Sep
20
to Oct 25

Jumpstart Your Novel!

Dates: Wednesdays, September 20th - October 25th
Time: 3:30pm to 5:00pm
Cost: $270
Limited to: 8 Participants (4 minimum)
Where: Imprint Bookstore

This 6-week series will help you get started on a full-length fiction project or recharge a novel-in-progress. Through a series of in-class writing prompts and homework exercises, we will dig into what makes a compelling story – character development, scene building, point-of-view, conflict, narrative arc — and how to approach the writing process to move you from “Once upon a time” to “The End”. Whether you are mulling over a story idea, have already written several chapters, or have a first draft but don’t know what to do next, you will gain a deeper understanding of your story, your characters and their motivations, as well as learn methods to structure your plotting while still honoring the magic of inspiration and your muse. 

The in-class exercises and homework will be generative, i.e. you will come away with new material, and you will have opportunities to share your work with other writer-participants.

To jumpstart our time together, all participants must begin the class series with a story idea to work on. You will be asked to provide your story concept (100 words maximum) a week or so prior to the first session.    

Julie Christine Johnson is the award-winning author of the novels In Another Life and The Crows of Beara. Her short stories and essays have appeared in several literary journals and anthologies. With degrees in French, Psychology and International Affairs, Julie has been a study abroad program administrator, a corporate wine buyer, and once managed a slaughterhouse in New Zealand. Now the finance manager for a non-profit poetry publisher, Julie makes her home in Jefferson County with her partner, their three cats, six chickens and Labradane, Daisy. Learn more about Julie and her writing at juliechristinejohnson.com

View Event →
From Spark to Flame: Writing Compelling Micro-Fiction: ONLINE, Tuesdays, September 7-October 5, 4-5:30 p.m., $140
Sep
7
to Oct 5

From Spark to Flame: Writing Compelling Micro-Fiction: ONLINE, Tuesdays, September 7-October 5, 4-5:30 p.m., $140

Maximum 5 participants
Micro, or flash, fiction distills a story to its essence. This workshop will focus on creating a new 300-word "narrative in miniature" each week, based on a given prompt, and share those stories, offering supportive, constructive feedback.

We will explore character development, narrative arc, and emotional resonance with this powerful story form. In a generous and generative format, writers will be encouraged to take risks with language and ideas, and be energized by writing tight, honing skills, and turning the spark of an idea into the flame of a story. Our goal is to inspire and nurture one another and ourselves as we expand possibilities for our creative practices.

TO REGISTER: Email me at writingwithjulie@icloud.com

PAYMENT via PAYPAL

CLASS FORMAT: ZOOM

This workshop will also be offered on the following dates:

View Event →
The Art and Craft of the Query Letter: ONLINE Sunday, July 25 & Sunday, August 1; 1-2:30 p.m. PDT $80
Jul
25
to Aug 1

The Art and Craft of the Query Letter: ONLINE Sunday, July 25 & Sunday, August 1; 1-2:30 p.m. PDT $80

You spent months, perhaps years, writing, revising, editing and polishing your novel or memoir*. Your goal is to see it in bookstores and in the hands of readers. If you choose to pursue the traditional publishing road, this means having that manuscript accepted by a literary agent, or the editor of a small press. Your calling card is your query letter.

You have one page—four or five paragraphs, three hundred words—to sell your book, convey your voice, state your credentials, and make the case why, out of the hundreds of queries an agent receives each year, your story is one of the few they should represent.

This 2-part online workshop will examine each element of a stand-alone query letter, with particular emphasis on crafting your book’s “hook."

Part 1 will focus on the parts of the query. Together we will examine and discuss each component, with time for your questions along the way.

Part 2 will be a live workshop critique of your query letter.

We’ll discuss how to find agents to query, and how the query and pitch processes works, but most of our time will be spent crafting your query letter.

Even if your book is in the earliest stages—a first draft, an outline or collection of research notes—working on a query letter is an excellent way to articulate what you are writing about, who your readers are, and what sets your story apart from the rest.

Query workshops are limited to 5 participants, to allow everyone an opportunity to have their query letters reviewed and critiqued. You will be asked to submit your query draft by Friday, July 30, 5 PM PDT.

The goal is for each participant to complete the workshop with a working query that they can hone and polish as they plan their submission process.

*This workshop will focus on works of fiction and memoir; narrative nonfiction queries are usually accompanied by substantive proposals, demonstrating subject expertise and an author platform. I’m happy to recommend resources for developing a non-fiction proposal.

TO REGISTER: Email me at writingwithjulie@icloud.com Tell me a bit about your work-in-progress!

PAYMENT via PAYPAL

This workshop will also be offered on the following dates: July 13/July 20 (Tuesdays, 4-5:30 PM PDT)

View Event →
From Spark to Flame: Writing Compelling Micro-Fiction: ONLINE, Thursdays, July 15-August 12, 1-2:30 p.m., (PDT), $140
Jul
15
to Aug 12

From Spark to Flame: Writing Compelling Micro-Fiction: ONLINE, Thursdays, July 15-August 12, 1-2:30 p.m., (PDT), $140

Maximum 5 participants.
Micro, or flash, fiction distills a story to its essence. This workshop will focus on creating a new 300-word "narrative in miniature" each week, based on a given prompt, and share those stories, offering supportive, constructive feedback.

We will explore character development, narrative arc, and emotional resonance with this powerful story form. In a generous and generative format, writers will be encouraged to take risks with language and ideas, and be energized by writing tight, honing skills, and turning the spark of an idea into the flame of a story. Our goal is to inspire and nurture one another and ourselves as we expand possibilities for our creative practices.

TO REGISTER: Email me at writingwithjulie@icloud.com

PAYMENT via PAYPAL

CLASS FORMAT: ZOOM

This workshop will also be offered on the following dates: September 7-October 5, Tuesdays, 4-5:30 pm PDT

View Event →
The Art and Craft of the Query Letter: ONLINE Tuesday, July 13 & Tuesday, July 20; 4-5:30 p.m. PDT $80
Jul
13
to Jul 20

The Art and Craft of the Query Letter: ONLINE Tuesday, July 13 & Tuesday, July 20; 4-5:30 p.m. PDT $80

You spent months, perhaps years, writing, revising, editing and polishing your novel or memoir*. Your goal is to see it in bookstores and in the hands of readers. If you choose to pursue the traditional publishing road, this means having that manuscript accepted by a literary agent, or the editor of a small press. Your calling card is your query letter.

You have one page—four or five paragraphs, three hundred words—to sell your book, convey your voice, state your credentials, and make the case why, out of the hundreds of queries an agent receives each year, your story is one of the few they should represent.

This 2-part online workshop will examine each element of a stand-alone query letter, with particular emphasis on crafting your book’s “hook."

Part 1 will focus on the parts of the query. Together we will examine and discuss each component, with time for your questions along the way.

Part 2 will be a live workshop critique of your query letter.

We’ll discuss how to find agents to query, and how the query and pitch processes works, but most of our time will be spent crafting your query letter.

Even if your book is in the earliest stages—a first draft, an outline or collection of research notes—working on a query letter is an excellent way to articulate what you are writing about, who your readers are, and what sets your story apart from the rest.

Query workshops are limited to 5 participants, to allow everyone an opportunity to have their query letters reviewed and critiqued. You will be asked to submit your query draft by Monday, July 19, 5 PM PDT.

The goal is for each participant to complete the workshop with a working query that they can hone and polish as they plan their submission process.

*This workshop will focus on works of fiction and memoir; narrative nonfiction queries are usually accompanied by substantive proposals, demonstrating subject expertise and an author platform. I’m happy to recommend resources for developing a non-fiction proposal.

TO REGISTER: Email me at writingwithjulie@icloud.com Tell me a bit about your work-in-progress!

PAYMENT via PAYPAL

This workshop will also be offered on the following dates: July 25/August 1 (Sunday 1-2:30 PM PDT)

View Event →
Writing in a Time of Crisis: Micro-Fiction during the Pandemic
Apr
2
to Apr 30

Writing in a Time of Crisis: Micro-Fiction during the Pandemic

  • The Writers' Workshoppe and Imprint Books (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

Thursdays, 1 p.m.-3 p.m.  5 sessions, April 2-30

$200 Max. 5 participants.

Micro, or flash, fiction distills a story to its essence. This workshop will focus on creating a new 300-word "narrative in miniature" each week, based on a given prompt. We will explore character development, narrative arc, and emotional resonance with this powerful story form. In a generous and generative format, writers will be encouraged to take risks with language and ideas, and be energized by writing tight, honing skills, and turning the spark of an idea into the flame of a story. Our goal is to inspire and nurture one another and ourselves as we expand possibilities for our creative practices.

View Event →
Needle Pulling Thread: How to Craft a Novel Beginning
Mar
7
10:00 AM10:00

Needle Pulling Thread: How to Craft a Novel Beginning

  • Bainbridge Artisan Resource Network (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

Opening scenes introduce your protagonist, her/his world, their goals, the stakes, and your story's themes. It's no wonder that an opening scene is often the most difficult to write! This workshop will look at a variety of approaches, with examples from classic, literary/commercial fiction, memoir. Writing prompts will be used to help you create depth and tension in your opening scene. 

View Event →
The Many Faces of Conflict: Crafting the Multi-Dimensional Antagonist
Nov
9
10:00 AM10:00

The Many Faces of Conflict: Crafting the Multi-Dimensional Antagonist

  • Bainbridge Artisans Resource Network (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

Conflict is the novel’s engine. It propels the story forward, gives it energy and urgency. And who or what provides your protagonist with conflict? Opposition, in the form of an antagonist or antagonizing force.

Black-and-white villains are easy to write, but unsatisfying for the reader. Your narrative’s engine will stall without a multidimensional antagonistic force. Grit, drama, and tension are created when your antagonist elicits empathy, curiosity, fascination. When they show their vulnerable side (I know I’m not the only one who cried when Luke removed Darth Vader’s mask!). Lady Macbeth, Gollum, Severus Snape, Briony from Ian McEwan’s Atonement, Amy from Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl… the antagonists we hate to love as readers are the antagonists we most want to create in our own work.

Through a variety of craft-based exercises and inquiries, this workshop will examine your antagonist’s dimensions, motivations, and desires behind her or his darker forces. 

View Event →
The Art and Craft of the Query: Part 2 “Workshop” Your Query
Dec
8
10:00 AM10:00

The Art and Craft of the Query: Part 2 “Workshop” Your Query

  • Bainbridge Artisans Resource Network (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

Whether you attended "The Art and Craft of the Query: Part 1, The Nuts and Bolts" in May or you have a draft of a query letter in need of review, this workshop will help you prepare the final draft. We’ll look at each query letter, assess its effectiveness and impact, and work together to sharpen the query’s essentials with particular emphasis on the pitch.

A maximum of only six students will participate in this class.

Please bring a draft of your query letter to share. Your query should be fully-formed—we won’t be writing letters from scratch—but don’t worry if it’s rough. The goal of this workshop is to refine your query so it’s an irresistible call to action for a literary agent to represent your work.

*This workshop will focus on works of fiction and memoir; narrative nonfiction queries are usually accompanied by substantive proposals, which are animals of a different sort. But non-fiction writers are encouraged to participate; the basic principles hold true for any one-page query letter, which all writers will be expected to present.

Instructor: Julie Christine Johnson is the award-winning author of the novels In Another Life (Sourcebooks, 2016) and The Crows of Beara (Ashland Creek Press, 2017). Her short stories and essays have appeared in several journals, including Emerge Literary Journal; Mud Season Review; Cirque: A Literary Journal of the North Pacific Rim; Cobalt; River Poets Journal, in the print anthologies Stories for Sendai; Up, Do: Flash Fiction by Women Writers; and Three Minus One: Stories of Love and Loss; and featured on the flash fiction podcast No Extra Words. She holds undergraduate degrees in French and Psychology and a Master’s in International Affairs. Julie leads writing workshops and seminars and offers story/developmental editing and writer coaching services. 

A hiker, yogi, and wine geek, Julie makes her home on the Olympic Peninsula of northwest Washington state. 

View Event →
The Art and Craft of the Query: Part 2 “Workshop” Your Query
Sep
22
10:00 AM10:00

The Art and Craft of the Query: Part 2 “Workshop” Your Query

  • Bainbridge Artisans Resource Network (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

Whether you attended "The Art and Craft of the Query: Part 1, The Nuts and Bolts" in May or you have a draft of a query letter in need of review, this workshop will help you prepare the final draft. We’ll look at each query letter, assess its effectiveness and impact, and work together to sharpen the query’s essentials with particular emphasis on the pitch.

A maximum of only six students will participate in this class.

Please bring a draft of your query letter to share. Your query should be fully-formed—we won’t be writing letters from scratch—but don’t worry if it’s rough. The goal of this workshop is to refine your query so it’s an irresistible call to action for a literary agent to represent your work.

*This workshop will focus on works of fiction and memoir; narrative nonfiction queries are usually accompanied by substantive proposals, which are animals of a different sort. But non-fiction writers are encouraged to participate; the basic principles hold true for any one-page query letter, which all writers will be expected to present.

Instructor: Julie Christine Johnson is the award-winning author of the novels In Another Life (Sourcebooks, 2016) and The Crows of Beara (Ashland Creek Press, 2017). Her short stories and essays have appeared in several journals, including Emerge Literary Journal; Mud Season Review; Cirque: A Literary Journal of the North Pacific Rim; Cobalt; River Poets Journal, in the print anthologies Stories for Sendai; Up, Do: Flash Fiction by Women Writers; and Three Minus One: Stories of Love and Loss; and featured on the flash fiction podcast No Extra Words. She holds undergraduate degrees in French and Psychology and a Master’s in International Affairs. Julie leads writing workshops and seminars and offers story/developmental editing and writer coaching services. 

A hiker, yogi, and wine geek, Julie makes her home on the Olympic Peninsula of northwest Washington state. 

View Event →
Pencil vs. Eraser: The Art & Craft of Revision
May
20
10:00 AM10:00

Pencil vs. Eraser: The Art & Craft of Revision

  • The Writer's Workshoppe and Imprint Books (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

$150

To REGISTER: http://www.writersworkshoppe.com/workshops/intensives

Thornton Wilder once said, "There are passages in every novel whose first writing is the last. But it's the joint and cement between those passages that take a great deal of rewriting."

Completing the first draft of a novel or memoir is a moment like no other. But it is the moments that follow—those days, weeks, months of rewriting and revision—that will determine the depth, resonance, strength and ultimately, the marketability of your narrative. Yet, the revision process confounds many a writer, either out of terror over the size of the task ahead, or out of fear of messing with the shimmering, magical beauty of that first draft. This workshop will help allay those fears, and yes, we will mess with that shimmering first draft!

Revision is far more than correcting grammatical errors and fine-tuning your prose. A story with weak characters and a poorly-executed plot cannot be fixed with Spellcheck. We will take a look at story structure, character development, the all-important opening pages, dig into a scene or two, and look at some of your writer's tics. The goal is to help you develop a revision plan and kickstart your rewriting to move you into the next drafts.

Please be at or near completion of the first draft of your work-in-progress. You will need a laptop, as we will be working on that draft throughout the workshop. 

View Event →
The Art and Craft of the Query: A Nuts & Bolts Workshop
May
5
10:00 AM10:00

The Art and Craft of the Query: A Nuts & Bolts Workshop

  • BARN: Bainbridge Artisans' Resource Network (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

BARN Member – $79.00 Non-member – $95.00

To register: https://bainbridgebarn.wildapricot.org/event-2757327

You spent months, perhaps years, writing, revising, editing and polishing your novel or memoir. Your goal is to see it in bookstores and in the hands of readers. If you choose to pursue the traditional publishing road, this means having that manuscript accepted by a literary agent, or the editor of a small press. Your calling card is your query letter. You have one page—four or five paragraphs, four-hundred words—to sell your book, convey your voice, state your credentials, and make the case why, out of the hundreds of queries an agent receives each year, your story is one of the few she should represent.

This workshop will examine each element of a stand-alone query letter, with particular emphasis on crafting your book’s “hook." We’ll also discuss how to find agents to query, and how the query and pitch processes works, but most of our time will be spent crafting your query letter. Even if your book is in the earliest stages—a first draft, an outline or collection of research notes—working on a query letter is an excellent way to articulate what you are writing about, who your readers are, and what sets your story apart from the rest.

Participants will have time to work separately on each section of their query letter in class and have the opportunity to receive feedback if they choose to share portions of their query with the group. The bulk of workshop time will be spent on the “meat” of the query: the hook. The goal is for each participant to leave with a working query that they can hone and polish as they plan their submission process.

*This workshop will focus on works of fiction and memoir; narrative nonfiction queries are usually accompanied by substantive proposals, which are animals of a different sort. But non-fiction writers are encouraged to participate; the basic principles and sources of information hold true for any one-page query letter, which all writers will be expected to present.

 

View Event →
Spark to Flame: Writing Micro-Fiction
Oct
10
to Nov 28

Spark to Flame: Writing Micro-Fiction

  • The Writers' Workshoppe and Imprint Books (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

Tuesdays, 3 p.m.-5 p.m.  Eight sessions, October 10 - November 28

$200 Max. 5 participants.

Micro, or flash, fiction distills a story to its essence. This workshop will focus on creating a new 300-word "narrative in miniature" each week, based on a given prompt. We will explore character development, narrative arc, and emotional resonance with this powerful story form. In a generous and generative format, writers will be encouraged to take risks with language and ideas, and be energized by writing tight, honing skills, and turning the spark of an idea into the flame of a story. Our goal is to inspire and nurture one another and ourselves as we expand possibilities for our creative practices.

View Event →
Needle Pulling Thread: How to Craft a Novel Beginning
Sep
16
10:00 AM10:00

Needle Pulling Thread: How to Craft a Novel Beginning

  • Bainbridge Artisan Resource Network (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

Opening scenes introduce your protagonist, her/his world, their goals, the stakes, and your story's themes. It's no wonder that an opening scene is often the most difficult to write! This workshop will look at a variety of approaches, with examples from classic, literary/commercial fiction, memoir. Writing prompts will be used to help you create depth and tension in your opening scene. 

View Event →
Novels-in-Progress: A Weekly Critique and Motivation Group
Oct
6
to Dec 1

Novels-in-Progress: A Weekly Critique and Motivation Group

Intermediate/Advanced: 8 sessions $200

Thursdays, 3:00-5:00 p.m. October 6- December 1 (no class November 24)

Maximum 5 students

Open to writers who have been writing for years, who may have attended a few workshops, and perhaps have had success in the publication world. Each week, you’ll bring 1000 words from your current novel-in-progress—no matter what stage or genre—to read aloud.

If you are new to the group, please bring a one-page single-space synopsis of your novel to the first session, I will be in touch with you prior to the start of class to provide guidance on constructing the synopsis. If you are continuing from a previous workshop of mine, you may bring in your 1000-word segment of work.

You may need the motivation of a weekly deadline; perhaps you’ve stalled and are seeking inspiration and feedback to recharge your writing; you may just desire the camaraderie other writers making their way through the long-form slog. This weekly workshop will provide a safe, non-critical environment to free the trapped novel or to polish a complete manuscript before setting it on the road to publication.

Participants will reread your work silently, and then offer constructive feedback. The emphasis of our feedback will be on what shines in your work, helping you determine the novel’s core themes, the characters’ goals, and the story’s narrative arc. We will work on our writing intention, not destination. Our focus will be engagement, not judgment, on helping to determine the possibilities and power in each work.

The goals of this eight-week sessions are to improve and sharpen your story and writing, to provide inspiration and motivation to finish a work-in-progress, and to learn to give and receive constructive writing feedback.

View Event →
The Art and Craft of the Query: A Nuts & Bolts Workshop
Jul
9
10:00 AM10:00

The Art and Craft of the Query: A Nuts & Bolts Workshop

  • BARN: Bainbridge Artisan Regional Network (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

$140 Maximum 15 participants

You spent months, perhaps years, writing, revising, editing and polishing your novel or memoir. Your goal is to see it in bookstores and in the hands of readers. If you choose to pursue the traditional publishing road, this means having that manuscript accepted by a literary agent, or the editor of a small press. And your calling card is your query letter. You have one page—four or five paragraphs, four-hundred words—to sell your book, convey your voice, state your credentials, and make the case why, out of the hundreds of queries an agent receives each year, your story is one of the few she should represent.

This workshop will examine each element of a stand-alone query letter, with particular emphasis on crafting your book’s “hook”. We’ll also discuss how to find agents to query, and how the query and pitch processes works, but most of our time will be spent crafting your query letter. Even if your book is in the earliest stages—a first draft, an outline or collection of research notes—working on a query letter is an excellent way to articulate what you are writing about, who your readers are, and what sets your story apart from the rest.

Participants will have time to work separately on each section of their query letter in class and have the opportunity to receive feedback if they choose to share portions of their query with the group. The bulk of workshop time will be spent on the “meat” of the query: the hook. The goal is for each participant to leave with a working query that they can hone and polish as they plan their submission process.

*This workshop will focus on works of fiction and memoir; narrative nonfiction queries are usually accompanied by substantive proposals, which are animals of a different sort. But non-fiction writers are encouraged to participate; the basic principles and sources of information hold true for any one-page query letter, which all writers will be expected to present.

View Event →
Works-in-Progress: A Weekly Critique and Motivation Group
Jun
30
to Aug 25

Works-in-Progress: A Weekly Critique and Motivation Group

Maximum 5 students Duration: 8 sessions $160 Mondays, 3:00-5:00 p.m.
Begins Thursday, June 30; Ends Thursday, August 25 No class July 21


 Open to writers of any skill level and experience, with novels or memoirs in progress—no matter what stage or genre. You may need the motivation of a weekly deadline; perhaps you’ve stalled and are seeking inspiration and feedback to recharge your writing; you may just desire the camaraderie other writers making their way through the long-form slog. This weekly workshop will provide a safe, non-critical environment to free the trapped novel/memoir or to polish a complete manuscript before setting it on the road to publication.

Each week, you’ll bring 1000 words from your current work-in-progress to read aloud. Participants will reread your work silently, and then offer constructive feedback. The emphasis of our feedback will be on what shines in your work, helping you determine the novel’s core themes, the characters’ goals, and the story’s narrative arc. We will work on our writing intention, not destination. Our focus will be engagement, not judgment, on helping to determine the possibilities and power in each work.

The goals of this ten-week session are to improve and sharpen your story and writing, to provide inspiration and motivation to finish a work-in-progress, and to learn to give and receive constructive writing feedback.

View Event →
Works-in-Progress: A Weekly Critique and Motivation Group
Jun
20
to Aug 22

Works-in-Progress: A Weekly Critique and Motivation Group

Maximum 5 students Duration: 8 sessions $160 Mondays, 3:00-5:00 p.m.
Begins Monday, June 20; Ends Monday, August 29. No class July 4th or July 18


 Open to writers of any skill level and experience, with novels or memoirs in progress—no matter what stage or genre. You may need the motivation of a weekly deadline; perhaps you’ve stalled and are seeking inspiration and feedback to recharge your writing; you may just desire the camaraderie other writers making their way through the long-form slog. This weekly workshop will provide a safe, non-critical environment to free the trapped novel/memoir or to polish a complete manuscript before setting it on the road to publication.

Each week, you’ll bring 1000 words from your current work-in-progress to read aloud. Participants will reread your work silently, and then offer constructive feedback. The emphasis of our feedback will be on what shines in your work, helping you determine the novel’s core themes, the characters’ goals, and the story’s narrative arc. We will work on our writing intention, not destination. Our focus will be engagement, not judgment, on helping to determine the possibilities and power in each work.

The goals of this ten-week session are to improve and sharpen your story and writing, to provide inspiration and motivation to finish a work-in-progress, and to learn to give and receive constructive writing feedback.

View Event →
A Needle Pulling Thread: How to Write Your Story's Beginning
May
21
1:00 PM13:00

A Needle Pulling Thread: How to Write Your Story's Beginning

  • The Writers' Workshoppe & Imprint Books (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

MAXIMUM 12 PARTICIPANTS

$80

Thou marvell'st at my words, but hold thee still; Things bad begun make strong themselves by ill.' William Shakespeare: Macbeth, Act III, Scene 2.

A dynamic beginning to your novel or memoir is where you catch and hold, or lose, the interest of readers. Opening scenes introduce readers to your protagonist, her/his world, goals, what's at stake, possible consequences of action or inaction, and hints at or even reveals your story's themes. Given all that a beginning must do, it's no wonder that an opening scene is often the most difficult to write. 

This workshop will look at several ways to approach the opening scene, with examples from classic, literary and commercial fiction and memoir. Participants are welcome to bring in the first 500 words of a work-in-progress to share with the group for feedback (optional, but strongly encouraged). Writing prompts will be used to help you find or create depth and tension in your opening scene. 

View Event →
Works-in-Progress: A Weekly Critique and Motivation Group
Mar
31
to Jun 11

Works-in-Progress: A Weekly Critique and Motivation Group

  • The Writers' Workshopp and Imprint Books (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

Thursday, 3:00-5:00 p.m. beginning March 30, ending June 11, 2016

Maximum 5 students Duration: 10 sessions $175

 Open to writers of any skill level and experience, with novels or memoirs in progress—no matter what stage or genre. You may need the motivation of a weekly deadline; perhaps you’ve stalled and are seeking inspiration and feedback to recharge your writing; you may just desire the camaraderie other writers making their way through the long-form slog. This weekly workshop will provide a safe, non-critical environment to free the trapped novel/memoir or to polish a complete manuscript before setting it on the road to publication.

Each week, you’ll bring 1000 words from your current work-in-progress to read aloud. Participants will reread your work silently, and then offer constructive feedback. The emphasis of our feedback will be on what shines in your work, helping you determine the novel’s core themes, the characters’ goals, and the story’s narrative arc. We will work on our writing intention, not destination. Our focus will be engagement, not judgment, on helping to determine the possibilities and power in each work.

The goals of this ten-week session are to improve and sharpen your story and writing, to provide inspiration and motivation to finish a work-in-progress, and to learn to give and receive constructive writing feedback.

View Event →
Works-in-Progress: A Weekly Critique and Motivation Group
Jan
11
to Mar 14

Works-in-Progress: A Weekly Critique and Motivation Group

  • The Writers' Workshoppe & Imprint Books (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

Mondays, 3:00-5:00 p.m. beginning January 11, ending March 14, 2015

Maximum 5 students Duration: 10 sessions $175

 Open to writers of any skill level and experience, with novels or memoirs in progress—no matter what stage or genre. You may need the motivation of a weekly deadline; perhaps you’ve stalled and are seeking inspiration and feedback to recharge your writing; you may just desire the camaraderie other writers making their way through the long-form slog. This weekly workshop will provide a safe, non-critical environment to free the trapped novel/memoir or to polish a complete manuscript before setting it on the road to publication.

Each week, you’ll bring 1000 words from your current work-in-progress to read aloud. Participants will reread your work silently, and then offer constructive feedback. The emphasis of our feedback will be on what shines in your work, helping you determine the novel’s core themes, the characters’ goals, and the story’s narrative arc. We will work on our writing intention, not destination. Our focus will be engagement, not judgment, on helping to determine the possibilities and power in each work.

The goals of this ten-week session are to improve and sharpen your story and writing, to provide inspiration and motivation to finish a work-in-progress, and to learn to give and receive constructive writing feedback.

View Event →
Works-in-Progress: A Weekly Critique and Motivation Group
Jan
7
to Mar 10

Works-in-Progress: A Weekly Critique and Motivation Group

  • The Writers' Workshoppe & Imprint Books (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

Thursdays, 3:00-5:00 p.m. beginning January 7, ending March 10, 2015

Maximum 5 students Duration: 10 sessions $175

Open to writers of any skill level and experience, with novels or memoirs in progress—no matter what stage or genre. You may need the motivation of a weekly deadline; perhaps you’ve stalled and are seeking inspiration and feedback to recharge your writing; you may just desire the camaraderie other writers making their way through the long-form slog. This weekly workshop will provide a safe, non-critical environment to free the trapped novel/memoir or to polish a complete manuscript before setting it on the road to publication.

Each week, you’ll bring 1000 words from your current work-in-progress to read aloud. Participants will reread your work silently, and then offer constructive feedback. The emphasis of our feedback will be on what shines in your work, helping you determine the novel’s core themes, the characters’ goals, and the story’s narrative arc. We will work on our writing intention, not destination. Our focus will be engagement, not judgment, on helping to determine the possibilities and power in each work.

The goals of this ten-week session are to improve and sharpen your story and writing, to provide inspiration and motivation to finish a work-in-progress, and to learn to give and receive constructive writing feedback.

View Event →
Sep
19
1:00 PM13:00

The Art and Craft of the Query: Part 2 “Workshop” Your Query!*

Saturday, September 16 1:00-5:00 p.m. Maximum 6 participants $50

To register, call The Writers' Workshoppe, 1-360-379-2617

Whether you attended The Art and Craft of the Query: Part 1, The Nuts and Bolts in July, or you have a draft of a query letter in need of review, this workshop will help you prepare the final draft. We’ll look at each query letter, assess its effectiveness and impact, and work together to sharpen the query’s essentials with particular emphasis on the pitch.

Please bring six drafts of your query letter to share. Your query should be fully-formed—we won’t be writing letters from scratch—but don’t worry if it’s rough. The goal of this workshop is to refine your query so it’s an irresistible call to action for a literary agent to represent your work.

*This workshop will focus on works of fiction and memoir; narrative nonfiction queries are usually accompanied by substantive proposals, which are animals of a different sort. But non-fiction writers are encouraged to participate; the basic principles hold true for any one-page query letter, which all writers will be expected to present.

 

View Event →
Sep
15
to Nov 17

Novel-in-Progress: A Weekly Critique and Motivation Group

  • The Writers' Workshoppe (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

Tuesdays, 3:00-5:00 p.m. beginning September 15, ending November 17, 2015 

Maximum: 5 participants Duration: 10 sessions Cost: $150

To register, call The Writers' Workshoppe, 1-360-379-2617

Open to writers of any skill level and experience, with novels in progress—no matter what stage or genre. You may need the motivation of a weekly deadline; perhaps you’ve stalled and are seeking inspiration and feedback to recharge your writing; you may just desire the camaraderie other writers making their way through the long-form slog. This weekly workshop will provide a safe, non-critical environment to free the trapped novel or polish a complete manuscript before setting it on the road to publication.

Each week, you’ll bring 1000 words from your current novel-in-progress to read aloud. Participants will reread your work silently, and then offer constructive feedback. The emphasis of our feedback will be on what shines in your work, helping you determine the novel’s core themes, the characters’ goals, and the story’s narrative arc. We will work on our writing intention, not destination. Our focus will be engagement, not judgment, on helping to determine the possibilities and power in each work.

The goals of this ten-week session are to improve and sharpen your story and writing, to provide inspiration and motivation to finish a work-in-progress, and to learn to give and receive constructive writing feedback.

For the first session, Tuesday, September 15, please bring 5 copies of a 1-2 page synopsis of your Novel-In-Progress, even if your novel is not complete and you aren't sure quite where it's going. This will give you an opportunity to articulate your vision and for us to become more familiar with your story. 

View Event →
Jul
25
10:00 AM10:00

The Art and Craft of the Query: a Nuts and Bolts Workshop

  • The Writers' Workshoppe and Imprint Books (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

Sat. July 25th, 10:00-4:00 p.m. The Writers' Workshoppe, Port Townsend, WA
Cost: $75 12 participants maximum

Register: The Writers' Workshoppe 1-360-379-2617

Workshop Description:

You spent months, perhaps years, writing, revising, editing and polishing your novel or memoir. Your goal is to see it in bookstores and in the hands of readers. If you choose to pursue the traditional publishing road, this means having that manuscript accepted by a literary agent, or the editor of a small press.  And your calling card is your query letter. You have one page—four or five paragraphs, four-hundred words—to sell your book, convey your voice, state your credentials, and make the case why, out of the hundreds of queries an agent receives each year, your story is one of the few she should represent.

 This workshop will examine each element of a stand-alone query letter, with particular emphasis on crafting your book’s “hook”.  We’ll also discuss how to find agents to query, and how the query and pitch processes works, but most of our time will be spent crafting your query letter. Even if your book is in the earliest stages—a first draft, an outline or collection of research notes—working on a query letter is an excellent way to articulate what you are writing about, who your readers are, and what sets your story apart from the rest.

 Participants will have time to work separately on each section of their query letter in class and have the opportunity to receive feedback if they choose to share portions of their query with the group. The bulk of workshop time will be spent on the “meat” of the query: the hook. The goal is for each participant to leave with a working query that they can hone and polish as they plan their submission process. 

*This workshop will focus on works of fiction and memoir; narrative nonfiction queries are usually accompanied by substantive proposals, which are animals of a different sort. But non-fiction writers are encouraged to participate; the basic principles and sources of information hold true for any one-page query letter, which all writers will be expected to present.

View Event →