DETAILS

In this intensive workshop, limited to 12 students, memoirist Kelly McMasters will help you hone your story arc, character development, setting, voice, point of view, level of diction, and every other element of your manuscript. Each week you will receive detailed feedback as you work toward polishing your sample chapters or manuscript for submission to agents.

By the end of class, you will have:
At least three polished sample chapters ready to submit to agents with your book proposal.

This class is purely workshop-based and does not contain written lectures.

Admission Requirements:
Students should come to class with a working manuscript. Apply with a letter of interest and writing sample.

• Discussions: Join a weekly live, interactive discussion via video
• Assignments: Complete homework and receive instructor feedback
• Forums: Exchange resources, meet peers, and ask your instructor questions

DETAILS

The online classroom has several components:

• Lessons: Learn new skills through video-based lessons
• Discussions: Join a weekly live, interactive discussion via IM and video
• Assignments: Complete homework and receive instructor feedback
• Forums: Exchange resources, meet peers, and ask your instructor questions

DETAILS

This course will take you through the process of outlining, writing, editing, and submitting a children's picture book. Through weekly writing assignments, you'll master essential craft elements including plotting, outlining, and crafting a narrative arc.

In this class, you will learn how to:

• Write in pictures
• Use techniques for hooking readers and editors
• Practice the science of making language sing
• Understand why editors like to choose their own illustrators
• Apply the nuts and bolts of marketing a manuscript

By the end of class, you will have:
A completed picture book manuscript, along with a cover letter for sending it out.

DETAILS

In this intensive workshop -- limited to 12 students -- a former senior editor at Random House will help you hone your story arc, character development, setting, voice, point of view, level of diction, and every element of your manuscript. Each week you will receive detailed feedback as you work toward polishing your manuscript for submission to agents and book publishers.

Weekly chat topics include how to:

• Develop your platform 
• Know what agents and editors are looking for when they consider your manuscript
• Craft an attention-grabbing query letter and practice your pitch
• Decide if self-publishing or traditional publishing is right for you

By the end of class, you will have:
Up to 80 polished pages of your novel, a query letter, and steps for submitting them to literary agents.

This class is purely workshop-based and does not contain written lectures.

Admission Requirements:
This class is for students working toward a polished manuscript. Apply with a note to explain your interest in this topic and goals for the course. Please include a two-page writing sample.

The online classroom has several components:

• Discussion: Join a weekly live, interactive discussion via IM and video
• Assignments: Complete homework and receive instructor feedback
• Forums: Exchange resources, meet peers, and ask your instructor questions

DETAILS

Though we can't promise that your novel will sell 10 million copies like 50 Shades of Grey, we can help you write a smart, polished manuscript that will appeal to agents, editors, and readers.

In this class, you'll read sample chapters from successful romance novels and learn the elements of historical, contemporary, paranormal, and erotic romance to find your perfect niche in the current marketplace. You'll complete a working draft of your romance novel, all while receiving expert, personal feedback from one of the genre's stars.

In this class, you will learn how to:

• Build emotional and sexual tension quickly and effectively
• Create compelling characters, from heroes to villains
• Write sparkling dialogue that drives the plot, develops characters and heightens tension
• Revise, cut, and tighten your manuscript
• Find an agent and market your book and brand

By the end of class, you will have:
A working draft of your romance novel manuscript.

The online classroom has several components:

• Lessons: Learn new skills through written lessons
• Discussion: Join a weekly live, interactive discussion via IM and video
• Assignments: Complete homework and receive instructor feedback
• Forums: Exchange resources, meet peers, and ask your instructor questions

DETAILS

The sitcom writing experience is different from any other type of creative writing. This intensive weekend course is for writers without professional television experience who want to learn how it's really done.

This class will recreate the authentic experience of a professional writer's room to give students the feel of what it's like to work in the television industry. Students will collaborate on creating individual half-hour scripts for a current television sitcom. Everyone will be encouraged to participate, pitch ideas, and punch up jokes. There are no bad ideas.

In this class, you will learn how to:

• Think, talk, and self-edit like a television writer
• Write collaboratively and brainstorm
• Understand the tone, style, and themes of a network or cable show
• Successfully pitch new ideas
• Write your episode synopsis

By the end of class, you will have:
Hands-on experience with the sitcom writing process, a solid beginning of your script, and techniques to make your writing stand out to agents, studios, networks, and executive producers.

DETAILS

Remember The Glass Castle? It's time for you to write your New York Times bestseller.

This class is geared towards anyone ready to write a memoir but needs to learn how to tell it -- and sell it. You'll participate in a stimulating, supportive environment where you can workshop your memoir-in-progress and receive invaluable feedback.

Through weekly assignments and lectures, you will learn how to turn your idea into a book deal and produce up to 50 pages of text and an outline. You will also learn about craft, style, and the development of your unique voice.

In this class, you will learn how to:

• Find your authentic voice and unlock memories
• Know what the 'theme' of your story is
• Find the most effective structure for your story
• Approach literary agents
• Understand techniques for selling a memoir before you have finished writing it

The online classroom has several components:

• Lessons: Learn new skills through written lessons
• Discussion: Join a weekly live, interactive discussion via IM and video
• Assignments: Complete homework and receive instructor feedback
• Forums: Exchange resources, meet peers, and ask your instructor questions

DETAILS

Part lecture, part workshop, this course will take you through the process of outlining, writing, editing, and submitting a children's picture book. Through weekly writing assignments, you'll master essential craft elements including plotting, outlining, and crafting a narrative arc.

In this class, you will learn how to:

• Write in pictures
• Use techniques for hooking readers and editors
• Practice the science of making language sing
• Understand why editors like to choose their own illustrators
• Apply the nuts and bolts of marketing a manuscript

By the end of class, you will have:
A completed picture book manuscript, along with a cover letter for sending it out.

• Lessons: Learn new skills through video-based lessons
• Discussion: Join a weekly live, interactive discussion via IM and video
• Assignments: Complete homework and receive instructor feedback
• Forums: Exchange resources, meet peers, and ask your instructor questions

DETAILS

In this intensive workshop, limited to 12 students, Marie Claire senior editor Whitney Joiner will help you fine-tune your essays for publication. You'll work on your voice, narrative, and identity while drafting pitches and focusing in on where to market your essay. Each week you will receive detailed feedback as you work toward polishing your personal essay for submission to editors.

By the end of class, you will have:
At least two polished essays and pitches ready to submit to editors.

This class is purely workshop-based and does not contain written lectures.

Admission Requirements:
Students should come to class with a complete draft of their essay(s). Apply with a letter of interest and writing sample.

The online classroom has several components:

• Discussions: Join a weekly live, interactive discussion via video
• Assignments: Complete homework and receive instructor feedback
• Forums: Exchange resources, meet peers, and ask your instructor questions

DETAILS

Remember The Glass Castle? It's time for you to write your New York Times bestseller.

This class is geared towards anyone ready to write a memoir but needs to learn how to tell it -- and sell it. You'll participate in a stimulating, supportive environment where you can workshop your memoir-in-progress and receive invaluable feedback. 

Through weekly assignments and lectures, you will learn how to turn your idea into a book deal and produce up to 50 pages of text and an outline. You will also learn about craft, style, and the development of your unique voice.

In this class, you will learn how to:

• Find your authentic voice and unlock memories
• Know what the 'theme' of your story is
• Find the most effective structure for your story
• Approach literary agents
• Understand techniques for selling a memoir before you have finished writing it

By the end of class, you will have:
An outline, 50 pages of a memoir, and a plan for approaching literary agents and publishing houses. 

Students who have taken this class have published with:
Crown, Random House, and have gotten agents at William Morris and Brandt & Hochman.

DETAILS

While the last several years saw the chick lit-based feature films The Devil Wears Prada, Something Borrowed, and P.S. I Love You, the genre has begun to drift in a deeper direction, drawing closer to women’s fiction standards with Jodi Picoult and Anita Shreve, who consistently dominate the bestseller charts. Whether you call your writing chick lit or women’s fiction, this is the class for you.

Learn how chick lit and women's fiction differ from romance and other genres. We'll discuss where women's fiction is going, how it's expanding, and how to get your book published.

In this class, you will learn how to:

• Create compelling, likeable, realistic characters
• Write great dialogue and resolve conflict
• Revise, cut, and tighten your manuscript
• Find an agent and create a pitch package
• Market your book after it's sold

By the end of class, you will have:
A first draft of your chick lit novel, and the knowledge of how to sell it to agents.

The online classroom has several components:

• Lessons: Learn new skills through written lessons
• Discussions: Join a weekly live, interactive discussion via IM and video
• Assignments: Complete homework and receive instructor feedback
• Forums: Exchange resources, meet peers, and ask your instructor questions

DETAILS

• Lessons: Learn new skills through written lessons
• Discussions: Join a weekly live, interactive discussion via IM and video
• Assignments: Complete homework and receive instructor feedback
• Forums: Exchange resources, meet peers, and ask your instructor questions

DETAILS

You've taken your young adult manuscript as far as you can, but there's another level to reach before securing a book deal. This workshop is for writers who are seeking to do the serious revision that will bring a good idea to its fullest realization.

In this intensive workshop -- limited to 12 students -- you'll hone your story arc, character development, setting, voice, point of view, level of diction, and every element of your manuscript. Each week you will receive detailed feedback from the instructor and your classmates as you work toward polishing your YA or middle grade manuscript for submission to agents and book publishers. You'll learn how to navigate the publishing world to be in the best position to get published.

By the end of class, you will have:
Up to 80 polished pages of your young adult novel and steps for submitting it to literary agents.
 
This class is purely workshop-based and does not contain written lectures.

Admission Requirements:
This class is for students working toward a polished manuscript. Apply with a note to explain your interest in this topic and goals for the course. Please include a two-page writing sample.

The online classroom has several components:

• Discussion: Join a weekly live, interactive discussion via IM and video
• Assignments: Complete homework and receive instructor feedback
• Forums: Exchange resources, meet peers, and ask your instructor questions

DETAILS

Join fellow writers in your pursuit of a first draft, under the guidance of a novelist who knows what she's doing -- and what you need to do. You'll learn the lost art of craft, the power of the outline, and how to find the "hook" that will sell your novel.

You'll get lessons on characterization, point of view, style, dialogue, plot, and silencing your inner critic. Students will share their work with the class at least three times and will join the instructor in providing feedback to other students.

In this class, you will learn how to:

• Write a strong outline -- and when to change it
• Create believable characters
• Create a consistent tone and point of view
• Understand the secret to dynamic dialogue
• Provide and receive useful feedback

Students who have taken this class have published with:
Simon & Schuster, Voice, Forge, and signed with the McIntosh and Otis agency.

The online classroom has several components:

• Lessons: Learn new skills through written lessons
• Discussion: Join a weekly live, interactive discussion via IM and video
• Assignments: Complete homework and receive instructor feedback
• Forums: Exchange resources, meet peers, and ask your instructor questions

DETAILS

From Anna Quindlen to Adam Gopnik, the work of personal essayists is increasingly filling the pages of magazines and websites, offering readers a glimpse of inner worlds and casting a light on the larger world around them.

This class will focus on writing and selling first-person narratives, starting with short opinion and slice-of-life pieces appropriate for The New York Times op-ed page, and moving on to longer, reported pieces written in the first-person. Assignments will be workshopped and ready for pitching.

In this class, you will learn how to:

• Find a narrative voice to anchor your essay
• Tell a personal story without being whiney
• Tell someone else's story
• Know what to leave in and what to leave out
• Self-edit and assess your voice, style, and tone

By the end of class, you will have:
At least two complete and salable personal essays.

DETAILS

We live in the golden age of young adult literature, with young people buying books at the fastest rate in decades. Think Hunger Games, Twilight, or Harry Potter. YA novels are now respected as important money-makers at publishing houses, and they win honors such as the Printz, Newbery, and National Book Awards.

The goal of this class is to finish your YA or middle grade novel in 12 weeks.

In this class, you will learn how to:

• Write a proposal that doesn't end up in the slush pile
• Evaluate what topics are teen cliches, and how to stay away from them
• Know whether or not you need an agent and, if so, how to get one
• Write for teens without being condescending
• Evaluate your story arc for a teen audience

By the end of class, you will have:
A complete first draft of your YA or middle grade novel.

Students who have taken this class have published with:
Simon & Schuster, Razorbill, Viking, Random House, Simon Pulse, and Grosset & Dunlap, and sold 4-book deals to Penguin and 2-book deals to HarperCollins.

The online classroom has several components:

• Lessons: Learn new skills through written lessons
• Discussion: Join a weekly live, interactive discussion via IM and video
• Assignments: Complete homework and receive instructor feedback
• Forums: Exchange resources, meet peers, and ask your instructor questions

DETAILS

We live in the golden age of young adult literature, with young people buying books at the fastest rate in decades. Think Hunger Games, Twilight, or Harry Potter. YA novels are now respected as important money-makers at publishing houses, and they win honors such as the Printz, Newbery, and National Book Awards.

The goal of this class is to finish your YA or middle grade novel in 12 weeks.

In this class, you will learn:

• How to write a proposal that doesn't end up in the slush pile
• What topics are teen cliches, and how to stay away from them
• Whether or not you need an agent and, if so, how to get one
• How to write for teens without being condescending
• How to evaluate your story arc for a teen audience

By the end of class, you will have:
A complete first draft of your YA or middle grade novel.

Students who have taken this class have published with:
Simon & Schuster, Razorbill, Viking, Random House, Simon Pulse, and Grosset & Dunlap, and sold 4-book deals to Penguin and 2-book deals to HarperCollins.

DETAILS

You've taken your young adult manuscript as far as you can, but there's another level to reach before securing a book deal. This workshop is for writers who are seeking to do the serious revision that will bring a good idea to its fullest realization.

In this intensive workshop -- limited to 12 students -- you'll hone your story arc, character development, setting, voice, point of view, level of diction, and every element of your manuscript. Each week you will receive detailed feedback from the instructor and your classmates as you work toward polishing your YA or middle grade manuscript for submission to agents and book publishers. You'll learn how to navigate the publishing world to be in the best position to get published.

By the end of class, you will have:
Up to 80 polished pages of your young adult novel and steps for submitting it to literary agents.
 
This class is purely workshop-based and does not contain written lectures.

Admission Requirements:
This class is for students working toward a polished manuscript. Apply with a note to explain your interest in this topic and goals for the course. Please include a two-page writing sample.

The online classroom has several components:

• Discussion: Join a weekly live, interactive discussion via IM and video
• Assignments: Complete homework and receive instructor feedback
• Forums: Exchange resources, meet peers, and ask your instructor questions

DETAILS

Nonfiction books -- a market easier to break into than fiction -- are the backbone of publishing. Whether self-help, travel, health, memoir, business, current affairs, or any other number of categories, there's no shortage of readers for nonfiction that teaches, transforms, and captivates readers interested in a particular subject.

In this class, you'll learn how to convey your idea in a winning book proposal and why taking the time to do so will make or break your chances of getting it noticed and sold. You'll also learn what is appropriate for writers who have an idea for a book, but would like to know the complete and correct execution of this vital marketing product.

In this class, you will learn how to:

• Identify whether your idea is a good one
• Think through the essential ingredients of a book proposal
• Format the proposal
• Write your proposal letter
• Understand the nuts and bolts of the nonfiction publishing industry

By the end of class, you will have:
A marketable nonfiction book proposal package ready to send out to agents, including a query letter and sample chapter.

Students who have taken this class have published with:
Simon and Schuster, Perseus/Running Press, and Simon Spotlight.

DETAILS

This intensive 8-week online class is for experienced students who are ready to dig deeper and demand more from themselves and each other. We'll be looking at examples of published work from magazines, anthologies, and websites and discussing how they succeed. Students will generate and workshop short drafts of new ideas -- and work on revising longer work that has you stuck.

In this class, you will learn how to:

• Identify what makes your experience compelling for others
• Explore the hidden narratives that can and should shape your work
• Use "ordinary" details and events to create extraordinary insights
• Reshape your tale using the techniques of fiction while retaining the integrity of the truth
• Approach editors and submit your work

By the end of class, you will have:
Five short pieces to expand into essays and at least one complete personal essay.

Students who have taken this class have been published in:
The New York Times, Modern Love, Christian Science Monitor, Washington Post, Newsweek, Self, Salon.com, Runner's World, the San Francisco Chronicle, and the London Times.

Admission Requirements
Apply with a note to explain your interest in this topic and goals for the course. Please include a two-page writing sample.

The online classroom has several components:

• Lessons: Learn new skills through written lessons
• Discussion: Join a weekly live, interactive discussion via IM and video
• Assignments: Complete homework and receive instructor feedback
• Forums: Exchange resources, meet peers, and ask your instructor questions