later (left to right) Kathy Ramsperger, Cynthia Campbell, and Anne McNulty, photo by Tyler West; Tara Campbell signs her book Treevolution after her reading, photo by Tyler West.

Workshop & Event Guide Fall 2017

The Writer’s Center

EVENTS

ON THE SCENE

for the most up-to-date news and information, visit www.writer.org

FROM THE WORKSHOPS

The Writer’s Center

Celebrating the Next Generation of Writers F

or 13 years, The Writer’s Center has partnered with area high schools to recognize outstanding young creative writers. Students from Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School, Albert Einstein High School, and Landon School participate in separate writing contests judged by workshop leaders from the Center. More than 1,000 students have participated in the program. A team of English/language arts teachers from each school collects submissions from students, followed by rounds of judging by our instructors hand-picked by Assistant Director Sunil Freeman, who organizes the program.

Each contest ends with an awards ceremony and packed reading at The Writer’s Center. Parents, fellow students, and teachers cheer them on—all people who have been instrumental in nurturing these young authors as they hone their craft. Longtime board member Mier Wolf initiated the program in the mid2000s, and it has become a great springtime tradition we look forward to every year. “The winners receive a free writing workshop in fiction, nonfiction, or poetry,” Wolf explained, “which provides them incentive to continue their writing experience.” Winners and finalists also receive a copy of Poet Lore, the oldest poetry journal in the country (128 years), published by The Writer’s Center. The evening ends with a light reception and a chance for everyone to get to know each other.

We are proud to recognize the following winners. Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School - Winners were selected by Leslie Pietrzyk,

Ellen Ryan, Elizabeth Hazen, and Richard Washer

Personal Essay First Place: Cate Paterson, “Beyond Dim Sum” Second Place: Zoe Neuchterlein, “Below the Towering Skyscrapers” Third Place: Victoria Toth, “Run by Run” Short Story First Place: Pascal Lee, “Swimming Lesson” Second Place: Asha Lang, “8 PM” Third Place: Ella Goldblum, “Frozen Rainbow” Poetry First Place: Misha Lerner, “Cursed Wings” Second Place: Eliza Costello, “Heads of State” Third Place: Hunter Smith, “The Sea” Play First Place:

Grace Tepper, “The Revolving Door”

Albert Einstein High School - Winners were selected by Bill O’Sullivan Personal Essay First Place: Ben Simmons, “A Little Known Fact” Second Place: Grace Keller, “Solid” Third Place: Stephanie Lichtenstein, “Reflecting Through Clouded Skies” Short Story First Place: Elizabeth Padilla, “The Jade Crystal” Second Place: Heather Parkin, “Of Monsters and Men” Third Place: Joey Lambert, “I Am Nothing” Poetry First Place: Gabbie Ballesteros, “Shades of Someone” Second Place: Emily Ledbetter, “A Guide to Unending Yourself” Third Place: Tess Mayfield, “Love Letter from a Calculus Textbook to a Writer’s Journal”

Landon School - Winners were selected by Jeanne Marie Beaumont, Carlos Lozada, and

Jessica Anya Blau

Personal Essay First Place: Mitchell Hoffman, “Popsicles” Second Place: Brett Gallagher, “A Modest Proposal” Short Story First Place: John McMahon, “The Road in the Badlands” Second Place: Milo Hartsoe, “All Sales are Final” Poetry First Place: Andrew Clark, “Blistered Feet and Bent Backs . . .” Second Place: Matt Amitay, “Shi Huangdi” Workshop & Event Guide Fall 2017

WE ARE GRATEFUL Thank you to all of our Annual Fund Circle Level donors who have supported The Writer’s Center for Fiscal Year 2017 ( July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2017). Flannery O’Connor Circle—$10,000+ The Community Foundation for the National Capital Region Sally Mott Freeman and John Freeman The Reva & David Logan Foundation Omega Foundation Tau Foundation Inc Langston Hughes Circle—$2,500+ Margot Backas—Linna Barnes and Christian Mixter—Mark Cymrot and Janinne Dall’Orto—Juan Gaddis—Patricia Harris and Sandor Slager—John and Barbara Ann Hill—Howard Lavine—William Reynolds and Nancy M. Lincoln—Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School—Nora Roberts Foundation Zora Neale Hurston Circle—$1,000+ Kenneth and Karen Ackerman—Pat Alper—Margot Backas—Bydale Foundation—Timothy Crawford—Juan Gaddis—David Goodrich—Virginia Grandison—Patricia Harris and Sandor Slager—Jim and Kate Lehrer—Margaret and Calvin Meleney— Melissa Romain—T.A. Todd Foundation—Mier and Cathy Wolf—Wilson Wyatt Anton Chekhov Circle—$500+ Roberta Beary—Naomi F. and James F. Collins—Ann Friedman—Melinda Halpert—Shelby Harper—Erika Hortone—Peter Lovenheim—James and Diana Mathews—Jim McAndrew—Charles McNamara—David Metz—John and Ann Montgomery—Neesham Spitzberg—Roberta Spitzberg—Jonathan Tycko—Felix A Jakob Revocable Trust—Greenbaum Family Foundation—The Viner Foundation Emily Dickinson Circle—$250+ Margaret Bell—Margaret Blair—Casey Matching Gifts Program—Robert and Mary Eccles—Nancy Folger—John Ford—Lesley Francis—David Fry—Trish Glowacki—Les Hatley—Joanna Howard—Laurel Huber—Eugenia Kim—William and Louisa Newlin—Charles Parsons—Neesham Spitzberg—Craig Tregillus—Ralph S. & Frances R. Dweck Family Foundation Founder’s Circle—$100+ Krista Adams—Linda Adcock—Dale Appleman—B. K. Atrostic—Frances Baldwin—Deborah Barger—The Benevity Community Impact Fund—Jamie Bennett—Carmelinda Blagg—Donald Bliss—Kathy Borrus—Barbara Bulla Brown—Charles Cann and Alice Coleman—Nancy Carlson—Patricia Carrico—Alice Cave—Lauretta Clough—Jennifer Cockburn—Henry Crawford—Catherine Crockett—Christopher Dann—Joe Dellinger—Solveig Eggerz—Jonathan Eig—David Everet—The Fidelity Charitable Fund—Donald Franck—Martin and Theresa Galvin—Neal and Mary-Margaret Gillen—Patricia Harden—Virginia Hartman—Marilyn Heiman—Joan Henley—Ellen Herbert—Jay and Linda Herson—Teresa Hill—Tim and Sharle Hussion—Lane Jennings—Frank Joseph and Carol Jason—Kathryn King—Peter Kissel—Kathleen Krause—Rhys and Sue Kuklewicz—Susan Land— Raima Larter—Nancy Lasater—David Lees—Dee Leroy—John Lubetkin—Johanna Mahon—Perry Maiden—John Malin—C.M. Mayo—Steven and Janice Marcom—Judith McCombs—Claire Mcgoff—Ellen McLaughlin—Pat McNees—Carole McShane—Hassanali Mehran—John Monagle— Henry Morgenthau—Allen Murabayashi—Jane Oakley—Terrance O’Connor—Arne and Sara Paulson—Leslie Pietrzyk—Susan Pigman—Marilyn Regier—Rich Reichley—Dan Rosenblum—Barbara Rosing—Phyllis Rozman—Kenneth Sala—Betty Sams—Colin Sargent—William Schofield—Mady Segal—Richard Seldin—Robert Atcheson and Gene Smith—Larry and Louise Smith—Elias Souri—Robert Specht—Ed Spitzberg—Irving Spitzberg— Erik Stearns—Stanley Stern—David Stewart—Stacy Swann—Karla Taylor—Sandra Vince—David and Jane Winer—Robert Axelrod and Christy Wise—JudithWood—James and Jane Yagley For a full list of our supporters, please visit www.writer.org/about/donors for the most up-to-date news and information, visit www.writer.org

ABOUT US

The Writer’s Center

The Writer’s Center Mission Statement The Writer’s Center cultivates the creation, publication, presentation and dissemination of literary work. We are an independent literary organization with a global reach, rooted in a dynamic community of writers. As one of the premier centers of its kind in the country, we believe the craft of writing is open to people of all backgrounds and levels of ability. The Writer’s Center is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization and donations are tax deductible.

Interim Executive Director

Marketing & Publications Manager

Elizabeth Cummings

Vanessa Mallory Kotz

Assistant Director

Office Manager

Sunil Freeman

Judson Battaglia

Program Manager

Community Relations Assistant

Laura Spencer

Jack Canavan

Development & Community Outreach Manager

The Writer’s Center 4508 Walsh Street Bethesda, MD 20815

Bethany Rae Perryman

Board of Directors

301.654.8664 www.writer.org

Chair: John M. Hill

Poet Lore is the oldest continuously published poetry journal in the United States. We publish semi-annually, and submissions are accepted year-round. Subscription and submission information is available at www.poetlore.com.

Book Gallery

Vice Chair: Mark Cymrot

Treasurer: Margaret Meleney

Secretary: Patricia Harris

Chair Emeritus: Sally Mott Freeman Ken Ackerman • Margot Backas • Linna Barnes • Naomi F. Collins Les Hatley • Jeff Kosseff • Howard Lavine • James T. Mathews • Jim McAndrew Joram Piatigorsky • Bill Reynolds • Mier Wolf • Wilson W. Wyatt, Jr.

Honorary Board

TWC’s book gallery carries an extensive collection of literary magazines and books on craft.

Kate Blackwell • Tim Crawford • Dana Gioia • Jim & Kate Lehrer Alice McDermott • Ellen McLaughlin • E. Ethelbert Miller • Howard Norman

Supported in part by:

The Writer’s Center also gratefully acknowledges the support we receive from: The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, The Tau Foundation, The Omega Foundation, The Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation, and The Bydale Foundation.

Workshop & Event Guide Fall 2017

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