Ages: 14 & Up Plot is important, but characters are even more vital to our stories. We’ll begin by identifying how writers assemble their characters from foundation to final details. We’ll study examples from favorite stories and media then distill them down to the “what” of a character that makes them so beloved. We’ll pay […]
Never taken a writing workshop before? Want to try something new? Thinking about taking a long class? These fun, low-cost sessions are a good way to meet our instructors, fellow students, and get writing! Just like our old Writing Aerobics, feel free to register or just walk in.
“Make me care” is the first rule of storytelling, especially in your opening, where you either hook or lose a reader. In this hands-on workshop you’ll learn how to craft strong first pages to make a manuscript “unputdownable,” common mistakes and how to avoid them, which plot points to introduce and which to unfold, and […]
Jump-start your writing year by spending an invigorating week at Writers & Books. Perfect for getting those gears turning, each evening will feature a different teaching artist, culminating in a student reading Friday night. In this course, we’ll sharpen the skills necessary to make our fiction sizzle and pop off the page. This instructive workshop […]
This class is now full.
Introducing our NEW BOOK CLUB for Tweens and Teens (recommended ages 11-14). Join other avid readers and an experienced, engaging facilitator to discuss books in-depth. Plus, participants get to give input for future book selections! Jan 31: Join Chris Fanning (Professor Dalton to Hogwarts Academy graduates) on Harry Potter’s half birthday for an engaging discussion […]
What makes a Harry Potter or Walter White so engaging they're addictive? Through writing exercises, guided discussions, and workshops of your written work you'll learn how to give life to characters from the inside out. Together we'll explore how to: make characters unique, dynamic, and passionate; build subtext for them; dig deep into their core […]
Introducing our NEW BOOK CLUB for Tweens and Teens (recommended ages 11-14). Join other avid readers and an experienced, engaging facilitator to discuss books in-depth. Plus, participants get to give input for future book selections! Join acclaimed YA author Alex Sanchez, who has a graphic novel forthcoming in 2020, for an engaging book discussion. Raina […]
Mini 4: Overcome Writer's Block—Break through the resistance, overwhelm, and inner criticism that keep you from writing Never taken a writing workshop before? Want to try something new? Thinking about taking a longer class? These fun, low-cost sessions are a good way to meet our instructors, share with fellow students, and get writing! These classes […]
A great book hooks readers with engaging characters, compelling plot, strong scenes, gripping language, and a unified theme. Whew, so much to accomplish! For most writers, it takes more than one draft. Together we'll workshop the writing you've done; help you take a fresh look at your story; explore tools and techniques for reworking and […]
Jump-start your writing year by spending an invigorating week at Writers & Books. Perfect for getting those gears turning, each evening will feature a different teaching artist. In this course, we'll sharpen the skills necessary to make our fiction sizzle and pop off the page. This instructive workshop will include generative exercises to help you […]
Mini 5: Writing from TV & Film Never taken a writing workshop before? Want to try something new? Thinking about taking a longer class? These fun, low-cost sessions are a good way to meet our instructors, share with fellow students, and get writing! These classes are popular, so register early to get a spot! […]
(MORNINGS: for ages 14+) Together, we’ll create a safe and fun space to share LGBTQ+ stories, poetry, and songs. We'll learn about the craft of writing and storytelling and write our own stories about love, gender, friendship, family, coming out, and other joys and struggles of queerness in our lives. And we'll celebrate growing up […]
(MORNINGS: for ages 14+) What makes Harry Potter, Katniss Everdeen, or Twilight’s Bella and Edward so real and beloved? Bringing characters to life in words can feel almost magical. We'll create some of that magic through fun exercises, discussions, videos, and lots of writing. You’ll learn to develop unique, dynamic, and passionate characters from the […]
(MORNINGS: for ages 14+) Are you a comics or manga fan eager to tell your own stories combining words and pictures? Together we’ll explore how to write a dynamic and visual plot, create compelling characters, script lifelike dialogue, and conceive action-oriented illustrations that leap to life on the page. No matter what your writing or […]
Evening Workshop: 6 Sessions, Wednesdays October 2 - November 6, from 6:30 pm - 9 pm Instructor: Alex Sanchez Deadline to Register: September 29, 11:59 pm What makes To Kill a Mockingbird’s Atticus Finch or The Color Purple’s Celie so engaging? We’ll explore the fundamentals of crafting layered, multidimensional characters through readings, videos, discussions, and […]
Mini Workshop Instructor: Alex Sanchez This class is now full. Resistance to writing kicks everyone’s “butt,” but our desire to conquer it can triumph. With writing exercises, discussions, and readings, we’ll explore ways to tackle our fears and knock down dream- blocking barriers. Together we can win!
Special Topic Workshop: 1 Session, Saturday November 16, 10 am - 12:30 pm Instructor: Alex Sanchez How do we create scenes that keep readers turning pages? We’ll take a deep dive into the fundamentals of crafting dynamic, layered, character-driven scenes. Through readings, discussions, ideas, and writing exercises, we’ll study how proactive characters determine plot events […]
Member price: $22 Through writing exercises, discussions, and readings we’ll explore ways to tackle the blank page (or screen), silence the inner critic, and ease the anxiety of starting and finishing a writing project. Recommended Bibliography: The War of Art by Stephen Pressfield Alex Sanchez has published eight novels with Simon & Schuster, including the […]
Member price:$225 Deadline to Register: February 18, 11:59 pm Instructor: Alex Sanchez You’ve always wanted to write a novel, but aren’t sure how. Or maybe you tried and got bogged down, or lost steam, or don’t know what to do next. Have no fear! Through class discussions and readings, we’ll break down the novel-writing process […]
Member price:$65 Deadline to register: March 6, 11:59 pm Instructor: Alex Sanchez You’ve probably been told at least once, “show, don’t tell!” It’s one of the fundamental rules of writing, but how exactly can we do it? Through class discussions, reading examples, and writing exercises, we’ll take a deep dive into learning the specific tools […]
We’ve moved online! All workshops will be conducted through Zoom, an interactive platform that allows you to participate in exercises and contribute to group conversation in your workshops. The day before your workshop you’ll receive an email with a link to Zoom for your workshop session. Member Price: $65 Deadline to Register: April 17, 11:59 pm Instructor: […]
We’ve moved online! All workshops will be conducted through Zoom, an interactive platform that allows you to participate in exercises and contribute to group conversation in your workshops. The day before your workshop you’ll receive an email with a link to Zoom for your workshop session. Member Price: $65 Deadline to Register: May 1, 11:59 pm Instructor: […]
We’ve moved online! All workshops will be conducted through Zoom, an interactive platform that allows you to participate in exercises and contribute to group conversation in your workshops. The day before your workshop you’ll receive an email with a link to Zoom for your workshop session. Member Price: $65 Deadline to Register: May 8, 11:59 pm Instructor: […]
Member price: $20 Join us in kicking off Next Steps, a monthly literary series for writers on the publishing pathway. We’ve reimagined our popular annual Ladder Literary Conference as an ongoing program of talks, pitch sessions, agent speed dating, workshops, and more with published authors and experts from the publishing industry–some live, others Skyped. Talk: […]
Unless otherwise noted, SummerWrite camps are offered as 5-session experiences, Monday - Friday. Member Price: $125 Deadline to Register: August 2, 5 PM Instructor: Alex Sanchez Age Group: 14+ What makes Harry Potter, Katniss Everdeen, or Twilight’s Bella and Edward so real and beloved? Bringing characters to life in words can feel almost magical. We'll […]
