In this 8 week-long program of the Youth Experimental Performance Collective, students will collectively write an original play based on unconventional writing exercises, culminating in a reading or performance.
read moreExplore the fundamental elements of poetry, through the reading and writing of poems. We'll read and discuss poems written by other people, then write poems of our own, with special attention to elements of line, image, and syntax. Students will learn how close readings of other poems may inspire their own work, and how they […]
read moreInspired by the 48-Hour Film Project, this two-day workshop challenges writers to develop a short screenplay under tight deadlines. Bring your own ideas and collaborate with your peer students through brainstorming, outlining, and workshopping. By the end, you'll refine and polish your scripts with instructor and peer feedback. This workshop is perfect for filmmakers, aspiring […]
read moreExplore short story fiction writing by studying narrative craft elements like story, plot, character, scene, structure, archetypal patterns and dialogue. We’ll examine professionally published pieces and your own work. By the end of the course, you’ll be ready to begin a story based on a word or an idea. You’ll also understand how to evaluate […]
read moreExplore the relationship between words and pictures in a collaborative setting. We’ll use a wide range of visual images (including, but not limited to: photographs, paintings, postcards, and comics) to prompt new creative writing, in the style and genre of your choosing.
read moreRichmond is a city in flux—new buildings and neighborhoods are replacing the old. Places matter, and they inform our sense of identity and community. Using readings and prompts to spark powers of observation and description we’ll write about place and discuss how personal reflection can become the foundation to address larger local concerns. Using our […]
read moreThis one-session workshop class is for fiction writers (new or long-term) looking to try out the workshop experience, get fresh feedback on their work, and make new connections in the process. Students will submit and read each other's work prior to class.
read moreIn this generative workshop, students of multiple creative writing genres will explore nonlinear storytelling and learn how and when to effectively use this more experimental narrative style. Students will read and discuss short texts and media in class to explore storytelling using a nonlinear framework, including short films, poems, essays, and short fiction. These will […]
read moreLearn about how Japanese women have spearheaded Japanese language poetry for over a thousand years and how they continue to shape Japan's literary landscape. Read works from the Heian period until modern day in context and English, and try your hand at writing poems inspired by these remarkable women.
read moreIn this generative workshop, students of multiple creative writing genres will engage with and practice creating “retold tales”—rewriting myths, fairy tales, legends, classic stories, and other similar sources by adding new twists or using different points of view. We will consider questions about perspective, cultural and geographical location, power, and identity. Students will read short […]
read moreThis class focuses on basic tips for revising poetry, giving and receiving constructive poetic feedback, and how to further revise a poem after a group workshop. First, we'll get inspired by topics or prompts discussed in class and revise poems you have been working on to get them workshop-ready. Then, workshop your poem among peers […]
read moreThis one-session workshop class is for fiction writers (new or long-term) looking to try out the workshop experience, get fresh feedback on their work, and make new connections in the process. Students will submit and read each other's work prior to class.
read moreThis course is designed for anyone interested in the techniques and development of visual journaling. We'll review the contributions of visual diarists such as Dan Eldon and Frida Kahlo. Each session will begin with a short presentation on a visual diarist, technique, or significant artist with follow up time for guidance, feedback, and group discussion.
read moreThis introductory course is designed for anyone interested in the techniques and development of visual journaling. We'll explore the contributions of visual diarists such as Dan Eldon and Frida Kahlo.
read moreWhether you're currently working on a literary project or trying to get inspiration, this generative workshop will serve as a gentle and fun way to push yourself creatively. Through prompts, mini-lectures, readings, supportive discussion, group members will work towards realizing their prose visions.
read moreThomas Larson writes that “memoir is most successful when it is not the ‘story of a life,’ but a focused part of that life—a dozen summers spent working on a grandfather’s farm, a long relationship with a dying relative, the first year of law school.” You’ll work with writing prompts and timed writing exercises, and […]
read moreThis workshop is designed for anyone interested in the history and practice of visual journaling. Participants will be introduced to exercises that explore sequential text, automatic drawing and collage as aspects of the journaling process. We will begin the session with a short presentation on visual diarists, their techniques, and their significance.
read moreWhether you're currently working on a literary project or trying to get inspiration, this generative workshop will serve as a gentle and fun way to push yourself creatively. Through prompts, mini-lectures, readings, supportive discussion, group members will work towards realizing their prose visions.
read moreExplore the dark self, what Carl Jung called the “shadow” part of our psyche. Sometimes we see it in our dreams, sometimes it appears in dark imaginings. We’ll learn what the shadow can add to our creative writing by experimenting with timed writing, dream journals, guided imagery and Active Imagination.
read moreFamily is often an integral but tricky part about personal essay. Learn about how masters of craft have dealt with writing about family: the boundaries (if any) there are when it is your story to tell, the way we use family members as reflections of ourselves, and how to reckon with the writing of it […]
read moreThis class is for the conversations that still need to happen. We’ll talk about the barriers that keep us from writing what we need to write. We’ll also examine works by Chanel Miller, Jeannette Walls, and Layli Long Soldier to take lessons from the ways in which they make difficult topics easier to access. Students […]
read moreThe Play Class is a devised theater project—a collaborative class involving improvisation, experimental writing, and performance exercises, culminating in an original play. Devised theatre suggests that traditional theater roles—playwright, director, dramaturg, stage manager, set designer, actor, etc.—are divided amongst the group, not necessarily designated to one individual. That being said, these roles may be assigned […]
read moreDive into screenwriting in this seven-week class exploring the core elements of storytelling: character, conflict, and climax. This class breaks down the essentials of a compelling script, exploring how to craft memorable characters, create dynamic conflict, and build tension to a powerful climax. You'll have the chance to develop your ideas from concept to outline, […]
read moreExplore the possibilities of the prose poem. Each week, we'll read and discuss examples of prose poems (historic and contemporary), then use these conversations to inspire us as we write prose poems of our own.
read moreHave you been working away on your writing, only to be met with meekly polite responses? Are you ready to take it to the next level? In this discussion-based workshop, the teacher will take a no-nonsense approach to cutting the cliches and eliminating sentimentality while still being supportive and compassionate towards you and your vision.
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