Steve Friedman created a community of writers. I immediately felt comfortable sharing my work in progress and getting honest, but supportive, feedback that radically improved my essay writing. At the end of the class, Steve encouraged me to send one of my pieces to The New York Times, and it was published. You can't give a better endorsement than that. -- Carol Vecchione

"Steve's Personal Essay Class far surpassed my expectations. A great teacher, Steve runs his workshops with humor and just plain good sense. But don't be fooled by his laidback demeanor: he's passionately committed to the craft of writing. He really wants to see his students succeed, so he gladly shares his experiences and contacts. Steve even helped me get my first major clip -- an essay published in The Washington Post! -- Jess Allen

"Steve has an upbeat and encouraging approach and a terrific dry sense of humor, so the class is fun in addition to being helpful. His instructional riffs are well organized and easy to understand. He uses lots of examples from student writing, which is helpful, and he makes great recommendations. I'd recommend him to anyone." -- Lee Stokes Hilton, freelancer

"This class was amazing. Steve is just fantastic. This is my second class with him -- I took it because the first (bootcamp) was so great. I came out of the class with 2-3 pieces I plan to fine-tune and pitch. Steve is articulate, thoughtful, always right in my opinion, very very funny and open and holds the class together." -- Michele Brown, former student

"Steve Friedman has the rare ability to write effortless prose that is funny, touching and occasionally profound. He has the even rarer ability to make that gift accessible to his students and inspire them to make great leaps in their own writing. Steve always gets to the humanity. He will help you get there, also. And he will make you laugh, cry and understand that tortured souls don't have to be rendered in tortured prose." -- Jeff Leen, Pulitzer Prize Winner, investigations editor, Washington Post

"I sold a Profile piece to The New York Sun that I had written for the first class assignment in Steve Friedman's Boot Camp for Journalists course! I gained constructive criticism and feedback about my story in class, which helped me fine-tune the piece and make it more marketable. The class is a great kick-in-the-behind." -- Kerry L. Smith, Freelance Writer